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Work with us

We work with property owners in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Fresno counties as a partner on a project or as the buyer.

Partner on a project

You own, or have found, a property with a project in it. We come in as co-owner and get it built. If you own the property, you keep a share of the finished project.

What you bring

The property, or one you have found. What you want from it: build and hold, build and sell, renovate and lease. And as much of your time as you choose.

Tell us about your property

What we bring

Capital, and the work of two people. Sam Fox Brennan, a California real estate broker (DRE #02178674), runs the numbers. Eduardo Cota prices the construction and runs the job.

About the two of us

Who builds it

We hold an ownership stake in every project we take on. Plumbing is done by Modern Perspective Plumbing, a licensed California plumbing contractor that Eduardo co-founded. Other trades are licensed contractors hired for the job. Casa Fresco is not a contractor for hire.

License
Cota Companies LLC dba Modern Perspective Plumbing, CSLB Lic. #1102487 (C-36 Plumbing)

How our projects get built

How a partnership works

  1. You tell us about it

    Send the address and what you have in mind. We read every message and respond personally, usually within two business days. Nothing is signed at this stage.

  2. We run the numbers

    Sam checks recent sales, rents and the rules on the parcel: zoning, water and utility constraints, coastal review and state housing law. Eduardo prices the construction. Then we tell you whether it is a project we would take on.

  3. We propose a structure in writing

    If the project works, we propose a joint venture. The agreement says who puts in what, who decides what and how the proceeds are split. If a purchase suits you better, we propose that instead.

  4. The project gets built

    As co-owner we manage the entitlements, then the licensed contractors on the job, then the leasing. We report to you on where the project stands until the property is sold or leased up.

Before you sign

A share in a project is an investment with risk, including the loss of the equity in your property.

In a partnership Casa Fresco is the other party to the agreement, and nobody at Casa Fresco is your agent. Review the terms with your own attorney and tax advisor before you sign.

Casa Fresco does not provide tax or legal advice.

What makes a property worth partnering on

We expect to pass on most of what we look at.

Unused capacity
An oversized lot, an unbuilt legal unit, room for a second story or a building earning well below what it could.
A constraint that can be cleared
Zoning that permits the project, or a credible path to it. On the Central Coast, water availability, coastal review and building moratoriums can stop a project that works on paper.
An owner with a specific goal
You want to stay invested instead of cashing out, or to finish a project you started.

Sell to us directly

You own a property that is inherited, tenant-occupied, tired or one you are done with, and you would rather have one conversation than run a listing.

If it fits what we buy, we make a written offer. We work out the price from comparable sales, less the cost of the work the property needs, our holding and resale costs and our margin. The offer says how we are paying.

How a direct sale works What we buy

Who we are in that sale

  • Casa Fresco is the buyer. We buy for our own account, as a principal, and we intend to make a profit.
  • Nobody at Casa Fresco is your agent. One of our two owners, Sam Fox Brennan, is a licensed California real estate broker (DRE #02178674). In a direct sale he is one of the buyers.
  • Our offer is a buyer’s price. It is not an appraisal or an opinion of market value.
  • You may get more by listing. We encourage you to get independent advice before you answer.

For investors

We put our own money into our projects. On some, we are joined by a small number of investors we already know. We do not offer investments through this website. If you would like to get acquainted, introduce yourself.

Tell us about the property and what you have in mind.

Tell us about a property