Hugh is the best realtor ever! My wife and I were looking for a home in San Francisco and were underwhelmed by our first realtor when we happened to meet Hugh at one of his open houses. He is amazingly knowledgeable, creative, accessible, detail oriented and genuinely a very nice guy. I can't stress enough how lucky we were to find Hugh in this competitive sellers market! read more

From our first meeting with Hugh, we knew that we would be working with him. His experience, understanding of the intricacies of the SF market, and candor were exactly what we were looking for in a realtor. We were first time homebuyers and having a guide like Hugh throughout the process was invaluable. He excels in communication and went above and beyond in his explanations of disclosures, procedures, and homebuying strategy. He has a keen eye when going through homes as well and has a plethora of high-value resources (contractors, movers, etc) for folks moving. We would easily refer him to any of our friends and families moving to the area. read more

Hugh is an outstanding realtor with an encyclopedic knowledge of the San Francisco real estate market. We were first timers with no experience requiring an unusual amount of hand holding. Hugh went above and beyond with his service, with extremely detailed and thorough research and insightful analyses. He is very prompt in his communication, getting back with help and answers on complex questions almost instantly. He was always available to meet at short notice, and advise, educate, and guide with empathy. We highly recommend Hugh for any SF related real estate needs. read more

My wife and I recently had the pleasure of working with Hugh for the sale of own home in San Francisco. Hugh, truly went above and beyond to make our home selling experience smooth and stress-free in what is currently a challenging real estate market. Hugh demonstrated an unparalleled level of professionalism, expertise, and dedication that exceeded all of our expectations. I don't say that lightly. We have worked with other agents that in some way or another did not meet expectations. I was a relief to know that Hugh would always be one step ahead of us. During the selling process we were moving out of state and Hugh made what could have been a very difficult long distance process one of ease. Hugh truly cares about the success of his clients and is transparent about all aspects of the process. To echo what another reviewer stated, my wife and I were consistently thankful we had Hugh as our agent. read more

Highly recommend Hugh. He is detail-oriented and extremely knowledgeable about San Francisco real estate. We were first time home buyers and Hugh took time to walk us through every step of the process. He's meticulous in his reviews of disclosures and permits which was a huge relief as a newbie buyer. read more

I've found that shiny reviews sometimes reflect their subject's attention to appearances rather than reality. Not so with Hugh. A rare professional, a solid person, a calm and collected force you want to have on your side, the fact that I could trust Hugh proved decisive in an otherwise often alienating process. After several weeks of his attentiveness and due diligence, at a point in my search when I considered myself almost obligated to follow through, I was struck that he pointed out new listings, less expensive in fact than what I'd been considering. He'd been reassuring all through the process; he was now reassuring me it would be okay to back out. I hope I'll never have to work with Hugh again. If so he only has himself to blame: he will have helped me find my place in the world, a secure and sustainable perch to which I can always return. read more

We worked with Hugh for almost a year to find and buy our first home in San Francisco, and there was never a time we had a visit or a conversation with him that we didn't walk away saying to each other, "Wow, I am so glad we have Hugh." Hugh's experience (25+ years in this market), encyclopedic knowledge, calm demeanor, and patience set him far apart from any other agent we interacted with over that year. Perhaps most importantly, he has a degree in counseling -- and wow, does that make a difference in a way I'd never thought about before embarking on this search. He is a remarkable listener who asks careful questions and takes whatever time is needed to really understand all of the different priorities and decision factors at play. During the year we worked with Hugh the housing market peaked, slumped, and then behaved very strangely. Our requirements kept changing: it took us a long time to figure out exactly what we wanted, and our job situations changed several times throughout our search, so the search evolved quite a bit over that time. He spent untold hours with us understanding exactly what was important to us at different points in the search. He was never pushy. We probably considered close to 100 homes, and we never felt any pressure from Hugh to move in a particular direction. When we were ready to go, he was all in. We were first-time homebuyers and had assumed we would just work with another agent that had helped a sibling purchase their first home. A friend with extensive real estate experience kept suggesting we at least talk with Hugh before moving forward, and that was probably our most valuable decision of our entire housing search. From this first conversation it was immediately clear how different he was from others we had talked with. 2022 was no doubt a busy year for Hugh and we knew he had many other buyers and sellers in the mix, but there was never a moment where we felt we were not his priority. He always made time for us. I can't think of a single thing about Hugh and our experience working with him that I wish had been different. He's a gem. read more

