It was wonderful working with Julie and Peter. It was our lucky day when we selected them as our…read morerealtors. We were selling while being in another location. Their market analysis and selling strategy resulted in quick success. Julie also had good advice on what to invest in to get the best return on the investment in upgrades. Their crews took over, updated, and prepared the property for sale. We didn't need to get involved remotely. People who saw the house and the ad campaign commented on how well the house showed. It sold rapidly (super rapidly!) for more than our goal price. From moving out our stuff, to upgrades, to closing, was only 2 months start to finish. Peter and Julie have a unique ability to be both friendly and genuine, yet also tough negotiators. I felt they were really partners and were looking out for my interests throughout--including advising me on considering renting out the house--which would have earned them nothing. Amazing from beginning to end.

Julie helped my husband and I close on our dream home! We had such an amazing experience working…read morewith Julie and her team. She is extremely friendly, knowledgeable and has a great reputation in the area. We were honored to be one of her clients. We felt so cared for throughout the process and have never met a realtor like her. We would totally work with her again in the future. We can't recommend her enough! Thanks for everything, Julie.

From the get-go, Jennie was a great agent -- super organized and friendly. We knew exactly what…read moreneeded to happen at each step. With Mindy's help, they were both able to answer all our questions quickly and efficiently. What really made all the difference was Jennie's approach and persistence in getting us the house we really wanted. She worked closely with the other agent and made sure we got it across the finish line. Highly recommended!

Amazing event! Love Jennie and Mindy at Zen Coast Homes! We enjoyed going to the movies paid by…read morethem at Tanforan. Thank you!!

We moved to the peninsula less than a year ago and started renting with the plan to buy a house in…read morethe coming year or two. When we interviewed realtors we were drawn to Raziel because it felt like every question we had was answered and backed up by data-driven analyses. We were also really intrigued by his unconventional process that is extremely involved in the beginning. Coming from out of state we learned so much about the area and what kinds of properties we could expect for our budget in each neighborhood we were interested in. This allowed us to really hone in our search and made the process less stressful because at that point we knew exactly what we wanted and were prepared for the right house to come along. During this time Raziel also guided us through the process of understanding buying a turn-key property vs. something that would need renovations. When we found our ideal property, we were a little anxious because it was an off-market Hillsborough house. But Raziel was quick to move and get us a showing and guide us to make the right offer for the property. It was complicated, as some off-market listings can be, but it was Raziel's strong relationship with the listing agent that helped our offer prevail. We have to say that every time we saw a house and the listing agent heard we were working with Raziel they had a genuinely warm reaction that made it obvious he is well-liked and respected in his field. Also, Raziel knew our plan was to buy in the 1-2 year range and we never felt pressure to move that timeline up. Instead, for every house we considered putting an offer on, Raziel gave us a thorough discussion of all the reasons why someone would not want to buy the house, and that helped us really decide if it was the right property for us. It always felt like he truly wanted to find us the right house for our family, not just make a business transaction. We feel so grateful that we worked with Raziel and his team to find our ideal property (thank you Jenny and Angilee!).

Raziel and his team (Jenny, Angilee, Emily) are exceptional! With their support, we bought our home…read moresooner than we expected, and the entire process was incredibly smooth: our very first offer was accepted. In the Peninsula's competitive market, we couldn't believe it! As first time home buyers, we were looking for someone deeply knowledgeable who could guide us through the entire process: from understanding local neighborhoods and why buyers might choose one over the other, narrowing down our criteria along with what's realistic in our budget, doing diligence when the right house pops up, and navigating the offer process. We didn't know what we didn't know, and we really wanted an expert. Raziel was exactly who we were looking for! He has a very well-structured process that we loved - touring neighborhoods, looking at past sold homes together, and moving quickly when the right house pops up. I really enjoyed learning as much as I could from Raziel, as he has so much local knowledge that I would never have learned otherwise. For the home we ultimately purchased, he suggested bringing an engineer on-site to take a look at the house before we submitted our offer. He also flagged an unusual item in the seller's disclosure packet that he hadn't seen before and recommended reviewing it with a real estate attorney. We followed both suggestions. Everything checked out, and because of that diligence, we felt confident submitting our offer. We would not have taken those extra steps without his guidance. Raziel truly de-risked the process as much as possible. By offer day, we felt informed and prepared. We love our home and are incredibly grateful for Raziel and his team. We can't recommend them highly enough!

We recently sold our condo in San Carlos in June and couldn't be happier with our experience…read moreworking with Laura and Kelly. From the start, they impressed us with their deep knowledge of the local market and their wide professional network, which made a real difference throughout the process. They were incredibly responsive, always available to answer questions and address concerns quickly. Their experience showed in every step -- from the prep work they did upfront to position us for the best possible outcome, to the way they navigated any issues that came up along the way. We trusted Laura and Kelly and were happy with the results. We would recommend them to anyone looking to buy or sell a home -- you'll be in great hands.

