Turns out that a real-estate agent keeps her own home on the market an average of ten days longer and sells it for an extra 3-plus percent, or $10,000 on a $300,000 house -- Steven D. Levitt, Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything I knew going in selling my home, especially being in commercial real estate development, the most real estate agents are self-interested only and how quickly they sell the real estate and get their commission. It's generally a completely unneeded service as most of us can find our homes, and if we could hire an attorney for a few grand to do the paperwork that would be far cheaper than going through this madness of hiring a real estate agent. When I sold my Richmond home, I thought that if I hired the agent with the most advertising, he sold the most townhomes in the Marina Bay area that I would get more traffic and a better deal. I was wrong because again the self interest of getting a commission is worth more to your typical real estate agent and serving their client. I started this transaction with Sara in August and her first piece of bad advice was to fix up the home to get a better sales price instead of just selling it as is during the summer selling season. I should've listened to my gut instinct instead of listening to Sara. Because by the time the home was listed, I missed the summer selling season, eventually the home sold at an as is price. Eventually, we received a desultory offer and my first instinct was to reject this offer. I wanted to negotiate harder but it seemed Sara just wanted to acquiesce to everything that the buyer wanted. I did not have a thought partner during this transaction. I just had someone pressuring me to get her commission. Eventually caught in a rock and a hard place, between my new job in Southern California and uncertainty about the current economy, given the absolute mess at the national level, I took this terrible offer. And when predictively the buyer did not meet the lender contingency, rather than advise me that I could cancel the deal at that time, she actually worked with the buyer to get her a different lender. That alone is gonna be the basis of my DRE complaint. She was not working on my behalf. She was just working to get the sale done and get a commission. Sara wouldn't negotiate her fees and in the end probably cost me between $20,000 and $30,000. Which being the mercenary that she is, I know she doesn't give a damn. The best I can do is leave one star reviews everywhere and submit a DRE compliant. Once the deal was done Sara didn't even email me or call me or anything. That tells me even she knows how terrible this deal was. I acknowledge. I was the one who accepted this deal and accepted working with this real estate agent and and if I had more certainty about this economy, I would've rejected the deal and let my contract expire with Sara and tried again with someone else. Definitely not recommended. Do not be fooled if you live in the Richmond area by all the marketing and all of her open houses. She is basically nothing more than a used car sales person and you can do better. The one good thing is that I will advocate for more change in the RE Industry to loosen the hold agents and brokers have on the buying and selling of property. Homeowners and buyers deserve better than giving up to 6% in every transaction to people who really don't add any value. read more

Sara Min Zhao - Realtor - I will miss the area...the Marina Bay Area of Richmond is gorgeous - Real Estate Agents Near Me - Oakland, California

Over the past few years, with the help of Sara and her team, I successfully sold my properties. Sara and her whole team are highly professional, outstanding, and extremely efficient, always standing 100% on my side to solve every issue that came up during the transactions. I am truly happy to have my apartments find new owners. I wish them continued success in helping even more people! read more

Sara and her team sold my condo earlier this spring and it was the easiest process ever! She helped me with preparing the condo and did some staging for me. She had a weekend open house and she got an offer literally that Monday! She is excellent at what she does and we sold it at an excellent price! Communication was easy and she is easily accessible. Great to work with! I would highly recommend her and her team for your realtor needs! read more

We started our house search 6 months ago with Sara and her team at Ask Ponytail. We heard about Ask Ponytail from a friend's Realtor. Among all of the referrals we had from friends and family, we decided to work with Ask Ponytail because of the references they had online. As first-time homebuyers, our options seemed limited. Our hope was to find a 3+ Bedroom 2 Bath home for less than 900k in a market where some 2 bedroom homes were going for over 1 million in the area we were looking at. Finding a home that was within our financial reach was difficult given that homes are being overbid by hundreds of thousands of dollars and some of those homes needed more than 100k in foundation or other work to make them qualify for a loan. Despite incredible odds, Sara was able to find us a home for 800k (only 100k over asking), with practically no issues found during the inspections, in the area that we were looking in. The house looked too good to be true, but Sara advised us to go all-in on this particular property. To our delight, the bid was accepted and we were off to the races! As first-time home buyers, we had to learn a lot very quickly about the escrow process. At every turn, Team Ask Ponytail was there to give us answers to any questions we had. Kevin was a huge help in answering our questions and also keeping the process moving when things felt stuck. We could not be happier about our 4 bedroom 2 bath home! We would not be here if it were not for the thoroughly professional and knowledgeable team that Sara has put together! We would highly recommend working with Ask Ponytail! read more

