Terry Hundemer and Hamilton Bryan Ranch Real Estate Services

Agent Profiles

About Terry

Terry Hundemer, Managing Broker
California Broker’s License #01100594

Background:

Terry has been a licensed real estate agent in California for 30 years and a Broker since 2001. Having worked exclusively on ranch and recreational properties in the West for 30 years, he is among the most knowledgeable ranch brokers in the West and an expert on California properties. Terry learned from and worked with the firm’s founder Nick Chickering for over 20 years, then upon Nick’s retirement in 2010, he took over the reins of the firm. Terry grew up in rural Northern California on a small farm in the Sierra Foothills. With a long appreciation of the great outdoors, Terry is a hiker, mountain biker, fly-fisherman, skier and an advocate for the preservation of ranch land for future generations. He is a past board member and president of the local Bear Yuba Land Trust, a private non-profit that focuses on the permanent protection of farms and ranches, as well as developing and managing trails and parks for the community. Terry, his wife Courtney and their two teenagers live in Nevada City.

Contact Terry Hundemer at (530) 913-8095 or via email

Interview with Terry

Q. What is fulfilling and challenging about being a broker?

I make a living connecting people with dream properties and it never gets old. I’m fortunate to get to see some of the most impressive properties in the West and to meet and help some exceptional people. While it can sometimes be a long time between closings, when the deal is done something important has been accomplished — like marrying a good steward of the land to a spectacular property.

Q. What separates you and a typical residential real estate professional?

There are many more details in ranch sales, so it’s critical to know about water rights, wells, irrigation, titles, mineral rights, easements, environmental concerns and much more. Every property is different and frankly more complex than a residential sale. While I have learned a lot over the years, I regularly use water rights attorneys, engineers and specialized consultants for properties with vineyards, livestock, environmental easements and other unique characteristics.

Q. In looking at other agents who serve your market, what do you think is different about you?

While it might sound cliché to say that my company and I provide superior attention to detail, in the ranch and recreational property market, this is a huge plus. We are not a high-volume brokerage and only take listings and work with buyers who fit our niche. We have a global reach with our marketing, but a fine focus on what we do best.

About Ham

Hamilton (Ham) Bryan, Sales Associate
California License #01928544

Background:

Ham Bryan was engaged in ranch consulting in Wyoming and Montana for private dude ranches, including the exclusive Yellowstone Club, before joining the Chickering Company in 2012. His own dude ranch, which he operated for 10 years on the Shoshone River near Cody, Wyoming, and Yellowstone, received international recognition when it was featured in Architectural Digest and subsequently in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue. A fifth-generation Californian raised in Piedmont, Ham’s family operated a working ranch at the base of Mt. Diablo in Danville, California. He attended Robert Louis Stevenson School, TCU and USC.

Contact Ham at (530) 265-5774, cell (307) 272-6050 or via email

Interview with Ham

Q. Why is the Chickering Company a good fit for you?

I was fortunate to spend my summers on a family ranch when I was growing up. The experience played a key role in how I see the world now and what’s important to me. I like helping other people gain what I think is a rich perspective and some priceless experiences by finding them a ”legacy” property. It’s similar to what I enjoyed about sharing my dude ranch experience with families from around the world.

Q. What do you have in common with your clients that they might appreciate?

Having grown up in a major metropolitan area where many of our buyers live (in some cases moving in the same circles), we tend to have a lot in common. Professional and personal relationships are built on shared experiences, understanding and, of course, trust. For new buyers, I can recount my experiences and perspective and it often helps. I also can get people to think more critically about what they want in a ranch or recreation property by asking them good questions.

Q. How do you view the rapid increase in technology used by the real estate industry?

Websites and email are great for extending our reach and providing information quickly, but in our special market, there are caveats. Given the personalized nature of our service and the uniqueness of our properties, an old-fashioned phone call and/or face-to-face meeting is where we should start and finish. In a brief call, we can explain a lot and provide you with a sense of whether you should do business with us or not. It’s hard to digitally convey who we are and what we can do for you.

About Nick

Nick Chickering, Founder
Montana Broker’s License #14471

A graduate of The Thacher School (’60) and Stanford University (A.B.,’64), Nick Chickering began his real estate career in 1965 as a mortgage appraiser for Coldwell Banker and Aetna Life Insurance Company. Following a number of years working as an officer in smaller corporations, Nick returned to real estate in 1978, specializing in brokering the purchase and sale of small businesses. Finding that his clients wanted to purchase unique ranch properties, he founded The Chickering Company in 1982. Together with Terry Hundemer, the two have established the signature ranch brokerage in California for discriminating buyers seeking to purchase the best the West has to offer. Nick retired in 2010 and lives in Montana.

Contact Nick at (406) 250-7401 or via email

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