Hugh helped us sell 2 properties. Both properties sold quickly and for over asking. He gave us good advice about what needed to be done and helped us with all the paperwork. We would use his services again and would recommend him to other friends and family who needed a relator's assistance. read more

We interviewed 3 real estate agents and Hugh was the obvious choice. Instead of bragging about himself, he gave us valuable information about the current real estate market and had specific information on the neighborhood we were selling in. We had a very complex sale involving trusts and Hugh was patient with us and gave us expert guidance. It was also helpful that he had a team that could work quickly and add value at a very reasonable price. You can't go wrong with Hugh Groocock. read more

Hugh was recommended to us by a coworker, and their recommendation was spot on. We had a great experience working with him. We are first time home buyers. Hugh patiently helped us identify what we were looking for in a house. Going on home tours with him was an extremely educational experience -- he sees strengths and weaknesses in houses that I never would have known to look for. Overall, he is very analytic in his approach, which we both appreciated. We put in offers on several homes before finally buying after an approximately six month process, and Hugh never made us feel pressured. He was available to talk with us on short notice at all hours. For the house we finally got Hugh helped us put together an offer on a three hour deadline (!) to respond to a pre-emptive offer on a Friday night. When/if we sell our house, or buy another house in San Francisco, we will use Hugh as our agent again. read more

We first met Hugh when he was the selling agent for our home in Miraloma Park, SF. I remember our second visit to the house, when we were starting to feel like this could be our future home. I was standing in the living room, just absorbing the view off the balcony, and looking back into the living, dining, and kitchen - just absorbing the feel of the house, thinking how it would be to actually live there. Hugh was in the kitchen, and I respected that he respected my space. There was no hard sell, no pushiness; and when I approached him to ask for more details about the house and the neighborhood, Hugh's manner was like that of a close friend, sharing his honest thoughts about the house and his first-hand knowledge of the area. We closed on the house and lived there for many years. And this year, when it came time to sell, we approached Hugh to represent us as our selling agent. What learned that beyond his affable personality was also meticulous attention to detail, a thoroughly honest and well-thought out approach for marketing the property, and an amazing ability to project manage (along with his colleague Stefano Dezerega) all the repairs and cosmetic improvements: from roof to basement furnace, including walls, floors, and new lighting, as well as managing the staging. He set our expectations with detailed marketing plans and timelines, and guided us on pricing and positioning. And all this while we, the owners, were remote! In short, we highly recommend Hugh for any real estate purchasing or selling. He represented us in the best possible way, and the outcome of the sale of our property was well beyond our expectations. We will definitely call him again when we are able to move back to SF! read more

Hugh was professional and strategic from the moment we entrusted our Noe Valley home with him to get ready for sale. He gave specific and practical advice (e.g., as the longest lead time item, get a roofer to assess). Even when vendors or plans changed, or when we were out of town, Hugh continued taking the reins and moved the process forward. In an uncertain and ever-changing climate, Hugh gave us confidence that we were presenting the best home we could. We wish every service provider came with as much experience and care as Hugh! read more

I was a first time buyer looking for an experienced and knowledgeable agent that would help me navigate the SF market. I had interviewed several agents already when Hugh was recommended to me by a previous customer of him. We sat down for an introduction and I immediately liked his methodical and customer-centered approach. I selected him, and he was an amazing source of information, payed a lot of attention to details, and was well connected to get me from initial browsing to closing the deal. I cannot recommend Hugh strong enough. read more

Hugh helped me find and buy my lovely SF apartment. I recommend him to everyone. And I don't give gushing compliments like this to just anyone. Here's why: He's very honest. Hugh knows integrity is key. He communicates clearly: no babble or BS. He's intelligent and can get things done, but he doesn't assume you have prior knowledge of the home-buying process. He's calm and patient. He's been working in SF for a long time, so he knows most of the other agents (ie, who to trust) and they know him (ie, they trust him). He sent info on a lot of good places to me and when I found the one I wanted, he was dedicated to helping mine be the winning bid. And he remained a dedicated and helpful ally throughout the mortgage and inspection processes until closing. read more

