I had a deeply disappointing experience with the real estate agent MARNIE BALOG during the purchase…read moreof a property in Palm Springs, California. As a buyer based in New York, I relied heavily on clear communication and professionalism--unfortunately, that was not what I received. Before and after closing, the property was repeatedly broken into, with several items stolen--including a car that had been left behind by the previous owner and was included in the sale. Given that the car was still in the previous owner's name and I was across the country, I reached out to inform the appropriate parties in hopes of resolving the situation quickly and responsibly. Even the previous owner expressed concern and asked me to help sort it out. Instead of receiving any meaningful support or assistance, I was met with unnecessary hostility from Marnie. Her tone was abrasive and dismissive, despite the fact that my inquiry was both respectful and entirely reasonable under the circumstances. Professionalism matters--especially in real estate--and unfortunately, this experience was a reminder of what it looks like when that standard is not met. I would strongly caution others before choosing to work with someone who approaches serious matters with such condescension and lack of tact. I HIGHLY recommend John Houston from compass.

I've used Marnie Balog & her Team (Jillian & Tera) on a couple of Real Estate transactions…read more The first sale seemed to take a long time... But, in light of the market conditions at the time, I could understand what happened. So, I don't fault them for market conditions & excess of inventory. They did take great pics & video & got them posted to several sites. They sent me reports weekly on how many people visited, what the agents said, what the prospective buyers comments were, how many website visits & click thru's there were, etc. This info did help us. They answered our questions, gave us good advice, & helped us make necessary decisions. SOLD! Yesss! (The reason they're not 5 star is only because they didn't work a Miracle in this case.... I don't know, it seems they did in the next case... Maybe I'll increase it later...upon further pondering of the star ratings) The second transaction took the amount of time Marnie estimated that it'd take & we got more than we were asking for because of multiple offers. Marnie wasn't hesitant to help give me advice on how to prepare the home for sale. Thank you! Also, and this is a BIG one, when we needed advice & support due to an unreasonable buyer, Marnie gave us good market info & advice...she helped so much during the sticky negotiations! This is so important! I didn't realize how much so until I needed her in my corner! She has a wealth of info & is very helpful. I can't remember all of her certified designations & what boards she serves on but it shows that she knows what she's doing. Her team has always been helpful & never once did I feel like they were burdened by my excess of questions. SOLD! Yesss! If you don't want to feel like another "number", call Marnie at Team Balog for a Consultation and find out for yourself what their strengths are & how they can help you with your Real Estate needs. BTW: I interviewed 2 other RE Agents & Marnie seemed the most on point. One agent seemed to want to give me the notion that I could list for a higher amount on the first property...when all was said and done, I didn't see that valuation in the comps... I felt like that agent wanted me to chose him because he said the property could be sold for more & then he'd later tell me that we had to lower the listing price while wasting precious time...(just my instinct)... The other agent just provided me with numbers & didn't seem that interested in selling. Marnie was patient, wanted to sell my home, brought great info & data that supported what she advised me of... I'm a numbers person...it's gotta make sense & not be a fantasy. Anyways, I'm thankful that she & her team had my back... :-)

I just closed a transaction with Ryan Gaertner, he was superbly professional, responsive and…read moreefficient. I'd highly recommend him to anyone thinking of buying or selling in the area. Great work Ryan! :)

When it came time to sell our home in Palm Desert we began doing research on the agents with the…read moremost success in our area. We really lucked out when we found Ryan Gaertner. Not only was he listed as one of the top agents but Ryan was able to sell our home to the first home buyers that looked at it. Ryan made the selling experience pleasurable and easy. The entire sale from beginning with the amazing photographer to signing the documents went smoothly. We can highly recommend the Gaertner Group and we are especially grateful to Ryan.

Zwemmer Realty Group helped me find my forever home in La Quinta, CA and I will be forever…read moregrateful. Rob Zwemmer himself was personally involved in my search from start to finish (and beyond). At our first meeting he encouraged me to do the talking, making a list of priorities, needs and preferences. We then launched the hunt, touring not just houses, but neighborhoods and communities. Rob helped me learn about the Coachella Valley and envision how I could live my life here. His knowledge about the CV and the real estate market is comprehensive -- every question I threw at him, he answered. We tweaked my wish list as we went along, eliminating some things I realized I didn't actually need, adding other things I never knew I wanted. It was a partnership and I always knew my interests were at the forefront of Rob's mind. Over the holidays I also got to know Jennifer Kovalenko from Zwemmer Realty who jumped in to give us her insights into communities; she was likewise expert, helpful and a pleasure to work with. Rob and I talked several times a week, sometimes daily as he and his excellent team combed through listings and identified properties that were not yet on the market. He counseled patience and at least once urged me not to settle, saying "We can do better." He was right. When we found the perfect house, Rob moved at speed to get us closed in a month's time. He negotiated a great deal for me -- well within my budget -- and when the seller dropped the ball on a couple of items from the inspection, Rob took care of it himself. In one for instance, installing a lock himself. Buying a house is a big event in anyone's life but with Rob Zwemmer and the Zwemmer Realty team, it is about as stress-free as it can get. I feel like Zwemmer Realty adopts its clients into its family -- they have helped me get a terrific gardener and a general contractor for some remodeling I want to do. I know that every recommendation they make comes with personal attention and follow-up. And, you get a pie from the Zwemmer team at Thanksgiving -- sweet!

