Wanted to add a testimonial for you. Thank you for helping us find our home... and for all the continued advice with refinancing and home remodeling!!
"Steve is a great realtor to work with and well experienced. We were first time home buyers and were new to the details of what to look for in a home and how to really value a home. Steve gave us a lot of guidance and held our hand through the entire process: from searching for a home, negotiating the purchase, all the way to the end of handling all the details of the purchase agreement and loan paperwork. I couldn't have imagined this whole process to go more smoothly. His help continues even now, months later, as we often call him for advice in our home remodel project. Steve truly does provide "Service for Life"! Thanks Steve.
We have and will continue to recommend you to all of our friends that express interest in purchasing a home. "
We relocated from Atlanta to California in 2010 and were new to the Southbay area. We began searching for a realtor on our own and were not having much luck.
A good friend told my wife about this great agent they had used named Steve Smith. Right away, Steve stood out. He was responsive, took the time to understand what we were looking for and then helped us focus on areas and homes that fit our criteria (location, schools, budget).
He was very patient and never pushy, which we both liked. Because of the direction of the market at the time, Steve advised us take our time and get more familiar with the area. He worked with us for 14 months and ultimately found us a great deal in RPV. The contract terms were very aggressive and Steve did everything he could to make it happen. We got the house at a great price and closed on time thanks to Steve.
Prior to working with Steve, I personally did not think real estate agents added much value to the home buying process. Steve changed my view. I would not hesitate to work with Steve again and highly recommend him to anyone who's considering purchasing or selling.
I wish there were more agents like Steve Smith in this world!
Steve was a great advocate throughout the purchase of our new home. He was professional and diligent in the process of finding a home; negotiating a deal; the home inspection phase; and even after closing when we took possession. We recommend Steve without hesitation to anyone looking for a Realtor.
My wife and I loved working with Steve. This was our first homebuying experience and we'd heard how complicated it was, but working with Steve, everything went smoothly. We were recommended to Steve from another couple who had just recently used him and later found out that multiple people at work had used him.
Steve really listened to what we were looking for in a house (we were actually looking in a very specific area of North Redondo) and suggested a few other places that were similar style neighborhoods. We actually ended up liking his recommended neighborhoods better than our initial area.
He spent quite a bit of time with us looking at different houses, showing us the high and the low end of what we could get for our money. Also, all his contacts, loan guy, home inspector, etc, really know their stuff.
The main thing we really liked though was Steve's availability. We were monitoring the MLS daily looking for new homes in our area. As soon as we saw something we liked, we called him and could usually see the house the same day. That's actually how we got the place we ended up buying. It was listed on the MLS on a Tuesday, we liked it immediately and Steve took us to see it Tuesday night. We then worked with Steve over the next 2 days and had an offer in by Friday.
We had an interesting escrow because the buyers wanted to rent back the house for 90 days, but Steve helped us work through that too. Steve was always very attentive to what we were looking for, always very professional, and we are recommending him to any of our friends who are looking for a house.
My wife and I both recommend Steve as an agent and hope your home buying experience goes as easy as our did.
Happy New Year!I think we have survived our latest move and are finally settled into our new home.I wanted to thank you for helping me locate and purchase the perfect property for my family.Your diligence, patience and attention to detail made the process so easy for me.
Even though our personal situation made selling our previous home quite difficult, you navigated the process professionally and with great kindness and understanding. I really appreciated have you on my team.
Three years later, it was easy to make the decision to have you represent me in the purchase of our new home.Once again, you demonstrated expert knowledge of all aspects of the transaction, making me feel confident that my biggest financial decision was being handled professionally and with my best interest in mind.
Steve, I would highly recommend you as a real estate professional to anyone considering selling or purchasing a home.In my opinion, you set the standard for excellence.Working with you was a real pleasure and now I am honored to call you my friend.
Steve Smith is an exceptional real estate agent! Steve is focused on getting his clients a home they will love, and never pressured us to make a sale. He is a wealth of knowledge on the South Bay and will give you his honest opinion on whether a property will fit your needs. His attention to detail is impeccable - he made sure we understood everything we signed, was extremely patient with our questions, and was sure to point out features on homes that we never would have noticed ourselves. The best part about Steve is that the relationship continues even after you've closed escrow! He followed through to make sure all the paperwork got filed correctly, and that our home warranty was activated. He also has given us excellent referrals for contractors and tradespeople. He would never recommend someone he wouldnt use himself. Even when we started to remodel we asked him to drop by to ask his opinion on something, and he took time out of his busy schedule to help us out! We can't say enough about how much we love Steve - his motto is "I want to be your realtor for life", and he's certainly made lifelong clients out of us! Thank you, Steve!