Laura is absolutely amazing! I have been following her home sales across the Peninsula for years,…read moreso when we were ready to sell our home in San Carlos, I knew immediately she was our number one choice. Selling a home can be incredibly stressful, but Laura made the process seamless. She connected us with fantastic professional help for painting and carpet installation, and her market expertise was invaluable. Her timing and pricing strategies were impeccable, allowing us to sell our home in record time, with total ease, and despite a challenging market. Thank you Laura!! We highly recommend Laura for anyone looking to buy or sell a home in the Peninsula!

Our family had a relative who lived in the San Mateo area who passed away but none of us are local…read more Our probate attorney recommended Joe Polyak as the real estate agent for the home our relative lived in, and we couldn't be more satisfied with our choice. Joe and his team were so honest, fast, and professional, and extremely good at what they do. They made the whole process very easy for our family to oversee from afar, and we are all grateful to have had them successfully get the home on the market in front of lots of buyers with beautiful staging and sold for the price we expected.

I unexpectedly inherited a run-down house in Berkeley when a younger relative passed and had named…read moreme executor without previously informing me. I was soon receiving sales materials from a number of probate realtors; Joe's was the most impressive packet, and he requested a meeting at the house, which left me favorably impressed. But I didn't allow myself to be swayed until I checked his reviews, which were numerous and positive, and his real estate license, which was free of any blemish...plus, he gave me a very important selling point: the house required about $100,000 of work to be salable, and after I'd finished paying over $50,000 in delinquent property tax, I didn't have that money readily available--but RISE would fund the repairs themselves and reimburse themselves out of the sale price. They were as good as their word: they had the home inspected and worked up a list of necessary repairs, arranged contractor bids, provided me with multiple bids to choose from for the jobs (full replacement of the leaky roof, dry-rotted door replacement, plumbing, termite tenting, painting, hardwood floor refinishing, etc.), and got the whole project done in a few short months. Joe and his staff were always available to answer questions and kept me posted on all aspects of the project, since I live 85 miles away. Once the repairs and staging were done (photos attached), they let me hold a little memorial gathering for my cousin in the house, even catering it for us from one of my cousin's favorite restaurants. They hosted a very active open house and secured an excellent bid (36% over the asking price) within 2 weeks of listing the house, which we accepted, and escrow was completed and the money deposited in the estate account within 19 days. I highly recommend Joe and RISE Homes for any real estate transactions in the San Francisco Bay area, including probate sales like mine; they have the skills, integrity, and resources to help you work through the process as effectively and efficiently as possible.

It was an absolute pleasure partnering with Julie on our home buying journey. Julie is a dedicated…read moreand knowledgeable realtor, committed to ensuring that we make an informed decision while making an offer on a home. I highly appreciate her timely support and guidance throughout the home buying process. Julie always makes time to talk through options and plans, has a network of professional contacts to support specific aspects of homebuying such as specialty insurance providers, contractors. Julie's reliability and responsiveness combined with her strong negotiation skills helped us secure a great home. We are grateful to Julie for get guidance and support and wish her continued success!

Julie Flouty is an amazing real estate agent and I recommend her without hesitation. With her help,…read morewe went from just starting our search to closing on an amazing home in just six weeks! Julie demonstrated several outstanding strengths during our time working with her: #1 - In-depth knowledge of the market. Julie was very on top of the housing market in San Mateo County, constructing and updating a portfolio of homes for us to look at as she learned our taste and needs. She was able to provide knowledge of homes that would be listed soon, and was able to steer us towards desirable neighborhoods and away from houses that would have problems. Julie's knowledge granted us an information advantage, and helped to ensure that we were able to find and quickly close on the house that we desired. #2 - Connections to Agents, Brokers, and other useful contacts. Julie is well connected throughout San Mateo County, and through her network was able to get us access to tour houses outside of the normal open house hours. She also has a collection of some of the best mortgage brokers in the area, and we were able to swiftly close on our home without any issue at all. Finally, she has a strong network of skilled contractors, which has been immediately helpful as we seek to make repairs and upgrades to the house. I'm a very busy person, and dreaded having to discover all of this myself. Having Julie's connections has saved me time and money where they have mattered the most. #3 - Care for us as buyers and people. Julie showed tremendous care for us as buyers and people, seeking to understanding our hopes and dreams in order to land us in a home we would love. I came to trust her throughout the process, and knew that she always had our best interests at heart. To give a specific example- it had been 15 years since I last negotiated a house purchase and I was unsure of how to think through the strategy of making offers. Julie guided us through the purchasing process and gave us sound advice while we were negotiating, allowing us to successfully close on the deal in the face of other buyers. Without Julie, I don't think we'd have landed the house! I wholeheartedly recommend Julie Flouty as a real estate agent, and would work with her again in a heartbeat. Her knowledge, connections, and care exceed the other agents I've worked with in the past, and directly resulted in us purchasing a home that we simply love. Thank you so much, Julie!

