Alex is a phenomenal agent and we are so grateful to have worked with him in our first time home buying journey. He was incredibly knowledgeable, attentive and prompt, and was great resource for us throughout the entire experience. Most impressive is the way in which he has built relationships with folks in the industry and the glowing professionalism to which he brings to his work. He is strategic, provided us with unique insights into the SF market, and really understood our needs. We are so happy with our first home and could not have asked for a better agent to help us throughout the process. Highly recommend Alex! read more

We just bought a home in Marin, and we couldn't have done it without Alex! He knows the market inside and out--his insight into pricing, neighborhoods, and what's really happening behind the scenes made all the difference. Alex is also incredibly efficient. He lined up a great selection of homes that matched exactly what we were looking for, helped us cut through the noise, and made sure we focused on the best opportunities. When it came time to make an offer, he had everything dialed in, and the closing process was seamless thanks to his expertise and network--huge thanks to him for making it all happen! read more

Alex educated me on the condo market in San Francisco. He was an ideal guide through the buying process. Prompt responses to any inquiries, showed me that I could always rely on his support. I know that Alex always has my interests as a priority. Even after the purchase Alex has been available to answer any questions that come up. I trust him and value him as an outstanding individual. read more

We are (were!) first time home buyers who saved for many years and we are really glad we worked with Alex. First off, he's very efficient. We never had to do a single open house, he was always able to arrange (and bundle) private showings. Need an engineer's opinion? He'll bring one. Intel on a house that did not sell? He'll get it. Long disclosures to review? He'll extract the relevant nuggets. Ready to make an offer? Check your inbox. But it's not just about efficiency, his understanding of the market and strategic mindset made a big difference. We discussed a wide range of options (some quite creative) and he ultimately found an off-market house that checks all of our boxes. He helped us close on time (which was only possible with the reliable contacts he shared) and he's now genuinely interested in being in the loop for the renovation we are planning. All in all a fantastic experience, thanks Alex! read more

Alex M Shvartsman - Real Estate Agents Near Me - San Francisco, California

Best agent that I've ever met. We have known Alex for a while now and have gotten all our properties through him. Extremely professional and caring person. Wish there were more people like him in the industry !!! read more

alex is highly professional, extremely knowledgeable and provided expert guidance through every step of the home buying process. from day one, alex brought his deep understanding of SF as a whole to help us narrow down our areas of interest, leveraging not just his real estate experience, but also his years of living in the city to provide unique insights on the pros, cons and character of each neighborhood we were considering. when we started touring units, alex was prepared with answers to all the questions we had and for ones we didn't even know to ask. this is where his insider insights and attention to detail really started to show - he familiarized himself with the history and track record of the HOA, dug up small nits and details about the building, and even researched exactly what developments were being planned on the block, from buddhist temples to new entertainment districts! when it came time to bid, alex helped craft our strategy to maximize both value and our chances of winning, which was especially critical in the highly competitive market here in SF. from there, alex brought it home across the finish line and made the closing process a total breeze. we could not be happier with our home purchase and could not have asked for a better agent to help us through every step of the process. highly recommend alex to be the one to help you buy your next home! read more

Best agent I've ever worked with. Alex stepped in on our first transaction in SF over 10 years ago and we've worked with him ever since. On our latest purchase (late 2022), Alex helped us sift through many listings (in neighborhoods we weren't familiar with), never hesitated to meet up with us for showings, and was incredibly responsive during escrow. He knows the City well and the details behind just about every building and is knowledgeable about all aspects of the real estate process in SF (pricing / negotiation, best practices, finance, laws / regulations, escrow, rentals, etc.). And his referral network of lenders and contractors is top notch. read more

We had a great experience with Alex. He was honest, reliable and patient with us on our home search. He found us our ideal home even before it hit the market. He was very knowledgeable about real estate as well as renovation giving us good guidance. Would definitely work with him again and recommend him to all our family and friends. read more