-Stephanie and Farman
January 2010
If Steve were a French Oenologist he would probably say "Terroir, Terroir, Terroir", but for those instead looking for a home, you hear "Location, Location, Location"! With his bountiful years of experience, his knowledge knows there is no better advice with the test of time.
Steve has been picking me up from my apartment(s) for the past 3 to 4 years, on weekends as well as some weekdays, with a stack of MLS's in hand, ready to explore the new and old housing treasures of the SouthBay.
In 2006 and 2007 when everyone was signing up for a 3 to 5 year ARM, Steve would say, "Go with the 30 year fixed, it's still a great interest rate." For those that didn't take heed of his prophetic warning, well, I always take Steve's advice into consideration.
When I walk into a house, he kicks the tires, not that any of the houses I looked at had tires, but if they did he would kick them to check them out. He would tell me if the house were on a slab or elevated, look at the roof, check out the floor, give me estimates if I wanted to change the second bathroom, what I could do with the kitchen ... he would listen to me talk, figure out my wants, and try to find something to match.
I think even more than his knowledge of the housing industry, I valued his honesty! He would take time to explain things to me. I trust him. When spending more than half a million dollars, you really want someone you can trust!
He was my realtor, he always will be.
I highly recommend that if you are looking to buy a house in the South Bay of Los Angeles, you consider Steve Smith!
Sincerely,
Lan Tso
July 2009
Re. Testimonial for Steve Smith
Dear Steve,
My family and I want to thank you for making our dream of home ownership come true.We could not be happier in our new home in Redondo Beach. You are truly an exceptional professional.You hone a complete repertoire of vital skills, knowledge and personality to make you, in our opinion, the best real estate agent we have ever met.Your modus operandi to treat each client relationship as a life-long partnership makes you unique in your industry.Not only did you find us the perfect home in the perfect neighborhood (i.e. right size home, terrific family-oriented community, and great schools for our kids) but you identified and rectified our permit issue and supplied us with high-quality contractors to complete our home improvements.In short, my family felt completely comfortable as you guided us through the entire complex process of buying a home.
Thanks again and we look forward to working with you on our next real estate purchase,
Brian and Mui Klein
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Dear Steve,
We feel very fortunate to get to know you and purchase the house from you, and the next house we purchase will be from/through you for sure (if we can afford one in the future).
I really appreciated your honest advice based on your strong knowledge and experience, also the fact that you care about the long term relationship with each buyer. You are definitely different from other realtors who only care about selling the house and don't care about how buyer's live in that house. I really feel that you are happy for us and for each buyer when they purchase the house and that's why the whole process was enjoyable even though there were a lot of things to do.
We really appreciate your help and support during this whole process!
Thank you very much!
Hiro & Yvette
02-23-2009
Steve,
I really want to thank you and your team in making the sale of our home happen during such a difficult period. Not only were you able to get it sold during the
Holiday period, but got it done with other "outside" factors at work against us. Your organizational skills, e.g. follow-up, follow through, etc. coupled with your incredible work ethic combined to bring each of us the desired success we sought.
I will continue to recommend you to anyone I know looking to buy or sell a home and sincerely appreciate the excellent job you did for us. You are my realtor for life!! Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Jay & Rita Ginnow
October 14, 2008
Dear Steve:
Christina and I love our new home and wanted to take a moment to thank you for the work you did helping us to buy it.
This was our first time buying a home and from our first meeting, you did an excellent job helping us to know what to expect and answering our questions. More importantly, you gave us a great deal of confidence throughout that you were looking out for our interests. This included developing a good understanding of what we were looking for in a home and taking the time to help us build our understanding of the local market. When it came time to make an offer, we had confidence that you were on our side in the negotiation process and not simply looking to close the deal.
Steve, we were also very impressed with your technical knowledge and experience and the way you put it into practice. It was clear that you had an intimate understanding of the SouthBay market where we were shopping -- that you knew every neighborhood in the area and had a good understanding of the history, architecture, and other important details. Furthermore your eye for detail and knowledge of contractor costs and processes was extremely helpful to us in evaluating homes.
Finally, you were on top of the purchase process from negotiation through the close of escrow, making it very easy and low-stress for us.
Thanks for your hard work and please feel free to use us as a reference for prospective clients.
Sincerely,
James Ozenne
Referral from Client, Randall Borud, forwarded to me on
6/30/08
(Letter sent to his company´s relocation firm)
May 22, 2008
Kelly Brady, GMS
Global Assignment Consultant
Paragon Relocation Resources
Hi Kelly,
Sure, happy to supply my agent's contact info, which is copied below. His name is Steve Smith
You know, I was thinking... You guys ought to refer to Steve any people interested in SouthBay home purchases (i.e., relo folks and anyone else who's interested in the area).