Wesley Ko came highly recommended from a friend. He laid out a plan for us to sell my current…read moreapartment and purchase a new house in 6 months (all in Oakland) and he worked very hard to help accomplish that goal. Throughout the process he was patient, responsive and professional. For the sale, Wesley and his teammates were extremely efficient when it came to staging and holding open houses and we were able to sell my apartment after the first scheduled showings. The only really difficult thing I had to do was say goodbye to the apartment and move out. I am extremely picky and so when we began to tour houses, Wesley's patience and eye for details really helped narrow down potential properties that would be a good fit for me and we also struck out a lot of bad ones. Wesley's experience shines during touring. Just to name a few things he has a keen sense of smell for moisture/mold, can feel for the slightest unevenness in floors and can tell good from bad repair work just from a quick glance and feel, he has really seen it all. This is where a whole lot of Wesley's value comes from, he's not just another paper pusher...he actually enjoys looking at houses with clients and he is great at pointing out things that a normal person wouldn't see. Eventually a few months later we were able to close on a new house that was exactly what I was looking for. It was a pleasure to work with Wesley and he was so helpful throughout the entire process. As I said before he is thoughtful, smart, engaged and it's clear he loves what he does and I now recommend him to everyone I know who is looking to buy in the bay area.

From the sales rep to the whole team (fit & finishes, customer experience, stager, and sales…read moreanalysis), OWN is a great company to work with. Although I had started the remodeling before signing with OWN to be the sale representatives for the house, their expertise in knowing the market for my location set us up to get the best return. The expert staging that put the finishing touch that helped to attracted over 20 potential buyers during the open house. Everything was handle expertly and professionally. So buying or selling, OWN Real Estate is the company to go with.

Working with Alex and Kristle was absolutely amazing!…read more Even before our search began we had an in depth conversation on what we were looking for and they frequently incorporated that feedback whenever highlighting properties for us to view. During our search they always kept us engaged and thinking clearly since the home search can be an emotional rollercoaster. And something I was not expecting, was that even after shepherding us through the closing process, they made sure that we had everything we needed to make our new home feel like home! I would highly recommend anyone looking for an expert to guide them through the home buying process to give Alex and Kristle a call.

The Lam team was extremely supportive in helping us in every step of buying our first home -…read moreespecially in educating us on what to expect and how to think about different decisions / options since it was our first time. Thank you for a smooth and seamless process!

Nicole and Carol are a great team and we highly recommend that you choose them as your trusted real…read moreestate agents! We started working with Nicole over two years ago as a referral from a close friend who spoke very highly of her. As first time home buyers, my husband and I were basically clueless and had no idea just how complex the Bay Area real estate market is. Nicole helped us navigate these waters with ease, and educated us about the complexities of disclosure packets and purchase contracts well in advance so that when the time finally came, we'd be familiar with such detailed documents. Pre-covid, Nicole spent an entire Saturday driving us to houses in various neighborhoods so that we could see what different cities offered and to help us narrow down our home search based on what we saw. We also attended several open houses together and she always kept an eye out for homes that fit our criteria and attended broker tours on our behalf. We also continued working with Nicole throughout the pandemic and experienced first hand how the original interaction model had to change. Without any open houses, I felt like Nicole had to pour even more time into our search because covid policies required individual appointments to view each home. Nicole was patient with us as we viewed what seemed like 20+ homes during a nine month period. She is respectful of your opinions, but will also share her professional opinion when requested. We ultimately found a home and throughout the entire closing process, not only did Nicole help us, but so did her team. We were in the best of hands and there weren't any hiccups. Together, this team guided us every step of the way with constant communication. DocuSign was used to electronically sign all documents and keys were left in a lockbox when the home was officially ours! In fact, with their help, we were able to close a week earlier than expected! As you can tell, we obviously spent a lot of time with Nicole (she was stuck with us for two years!) and we enjoyed every minute of it. She's great to be around and extremely insightful. Finally, I want to share a story from when my husband and I first started going to open houses a few years ago. When we told other agents who our realtors were (we just would say "carol and Nicole") and they *always* knew who we were talking about. Nicole and Carol have created a reputation that is built upon trust, professionalism and extensive market-specific knowledge.

I'm a first time homebuyer and had the best experience with Nicole who helped me purchase my first…read morehome. I was working with a different agent previously and it was not a good relationship, but switched over to have Nicole assist me after recommendations from people at work. Nicole was super patient and took me around to view multiple listings on our first appointment. She was super knowledgeable about the area having more than 20 years of experience. She also walked me through all that I needed to know as a first time buyer, and quickly built trust and made me feel comfortable with her representing me. At every step of the process, she personally walked me through it, explaining to me what all the documents in the housing disclosure package were for, and what I should be looking out for. Most importantly, she was always on my side. Nicole and Carol work together as team and I can't recommend them enough! I will definitely be working with them again in future!