Realtor for finding house with an in-law unit

Can anyone reccomend a trusted and capable real-estate agent capable in finding properties with secondary/separate ''coach houses'' or ''in-law'' apartments on the property, or similar arrangements in either Alameda or Contra Costa counties, and sympathetic to the costs of an expanding family and care of elderly parents. In need of good and understanding agent

Realtor to help buy ''fixer''

I am looking for a realtor to help us buy a ''fixer'' in a nicer/ more established neighborhood in oakland/berk/piedmont. So far my search has been mixed. I'm looking for someone both hard working and low-key, honest and not too pushy. Someone with experience fixing up houses themselves, interested in keeping their eye on all fixers that come up. thanks. -potential fixer

Realtor for First Time Home Buyer

I am looking for recommendations for a realtor with integrity, to represent our interests, keep us well informed, and steer us clear of potential first-time buyer pitfalls, advocate for us in this ''market'' and help us find a home. If you've had a similar, positive experience with a realtor, and success in buying a home, please pass on your references. Enormous thanks. linda

Lamorinda Realtor

Moraga Real Estate Agent
Can anyone out there recommend a good real estate agent with a strong knowledge of the Moraga market? Anon

If you are looking for a real estate agent in Orinda, I would highly recommend Patti Camras of Coldwell Banker, she is true professional in all phases of her work. She sold our house in less then one week. Her marketing plan was very effective as we encountered a swarm of potential buyers/lookers during our first open house. She made all the important arrangements and contacts for staging our house and spared no expense when she advertised it. She is the president of Orinda's Chamber of Commence, formerly a career school teacher in Orinda, and lives in Orinda, so she knows everything about Orinda. It was a real pleasure working with her. If you want a real professional for buying or selling a house in the Orinda/Moraga/Lafayette areas, call Patti or look her up at http://www.patticamras.com/ Ron

My husband and I can unreservedly recommend our realtor, Patti Camras, who is with Coldwell Banker in Orinda. She is expert in the Lafayette-Orinda-Moraga area, and she also works in the Berkeley Hills. We must have been terrible clients: picky first-time buyers looking for the Perfect House for a low price in Orinda! But she was patient with us, answered all our nervous questions, and provided expert and valuable advice. (She even returned my calls when she was on vacation in Carmel with her husband!) She is a good negotiator and helped us close what could have been a troublesome deal. Her Web site is www.patticamras.com. -- Happy Homeowner

I highly recommend Patrick Monahan at Prudential Realty of Lafayette. We bought our first home in Concord last January when our son was 10 months old and he was simply the best. He put in so many hours looking for just the right home for us and was so patient with us on the days we had to drag our ''little screaming mimi'' to our appointments. When we started, we wrote down a list of characteristics that were important to us and he kept our focus on that goal. As many of you probably know, it is hard for first-time buyers to be competetive in the market because you so often get out-bid. Near the end, we were ready to put an offer on anything, just so we wouldn't have to keep looking, but he kept our faith and hope alive and eventually we found the house that was perfect for us. He is professional, caring, honest and steadfast and I don't think you could find a nicer guy. He has experience in Orinda, Lafayette and Concord. His office is located at 999 Oak Hill Rd, Lafayette, CA 94549, and you can contact him at 925-864-9867. Cindy

We have been looking for a home to buy in the Berkeley/Oakland area for a LONG time now. I'm frustrated by the high home prices and maybe/what if's with the schools. As much as I love living in this area, I know that a move over the hills would be money well spent b/c of the good public schools. That said, can anyone recommend a good realtor. I prefer a woman, one that has children, knows the schools and neighborhoods, spends the time to figure out what we want and won't be too pushy(for the sake of the sale). Also, one that has a good eye for the structural issues(seismic retrofitting, foundations, land slide zones etc.) that we would encounter. Thank you! Maya

Todd and Katy Van Laanan
Empire Realty Associates
4185 Blackhawk Plaza Circle
Suite 101
Danville, CA
925-217-5035
toddandkaty AT toddandkaty.com

Lafayette Realtor

We are looking to buy in the Lafayette area within the next 6 months and would love to get a recommendation on a real estate agent. Many thanks. -kelry

Grubb Co. Realtors

Hi, I am looking to sell my house and would like recommendations of realtors- We originally used Grubb to buy our house but our agent moved. Has anyone used Debbi DiMaggio (Our former realtor recommended her) or others at Grubb? Thanks for the advice

Montclair Better Homes

Can I get any input on the following realtors?? Tarpoff & Talbert, or Nahid Nassiri of Montclair Better Homes?? I was impressed with all of them, but would like to hear others experiences.