Unlike both agents that were referred to me before, Steve has a SouthBay focus and expertise. Also, my experience and impression is that he's outstanding in terms of what a prospective home buyer wants from an agent--local market expertise, protecting the buyer's interests, having a long term view (ie, not just trying to get a commission, but instead to build a longer-term, mutually beneficial relationship between client and agent), etc.
Kind regards
Randall
r_borud@yahoo.com
October 24, 2007
Testimonial
This is my second real estate transaction with Steve Smith. The first was for the very successful sale of my condo, which resulted in a selling price $40k over the asking price. The latest transaction was the purchase of a townhouse. Steve is very hardworking, dedicated real estate agent, who is very knowledgeable in his craft. Although our idea of the 'ideal house' changed a few times, Steve never lost patience and worked with us to zero in on the property that was ideal for us. His work did stop there. Once escrow started, he diligently worked to help close escrow by making sure repairs were completed, and escrow fees were reasonable. He also suggested contractors for post house purchase upgrades and volunteered his lock box to give our vendors access to our new house. Real estate transactions are by nature a very complicated, stressful process but working with Steve Smith has made the process much more manageable. I strongly recommend his services for anyone interested in buying or selling real estate.
-Dan and Anarella Sakurai
March 26, 2007
Hi Steve,
As you know we have been in our new home about 6 weeks now and although we have not totally finished unpacking and getting settled, we wanted you to know how much we love our house!
Thanks to you and your knowledge of the area we were able to purchase a beautiful home at a spectacular price! You made the home purchase process a thing to look forward to, rather than dread.
The painters, electricians and plumbers that you put us in touch with were awesome. They performed their services above our expectations and we felt we were charged fairly for their work.
Please accept our sincere appreciation for all you did to get us into our new home. You were on top of every facet of the purchase process and we never felt that we were 'out of the loop'! Thanks for the great job and we have already given your name to several of our friends!
Best wishes for your considered success!
Loren Porretto
P.S. Please stop by and say 'Hi' whenever you're in the neighborhood!
February 2007
Hands down, Steve is the best Realtor that we ever worked with. He was professional, courteous, friendly, timely and always on top of the paperwork and timeframes of the various processes. Steve was knowledgeable about the contractual requirements as well as the many reports, inspections and disclosures that were part of our buying process.
We highly recommend Steve to both buyers and sellers, and will use his representation again ourselves.
Sandy and Ed L
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Steve,
Terri and I would like to sincerely thank you for all your help. As you know buying a home can be a stressful process, especially when it's your first home like it was in our case. There are so many things that you need to know. So much so that it's easy to get lost in the details!
Your willingness to explain everything along the way put us at ease regardless of the complexity at hand. Furthermore, your friendly calm demeanor made the entire process fun.And even more, when you had to get tough on our behalf you were there 10 fold! In short, working with you was the best customer service experience we've had to date. With that in mind, we look forward to working with you again in the future and are spreading the word to our friends and family.
Thanks again!
Mike and Terri Robson
November 21, 2006
Dear Steve,
We'd like to thank you for taking such superb care of us as our real estate consultant. You really went way above and beyond to make the entire transaction a stress free experience. You have been so helpful with all aspects of our new home purchase and your assistance has been so valuable to us.
During the last few months you've been like part of our family and we will miss you. We would absolutely highly recommend you to anyone needing a real estate consultant either to sell or purchase a home (or both!).
This is the third time in the last 20 years that we have used a real estate agent and your performance ranks way above the other agents we have worked with in the past. Re/Max is lucky to have you on their team!
Once again, thank you as well as Antoinette and your family for allowing us to take so much of your time.
Warmly,
Adriel and Hakim Terbeche
KEITH M. STAUB
May 2006
To Whom it May Concern:
Steve Smith helped us purchase a new home in Palos Verdes Estates last June.Steve´s real estate expertise permitted us to purchase the home for a very reasonable amount, which turned out to be a great buy.We have already realized significant appreciation in only a few months.Steve is very knowledgeable about market values, negotiations and legal issues relating to real estate.His expertise proved invaluable to my family and we will be forever grateful to him.The next time we buy or sell a home, we will not hesitate to call upon Steve to assist us.We highly recommend him to all prospective buyers and sellers of real estate.
Sincerely,
Keith M. Staub
Dakin & Michelle Wun 2413 Rockefeller Lane Redondo Beach, CA 90278
May 10, 2006
Outside of the house that we purchased, Steve was by far the best decision we made for this transaction... and we would have never found our house without him. It is perfect! He is very on top of it and is in tune with his clients needs. Thank you Steve!!!
Michelle Wun
December 2005
Steve is one of the most respected realtors in the business. His attention to detail, knowledge and thorough process gives me comfort that even the most complicated real estate transaction will go smoothly. I can't imagine buying or selling a property without him.