Working with Alex to buy our first home was an absolute joy. Alex made a special effort to understand what we were looking for, showed us neighborhoods and homes throughout SF, and provided expert guidance on negotiating the City's competitive real estate market. He was also generous with advice regarding home features, the local market, making offers, insurance, and the closing process. His willingness to answer innumerable questions--no matter how small--made buying our first home in one of the most expensive and competitive real estate markets in the country far less stressful. We could not image a more knowledgeable, competent, or helpful real estate agent and look forward to working with Alex again. read more

My husband and I had a fantastic experience with Alex. We first met him at an open house where he was the listing agent. We were struck by how knowledgeable and helpful he was. When we were looking for a buyer's agent, we sought him out and found him to be a great match for us. He did a wonderful job showing us properties that were expected to sell within our price range and ticked off many of the things we wanted in a home, and steered us away from those which were out of our league. He made sure we had access to off market properties as well. When we mentioned who our agent was at open houses, just about all of the sellers' agents knew who Alex was and seemed to regard him well. When we found the property we ended up purchasing, he guided us through the offer (and counter offer) process, and ultimately the offer was accepted. While awaiting the (seemingly endless) final mortgage approval, he stayed in close contact and made sure things moved smoothly and on time. Alex showed that he knows the SF market and delivers as an agent. He conveys confidence without being cocky. Aside from the buying/selling process, Alex really provides full service. He has been an excellent resource for flooring sales and installation, painters, etc. Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend Alex to friends or colleagues who were looking to buy (or sell) a home. read more

Alex seems great! He wasn't the agent that represented me but still brought a ton of value to my search and supported my ability to enter contract on a property at the price I wanted and the contingencies I wanted, in a prime building and location in San Francisco. We met at an open house for a property he was showing. I inquired whether he would be open to representing me as a buyer alongside his seller (double-ended deal) and he highlighted nuances about why that might not be a good market practice or in the best interests of his seller. He was super communicative and seemed to know what he was doing about exploring a possible fit with me and this property. He answered all my questions, sent me disclosures and continued to be super responsive via text the next day or so. I tried to put an offer together with a realtor but the process was not executing smoothly at all. I spoke with Alex to confirm whether the property was still on the market and he offered advice on how to best proceed. He quickly made me realize why trying to use a random agent from a website like Faira would be a bad idea (given my initial choice of agent was not working out) and his guidance made me realize how I should best move forward. (I ended up transacting with another agent from the same brokerage). Alex seemed to be a great partner to my representing agent, being swift and communicative and responsive. Additionally Alex didn't shop my offer around (which I've heard of some agents doing so), even though my agent and I seemed to have opened doors to do so. I'd definitely recommend considering Alex for your search as either a buyer or seller if you're looking around for agents. read more

I had an amazing time working with Alex and encourage everyone to work with him! I feel incredibly lucky to have gotten referred to him as I contemplated purchasing my first condo in San Francisco. Before I met Alex, I was intimidated by the process, and thought there was no way someone like me (without family help or a second income) could successfully purchase real estate in this crazy market, but I wanted to try. Alex put me at ease from the very beginning: he was patient and kind, answered all of my stupid questions, and clearly really cared about getting me into the right place. As an SF local and skilled realtor, his knowledge of the city and the market is unparalleled, and I knew 100% I was in the right hands. He was incredibly responsive, honest, and willing to go above and beyond to share properties he thought I would like, drive me to check places out together, and help me navigate the market and the mortgage process. I was constantly amazed at how productive he is and how quick he was to get in touch. He also clearly cares about his clients as people (remembers personal details, gave me a housewarming gift that made me tear up, and plenty of other awesome things I could say about him). After a few months of somewhat casually looking, I managed to successfully purchase my own condo in Noe Valley that had everything I wanted (views, parking, storage, etc) within my budget. Not to mention that Alex managed to find me a mortgage that offered SIGNIFICANTLY lower interest rates than I ever would have found on my own! And now I'm an SF homeowner: words I never thought I would say until I met Alex. I will 100% work with Alex again if/when I sell my property or purchase another, and recommend him enthusiastically to anyone trying to make their SF real estate dreams happen. read more