Hugh made my first home-buying experience a breeze! I was very nervous about the whole process, considering how expensive the SF market is. My modest budget priced me out of most of the homes in the neighborhoods I was initially interested in. But with Hugh's vast knowledge of the SF real estate market, he was able to guide me to areas I had not previously thought about, namely Bayview where I ultimately decided to buy. It's been a great decision, as my property value has increased 20% in less than two years, and I'm loving the condo and neighborhood. I cannot recommend Hugh enough. Contrary to the stereotypical view of a real estate agent that many fear, Hugh is kind, thoughtful, attentive, extremely knowledgable, and does not pressure you at all. Given his backgournd in counseling, he knows how to listen well, to ask the right questions, and also to bring you gently down to earth when your expectations or ambitions become too unrealistic. Most importantly, he is always on your side, and you know you're going to get straight answers and advice from him. Be smart and pick Hugh to represent you! read more

We worked with Hugh to both sell and buy a home in San Francisco and could not recommend him more highly for anyone looking for a strong agent to help them navigate San Francisco real estate. Our sale had the potential to be complex but Hugh made it clean and simple.  The property was "unique."  Hugh helped us proactively aggregate and present information to reduce confusion and back and forth with potential buyers.  He was thoughtful about the recommendations he made re: staging, inspections and improvements to insure the property presented well and addressed any potential concerns.  It ultimately sold off market with multiple offers well above asking. On the buy side, he was amazing.  We had some very specific requirements for a property in San Francisco.  He listened to our needs and our feedback, iterated recommendations, and referenced property attributes in comparison to stuff we'd already seen, which was so helpful to keep in context. Hugh is a member of Top Agent Network and has good relationship with other agents.  As a result, he was able to get the word out early on our listing as well as get us access to properties before they even hit the market.  It is this proactive approach that helped us ultimately get our home.  Hugh saw it on a preview over a weekend when we were out of town, sent us a write up with photos he shot (property was not yet listed) and recommended we see it.  We saw it Wednesday and were in contract by Saturday in advance of the first open on Sunday. He makes you feel like you are the only client he is working with.  He has an incredible attention to detail and memory for conversations and feedback you have given him.  He is very accessible and responsive.  Most importantly, he's someone we enjoyed spending time with. read more

We worked with Hugh to buy a condo in Noe Valley based on the friend's recommendation. As first-time homebuyers we were not experienced how the entire complicated process works. Throughout the entire process from open houses (showing which hidden details to look at), to placing bids (advising on the strategy), to closing the sale (super quick and smooth), Hugh always provided extensive and detailed information in very analytical and comprehensible form. We would highly recommend Hugh - he's hard-working, honest and extremely knowledgeable - it's an absolute pleasure to work with him! Couldn't have wished for a better agent! read more

Hugh came highly recommended by a friend. We were very happy working with him. Hugh was very patient and gave us a ton of info even before we decided to work with him. He guided us through the process and we never felt pressured. Buying a house is a very stressful, especially here in SF but Hugh quickly gained our trust and we relied on him to guide us through the process. We were interested in a house that needed a lot of work. He walked us through it and pointed out a lot of the issues that the inspector would and explained that the house had construction done without permits. We knew nothing about the permits and what that meant to someone buying the property. Eventually we came to the conclusion that it wasn't the right house for us. We never would have seen all this if Hugh hadn't taken the time to explain all of the things to be aware of. In the end, the house sold above our budget AND needed a ton of work. Hugh's knowledge of the market and relationships with other realtors came in super handy. This was an asset we hadn't considered when looking for a realtor and we learned there's definitely a benefit of going with someone who has so many years of experience in SF. Our search was fairly short and very efficient. We ended up feeling like we got a good value for our money even in this crazy market. We would highly recommend Hugh. read more

When I was looking for a home several years ago, I used real estate agents in a few different markets. My man in San Francisco was Hugh and I must say, I spent a lot of time with him during those months! His patience, knowledge, friendliness and sense of aesthetic impressed me to no end and were the qualities that made me continue on with him for viewing after viewing after viewing....... His insight into architecture, art, the neighborhoods of San Francisco and his pure, unvarnished integrity and honesty are not the easiest things to find in this day of device distraction, superficiality and selfishness. I should also mention that this was my first home purchase and at no time did I feel pressured or belittled in any way. My lack of skill and/or knowledge of the industry must have been evident but was never highlighted or used against me at all by Hugh. I was always treated with respect and patience which made me comfortable to be myself throughout the process. Hugh is an asset to the industry. You would do well to work with him. read more