- Eric Pratt, client for life!
December 2005
Testimonial for Steve Smith, Re/Max Palos Verdes
Steve Smith brought professionalism and a great sense of calmness to our moving experience. In an already stressful time in our lives (three ill parents, the birth of our second child, two surgeries, a job loss and change, and another family member´s move), we decided to sell our house! Steve was patient, flexible and understanding of our hectic schedule. He is very personable and goes beyond his responsibilities as a realtor. He feels like an old friend yet he keeps his professional boundaries. He has been a delight to work with and we have highly recommended Steve to many of our friends and family. You will be very pleased, and relieved, to allow Steve Smith to handle all of your real estate matters.
Bryan and Rebecca
November 18, 2005
Dear Steve-
Thank you so much for helping us find the home of our dreams. You far exceeded our expectations of a real estate agent with your knowledge of real estate, homes, contracts, and the SouthBay area. I am writing to let you know how much Dave and I appreciate all the guidance and assistance you gave us when we bought our home. You listened to us and only showed us homes that were appropriate for us so we didn´t waste our time. Either you or your assistant were always available for us, you helped us negotiate the best price possible, and your follow through was incredible. (Yes we will pay our taxes in December!) You made sure the termite work was completed-no matter how many times they had to come back out. Thanks for being patient until we were satisfied with all the little details-long after the deal had closed. I will proudly refer all my friends and family to you because I know they will get the same professional and thorough service that we did.
We wish you continued success,
Stephanie Kaats
8/24/05
Alisha and I wanted to take the time to thank you for your outstanding professionalism and guidance as we relocated from Massachusetts to California. We have never experienced such a sense of commitment and dedication from a Realtor.We did not think that we were in a position to buy a home but you put us in contact with all the right people and now we own our own home and our family has never been happier.You gave so much of yourself, working with us for almost a year, always pleasant always, always smiling, always offering your expertise and guidance through each and every step.You were a wealth of knowledge, explaining every step of the way.We are extremely grateful to have had the pleasure of working with you and if we EVER decide to sell or buy again, there is only one person we will go to.We have told all of our friends and family and co-workers about you and will continue to spread the word of your fantastic gift of being able to understand the needs of your clients and get the job done.Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!
The Delgado Family
June 13, 2005
Dear Steve J. Smith,
I want to thank you for the excellent service you provided us.Our house sale was handled professionally by you and your associates. You knew we were concerned about the technique to sell our house, and you put our minds at ease with your attention to detail and thoughtfulness. Your expertise in the field was demonstrated a few hours after listing the house when realtors started calling.You showed complete dedication to us as you guided us through all 20 offers.We shall never forget you or this experience.
A special thank you for going the extra mile and calling realtors in Laramie, Wyoming to try to smooth out some hurdles we had with buying our new home.You are a rare breed of realtor.
If you ever decide you want to brave the weather and move to Laramie, you can sell our home and help us buy a new one.
Thank you does not say enough.
Sincerely,
Cyndi Martin
June 2005
I was very happy with the results of the sale of my condominium orchestrated by Steve Smith. Steve is a hardworking and very knowledgeable realtor. I followed his advice and used his core of skilled contractors to replace the carpet and bathroom tile, re-paint and add lighting in the kitchen. I again followed his advice to put the condo for sale slightly under market price. By spending roughly $5k in upgrades and following his selling strategy, the condo sold for approximately $45k over the sale price. I have also looked at houses with Steve and am constantly amazed by his knowledge of the houses in the South Bay Area. He knows when houses were built and the general architecture of each. He'll point out all the upgrades to the house and give his commentary as to the quality of the re-work done. If you ask him about the cost of additions, he'll be able to tell you an approximate cost. It's apparent from talking with him that Real Estate is his passion and that he does all he can to become educated in that area. Not only does he know about buildings, but he also is experienced in selling strategies to get the best price for your property. I highly recommend Steve Smith for anyone interested in selling or buying Real Estate, particularly in the South Bay Area.
Mary and I have bought and sold four homes in the past, but you were the first realtor who I truly felt had our interests solely at heart. The other realtors were honest and ethical, but it was clear that their interest was to close the deal--quickly. Since realtors get paid upon closing (settlement), I understand that attitude perfectly. You, on the other hand, were clearly concerned with ensuring that the deal was in our best interest. During negotiations, for example, it was clear your advice was geared toward getting us the best price, even if it meant this particular deal might not go through. And after negotiations were over, you went out of your way to ensure the repairs were taken care of. In fact, even after we took ownership of the house, you used your connections to get roof problem fixed. That took a huge load off our minds. And your knowledge of Torrance and the surrounding communities is amazing. If someone is interested in buying or selling a home in this area, I would whole-heartedly recommend they contact you.
