Meth House. Yep, Barry Ward rented me one then kicked my family out when we contacted a lawyer…read more Cliff notes We rented the property at 1265 Shady Circle in Arnold. Family with pregnant wife and toddler at home. Discovered it was positive for Meth Contamination (see photos). Tried to work out an amicable solution. No dice. Contacted a lawyer and was immediately issued a 30 day notice to get out. Lived in a meth house for 9 months without being notified as such, Barry Ward kicked us out when we said something. DO NOT RENT THIS ADDRESS until you have personally verified the meth contamination has been remediated and you have lab results in hand to prove it! _________ Long Story: In the Fall of 2014, Barry Ward Realty rented my family and I a home and neighboring studio cabin (1265 Shady Circle in Arnold). We have a toddler and at the time of this writing, I am currently 8 months pregnant with baby #2. Over the months, we had repeated found rusty nails, coils, and broken glass galore in the yard as well as mysterious white substances scattered throughout the soil. Tons of trash filling the entire outdoor property, much of it hazardous and dangerous for a child to play or even to walk without shoes. Shortly after moving in, we noticed that the studio cabin had bizarre industrial lab cabinets and the sink drains in the kitchen has been completely chemically corroded - we had our suspicions. Then, at about 8 months into living at this location, our neighbors informed us that the previous residents were meth users. The informed us that the guy who had lived there for many years was a heavy user and potential cooker and they even knew where he obtained meth. We contacted the landlord about this immediately and he did nothing and denied knowledge. For our own peace of mind with a child and with a developing baby, we decided to have both the house and the cabin test with preliminary tests for meth contamination (me, pregnant this whole time). We paid for these out of pocket and I put my MS Graduate Degree training to use in the most unconventional way - no longer was I running samples in a lab, I was doing it in my own house. The preliminary tests were positive immediately for both the house and the cabin (see photos). Our next step was to contact the County, who informed us that while they couldn't do anything legally because there was never a police bust for meth, it was not safe for us to be there. The state of California has a legal limit for safe habitation with meth contamination of 1.5ug/100cm2. The health department advises that once an initial test is positive, that lab testing is completed to verify that the property is habitable. Then, if it exceeds legal limits, they recommend complete remediation and re-testing to ensure the cleaning took care of the contamination. We relayed this information to the landlord, hoping hew ould be on board. He wasn't, because apparently his homeowners insurance would cover none of it because the meth contamination occurred prior to ownership. He refused to test to ensure it was habitable for anyone, let alone a child and a pregnant woman. We contacted a lawyer. Lawyer contacted the landlord. Within 48 hours, we were issued a 30-day termination of our lease and boom - pregnant lady and family are out on the streets. All because Barry Ward and friends rented us a meth house without our knowledge and we found out. We had the property lab tested out of our own pocket, see photos for results, and the studio cabin did, in fact, exceed legal habitable limits for the state of California at 2.4ug/100cm2 and 1.8 ug/100cm2. The legal limit is 1.5ug/100cm2. This is the cabin that I, the pregnant lady, used as my home office while we lived there. Despite the fact that we were rented a meth house without our knowledge, while pregnant and with a toddler at home, the landlord not only refused to ensure it was safe to live in, but also kicked us out after we raised issue. If you value your health and safety, and your family's health and safety, I would strongly advise you to not rent the property at 1265 Shady Circle until you have verified that meth contamination is cleared and you have lab results in hand to support this claim. Additionally, a county employee advised us that the soil is not safe for children to play in and the water table is also contaminated, so the water is not safe to drink. Barry Ward - test your homes before you rent them to people. While we are currently not pursuing legal action against the advice of our lawyer (mostly, because I'm pregnant and we want to get on with our lives), others will sue you and sue you for THOUSANDS. If this baby is delivered with health problems, you better believe you'll get slammed with a suit. Everyone else - 1265 Shady Circle is a Meth House, beware and rent at your own risk (P.S. Both my daughter and I experienced nausea and headaches after only 3 months of living there.)

