Power Players of San Francisco: Olivia Hsu Decker, Malin Giddings, Nina Hatvany and more

Haute Living talks with everyone who’s anyone in the red hot San Francisco marketplace.

By Stephanie Wilson
Photography by Sonya Revell

Olivia Hsu Decker (The Bon Vivant)

[highlight_text] I am a great cook and I teach cooking classes in my chateaux in my “Culinary Retreat” program. [/highlight_text]

Olivia Decker, through her company Decker Bullock Sotheby’s International Realty, exclusively markets homes in an elegant echelon. Only dealing with homes listed from $3 million to upwards of $20 million, she builds her base by tirelessly applying her proven marketing techniques. An expert in international real estate and trained at the University of Oxford, her own palatial homes in Belvedere, California, and Provence are a testament to her exquisite taste.

Haute Living Where are you from? What attracted you to San Francisco?
Olivia hsu Decker I was born in Shanghai, China. The natural beauty, diverse culture, rich history, performing arts, strong industries from Silicon Valley to wine country, and sophisticated lifestyle are the main attractions.

HL What attracted you to real estate?
OD When I moved here from Tokyo in 1975, the real estate market was extremely cheap compared to Tokyo. I started buying properties, remodeling and decorating them, and renting them out. Before I got my real estate license in 1979, I already owned seven properties.

HL Who was your first mentor, and how did he/she influence you?
OD My first big client was Arturo Keller, a successful industrialist from Mexico City. I was a new agent when I met Arturo in August 1979. He wanted to invest in the Bay Area where it is safe and appreciating in value each year. I sold him 21 pieces of properties over the years.

HL You’ll never be found without your…
OD BlackBerry! I am addicted to my BlackBerry for emails and text messaging as well as phone calls. When I lost my BlackBerry in Dubai last year, I felt I had lost my entire family.

HL What were your yearly sales for 2007? Forecast for 2008?
OD I had sales over $120 million in 2007. There was a slow start to 2008, but it started catching up. I hope to top 2007 by the end of 2008.

HL What is your most memorable deal?
OD I found Sharon Stone her San Francisco home in 1998. Shortly after the escrow opened, she invited me to the Cannes Film Festival. After it ended, she came to my château in Aix-en-Provence to relax and rest for a week. She loves to cook and we cooked some meals together, told jokes in her room, and sunbathed topless by the pool.

HL Where do you live?
OD I have been living in Belvedere, California, since 1980. It is an exclusive island enclave, so much so that the majority of San Franciscans don’t even know about it.

HL If money were no object, what property on the market would you recommend in the San Francisco area?
OD I would recommend buying a wonderful vineyard estate in the wine country, a waterfront villa with spectacular views in Belvedere, and a stately mansion in San Francisco.

HL What is your formula for keeping your high-end and/or high profile clients happy?
OD I answer phone calls and emails 24/7. I will show them properties patiently until we find what they want. I am Chinese; we have patience. I attend events that my clients chair or sponsor. I help them to get their kids into the right schools as well as get them into the yacht club as members.

HL Tell us one thing most people wouldn’t know about you.
OD I am a great cook and I teach cooking classes in my chateaux in my “Culinary Retreat” program. I can sing Broadway musicals and songs from the opera. I also love interior design. I can also tell hundreds of jokes. I am a fun person, but many have the impression that I am a tough real estate businesswoman or a “dragon lady.” My sales approach is never like a tough “dragon lady,” it is more of a soft “Chinese water torture.”

HL What is your proudest achievement?
OD I am very proud that I am one of the leaders in the luxury home industry in both the nation and the world. My parents and their five children used to live in a one-room apartment with no bathroom and no kitchen. Now, I own one of the most magnificent chateaux in France. I still don’t know how I did it!

HL Where would we find you on a Friday night?
OD Most likely in my office or on my BlackBerry in a restaurant in San Francisco or Napa Valley.

HL What are your favorite vacation destinations and/or leisure activities?
OD I love Italy! I was engaged to an Italian and dated a couple of other wonderful Italians over the years and spent a lot of time in Lake Como, Portofino, and Positano/Sorrento areas. When I was 19 years old, a Chinese blind man that told my fortune and said I was Italian in my last life. I think he was right.