We were avid readers of T&T's weekly articles in the Montclarion Real Estate section, and when we were ready to start looking to buy, we contacted them and met them for some one-on-one Real Estate 101-type consulting and coaching for our particular situation. They were extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and went out of their way to provide us with hints and tips that went beyond the scope of the hourly fees they charged.

Although they couldn't take us on as a buying client (they were booked and also had a different geographic emphasis), they referred us to an excellent realtor who came through for us. I could go on and on about how fabulous they are -- thoroughly creative marketers, knowledgeable/ethical realtors and warm/giving people...but feel free to contact directly if you have any questions. Noreen

We have very high expections and Pat and Anet exceeded them ten fold. They are extremely professional and have a high degree of expertise in both real estate transactions, negotiations and support. On top of this they are just plain nice! They returned returned calls very quickly, gave us wonderful advice and support and they never made us feel like we were too demanding or silly. They take pride in their work. Of course we ran into some bumps, doesn't everyone?, but we followed their advice and reconciled the problems and now we own a house. When we sell our house, we would not dream of using any other realtor. Regards, Michele

Martinez Realtor

Wanted: recommendation for realtor and/ or mortgage broker in Martinez, CA area.

Pleasanton/Dublin Realtor

Hi, I'm looking to buy my first home and am in need of a buyer's agent for the pleasanton/dublin area and/or the fremont area. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thank you una

San Francisco Realtor

Hi, Can anyone recommend a good realtor in SF (we are looking to buy in Sunset or Richmond area)? We are the first time buyers, and can't afford an expansive house, but we still want to find something we like :) Were you happy with your agent? Was (s)he able to find a house of your dream without making you spend too much? Was (s)he honest and trustworthy? Committed and motivated? Did (s)he explain everything in plain English? Would you use that agent again? If so, we'd love to talk to him/her! Please, include any info you would like to share about the agent. Thank you very much! Started looking...

Vallejo Realtor

My mother-in-law needs to sell her home in Vallejo. The house is almost 20 years old and has not been maintained. I'm looking for advice on what we should have done to the house (in addition to new paint and carpeting) to maximize the sales price without going to an excessive amount of effort. The house has 4BR/3BA, a funny floor plan and a steep hill in the backyard. Have you worked with any good real estate agents who specialize in Vallejo who could provide some advice (and possibly help us sell the home once it's ready)? THANKS! Signed: What to do about MIL's home?

Realtor for move from the East Coast

My husband and I are moving to the East Bay in the early spring. We are open to renting or buying. I've read the past realtor and rental agent recommendations. Can anyone recommend a realtor who regularly handles both types of transactions - renting or buying' Since we live on the East Coast, we want someone who will be able to help us explore our options from a distance - someone who will understand (and look for)what we need, help us find the right type of home, and make this already diificult process a bit easier. If anyone has recently made this type of move, any other advice would be appreciated. Thanks! Shari

Realtor for selling our house

We are considering putting our home on the market, and are looking for a realtor who will work with us and our needs. Our special considerations: We can't afford to move out and rent a place while we're waiting to sell, so clearing out and "staging" the house is not an option. We have a 15-month-old so I doubt we could make the house look as non-lived-in as they would like. Has anyone sold recently with a realtor who was understanding, cheerful and optimistic, as well as competent and communicative? Our house is quite nice and I think it will move even in this slower market, but I need to find a realtor I feel comfortable with. Thanks! --Lori

Realtor for TIC

I am thinking of buying a duplex with my sister and going into it as a tenancy-in-common. Can anyone recommend a realtor with experience in duplexes/tic's? or do I even need someone with any special expertise in these kinds of properties/sales? renter no more?

To the person looking to buy a duplex as a TIC...I don't know where you are looking, but I know a very experienced, smart and savvy realtor in San Francisco who specializes in TICs. Her name is Britton Jackson and she is with Zephyr. I do not know if she will work in the East Bay, but you could ask. YOu can call her at 415-939-7878. Good luck with your purchase! Eden

2007

If you're considering moving to Lamorinda, I've got a really nice and very talented real estate agent to recommend. His name is Jim Ellis. His contact info is: Ph (925) 253-4602, Cell (925) 285-7423, Email: Jim@oldoski.net, Website: http:// www.oldoski.net He listed and sold our Richmond Hills house and showed us all around Lamorinda when we were planning to move there. He is smart, patient, easy to work with, and extremely helpful. In the end, we decided to stay on this side of the Bay for our own reasons. Had we decided to live there, I have no doubt he would have found us a great place & a trouble-free tansaction. JoAnne S

