The AT&T Golf Tournament has always been dear to my heart. It’s one of the events that made me fall in love with the Monterey Peninsula and inspired me to move here.
Pebble Beach Golf Links Photo taken by Bob Borden
As San Franciscans my husband and I were in awe of the Monterey Peninsula and we loved coming down to the tournament – usually meeting up with some of his golf buddies. After walking the course and watching their favorite golfers in the morning my husband and his cohorts
Taken more recently – still walking the course!
would head out inspired and play Bayonet or one of their other favorite golf courses. I would continue to be the consummate spectator
trying to catch a glimpse of Don Johnson, Kevin Costner, Jack Lemon, or Clint Eastwood (back when he still played in the tournament.) OK, I didn’t just have golf on my mind!
Kevin Costner playing in the AT&T Golf Tournament
Well, let’s fast forward to 2019. Speaking of Clint, there is something new at this year’s tournament, “Clint’s Saloon“! (See page 16)
Clint about to join the Centennial parade in Carmel. He walked right by me and said, “Excuse me”, I was kind of in his way to get onto the stage coach!
The Carmel Pine Cone has reported that sales for the upgraded ticket to hang in Clint’s Saloon are selling like “cheap whiskey on a cattle drive”. Giddy up, Rawhide! Tickets are $250-$350 and hey, it’s for charity.
I know I haven’t talked at all about the actual golfers that are going to play or that a little known golfer, Ted Potter, our 2018 winner will be defending his title (Beware of flip flops!). Check out the Pine Cone for great coverage on that. I’m looking forward to seeing my new favorite pro golfers like Phil and Justin and Jordan. The celebrities aren’t quite what they used to be (personal opinion) but time changes.
2018 Champion, Ted Potter
As a blogger, I’ve always been advised to keep it short so I’ll be back again with insights as to how the realtor community views the tournament – since that’s ME!
Stay tuned! And call me if you too (like me) would like to own “a piece of dirt” on the Monterey Peninsula!
Susan Clark, Alain Pinel Realtors, Top Producer, Circle of Excellence 2018
1232 Padre Lane, Pebble Beach ~ Courtesy of Alain Pinel Realtors
As a realtor on the Monterey Peninsula selling to luxury buyers I was very interested in this Inman article entitled “Essential Guide to the New Luxury Real Estate Market” where the new luxury buyer of real estate is discussed. We have many lovely luxury homes here in Carmel, Carmel Highlands, Pebble Beach, even Pacific Grove and Monterey, but the article discusses luxury buying trends in the entire country and “what’s happening”! Kind of fun to know what the current trends are in other areas of the country. Curious? click on this link.
24 PotreroTrail, Carmel ~Courtesy of Alain Pinel Realtors
A few interesting facts . . . the largest proportion of luxury buyers now are Generation X (ages 38-53) making up 49% of the luxury market! Baby Boomers (ages 54-72) make up 33% of luxury buyers and those aged 72+ only 1.75%. Guess they are all busy down-sizing.
Dolores & 7th, Carmel-by-the-Sea ~ Courtesy of Alain Pinel Realtors
The “New Aristocracy” of well off young people aged 25-40 make up 15% and most of these buyers are heading to the urban centers and looking for contemporary style homes. Not exactly what we have in Carmel. San Francisco seems to attract this demographic.
San Francisco is attracting many young luxury buyers
All of these buyers at looking for something different so it really can boggle the mind of a realtor trying to figure out what is right for their luxury client.
7030 Valley Knoll Road, Carmel ~ Courtesy of Alain Pinel Realtors
Where are they buying? New places that are particularly getting “hot” are Boston, Florida (with no state income tax), Lake Tahoe (again places like Incline Village in Nevada have no state income tax), Seattle, and New York.
Luxury Portfolio of which Alain Pinel Realtors is a founding member, is quoted throughout the article as are other luxury brands. In any case, we have a changing real estate world!
I love happy sellers!! I recently represented the sellers of 1117 Sawmill Gulch Road in Pebble Beach. The sellers were ecstatic with multiple offers and a full price offer. Congratulations, Leonora and Sam!
This is what Leonora had to say . . .
Over the years I have bought and sold a number of houses in Maryland, California, Texas and Colorado. The real estate agents I have worked with have been knowledgeable and professional. And I have been satisfied with all of them. But Susan Clark stands out for qualities that are above and beyond normal agents.
In her sales pitch Susan Clark explained up front what she would do as our selling agent. Her promises were clear and compelling. Communication was at the top of the list. We would always know what was going on – good news or bad. Her follow up after every open house and every viewing was thorough and valuable. It wasn’t just a “not interested” comment but useful information.
Advertising was also near the top of the list. We appreciated how she used current technology to gain the greatest exposure from websites, professional photography, video complete with drone fly-over, social media to name just a few. The presentation and content were stunning. But advertising was not just passive. It was active, too, with weekly open houses and broker open houses.
Susan Clark’s professional appearance was complimented by her professional manner. She maintained an attitude of confidence and commitment to details that earned the best possible relationship between possible buyers and this seller.