Hugh was my agent for my first home purchase. He came highly recommended and praised from a friend and my friend couldn't have been more right. Hugh worked with me for roughly a year before I finally found the right place for me. Being a first time buyer, he really introduced me to real estate, went to open houses with me to get the hang of it, pointed out what to look for, and always did a full debrief with me. He really went the extra mile to learn what was important to me and what wasn't and really honed in on what I was looking for. At no point did Hugh try to push for a place that wasn't quite right to get a quick buy but he really cared to find the right place for me. When I was ready to bid on places, it showed that Hugh knows his business inside out. He analyzes the unit, comps, and my preferences to an unbelievable degree, taking some of the guesswork out of bidding and instead formulating the right price for the place for me. His spreadsheets of comps and analysis of the unit are golden. Hugh kept me level headed and stayed calm even when I kept him late nights mulling over offers. He knows most inspectors and their reputation, knows what I can ignore and what matters, and helps decipher sometimes weird disclosure packages. I read everything I get in detail but Hugh more than matched me in that and really made sure I knew what I was getting into. We found the right place for me and thanks to Hugh's advice and strategy I got it. The offer situation was competitive but we landed in the sweet spot with the right offer and without overpaying and got it. A few month later, I am living in and loving the place. Thanks Hugh! read more

Hugh was amazing from start to finish dealing with the somewhat complicated sale of our SF property. He is focused , detailed oriented and does not make snap decision. He listened to us, and always in a respectful and non threatening manner gave us his expert opinion incorporating our concerns. It was truly a team effort based on respect and professionalism at the highest level. We sold our property including closing escrow in 22 days!! We have dealt with numerous agents in the last 15 years and Hugh is a super star on all levels. We are very pleased to have had Hugh on our side and have no hesitation in recommending him 100%. John and Ken read more

Hugh was fantastic, and we can't recommend him highly enough! He was extremely detail oriented, and guided us seamlessly through every step of the process, from the decision to first buy our new home before putting this one on the market all the way through closing. We were immediately impressed by the marketing materials he drafted to show us what selling our home would look like. That gave us the confidence to go find our new home, knowing that Hugh would have us covered when we were ready to sell. When we were ready to put our house on the market, Hugh held our hands through the disclosures, advised us on some necessary repairs, and lined up all the trades we needed to make the house look its best, from floor refinishing to staging. At every step, he was careful to weigh the potential impact for buyers vs the immediate impact on our pocketbook. When the house went live, Hugh pulled out all the stops to meet the intense interest in showings. Throughout the process, he made our lives as easy as possible by handling everything in a Covid-safe way and ensuring we could be totally hands-off. We were thrilled with the winning offer, and both we and the buyers were so happy when Hugh went the extra mile to make an early closing possible so the new owners could move in on a holiday weekend. TL/DR: work with Hugh! read more

Hugh recently helped me sell my house in SF and the transaction was simply amazing. Hugh went above and beyond to make sure all was taken care of for us during the selling process. He has great demeanor and the way he carriers himself is with class. As first time sellers we had a great experience and i would highly recommend Hugh to anyone looking to buy or sell a house in SF. Hugh's knowledge of the market and trends was spot on, we got exactly what we were looking for out of the house. 5 star person and service.... read more

Great realtor and person! Professionalism and honesty is something that Hugh is known in SF community.