I used An agent from Barry award to purchase my cabin in 2016 and it was awesome. As that agent…read moreleft Barry ward to pursue another area, I decided to use Barry Ward Realty when I sold. I was represented by Heidi Ward who seemed fine at first but was extremely short with me when I asked questions and she seemed not engaged with my needs. This was displayed by her always siding with the potential trial buyers for items that needed to be taken care of, putting invoices in escrow that I had already paid (these shouldn't be in escrow anyway as the agreement is with me and the company, not the escrow account), and just overall lack of concern with representing me. The cabin did sell fairly quickly and I received asking price, which was great. The icing on the cake and the evidence that supports my feeling regarding Heidi is that after the deal was finished, even with complications, I did not hear anything from her. No "Thank You " or anything. As I have dear with many real estate transactions , this seemed odd. With an 18k dollar commission paid I would think that there would be some kind of appreciation or less then a months worth of work. I will definitely look at reviews for any new purchases I have in the area. The market is hit up there, even during COVID-19, so do your research before selecting a realtor.

I recently had the pleasure of working with Chris Colvard from Calaveras Real Estate, and I cannot…read morerecommend him highly enough! From our first meeting, Chris took the time to understand my needs and preferences. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the Arnold, CA area and helped me navigate the market with ease. Chris was patient and attentive throughout the entire process, always ready to answer my questions and provide guidance. He truly went above and beyond to ensure I found my dream home. His expertise and dedication made what could have been a stressful experience so much smoother. Thanks to Chris, I'm now happily settled in my ideal home in Arnold. If you're looking for a reliable and professional real estate broker, look no further than Chris Colvard!

WOW! Not sure where to start! We had the greatest experience with Chris in selling our property in…read moreArnold. We Finally found out what an ''Amazing" agent is and is supposed to be.We have bought and sold 8 properties in the past and have never had the level of Professionalism, Communication, Hard Work, Stress Free level of service that Chris Provides. Never once did he not answer our phone calls or have an answer when we had questions and never had any excuses ( bad cell service, relative got sick, didn't see your call ect..) This guy is the top agent in Arnold, You owe it to yourself to take 2 minutes to call this guy and you will be glad you did. Sure wish we had found him sooner for prior transactions. He SOLD our property in 12 days for FULL price!!!! Has vast knowledge of the surrounding area and we are so grateful we found him and you will be too!! We will miss arnold and the mountains but now its time for the beach!

I don't normally review other agents but after my recent closing with Rod I had to. We just closed…read morea home for a good friend of mine, Rod was the listing agent. He was friendly, informative, honest and excellent with communication. He helped make the process of this sale so easy for all parties involved. My client is also a lender so she and I have a ton of experience with other agents and we both were extremely impressed and would love any opportunity to work with Rod again! His local knowledge and resources have been a huge help. If you're looking to buy or sell in the Arnold/ Murphys area from another agent perspective I can truly say you will be so glad if you choose Rod. If you're an agent, watch for Rods listings because thats who you want on the other side of a transaction!

I had such a fantastic experience with Frontier. They were very helpful in my house hunt. Candy ,…read morewas especially sweet and professional!

Karen Fink is great at her job and gets things done! Have been here for a month and they have been…read morequick to respond with needs of my place needing higher care. Great response team! #Grateful

We had the pleasure of working with the Suzanne Simpson Team to simultaneously sell our home and…read morepurchase a new one, and we couldn't be happier with the experience. Suzanne's deep understanding of the Twain Harte market, combined with her wealth of knowledge and professionalism, made the process smooth and successful. She is proactive, highly communicative, and incredibly responsive, ensuring that every detail was handled efficiently. Suzanne also has strong relationships with reliable local vendors and resources, which was invaluable throughout the process. Avery Bryant (Suzanne's team partner), though newer to real estate, brings enthusiasm and passion that make up for any lack of experience. She is pleasant, hardworking, and eager to assist. She was also incredibly flexible, often arranging showings for us at a moment's notice, which made our home search much easier and less stressful. If you're looking to buy or sell a home, we highly recommend the Suzanne Simpson Team. Their expertise, dedication, and genuine care for their clients really sets them apart! Doug and Diane Simmons Tuolumne County Residents, 40+ years PS This review reflects our experience selling a home in Twain Harte and purchasing a home in Sonora - January 2025.