Susan assisted us with decisions we made and guided us through the complex process of setting an asking price, handled offers and counter offers, and advised us during negotiations. After receiving three offers at once and after we accepted one of them (at full price) she urged us to accept a back-up offer which we did. Susan also continued to hold open houses. That led to the buyer removing contingencies without making too many demands for repairs.
To summarize, Susan Clark is the very essence of a great real estate agent whom I highly recommend.
Leonora Branca, Pebble Beach Seller
Thinking of making a change? I’d love to represent you on the sale of your home!
Bill Murray will be able to play after all ~ here he is with the glorious backdrop of Carmel Bay at a previous AT&T
The AT&T Pro Am Golf Tournament was started by Bing Crosby as the “Crosby Clambake” in Rancho Santa Fe in 1937. Later it was moved to Pebble Beach and has become a huge event and never fails to bring thousands of visitors to the Monterey Peninsula in early February. Since many of our property sales are to second home buyers, this event is looked forward to with great anticipation by the realtor community. All one has to do is check out the Pine Cone (our local Carmel newspaper) and view the pages and pages of “real estate eye candy” to know that the sellers of luxury homes are hoping for a sale to one of these golf enthusiasts here for the tournament.
3044 Cormorant ~ Listed by Alain Pinel Realtors
As realtors we started planning for the AT&T Pro Am Golf Tournament over a month ago by creating innovative advertising for the print media that would beguile and bewitch prospective buyers and invite them to purchase property while visiting the area. During the tournament while the golf crowd heads for the courses, we man our posts at the “Floor duty” desk at Alain Pinel Realtors or host numerous Open Houses at our listings hoping some of our visitors stray from the event. We hope to lure our golf enthusiasts to find the coveted prize – a home on the Monterey Peninsula.
Monterey Peninsula Shore course -view from 3044 Cormorant, Pebble Beach
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday( Feb 12-14th) from 10:00-1:30pm I’ll be holding Open House at 3044 Cormorant Road, Pebble Beach. This home looks directly out onto the MPCC Shore Course, one of the courses that the tournament is played on. I’ll be watching the tournament golfers go by all morning. Come on by and see this fabulous Mark Mills mid-century design on a premium front line Pebble Beach location and join me in waving at the golfers!
1117 Sawmill Gulch Road ~Listed by Alain Pinel Realtors
Also, in the afternoons on those same dates February 12-14th 2:00-4:30pm I’ll be holding open this extensively remodeled single level 3BR/2BA home at 1117 Sawmill Gulch in the Country Club area of Pebble Beach offered at $1,295,000.
The weather is in rare form this year with bright cloudless skies, warm temperatures, and a great cast of celebrities. I remember many previous years with pouring rain and fierce winter storms. I have an indelible picture in my mind of Bill Murray on a TV news broadcast standing out on the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf links with waves literally crashing over the fairway soaking him to the skin.
Pebble Beach Lodge and the 18th hole on a lovely day
Many of the tournament goers come to see the celebrities up close and personal. Everyone is glad that Bill Murray is going to play after all, because he not only can play golf well, he has a knack for engaging the gallery with funny antics and high jinks. He wears “funny clothes” and somehow manages to play the clown and also play serious golf at the same time!
Bill Murray clowning around at a past AT&T Pro Am Tournament.
One year he was goofing around with a lady spectator and she ended up falling in a sand trap! Some of the other celebrities that will be playing this year are Kenny G, Andy Garcia, Huey Lewis, Chris O’Donnell, Justin Timberlake, Clay Walker, and Ray Romano.
Kenny G will be playing this year.
A couple of years ago I had an amusing encounter with Ray Romano which I will tell you about in an upcoming entry.
Ray Romano
The tournament takes place on three courses in Pebble Beach (Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill, and the Monterey Peninsula Country Club Shore Course) with players rotating to different courses each day. On Saturday most of the celebrities will play on Pebble Beach Golf Links which will be televised showing the world the unparalleled beauty of this course where greens meet the sea.
Pebble Beach Golf Links ~ Photo by Bob Borden
Brandt Snedecker, who won last year in 2015, will be defending his title and will be joined by other pro golfers such as Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, David Duval, Dustin Johnson, Vijay Singh, and Jordan Spieth, who is ranked as #1 golfer in the world. Who will take the trophy this year? We’ll all know on Sunday – for anyone who plays golf, you know that anything can happen.
Brandt Snedecker
For the tournament goers that will spend most of their time watching the play or playing golf themselves – we hope they will at least pick up the newspapers and magazines touting our gorgeous homes for sale and return at a later time.
Pebble Beach Golf Links ~ photo by Bob Borden
There is nothing more beautiful than Pebble Beach on a clear sunny day and that’s what we are blessed with this week. If nothing else our visitors will take home delightful memories of blue skies, sunlit courses and crashing waves, after bearing witness to some great golf!
Pebble Beach Golf Links ~ photo by Bob Borden
For more information about Pebble Beach and Monterey Peninsula properties call Susan Clark at 831-320-6801
