Most folks don’t know that there is a connection between real estate and design, but those familiar with cityhomeCOLLECTIVE know that we don’t just know it–it’s our damn philosophy. For me, the idea of creating a real estate brokerage that also focused on design came about simply due to my desire to make a career out of combining the things I love: real estate, design, architecture, and amazing people.

It’s a little-known fact that real estate and design go hand-in-hand, in much the same way that design correlates directly with our senses. When people walk into a home–whether it’s for sale or not–most times they just innately want to touch things. This is something I’ve witnessed time and again while showing houses to buyers–they want to look with their eyes, their ears, and their hands. We’re tactile. We want to know what things are made of, how they feel. As a realtor, the idea of staging my listings started as something I did for fun (and for free) for my clients. I could give you the whole spiel about how a good staging affects all five senses, but I’ll give you the abridged version–what’s important is that you create a space with which people can visually and emotionally connect. I knew that making these little tweaks could vastly affect the way that people felt in the space, and that that feeling could greatly affect how quickly that home was sold.

We’re not tricking people; we’re simply creating a space for them to be aware of their own senses.

Over the years, the art of staging spaces has evolved for me. At cityhomeCOLLECTIVE, we have an entire department dedicated to staging. We use new pieces and pieces wrought with history from vintage shops (and, as always, support local whenever we can). We help folks create comfortable, intriguing, stellar spaces in their homes, and we aim to inspire the people that come through it to live their own lives with as much intention (and we love when we get calls asking where we got a lamp or what a certain shade of paint is called). Think of it like a sensory pop-up shop. Whether people spend 10 minutes or two hours inside one of our staged homes, they’re going to be blown away the whole time.

I actually can’t stand the term “staging”–it makes it seem like we’re creating an illusion here. We’re not tricking people; we’re simply creating a space for them to be aware of their own senses, and that’s 100% authentic. I’ve expressed in past blogs that I believe people should live in a home that they think is perfect even before they are ready to sell, but for some reason, people love to wait until they’re moving out to make their home what they want. Don’t wait until you’re ready to sell to stage your space. (Tip: style your home like you’re expecting a few close friends over for drinks–candles, music, a bottle of wine chilling.)

The little moments matter just as much–they’re what fills the time between the big stuff.

Every moment of your life is valid enough to live fabulously. So let’s stage it.

This isn’t staging. It’s simply living better. If you don’t think there are any pieces warranting a second look or touch in your home, call us up and we’ll find some for you. A staged breakfast or dinner party or moment isn’t synthetic if you’re actually living it, right? Life is filled with big moments (births, weddings, etc), but the little moments matter just as much–they’re what fills the time between the big stuff–so they might as well be amazing, too. I have breakfast with candles and music and my favorite flatware every morning, and not because I’m expecting company. I do it for myself (and partly because most mornings I’m up before the sun). So there’s no fanfare or crowd or Instagram posts about it (#putdownthephone)…it’s still a valid and fantastic memory. Every moment of your life is valid enough to live fabulously. So let’s stage it. And let’s come up with a better word than “stage”.

At cityhomeCOLLECTIVE, we glorify good architecture. We exalt good design. We sing the praises of good business. But really, the sum of what we love is beauty. Beautiful people, beautiful spaces, inside and out. And whenever we can, we marry those things (call us spatial matchmakers, property consultants, house therapists…we’ve heard ‘em all). Due to our affinity for good people, places, and things, it should come as no surprise that we’ve long since had our COLLECTIVE eye on Utah jewelers O.C. Tanner. As a business owner, I have always been fascinated with how other folks do it, and I crave hearing success stories of those who have done it right. Obert C. Tanner didn’t just start a jewelry store–oh, no. Though the focus of this particular piece is, in fact, the structural masterpiece in which the SLC jewelry shop resides, it’s certainly worth noting that the business model for O.C. Tanner is remarkable in its own right. 

 It’s a forward thinking, good vibes/better people, not just feel-good but feel-great company

The Tanner model is based on recognizing and rewarding employees all over the world. And it just so happens to specialize in selling the highest-end, holy-shit jewelry and timepieces. True story: I remember going with my mom to drop my 16-year-old sister off to work at OC Tanner when I was just four years old. She still works there (how’s that for employee retention?) Years later, I would sit down with a dear friend (and client) and wax philosophical about good style, good business, and why she loves her job at O.C. Tanner. And suddenly I was the four year old in the car–face pressed against the glass in wonder, and maybe a twinge of jealousy–all over again. O.C. Tanner was quickly becoming an obsession. The employee recognition and rewards programs that they help companies implement are, quite simply, exquisite. Picture the possibilities: rather than getting a pat on the back for your 10-year employee anniversary, you get a slap on the wrist. With, say, a Rolex. What does this have to do with architecture? Only everything.