Sara Min Zhao - Realtor - Real Estate Agents Near Me - Oakland, California

I couldn't be happier with the experience of working with Sara!! She and her team were able to sold and closed the sale of my house in less than 30 days, which exceeded all my expectations. From the very beginning, Sara was professional, responsive, and highly knowledgeable about the market. She guided me through every step of the process with ease and confidence, ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience, which was a big plus as I work in a very stressful environment. Her attention to detail and dedication made all the difference, and I would highly recommend Sara to anyone looking to buy or sell their home! Thanks Sara!! read more

We've worked with Sara and her team twice now. Once when we were selling and this time as we were buying. Sara has a great knowledge of the market, especially the Marina Bay neighborhood. From start to finish, Sara demonstrated professionalism, dedication, and expertise. She helped us secure a fantastic deal on our new home. We highly recommend Sara and her team for your real estate needs. read more

We first learned about Sara and her "Ponytail" team many years ago from an acquaintance who highly recommended her services. Since then, we have had the pleasure of working with Sara and her team several times, once with Sara serving as both selling and buying agent demonstrating her versatility. What we appreciate most is her straight-forward yet ebullient nature regarding the process of buying and/or selling a property. Upon our first meeting, we received a detailed verbal and written description of what to expect from our buying/selling experience. Sara then proceeded to assist us in meeting our goals by outlining a realistic game plan including a timeline for achieving benchmarks given our resources in the current home buying/selling market. Most of all, Sara listened to us, respected our wishes (even if we were off the mark) and gave her honest recommendations. Sara and her team are accessible and ready to assist in any way possible. From her years of experience in real estate, Sara has forged a vast network of trustworthy (and friendly!) associates--lenders, title agents, notaries, contractors, inspectors, landscapers, etc.--leaving the buyer/seller with a sense of confidence that they are in good hands. Sara and her team are also very flexible and operate without pressuring you as the buyer/seller even if there's a hiccup. For example, as we proceeded to sell our house in this current, unpredictable (high-interest rate) market, we found ourselves in a lurch when a prospective buyer backed out at the last minute, no fault from us or the Ponytail team. Sara was as disappointed as we were, but immediately pivoted by presenting us with new options and a positive outlook. She helped us to push the "reset" button and find a new buyer in short order. Now, we are off to pursue our dream of living in a tropical paradise. Our only advice about enlisting Sara and the Ponytail team would be to be prepared. Working with Sara can be like jumping onto a running freight train. It can be quite a ride so be serious about your intentions and be ready to pull your weight. Overall, our experience has been fluid and fun! read more

Sara and her team made what could have been a complicated and stressful selling process so clear and smooth. Selling property in our area can be tricky, and we were prepared for the worst. Luckily we decided to go with the BEST! It really helps to have a knowledgable realtor like Sara to navigate the process as she and her team bring a lot of experience to bear on behalf of their clients. As first time sellers we really appreciated how easy they all were to get in touch with and for walking us through every part of the process. We cannot recommend Sara enough!!! read more

Sara and her team are the absolute best! They made selling my home very easy, professional and very timely. I have known Sara for quite awhile, living in my home for over a decade. I would constantly see her open house ads and in the neighborhood so when I decided to sell my townhouse, she was the first person I called. Very approachable, honest and straight forward. Recommendations were on point and she delivered in the timeline she mapped out. If I have any real estate needs, she is at the top of my list! read more

We had a wonderful experience with Sara Min Zhao as our listing agent for our property in Albany. She was very professional, knowledgeable, and responsive. She helped us prepare the condominium unit for sale, staged it beautifully and marketed it effectively. She held an open house over weekends, stayed with her marketing plan despite a slow market, and generated multiple offers. She and her team did all the "leg work" for us, prepared all the paperwork and helped us with negotiations. We highly recommend her to anyone looking for a top performing realtor. read more

