What's New

NOBODY IN THE WORLD SELLS
MORE REAL ESTATE THAN RE/MAX*
*based on publicly available information and on an audit by Arthur Andersen
of 1997 RE/MAX residential transactions sides in North America only.

RE/MAX Direct tied for first place in the Ramona Rodeo Parade
for "Best Theme" for their float!

April 14, 1999

For Immediate Release

Pete Schomaker Joins
Remax Direct, Ramona

Pete Schomaker, a consistent Top Producer since obtaining his real estate license in 1987, has joined Remax Direct in Ramona. "We are so pleased to have Pete in our organization, he is a hard worker, has a great sense of integrity and treats his customers like his life depended on them" said Jan Ryan broker/owner. "Making the transition to Remax Direct has been much easier than I anticipated, thanks largely to the professionalism and courtesy of the staff. The agents are all top notch, the administrative staff excels, the office location is excellent and the tradition of quality service and integrity that Remax has come to exemplify is paramount to us all. I feel right at home." Pete can be reached at 760.803.PETE(7383) mobile or by email, pete@realtor.com, or at Remax Direct, 760.788.1000.

Ramona maintains country

By Nancy Walery
Free-lance writer
Off the North County fast track amid country simplicity lies Ramona, a slow-paced yet growing community often overlooked on the map because of its backcountry location. About a half-hour’s drive east of Escondido, this unincorporated, primarily agricultural community of 35,000 rich in farms, ranches and equestrian accommodations shares its homespun charm with several contemporary home developments, illustrating Ramona’s ability to both preserve its rural roots and embrace a promising future.
In the 1870s this community was named Nuevo, Spanish for "new," along the well-worn road to the then-booming mining town of Julian. In 1885, she was officially renamed Ramona after the Indian maiden and heroine of Helen Hunt Jackson’s then best selling novel about the Indians and Mexicans of early California.

Called the "Valley of the Sun" for its location above the fog line and below the snow line, Ramona is an outdoor-lovers community. It backs up to the Cuyamaca Mountains, probably the most popular place to hike in San Diego County, according to Jerry Schad’s "Afoot & Afield in San Diego County" (Wilderness Press).

"Every time I drive home, I’m glad I live here," said Robin Curry, a North County elementary school teacher who moved with her family from Vista to Ramona 12 years ago. "It’s civilized, but it’s country. We wanted life to be simpler, and we were looking for a good place to bring up kids."

According to Charles R. LeMenager’s book, "Ramona and Round About" (Eagle Peak Publishing Company, 1989), Ramona’s ideal climate earned its distinction as the Turkey Capital of the world starting in the 1930s for the profitable business of farming turkeys and turkey eggs. Although the Turkey Capital days ended in the 1960s, Ramona maintains agrarian roots growing apples, citrus, avocados and hundreds of thousands of chicken eggs produced by more than two dozen poultry farms.

And don’t be surprised to share these roads with a four-legged variety of transportation. As a tribute to the preservation of Ramona’s pioneer spirit, horseback riding within city limits is still legal here. Local turnout for events like the Ramona Rodeo and the old-fashioned Ramona County Fair Days demonstrate the depth of this community’s love for their bucolic lifestyle.

"Ramona is what California used to be," said

Jan Ryan, broker and owner of RE/MAX Direct in Ramona, quoting a Ryland Homes sign the she feels aptly describes this best-kept-secret community. "It’s a small-town atmosphere. It reminds people of the town they grew up in, where you know everybody, and everyone kind of watches out for each other."

With a dozen or so antique shops in town, Ramona is also gaining the reputation as the Antique Capital of San Diego County. The Guy B. Woodward Museum on Main Street, formerly the Verlaque House (circa 1886), offers a rare example of 1880-designed French Provincial architecture west of New Orleans. The late Guy B. Woodward, a local historian, turned the house with its period furniture, furnishings and artifacts and the nearby complex of buildings into a museum, complete with turn-of-the-century bunkhouse, blacksmith shop, wine cellar turned basement, jailhouse, post office and doctor’s office.

The Amy Strong Castle, a 12,000-square-foot, 27-room mansion at the foot of Mt. Woodson, is an historical facility and special event/meeting facility recognized in the National Register of Historic Places. The castle was completed in 1921 under the supervision of its owner, Irene Amy Strong, a highly successful local couturiere.

The castle was built on part of the original homestead by Dr. Marshall Clay Woodson, a dentist in the Confederate Army during the Civil War who settled there in 1875 and after which the mountain and vicinity was named. The Woodson homestead is also home to the Mt. Woodson Golf Club, an award–winning gated community of 189 homes with and 18-hole championship public golf course.

Another established home development in Ramona is the 3,250-acre San Diego Country Estates, developed nearly 30 years ago as a low density, environmentally sensitive community. The roughly 3,200 homes in this "community within a community" are surrounded by ample open space, a public golf course, equestrian centers, tennis and swimming facilities, two elementary schools and horse/jogging trails. Rancho San Vicente, a 241-home development adjacent to San Diego Country Estates is in construction on the first phase of 89 homes on one-half to one-acre lots. The development will include 38 acres of open space.

Ramona woman named Citizen of the year.........

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Anniversary Honored

Ramona-Chris Anderson, real estate agent with Ramona's Re/Max Direct office, is celebrating the start of her eighth year of selling real estate. She won rookie of the year honors at the start of her real estate career, and since then, she has been a consistent multi-million dollar producer. With 11 closed transactions representing property valued at $1.8 million, she reports that 1997 has been her best year ever. She was recently named "Queen of Ramona" by the Ramona Rotary Club, and is also active in the Ramona Chamber of Commerce and was co-chairwoman of the recent Country Fair Days parade. She's lived in Ramona for 11 years.

------from The Daily Californian October 5th 1997

Ryan Gan Real Estate Joins the RE/MAX System

After learning what the RE/MAX system has to offer our office and our clients, we at Ryan Gan Real Estate are excited to announce that we will be RE/MAX DIRECT covering Ramona, San Diego Country Estates, Julian and Santa Ysabel!

RE/MAX offices are independently owned and operated. RE/MAX DIRECT has the same owners, Jan Ryan and Jeff Gan and the same experienced, hard working agents and more coming on board! The only difference is the added strength and support of the top real estate name in the industry.

As RE/MAX DIRECT, our office will have our listings showcased in the dynamic website of RE/MAX of California and Hawaii as well as our own existing web site which has now been change to reflect our new name to http://www.remaxdirect.com!

We are excited to affiliate with other RE/MAX agents.

***The average RE/MAX agent has twice the experience of the average real estate agent.
***The average RE/MAX agent outperforms the average real estate agent 3 to 1.
***The average RE/MAX agent joins after being a top producer at some other company.
***Based on available statistics from the National Association of Realtors.

How could we seriously think about doing business with anyone else?

SEE DIRECT LENDING