To put it bluntly, they’re killing it. And since 1927, they’ve been ours. 

We believe the best ideas deserve to be cultivated in the best of spaces. We wholeheartedly respect those that invest in their surroundings for the betterment of home, ‘hood, and city, and this company has done a damn fine job. When they took on the renovation of the old planetarium on State Street and South Temple (where O.C. Tanner Jewelers now stands, just next to our friends at the Alta Club), there was a communal sigh of relief. We knew if any company was going to do this restorative renovation right, it would be O.C. Tanner. Their headquarters would remain just down State Street, but their specialized retail space would become a shining example of how good business–with a vision for the future and a respect for the past–can hunker down and commit to the importance of space. Started right here in Salt Lake City. Originally built in 1905, the building’s 20,000 square feet and $24 million renovation (by architecture firm MJSA) only reinforces the testament that the best things are worth preserving, and preserving well. And since the shop is only a handful of blocks from our COLLECTIVE HQ, we can pop over to this beautiful jewelry box down the street to appreciate all the brilliance that resides within whenever we please. 

 We believe our friends, family, and clients deserve the prettiest locales to call “the office.” We believe these folks, along with their stunning wares–whatever they may be–deserve to be put on display and shown off. 

We chatted with O.C. Tanner’s Dominique Anderson about the real estate, the renovation, the reality, and my royal love affair…

In the world of precious stones and precise timepieces, does size actually matter? Yes and no. The numerous, tiny parts that make up the movement of a fine timepiece are its hallmarks, and it’s also what makes it so exceptional. For jewelry, we say go as big as your budget and personal style allows, but quality always trumps.

Why do you think your clients are so loyal? Our clients trust us to provide them with the best and the brightest. They are treated like part of our family; many of them have become close, personal friends. New customers come to us because of our reputation of quality and trustworthiness – and they stick with us.

Do you ever overhear clients or visitors talking about your building? What do they say? So many of our clients are grateful that O.C. Tanner made the investment to restore our building in such a spectacular way. It truly is a gift to the city. We have many tourists who stop in the store just to see the space and almost every one of them marvel at our chandelier.

COLLECTIVELY speaking, we tend to live for moments in spaces; small chunks of life wherein we experience an environment that leaves an impression. If you’re paying attention, it may bite with some frequency, actually. A stirring space makes you feel. It inspires you to think, reflect, and act. Temples, cathedrals, and synagogues are obvious cases in point. They do it well. Our ‘holy places’, however, tend to run on the casual side of the spiritual mainline. As fixed believers that ‘space shapes life’, we’re ever aware of the spaces we enter and the affect they have, be it on us or those that live inside. Dee Wilson’s home is the proof, the pudding, and the eating. Having taken a tour, we’re aptly changed. Motivations made absolute, we’re inspired to design better, live deliberately, pay attention, and love space literally. An embellished or idealized sentiment? No.

You should have been there.

It’s impossible to note every deliberate and keen detail of the space – there are simply too many. 

Salt-Lake-City dweller, Dee Wilson, is a local architect who has perfected the art of simplicity. The final project before retirement, his personal residence exemplifies the crescendo of his collected works in modernist progression. He’s remained faithful to his home’s style, evidenced in part by his decision to integrate the structure seamlessly with nature; the home is positioned between two Catalpa trees in an effort to save them. As a result, the impact was minimal and modern, understated yet bold. Dee’s home is a wallflower on the street, its pretty face pulled back among the more noticeable bungalows and Victorians. A simple car port is the mug of the casa, and in winning a spark of inspiration, black tile was used on the street-facing wall, making for an exotic entrance that, when lit at night, is stunning. There’s a perfectly-placed, concrete pillar that visually separates the car port from the front door, and (in a stroke of quiet genius) its secondary function is that of a secret storage space.

The glass entry way to this incredible space serves as a literal window of proof that the concrete flows seamlessly from exterior to interior. It’s a modest single-level at 1,800 sq. ft., but given the notably designed floor plan, official size is of little concern. Steel beam and metal suspension at play, the home is positioned between two concrete walls that travel smoothly from the car port to the rear garden. A creative application of linear living has been put to use and the entry hallway is a lesson in flow. Living quarters in the form of office, bathrooms, and master/guest bedrooms coyly line the left wall behind a savvy collection of built-in [and out-of-the-way] storage units. Equal to the task of forward movement, a gallery of work covers the right wall clear to the rear of the house. The ceiling height throughout feels ideal at 9’4″, and concrete floors, complete with radiant heat, flaunt gorgeously up-to-date living standards. Once you approach the entertaining space, the house basically blooms in full. An arresting wall of double-pain windows opens up the interior space and pulls in the courtyard, allowing for an intimate connection with the Salt Lake seasons. It’s a stellar example of living inside without feeling enclosed.