Hugh was referred to us by a coworker, and we have since referred him to others because of his excellent work. He helped us buy and sell our condo in Noe Valley, and we couldn't have asked for a better agent. We originally were looking only at single-family homes, but he convinced us to look at our condo because he knew our taste and knew we would love it. He was right. As first-time homebuyers, he walked us through the often-frustrating process of buying a home. He even helped us close in record time. It was Hugh's analytical yet personal approach to real estate that brought us back to him 6 years later when we decided to move out of San Francisco and sell our place. Having moved down to the Peninsula with a newborn baby, it wasn't easy for us to come back to the City to deal with the logistics of selling a house. Hugh stepped up and did a lot of the heavy lifting for us -- arranging for cleaners, painters, inspectors, stagers, etc. It was thanks to his hard work that we were able to sell our condo for more than we expected, despite the downturn in the economy. We would highly recommend Hugh to anyone who is looking for an honest, knowledgeable, and hard-working real estate agent. He's the best! read more

I was relatively new to San Francisco. Hugh was referred to me by a coworker. I am very satisfied with my experience working with him and would highly recommend him to my friends. Over more than a half-year period, Hugh helped me research and tour scores of properties. He was patient, knowledgeable and experienced. We went through multiple offers with competitive bidding situations. Finally, I had my eyes on a condo in a high rise, but I was a bit put off by certain aspects of the unit. During the discussions for drafting an offer, Hugh used his professional contact and discovered that another unit in the same building but with better quality was about to be listed on the market. So we decided to pass the existing listing and do due diligence on the upcoming listing ahead of time. When the unit hit the market, we were able to submit an offer quickly at an appropriate price and enter into contract. My successful home buying experience owed a great deal to Hugh's professionalism and resourcefulness. read more

I recently completed the sale of my condo in Hayes Valley during Covid 19 with the expertise of Hugh. I knew from the start that we were a good match. Hugh is one of the most ethical people I have worked with, and his knowledge of the market is extensive. Because of the restrictions that were imposed by the covid19 virus, he had to be creative in his marketing and held virtual open houses, had a professional photographer who produced fantastic photos, and even had a graphic designer produce a virtual walk-thru of my condo. Hugh is always available to discuss strategy and his advice was invaluable during the whole process. He is definitely the best realtor I have worked with and I've been through 9 real estate transactions. I think he is the best realtor in SF. read more

Working with Hugh was the best thing that could have happened to us. He had come highly recommend from several friends and colleagues who raved about his careful, thoughtful and individualized approach. Due to unexpected circumstances, we were looking to buy and move just three months after first meeting Hugh. We met several agents and after first talking with Hugh decided to go with him on the spot. He patiently listened to what we were looking for while giving us honest feedback on the market. He visited more than 40 homes with us in over a month, and was on phone/email/text contact several times a day. Several times, we were tempted to make an offer because we were in a rush, and Hugh gently advised to take it slow, offering a counter perspective about the house and market. Honesty, integrity, a ton of experience, and amazing customer service -- that's what we got. His calm and careful personality was refreshing. When we found a house we decided to make an offer on, Hugh went through drawbacks, explained everything carefully and went through the million questions we had as new homebuyers (including several late night phone calls due to our work schedules). Our first offer was accepted. We've loved our house and neighborhood. We knew the house would need some repairs and Hugh has been a trusted friend in recommending professionals and giving advice, and has answered many questions we've had about owning a house. No detail is too small for Hugh. He wants to get things right -- for us. We could not recommend him more highly. read more

The Corcoran team of Hugh Groocock and Stefano DeZerega was recommended to us by friends with a plethora of local real estate experience. We were first time homebuyers in San Francisco, at the entry-level point of the market, in the midst of the pandemic, and we were utilizing a City-based down payment loan program for first responders which mandated 90-days to get into contract and a 60-day close. Needless to say, we were complicated. Absolutely none of these factors deterred Stefano or Hugh. They are both utmost professionals. The experience between the two of them is staggering. There is no area in which they are unable to offer expert advice. They educated us through every step of the process, from finances, to market trends, to neighborhoods, to repairs. Their relationships with other realtors, I believe, is largely the reason we were ultimately able to close on a property. Hugh and Stefano both have absolutely boundless energy; there was rarely a day where one of them was not in touch, suggesting we meet to look at a new property, writing an offer, or following up on next steps. They were with us throughout the lengthy close, and have continued to stay in touch since. Our deal was small in comparison to many they typically work on, yet they made us feel like their most important clients. I will recommend Stefano and Hugh to anyone who needs a realtor, and they are the only people we will call when we next sell or buy. read more

