4015 West Street, Oakland

I had been helping Sarah and Tamara shop for a place of their own for a few months; they are courageous and spirited and looking forward to tackling a renovation project of their own.  Avid cyclists and urbanites, we scoured Oakland in search of a property with solid bones and just barely move-in condition.

After many offers we succeeded in locking in this craftsman on one of the most coveted streets in the quickly gentrifying NOBE area.  It was a HAFA short sale with an incredible number of twists and turns but perseverance pays and we finally managed to reach close of escrow.  As the Sellers were now gone from the premises we raced over and flung back the 40 year old carpets…just as we had suspected, the hardwood floors in the living and dining room were in pristine condition.  Congrats Sarah and Tamara!

My partner and I worked with Derek in purchasing our home. Derek consistently went out of his way to be there for us. He has exceptionally strong interpersonal skills, which translated into smooth negotiations with the seller’s agent and sellers. He really walked us through the process and answered questions along the way. He also has terrific connections with vendors…both the lender who turned out to be even better than the good option provided through my union and various inspectors and contractors. He is the perfect REA and was a great coach through this exciting but somewhat scary process.

Sarah and Tamara