I have just had an amazing experience with mother/daughter team Aliya Johnson and Liz Stevens of Windermere real estate bay area. as a single mom, I needed a miracle and these women (liz is the broker owner and aliya a licensed agent) listened and worked with me quickly and efficiently. I had my house on the market for 2 weeks, 3 open houses, and had 200 people go through! I am now under contract with a very short escrow. Here's the catch: these two women know their markets so you too must be willing to listen to the particulars of your area. Cant hurt to call them. Good Luck. Liz: 510.409.6977 or 510.984.2000 michelle

If you are looking for an amazing real estate agent to work with I highly recommend both Dave and Carla Higgins. They helped us purchase our first home.We were clueless and overwhelmed about the process. They held our hands and baby stepped us from the beginning till the end. (Which was exactly what we needed). They are very knowledgable about schools and neighborhoods. Dave and Carla are experts in real estate and wonderful people too Thalia

I would like to recommend my wonderful realtor, Sarah Richards, of Red Oak Realty. She is extremely knowledgable, listens to your needs, doesn't push anything other than what you ask for and is just a super-nice person in general. I have 2 small children and she didn't flinch when I had to bring them to look at houses and they screamed in the car. She helped us buy a house in ''short sale'', which is essentially pre-foreclosure. We weren't looking for that in particular, but we found a house we loved and it happened to be a short sale. A lot of realtors wouldn't touch it because they didn't have experience in the area. But Sarah got us through escrow in 20 days (our choice)! Plus, she helped us negotiate some major repairs on the house at the seller's cost. She specializes in Richmond Annex and El Cerrito/ Albany, but I know she does other areas. (We bought our house in Richmond). I highly recommend her as both a incredible realtor and a person of integrity. You can reach her at 510-292- 2036 or at saraherichards@gmail.com. --Lexie M

This is an unsolicited recommendation for the best agent in Contra Costa: Leslie Mills at Coldwell Banker. We found her from a similar message posted on this site from 2001, and she was beyond our expectations and then some. We were first time buyers and sellers when we contacted her. Leslie and her team have been nothing but helpful, diligent, informed, hard-working, flexible and available since the moment we started the process of selling our condo and buying our first home. The whole experience has been as optimal as I can only imagine, largely due to her, and her demeanor and advice has been invaluable. Her network of resources is amazing, from staging our home for sale to people to do the work necessary at reasonable cost to long-term help we're just grateful. Do yourself a favor if moving in CC County, call her. Really, she's the best. Carolyn G

2006

I would like to ''highly'' recommend Norah Brower of Berkeley Hills Realty. 510-524-1700 x 26 or Cell 510-703-6934 Norah is one of the most architecturally literate agents I have ever met. She understands how various styles of architecture translate into personal values for her clents. I am an architect, so I had a great need for this type of dialogue. Norah is a good listener and knows when to step back and let you make the final calls in those very stressful moments. Norah was also very helpful in connecting us to the community and sharing her wide range of helpful references with us. Feel free to give me a call for any further information. 510.558.8280 Joanne K

If you have kids and are wondering which real estate agents can deal with that well, I have a recommendation for you. We recently bought our first home with the fantastic help of Kathryn Stein and Helen Walker from Thornwall (848-1950) in Berkeley. They are both mothers and can cope with the things that kids do while looking for a house. They were always so nice to the kids (and us), and know how to help when the kids are distracting you or too tired, etc. When we finally found a house and were serious about getting it, the little one was feeling it was very unfair that the older one would get a larger room. Helen took her seriously, paced the length of each room with her, showed her all the good reasons why her room was nice for her, and how it really wasn't that much different in size. Whatever I had to say at that point would not have worked, but Helen saved the day and made her so happy with the room. We did get the house, and the little one has never complained about her room since. These two agents are just life savers when you are tired and stressed from house hunting with children. I could share many more good comments about them if I had room. Good luck to all house hunters! Happy in New Home

I'd like to recommend our agent Jerry Long. As first time home buyers in Northern California, we were wary of getting into the market q too many horror stories about houses going thousands of dollars over the asking price had scared us into submission! But Jerry made it seem like a breeze; he was supportive, wise, and resourceful. Our budget always seemed to us be too tight, but Jerryms patience and confidence that we would find something gave us hope q and he was right! Hems always willing to take the time to answer questions and offer advice, and his laid-back style took all the anxiety out of important decisions. He and his wife Heidi focus on Berkeley, Albany, Kensington and El Cerrito, see www.heidiandjerry.com pakravan

