We rented an apartment at 320 Hermosa Avenue six months ago. With Alex Smith he charged us $500 for a 620 square-foot apartment which did not need to be painted. They also charged a $750 in commission fees. I have never heard of anything like this, but I guess that's just what they do. When we moved into the apartment, the whole apartment was not painted. It was touched up with a different color white We moved out, took several pictures and left it immaculate and they ended up painting the entire apartment for $500 when you live in an apartment you should do a walk-through when you first rent from a landlord, that did not happen there was no walk-through so we took pictures of the entire unit. The unit was so disgusting. I spent two days cleaning it. The prior owner's mother went in there with Windex and paper towels and cleaned it. That's not how you clean a unit. Tou use chemicals such as comet and the list goes on. The charges that he charged us was not acceptable to us. We were very fair. There was no heat in the unit except for the fireplace which is since off enough heat to do partial of the living room. The stove is absolutely horrible. Excessive grease on stove. mold underneath the bathroom sink. I would never rent from this person again Smith properties. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Alex and Eileen. My wife and I called Alex after seeing an open house we liked, and within minutes, he drove there, got all relevant info from the listing agent and connected us with a lender so we could get an offer in the next day. We didn't get the house, but needless to say, we were impressed! Fast forward a few weeks, and after taking us to numerous open houses, Alex helped us find "the one." He strategized with us to come up with the winning offer, then guided us through a difficult escrow in which we found major problems with the property. Alex kept us calm, and in the end was able to facilitate seller concessions to fix all issues (quite a feat in this seller's market)! My wife and I now have the South Bay property of our dreams, and I am positive that no other agent in the area would have gotten our offer accepted, and closed escrow with such favorable terms. Most importantly, Alex conducted himself with skill, integrity, humor and candor. We cannot recommend him enough! Finally, his assistant Eileen was also amazing! She scheduled and organized all our inspections, and spent hours with us and keeping track of all the findings. Anytime we had a question she had an answer, or knew who to ask. In Summary, you cannot go wrong with Alex Smith Realty - you'll receive first-class service and leave with a new home and two new friends! read more

Alex and his team are one of the best realtors with whom I have ever worked! He started out managing my condo after I bought it. He handled all of the rental enquirers and took care of all of the cleaning and maintenance. I achieved Superhost status largely due to his excellent management. He then sold my condo for over asking price! Alex is a real pro and most importantly, trustworthy. Did I mention that he is also a very nice guy!? read more

Been renting here for 3 years and DO NOT recommend! - mold twice in one calendar year (see images) - fire alarms went off and woke me up in the AM; firefighters came and told us they're too old, removed them, and said they need to be replaced; negligence by management that could've been avoided - 2 break-ins by the management and contractor (see video) - cheap contractors who don't know what they're doing (for example, not being able to fix wobbly faucets, upside-down door hinges, doors with gaps so bugs come in, etc.) - would sometimes take several months to send out a contractor to fix something - infested with bugs - having to email over and over again to get rent reimbursement during mold abatement - gardener always damaging plants (missing fruit, vegetables, broken stems, etc) (the rodents and bugs leave bite marks, rather than taking entire plants) - gardeners come on days off schedule aka lack of privacy since windows are usually open - wobbly and cheap cabinets - paint that's always peeling and gets on everything: clothes, furniture, etc. - charging us $2445 even though they charge the next unit $2000 There's more, but hopefully this is enough to save you from the migraine I have to go through. I have email correspondence for all of this, so can't make it up--it's been exhausting. Most of these reviews seem to be about buying and selling homes, whereas this is my experience as a renter. RUN AWAY and DO NOT RENT HERE! read more

See all

Smith Properties owned the Sea Skiff in Hermosa Beach for years. I was a tenant for three years under their management and they were amazing. Angie was our primary correspondent throughout our tenancy. She was very timely with her responses and a huge help with our requests. She always gave us week notices when management was coming by the building. Angie was very easy to work with, friendly, understanding and punctual with everything. We wish you all the best !! Thank you :)) read more

We found Alex and Angie when we were looking for a solid property manager for our rental home on the Avenues in Redondo Beach. They did a stellar job in every area of the management of our property. We couldn't have asked for a better experience with a property management group anywhere. Their responses were always prompt, they always treated clients and tenants with professionalism, and their marketing ability and wisdom in handling strategy and various issues showed great expertise. Our extended family continues as satisfied clients with another home. Angie thanks for always helping out with a "we can get this done" mentality. I could not more highly recommend any group to manage a property. Craig V. read more

Alex Smith Properties manages my rental townhome in Redondo Beach and they have done an excellent job. They are responsive and have great service people to take care of any needed repairs. They look out for me as the owner and keep my tenants happy. Recently Angie in the office did a fabulous job going to bat for me with a vendor who wanted to up his price mid-job due to a measuring error he himself had made. She resolved it to everyone's satisfaction. As an owner, you can really rely on them to come through for you. I highly recommend them. read more