Hugh is the best. We made one offer and closed on our new home within four months after we started working with Hugh -- unheard of in San Francisco. Hugh's knowledge of the San Francisco real estate market is encyclopedic, and his professional network is extensive. We know we benefited greatly from his ability to spot prospective homes for us and to glean inside information that would make our offer successful. And Hugh's sense of client service is exceptional. We know he had plenty of clients with budgets bigger than ours. But you'd never know it by how responsive and proactive he was. He honestly made us feel like we were his most important client. We'd give Hugh six stars if we could -- he's that good! read more

We had high expectations of Hugh based on reviews and the fact that he is a great guy, but he completely exceeded them in selling our house in Westwood Park. We are moving out of the country so were not sure of the best timing to sell, and having to move out of the house before selling would have been challenging. Hugh and Stefano met with us several times to give us guidance on the market, thoughts about strategies to avoid needing to move out and stage while we were still in SF, and potential alternative approaches. Once we got started, Hugh was able to anticipate the changing market and suggest a late change to our approach, that turned out to make all the difference in selling promptly and at a good price. Hugh's low key and very knowledgeable approach puts people at ease--buyers and sellers alike--in what is inherently a super stressful process. We were worried about a lot of the details, but Hugh walked us through everything to make it as simple as possible. We would 100% recommend Hugh to anyone. read more

My husband and I found Hugh through friends of the family who had sold two properties and bought two properties with him. We just purchased a home in San Francisco after a seven month search and feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with him. Not only did we find a home we love at a good price in a difficult market, but it was also simply a pleasure to interact with Hugh. We trusted him and valued his articulate, clear-headed insight and his ethical consistency. Hugh has been always professional, but also friendly and human and willing to share his own experiences as a homeowner (and a family man) in the city. He's just a fundamentally decent person. We never felt pushed by him, something which was not the case with the other agents we interviewed. In fact, he erred on the side of caution and pointed out to us structural and legal problems with the houses we saw. We were first-time homebuyers with everything to learn, yet we always felt he answered questions and educated us from a place of respect. He was straightforward in his communication but also sensitive to the emotional roller coaster of the process. Intellectual curiosity is not something you generally think of as an essential quality of a real estate agent, but I came to think Hugh's spirit of inquiry an asset. It meant that he was not just savvy and strategic and aggressive when need be, but also could take a step back and reflect. He takes pleasure in articulating what he knows precisely and in exploring grey areas precisely as well. He prides himself on examining pros and cons and nuances of an issue and so I often felt we were getting as much clarity as was possible in a murky situation. Hugh is a very hard worker, without ever seeming frantic. I don't think he overcommits himself as many agents do. He sent us new listings frequently and was available to show us homes. He kept on top of every step in the process, responded promptly and fully, and never seemed to tire of reading through huge disclosure packets. He helped us navigate every complicated situation we encountered during the search, including researching homes with suspect and ambiguous 3R reports and exploring the possibility of buying a two-unit building and setting up a tenancy in common with friends. He never rushed us as we worked on an offer and he responded thoughtfully and precisely when we wanted to know, for example, what scenarios we might encounter if we waived a particular contingency. We were outbid by all-cash buyers or by extravagantly high outlying offers on a few occasions, but we felt we had made well-considered, strong offers even when we faced that disappointment. Ultimately we are happier with the house we did get. Hugh knows the city and its real estate history and its housing bureaucracy extremely well; he has long been immersed in the San Francisco real estate world and seemed to be well regarded by the other agents we met. Hugh gets plenty of business by referral, but I think he should have a good word on Yelp. We are enjoying our house now, but we will certainly turn to him in future if we ever need an agent, and we will send our friends his way. read more

We met Hugh through a good friend, and over the years, he's helped several people in our circle of friends buy and sell their homes. Hugh helped us buy our first home back in 2000 and again with a search for a larger home in 2012. Both times, Hugh brought his extensive knowledge and understanding of the SF market, along with his patient, low-key style. Both my husband and I are easily turned off by high-pressure "sales-y" types, and Hugh is exactly the opposite. He really tried to understand what we were looking for, while at the same time, gently expanded our viewpoint to consider areas and homes we might have otherwise overlooked. He patiently answered a million questions about the process and about specific homes we were considering. Hugh is also very well-connected in the SF real estate business and has great relationships with and insight into the styles of other local realtors: a real asset when negotiating in a hot market. More than anything, we felt that Hugh always had our best interests at heart. We were in contract on a home when inspections uncovered some structural problems. Rather than pressure us to move forward, Hugh logically walked us through the pros and cons of our available options and helped us come to a decision we've never regretted. read more