HL Your forecast for the San Francisco real estate market for 2008?
OD The market is a little slow now but San Francisco will always be one of the top choices where people want to live. It is an extremely good time to buy now. Don’t wait for the market to shoot up to buy, it will be too late when the market goes back to normal. We have seen more international buyers buying in the Bay Area to take advantage of the weak dollar.

HL What are your personal goals for 2008?
OD I would just like to sell more properties than 2007 and enjoy what I do in the process. It will be nice if I can spend some time in my chateaux in France too.

HL In your opinion, what makes San Francisco so special?
OD San Francisco is a small city like a village, where everybody knows everybody (almost). It has diverse cultures, great opera, symphony, theaters, museums, shops, restaurants, two of the best schools in the world, and a very well educated and sophisticated population. It is mostly very safe, has clean air, and great weather all year round.

Malin Giddings (The Rainmaker)

Malin Giddings boasts a record billion dollar in sales and has become an expert in her 30 years in northern California’s exquisite luxury real estate market. Giddings has been featured in Unique Homes Magazine and has been named among the most influential people in luxury home real estate. She is a renowned realtor, named Northern California’s premier agent, and No. 3 worldwide. Hailed as a rainmaker even in the toughest of markets, the woman of style is known for her strength and wisdom, and has written a book on exclusive locations in San Francisco.

HL Where are you from? What attracted you to San Francisco?
MG I’m a native of Stockholm, and was born on the day of the invasion in Normandy. My father was a diplomat and president of the Nobel Foundation, so I was exposed to the exciting international life. In the late 1960s, I visited a cousin who lived on Telegraph Hill and modeled for Saks Fifth Avenue. I fell in love with the city! Two Swedish girls living on the Hill…how could one not?

HL What attracted you to real estate?
MG Beautiful home environments come naturally to me. I am blessed with coming from a country with such natural beauty, so beautiful homes are always exciting to me.

HL Who was your first mentor, and how did he/she influence you?
MG Actually, I had two mentors. I was so lucky to meet Suzanne Brangham who was known for her interior design work and impeccable home renovations. Suzanne had an eye and knack for finding good investments in what are now the most prestigious neighborhoods in the city. We teamed up in development with a handshake and are still the best of friends. My second was Florian McGuire Moore, a very well respected presence on the San Francisco residential scene.

HL You’ll never be found without your…
MG Sense of humor.

HL What were your yearly sales for 2007? Forecast for 2008?
MG My gross sales in 2007 were about $135 million. For 2008 it should be the best ever! I do a lot of private high-end transactions that are not reported in the system.

HL What is your most memorable deal?
MG Every transaction is memorable. That’s what makes it possible to be at the top of your game for more than 30 years. Not one transaction is ever the same. I should have kept a diary of the sales and experiences over the years. What a bestseller that would be! Variety is the spice of life.

HL Where do you live?
MG I live on the west slope of Russian Hill in a private cul-de-sac with incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s a two-story town house with roof garden, and it is filled with treasures from my family and travels over the years…European-style.

HL If money were no object, what property on the market would you recommend in the San Francisco area?
MG Location is all that counts. Stretch to buy the best location your purse can afford.

HL What is your formula for keeping your high-end and/or high profile clients happy?
MG Service and attention. A win-win attitude makes for happy clients. Clients should sign contracts with a smile!

HL Tell us one thing most people wouldn’t know about you.
MG I almost became a professional jockey!

HL What is your proudest achievement?
MG My most recent sale!

HL Where would we find you on a Friday night?
MG Most likely the office, but…if I am lucky, top down on the way out of town.

HL What are your favorite vacation destinations and/or leisure activities?
MG I make it a point to go to a new golf course every year. There are some amazing courses in the U.S. and each one is worth a visit. Bandon Dunes of course is a must every year. Dream Golf was written about the Dunes and that it is!

HL Your forecast for the San Francisco real estate market for 2008?
MG The supply of fine view homes has rarely met demand from discerning buyers. So I think this segment of the market will do well for buyers and sellers alike.

HL What are your personal goals for 2008?
MG Stay healthy, happy, and share with the younger generation.

HL In your opinion, what makes San Francisco so special?
MG It is the city where people leave their hearts so this is where it is!

