You would think spending over $10,000 on a rental that you'd find the service to be a little more pleasant... The staff at Ascent are extremely curt and not helpful. We will not be renting a home with Ascent again nor will we be having them represent our home in the future. read more

I worked with Tom Kowalski. Have bought and sold several times. He's one of the best agents I ever worked with. I kept changing my mind about properties (after entering into escrow). Tom was super patient with both my wife and myself. Also negotiated a great deal on the one we bought. We purchased a home and made a new friend in the process. On a five-star chart, I give him a seven. read more

Professional and an enormous inventory. Great consulting on what to do to get best loan for my situation. I would recommend Mercedes or Miguel. They are from San Diego and are grounded in superior customer service . read more

This review is for Amy O'Dorisio. She is amazing! She was always available, always helpful, and I can't say enough nice things. We got into escrow on the first house we put an offer on, this was 4/30/13. She explained everything fully, wrote us a great offer, and sent me wonderful examples for letters to write. The offer got accepted and into escrow we went! Working with her preferred broker, Kathy Sirkis, was a dream. This is the All-Star Team for sure. Our escrow only lasted 23 days, not the usual 30 or 45, and we are so pleased with our new home!! This was our first home-buying experience, and it was perfect. Thanks Amy! read more

I've never been so happy writing a review like now and you will see why. My family and I just finished having the most amazing experience with our realtor Christine. This woman is not only talented and knowledgeable about the real estate business in San Diego, but she is also a saint and truly truly truly looks for the best interest of her clients. We met Christine almost 2 years ago when we first came to San Diego and decided we wanted to move here. Back then, she collected all of the information on what we were looking for - which of course we didn't have an idea about what that was. As we learned more about the San Diego area, we shared what we found with Christine. She was able to put together a comprehensive profile on houses that best suited our comforts, likes and budget. It wasn't until almost the end of last year that we were ready to make the official move. We spent countless hours researching and house hunting with Christine by our side the whole way. We had a great opportunity on a property, but ran into some frustrating problems. No matter how much we were ready to give up on the property, Christine assured us that we were in a middle of a great opportunity and asked us to be patient. Well, patience paid - off we got the house and we are thrilled to begin this new chapter for our family. We are glad we met Christine and believe me when I say this: you will be glad too. Thank you Christine for delivering on everything you had promised us. We are glad we are now part of the Christine Amazing Club (that is what I will call all of your satisfied clients!). We are happy here and we recommend Christine to everyone looking to buy property in San Diego. Believe me, with Christine you will have the best advocate looking after your very best interests. Happy house hunting! read more

I'd heard fairly decent things about this agency, so I thought I'd check them out. Most of the staff seemed able and friendly, that was until I met John Ackert. He was rather focused on acquiring a home for me, soliciting sellers on my behalf, but without my knowledge or approval. It seems like he was intent to strike a deal for me, whether I wanted one or not. He gave absolutely no consideration to my personal goals or budget, rather, he simply went ahead and did whatever he pleased. It seems John Ackert knows more about me and my wishes than I know myself. Ultimately, I went with another agency, I just couldn't stomach arrogance on that level, especially when the money is coming out of my own pocket and goes against my wishes or better judgment. I'd say I'd give this agency another chance someday, but I'm deterred knowing they once hired anyone such as Mr. Ackert. read more

I had an issue with one of Ascent's previous realtors and the management team at Ascent responded to the issue with professionalism and thoroughness. I cannot say how much I appreciated Sylvia S. and her willingness to keep me informed of progress in resolving the matter. They have certainly gained my respect for they way they handled themselves with class and integrity. I look forward to interacting with Ascent's team for future real estate needs! read more

Julie Bourne is amazing! I've been in the Real Estate business for 14 years and I interact daily with agents, Julie is a true professional, communication, empathy, and market knowledge is superior and unparalleled in today's day and age. If I didn't sell Real Estate, I would definitely use Julie to represent me and my family in the most important transaction of my life! You are awesome Julie, thank you. read more

I just had the most amazing experience selling my home with Aaron Pflanz of Ascent Real Estate . He was doing a Open House in another unit in my complex and I called to compliment him on his marketing skills . Then I decided to sell and felt confident he could do the job of marketing and selling my place . Aaron was so in touch every step of the process and was easy to contact and answered my calls . My place sold within weeks of listing and I have to give credit to Aaron for his great skills in marketing and communication with me throughout the entire process . I would recommend Aaron and his entire team at Ascent Real Estate to anyone looking to sell or buy a home , Rick C. read more

