Perfect Timing

Big home is just right for these empty nesters

By Cecily Hastings
Photography By Aniko Kiezel
June 2025

Each move was strategic. But she soon questioned every purchase. Something kept her from settling in and finding her “forever” home.

After touring the Sierra Oaks Vista home, Jane called and said, “We just love it. But are we making the right decision with such a large home and property?”

My reaction was instant: “As long as I’ve known you, I’ve never heard you say you love your house. No matter what anyone else says, if you have the resources, why not?

“It’s your business and your decision. And if you are truly blessed you get the opportunity to love your own home.”

Before she made an offer, I toured the home with Jane and Realtors Tim Collom and Kim Squaglia. I saw why she fell in love with it.

Built in 2016, the house has five bedrooms and four bathrooms, generous rooms, elegant finishes and beautiful fixtures. It’s decorated in the classic style Jane loves. There’s nothing to change.

The exterior is a New England-style with gray wood shingles, white trim and natural gray stone accents. Trees and landscaping fill the half-acre lot.

The attached three-car garage sits inside a gated driveway. The backyard is an oasis with a covered outdoor kitchen and entertainment area. A pool and water features create a resort feeling.

“I liked that there is a separate guest room and bath with their own entrance for potential caregivers. Even my granddaughter Charlotte has her own room now,” Jane says.

“I like that I now have a dedicated room to myself to work and watch tennis on the big screen without bothering Jane,” says Jeff, CEO of NonProfits’ United insurance group.

With more than a doubling of square footage, there was the question of how to fill the new space. Jane, a partner in the public relations firm Runyon Saltzman Einhorn until her retirement in 2018, isn’t thrilled with home shopping. I offered to help.

The house was on the market for several months and the owners moved out of state. They left several big items, which helped the home show better.

Included was a gorgeous Restoration Hardware sofa sectional in the great room, upholstered in white linen. Down-filled cushions feel like sitting on a cloud.

“I figured I’d worry about filling it once we moved in,” Jane says. The wait-and-see attitude paid off. She used a mover who became a key source of gently used furnishings.

“My mover was terrific. When he saw the empty spaces after he delivered our existing furniture, he asked me if I wanted to try out some furnishings he had in storage that were left behind by other customers,” Jane says.

He brought furnishings, rugs and artwork, plus a carved wood dining set suitable for a castle.

“He said he’d set it all up and I could take any of it at a very reasonable price, or he’d move it out,” Jane says. “But I took it all!”

Jane recently began buying local art and hired Dave Saalsaa to install the pieces. The result is an eclectic, curated gallery.

It’s wonderful to see my friend happy in her new digs.

“I finally found a home that I love,” Jane says. She looks forward to an open house this summer to show off her dream home.

She plans to invite friends who thought she was crazy to make such a move.

To recommend a home or garden, contact cecily@insidepublications.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.