We had a great experience with Alex. Given Covid and having a brand new baby, we didn't have the time or the ability to do a lot of work to sell our SF condo. Alex took care of everything, even the walk-through with our previous tenants before they moved out. He coordinated fixing up the condo, working with the homeowners association to approve renovations, and completing any repairs the buyer wanted. He was so on it that we probably only spent an hour or two of our own time, in total, during the entire home selling process. Alex is also one of the best communicators I've ever worked with. He responds to emails/calls in minutes, gave us updates before we thought to ask, and checked in with us to make sure everything was progressing smoothly on our end. He just took all the stress out of it and we're thrilled to have sold our condo within just a month of our previous tenants moving out. read more

Alex is simply amazing! My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Alex to sell our San Francisco condo. He's approachable, super smart about the market, and goes the extra mile. He's got a great eye, has a contact for every detail, and is happy to handle everything. You never have to worry about a thing -- except which of your multiple offers you'll pick. And even there, he's got the insight needed to help you get the best result. (He sold our place for above asking and above what we expected.) We'd highly recommend him for any buyer or seller in the area! read more

As first-time home buyers who were completely new to the SF market, we were so grateful to have Alex as our realtor! He's kind, knowledgeable, always on time, honest, and very quick with email. We started the home buying search during the shelter-in-place, and Alex made a process that seemed daunting very easy. Since we wanted something within a short time frame, he worked extremely hard to find us new listings every week and line-up tours that worked with our schedules (we saw literally dozens of listings within a month!). You can tell that Alex loves his job and loves working with new clients. I was always relieved to have him there by our side throughout the whole process, as I knew his attention-to-detail and strong familiarity with the neighborhoods and our preferences would help us find something fast. We couldn't have picked a better realtor. Very grateful for Alex's hard work! We love our home and couldn't be happier with how the entire process - from beginning to end - turned out. Also, he's really good with renovation ideas, as well. When we toured homes together, he gave us so many good ideas on how to transform current listings and get more for our money. He has a lot of great connections in San Francisco, so his help even continues after we've moved in and are looking to renovate. He also answered many of my silly questions as a first-time home buyer. His patience, diligence, and sincerity really put him a step above everyone else. Thank you, Alex! read more

My husband and I found Alex on yelp and we're glad we did. We worked with him as a mortgage broker and eventually decided to use him as our realtor, too. I know it sounds crazy but it totally worked for us. Alex follows both the changing real estate market AND the unpredictable housing legislation, which can affect your ability to buy and the amount of house you can buy. His specialization in the mortgage industry lends to his success as a realtor and vice-versa. He explains everything in great detail; you've got to have that or you'll wonder what's going on and if you're being taken advantage of. He is super-responsive and actively looks for properties; in this market especially, you need someone who can react very quickly to a great deal before it's gone. Alex keeps a positive attitude, and is helpful and enthusastic. I would absolutely recommend Alex if you're looking for a realtor or a mortgage broker. Either way, he's a good person to have in your corner. read more

Alex really made our experience buying a new home as easy and stress-free as possible. We got a great rate, and lots of one-on-one assistance with all of our questions and needs. What we liked even better was that it was located in the neighborhood we were looking in, which made it convenient and easy. Nothing like a neighborhood business to take the coldness out of Mortgage loans! Alex Shvartsman really has a great business here. Check them out, ESPECIALLY if you are looking in the SoMa/Third St Corridor! We will definitely be using them again when/if we move! read more

We found Alex through craigslist, and had NO idea about the housing market. Alex has been in the real estate business for quite a while now. What surprises me the most is his NEVER-SAY-NO attitude. He was always available 24/7. He was very patient with us in explaining the whole process, both for real estate and mortgage lending. He not only does your real estate work but also helps you in getting through your loan. I would have NEVER been able to get a loan, if it were not for Alex. One would assume that a mortgage lender knows more than a real estate broker, but I was happy to have Alex with me to explain the lending rules to the mortgage lender. Isn't that amazing! He not only helped us with the mortgage lending, but he also helped us with our rental application. I find Alex to be great at every aspect of the housing market, be it lending, renting, or anything else related to housing. I would highly recommend Alex to everyone and will definitely use him in the future. Thank you Alex! read more