We managed to find Alex through a property that he had just listed for lease in Redondo. His responsiveness, professionalism and knowledge was first class. He was quick to ask our needs and then link these to his portfolio of properties. His attention to detail and empathetic nature was a relief during a time that we all know is never fun...moving house. He is really attentive to trying to please us and get us into our dream house, whilst also working closely with the existing tenant as well as working his best for the house owner. I would be using his services again anything real estate related as he seems to get the best result for all parties. A breath of fresh air when it comes to estate agents. Thanks Alex read more

Alex Smith is very professional. He takes the time to understand your unique situation and work with you as an individual. After using Smith Properties as managers for my rental home in Manhattan Beach, I was so impressed with their dedication and professionalism, I chose Alex Smith to represent me as my Realtor to sell the property. Everything went very well and I couldn't be happier. read more

I worked with Alex & team for 6+ years as both a tenant and an owner. Initially moving down from SF to Hermosa, I was able to rent the perfect apartment for my needs. After purchasing a condo in Redondo Beach a few years later, I had to quickly move back to SF with 2 weeks notice for a new job. Alex & team were able to find me an amazing tenant (whom is still there, 4yrs later) while I focused on my new role. Over the 4 years they managed my condo, communication was quick and easy whenever necessary. The best part of working with Smith Properties was that the management of my condo was incredibly hands-off and passive for me, they handled everything and I could log in and pull my income/tax documents with ease whenever I needed them. Now that I'm back in the South Bay, Alex has been a great resource to consult on future real estate investments. Great partnership! read more

Smith Property Management has shown how little they care about their renters. From prolonging sending information to renters insurance to negligence regarding property repairs. The most recent incident involved the company handling the mold show up during the weekend, ENTERING THE HOUSE WITHOUT WARNING, causing my partner and I to believe the apartment was being invaded by someone who would rob us or cause harm to us. The schedule given from Smith Properties clearly states that all work on the apartment would be done only on weekdays from 8:00am - 5:00pm, with 24-hour notice. The excuse given over the phone from the mold company was, "We didn't think anyone was home." Smith Properties choice in "Handymen" and "Repairers" is a clear sign of their incompetence and lack of respect to renters. For the price of renting from Smith Property, they should put more effort and care. Rent from them if you don't mind having your private time and safety thrown out the window. read more

Alex has been great to work with so far to help us buy our first home. Super responsive and insightful as he helps us with the process of finding potential properties, asking the right questions to consider, and being our advocate. I look forward to working with him more to find our perfect first home. read more

Alex Smith helped me with a trust sale of a condo in Redondo Beach. He was great to work with and explained the whole process as we went (as we do not buy and sell real estate to often). He used a 360 video, YouTube and In person appointments. We had multiple offers and made both sides of the transaction happy. Alex made it easy and did not bother me when we went back east to be with family when I was planning a memorial service and internment for my mom but was always available and responsive with any questions. He is very knowable and has various contacts in the south bay area which made the process go faster. I would recommend Alex for any real estate need. read more

As first time sellers, we had researched and learned from other agents that Alex was the best in the South Bay. We agree wholeheartedly! His knowledge of the local markets and his professionalism is unparalleled. Alex's use of technology and marketing strategies resulted in a full price offer on the first day. After one open house, we had five full-priced offers, which turned into a bidding war. The process was seamless due in part to Alex's responsiveness and negotiation skills. We highly recommend Alex! read more

My husband and I met Alex through a friend, and always knew we could rely on him when we were ready to buy a house in the South Bay. His knowledge of the area and neighborhoods made us confident that we would be able to find the right house and fit for us. He was patient and communicated well throughout the whole process, even early on when we weren't exactly sure what we were looking for. When we were ready to make an offer, he helped us through the negotiations and kept us updated with every detail as he received it from the listing agents. This was extremely reassuring as we waited on the edge of our seats to find out if we beat out the other offers. With his guidance our offer was accepted, and Alex was quick to schedule inspections as soon as possible to facilitate a speedy closing. When we unfortunately ran into some major repairs that would set us back a very large amount of money, Alex stepped in to help us find trustworthy bids from reputable local contractors so we could counter effectively and ensure there were no surprises after closing. My husband and I were nervous about the amount of time, money, and work that would need to go into the home once we closed, but the team Alex assembled helped put us at ease and know we were in good hands. We feel fortunate to have had Alex as our advocate throughout the whole process and now have a new home to raise our family in! read more