Last week I saw a posting discouraging home buyers from using Lawton Associates. It is unfortunate the poster felt he/she had a bad experience. I wanted to let people know that my experience with Mary Smartt and the team from Lawton Associates was wonderful and rewarding. Mary spent a lot of time with us as first time home buyers. She was gracious and the utmost professional. We found a home that was perfect for us but was also listed way below market value, resulting in a bidding war of over 50 offers! We didn't have the highest offer, but through Mary's professionalism and experience in this market, she helped us craft an offer that got us our dream home. There were a lot of issues that came up in escrow that Mary handled for us, covering every detail. My parents who have been investing in real estate for over 30 years and who were involved in the process of our home purchase have said that they have never come across a real estate professional as thorough as well! as personable as Mary Smartt. We truly consider Mary a friend of the family for life and would never hesitate to work with her again and would recommend her to anyone. Marina P

We had a very negative experience with Lawton Assocs of Berkeley during a recent home buying experience. We purchased at the height of the market and paid a premium price for what thought was a fairly decent, albeit older bungalow. As we were first time homebuyers we had many questions and at times I had no idea what we were doing and thus relied on our Realtor (Mary Smartt and Ron Kriss at Lawton Assocs) for guidance. We found out much later that our Realtor did not live up to her "Fiduciary Responsibility" in representing us in the purchase, neglected a number of inspections we had asked for and thought we had gotten, did not fill out the TDS properly and was generally rushed with the process. She tried on many occasions to get us to bid the maximum we had been approved on for a house that obviously was not worth that amount (even with overpayment). In the end, we still overpaid and are now faced with a list of claims from concealed issues with the house. Moreover, the Realtor was totally lax at helping us find properties...at one point we tried to fire her but had (our current house) ready to bid and needed to move ahead. Lawton is small boutique agency in Berkeley which we were referred to by a friend. Lawton tends to represent sellers in Berkeley, Rockridge and Piedmont. Please, please, please don't solicit them for business...you will be sorry...leave it to the professionals like PacUnion, Grubb or some of the larger firms who really know their business, care about YOUR objectives and are detailed enough to not miss a beat in the process. -Anon

For anyone looking to purchase a home, I wanted to strongly recommend Karthiga Anandan at the Grubb Co. We purchased a home in Berkeley from Karthiga last summer and were so pleased with her professionalism. Karthiga was not only very knowledgeable about the real estate market in Berkeley but also about the details a buyer should know when assessing which house is the "best fit" for you. We used a different agency back in 1998 with our first home and were satisfied with the service. However, with our latest foray, we were amazed how much our previous agent didn't provide in all these little ways in terms of personality, contacts with local contractractors, architects, and inspectors, and negotiation. Karthiga truly made a stressful situation into a much more pleasant one. Carolyn

I would like to recommend our realtor, Jimmy Reina of Red Oak Realty in Albany. Last year when we bought our first house we used Jimmy and were very happy with him. Jimmy listened closely to our needs and desires and didn't waste our time with houses or locations we weren't interested in. He was very patient with us and thoroughly explained everything. He showed us homes in Berkeley, Oakland and Alameda - in the end he helped us with a very quick closing on our home near Lake Merritt. He is a good resource for the type of buyer who wants to take the time to understand what they are signing. My husband and I were very satisfied and would love to be able to direct more business his way. You can reach him at 510-280-2120 or jimmy at redoakrealty.com Cheryl

In 2005 my partner and I put our El Cerrito home on the market. After meeting a bunch of realtors who left us cold, we found Kathie Longinotti of Coldwell Banker in north Berkeley (next to Black Oak Books at Shattuck and Vine). Kathie has warmth and enthusiasm, diligence and an eye for detail. She was always gracious and professional, even though our home s across the street from an active demolition site s was locationally challenged. She expressed genuine excitement about our home, and it was apparently infectious: We got 12 offers, exceeding even our secret hopes. We confidently recommend Kathie to anyone looking for a great agent. Her number is 510-486-1495. John B

Hi I am writing to recommend a terrific Real Estate Agent that I have been working with. She has gone above and beyond any expections that I had. She is constantly keeping my husband and I updated on houses on the market and willing to meet with us at OUR convenience. It has been a refreshing experience. She works in mostly in Montclair but her area of expertise include all surrounding areas. Erin P