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Over a decade ago, I set out with a huge dream (and a nearly non-existent budget) to reinvent the entire real estate industry (I’m a “go big or go home” type dreamer). I wanted to turn this game on its stodgy head. I wanted to act not just ethically and integlligently on behalf of my clients, but in a way that adds beauty, interest, and passion to an otherwise mostly-dry profession. Two halves. One brain. Big dream. Still, I take every opportunity to educate myself, most recently at the Inman Real Estate Conference in San Francisco. Speakers included CEOs of Google, Facebook, Zillow, Realtor.com and beyond, and there was so much humanness in the approach for facts that I could not help but feel a sense of pride in this industry that I had not always felt over the years. (Change is coming, people, and it’s awesome.) In the interest of satiating my left and right hemispheres, I wanted to share a few helpful “hot off the press” market insights with all of you.

1. It’s a myth that the market is too expensive for first time home buyers. In fact, 53% of buyers in the last year were first time home buyers. Despite being more expensive, homes are more affordable than they have been in decades. Today, folks are putting roughly 15% of their income toward their mortgages, compared to 30% of their income in the 1980s.

2. It’s a myth that the buying/selling season starts in the spring and lasts an average of 10 weeks. Our own cityhomeCOLLECTIVE research confirms national statistics that folks look for properties throughout the entire year. Fun fact: Christmas day is statistically one of the biggest “home search” days (we imagine it might have something to do with all those new gadgets being unboxed and all those relatives bunking in the den).

3. It’s a myth that you have to be a higher-up in the age spectrum to purchase. In the last 12 months, the average age of home buyers was just 36 (that’s me…and it’s not that old).

Bottom line: this is one of the best times to purchase a home. There are so many great options and programs available that rival years past, and we just so happen to know a few fantastic homes available right now. We know that it takes the skills of many disciplines to make a smooth and successful transaction (and we’ve got agents, brokers, writers, designers, a staging team, and more at our fingertips), but–in this day and age–it takes more than a little tech savvy, as well. According to a 2010 interview with former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, society created more information every two days than we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003 (5 billion gigabytes). That’s a lot of info, people–and today, we’re creating that same amount every five minutes–so we figure in order to make it stick, we ought to present it in a way that’s beautiful, authentic, and smart. In a world that’s trending toward the digital, it might be easy to err on the side of robotic. At cityhomeCOLLECTIVE, we’re happily embracing the technological aspects–and doing a damn fine job, if I do say so myself–but we vow to forever strive to exercise our human side. We’ve got the team, we’ve got the experience, and we’ve got the love. The head and the heart. Now get over here, you.

Contact cityhomeCOLLECTIVE today to discuss the purchase of your next home or the sale of your current one. | 801.718.5555

The Eva’s Bakery on Main Street has done more for connecting Salt Lake to Paris since the direct Delta flight became available a few years ago. Don’t have the cash to get to a boulangerie in the City of Light? Come here, we say. Once inside, you’ll forget you’re stateside anyhow. Owner, Charlie Perry, has quite simply nailed it. The simple breads [made, literally, from only organic flour, water, and salt] and delicious pastries, [made, literally, of every delicious thing you can imagine] are incredible. The concept here is simple: do like they do in ol’ Paname. Stop in for a quick baguette and ‘sweet’, head in to dine, have some lunch, or stop for a cup of coffee. Think of this as the neighborhood market that you frequent, but without the effort. It’s precisely what we’ve been waiting for in the neighborhood; a place to get comfy with a book and a treat, where you won’t be rushed out some hours and lattes later. Come in for all three meals, then come back…Ms. Ruby runs the joint, and her smile is well worth the 4th visit.

Items at the top of our list: the Annelle [a portable baked crème brûlée bit of heaven, baked with bees wax and buttered rum]; the Tart [ a fancy pistaccio cobler baked in tart with red wine]; and seriously…shut up about the bakers pies. I’m moving my office to the table in the corner. It’s where I belong.

Eva’s Bakery on Main Street has done more for connecting Salt Lake to Paris since the direct Delta flight became available a few years ago. 

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HOW TO DECREASE* THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME IN 3 EASY STEPS!

