Armed with a lifetime of insider knowledge, Strategist Bree Rotter helps clients discover the right southern California town for them.
Bree Rotter has spent her entire life in sunny Southern California. She was born in Santa Monica, raised in the Pacific Palisades, and went to college at USC.
“I met my husband at USC who’s from New York and we ended up moving back to Pacific Palisades when I was pregnant with my now 11-year-old,” Bree shares.
Bree and her family — her husband, 11-year-old daughter, 7-year-old son, and miniature schnauzer — still live in the Pacific Palisades. In fact, after exploring the LA suburbs, they actually moved right next door to her parents.
“Some people think it’s totally insane. But it’s so good for us and it’s great for my kids,” Bree says.
Before moving back to the ‘burbs, Bree worked as a TV production coordinator in LA. After giving birth to her first child, she realized the demanding TV production schedule didn’t fit her lifestyle anymore. She jumped into a new endeavor with a friend and built a successful small business making gift baskets for corporate and private events.
Growing up and working in Los Angeles gives Bree the insight to really know the ins and outs of the city’s unique neighborhoods.
“There are just so many separate, varied suburbs in this area, and that’s what makes LA so unique,” Bree says. “It’s a sprawling city. Very spread out. If you don’t know LA it can feel overwhelming. You drive from Woodland Hills to Manhattan Beach or West LA to downtown and that could take you 90 minutes or more. But all of it is considered Los Angeles,” Bree explains.
Helping families find “home”
Bree has always been the person friends and family would call for LA recommendations. Whether it’s the best places to hike with kids or where to go out for dinner in any given part of the city, Bree always has a recommendation — and that insider knowledge helped her transition into the Suburban Jungle Strategist role in 2021.
“It feels right up my alley, helping people find the right town,” Bree says.
Whether her client is from the West Coast or making a cross-country move, she always starts by asking a few key questions to get some direction on where they may want to explore.
“First: are you willing to commute?” she says. Some of her clients are moving to town for work while others can work from anywhere. Since the city is so spread out, this is key to zeroing in on communities that make sense.
“Also, how important is being near the beach?’” Bree says. From there, she encourages clients to think about other priorities — being close to family, for example, how they like to spend weekends, and whether they’re looking for public or private schools.
Many of her clients are moving to Southern California to escape frigid winters in the northeast and midwest. And she always makes sure people understand the various microclimates of LA.
“There’s a section of LA called the Valley, for example — it could be 105 degrees there and 70 degrees at my house — which is about 20 minutes away,” Bree says. “We’re closer to the ocean, so the temperature swings can be significant. But many people don’t discover that until they’ve moved. To me, though, that’s important to consider before deciding where to live.”
Transitioning to suburban life
Bree also works with people who are more familiar with LA but who, still, need help to figure out where to go next.
“We hear from people who moved to LA two or three years ago and have been renting, but now they know the area better and they’re ready to settle down,” she says. “For others, they’re ready to try something new — maybe their kids are older or out of the house, and they want to explore new possibilities. Every client is different!”
No matter the client, though, after connecting and discussing priorities, preferences, and next steps, Bree develops a comprehensive Suburbs Strategy and connects them to local Suburban Jungle partner agents for town tours. But no matter where clients are in their journey, Bree’s always ready to jump in.
“I’m here whenever you need me,” she says. “I have my phone on me at all times. Text me or email me if you have any questions. I’m just so happy to be here, helping people fall in love with LA.”
Whether you’re considering LA or a different town altogether, our Strategists are here to help. Schedule your FREE Suburbs Strategy session to get started today.