Our journey with Lynda started after noticing her office on West Grand Ave. in Oakland. After getting a full body massage next door we saw some 'homes for sale' fliers posted on her office glass window. At that point in our lives, we were gearing ourselves to re-enter the housing market and it seemed like fate as we took down her info and decided to give her a call to see if she would be able to work with us. She called us back and gave us the customary introductions and said we would work collaboratively to find property.
There is this expectation out there that says the realtor has to do ALL the work-- I don't necessarily believe that. Looking for houses should be a team effort--- The realtor looks for houses, and the buyers should pitch in as well. The qualities that I think made our working with Lynda a smooth relationship ---- Mutual understanding, Respect, and Being forthcoming on issues that may arise-- was definitely there from the start.
During the course of 5 months, we must have looked at over a hundred houses. Some of them were definitely duds, but some of them, we deeply fell in love with. So you can imagine the heartbreak we felt whenever the house got sold to a different buyer, or when we got outbid. Oakland is a very competitive market, and it doesn't seem like it's going to let up anytime soon. Lynda, having lived and worked here all her life, knows all the good areas, and the not-so-good (read: ghetto) areas of our beloved city.
The one thing that I think sets Lynda apart from other realtors is the attention she gives to her clients. If you point out certain aspects of the house you are interested in, she'll call it out, even going as far as calling a house "A pig with lipstick on" if a house is truly a bad investment.. She will also make apparent any glaring issues in the home that may snowball into a bigger problem if you were to decide to move forward with the property.
Lynda will work with your schedule to meet you at the property of your liking, every time we would schedule to go out and look at houses, my wife and I never ever felt rushed, always taking the time to explain and run through different scenarios of why and why not a house would work for my family.
I must also mention Lynda's superstar Mortgage Broker, John Payne. A gentleman whose frank, professionalism and expertise in the housing market is only matched by his ability to get you the best and lowest interest rate in the market. It was a huge relief working with the both of them.
Lynda is an understanding, no B.S. kind of lady that puts her clients interest first with a keen eye on affordability and functionality. read more