I was fortunate to meet Ben in an elevator in the building I used to live at (a rental). He seemed very genuine and friendly and we struck up a conversation. I was actually thinking of buying eventually, and had a positive enough impression of him, so we connected and started looking at properties shortly after meeting.
To be honest, I'm usually initially hesitant to trust realtors or sales people who earn a commission on the sale, because of my uncertainty of their motives and whether they truly have their clients interest as the top priority. But as we started looking and I got to know him, I discovered how genuine and knowledgeable and competent he truly was, and how he really seemed to have my best interests at heart as the top priority.
Ben was always very helpful and generous with his time, patient with all my questions and concerns, and really expressed in his words and actions how he wanted what was best for me and would always be there for me, whatever I decided, and even if the timing wasn't right to buy. It turns out that I wasn't really ready at that time for certain financial reasons, and when we decided that it would be best to continue this later, he was very professional and understanding, and I felt at that time that I could trust him, and that would patiently wait and be ready when I was. He was never salesy or pushy, but always consultative and helpful.
We kept in touch and about half a year later we started the search again. Even though I met other realtors, none seemed as trustworthy and special as Ben, as he proved to me through our initial interactions, so there was no question in my mind that I would use him when I was ready. During that period where I wasn't ready yet, he also took the time to meet me for coffee and educate me on the process so that I would understand all the steps and contingencies.
The entire searching and buying process went as smoothly and efficiently as I could possibly imagine, and I credit him for making is seem easy - by him asking the right questions, understanding my needs and desires, understanding and anticipating all the issues that could impact the process specific to my situation, showing me properties in line with what I explained that I wanted, communicating every important detail ahead of time so that I would be informed and not surprised, communicating with the other realtors involved to get any info that would be helpful or necessary, managing my expectations well, and staying on top of pending issues and following through always.
Ben was always very responsive and generous with his time anytime of the day when I emailed, texted or called him. He also provided sound answers and advice, and was always honest when he didn't know something and would get back to me quickly. I was really impressed throughout the entire process how good he was at consistently keeping me informed, letting me know what to expect, and being there for me every step of the way, as he always said he would.
The process went very smoothly and quickly, and part of that reason was also due to the loan manager (Tommy Nguyen) that he recommended but never pushed onto me. He explained why he liked working with Tommy and how he was different than others, and Tommy turned out to be really great, just like Ben!
The end result of all this is that there were really no frustrating issues or significant problems in the process, and it all went as smoothly as could be hoped for. There were some issues that potentially could have been a snag, but Ben's exceptional service as well as Tommy's, and how well he worked with Tommy, got us over those humps and made it very successful.
I found the property I wanted very quickly after we started looking since he knew what I wanted, and got my offer accepted in my first try due largely to his counsel and help and communication with the selling agent. Ben worked closely with me and Tommy to ensure that everything from that point on to the closing went well.
When it closed, he also gave me some thoughtful and generous gifts that I really didn't expect, but were very much in line with his genuine character and generosity that he displayed throughout the entire relationship and process. I really felt that I gained a friend as well as a top notch and unique realtor, who really understands how to partner with his clients and everyone else involved, to make this complicated process go as smoothly and efficiently as possible. I highly recommend Ben!!! read more