It is said that home is where the heart is…but Marika Strauss, who recently joined Sereno-Santa Cruz knows very well the importance of living in a house that meets the needs of its occupants so that love, companionship, and family can prosper within it. The pandemic has heightened our sensibilities, that homes must be both refuges and sanctuaries as well as places to work, play, eat, and sleep.

Marika’s lived experience as a four-time homeowner (shared with her husband and toddler) while residing and working throughout the world has afforded her a unique talent for finding the right living space for clients. That process begins with a trusting relationship built on learning and listening to dreams and needs as well as concerns and fears. Home for Marika has many dimensions. For her, it's growing up in Seattle, trading skis and hiking boots for a surfboard, and sharing hospitality and love of cooking with family and friends from near and afar. For almost two decades, Marika worked in the non-profit world empowering young people with essential skills and a passion for making a more just and peaceful world.

A few years ago Santa Cruz became both the home and heart center for her and her husband (a nurse in a local hospital) and the place where she hopes to continue building community and nurturing relationships. She chose Sereno because her values are aligned with the Company’s commitment to the 1% For Good Charity program. A graduate of the University of Texas in Austin, Texas with honors, a proud owner of two loving dogs, a passionate chocolate fan, and part of the Save Pleasure Point Volunteer Steering committee, Marika is looking forward to getting to know you and to being your guide to a new home.