We recently sold property very quickly and effortlessly in Coronado, CA thanks to the local expertise and experience of this agent, Mercedes Estrada. We were out-of-state sellers and had tenants in the property which could have complicated matters greatly, however, due to the diplomacy and diligence of Ms. Estrada, we were guided through the entire process step-by-step with tremendous ease. We were always kept informed and she was always accessible. We ended up selling the property in excess of the price of other realtors and to our greatest satisfaction. We would certainly recommend Mercedes for all your local real estate needs. read more

I literally just closed on my Dream Home here in San Diego. I cannot find the words to describe how wonderful, amazing and over the top working with MaryBeth Kellee & Phillip Fredricksen was through this whole crazy process! My knowledge of Real Estate only took me so far and having them both on my side to take the lead was a godsend!! I really and truly believe I could not and would not have my beautiful home without their help! 10 stars!! :) read more

Our experience was at an open house with JOHN IBARRA. He was fairly rude and seemed very inexperienced. The information he was giving seemed to completely contradict everything I have actually experienced and know to be true about appraisals and the purchasing process. He was very pretentious and made it very obvious he and his client wouldn't bother wasting their valuable time on just any offer. They want asking price even if they know it won't appraise anywhere close. I have never had an agent actually try to talk me out of purchasing a property. We left immediately. read more

Monique Motley was extremely Monique Motley was super helpful and explain the home buying process all the way through. She was great consulting both me and my wife on what to do to get best loan for our situation, what things to look for in a home and what could be ignored. She really made the home buying experience a painless process and look forward to working with her in the future if need-be. read more

You may find skilled professionals who achieve stellar results in their goals, who are dependable, who are capable of handling tough situations with ease, who are organized and timely. You may find others who show dedication and high ethics, who care and love their job. Others who prioritize customer satisfaction and make a difference in every professional and personal relationship. It's difficult to find a single person who combines all these qualities, but I can assure that Penny Nathan not only fulfills all the above but she's a great leader who has been able to transfer these unique values to the great company she has built, Ascent Real Estate. I've known Penny since 2003 when I contacted her for my first home purchase. She has been instrumental in helping me with my real estate investments (the most recent transaction in December 2016). I've had the opportunity to count on her advice and professional guidance, and the pleasure to see the quality and respect of her interpersonal interactions, even in difficult negotiations or with people who are not at her quality standards level and can't appreciate these important values. I highly recommend Penny Nathan and, as an extension, Ascent Real Estate Inc. if you're the kind of person who share the values I described about her. read more

John Ackert is one of the poorest Realtors I have ever known. We did a transaction & all he did was push push push to sell even though not a good time to sell. He is only interested in his commission. read more

5 stars for Celeste! We are very happy with our purchase and Celeste was very helpful. She was realistic with no BS. She fought for us and was very attentive. I am writing this review now because I wasn't Yelping back then and feel she deserves it. read more

This review is for the awesome team of Andrea Frank and Francisco Bazan. They helped us buy our gorgeous South Park Craftsman home in 2010, and then helped us sell it (at a very nice profit!) in 2014. As both buyer's and seller's agent, they did a top-notch job (which is why we used their services again). Their knowledge, communication and attention to detail were superb--which was especially important to us as first-timers, both buying and selling--and they are experts when it comes to the Uptown neighborhoods (North/South Park, Uni Heights, Hillcrest, Normal Heights, etc.). Most importantly to us, they are very personable and warm, which made the entire experience a pleasure (and as a result, they became good friends as well as business partners). I can't imagine using any other real estate team in San Diego. Take 30 minutes of your time to meet them, and you'll want to hire them too! read more

I used Ascent Real Estate to process the short sale of my condo and I couldn't be happier. From the first visit, their team addressed all of my concerns and they were confident they could be successful in selling my house. They did not disappoint! We had an offer within a week of being on the market and less than four months later the sale closed. They handled all of the paperwork and interactions with the banks and made one of life's most stressful events relatively pain free. Thank you Ascent! read more

