When the time came to sell my condominium, I knew I was going to call Kevin over at Reef Realty. He helped me purchase my first home in San Diego over thirteen years ago and it was great experience back then.
This time around I felt the stakes were higher because the market was starting to turn and I needed to sell my existing condo before I could purchase a new home. Kevin suggested a course of action that, at first was not appealing to me. He said we should sell the condo ASAP regardless of whether we had a new replacement home lined up for me or not. He did explain that this might leave me “homeless” for a period of time but based on the market conditions was confident in his advice. I reluctantly agreed thinking of what a hassle finding an interim house would be if forced to go that route. Who wants to move twice?! We spruced up the condo, put it on the market and got top dollar for it at the tail end of a strong seller’s market. Since that time the rates have consistently risen and market has been in decline. Our timing was perfect and Kevin’s advice was spot-on!
We eventually did find a new home and the purchase was exceptionally difficult as it was a bank-owned property by an out of state bank. Kevin warned me of the many obstacles we could potentially face in a transaction such as this one but I fell in love with the house so we went for it.
The process began in November 2022 and we closed March 2023. The many hours of documentation and communication Kevin spent with the bank was above and beyond. I write with absolute certainty that if Kevin had not taken all the steps he took (that I had no way of knowing were necessary let alone required), that purchase would never have happened.
Yes, I did end up “homeless” for a few months but rented a small unit and in the end it really wasn’t that bad. We sold at the peak and then bought at a low. We ended up having plenty of time to find the right replacement property and vigorously negotiate the purchase of my new home which in the end took all those months. But again, because of the timing we were now turning toward a Buyer’s market so I got to take advantage of that too!
Considering the perfect timing of the sale and the equally perfect timing of my new purchase, I think I saved $50 – $100k compared to a scenario where I didn’t follow Kevin’s advice.
Kevin’s knowledge of everything real estate is so far above his peers and colleagues, its recognizable upon meeting him. You know you are going to be working with a person who has integrated real estate into his life and authentically enjoys it. He is genuinely devoted to his clients giving his all to ANY type of real estate transaction. He oddly enjoys reading contracts word for word, line by line to ensure there are no surprises. His communication is thorough throughout the process which I found crucial. His level of professionalism and steady, consistent demeanor made every meeting and conversation productive and provided me with a clear understanding of what was next.
In addition to Kevin’s years of real estate experience and the hundreds of transactions he has completed, he is also no stranger to renovations. Even after our transaction closed, he was still always there for me. He was happy to share his personal list of subcontractors and tradesmen. Those contacts have proven to be very valuable as I am performing a pretty extensive remodel on this property, which was always in my plan. Kevin still makes himself available to me and offers valuable advice and resources for the renovations ahead.
Kevin said from the beginning, “real estate transactions can be painful”. He was right but did everything in his power to bear the brunt of that pain and alleviate most of the discomfort. If not for Kevin, I would not have my new home today. I highly recommend him to anyone considering a real estate transaction.