I haven't found what I'm looking for yet, but I already know Arik Alvidrez is the realtor I'll use…read more His professionalism, attention to detail, and clear communication stand out in every interaction. From the way he presents listings to how he engages on social media, it's obvious he brings both strategy and style to the table. I've been working closely with Arik and Zwemmer Realty Group in Indian Wells -- and I'm impressed. He's the kind of agent who makes you feel confident before you even start the process. Can't wait for him to find me my dream house when the timing's right.

We just closed escrow on the purchase of our new home in Sun City, Palm Desert. Joyce at CV Escrow…read morehandled our escrow and did a wonderful job. I've been a real estate agent for many years and Joyce is as good and professional as any escrow officer I've worked with. I will gladly work with Joyce and CV in any future transaction I may have. I know any buyer or seller will be very well served.

I highly recommend Jacquie for a real estate agent. She is a great person to deal with and is…read moreextremely through in all aspects of real estate. She helped us buy our home in Palm Springs this year. She was always on top of the details, upcoming deadlines and made sure all appointments were completed on time. The other agent who was selling the house, mentioned to us that it was a delight to work with her. She is a professional and very knowledgable of market and conditions in the Coachella Valley.

Jacquie "O" is the ideal agent. She is knowledgeable, patient, dilligent and friendly. We…read morearrived in Palm Springs and met with her at one of her listings. During the next several days she worked continuously researching, emailing , showing us properties and LISTENING to us. We have no doubt that Jacquie will help us find the perfect house. It is a pleasure working with her.

We could not have asked for a better realtor to represent us in purchasing a new home. Will is…read moreprofessional, thorough and patient in explaining the unique real estate market here in the Cochella Valley. Will is detail oriented and his negotiating skills are exceptional. You could not be in better hands.

Will Cook is just simply the best! Very knowledgeable, a great communicator, honest, hardworking,…read morediligent, and so easy to work with. He goes above and beyond to meet his clients' needs. We made a purchase long-distance and he was unbelievable in the service he provided. We feel so lucky to have been fortunate to have him work with us.

Dear Future Team Gaffney Clients,…read more Simply put, you cannot partner with a better real estate team. We are extremely thankful to have found Kurt and Sylvia Gaffney to partner with to buy our first home in the Coachella Valley area. We were introduced to Team Gaffney through my father, who is a realtor himself in central Ohio. We immediately knew Kurt and Sylvia were the right fit for us. Kurt and Sylvia are very professional yet truly personal and friendly at the same time. We relied on their expertise extensively throughout the entire process since we were first-time home buyers. They went to bat for us many times as we were buying from a difficult seller. We can't thank them enough for all the hours we spent strategizing with them and seeking their counsel. We could see from the start that they had our best interest in mind. And not only will they be our realtor partners as we continue to build our real estate portfolio, but they are also our newest friends in the Coachella Valley area. Thank you Kurt and Sylvia for all you gave during the buying process and all you continue to give to us since we closed! Gratefully David and Silvana

Definitely the best realtor my husband and I have seen in a long time. We had a big transition…read moremoving out of state and had the worst realtor that couldn't do anything for us till we met Sylvia who was introduced to us by family. She is without a doubt an amazing lady. She actually listened to our needs and sold our home in less than a week. Trust me and go with Team Gaffney!!!

1st of all my agent claimed to be a top realtor nationwide and what he really was is A diva who Was…read morerude And made claims about his status as a realtor that appeared to be totally untrue. His name is Chase Owen. The few times that I made requests for things to be done Chase Owen would say don't micromanage me and I know what I'm doingBecause I'm one of the top realtors both in California and in the period. He even would threaten to cancel our agreement for him to sell my house after I would just make a very simple request. When we had an offer on my house the offer was for about $20000 less than the asking price and I wanted toMake a counter offer splitting it down the middle. Chase questioned my Rationale for my counter and as a result I reduced my counter by a few thousand dollars. Later I found that the home two doors from me which was smaller sold for about fifteen thousand dollars more than mine. I just got the distinct impression that Chase Owen wasn't doing his best to represent me. I also saw an email from the selling agent to Chase that was inadvertently sent to me where they spoke in a very disparaging and unprofessional way about me. Even though Chase Owen told me he is onee of the top agents in Palm Springs ans the nation I could not find that anywhere online. I also couldn't find any reviews for Chase Owen anywhere. I am giving him two. Stars because the photographer he brought in did a phenomenal job. If you want a real estate diva like someone who thinks they should have their own HGTV show then Chase Owen may be your guy. If you want someone who is honest,sincere and professional I suggest you look elsewhere.

Absolutely best of the best! Coachella Valley & upper desert Real Estate experts!read more