Nina Hatvany (The Professor )

Nina Hatvany’s record speaks for itself. She has been named TRI Coldwell Banker’s No. 1 or No. 2 producing agent since 1991. This is no easy feat considering that the real estate conglomerate is the highest producing office in San Francisco. Hatvany has substance to spare and is widely respected among the tip-top of the exclusive luxury real estate community.

Haute Living Where are you from? What attracted you to San Francisco?
Nina Hatvany I am originally from London, England, but came to the U.S. more than 30 years ago. I started off at Stanford and then taught at Columbia Business School in New York for four years and thoroughly enjoyed both locations. I was particularly attracted to San Francisco as it is such a great blend of a small town with a friendly pace, and a big city with fabulous theater companies, a great ballet and other cultural attractions.

HL What attracted you to real estate?
NH I got involved in real estate by developing condominiums on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, and then when I moved back to California I developed townhouses in Palo Alto. When I started a family, I became more interested in remodeling and acquired a contractor’s license and did many remodeling projects in San Francisco. Seventeen years ago, I joined TRI Coldwell Banker so that I could concentrate on helping other people with their home buying and selling.

HL Who was your first mentor, and how did he/she influence you?
NH Joan Gordon, who is still with me in the office at TRI Coldwell Banker. She was my agent during my remodeling career. When I became an agent, she was most gracious about helping me get started. From her I learned to be very speedy, while being very, very careful about all the details of a transaction.

HL You’ll never be found without your…
NH My datebook. In addition to the two cell phones and the Treo, I still carry an old-fashioned datebook to organize my very hectic life.

HL What were your yearly sales for 2007? Forecast for 2008?
NH $136 million in sales in 2007 and I certainly don’t expect to exceed that in 2008, but I say that every year!

HL What is your most memorable deal?
NH Helping the San Francisco Ballet purchase a residential property for their young ballet dancers in training.

HL Where do you live?
NH I live in Pacific Heights in a lovely, traditional house that we are, as usual, remodeling. This is the 14th house that I have lived in the city.

HL If money were no object, what property on the market would you recommend in the San Francisco area?
NH One of the spectacular full-view houses or apartments that are on the northern slope of Pacific Heights, particularly one with an uninterrupted view of the Golden Gate Bridge. There is nothing like watching the sun set over that bridge.

HL What is your formula for keeping your high-end and/or high profile clients happy?
NH Being discreet is of the utmost importance. Other than that, looking out for the clients’ best interests and catering to their needs at all times.

HL Tell us one thing most people wouldn’t know about you.
NH I have a Ph.D. in psychology. I have come to believe that in this business it is crucial to enjoy people and be able to ride with their anxieties as they grapple with some of the most important decisions of their lives.

HL What is your proudest achievement?
NH Raising three fabulous children. All three are now adults, with my eldest working as a real estate lawyer here in the city, the middle one in public relations in New York, and the youngest on his way to becoming a lawyer, hopefully in the city, too.

HL Where would we find you on a Friday night?
NH Having a nice dinner and unwinding at home with my husband of 26 years. He travels a great deal, so Friday nights are a good time to catch up, and I still love to tell him all the latest real estate happenings.

HL What are your favorite vacation destinations and/or leisure activities?
NH Lake Tahoe is my favorite place in the world after San Francisco. When I am there, I kayak, hike, and swim in the lake in summer and ski (both cross-country and downhill) in the winter. I like to stay active.

HL Your forecast for the San Francisco real estate market for 2008?
NH Good properties in the traditionally desirable neighborhoods will continue to excite interest and sell quickly. If there is a drop in prices at all for those properties, I think it will be minor. More difficult properties in more marginal neighborhoods will probably suffer from the anxieties and uncertainties that buyers are going through.

HL What are your personal goals for 2008?
NH Continuing to grow my business, but avoiding becoming a “team” as I value the control over all aspects of my business. My terrific assistant Rebecca Brooks works with me and others of our support staff to ensure that all the transactions run very smoothly.

HL In your opinion, what makes San Francisco so special?
NH The rich variety of properties that we have; the many different types of living; the huge array of architectural styles; and the wonderfully diverse neighborhoods, each with their own very singular character. What I enjoy above all is the fabulous scenery, proximity to the water, and the many different views from our wonderful hills.