A few months ago, I decided to try to look for my very first home. One of my coworkers at Google mentioned that he had a really good broker and I took him up on the introduction. Immediately Alex was able to understand exactly what I was looking for, answer all my questions, and was proactive every step of the way. I was up against 10+ other bids so it was important to know the history of the building, the neighborhood etc; He was able to provide a market analysis that gave me the confidence to move forward with an bid and offer for a home. Fortunately my first offer won and I've already moved into my beautiful new home. He was already knowledgeable about the market, has a ton of experience and humble confidence in his recommendations. I shopped around other brokers and did not have even close to an experience that I had with Alex. He is 100% reliable, sharp, knowledgeable, helpful and attentive. I'd recommend him to ANYBODY looking for a home and I'm happy to provide more background/recommendations if anybody is looking for a great broker. :) Side Note: One subtle touch that actually made me remember Alex as an actual caring person- he heard that I had a minor concern about my home not having a microwave and on the day that I moved in, he had bought one and left it on the counter for me. :) How considerate, I almost teared up! read more

I would highly recommend working with Alex. His responsiveness, proactiveness, and willingness to go the extra mile truly set him apart. Also, we felt like he truly gave us his honest opinion on all the properties that we looked at. This allowed us to make appropriate offers throughout the process. Also he is very knowledgeable about the lending process which was helpful for us as first time buyers. read more

Where do I begin with Alex? I began the search for my first home almost six months ago, not knowing what to expect. I met with a few agents before I decided to work with Alex, and I couldn't be happier with the results. He got me one of the best deals I've seen in this area all year. Throughout the entire process, Alex was patient and accommodating. Any question I had (and I had plenty ) was answered promptly, including some random questions sent at 11:45 in the night. During the closing process, Alex handled all of the multiple contacts and parties with ease, and even set up and actually covered my first month of parking in my new place! This type of customer service is absent these days, and Alex has set the bar very high. Not once did I feel pressured or uncomfortable. Working with Alex was like working with a trusted friend, and set me up with professional lenders, appraisers, and contractors that he knew. Alex covered everything throughout the stressful closing process and made it completely painless. I can't recommend Alex highly enough to anybody in the market to buy or sell a home. His knowledge of the area is very strong, and he is diligent, astute, and above all else, professional. I consider him to be a friend and am excited to work with him again for the next house, but also to have a beer or three with him in the current one! read more

Shortly after emailing Alex for the first time, he set up a consultation call for later that week. After we went over our budget, style, and other details, Alex went to work. We were very pleased with the speed at which he found quality listings WITHIN our budget. He never tried to push us to more expensive units or into something that worked for him and not us. He simply provided information and insight on the current market. After just three weekends with Alex we found a place that we couldn't pass up. We whole heartedly appreciate the hard work he put in to finding us our FIRST HOME! read more

Looking for my first condo, Alex was my 3rd real estate agent and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. My two first agents were aggressive, shifty, pushy and tried to talk you into making decision you weren't comfortable with. I had the opposite experience with Alex ... I really felt his goal was not to get me to buy a home, but to find the perfect home for me. There were no high pressure tactics ... really it was like bringing a crazy knowledgeable friend along with you to look at properties. I also appreciated that he really worked around my weird schedule (not sure how he pulled that off), always made time to answer all my concern, was very responsive, and I never once felt rushed. I had a fairly complicated closing but he prepared me for all the steps and it was all smooth sailing when it came to financing, making offers, or getting through the closing/escrow process. A++ read more

When meeting Alex, my boyfriend and I had been casually looking at real estate for over a year. We had previously started working with a real estate agent from a different company but the relationship was short-lived... I don't think that he thought that we were serious about buying a place or maybe he was just too busy to give our home search the attention that I thought it needed. Either way, he was not very helpful and I felt neglected... Not how you want to feel when you are looking to buy your first home! Luckily we found Alex, and after working with the first agent, he was a breath of fresh air. From day one he was very involved in our home search and after our first outing I felt confident that we were in good hands. He worked hard to understand what we wanted in a home and what we were willing to spend. Buying a home for the first time can be confusing and at times a bit overwhelming. Alex was always very patient and great at explaining things, putting my mind at ease. We had a wonderful experience with Alex and I would highly recommend him to anyone searching for a home in San Francisco! read more