If you're looking for a house in the East Bay, I can _highly_ recommend David Kafton, a licensed real estate broker. He rec'd his PhD from Berkeley in the 1960s, has been a resident of Berkeley since then, and so he knows the area like the back of his hand. He used to be w/ Mason McDuffie, and has been running his own practice for the past 10+ years. He helped me buy my first house in 1994, and our second in 2000 (for the 2nd purchase we weren't the highest bidders, but his presentation got it for us). Not only does David have over 25 years of experience as a realtor--he has an incredible amount of integrity; his commitment to the community is expressed through his work to help people find the right homes; and he has a heart of gold. We've remained friends to this day, and if I need a referral for anything from a chimney sweep to a vet to the best eclair in town, he's the first person I call. You can contact him at 510.524.8973 or dtk at kafton dot org. AJ

My husband and I are new to the East Bay, but quickly found a great house thanks to a wonderful realtor by the name of Adam Ballachey (Kroll Realty). He took lots of time showing us all different kinds of houses in many different price ranges, and was great at helping us to narrow down what we really wanted. He was also extremely knowledgable but very low pressure -- I felt like he really wanted us to find a house that would work for us, rather than pushing us to buy something just so he could make a commission. If you're looking for a house in the East Bay, I very highly recommend Adam Ballachey -- he can be reached at (415) 531-7349. Kim

I want to recommend an amazing real estate agent, Dana Cordiero at Red Oak Realty, 2983 College Avenue, Berkeley, 510-849-9990x2152, danacordeiro@sbcglobal.net. Our family of four moved to the Bay Area from Boston 1.5 years ago. Dana was helpful in arranging rental housing for us while house-hunting, was amazing with our two children during countless open-houses, and kept an amazing positive attitude through the entire process that there was a house for us that would fit our family. She was effective in negotiating cash back after a surprise during inspection. She continues to be a great reference for contractors and services, mails us information periodically, has fun client appreciation events and has become a delightful family friend. Anon

I give my full endorsement to Carrie McAllister, my real estate agent who helped me find the house of my dreams. As a first-time homebuyer Carrie patiently walked me through the home-buying process. During the search I was most impressed with how well Carrie listened to my needs -- location, size, amenities, etc. Carrie was professional and thorough and a pleasure to work with. You can reach her by phone (510-292-7838), email (carrie@redoakrealty.com), or you can visit her website: www.carriemcalister.com. Scott F

2005

After using the Berkeley Parents site as a resource over the years, my partner and I would like to post a recommendation of our own. Last summer we decided to put our El Cerrito home on the market, and we began to shop around for a real estate agent to represent us in the sale. After meeting a number of realtors at open houses who left us cold, we found that Kathie Longinotti of the Coldwell Banker office in north Berkeley (next to Black Oak Books, at Shattuck and Vine) had the warmth and enthusiasm to represent us the way we'd have represented ourselves, if we could have. Kathie's diligence and attention to detail was just what we were looking for; if anything, she was more excited about our house than we were, and we figured that potential buyers would respond to Kathie's excitement. They did. We got 12 offers on the house, exceeding what we even secretly hoped for (even in the traditionally sluggish month of August, for a house with a rather challenged location across fr! om an active school demolition). Through it all Kathie was gracious and professional ' we strongly recommend Kathie to any seller looking for a great agent. Her number is 510-486-1495. John B

Maison Nouveau; realtors that rock! If you are looking for a realtor, Maison Nouveau is the place to call: 510-849-9900. They have an office in the east bay as well as SF and everyone in their office will work together as a team to find you the best place. We worked with Tori and Annalise and they were awesome. Buying and selling a house can be incredible intense and they were there for us whenever we needed. They seemed to work all hours, and even helped entertain our kids while we looked at homes. Best of all they only accept 2% commision and will up your offer by the remaining 1% or credit it back to you for closing costs. With the cost of homes what they are, this was a substantial amount of money! I highly recommend them, they helped my family get into an amazing house. jartdesign

We recently purchased our first home and were lucky enough to have had Francine DiPalma at Red Oak Realty on Solano Avenue to guide us through the process. We were such babes in the woods and, being from NYC, totally bewildered by the whole wacko real estate scene out here (in NYC, nothing EVER goes for more than the listing price; you b argain down - here it's just the reverse and it's a real mystery as to how much to bid over asking). Long story short - Francine is not only smart; she's wise and knows so much about every little aspect of, not only the market, but the actual house itself (she could be an inspector, I think LOL) She got back $10,000 for us on an issue we were prepared to not fight about. She's also a joy to be with - funny and kind and caring and we cannot recommend her highly enough. Carole F