Barbara Callan (The Mastermind)

Since the start of her career in 1986 with Grubb & Ellis in San Francisco, Barbara Callan has been a force to be reckoned with. At Grubb & Ellis, she was named Top Producer and No. 1 company-wide agent, consistently setting records. Since joining McGuire Real Estate in 1993, Callan has been one the company’s greatest assets and was ranked No. 1 by the Wall Street Journal in 2006 after posting a personal $112 million sales record.

Haute Living Where are you from? What attracted you to San Francisco?
Barbara Callan I am a native San Franciscan, fourth generation. Everything about San Francisco is attractive to me. I love the views, the variety in each neighborhood, and the diversity. It truly is an amazing and beautiful city, and is considered the heart of the state! It is also a great city to raise a family.

HL What attracted you to real estate?
BC I have always been attracted to architecture and the many styles of homes throughout the city. Real estate is in my blood. My dad was a broker and owned a successful real estate company when I was a child, and my sister Mary has been a very successful realtor in San Francisco for more than 30 years.

HL Who was your first mentor, and how did he/she influence you?
BC My first mentor was my dad. He was an amazing businessman and a person of great integrity. He instilled in all of his children and grandchildren the importance of honesty and of giving back to the community and helping others. He was a very giving person, had a great sense of humor, was very positive, and a person of strong faith.

HL You’ll never be found without your…
BC Multi-use Palm Treo, and of course my brilliant assistant David Ayerdi who has been with me more than eight years.

HL What were your yearly sales for 2007? Forecast for 2008?
BC Independently, I closed close to $130 million in San Francisco real estate in 2007 and was ranked No. 1 Realtor in San Francisco by the San Francisco Association of Realtors ranking report. I was ranked No. 8 in the state of California, and No. 22 in the United States by the Wall Street Journal and Real Trends. My forecast for 2008 is to sell more than $100 million of San Francisco real estate.

HL What is your most memorable deal?
BC All of my real estate transactions are memorable. Each one is different and unique as I have the opportunity to work with wonderful people. I have always had a great respect and admiration for Warren Buffett. I was very honored when he chose me to sell his properties in San Francisco. It was a very memorable experience for me.

HL Where do you live?
BC I have always lived in San Francisco and can’t imagine ever living anywhere else.

HL If money were no object, what property on the market would you recommend in the San Francisco area?
BC I currently have two of the most spectacular homes in San Francisco on the market. They are listed for $25 million and $27.5 million. Both are absolutely magnificent and offer deep roots in the history of San Francisco. They are both rare jewels, and truly the best of the best.

HL What is your formula for keeping your high-end and/or high profile clients happy?
BC I have great passion and joy for my work. I look forward to starting each day. My clients know I am always available for them. I provide the very best in service and marketplace knowledge.

HL Tell us one thing most people wouldn’t know about you.
BC They may not know that I was a second grade teacher before I started my family.

HL What is your proudest achievement?
BC My proudest achievements are raising (with my husband) three amazing human beings. My son Robert is one of San Francisco’s most seasoned and successful realtors, he is currently among the top 10 of all realtors in San Francisco and a partner at McGuire Real Estate; my son Geoff is an award winning filmmaker and actor whose successful production company recently produced several Super Bowl commercials; and my daughter Regina is a San Francisco real estate developer who designs some of the most spectacular homes all over the city.

HL Where would we find you on a Friday night?
BC Usually out for a quiet dinner with my husband. We have a very extended family in the city and we frequently attend family and charity events.

HL What are your favorite vacation destinations and/or leisure activities?
BC My favorite leisure activity is to spend time with my husband, my children, daughters-in-law, and my amazing grandchildren! My favorite destination spots are Napa and Hawaii.

HL Your forecast for the San Francisco real estate market for 2008?
BC My forecast is very positive. There is always demand in this great city.

HL What are your personal goals for 2008?
BC It is very important to keep one’s life balanced in order to achieve success. My personal goal is to stay healthy, spiritually strong, and to continue to spend quality time with my family and friends. My clients also know that I am always there for them.

HL In your opinion, what makes San Francisco so special?
BC San Francisco is an international city, and everyone wants to live here. It is like an island surrounded by great beauty. We have the perfect climate all year and a perfectly designed and planned city. I have traveled extensively, and to me there is not another place in the world that offers the quality of life that this great city of ours has to offer.