This review is for Tom Kowalski. Tom is a great agent. My wife and I were referred to him by a friend and as first-time home buyers, we had little knowledge about the process. Tom was very patient and understanding with us. He was willing to answer any question we had and was really involved in the entire process. He helped us save money and got us a lower price than the asking offer. When we entered escrow, he helped guide us through the home inspection, finding quotes from inspectors, and met with the inspectors when we were on vacation. He was always available to help and we felt comfortable calling and asking the most simplest questions about home ownership. You can definitely tell that he enjoys his work and is very good at it. Highly recommend Tom to anyone that's thinking of purchasing a home in San Diego. read more

This review is for Lisa Ashkins: We first met Lisa at an open house we happened upon almost 4 years ago in University Heights. We chatted with her and explained that we were looking for a property in the neighborhood but were not too serious just yet...just in the "thinking" stages. She simply told us to call her if we ever wanted a personalized search set up and we went on our way. Lisa never pushed us or made us feel obligated to rush into the house buying process and because of her casual and calm demeanor we contacted her a few weeks later to set up a search under the pretense that we may be a ways away from being ready to purchase which Lisa respected in the utmost professional way, checking in via email every once in awhile...never making us feel pressured. Within that year we found a condo we wanted to purchase and Lisa guided us through the process seamlessly. The property was a foreclosure and we were first time home buyers, so she had her work cut out for her. A few years later when we found out we had a baby on the way we called Lisa without a second thought and told her we were ready to start looking for something bigger and in a different neighborhood. Again she guided us through the process from start to finish without so much as a hiccup. We found a lovely family home in Allied Gardens/Del Cerro and are excited to move in next week. She helped us see the "potential" in an older home and because of that we were able to remodel it to fit exactly what we wanted. My husband and I would recommend Lisa to any of our friends and will use her again if we ever sell our condo or home or look to upgrade. read more

About Ascent Real Estate and a true asset to the company: Lisa Ashkins. My wife and I were interested in moving to San Diego several years ago. We couldn't make moving out here work until we sold our house. Long story short, it took about three years, but Lisa was with us to help in many ways even before we started looking at homes here in SD. Lisa was very patient with us before and after we physically arrived in San Diego. Lisa was able to answer the many questions that we had about homes and neighborhoods in general. We found two homes we really liked, and unique situations arose from each one. Each were very tedious situations, but Lisa has the professionalism, patience and knowledge to steer us through it all. Lisa Ashkins is exceptional, both as a Realtor and as an individual. read more

Amy O'Dorisio just helped me buy my first investment property (duplex) in South Park. The place needs A LOT of work! We had some challenges with the Seller's not agreeing to provide any money back for what we uncovered during the inspections (fire damage on roof, knob and tube wiring, electrical fire hazards, the list goes on and on). Amy O. negotiated a price reduction that worked with the Seller's and with me. She offered some creative ways to handle the sale and work with the Seller's and deal with all the impending repairs/costs that are ahead of me. But most importantly, we were a great team on this sale. If you are proactive, do your own research along with her, and motivated to find a place then she's your Agent. She's no nonsense, went the extra mile(s) for sure, thorough, dependable, hands on, assertive yet compassionate, and has a great sense of humor to boot. I'd buy or sell a property with her again! read more

Amy O'Dorisio and her team nailed it again. She helped us sell our house in under a month (cash offer) for more than we asked. This was a bit of a tall order considering what we gave her to work with (short timeline, pets in the house, logistical challenges...). It didn't matter. Her experience guided us to a quick and painless close of escrow. Amy is always available, always professional, super knowledgeable, not to mention a wonderful person. This is the third time we've worked with Amy over the years. It almost seems like each time gets better, though I don't know how... She was perfect in each transaction. I strongly urge anyone looking to buy or sell in the San Diego area to contact Amy O (http://www.amyosandiego.com/). She is the real deal. read more

When you search for, buy, or sell real estate you need a team, not just an agent of the moment. You need to be sure that the agent is connected to a financially stable and secure firm. The benefit of Ascent is that Penny is an amazing owner, she is smart, careful, intuitive and a great coach! I am honored to have known her as long as I have. There is no one who knows the city like she does! Be sure to check in with one of the agents there before you do anything else. read more