This review is for the Suzanne Simpson Team. I don't like to write negative reviews, but I really…read moredidn't like the way these realtors treated me, especially considering that "complete satisfaction" is their goal (according to their website). I called Suzanne to inquire about some land property that she had listed. We talked on the phone for a bit and she told me to text her my information and she would get back to me when she got into the office. About an hour later I get a text from Sarah, her business partner, stating that Suzanne gave her my info and that Sarah would be contacting me later in the morning. So basically, Suzanne pawned me off to her business partner and didn't even bother to contact me again. Sarah didn't contact me until after I reached out to her around 2:00pm; then she called and we spoke for a while. I told her about the land I was looking at and she told me to text her the address and she would look into it. Literally five minutes later I asked her if she could also look into another property that I wanted information about. She didn't reply back to me until 9:30pm with a response of "I can look into that for you!" 9:30 at night!! That's not very professional. Two days later, without any word from Sarah, I texted her asking if she had any luck looking into the properties I had inquired about. I haven't heard from her since; it's been a month. :-/ My final thoughts: Thanks for never getting back to me Sarah!!! And thanks for not having the time of day for me Suzanne!!! If you want realtors that treat you like this, go ahead and call these ladies up. If not, I strongly suggest you go with someone else.

Best realtor in Tuolumne County! I'd recommend her to everyone. She goes above and beyond to help.read more

I can't say enough good things about Cheryl Balbuena. After my mother passed away without a will, I…read morewas suddenly responsible for navigating the probate process and selling her home--something I had absolutely no experience with. On top of that, I live about three hours away from the property, and the entire situation felt overwhelming. While searching for realtors in Tuolumne County, Cheryl was one of the first to reach out to me--and I'm so glad she did. It was going to take a few months to move my mother's partner out of the house before we could list it, and during that time Cheryl regularly checked in to offer support and assistance, even before we had a listing agreement. Once we were ready, Cheryl took full initiative and handled everything: she arranged for landscaping, scheduled a deep cleaning, and coordinated the removal of multiple truckloads of junk left behind in the home. I genuinely don't know how I would have managed all of that from a distance without her help. Not only did she manage all the logistics, but she also kept me informed every step of the way, which gave me incredible peace of mind. Her knowledge of the market, attention to detail, and willingness to take initiative made a difficult situation so much easier to navigate. If you're looking for a realtor who truly goes above and beyond, I highly recommend Cheryl Balbuena. She made a stressful, emotional process so much more manageable, and I'm incredibly grateful for her support.

We can't recommend another office more than Remax. We know that we can find a property that fits…read moreour needs using Remax and trust their experience to get the job done!

This agent is likely much better for a buyer than seller. Her description of my family's property…read moreleft out that it is horse property, other important details of the property, only outside pics and stated in the description that the home needed upgrades. Very disappointing.

Positive: Quality 5 Stars is not enough to highlight how…read moreamazing Tim, Lisa, Sara and the entire team at Arnold Ca realty was for our home purchase. They not only exceeded every expectation we could have they truly made sure every detail was covered to support us even after purchase was done. I can't imagine any realtor coming even close to this level of service. Our family is so happy in our new second home and will never look for a different realtor if looking in the mountains. Thank you Tim, Lisa and Sara you truly added a bright spot to our 2020 which was hard to do!!!!

Chris with Arnold Rea Estate helped us buy a home in Dorrington this summer and we are SO glad to…read morehave worked with him. His knowledge of both the area and home construction was incredibly helpful. He spent whole days with us looking at several properties each day, taking as much time as we needed in each one. He took the time to point out pros and cons of each home and neighborhood, often bringing up things we hadn't thought of. He was always quick to respond to questions and helped us write and negotiate a couple of offers. In this crazy market, he was exactly what we needed. We are delighted with our purchase and thankful to Chris. He also recommended several vendors to us and every single one has been top notch. Finally, he is a genuinely good guy and we enjoyed getting to know him a little. We highly recommend Chris and Arnold Real Estate!