Carrie McAlister, a realtor with Red Oak Realty, is as good as they get. I was new to the home-buying process and to the East Bay, and she introduced me to both with patience and expertise. As we explored new neighborhoods Carrie listened to me and had a very clear sense of what i was looking for; as a result, we spent more time looking at homes and neighborhoods that i may not have found on my own. When it came time to submit an offer, then counter-offer and negotiate with the seller i couldnmt imagine having had anyone else help me navigate the choppy waters: she kept me cool under some stressful moments, and her advice s both prudent and shrewd s made the difference in the end. Carrie can be reached by cell phone or e-mail: (510) 292-7838 or carrie at redoakrealty.com. Scott F

I'd like to recommend our realtors Jerry and Heidi Long. They are a married couple, so you get two for the price of one. They truly compliment each other in their strengths and expertise. They are long time North Berkeley residents and are very experienced and knowledgable about property in Berkeley. We have hired them both to sell a house and to purchase a house. When selling the house, they assisted us immensely in getting the house prepared, knew just what to do and who to call. They have also assisted many of our friends in buying homes and everyone we know has been thrilled with their help. Carrie G

An example speaks volumes: It was Sunday, and my husband, 2-yr. old, and I were ready to look at open homes our Realtor, CJ Boydston of Coldwell Banker had recommended; we just wanted to rest for a few minutes before heading out. The next thing we new it was 5pm! We had slept through the open homes! So we ate dinner and decided to drive by to look at the exteriors of the homes we meant to view. When we called CJ to confess we had missed the open homes, CJ immediately offered to come meet us at the houses and let us view the properties. She spent several hours taking us to all the properties we wanted to see. Thanks to CJ's responsiveness and good humor, that is the night we found our home. That was Sunday and they were hearing offers on Tuesday. There is no way we would have been able to make an offer on the house if we had not seen it Sunday night! We're happy to say our family has now settled into a house we are so proud to call home. We are so impressed and happy with CJ that I feel compelled to recommend her here, and to everyone I know! We had been working with another agent for months but getting no results, when a friend strongly urged us to work with CJ Boydston. Long story short-CJ's level of customer service and ability to get us a home we wanted at a price we could afford totally exceeded all expectations. With CJ, we were the winning offer on a home with 10 offers. Though all the offers were extremely competitive, the listing agent said that CJ's presentation skills got us the home. CJ works with both Buyers and Sellers. Everyone we have introduced her to loves her. She works out of the Montclair/Piedmont Coldwell Banker office and can be reached at (510) 282-3411 or cj at cjboydston.com. Andrea

I would recommend Chris Cohn with Grubb. She recently helped us evaluate an unusual real estate situation, and I really valued her input. Her knowledge of the local real estate market is tops. M. Moore

I'm writing to recommend our realtor, Francine Di Palma at Red Oak Realty on Solano Ave. in Berkeley. Francine helped us buy our house in Albany in November and was a pleasure to work with. She gave us consistently good advice and we felt she was a true advocate for us throughout the process. She is smart, experienced, always level headed and very witty as well. I would recommend Francine for anyone looking to buy or sell their home in the East Bay. You can reach Francine at (510) 280-2148 or by email at francinedp at yahoo.com. Susannah

We recently had an exceptional first time home buying experience with Martha Becker at Thornwall Properties, (510)848-1950 x247, whom we selected based on a glowing review previously posted on Berkeley Parents Network. Martha specializes in working with first time home buyers. She is candid, honest, supportive, very responsive and down to earth. Her wisdom, connections and experience helped us purchase the first home that we bid on- even though their were a few bids that were higher than ours! Thanks to Martha, instead of a run down fixer, we've got a gorgeous house in an up and coming neighborhood with great neighbors. Her instincts about the market are spot on. I can't say enough positive things about our experience with her. If you feeling hopeless about getting into the market, give her a try- she's a miracle worker. Erika & Austin

I'm posting an unsolicited recommendation for our awesome realtor, Heidi Long of Red Oak Realty. She helped us find a wonderful home in Albany in under two months...it was only our second bid! Additionally, she was able to negotiate a purchase price lower than the list price, which is virtually unheard of in Albany. Heidi has been in the real estate business for over 15 years and it shows. She's quite knowledgeable about Albany, Berkeley, and many other parts of the east bay. Give her a call if you want a real estate expert by your side during the often nerve wracking experience of buying or selling a home. We appreciated and were reassured by Heidi's calm demeanor, sage advice, and comforting insight. Caroline

To the person(s) asking about Gene Millstein's qualities as a realtor. Gene is an outstanding, experienced realtor. We were first time home buyers with very complicated transaction needs that involved out of state property and a time constraint. He handled the whole process in a thoroughly professional way. Gene knows Berkeley neighborhoods inside out and knew of every home on, or soon to be on the market. Throughout the process, Gene was genuinely concerned about our needs, and desires. He's not about just trying to make a sale and will take as much time with you as you need to help you find the right house for you. In fact, Gene not only advised us against houses that were overpriced and not quite right for us, he actually helped us reduce our winning offer at the last minute by a significant amount after assessing the bidding situation. This clearly shows that he had our best interests and not his commission at heart. Feel free to contact me if you would like further information. Desiree

