An elderly man with gray hair, dressed in a white shirt and brown blazer, stands smiling against a brick wall with a wooden gate on the right side, outdoors.

Don Spradlin

FOUNDER

International Property Advisor/Licensed Real Estate Broker

Don began his career as an investment banker with an MBA from Harvard Business School, before founding and operating several successful California real estate companies. He holds an active California Real Estate Broker's license first issued in 1979.

Seeking a deeper understanding of people and community, Don went on to earn a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, which led to more than 20 years as a Development Director helping nonprofits raise millions of dollars for causes he believed in — including an AIDS Hospice in San Francisco, a hospital and two history museums.

That rare blend of financial acumen, real estate expertise, and genuine empathy for people in life transition is the foundation on which Joie de Vivre Homes was built.

Don created Joie de Vivre Homes after years of personal travel to Europe — falling in love with the cultures, the architecture, the history, and the lifestyles that so many Americans dream about but rarely achieve. His mission is simple: to make co-owning a beautiful historic home in Europe accessible, legally sound, and joyful.

To ensure that every transaction is built on the strongest possible legal foundation, Don works exclusively with Andy Sirkin of Sirkin Law — one of the country's foremost authorities on shared property ownership, whose co-ownership agreements are recognized across every European nation where Joie de Vivre Homes operates.

When not researching properties in Europe, Don divides his time between San Francisco and Glen Ellen, California, and considers himself a perpetual student of the good life - in all its forms, including gardening, cooking, mixology, and fly fishing.

Don Spradlin | International Property Advisor | Joie de Vivre Homes

Don@JDV.Homes‍ ‍ | +1 (415) 815-0026

A smiling man with gray hair in a blue suit holding a folder standing indoors near a staircase.

Joske Thompson

CO-FOUNDER

Joske Thompson — International Property Advisor

Licensed Real Estate Broker | FIABCI Member | Europe & USA

Joske Thompson brings four decades of international real estate experience to Joie de Vivre Homes — and a track record that spans continents, currencies, and market cycles. Joske is a proud alumnus of Oxford University’s Saïd Business School and has been a licensed real estate broker since 1983.

Joske's career began at the highest levels of global finance, co-founding the real estate division of an Australian Merchant Bank — an experience that sharpened his instinct for identifying emerging markets and anticipating where property trends are headed before they arrive.

That early training evolved into a distinguished international career. Joske is an active member of FIABCI — the International Real Estate Federation — an elite professional network represented in over 70 countries, spanning every discipline of the real estate industry. Membership in FIABCI is not automatic; it reflects a commitment to the highest standards of international property practice and a genuinely global perspective.

For Joie de Vivre Homes clients, Joske's worldwide network and deep knowledge of international property practices translate into something simple and valuable: confidence. Whether you are navigating the nuances of co-ownership in France, evaluating a property in Italy, or simply trying to understand how European real estate works for an American buyer, Joske brings the kind of seasoned, cross-border expertise that can only be earned over a lifetime in the field.

Joske divides his time between Europe and the United States, and brings to every client relationship the same quality he has always prized most — a genuine understanding of what it means to own property across borders. Details on his website: Joske.org

joske@joske.org | +1(415)608-2233

A man wearing a helmet and sunglasses riding a bicycle along a mountain road with a large satellite dish on a hill in the background.

Andy Sirkin

LEGAL

Andy's projects range from individual homes to large developments. He represent sellers, buyers, developers, internet entrepreneurs, and real estate professionals of all kinds.

Through his offices in San Francisco, California and Paris, France, he's worked on projects all over the world. Since 1985, his firm has prepared fractional ownership documentation for over 8,000 clients.

In addition to advising clients, Andy Sirkin has personally developed more than 40 real estate projects throughout the world. A member of the California Bar since 1984, Andy graduated Magna Cum Laude and Order of the Coif from Boston College Law School, where he served as editor of the Boston College Law Review, and Summa Cum Laude from University of Vermont.

A man smiling with sunglasses and wearing a headset inside the cockpit of an aircraft, with a view of mountains and sky outside.

Jeff Kell

DESIGN & BRAND | ADVISOR

Jeff is a forward-thinking product designer and inventor who pushes the boundaries of innovation through cutting-edge AI products. With a mind for creative problem-solving and a passion for the latest technology, Jeff continually reimagines how people interact with products. Outside of the design lab, he’s a modern Renaissance man: a student pilot who takes to the skies in both airplanes and drones, a black-and-white portrait photographer capturing the essence of humanity, and an avid international traveler exploring cultures, culinary endeavors, and landscapes around the globe.