Wow, July was one amazing month!
It started with a great celebration—the 250th anniversary of the United States. I spent the evening with my family at Marina Green, watching the fireworks over the Golden Gate Bridge. The fog covered a good portion of the show, so it wasn’t quite as spectacular as we had hoped, but the kids still had a great time, and being together made the evening special.
Shortly after that came what, for me, was the greatest entertainment in the world: the FIFA World Cup. I spent time at Yerba Buena Gardens, where the match was broadcast live, and the atmosphere was incredible. The match was intense, and seeing Spain win 1–0 against Argentina was amazing. My favorite moments, though, were the halftime show and the trophy ceremony—the excitement of watching the players receive the trophy and celebrate was unforgettable.
In between these major events, I had a couple of projects that kept me busy and gave me a chance to stay focused on progress.
One was a condominium in downtown San Francisco. The seller wanted to refresh the unit and bring it to its best potential before listing it on the market. We had the kitchen and bathroom cabinets painted, patched the walls, and gave the entire unit a fresh coat of paint. I oversaw the work and managed to get everything across the finish line in just a few days. It was one of those projects where good coordination and attention to detail made a big difference.
The second half of the month was focused on helping a family with a young child find their new home. With significantly more homes selling this year compared with last year, the number of available options was limited. We decided to cast a wide net and toured homes both below and above their target budget, trying to understand what would make the most sense and navigate the best path toward finding the right home.
We saw three very different properties.
The first was an amazingly remodeled single-family home in the heart of the Richmond District. It had four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a garage, radiant heating, a beautiful reimagined backyard, and pretty much everything new inside. It was spacious, beautifully finished, and really special.
Next was a unique home near Dolores Park in Noe Valley. Perched on the hillside, it had a very unusual layout and a lot of potential, including the possibility of adding a garage. It would have been a significant project, but the house had character, great outdoor spaces, and even Bay views from the top floor.
The last was a charming three-bedroom condo in Pacific Heights, and probably the biggest surprise of the three. It had a deeded deck that was almost two-thirds the size of the unit, and somehow it was incredibly quiet and protected from the wind. The six-unit building also had a large common deck and a rooftop with spectacular views of the Bay, Golden Gate Bridge, and Alcatraz. Parking was available, although the space was unusually small.
An offer has been submitted, so there is more to come about this amazing story!
And then, to finish the summer month…
Even though we had a good number of warm and sunny days, somehow it still wasn’t enough. I grew up in Bulgaria, where summer feels different—it’s hot, with plenty of sunshine, and the long, warm days just feel like summer. As much as I love California, I don’t necessarily miss having those temperatures for an entire summer, but I absolutely adore getting at least a little taste of them.
It felt like Tahoe was calling, so I headed over for a few quick days.
Ahhh, Tahoe. What a special place.
The perfect temperature, crystal-clear water, spectacular mountain scenery—it all has a way of making you forget everything else. The fresh mountain air recharges you like nothing else.
The warm evenings were what I looked forward to the most. Walking along the beach in shorts, with the mountains and water around me, felt absolutely spectacular.
And, somewhat late to the party this year, I finally tried paddleboarding for the first time. I have to say, it was pretty amazing. Balancing on the board wasn’t easy at first, but paddling between the rocks and jumping into the water from the board made me feel like a kid again.
And just like that, July was a wrap.
Fun, celebration, smiles, a little tan, great memories, and plenty of California sunshine.
California at its best!