I have participated in the San Francisco real estate game twice in my life, and both times Hugh was the realtor who made the whole experience worth my while. Hugh helped us find a home 15 years ago, and at that time his patience and calm shepherding was just what we needed. Our budget was limited, and we were picky, and in one month we looked at more than 80 houses before finding the one that felt perfect for us, a house that Hugh located and brought us to one rainy evening back in 1998. In spite of having just a couple years experience in the field then, Hugh was adept at writing a shrewd but fair offer that was accepted by the sellers. And the house was indeed perfect. Over the years, we referred a number of friends to work with Hugh, and every time, our friends had great experiences working with him. Then last month, Hugh was our agent again as we sold the same house. And as a selling agent, with all those additional years of experience, Hugh was incredible to work with. He guided us through the process every step of the way. He clearly developed a plan for achieving the best price, and we followed his guidance all the way. Hugh knew just the right tips for staging the house and trusted that I would be capable of doing it myself. He facilitated fantastic photos for an impressive marketing brochure and website, and I was proud to share those with friends and relatives. You could always tell that he cared about our home as a place and for what it meant to us as owners, too. When I or my partner had doubts about something Hugh recommended, we were always comfortable talking to him about them, and his ability to explain how each piece was part of the overall plan convinced us to follow his guidance. At one point we were worried that we were underpricing our home, but Hugh helped us understand the strategy. And when we were presented with above asking preemptive offers within days of going on the market, Hugh explained why we probably did not want to accept them, as tempting as they might have been. In each case, Hugh was right, and we got a much better price by waiting for offers on the agreed upon date. All the way to the close of escrow, Hugh's knowledge and contacts within the SF real estate world helped us understand and know what to expect. I literally never worried about a thing once I checked in with Hugh. He has a brilliant capacity to state a range of possibilities and spot-on most likely scenarios. I do not hesitate to recommend Hugh as I have done so many times in the past. read more

My husband and I worked with Hugh earlier this year to purchase our very first home. We knew nothing about the process and asked a million questions. Hugh was an incredible teacher and spent a lot of time walking us through every step of the search, offer, purchase, escrow and home loan process. What originally impressed us about Hugh was his attention to detail. He read every page of every disclosure package we received and asked incredibly detailed questions to the selling agents about the properties we were considering. We have an unwavering trust that Hugh always had our best interests at heart. To keep a long story short, we found our home very quickly. We put in a preemptive bid, signed an offer in a single day and had only 21 days to close escrow. Hugh worked quickly and incredibly hard throughout the process to ensure that we were able to move into our dream home. Even when we had a difficult time with our mortgage broker, causing us to almost lose the house in the last day of escrow, Hugh worked diligently as the middle man between us, the bank and the sellers to make sure that we closed on time. We cannot thank Hugh enough for his help during that particularly stressful time. Hugh was available every hour of the day and every day of the week to answer our questions, calm our nerves and help us navigate the incredibly tricky process of buying a home. I cannot recommend Hugh enough! In summary, I would highly recommend Hugh because of his: - Around the cloud availability - Incredibly consistent work ethic - Extensive knowledge of and experience in the SF housing market - Heightened attention to detail - Kind and patient personality - Ability to get anything done read more

Working with Hugh was the best experience we've ever had with a real estate agent! That is no small compliment as we have lived in 3 continents and dealt with countless agents in that time. Hugh was extremely attentive and did an exceptional job in understanding our needs; he displayed great perseverance and patience in keeping a lookout for suitable listings, even though the process took months - we never felt neglected or as if we were low priority. Hugh takes an analytical approach and bases all his recommendations on solid data and extensive research. He is by far one of the most responsive and effective real estate agents we have met. When we did put in offers and eventually successfully purchased a property, Hugh was there to support us and answer questions every step of the way - even until after the transaction closed. We couldn't be more satisfied and happy with Hugh and would strongly recommend him to anyone and everyone (we already have!) read more