Juliana Wynberg of Marvin Gardens is an excellent realtor. I moved to the area with my partner last summer, and she really helped us zero in on what we needed. She knows an amazing amount of detail about seemingly EVERY property in Berkeley and Albany. She was very respectful of our guidelines, never trying to push us into something that we didn't want. She also saved us from bidding on some properties that really weren't worth our money. She'also down-to-earth and fun to be around. Caroline S

I enthusiastically reccomend Martin Chan of LOH realtors and investments.He did a great job selling our home this past Fall.We had an offer before our home was opened.We had only two open houses for the G.P. and were very pleased with the end result.He is very dedicated to his job and his clients. He is very easy going and works with you and your needs. We have two children(2 year old & 6 month old at the time)and he was great working around nap times and bringing documents to our home to sign.My eldest still asks about Mr. Chan and we will have the pleasure of working with him again soon with the purchase of our home.He knows the area and the market extremely well.He is a fantastic negotiator and always keeps your best intrest in mind.Martin can be reached at 510-339-9825 ext.105 E-mail:marty AT lohrealty.com

I would like to recommend the real estate services of Martha Becker of Thornwall Properties. I moved to Berkeley with my family this past summer. The real estate market was then and continues to be a tight and difficult market for buyers. Martha worked very hard for us by calling us personally each week to recommend properties for us to see during open house days. Throughout this stressful process, Martha was encouraging, honest, and straightforward. She never pressured us to bid on homes we didn't want or to bid beyond our means. Once we were willing to make a bid on a home, Martha helped us make our offer the best it could be. We bought a home in Berkeley on our first bid, an incredible feat in this tight market. Even more amazing was the fact that our offer was not the highest bid. But thanks to Martha's skills, our offer still stood out. You can contact Martha at 510-848-1950 x 247 or at marthabecker@hotmail.com. We recommend her without reservation! Martha's fantastic! Catherine

My husband and I just bought our first home in Berkeley and I'd like to highly recommend our agent, Tim Cassidy, from Red Oak Realty on College in Berkeley. Tim is patient and extraordinarily hard-working and he found us a home that was under our budget (we're joking that it was the last affordable house in Berkeley) that has many of the qualities we were looking for for ourselves and our two kids.

Tim spent endless hours looking at houses, he took us out to see new houses that fit our criteria every single week and went way out of his way to answer my questions (and I have a LOT of questions-most of his answers were emailed to me because I'm a busy mom w/ few windows for extended phone conversations). Several times we were able to print emailed documents in need of signatures from home at our convenience. He even came to our home a couple of times when we had some things that needed a fast signature. Though we are very familiar with the bay area Tim demonstrated an incredible knowledge of the area and area resources.

We are very lucky to work with Tim and he made the experience of buying a first home on a budget in this tough market a good experience. His # is 222-7731 or cel 679-8079 MG

I felt like I had to share with the community the name of a realtor who provides specialized assistance in today's thriving housing market. Her name is Lisa Hardy and she's with Montclair Better Homes Realty. I know that Lisa has lived in Oakland for more than 30 years and has a firm grasp on its many neighborhoods and communities. In this competitive market, representation is the most integral aspect of the buying and selling experience. Lisa offers FREE market analysis, FREE Interior Consultant Services, a FREE Aggressive Marketing Plan that includes advertising AND complete MLS Service. If you're looking to buy/sell, you should give Lisa a call at 510-812-6699. I'm sure she'll be a great asset to you. Lisa takes a genuine interest in seeing that the personal housing goals of her clients are reached and that the outcome of each transaction is a happy one. Anne

Need a realtor? Please contact lTeam Arean of Keller Williams (http://agent.kw.com/101320/). Cynde, Jeff, and Alex, ''Team Area'', acted as our agent for our 1st-time home purchase. They began by explaining their individual roles, focuses & strengths, & what we could expect from each. They made us feel like their priority. What ensued was a 3- point effort on their part to get us the house we wanted. During the entire process, they fully responded to our needs. We met at the end of 6/04 and we happily closed on 8- 12-04.