Mary Toboni (The Vintner)

Consistently satisfied clients have made Mary Toboni’s reputation as a top agent stick. Generating a 90 percent referral status, Toboni has wowed clients for 29 years. Her experience is not limited to residential sales, as development, renovation, new construction, and multi-unit building sales round out her formidable portfolio. Her professionalism and vast experience have equipped her to navigate record-breaking sales under any market condition.

Haute Living Where are you from? What attracted you to San Francisco?
Mary Toboni I was born and raised in San Francisco. I am a fifth generation San Franciscan on my maternal grandfather’s side of the family so I know the city very well.

HL What attracted you to real estate?
MT I was a junior in college when I got my real estate license and purchased my first piece of property. It was always something I really enjoyed. Even as a little girl I can remember the houses in every movie I saw. I remembered the properties more than the 20 characters or story lines.

HL Who was your first mentor, and how did he/she influence you?
MT My father owned Time Real Estate. His stories of making deals had a great influence on me. He was extremely ethical and always did what was right. Every person I meet that knew him says, “What a great man.” He was one of a kind.

HL You’ll never be found without your…
MT My phone! It is glued to my ear so I naturally cannot be without that. But, my assistant, right hand person, office manager, and keeper of the keys, Wendy, is essential to my daily routine. Rob is also excellent, a driving force on our team.

HL What were your yearly sales for 2007? Forecast for 2008?
MT Better than 2006, and 2008 will be a tremendous year! I’m looking forward to a very active year with success for both the buyers and sellers.

HL What is your most memorable deal?
MT The first property that I sold for $1 million. It was about 25 years ago. I was only in the business a short time and seasoned agents could not believe I made the deal! I was a little surprised myself!

HL Where do you live?
MT In San Francisco.

HL If money were no object, what property on the market would you recommend in the San Francisco area?
MT 2820 Scott St. is probably one of the most gorgeous homes I have ever seen. It is a beaux arts residence with glorious San Francisco views. Visit the Web site: www.2820scott.com

HL What is your formula for keeping your high-end and/or high profile clients happy?
MT Bringing good buyers that are willing to pay more than the asking price.

HL Tell us one thing most people wouldn’t know about you.
MT When I was 24 and doing real estate, I also designed, manufactured, and sold children’s clothing. Eventually I decided I liked the real estate business better, as it is more of a people business. It was a great experience, and I am a firm believer that every experience only helps you in future business.

HL What is your proudest achievement?
MT This year my daughter and I went to New Orleans to build houses with Rebuild Together. Our group rebuilt two houses for families who still were not able to return to their homes since the devastation. We mopped ourselves out of the houses. To see the joy in their faces is something I shall never forget.

HL Where would we find you on a Friday night?
MT Probably in a gym watching volleyball or basketball, or on a baseball field, depending on the season. My two younger children play two sports each so it keeps us busy during the year. If we are not there and the Giants are in town then we will be at the ballpark!

HL What are your favorite vacation destinations and/or leisure activities?
MT My husband and I have vineyard property in Russian River area. We produce 1,000 cases of Pinot Noir and 400 cases of chardonnay: Toboni Vineyards Oakwild Ranch wine. It is very peaceful and it rejuvenates us. I have traveled a lot over the years but I think the most relaxing place to go is Lake Tahoe and you don’t have to get on a plane!

HL Your forecast for the San Francisco real estate market for 2008?
MT I think San Francisco has its own real estate climate. The market has never really declined here except after the ’89 earthquake or 9/11. But if there is a temporary decline it bounces right back. We are practically an island, and there is nowhere to build, so there is always a steady incline. I forecast the market to be steady and strong as always.

HL What are your personal goals for 2008?
MT I’m still on goals for 2007…but I am sure they will be the same: to succeed steadily in business, make clients more satisfied than they ever dreamed, to do a good job, and brighten peoples lives!

HL In your opinion, what makes San Francisco so special?
MT San Francisco is unique in that the city itself is made up of many little neighborhoods, each with its own personality. Whether you are in the Mission, North Beach, or Pacific Heights, each neighborhood has something very special that only it can offer. Also, what makes San Francisco so unique is the proximity to many different areas. You can drive one to three hours and find yourself in the wine country, Carmel, Lake Tahoe, Muir Woods, Stinson Beach, you name it. Sun or snow, you can find it!