I am a 31 yr old single young woman and buying a home for the first time and was so happy with my real estate agent! Kenny helped me with decision making and listened to every concern I had and lead me to great options! All I ever wanted my whole life was a small craftsman home with a tiny yard for my dog...and now I have that! I have my own version of the American Dream! read more

Buying a home is a stressful process, one you hope can be made to feel more at ease by having an experienced and confident real estate agent, NOT so in this case! On first impression our agent Jacqueline "JQ"  Stearman (Coronado Office)  seemed to be a nice and pleasant person to conduct business with. She did not seem to be an aggressive person,  we even made mention that she might need to step up her game when it came to being assertive with other agents.  In the fast pace world that is real estate, especially here in San Diego you need an agent who is a "go getter" there were often times we considered going with a different agent because JQ seemed unsure of questions we had and was timid when dealing with other agents on homes we were interested in.    We found our dream home! A little Spanish style home with lots of character, just what we were looking for. One side note is the owner was still living in the home and had a LOT of stuff, we ask our agent about getting something in writing that would ensure everything would be removed and the home would be professionally cleaned. We were told that an addendum would be drafted outlining just that (never happened). After negotiations were "done" and no addendum was created, even though we expressed and addressed our concerns as to the cleanliness of the home through out the process.  We were told several times, no this was not the appropriate paperwork to insert that request, After realizing that she had missed her opportunity to address the cleaning, JQ offered to have a company used by her office to clean the home which she would be offering as a gift to us.  Everything was moving along and we began to notice Jacqueline was becoming less available and harder to get in touch with....especially after she got us to sign the contingency removal,which we found out later was NOT drafted to protect us in ANY manor should an issue arise before the date of closing. We were advised (or ill advised) to sign the contingency removal prematurely,  before termite repair reports and other things were reviewed. Once we signed that contingency removal any questions we had dealing with the home, which should have been addressed before the removal of the contingency were meet with irritation. We began to see another side of JQ, she lost her temper and became exacerbated after we dared to question her instruction to transfer the utilities in our name before the walk-thu was conducted, more than a week before closing, and most importantly BEFORE the owner was even out of the home!  After many unanswered phone calls, texts, and emails we were finally met with her deciding to  back out of the professional cleaning she had offered us. Further questions were then met with her directing us to deal only with her broker for the remainder of our transactions. Once we began to work with the Broker for Ascent we instantly saw how the relationship between realtor and client should have been conducted all along. They honored the cleaning that Jacqueline had promised and tried to back out of, and tied up a lot of loose ends which had not been taken care of previously, in short they made us feel more confident with moving forward and closing.   Even though the broker took over JQ's responsibilities in the end and everything closed, I must say with absolute certainty that this was the most painful process I have ever gone through. I am writing this because I feel that her office, broker, and any future clients deserve to know what we dealt with. I feel like Jacqueline may still be a good person down deep, she may have had things going on in her personal life, or maybe she felt that one client should only take up so much of her time. In any case I think that real estate is probably not where she belongs. read more

I really can't say my degree of disappointment with this office, specifically J. Ackert. I was looking at a home to purchase with my fiance when I came across this Realtor, Ackert. I'm not really familiar with San Diego, but I believe the neighborhood is called Del Cerro. Anyway, I'm told about the attributes of this home, then he asks me about my ethnicity. I told him my family is from Dubai, and he says, "Great, you people can afford this wonderful home". Word to Ackert, "You people" isn't an acceptable pronoun. It was clear what he was trying to say, and I found it offensive. My father is a neurologist, my mother an architect, my brother a commercial airline pilot, and I am an electrical engineer, none of which makes their money in oil. To diminish my worth for who I am and zone in on my family ancestry is simply offensive. By the way, I don't care who you're dating, it has nothing to do with selling homes. Does this company screen who it brings in?? Although I loved the house, this Realtor was so grossly offensive I think I'll pass and continue my search elsewhere. read more