Sara is a pleasure to work with and is a professional through and through. We worked with her to purchase an off-market single family home in Marina Bay, Richmond and she was able to get us in to bid on the property before anyone else thanks to her good reputation in the area. read more

Sara and her assistant Kevin are an absolute joy to work with! She's helped 2 other family members of mine and they can say the same. This was my first time buying a home in such a crazy economy, Sara helped me every step of the way, she always went above and beyond and i felt self and taken care of. 12/10 recommend! read more

YOU WANT SARA TO BE YOUR REALTOR!! We contacted her initially just to sell our condo in Marina Bay, and area she specializes in (seriously, her listings are all over the place because she is SO good), but we figured we'd need to hire a separate agent to buy a new home because we were looking in Concord & Martinez. But we ended up using Sara to buy a home too because she gave us her all, and really is so knowledgeable about the greater East Bay real estate market. We did our entire selling/buying search during the pandemic and she was always so professional and cautious, showing up masked and helping us feel safe showing our home. Sara is warm, friendly, and makes you feel like you are her only client. She is responsive, quick, and will always go the extra mile for you! I would ask her to be my realtor again in a heartbeat! read more

Sara did a fantastic job for us. She was efficient and professional throughout the whole process. We received an over asking offer before the first open house and closed in 30 days. She had great suggestions on what would make our home look great for the sale. The staging company she used was fantastic. We would highly recommend Sara for any of your real estate needs. read more

Sara and her team were top notch from the beginning and throughout. Sara helped us strategize about selling well before our home was listed- including timing, pricing, and recommended home improvements. Getting in touch with Sara was always easy- and I really appreciated her timely responses. One of the things I appreciated most was that she had vendor recommendations for every project we decided to do- both big and small. In our case we moved out of the property (moved cross-country) and felt totally comfortable that Sara would keep our home safe and secure in our absence. Even after we closed, Sara's team continued to be incredibly helpful- a package was delivered to our old address and her team picked it up and sent it to us- "above and beyond" is how I would describe working with Sara. read more

Sara and her team were amazing in that they worked hard to ready my home for sell while I moved across the country. I left them with all the work and they did it. My home was sold for close to asking price and I am happy with the outcome. Thank you Sara and the Ponytail team. read more

Sara was wonderful! She is so knowledgeable and well connected in the Marina Bay community. I wanted a particular house in Marina Bay and she referred me to a loan broker who was great to work with and quickly got me preapproved. After that, Sara dealt with the negotiations and inspections very efficiently. We closed within 15 days! And below listing price after some tough negotiations! Sara had all the connections to call for such a quick turnaround time. It has always been my mom's dream to own a SFH in the Bay Area and I have always wanted to make it happen for her. Thanks to Sara and her team, our dream became a reality! read more

Sara helped us sell our condo in Marina Bay. We have seen her signs in the neighborhood for years and knew that she has extensive knowledge and experience in dealing with properties in this area. We contacted her right away after deciding to sell our condo, and it was the best decision we ever made. She walked us through the process of listing a house, offering suggestions on listing strategies and repairs to make. After we moved out of the condo, she took over basically everything for us. We used the services and teams she recommended for repairs, move-out cleaning, and staging, and everything was done perfectly. The house was sold quickly and at full price at a time when the housing market was not as hot as before. We couldn't be happier with the results! Sara, Kevin, and the rest of her team deserve our most sincere thanks for their efficient and excellent work. We are so appreciative and glad that we used her as our selling agent. read more

Sara was my realtor for a hand full of real estate transactions. She is very knowledgeable and I trust her wholeheartedly because she always do the right thing even at times that means the deal will not go through. if you are seeking an expert in real estate, I highly recommend Sara! read more