The decision to sell (or buy) a home is significantly hard to navigate in normal times in normal markets. Doing so in the summer of 2013 in San Francisco was not a task we were looking forward to. With 2 small children, staging, showing and negotiating price and close dates appeared to us as an uphill task. Enter the Zen Master of real estate - Hugh Groocock. We were introduced to Hugh by our neighbor who sold his home a year before us and Hugh's thoughtful, deliberate approach and his hermit like calm immediately impressed us. So much in fact that when we were ready to sell our home almost 7 months later, Hugh was our first call. Hugh's patient demeanor, professionalism and knowledge of San Francisco real estate are unmatched. Throughout the sales process, Hugh's insights and advise on issues ranging from touch ups and maintenance to staging (he saved us thousands of professional staging fees by advising us on how to use some of our own furniture to stage our home - and it looked fabulous) to setting the appropriate list price were invaluable. Hugh thoughtfully walked us through new regulatory requirements and reporting schedules never appearing impatient or rushed even given some several late evening and last minute queries. His marketing brochure and property specific website spectacularly highlighted not only our home but also the neighborhood - so much so that we discovered things about our neighborhood that we did not know ourselves even after living there for 9 years. We sold our home after 4 showings for a price that far exceeded what we were expecting with the incremental benefit of a month's free stay beyond the close date giving us flexibility to move out. We recommend Hugh highly! If only we could use to help us buy our new home in the East Bay. read more

I had the pleasure of meeting Hugh at an open house in my neighborhood while I was deciding when to list my own home. Hugh had made a great impression and I reached out to him several months later when I was ready to list my condo. I was very pleased with the outcome of my home sale and would highly recommend using Hugh for any real estate transaction. Hugh had excellent recommendations for pricing and preparing my home for marketing/showings. He paid attention to the minor little details and was very efficient. He was always responsive to any of my questions and made me feel as I was his highest and only priority, though I later found out that he was also dealing with an unforeseeable issue on another of his listings for a multi-million dollar home. In addition to all this expertise, Hugh is also a genuinely nice and kind person. It was really a pleasure! read more

Hugh has helped us with three transactions over the years and we are deeply grateful to him for his expert guidance and assistance. He is conscientious and honest and these are traits that are sometimes difficult to find in real estate agents. First, he helped with the purchase of a condo in a building where there was litigation, but we recognized that the issues were manageable and that there was good upside potential and over time this indeed proved to be the case -- we got in at a good price, the litigation resolved and the value of our condo shot up. Hugh helped us sell that unit some years later and then represented us in the purchase of the single family home where we still live today. Over the years whenever I've needed to turn to Hugh for advice about comps, contractors, and other potential investments, he has been super responsive and just a pleasure to deal with every time. He has never pressured us to do anything that didn't feel right and always took the time to go over what would work best for us without an agenda for what we ought to do. I really have a lot of respect and admiration for Hugh as an individual. I don't want to go on and on like a broken record ... you could do a lot worse than Hugh and I would be very surprised if you could find anyone better! read more

I have worked with Hugh on two purchases and one sale of homes in SF, and I would not *think* of working with anyone else. He knows the San Francisco real estate market like no one else. Even more important, he is meticulously thorough in his research and management of all of the details, and incredibly calm, reassuring, and pleasant to work with. I think of Hugh as much more than a real estate agent . . . a true counselor, even therapist when needed :-) And I say this as a lawyer of almost 20 years. During the last days before the purchase of my most recent home, a few issues came up concerning the permits that had been obtained before a prior renovation. After studying the question for a few days, I told Hugh that i was comfortable moving forward. Hugh said no -- he went to the permit office the next day on his own, and tracked down the issues completely. (I bought the house.) On both purchases, Hugh spent countless hours reviewing potential houses with me on the phone and in person. He was always available to meet me for a walk through, sometimes 2 or 3! On the house sale, Hugh gave close guidance on what type of staging we should employ, and when to put the house on the market. After a short set of showings, we received multiple bids above asking price. In the meantime, I always consult with Hugh before doing any major work on the house. He gives superb guidance as to what types of home improvement may improve the resale value, versus those improvements that are for "me" but not necessarily the next buyer. I have recommended Hugh to at least 5 close friends and colleagues that I can think of, and every one of them have been delighted by working with Hugh. I cannot recommend Hugh more highly. read more