Brent Roberts with Ascent Real Estate is truly an exceptional agent. He was thorough, attentive, knowledgable, honest, and the best realtor I've had the pleasure to work with (and I have worked with several in the past in the San Diego area). I would highly recommend him to anyone seeking not only a superb buying experience, but also a realtor who cares about people's personal wellbeing and who works tirelessly to benefit his clients. He takes a personal pride in being up to date on current market trends, and goes above and beyond to to assist each individual he works with. I could not have asked for a more personable professional with insider knowledge that always made me feel like a priority throughout the process by being patient, attentive, and inquisitive and never like a burden or hinderance when I have worked with others in the past. His assistance and diligence got me a considerable deal on the property I ended up purchasing by negotiating tirelessly with finesse a rather lengthy list of requests that I had prior to settling on a deal. Because he is such an amiable and and engaging person, he never failed to impress both me and all of those involved in this process. read more

My experience with Ascent Real Estate was horrible. I would never recommend Bruce Weinkauf as the realtor. The number one thing you must have is trust and after my experience that is was he lacked the most. From all his years of experience he showed none in the partnership that it takes to buy your dream home. He basically excluded the wife factor in most if not all the decisions. He gossiped about other realtors in his office and other realtors in the business. He frequently complained on how many houses he has showed us and that we need to find one fast. Another example of his lack of professionlism is that I had recenlty given birth and and all Bruce wanted to do is put offers on several houses we had only seen once or twice. Trying to bully us to pick a home. Well guess what idiot, my hormones are going crazy and if you had any common sense you would have told us to take time to enjoy the birth of our baby. We had to tell him to back off. Why my husband still wanted to work with him still baffles me. It was because he found my husband his first home. In my experience we were bullyed into a home that I will sell in a few years, Bruce got his commission check and we have not heard a peep from him. REALLY My husband has now been able to see that Bruce was horrible and when we buy again, we will NEVER RECOMMEND OR USE BRUCE WEINKAUF. On a side note: I spoke to the owner of Ascent Real Estate group recently to express my dissatisfaction with their realtor. I will report back as to how that goes. In the meantime be careful when picking your Realtor. TRUST IS HUGE and of course a realtor that includes husband and wife in the buying decision. Thank you for reading this. read more

Robin Borrelli with Ascent Real Estate is a fantastic agent. My wife and I recently bought a home and sold our apartment; Robin Borrelli was our agent in connection with both properties. Robin did an outstanding job in both cases! As far as the purchase we made, Robin's involvement in the transaction was critical to our offer being accepted. (I think we actually offered a little less money than another potential buyer, but our offer was accepted because Robin made a few good recommendations that made us more attractive than the other buyers). In terms of the sale of our apartment, Robin took care of all of the details and was very diligent in a number of ways that led to a quick sale at good price. I have already recommended her to two friends. read more

If you ever need any information of where to go when you are ready to buy a home, Aaron is the guy to go to. He is a realtor with Ascent. Even if you are just thinking about buying and not ready for possibly years to purchase a home, he is the best time investment you will make to get all the information you will need to move forward in this decision. I am currently in the "wanting to buy but not knowing what to do next" phase. We want to buy but we do not know where we want to buy and we do not know exactly when we want to buy. Aaron is being patient with us because we have had to hold off for a bit until we really know what we want to do. Our situation is that we have children in a school district that we adore...but our rent is cheaper than it will be to buy at this point due to the HOA and the Mello Roos in this area. It would be over $1,000 a month more in expenses if we buy in this area...but we do not want to move from this area yet, until they are done with this specific school they are in...so we are holding off for now. Aaron has been amazing in understanding this about us. read more

Highest marks for our Ascent agent Brent Roberts who helped us find and acquire our San Diego dream home in record time (7 days)! Brent was sensitive to our every need and effectively communicated with the seller's agent to get us the best price and terms possible. Positive, precise and professional sum up Brent's performance for us! read more

This is a testimonial for Robin Borrelli, who is a real-estate agent with Ascent. When it comes to making a transaction as important and stressful as buying or selling a home, working with a true professional is essential. It does not take long after meeting Robin that you know she treats her clients with the utmost care and respect. As a financial professional myself, the ultimate compliment I can pay another professional is to refer them to my clients. I am always excited to refer clients to Robin as I know she will be honest and keep their best interests in mind. read more

