Katrena prior is the best real estate agent ever. Period. 1…read more Consistent 2. Ethical 3. Enthusiastic/great energy 4. Knowledgeable 5. Patient 6. Great teacher She definitely adds warmth to this business and was extremely helpful given my limited knowledge as a first time home buyer I love my new (recently remodeled) home and I'm thankful for her subtle push to make me as competitive as possible in this market

We had no idea what we had in store when we started our journey to buy our first home in the Bay…read moreArea. Good thing we had Katrena's knowledge and humor to guide the way!! Katrena was kind, patient and helped us make sense of every detail of this crazy process, especially when we experienced some very challenging and disappointing offers. In hindsight, Katrena was our fortune teller; she promised us from the beginning that she wouldn't let us buy a home we didn't absolutely love and she was 110% right. With Katrena's expertise and professional (and moral!) support, we ended up securing a home that matched our needs more than we could have imagined. From start to end, we can't recommend Katrena and her team enough!!

I can't recommend Christine highly enough. She's friendly, accessible, flexible, and always…read moreprofessional. She tailored her advice to my level of experience and my (ever evolving) needs, accommodated my super busy schedule, and helped me find and close on my new home in a very short time. Throughout it all, she was a reassuring voice of reason and encouragement. Especially if this is your first home purchase--but even if it's your twentieth--Christine will be a great asset and a pleasure to work with!

Sometimes they're just aren't enough stars!…read more I don't write reviews very often, but Christine Holt absolutely earned this one. Our home has finally closed, and I can honestly say I don't think we would have made it to the finish line without her. This wasn't a simple transaction. Between unexpected challenges and everything else life threw at us, there were plenty of opportunities for things to fall apart. Christine never let that happen. She stayed on top of every detail, kept everyone accountable, communicated constantly, and always made sure we knew what was happening. When problems came up, she didn't make excuses--she found solutions. That's a rare quality. During one of the most difficult times my family has ever been through, Christine showed patience, compassion, and determination that went far beyond what I expected from a Realtor. She genuinely cared about getting us across the finish line, and it showed in everything she did. If you're looking for someone who will work hard, tell you the truth, fight for your best interests, and never quit when things get complicated, Christine Holt is the Realtor you want in your corner. Christine, thank you for everything you did for our family. We will never forget it, and I recommend you without hesitation

I had a very frustrating and disappointing experience with BG Asset Management during the rental…read moreapplication process. My credit report clearly indicated that there was a security freeze on my file. Despite that, I was told in writing that I could provide 12 months of alternative payment history (such as utility or phone bills) to move forward. I relied on that direction and submitted everything requested. After doing so, they changed their position and said they could no longer accept that documentation because of the credit freeze--something that was already known from the beginning. Even more concerning, they acknowledged the inconsistency, but refused to rectify the situation. The only solution they offered was for me to submit a completely new application, rather than continuing with the one I had already completed. They also repeatedly requested information that had already been provided, and asked for additional banking records to verify where deposits from my paystubs were going, which felt excessive and unnecessary. Communication was extremely poor. I called at least seven times using different phone numbers, and no one ever answered. Their customer service line disconnects, and the only responses I received were via email--about once per day, making it very difficult to resolve anything in a timely manner. Overall, the process lacked transparency, consistency, and professionalism. Being given clear instructions, complying fully, and then having the requirements changed--without any effort to correct it--raises serious concerns about how applications are handled. I would strongly recommend others proceed with caution.