Never written a Yelp review before. But all I can tell you is if it wasn't for Alex and his knowledge / connections in the RE/Mortgage area in San Francisco I would not be a homeowner today. Alex never once didn't respond immediately and accurately to all of my questions, or ever hesitated to pick me up or deal with my changing schedules - he really was beyond what I expected in terms of service and assistance. He always knew more than the people we dealt with on the other side but never made anyone feel stupid. I never thought I would recommend anything on Yelp, let alone a Real Estate broker but if you are wondering - Alex is an invaluable asset to have if you are considering a transaction. read more

My wife found Alex on Yelp and I am still thanking her for it. We met Alex in April 2009 and moved into our first home the following August. He helped us every step of the way and we never once doubted his abilities. Overall we both felt extremely lucky to have Alex representing us through the entire process. Alex possesses many qualities that make him an excellent agent. I absolutely recommend him, especially for first time home buyers like us. Here are the areas where I think Alex shows particular strength: Knowledge: Alex is extremely knowledgeable without being overconfident. He understands the housing market in San Francisco, has a lot of experience with the financial aspect of purchasing a home, and is very resourceful. Communication: Alex has strong interpersonal skills. He explains things clearly and welcomes all questions, which we had a lot of. Alex always kept us informed, especially during escrow. Professionalism: Alex is patient, personable, very professional, and always acted with the utmost integrity. Execution: Alex worked quickly to get a feel for what was right for us, he made himself available to us at all times and we never got the feeling that he was too busy it give us his undivided attention. Alex is organized, punctual, and reliable. For me and my wife, Alex really made the process feel easy throughout, it was a pleasure to go through it with him. If we ever buy more property he will be the first, probably only, person we call. read more

Apparently someone has hacked into my yelp account then felt the liberty to write reviews.

Great service. Efficient, helpful and personable service is what you'll find at Mercury Lending. Alex is terrific!

My husband and I met Alex by chance and we are so happy that we did. He made a very stressful and difficult process of buying our new home a lot easier. Real estate laws and practices have changed a lot since my last foray into home buying, and Alex proved to be extremely knowledgeable about the financial part of it, which is what we really needed. At times I felt very confused because other people involved (like my mortgage broker) were too busy to really explain things to me, but Alex always made himself available and answered questions that most agents probably couldn't. He has a very mellow, but friendly personality that helped me relax. I can honestly say that during the 2 or so months that this whole process lasted, Alex was the only person who managed not to piss me off even once, and that's an accomplishment in itself! I highly recommend him. read more

I am currently in escrow for my first home. I was very nervous about the entire loan process, as I have no previous experience with the mortgage industry. Alex Shvartsman personally reviewed our financial situation and provided us with several options, keeping us engaged throughout the process. He made the experience comfortable and uncomplicated. I have already mentioned Mercury Lending to our friends and will go to them for our next house. Definitely! read more

You can really tell a great real estate agent not when things are going well, but when there are obstacles to overcome and you pull through gracefully! I write this from my new dream home. 3 months ago when we met Alex we were living in a rental casually looking at purchasing a condo. Within moments of meeting Alex it began to look like we were definitely going to be owners. He was helpful, no actually he was crucial, in showing us the way. He quickly tuned into our eclectic tastes and priorities and proposed us dozens of options. He was very mindful of our budget limitations and never tried to nudge us out of our comfort zone. Mostly he was a wealth of information. His background in banking made the entire process transparent. He helped us secure a loan even though our credit situation was far from ideal. And when the loan process started to get difficult he was a solid advocate for our rights. read more

We recently purchased a home and had the pleasure of working with Alex. As first time home buyers, I will say that the whole process was very daunting, but Alex calmly and patiently helped us through each of our seven stages of panic. He was incredibly proactive at finding properties for us to look at in a crazy, low-inventory market, and once he figured out what we were looking for he found it for us. Literally. At a point where we were getting a bit disenchanted and slowing down our hunt, Alex went to an open house on his own and told us he found found our place. It turned out to be everything we were looking for, and we have Alex to thank for finding it. read more

