Little Me Would Be Shocked
One of the greatest gifts of this business is getting a front-row seat to people’s stories. Last month, I got to help my client, Diva, sell a special home in the Hollywood Hills known as the Sycamore House, a property filled with creativity, character, and decades of memories. Since then, the home has officially closed escrow and begun its next chapter.
Diva is the person who brought this house back to life. She restored what had been lost, rebuilt entire parts of it, and brought the magic back into a place that could have just as easily stayed dormant. You could feel her care in every room, and getting to represent her through the sale was a gift.
The house was formerly owned by Christopher Lloyd, who helped shape its wonderfully strange history and even left a mould of his own face tucked into the guest house. As a kid, I watched Back to the Future more times than I can count. If you had told little me that one day I would help sell a home he had once transformed and made his own, I never would have believed you. I still have to pinch myself a little.
Moments like this make me think about how important it is to build a life you genuinely want to live. Not because of titles or achievements, but because of the experiences, the people, and the unexpected adventures along the way.
Little Julia would think present-day Julia is pretty cool. And truthfully, I'm grateful she kept dreaming and saying yes even when it seemed impossible.
As we move into summer, I'm feeling especially grateful for the people who trust me to be part of their own next chapters.
Did you know?
- To afford the median-priced U.S. home right now, a buyer needs a household income of about $123,000—but the median American household earns around $77,000. That's a $45,000 gap. Only two cities in the entire country—Detroit and Pittsburgh—have median incomes high enough to comfortably buy the typical home there.
- There are several ways parents and grandparents can help younger family members buy a home: a cash down payment as a gift, a family loan, cosigning on a mortgage, buying the house outright, or inheritance. Twenty-two percent of first-time buyers used a gift or loan from family or friends to help with a down payment in 2025, down from a peak of 36% in 2010. Around 8% use inheritance. One stipulation of a recent parent buying for their kids? They had to buy within 10 minutes of their home. (WSJ)
- One in ten Americans say they've sold their home because of paranormal activity. Some even disclose it in the listing. Anyone say roommate?
- Petoskey, a small Northern Michigan town with fewer than 6,000 year-round residents, has joined the ranks of Nantucket and Napa as a luxury housing market where more than half of new home listings are priced at $1 million or more. (Crain’s)
What’s happening in LA?
- FIFA World Cup at SoFi Stadium—the USA faces Türkiye on June 25, with eight total matches at SoFi Stadium and 39 days of fan programming running parallel, including a FIFA Fan Festival at the LA Memorial Coliseum and ten neighborhood fan zones stretching from Venice Beach across the city.
- Hollywood Bowl summer season—concerts are happening all month, including Ariana Grande and Shakira tours. A timeless, quintessentially LA summer to-do.
- Cinnies, the barely year-old cinnamon roll pop-up that has made its way through farmers' markets around Southern California, partnered with some of LA's hottest brands and became the resident cinnamon roll maker for Max & Helen's Larchmont diner.
Featured listings
- Sherman Oaks — 3627 Cody Rd, 91403. 4 BD · 5 BA · 3,739 SF · $4,997,000. A remarkable 1956 Mid-Century Modern by Modern Trend Construction Company and Richard Dorman, with a private atrium entry, soaring wood-beamed ceilings, walls of glass, and canyon views.
- Los Feliz — 4130 Parva Ave, 90027. 5 BD · 6 BA · 5,492 SF · $4,499,000. North of the boulevard, blending modern design with effortless California living.
- Beverly Center–Miracle Mile — 423 Arnaz Dr, Unit 203, 90048. 2 BD · 2 BA · 1,430 SF · $1,075,000. A reimagined residence near Beverly Hills with wide-plank white oak floors and an open-concept layout.
- Los Feliz — 5513 Tuxedo Ter, 90068. 3 BD · 3 BA · 2,300 SF · $2,399,000. A quiet cul-de-sac retreat in the Oaks with vaulted ceilings, accordion glass, pool, and spa.
- Hollywood Beach — 3445 Ocean Dr, 93035. 4 BD · 4 BA · 2,794 SF · $3,995,000. A fully furnished, three-story residence directly on the sand with panoramic coastline views.