Was interested in an in-law apartment, which was listed through BG on Zillow. I wrote to them THREE…read moretimes over a month period asking a specific question which was not covered in their generic ad, and NEVER got an answer back. I even emailed the owner Marc Guzman -marc.guzman@bgam and he never answered. Now I know why this property has been listed for four months. With this lousy customer service I feel VERY sorry for any property owner who got ensnared in their web. BG Asset: "Welcome to my home," said the spider. Nevertheless, on a lark, I began their process to view the property. First, you have to stand on one foot...then on point in ballet shows...then tilt your head to one side and then give a lot of personal information. This BEFORE you've even been granted the privilege of seeing this dingy apartment. I think this is actually illegal. Then, should you lose your mind and decide to rent through them, you have to pay them ............. (wait for it) a $300 Administration fee!!! It is unfortunate that property owners these days are so afraid of interaction with potential tenants (they're called people, btw) that they use these VERY BAD PRACTICES rental agencies. And they don't familiarize themselves with the process required of tenants, so they don't know why their property isn't being rented out. They end up losing thousands of dollars why it sits. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT EVERYONE REPORTS THIS HORRIBLE, (POTENTIALLY ILLEGAL PRACTICES) COMPANY TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. www.bbb.org/file-a-complaint

Not all real estate agents are created equal--and Mariama is truly the best of the best. My partner…read moreand I have worked with many agents over the years and have experienced the full spectrum: the good, the bad, and the downright frustrating. Before our most recent search, I felt disheartened--not just because of the challenging housing market, but because previous agents had been dismissive, condescending, or simply too busy to offer real support. Mariama was the complete opposite. From our first conversation, she took the time to really understand our needs, our budget, our preferences, and the neighborhoods we were considering. We never felt rushed. She made us feel seen, heard, and genuinely cared for. She was honest and transparent about what to expect, and she showed incredible patience when we hit moments of uncertainty. It also makes perfect sense that she surrounds herself with high-caliber vendors--inspectors, lenders, and escrow professionals--who reflect her same level of professionalism and care. Together, they made the process of buying a home feel almost easy. Angela, a member of Mariama's team and a skilled agent in her own right, was also incredibly helpful throughout our search. She accompanied us on showings, offered thoughtful insight, and contributed meaningfully at every step. Mariama went above and beyond, and I cannot recommend her highly enough.

There is a reason why Mariama has a perfect five rating. She really does excel at what she does…read more It's Hubbers' first run at selling property. It's been a long minute since I've done it so it wasn't easy explaining the whole process to him. I figure we should get a professional and go from there. He took the lead on the whole process. He wanted someone who's from the general area because it just means whoever it is is familiar with the area. He found Mariama on Yelp. When we met her, it reminded him that they've crossed paths before: back when he was looking to buy. (He might have looked at a property she was showcasing.) Way to break the ice, eh? She was incredibly easy to work with. I felt comfortable with her off the bat. She understood we were sorta in a unique situation of not being physically anywhere near the property when it goes on the market. No problemo! She took care of everything. There was very minimal work we had to do on our end. We had an issue with HOA which she handled like a champ. The communication was open. Signing paperwork was easy. She was always available and quick to respond when we had questions or concerns. The entire process was incredibly effortless. It literally took a little over a couple weeks from beginning to end. We closed way earlier than we anticipated. It was so fast, we didn't even feel any type of "wait." So, yeah. We know EXACTLY why she has a perfect rating. We can confidently say we have first hand experience of that. And what a perfect experience it is! Thank you, Mariama (and your crew!) for making this process so easy for us! If at anytime we need your services again (or hear from anyone needing recommendations) you can certainly count on us!

I can't say enough good things about Ricardo. He was attentive, communicative and easy going. His…read morelaid back personality makes him easy to work with, yet he still gets things done in a timely manner. He was great about catching mistakes on our end, and giving us reminders when we needed them. He clearly is a people person, who knows how the market works and is transparent all the way through. I highly recommend him.

Ricardo was excellent and always professional. We used him as our realtor to sell our home…read morerecently. Throughout the entire process, he provided valuable knowledge and expertise; it felt good to be able to trust our realtor. Our home sold and the process would not have gone as smoothly without all of his many years of experience.

We worked with Marie 5 years ago to sell and buy homes here in Pinole, and we had great experience…read morewith her. Now another opportunity came for us to sell our current home in Pinole and purchase a new home in Hercules, we could only think of Marie to call! She knows the area, current trends and regulations, her advise is to the point from upgrades, repairs, staging to pricing the house. She is very personable and helps your sell/buy process like own family. She always follows up if any documents or signature is missing, or any questions we should be asking to seller/buyer, so you don't have to worry about the overwhelming paperwork of transaction. Thank you Marie !