Another outstanding experience with Alex Smith and his awesome team! Thank you all so much for making this happen! Not that Alex just found our dream home last October, he also managed our former property from then on as a lease and then our tenants had asked to buy the place. Alex, as usual, on top of things and knowing the business, got it all arranged. We were as usual (guess, we're spoiled already...) greatly amazed how Alex and his team handled every property deal with perfect local knowledge, assisting and accompanying every step in the process, being easily accessible any time, quickly responding to every issue arising and keeping a calm on the overall process! With Alex we now have been on the side of the buyer as well as the seller and he professionally handled either situation and represented our interests well. We highly recommend Alex and his great team! read more

Alex is the best!!! He really goes above and beyond to help you find the right house. He was extremely flexible in working with mine and my husband's schedules. He's super tech savvy and really up to date on all the current realty websites and apps. Alex has a ton of energy and really gets you excited about house hunting. I also felt like he was very knowledgeable about things that he could see were wrong with houses and how much they might cost to fix. Alex is my favorite realtor turned friend :) read more

I hired Alex Smith to help me rent out a house I own. I had been very frustrated doing it on my own and turned to Alex Smith. He gave me excellent advice on how to fix up the property to get it ready and told me exactly how he would advertise the property. Within 3 days of listing it, he had found me some amazing tenants and they moved in almost immediately. I could not have done this on my own in the time it took! I would pay him MORE for what he did for me as I know he actually SAVED me money. Thank you Alex for such a seamless and professional experience. read more

We have know Alex for the past few years now and have on and off been discussing the possibility of selling our home.  Toward the end of 2018 these discussions became reality when my wife and I decided to leave life in the South Bay to move up to the Bay Area.  We had been watching Alex's career progress for the past few years and had been quite impressed with his enthusiasm and "go get it" attitude.  When it came time to list our property there was no question in our mind who we wanted to represent us!  I could not be happier with the results.  He initially started by consulting us on what he thought would be good to get done on the house to maximize our rate of return as well as helped refer us to vendors when we needed.  We were on a somewhat tight timeline as we were in escrow with a contingent offer on a house in the Bay Area.  We needed to sell fast!  With Alex's expertise and a bit of sweat equity, we were able to start a multiple offer bidding war on our house.  Ultimately we closed at $20.5k over asking!  Throughout the whole process Alex was excellent about coaching, advising, and made great use of technology to make all of the legalese easy to handle on the go!   Home buying and selling can be very stressful.  While this process was no exception I will say having Alex on our side helped tremendously.  He never once acted like our questions were stupid or we were wasting his time...even though I know he has plenty of other clients to have to make time for as well.  All in all I can say confidently that I would give Alex 5 out of 5 stars and would highly recommend him to anyone in need of an agent in the South Bay. read more

I highly recommend Alex Smith as a realtor. He is highly knowledgeable, extremely helpful, trustworthy, professional, and very dedicated to do right by his clients. I was a first-time home buyer, which in California can be quite intimidating. When my partner and I saw a house we liked, Alex hustled to get us a viewing. He connected us with a lender who helped us become competitive when bidding against cash buyers. He continued to search with us throughout the next few months as it was important for us to find a good house at the right price, given specific location limitations. When we had an offer accepted, Alex went above and beyond in SO MANY WAYS. The sellers' realtor was from out of the area so Alex did a lot of extra work due to his expertise and knowledge of the South Bay. Throughout the home buying process, Alex taught us a lot during he process of walkthroughs, offers, and inspections. I feel really grateful that Alex was in our corner, and it reinforced for us how important it is to have a GOOD REALTOR--I will work with Alex again for future real estate transactions. WORTH IT. read more

Angie is the best. Whenever I needed something done, she was right on top of it. She responds fast and gets things done quickly. I think she is the all-star of this group! If you are going to rent from these people, which I recommend, ask for Angie to help you. You will not be disappointed. read more

Choosing a Realtor to buy and sell a house is such a huge decision, and we are so happy that we were able to work with Alex Smith for our recent home sale and purchase. Alex did a fantastic job selling our house! His marketing skills, combined with his use of technology to show a home are incredible. From recommending ways to clear out clutter to improving our curb appeal, Alex helped us coordinate everything our house needed before we put it up for sale. He made sure the photos, both 2D and 3D, made our house look fantastic. The highlight of the process was the live 3D tour of the house where he walked through the house with a 3D camera (so prospective buyers could see the house from every angle) describing all the wonderful features of the house. Alex understood the local market and how our property compared to other properties in the area; and even more importantly, he explained the real estate trends that were driving prices throughout the South Bay. Based on his local knowledge and market research, he recommended an asking price that would generate significant interest from potential buyers. His marketing and knowledge really paid off - our listing looked amazing, and our house was under contract after the first weekend. Alex took the time to explain each offer, including the terms, and helped us feel confident about our decision. We ended up with multiple offers on our house and accepted an offer over asking price. Alex helped us throughout the closing process, coordinating things like the inspections and the final walkthrough, making every step of the closing process an easy experience. All the qualities that made Alex great at selling our house also paid off when it came time to buy our new house. Alex took the time to understand what we wanted and what we needed. He helped us make the right offer on the right house, leading us through the negotiation process, and we couldn't be happier with our new home. read more