Stephanie Ahlberg (The Actress)

Stephanie Ahlberg is well accustomed to seeing her name at the top of the top 10 lists, even at the prestigious real estate firm of Hill & Co. Living in the Bay Area she has loved for more than 40 years, she is a seasoned veteran and has the record to prove it. In her 27th year selling residential real estate, Ahlberg still closes more deals than any other Hill & Co. agent. Known for her “win-win” negotiations and superior sense of professionalism, Ahlberg is a name to know in San Francisco real estate.

Haute Living Where are you from? What attracted you to San Francisco?
Stephanie Ahlberg I grew up in the Air Force. My father was stationed here when I was a child, and we all loved it so much we moved here when he retired. I was 14 at the time. To me, San Francisco is the most “European” of all the U.S. cities-small in size but large in culture and beauty.

HL What attracted you to real estate?
SA When I was in my 20s, I was pursuing a career as an actress to pay the bills. I worked downtown. My employer was busy buying and selling real estate during that “boom,” and I thought it would be a good job to go along with my acting. I quickly realized that real estate was not a part-time job. Twenty-eight years later, I still love meeting new clients, showing our beautiful homes in San Francisco, and becoming their lifetime real estate advisor.

HL Who was your first mentor, and how did he/she influence you?
SA I started my career in Orange County, as that is where my husband did his medical residency. The first office I worked in had a great woman, Mary Jo, who became a friend and a shining example of how good sales and customer service should be.

HL You’ll never be found without your…
SA Cell phone! Yipes! I don’t know how we did the business without them (and I’ve been in real estate since before everyone had a computer, email, fax machines, and cell phones).

HL What were your yearly sales for 2007? Forecast for 2008?
SA Unlike many top luxury agents, I do not have a group of agents working for me. I work alone with my valuable assistant. The second half of 2007 was tough. My sales total was $16.5 million in sales volume. This year is going great and I am on track to do $35 million or more (YTD total is $27,784,256 in sales volume).

HL What is your most memorable deal?
SA Well, there are actually several-two with a big rock star with some real dogfights to get the deal-but I think the best was in 2000. I had a great listing in Presidio Heights. The market was very hot then and most good listings were going over asking. This particular property was listed at $2.4 million. We had 24 offers, and the winner was a Mircosoft guy with lots of money, and he wanted it so much he brought in a revised offer of $5 million! More than double the asking price! Needless to say, my client still thinks I’m a hero.

HL Where do you live?
SA I actually live over the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County. I love the fact that I have the best of both worlds; selling and working in San Francisco and living where the summer climate is a bit warmer.

HL If money were no object, what property on the market would you recommend in the San Francisco area?
SA Without a doubt it would be this year’s Decorator Showcase home. I love it! It is not only beautiful with great views, but I actually think it is worth every penny of the $27 million asking price.

HL What is your formula for keeping your high-end and/or high profile clients happy?
SA Service, service, service. I keep in touch with my clients, whether currently in a transaction or not. I take them to lunch, dinner, the theater, and once a year have a client appreciation event. I make sure they know how important they are to me.

HL Tell us one thing most people wouldn’t know about you.
SA Most realtors would not know I love cooking and am a very good cook.

HL What is your proudest achievement?
SA Being a devoted mother and wife! In addition, I happily serve on some non-profit boards and enjoy giving back to my community. I also hold the sales record at Hill & Co. for the most sales volume in any one year for the entire history of Hill & Co. and am a published author in the California Real Estate Client Strategies book.

HL Where would we find you on a Friday night?
SA Either at home with my husband or at the theater. I am an avid theater-goer.

HL What are your favorite vacation destinations and/or leisure activities?
SA My favorite vacations are out of the country and/or a beach visit with a stack of books. I especially like my favorite spa resort in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. I also love to act. I try my best to do at least one play a year!

HL What is your forecast for the San Francisco real estate
market in 2008?
SA My segment of the market, luxury properties, is doing great! The only slowdown is that there are less offers in a multiple-offer situation, but we are still seeing the multiple offers and going over asking price for the good properties.

HL What are your personal goals for 2008?
SA I would like it to end up as my second best year ever (2005 is going to take quite a bit to top). Do one full production play, vacation with my family, and go to the Antarctic.

