Carmel and Pebble Beach aren't just markets to me. They're neighborhoods I know block by block.

I can tell you why a Golden Rectangle cottage a short walk from both town and beach trades differently than a home out on Carmel Point, which parts of Hatton Fields catch a little more sun, and where lots get bigger once you step outside the city limits.

Buying here is a bit like reading the tide. The listings show you what's on the surface, but the ...