Fresh Perspective
Professionally, Realtors John Faulkner and Joshua Ramirez of The Faulkner Group—a successful, intergenerational real estate team under Compass—are creatives in real estate agent clothing.
Power duo John Faulkner and Joshua Ramirez of The Faulkner Group rethink the traditional real estate model with their modern approach.
Written by Jenn Thornton
Professionally, Realtors John Faulkner and Joshua Ramirez of The Faulkner Group—a successful, intergenerational real estate team under Compass—are creatives in real estate agent clothing. Rich in interests and engagement, and both extensively well-traveled (each has lived on several continents), they bring a thoughtful, whole world outlook to their clients in Santa Barbara and beyond.
That their clientele is heavy on architects, authors, producers and tech types is not surprising. They, too, are of a similar stripe. John is a foodie/cook and a photographer who paints and writes; Josh co-founded the creative agency Princeton North with his wife, a South African he met in Australia. Creatives have a way of finding one another, and so it is true of John and Josh. They met while working at another agency prior to joining forces as The Faulkner Group. If they have an edge—and there is a persuasive case to be made that they have many—it is creativity. Thinking originally, acting accordingly. “Usually it’s doing the things that everyone says not to do,” says John. “Our goal is to look at everything differently. We have a really nice synergy, where we’ve both been working in real estate for some time”—two decades apiece, to be exact—“but we're really opposites, which makes for a great partnership.” And an effective one.
“We bring this global perspective that really allows us to pull in way beyond what we see, and to tie it into our marketing,” says Josh, who describes The Faulkner Group alliance as a mindful merger of classic and modern, with digital meeting the touch-and-feel approach. “People want those touch points more than ever,” he adds, “but at the same time, they also need the digital more than ever. Pulling those two pieces together is essential, then elevating the marketing to the caliber of the people who are consistently moving here. It’s about creating something that’s never been before.” For this duo it’s not so much, there’s a door, let’s go through the back. More like, there’s a door but let’s build an entirely new one. The norm is simply not their style—and these are highly stylish men, and not just in the usual way. They know how to present. In intelligence, in conversation, in company.
They’re also great fun, and collaborate inside and out of the office. John, with his artistic bent, relies on Josh to help him get into his studio at least once a week. As for how Josh recharges: “Playing with Legos,” says the father of a 4-year-old son he calls “the pure joy of life” and credits for keeping him grounded. Both men have wives they cherish and vintage cars they love, and their congenial way—warm, personal, right there and the real deal—feels outside the usual these days. Having outside interests helps “bring oxygen to the room and to a deal,” says John.
Frankly they make it look easy, and that’s the point. Their barometer for a successful client relationship is how effortless the job—one that is anything but—looks to clients. Easy means they’ve shielded clients from the stress that the complexities of a transaction can cause. Trust is crucial to the equation, “probably no. 1,” says John. “I want to be able to trust clients as much as I want them to trust me, and I make that clear not only verbally, but in the way we interact. Right from the beginning. It’s not something you can conjure up. You can't just fake it. It has to be a genuine.”
No would could ever accuse The Faulkner Group of being anything other than completely authentic, even if they are making it look easy. That is, after all, the hardest work there is. “We just want to give our clients the best,” Josh notes. “We work to build trust and want our clients to enjoy the lifestyle that we experience in Santa Barbara.” Which is to say—and they do, almost at the same time—“quality of life.” faulknerramirez.com
A Date to Reinvigorate
When reviving after a season of long reprieve, taking refuge at El Encanto, the beloved Belmond-brand hotel, is more imperative than inclination.
Set an intention for transformation at
El Encanto’s Wellness Week
Written by Jenn Thornton
When reviving after a season of long reprieve, taking refuge at El Encanto, the beloved Belmond-brand hotel, is more imperative than inclination. Its lush hillside setting and low-key California glamour is always a strong siren call, but with its newest experience, Wellness Week at El Encanto, temptation has reached its apex. A program of restoration, revitalization, movement and wellbeing, this April 11-15 and May 2-6, spring awakening is a reawakening too. Mind, body, spirit—all are kindly invited.
Nestled in the hills of Santa Barbara, El Encanto embraces its serene backdrop for Wellness Week.
With its bevy of delights and refinements, and proximity to the Pacific, which looms in the distance like an old friend, El Encanto is reliably rapturous, but with Wellness Week, it’s a sanctuary, as well. This deeply curative, four-day reset featuring local fitness instructors, skilled trainers, and meditation gurus, along with interactive group classes, bespoke wellness dining and more, is the post-pandemic abundance we deserve. Mindfulness Matters founder Samara Zelniker will divulge the life-giving freedom that comes with letting go of limiting beliefs, while Mindy Sofro, owner of Barre3 Santa Barbara and a Lululemon ambassador, will inspire with her story of female entrepreneurship then keep it moving with a Barre3 class designed to help fine-tune the physique with a balanced full-body workout.
“With its bevy of delights and refinements, and proximity to the Pacific, which looms in the distance like an old friend, El Encanto is reliably rapturous, but with Wellness Week, it’s a sanctuary.”
Local recipe developer and food photographer Riley Yahr is bringing simple, healthy recipes and food styling techniques to the table, while the toque of El Encanto, Executive Chef Bruno Lopez, hosts a hands-on cooking demo—the perfect pairing for an organic mixology course. Finally, the week’s wakeup call—a light morning meditation in the warmth of sunrise, followed by a spiritual tea ceremony and teaching with Zhena Muzyka, the creator and formulator of Magic Hour Tea & Transformation and author of Life by the Cup—is proof of a new day dawning. The Spa at El Encanto plans to supply its own brand of sustenance under the guiding hands of seasoned spa therapists who will, depending on one’s preference, freshen up the façade with a signature facial, or ease muscle tension into submission with a soothing and likely much-needed deep tissue massage. The ultimate indulgence, naturally, is exquisite El Encanto itself, with its sea of extravagances segueing from sunny days and coastal views to laissez-faire afternoons poolside and related exploits. As the backdrop for one’s return to vigor, there is no lovelier chrysalis from which to emerge from winter, and no better time than now. belmond.com