Ann Newton Cane

Ann Newton Cane has real estate in her blood; she was raised on a large cattle ranch near the Oregon-California border. In 2022, Ann handled more than $80,000,000 in transactions, surpassing her 2021 record sales total. One transaction, representing the seller, produced the highest price of any Lafayette sale reported on the Multiple Listing Service. In 2022, Ann was No. 1 in sales for all of Contra Costa County for Golden Gate Sotheby’s. She has been recognized as a Top Producer every year since 2019.

Ann’s career before real estate amply prepared her for sophisticated transactions. After graduating from UC Davis, Ann joined MCI, selling telecommunications services. She earned every MCI honor possible for taking business away from the behemoth AT&T. She remained at MCI following its later merger, managing the company’s relationships with key global accounts such as Times Mirror, Nissan, First Interstate Bank, Kaiser Permanente, Amgen, and Wells Fargo. Dick Notebaert, CEO of Qwest Communications (now CenturyLink) then persuaded Ann to become Qwest’s Director, responsible for West Coast global accounts. Ann negotiated complex transactions with these sophisticated businesses and others, with sales in the billions of dollars.

Ann then took a break from full-time work to raise her two children, Paul William III and Katherine. Ann devoted herself to community activities, including service on the College Preparatory School’s Board of Trustees; Parents’ Club President at Orinda Intermediate School; Swimming Chair of Meadow Swim and Tennis Club; President of the Homeowners’ Association of the Grand Lodge in Deer Valley, Utah; and service on the Membership Development Committee at Claremont Country Club.

Ann’s community involvement makes her prominent in her focus area: Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda. Ann is married to a lawyer, Paul Cane, and their children both graduated from (and competed in swimming for) Dartmouth College. When their children reached college, Ann set off in her new career in real estate.