We are so happy with Alex Smith! He's thorough, dependable, has amazing attention to detail, honest, knowledgeable and has a fun sense of humor. In the beginning we told Alex what we wanted ($$$) for our house, or, we wanted to keep it. He went through our house inch by inch (literally) and directed us as to what needed a little TLC so we would sell our house for the amount we wanted, sell it fast AND so it would be in perfect condition for the new owners. He is from SoCal so he knew everything around our house that were selling perks! Plus, he gave us the referrals (all dependable and hard working like him) for any work that the house needed! He also walked us through the piles of paperwork that selling a home creates and knew what to do because it was in a trust. We can't say enough good things about this guy...wise beyond his years. He's stuck with us for life :-) And, YES, we sold our house for exactly what we wanted! Good Job Alex! We appreciate everything you've done and do! read more

Alex was a great partner in helping my brother and me purchase our first home. There were a few unexpected curveballs along the way, an uncooperative seller, and then a global pandemic but it didn't phase our fearless realtor! He was with us through it all and did it with professionalism and a good attitude. Being first time buyers, we appreciated his patience and willingness to talk us through the home buying process. Alex is a skilled communicator and always very responsive to his clients. Others involved in the process (lender, seller's agent, etc) appreciated working with Alex and most importantly, we felt supported each step of the way. You'll be in good hands choosing Alex Smith for your home buying needs! read more

In 2018, my wife and I decided to put our PVE condo up for sale in favor of a home in OR. Alex came recommended highly by a long time friend. It was a wise choice. We packed up the condo and left Alex a vacant condo to sell. He had the place cleaned and photographed and listed in a couple of weeks and we accepted an offer a couple of weeks after that. In other words, Alex handled everything for us since we were out of state. We are grateful he was so efficient and thoughtful. I know he really put a lot of time into the sale since there was a lot of "back and forth" between the offers and us. Thank you, Alex. read more

We had the pleasure of working with Alex to purchase our first home in the South Bay. He is the best! Alex was so honest with us, he was very attentive to our needs and what we wanted in terms of prices, size & location. We were very particular about location, we wanted to be less than 1 mile from the beach, walkable distance, and with a budget that seems tight for that area. Alex never pressured us to make an offer, guiding us to make the best decision, he could have convinced us from the beginning to make offers on houses that were really not ideal for us just because we kinda wanted to buy quickly, but he never did, and would simply state the pros and cons of each houses, and telling us to keep looking when the cons outweighed the pros. He was always available, works with so many people in the South Bay that helped us with our Mortgage, repair estimations and anything else we may have needed throughout this whole process. We thank him so much for helping find the most perfect house for us ! We feel blest and so happy with our new place! Again, thank you Alex :) read more

Alex is the best Real Estate agent in the business. I have known Alex for almost 20 years and he has always been a true friend I could rely on. So when it was time for my wife and I to purchase our first house, I knew they right person to help us to get the job done was without a doubt Alex. He made the purchase effortless because of his expertise and use technology and negotiating skills. He was able to help us get the house we wanted at a lower price than the house was listed at! I highly recommend working with him when selling or buying a house. He also helped my parents sell their house and my grandmother's house for well over the list price! Alex is the man and it would be foolish to pass an opportunity to work with him! read more

Courteous, professional, and reliable property managers. Knowledgeable regarding local rental market, and affiliated with high quality vendors (repairs and maintenance), who demonstrate the same desirable qualities found in the office staff. Promptly responsive to tenant issues and properties are well-maintained. I would highly recommend Smith Properties to any prospective owner or tenant. read more

Best people, Ms. Angie is amazing, always smiling, you will see and feel the service you get. Takes care of any issue on time and replies to email promptly. Thank You smith properties. read more

Gentil Smith........her gracious smile and experience is truly a gift. She works for you and walks you through each step of the way. She will drop everything to make the sale of your property happen. I appreciate everything that she did for us with the sale of our property. Don't hesitate when doing business with her. read more

Smith Properties handled the sale of our condo in Redondo Beach. Alex, Smitty and Gentil were able to get us multiple offers within a week of putting the property on the market and almost 10% over our asking price. Alex is clearly a skilled realtor who is very good at judging the market and using the internet to effectively advertise the property. The Smiths were helpful, enthusiastic and responsive at every step of the process. Because of their many long standing relationships with local contractors, they were able to arrange cost-effective and thorough repairs and redecoration as well as preparation for sale. Their advice on staging, timing of the sale and negotiations with buyers were right on the money. They also quickly resolved issues that arose during escrow. Alex and family are a real pleasure to work with, and we highly recommend them to anyone wanting to buy or sell a property in the South Bay. read more