Now, pay attention. What you’ll find below are tips to taking the value of your home to new lows. If you’re looking to actually increase the value of your home, be sure to disregard all of the following advice. Or better yet, just do precisely the opposite.

1) When choosing, remember: the more generic, the better. Rather than creating a space you will love, consider the resale value. Forget what you want–how can you make this space as appealing to as many people as possible? Answer: by making it as generic as possible. A good rule of thumb to go by is to curate in beige. Everything beige–beige on ivory, if you’re feeling jazzy. You don’t want anything to stand out here, or that will defeat the whole purpose. Oatmeal carpet is also always a safe bet. If you can, buy all your furniture from the same showroom on the same day from the same salesman. Remember, personal and unique touches will only increase the value of your home, so stay away from those as much as possible.

2) Always choose square footage over quality. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the quality of the build of a home will only increase its value, so if you’re looking to decrease, you’re going to want to favor the size of the home over the quality of craftsmanship. Bigger is better every time, right? Sprawling rooms are always a win, even if you’ve nothing to fill them with. Again, since we’re going with size over substance, getting custom work done will be pricey, so do NOT hire quality craftsman that will produce quality work. The bare minimum should suffice while filling your new gargantuan home.

3) A home is really just a roof over your head. Treat it as such. Don’t bother putting on the finishing touches that speak to you or hiring an interior designer for help. Your house is just a place to get in out of the rain, hang your hat, and rest your head at night. It is simply where you are between other places–somewhere to hold your stuff. Making it “home” is not a priority, so don’t waste your money on things that will make it feel cozier and more peaceful for you. Artwork that you feel a connection with? Nah. Custom additions? Not worth it. Cool vintage furniture? I mean, it’s already been used by somebody else. What we’re going for is new, faceless, manufactured, not-lived-in. In order to decrease its value as much as possible, a house should be sterile, bland, and as impersonal humanly tolerable. Think “dentist’s office waiting room”. And happy devaluing!

 *In the event that you don’t want to decrease the value of your home, call us up. We’ve got ideas.

 

“Hi. My wife and I are looking for a realtor. We know your company has an eye for design and architecture, and we hope you can help us find a home. We’d like a realtor who can help us understand every step of the process. I would appreciate a call this week. Thanks for your time!” – Future Client Email, April, 2012

when it comes to real estate and design, there is puh-lenty of shit to navigate.

For me, getting into this business was always about the people. (And the homes. And the marketing.) I like to make sure that my clients always win. The house they want…the price that makes sense. For a seller, that may mean the highest price with the fewest repairs. For a buyer, maybe the lowest price with the most concessions. For a design project, it may translate to small tweaks on a tight budget. Whatever it looks like, it can be tricky to navigate.

For every pretty post on Instagram that makes it look as though our line of work is all sunshine and roses, there are likely 10 or so hours of work that made that single, beautiful image possible.

We try to focus on the “fun stuff” as much as we possibly can, but inevitably, the dirty work creeps in and takes over the majority of our work days. Truth be told, that’s perfectly fine with me. We’ll wade through the muck and the mire with a smile…happy clients make it all worthwhile.

The email at the top of this story has one such joyous ending that we love to see. We helped them find their dream home five years ago, and we watched them make it their own. We saw a family of two become three, and we made friends of them (family, really). Most recently, we were able to help them make a big move…from that home they so loved five years ago when they found it, to something that so perfectly suits them today. So we celebrated those last weeks in that previously-perfect home with a friendly gathering. Have a look at the photos…this is what love looks like. Each time I look back on gatherings like this one, it inspires me to keep doing exactly what I do. I’ll do the dirty work 24 hours a day if it means putting folks squarely in the space they were born to occupy. Loads more of this in 2017, I say. Let’s get you home.

Contact cityhomeCOLLECTIVE to sell your current home or find the one in which you unequivocally belong | 801.718.5555

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We dote on our clients all the time…you’re the lifeblood of this little COLLECTIVE, and we hope that you know that, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Our locals, our businesses, our city as a whole–the lot of you inspire us every damn day. However, this season I felt it also worth saying that it’s not just about the clients or this stellar city–it’s also about the colleagues. As a business owner, I can’t help but think about the co-creators of this fantastic place I get to run every day. This time of year, we find ourselves inevitably doing a couple of things: 1) celebrating with our loved ones, and 2) attending fifteen thousand meetings a day in preparation of the year to come. In just such a meeting today, I was reminded that every last one of my co-workers falls squarely into my “loved ones” category, right alongside friends and family. Yes, I love this city and her people, but this note is also a bear hug, teary-eyed, bended-knee salute to the head and heart of cityhomeCOLLECTIVE…the people that I work with everyday. I love your f*cking guts. You inspire me. Without you, this is a job. With you, it’s a calling.