If I could give negative stars I would. Penny Nathan is the most inconsiderate and unprofessional individual I have ever come in contact with. She was the listing agent for a home we recently purchased and failed to have her client turn over the keys on the day of closing. The couldn't do it because they were "having a party" that night. Not to mention the fact that they had had almost 6 weeks to prepare for and schedule getting to keys to us on the day of closing. She was entirely unhelpful refusing to deliver the keys herself due to an "important social engagement". When our agent went to pick up the keys himself, Penny gave him the wrong address and then didn't answer her phone or call back the remainder of the evening. Throughout the transaction she was unresponsive, disorganized and required our agent to constantly call her to make any sort of progress. It was yet another battle to get her to remove her sign from our property. Penny Nathan has a shocking lack of character and I am appalled by her behavior. read more

5 stars straight to Rose Castagnola of Ascent!!! Poor Rose- I don't want to think it was ME that was difficult, but rather the situation and the market? I was on such a specific budget, & had such specific needs regarding where I was willing to purchase, what the yard had to be like, etc... etc..... She went above and beyond, and at times SHE was the only thing that kept me going, as I was ready to give up. she responded to every off-hours text, drove out to every property, walked me through every question & scenario I had....Low and behold, I found a property that I never thought I would get- it seemed too good to be true, and I was so burnt out from searching that I figured it would be another waste of time. Rose had us out there asap, & amazingly, its now my home. I cant thank her enough for her patience, diligence, and help through every step of the process. She even referred me to a loan officer that I was so thoroughly impressed with, he's my next review:-) Highly recommend her to anyone in search of a home! read more

Cody Kownacki was an excellent choice when I decided to sell my Tierrasanta home. Cody's knowledge and experience made the whole transaction a breeze! Not only is Cody extremely personal and professional- his extensive knowledge of real estate is very impressive. Cody met every need I had and was in constant contact with me all the through to closing! Cody Kownacki was a pleasure to work with and I highly recommend him for any of your real estate needs. Thanks again Cody! read more

Having Jim Hush as your realtor is what you would envision if your trustworthy, professional, hard-working, and amusing friend was helping you. We adored him. He was educational without being patronizing, efficient without being careless, kind while still fighting for what was best for us, etc. etc. I wish every task in my life had a corresponding Jim that I could hire to help. We valued his opinion so deeply because he was so obviously concerned about getting us in the correct home for the appropriate price. He helped us walk away from less-than-ideal options and encouraged us when we finally found the winner, but walked that perfect balance between giving an asked for professional opinion while making it clear that we always stayed in control with the decision making and timelines. He made the whole process clear, honest, less stressful, and efficient, in addition to being a true joy to interact with! He also continues to be a source of recommendations for repairs. I cannot recommend anyone higher than Jim Hush. read more

Mary Beth Kellee and Philip Fredricksen facilitated the sale of our home in San Diego and the purchase of another property in a 1031 Exchange. Their close attention to all our concerns and their obvious expertise and familiarity with the market made both processes so very smooth and rewarding. We felt completely understood in our needs, wishes and goals. The process can be daunting, but Mary Beth and Philip kept it clear and light. They anticipated our every need in this process, and were never bothered by our numerous questions, making themselves readily available through text messaging, email and phone. We were also impressed with the professional way they related to us and to all the other people, both those who were involved in the real estate transactions and those who were just bystanders, like my mother. A major attraction was their connection to a property manager, Christian Spicer, who will eventually manage the new property. Christian impressed us as thoughtful, experienced, capable, friendly and available. We are looking forward to our working relationship with him and have been happily reassured that Mary Beth and Philip will remain available to us. read more

This review is for Joe Foty and looong overdue! Joe is by far and away the best agent we could have asked for! We first met Joe 5 years ago when he was the selling agent for a house we were interested in... at the time we were with an agent that was an old co-worker, kinda shady and gave us absolutely zero effort, so we know what it's like to be with a bad agent. We ended up getting a house in that same neighborhood, El Cerrito, where Joe actually lives too! He remembered us and was always super friendly when we saw him out and about. Fast forward a few years and we were thinking about having a second child and selling to upgrade so we called Joe, he sat down with us, crunched some numbers and in the end we all decided it wasn't the best time. Fast forward another year and baby #2 arrives and makes it obvious that we are in desperate need of more room. Joe to the rescue! We called him and he jumped right in!! He started showing us places in our neighborhood (where we definitely wanted to stay), was so patient and understanding (especially with our two year old!), got us an amazing place with double the square footage and simultaneously sold our house one day later! We think everything happens for a reason and are so lucky to have found Joe when we did! read more