The Preserve Collection

 

The Santa Lucia Preserve is a 20,000 acre community nestled in the coastal foothills just minutes from Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pebble Beach and Monterey.  This extraordinary community is home to just 300 families and enjoys a pleasant year-around climate generally sheltered from the nearby ocean fog.  This extraordinary landscape consists of rolling grasslands, oak woodlands, pine and redwood forests and has 18,000 acres permanently protected and dedicated to open space.  In addition, two exceptional private clubs are offered to owners within the community; The Ranch Club and The Preserve Golf Club.  The Ranch Club features a Spanish Colonial Hacienda built in the 1920’s provides lodging and fine dining for members and their guests and is the gathering place for the community.  The club offers a Sports Center with a variety of outdoor activies and an Equestrian Center. The Preserve Golf Club consists of a Tom Fazio designed golf course that provides a pure golf experience. The clubhouse sits on a knoll overlooking the 1st tee and 18th green.  For more information on the clubs please see the Preserve Lifestyle section of the website.

Carmel Realty Company, the oldest real estate brokerage firm on the Monterey Peninsula, has recently created a Preserve division, The Preserve Collection, teamed by Mike Canning, Chris Pryor and Mark Sollenberger. Mike Canning has been a perennial leader in the local real estate market for 25 years, has built and lived in The Preserve, and is a member of The Preserve Golf Club; Chris Pryor has served as the Director of golf, the Ranch Club manager, as well as a sales agent on The Preserve's sales staff and knows the community and marketplace intimately; Mark Sollenberger was the original head of The Preserve sales and marketing team, playing an instrumental role in the creation of the community and clubs.  Mark is a member of both The Ranch Club and Golf Club.  This unique combination of Preserve experience positions this team to provide sellers and buyers exceptional representation within the Preserve community. Handling the purchase and sale of lots as well as homes, their emphasis and specialization is representing sellers and buyers of finished homes in The Preserve.

 

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Current Market Comments

August 31, 2012

The Santa Lucia Preserve Community was truly vibrant this Summer.  Family and friends gathered throughout the summer months to not only enjoy the abundant amenities, such as the Hacienda, Equestrian Center, Moores Lake, Trails, delicious food and beverages to Golf.  Member’s and guests also tailored their experiences at The Preserve to meet their own hearts desires. 

At the beginning of the Summer there were 15 homes under construction.

Since then there have 5 lots sales and 1 home sale.  Additionally one house and three lots are currently in escrow.

The Preserve is celebrating the arrival of Mike Kelly, new Chief Operating Officer.  Mike has hit the ground running making fast friends and establishing meaningful relationships.  Mike’s arrival is welcomed by all ,as we all look forward to the bright future of The Preserve Community going forward. 

Recently The Ranch Club played host to the annual Concours on the Hacienda Lawn, featuring upwards of 20 Member cars.  A blockbuster group attended this popular event with well over 200 Members and invited guests in attendance.  The “Car Week” on the Monterey Peninsula continues to be a significant draw from a literal international following.  The Preserve Car Show is truly one of the ultimate and intimate events of the week. 

The fall season will soon be upon us, which brings about not only a modest climate change, but a true changing of color in the trees.  Not something you can say for all West Coast Communities.  This is a delightful time of year at The Preserve and we are all enjoying our time on the “Ranch.”

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July 5, 2012

The late California rains have provided us with a spectacular Spring at The Preserve.  The selling season is in full swing and The Preserve is winding up the second quarter of 2012.  We wanted to take this opportunity to update you on The Preserve real estate market.   Despite the continued sluggish national economy there has been reasonable activity so far this year.   Please see our Market Data section for a summary of the year-to-date sales.

In addition to the parcels sales, there has been one home sale in January that was listed for $ 3,950,000 and closed for $2,585,000.   There is currently one of our Carmel Realty Company listed homes in escrow that was listed for $4,500,000 and is scheduled to close escrow the middle of July.  At this time, there are eight homes either expressly or discreetly available for sale with prices from $ 3,900,000 to $12,500,000.

With approximately 57 parcels officially on the market and a current annual absorption rate of 12 lots sold per year, the supply-demand imbalance will likely persist for a couple more years, putting pressure on prices but also presenting considerable opportunity for the increasing number of prospects looking to buy and immediately make The Preserve their home.  We remain of the view projected at the beginning of the year that 2012 will approximate 2011, signaling a bottoming in The Preserve marketplace.  We'll be keeping a close eye on the market metrics (sold and pending sales, inventory levels, days-on-market, % of sell-to-ask) and provide regular updates on our website.  The one wild card in all of our markets may the presidential election:  historically, they have triggered a lull due to the uncertainty – people simple postponing major decisions.  Again we'll keep a close eye on the market and keep you posted.

Looking at the big picture the Preserve is progressing at an accelerated rate versus other local private communities with regard to home building.  There are 90 finished homes, 15 in active design review and 14 homes under construction bringing the total completed and active (in design or under construction) homes to 119.  These are tremendous numbers and really tell a story that there is confidence in The Santa Lucia Preserve Community.  Many of the recent lot buyers are promptly pursuing their home design and plan on building immediately upon closing.

As always, please let us know if you should have any questions regarding The Preserve community or marketplace.

-Mark, Chris and Mike