Sara and the AskPonytail team helped us sell our home of 19 years and brough our next house. Here is the quick summary of our experience. 1. Deep knowledge of real estate market 2. Trusted advisor 3. A great team and a network of high caliber experts Sara was the third realtor we have worked with in the past 12 months. We connected with Sara via her ad in local advertisement. Unlike the two previous realtors who preferred phone call or set up Zoom introductory meeting, Sara dropped by our house and discuss our plan. Once we finalized the plan, Sara provided her inputs and contacts to help prepare our house for target buyers. This is a critical aspect of putting a house for sale in the Bay Area. Sara's expertise in interior design and a deep understanding of buyer's mindset had a direct influence on the final selling price of the property. Our property was listed for sale on September 20th and we accepted a competitive offer by the 23rd. Please keep in mind that this was the time when mortgage rate was around 6.5%, many home prices dropped, and listings stayed on market for more than 30 days. Sara also helped us strategized the offering for our next home and ultimately purchased the house. Sara is also a great communicator. She is a know-it-all when it comes to real estate, yet she's never once forced her ideas on us. She is more like a trusted advisor who develops a plan based on client's reference and comfort level. Her team acts the same way, and her referrals are also high caliber experts in their field. The quality of communication and speedy response are consistent in every step of the selling and buying journey. We are fortunate and grateful to have known Sara and follow her charted course to very satisfactory outcomes! read more

We hired Sara to list and sell our house in Marina Bay. She came highly recommended by our neighbors and we had seen her signs all over Marina Bay. She was quick to set up a meeting with us, and we liked her from the start. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and offered us good ideas for prepping for sale. She provides lots of services, and we were able to select the ones that made the most sense for us. At this time, we were also getting ready to move across the country (and did so right before listing), and Sara made the process as easy as possible for us. She picked up where we left off in having our garage door replaced, she had all of the necessary updates and inspections taken care of, and she did the staging and photos. Basically, after we hired Sara, she did everything. She kept us posted on important updates after we moved, and she even sent us a housewarming gift when we settled into our new place. Our house in Marina Bay sold quickly and at full price thanks to Sara and her team. We highly recommend them if you're looking to sell your home! read more

I worked with Sara and her team on the recent sale of my home in the Marina area. Not only were they responsive and professional, but Sara also went above and beyond to make sure my home was marketed and staged to sell immediately. The result of her team's hard work was an offer on my home within 1 week of listing. I have so much confidence in her team that I have referred others to her. read more

Sara is positive, productive, proactive and highly professional. In selling our Marina Bay condo, she always kept our interests as her first priority. And she is truly a "one-stop shop": she very efficiently handled all aspects of the sale. Tim and Chris L. read more

Ponytail is a poor communicator otherwise probably good. Not had enough experience with her at this point. our home is up for sale she does not respond to texts I don't like lack of communication I don't know how many persons came into our condo to view today I as she did not respond I asked two days ago how much the cleaning person would cost and if and when they were coming in I was not informed. They finished yesterday and today they're insisting on immediate payment and I can't do that I have to contact my son I feel as if they just are demanding right away Without telling me in advance when and how much. I am I'm comfortable with the pressure and lack of communication I hope she can sell the condo Quickly. This is our 4th home sale/purchase in 4 years. I have not even heard how many viewing were today. We were told not To enter our own home in order for persons To view. No feedback The agent who sold Is the unit 3 years ago was and has been the only person who has provided seamless comforting transaction read more

Sara and her team sold our property in the Marina area in Richmond. She knows this area extensively and told us what we needed to do to sell our property and get the best price possible. She got the contractors that we needed, the prices were reasonable and she and her team were a delight to work with. She helped us move forward timely, we got the property listed and it was sold within three days. We, without any reservations, completely recommend Sara to sell your property! read more

Sara and her team sold our property in the Marina area in Richmond. She knows this area extensively and told us what we needed to do to sell our property and get the best price possible. She got the contractors that we needed, the prices were reasonable and she and her team were a delight to work with. She helped us move forward timely, we got the property listed and it was sold within three days. We, without any reservations, completely recommend Sara to sell your property! read more

Sara is an extremely responsive real estate agent. She will make you feel like you are her only client. She sold our Marina Bay condo recently. She held open houses every weekend unless we declined for personal reasons. She increased traffic to our condo. She is so very knowledgeable of the Marina Bay area, which is a plus when out of towners are looking. She returns emails promptly and gets back to you by text or phone. She never breaks a sweat, is cool and professional. Thank you Sara for your service! read more