Happy Holidays, everyone.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

It’s something we’ve been taught since grade school. It’s a sound concept, because oftentimes, the thing that’s inside doesn’t match its exterior (this is applicable in humans, bottles of wine, and actual books). But there are some instances when I think we should get a pass on judging a book by its cover. Say, when it comes to coffee table books…

You see, no matter how top-notch the language and imagery bound within a copy of Wuthering Heights or Brave New World, their value is something you’d be hard-pressed to discover without cracking open the cover. Enter: the coffee table book–publications that preach all manner of wisdom (and happen to look smokin’ hot while doing it). If you’ve ever stopped by the cityhomeDESIGN office on South Temple, or if you’ve ever been to my space in the Maryland, you’re apt to find a slew of prettily-bound books. And for good reason. As I mentioned before, “because we know that the book will be viewed most often from the outside in, we consider, second to its content, its outward contribution to our physical, interior space.” Over the years, I’ve acquired a (rather sizable) collection of coffee table books that have crazy good content, without sacrificing the integrity or the design of the space. Here are my 10 favorites.

1. Axel Vervoordt, Wabi Inspirations
2. Holly Moore, Domestic Art, Curated Interiors
3. Michael Borremans, As Sweet As it Gets
4. AvroKO, Best Ugly: Restaurant Concepts and Architecture
5. Robert O’Byrne, Romantic Irish Homes

6. Francois Halard, Francois Halard
7. Roman Alonso, Steven Johanknecht, Pamela Shamshiri, and Ramin Shamshiri, Commune: Designed in California
8. Paul Moorhouse, Gerhard Richter Portraits: Painting Appearances
9. Stefan Fischer, Jheronimus Bosch: Het Complete Werk
10. S. Ehmann, Rock the Shack: The Architecture of Cabins, Caccons and Hideouts

Those who know me (and probably even those who have only read my stories on this site) can attest to the fact that I’m a bit of a workaholic. This is due in no small part to the fact that I’m completely obsessed with my company–and “a bit” may, in fact, be an understatement. I’m crazy about cityhomeCOLLECTIVE, and as a result, I give her my all on the daily. I work hours that are equal parts crazy and long, and when I’m not at the office, I’m almost always thinking about it. Family, friends, and lovers can attest: work is a HUGE part of my life. cityhomeCOLLECTIVE is my baby. I’m the stressed-out father of an eleven-year-old. So…in order to stay sane, it’s important I take some time to myself from time to time. 

To unplug. To unwind. To reflect on the things I’m grateful for.

 On one such occasion a few weeks ago, I was spending the night in my new space in Park City. It’s a tiny little home on Main Street, and we’ve spent a lot of time making it feel really beautiful, cozy, and elegant, even though it’s super small. It had snowed during the day, and I had used the rad old tub for the first time earlier, so the whole place was fogged up, providing the perfect amount of privacy for my still-curtainless-windows. I was listening to “Better Man” by Leon Bridges, and dancing around with gratitude like a crazy person. (Full disclosure, I had had a few glasses of wine.) In that moment, I felt like I had some genuine, totally essential advice to give the world, and I absolutely did not want to forget a word of it. So, I grabbed my notebook and jotted down these 16 things that I knew to be true, that I felt like you should know, too. I re-read my findings the next morning, much to my own amusement, and now I’m showing it to you for yours. Note: Given that I’m almost exclusively an “early to bed, early to rise”-type, and everything I say after midnight should be taken with a grain of salt, I reserve the right to add or subtract from this list in the future (though the latter is not likely). I am also presenting you this list without having edited from my full-of-love buzzed state. And I think it still holds up… 

Life Tips | 12:36am, December 21st, 2015

Always say “hi” to humans on the street or trail.

If there’s trash in your path, pick it up.

Be honest.

Ask people more often how they’re doing. Listen when they respond.

Ask yourself often if you’re living the life you really want.

Ask for help when you need it.

Be consistently curious about how to help your friends be more happy.

Thank the trees for all their hard work.

Say “hello” to every animal that crosses your path.

Hug better. Tap out last.

Before you deflect a compliment, wonder what’s true about it.

Investigate what’s right about every difficult situation.

Pick up the phone when your mother calls. No matter how important the meeting is.

Remember that saying something negative about anyone is saying that thing about yourself.

Say “please” and “thank you” and “sorry” every time it’s warranted.

Trust that everything is working out.