HL In your opinion, what makes San Francisco so special?
SA Many things! It is a small city (only 800,000 people and only seven miles by seven miles). It is very cosmopolitan and sophisticated. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. l love living here!

Jon Taylor (The Contractor)

Living in San Francisco is a dream for many and for Jon Taylor, who moved here from Texas, the aspiration has become a reality. He began his real estate career in Houston where, in one year, he sold a home per week. In San Francisco, he began to renovate homes for himself and clients. He was constantly connecting people to properties and decided to get back in real estate where he has quickly risen to the top of the industry. Jon’s clients benefit from his extraordinary design skills, incomparable aesthetics, and unwavering commitment to find the ideal home or obtain the highest price.

Haute Living Where are you from? What attracted you to San Francisco?
Jon Taylor I’m from Texas. I came to San Francisco because of the landscape, the weather- I love the fog!

HL What attracted you to real estate?
JT I’ve always loved real estate and residential architecture. When I was a kid, I used to build houses out of cardboard and create entire neighborhoods. Today, when I go in a house, I almost immediately visualize what it can be instead of what it is.

HL Who was your first mentor and how did he/she influence you?
JT My mother, my partner, and my assistant, in that order. They all told me that I can have whatever I want and I believed them!

HL You’ll never be found without your…
JT Boundless energy, I have so much of it that sometimes I wish I could give it away!

HL What were your yearly sales for 2007? Forecast for 2008?
JT Last year I was in a partnership. This year, I anticipate nearly $60 million in sales. I want to keep the momentum going into next year so I work every day to secure sales for the future.

HL What is your most memorable deal?
JT Every deal has something memorable about it because I get so intimately involved with the process and the outcome. I care deeply about doing the best for my clients and always learn from them how to be even better at what I do.

HL Where do you live?
JT I live in Clarendon Heights, on the highest residential street in the city. I happened upon this street when I first came to San Francisco and knew I would reside here one day. It has spectacular views and I have created a modern, minimalist home where my partner and I enjoy the best of what San Francisco has to offer.

HL If money were no object, what property on the market would you recommend in the San Francisco area?
JT 100 Palo Alto. It’s not for sale because I just sold it! It was built by San Francisco Mayor Elmer Robinson and is unequivocally the best view home in the city. The new owner loves it, but every man has his price. If someone is interested, I can let them know.

HL What is your formula for keeping your high-end and/or high profile clients happy?
JT I listen to what they want and I give it to them. My support team and I really focus on a property and take ownership of the transaction. We invest a tremendous amount in our listings by creating an original marketing approach for each property and making every effort to present the property at its best. I also continually focus on my buyers, mining every possibility so that I am able to present the most suitable properties for their consideration. I guide my clients through each transaction by always anticipating the market rather than reacting to it.

HL Tell us one thing most people wouldn’t know about you?
JT I am an identical twin.

HL What is your proudest achievement?
JT The relationships I have fostered with the people in my life. The people around me are exceptional. I think that reflects and says something about me. I consider this my greatest success in life.

HL Where would we find you on a Friday night?
JT Most likely at home, at the movies, or out to dinner with friends, but definitely with my partner, Peter.

HL What are your favorite vacation destinations and/or leisure activities?
JT Anywhere I can go or anytime I can get off-I’ll take whatever I can get! I love working in my garden and I love going anywhere around the world seeing new places.

HL Your forecast for the San Francisco real estate market for 2008?
JT Because it is San Francisco, I think that the market will remain strong. Agents, buyers, and sellers must understand current economic trends and work together to make smart decisions about what to offer or how to price. The Bay Area is a center of economic influence due to its technology, biotech, and green energy ascendancy, all of which create a real estate demand that differs from other areas of the country.

HL What are your personal goals for 2008?
JT My goal will be to continue to match the right buyers to the best properties and obtain the best prices for my sellers. I am proud to be part of the process that enables people to feel excited about where they live, which contributes to this tangible sense that San Francisco is really quite special. My real estate sales allow me to donate to charities that benefit this city that I am so passionate about and I look forward to giving even more back this next year.

HL In your opinion, what makes San Francisco so special?
JT The people mostly, but it IS San Francisco, need I say more?