I refer to Marie as Captain Marie, Wonder Realtor for her super-service and proactive management of…read morereal estate negotiations. She is friendly and often goes out of her way, and above and beyond in order to get the best results for her clients. She told us about the area (which was new to us), took us to many great houses in our range (sometimes taking a full day of showing), and was a great help in using her experience to offer negotiation advice. She was always prompt and friendly, and often offered extra advice even after closing, such as recommending local service-people. She was always working for us and getting us the best deal. She even advised me to ask for credits on the sale, even though I would have been happy to pay more and it would have increased her commission. I would heartily recommend Marie to anyone selling or buying around the Hercules/East Bay area. She knows her trade and the area very well and was a real pleasure to work with. House hunting is not an easy process, and we were glad to have Marie there to help us at every step.

Time and time again, Garrett continues to work tirelessly on behalf of his clients! We worked with…read moreGarrett in 2018 to purchase our first home. After coming up on almost 4 years of being there, having 1 child (+1 on the way!), we realized quickly we had outgrown our quaint 2 bedroom home. We knew exactly who to call when we made the decision to sell our home and find something bigger. I was SO nervous about starting this process in the current market, all while being pregnant and having a toddler, but Garrett eased my mind every chance he got. He made things so effortless for us, was in constant communication and got the ball rolling faster than we could have ever imagined! We started the process in Feb 2022, and were closing our deals just one month later in March! He met with us, gave us a thorough timeline of our home selling process, walked us through all the steps and made all the appointments, was the point of contact for everything and made things seamless for us. He was always available when we wanted to look at houses and helped us to land the amazing house we now call home. This man knows how to write an attractive offer in a housing market that is geared towards the sellers advantage, that's for sure! With his help, we beat out 9 other offers in a crazy competitive market, on our FIRST offer!! Not only that, but his persistence with the sellers agent (and our buyers agent) helped us to time everything out perfectly to close both deals within 2 days of each other. I truly could not have asked for a better experience, and I attribute it entirely to Garrett and our lending team (John Assily of RPM Mortgage). With this powerhouse team, we experienced a dream home selling and purchasing experience in the crazy, Bay Area covid-era housing market. TLDR; Do not think twice about contacting Garrett for any of your home buying/selling needs! He knows how to get the job done and is an absolute pleasure to work with.

Working with Garrett to sell our condo and purchase our dream home was an incredibly smooth and…read morestress-free experience. We had actually been in touch with him for about 3-4 years before making the move. During that time, we went back and forth a few times about whether we were ready to sell and start looking for something new. Through it all, Garrett remained patient, responsive, and never made us feel pressured. He always respected our timing and let us move forward when we felt ready. When we finally decided it was time to take the next step, Garrett was the first person we called. From there, he walked us through the entire process, answering every question we had--even the small or silly ones. He was always quick to respond and made sure we understood what was coming next so we never felt uncertain about the process. Once our condo was listed, we received an offer within the first two weeks and closed about a month later. Shortly after that, we found the home we were hoping for and had our offer accepted just five days later. Everything came together perfectly, and we couldn't be happier with how it all turned out. If you're thinking about buying or selling a home, I truly wouldn't recommend anyone else. Garrett is extremely knowledgeable, easy to work with, and makes sure his clients feel heard and informed throughout the entire process. He's punctual, dependable, and always follows through on what he says he'll do--which means a lot to us. Most importantly, the whole experience felt genuine. At no point did we feel like we were being "sold" anything. Garrett is authentic in the way he works with people, and that made the experience even better.