My wife and I recently bought our first home and had the pleasure of working with Alex. He was extremely knowledgeable when it came to the SF housing market. When I first mentioned the house we were interested in he new exaclty the one I was referring to, as if he knew all the SF homes on the market. Home buying is an emotional roller coaster, especially for us first timers and Alex was there 24/7 to answer any questions and address all of our concerns. There were numerous times when we emailed him late at night and he would provide a response almost immeadiately. We never felt pressured and always felt we had an advocate on our side especially when negotiations got tough. There are also a lot of little things Alex did that really shows he cares and wants only the best for his clients. For example, the day we first reached out to him he set aside time later that evening to go over our situation with us for almost four hours into the late evening. He also put together a booklet specific to the property we were interesed in showing recent comparable sales and current listings. I can go on with more examples, but I am sure you get the jist. If you want someone who is knowledgeable, responsive, an advocate, a tough negotiator and an overall real estate expert, go with Alex. read more

Alex Shvartsman helped us finding our new house, guided us through the process, and assisted in every step, from reading the listings to the close of escrow. On every stage, Alex went above and beyond of what an agent would do for a client. He gave us great perspective and advice on the pricing, making offers, dealing with sellers and their agents, etc. He was also extremely helpful in getting knowledgeable inspectors and was there for us at any time. We would still be out there looking for a house if it were not for Alex. We could not be happier with a real estate agent! read more

Alex and his team at Mercury were very helpful with my first home purchase here in SF. I almost went with another broker but the service AND the rate (also important... :)...) made me switch to Alex. Honestly, good service in this business is so hard to find. Most brokers i spoke to treated me like just another "deal" rather than as a client who is about to make the largest purchase to date in his life!!! I will use him again for my next house... which is hopefully BIGGER! :-) read more

We recently had a great experience working with Alex. The process of selling our condo and then buying a new house could not have gone smoother. Alex's background as a San Francisco native and former work in the lending/mortgage industry provide him with a deep level of knowledge about the San Francisco real estate world. He was extremely responsive at all points during our process and provided informed and responsible advice whenever needed. He helped coordinate everything including dealing with buying and selling agents, mortgage broker, inspectors, buyers and sellers themselves, etc. Would definitely recommend to others. read more

Excellent service and rates. Time is money, our transaction went smooth and quick. One satisfy customer equals future referrals.

Sometime last year, i briefly met Alex while he was selling someone else's condo in my building, and kept his card. Early 2011, after making the difficult decision to short-sell my own condo, i contacted him after already discussing this with several other realtors - all of whom left me unimpressed. Alex was immediately responsive and helpful, and we started the process. Alex proved himself to be incredibly knowledgeable, patient and sincere. As one of those people who mistakenly took out a bad mortgage 6 years ago, I already felt at a disadvantage. But as he walked me through each step, Alex's attitude and knowledge of the market and the banks was apparent, as was his professionalism. i would highly recommend Alex as a realtor and i fully intend on working with him again, once i get back into owning property. He was always available, always patient and just absolutely terrific! read more

Thumbs up.. way up in fact. Alex has a great combination of confidence, experience and likable traits.He is a pleasure to be around. He helped my wife and I buy a home in Forest Hill and was always a few steps ahead of us in terms of what needed to happen. We felt secure knowing that he was on our side and helping to make a smooth transaction in a stressful market/time. Alex is very experienced in the SF market and understands just the right levers to pull and points to negotiate. If you are looking for a trusted adviser in the SF market who can make things happen, Alex fits that bill. read more

Mercury Lending is the best in the bay area. Alex and his team are patient, knowledgeable, helpful and #1 in customer service. They have excellent products which is extremely competitive with the big lenders, except with Mercury Lending you get a real personalize service. If you are looking to refinance or get a new mortgage, give Mercury Lending a call, I am certain you will be happy with their service. We did! read more