Important info: Team Area is comprised of 3 licensed ''realtors'', each capable of fully servicing the client. Their attention to detail is borne out of a commitment to ensuring the buyer obtains ALL property-related info (i.e. inspections, disclosures, etc.) before close, including paying for inspections, as well as being bold about requesting info and repairs from the Seller. Their commitment to Sellers regarding inspections includes making sure Sellers know all costs before going on the market, including ordering & paying for all inspections before putting a property on the market. Sellers can relax when listing with Team Area. Potential buyers are screened prior to offers being accepted. Their industry reputation is solid; other agents enjoy & look forward to working with them. They also work w/only the best service providers: painters, lenders, handymen, etc. Additionally, Jeff's a carpenter, Cynde a teacher (an ability to communicate with a wide variety of people), and Alex is bi-lingual (Spanish-English). Post close, Team Area sent their handyman to handle odds and ends we needed fixing. You can't beat that kind of service! Commission check in hand, yet they contmd to respond to our needs! My next home purchase will be w/Team Area. To sell, Imd contact them, too. Please email (iabingy@sbcglobal.net) for specifics about Team Area. I recommend them w/out reservation. Tracey

I highly recommend Jake McTigue of Prudential California Realty. His phone number is (510) 868-1575. He was warm, conscientious, patient, very ethical, worked very hard for us and was extremely thorough. Even after the sale had been completed he helped with issues that came up. He is also extremely knowledgeable of the market and priced our house ''just right''. He was simply a delight to work with. Bernice

I am still amazed at how well my recent buying transaction went, and want to share this realtor recommendation. Helen Walker of Thornwall Properties helped me purchase the perfect house, late last year in the midst of fall buying frenzy. I know that her market knowledge, experience and insight were instrumental in ours being the successful offer (out of nine!) on the house I purchased and where I now happily reside. Helen provided me with excellent advice and support throughout the process. On a professional level she was thorough, diligent and thoughtful, making sure that I had and understood all the technical information. On a personal level she was solid and friendly and able to provide emotional support and good humor along with all the business. During the entire process we made two offers, and I felt good about them both, even the one that was unsuccessful. In hindsight, it was actually quite a lot of fun... Judy

To all homebuyers: I cannot speak highly enough of my realtor, Alexandros Gailas at AG Realty in Orinda. He understood exactly what I wanted, and if I am or am not able to do, financially. He is a wonderful person, easy to work with, always available, returning calls, and he updates me on new properties. He works not only in areas as: Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette, Berkeley, Albany but anywhere you would like to purchase a home in the East Bay. He helped me with my loan and the homebuying process. Alexandros can be reach at his office: 925-254- 7600 or by email: AGrealty1 at sbcglobal.net

I highly recommend Francine DiPalma, CRS of Red Oak Realty, who helped us find and buy our first home in El Cerrito, CA. Francine may be reached at 510-280-2148 or by e-mail at francinedp at yahoo.com or francine at francinedipalma.com. Francine was informative, honest, and worked really hard for us. She was extremely organized which helped a great deal in a difficult market for buyers. In addition, Francine really knows the East Bay. Our budget was low, and yet Francine remained positive, found us a great house, and helped us to put together and submit a competitive offer that was accepted! We thought Francine was fantastic. Katie (murphymessage at yahoo.com) katie

For anybody who's looking for a real estate agent in the East Bay, I would like to recommend Barbara Reynolds (http://barbarareynolds.com/). She professionally and with patience answered the many questions that, as a first time home buyer, I had every turn of the way. I have never felt pressured or rushed while, at the same time, Barbara pointed out deadlines and the tighter Bay Area market times so that I could take full advantage of what was available. G. H

I would like to offer another perspective of using Kathryn Hill of Thornwall Properties. We LOVED her, and have recommended her highly to everyone we know who needs a realtor--buying or selling! She was recommended to us when we purchased our home 5 years ago, and will use her when we eventually sell. Why go elsewhere?? She's a trained professional, and she's got lots of years of experience! If I can answer any questions about using Kathryn, please contact me. Christine

Contact info:
Carolyn Jones           office: 339-6460 ext 339        office fax: 339-6519
Pacific Union           home (ok to call): 841-5172
1900 Mountain Blvd
Oakland, CA 94611

Once we had identified that we were interested in specific houses, we needed to get a Buyer's agent to get us in to see the houses. The person we used was Steve Schneider, with Marvin Gardens on Solano in Berkeley. He wasn't particularly familiar with the area we were looking at (San Leandro), but he's a great agent, so that didn't really matter. His phone is: 1-510-841-1414. That's his home, and the number for the B&B they own. (Be warned, though, they were talking about buying a place in Spain, and moving, so you might have to go with someone else at Marvin Gardens if that happened). Dawn