As a Realtor with 27 years of experience at a world-renowned luxury brokerage, I have very high…read morestandards when it comes to real estate professionals. When my husband and his siblings needed to sell their parents' home after 58 years of family ownership, we knew we needed someone exceptional. Sarah Ridge exceeded every expectation. Not only is Sarah an expert in the Berkeley and El Cerrito market, but she also brought together an outstanding team that made the entire process seamless. From strategic pricing and marketing to thoughtful updates, staging, and preparation, every recommendation was spot-on and designed to maximize the home's appeal and value. What impressed me most was Sarah's ability to guide our family through what was an incredibly emotional transition. She was always available, communicated clearly, and patiently walked everyone through each step of the process. Her professionalism, compassion, and attention to detail gave us complete confidence from start to finish. Thanks to Sarah's market knowledge, strong negotiation skills, and excellent relationships with other agents, we received multiple offers and ultimately found the perfect buyer for this cherished family home. The entire experience could not have gone more smoothly. Sarah is constantly studying the market, touring new inventory, and maintaining strong relationships throughout the East Bay, giving her an unmatched pulse on the local real estate landscape. If you're buying or selling in Berkeley, El Cerrito, or the surrounding East Bay communities, I cannot recommend Sarah highly enough. You will be in exceptional hands. Simply put, I wouldn't choose anyone else for this area.

Sarah Ridge is an excellent realtor. She has deep knowledge about the North Berkeley neighborhood…read moreand what things to watch out for in Berkeley houses. She has a lot of contacts, so she can address almost anything that can come up in the home buying process. She is very smart. Go to her website and watch her videos to see if you think she would be a good match for you. That's what we did. The best thing I can say about Sarah is that she was always looking out for our best interests. We went to some open houses on our own and were interested in making offers. Sarah pointed out to us some red flags that we had either missed or ignored. She said she would be willing to write up the offers if that's what we wanted, but she advised against it. She said this is the same advice she would have given to her daughter or a close friend if they were interested in these properties. Fortunately, we listened to her, passed on those properties, and ended up in a great house. Buying a home in the Berkeley market is always going to be stressful. My advice is to find someone like Sarah who will be reducing that stress, not adding to it.

Several friends have been so pleased with Victor's services in selling their homes. He has done an…read moreoutstanding job for me with property management. The office is involved with community activities that make our town uniquely special. Realty World has my highest recommendation.

Frankly, I don't understand the 5 stars reviews and need to express some doubt as to their…read morevalidity. My experience with Viktor Manrique was not positive. He was the most unresponsive and most unhelpful listing realtor throughout my buying process. He ignored requests and inquiries by my buyer's agent or his assistant; he was in the wind. An issue arose 21/2 years aftrer COE for which both my realtor and I sent numerous emails to him with a question for the sellers - he not even responded or acknowledged the emails, let alone assist with the request. While none of this is illegal, it is not good practice to not even adhere to the slightest professional courtesy and social conventon of responding to emails, texts, calls. I'd stay away from Viktor Manrique and would personally not buy a home where he was the listing agent no matter how much I liked the house.

Working with Marco and Vanessa Rodriguez (the MVRod Team) to sell my inherited property was an…read moreexceptional experience. The home needed repairs, but they brought vision, encouragement, and a clear plan that truly brought the property back to life. I had interviewed another agent whose low price, quick sale strategy felt self serving. Marco and Vanessa were the complete opposite -- they listened, understood my goals, and genuinely wanted the best outcome for me. They guided me through a thoughtful home refresh based on their deep market knowledge and understanding of what today's Buyers want. Even though I live out of the area and was frequently traveling, they handled everything seamlessly. I still remember Vanessa telling me, "Go on your vacation and don't worry; we got you." And they absolutely did. Their professionalism extends beyond the two of them -- their entire support team, from Jennifer (admin) to Flor (transaction coordinator) to Wendy (escrow), is outstanding. They have their process dialed in, and it shows. Whether your home needs updating or not, Marco and Vanessa know exactly how to make it shine. They are truly a top notch team.

Marco and the team were great from start to finish. We had a unique selling situation, and they…read moreprovided immeasurable guidance on local municipal rules/regs. as well as valuable support throughout the process. After hitting the market in late May, after receiving multiple strong offers we closed in early July. Highly recommend - great experience