Emiko & John – San Mateo

“We had the pleasure of working with Alana in closing 2 home purchases and 1 home sale for us over the course of seven years, including during a time of great uncertainty (the initial COVID pandemic lockdown). When we first worked with Alana, we were first-time home buyers in a very tough market with a limited budget. She gave us the grace, knowledge and guidance to help us put together a winning bid after many many months of looking. You mercifully don’t get “mansplaining” with Alana, but instead, get someone who answers your questions thoroughly, patiently and pragmatically. What works in one market doesn’t work in all markets, and Alana knows the ins and outs of the Peninsula market and its players (other agents, financing sources, etc.) extremely well. That is a huge plus given the hyperlocalized and competitive nature of the Bay Area real estate market. Aside from her expertise, she really puts in the work for her clients. For example, she sourced a lot of great offmarket opportunities for us and vetted and visited many homes in advance to save us the hassle of going to open houses that weren’t the right fit. When we outgrew our first home after several years, we turned to Alana again to help sell our existing home and purchase a new one. As luck would have it, we went into bidding for a house right as the County Health Officer declared a shutdown of most non-essential services due to the onset of the COVID pandemic. In a time of great uncertainty, when the markets were tanking and we logistically did not know whether we could timely close or close at all, Alana navigated a huge amount of complexity and obstacles to get us another winning bid. She was extremely communicative and as usual, thorough and prepared for any and all curve balls thrown our way. Not only did she help us close on a new home during the pandemic shutdown, but she also managed to stage and sell our existing home above listing price in short order – all in the midst of very unusual COVID restrictions (virtual tours, appointment-only viewings, etc.). In normal circumstances, the near-simultaneous purchase and sale of two homes would be stressful and time-consuming for all parties involved, but to do so seamlessly and successfully during the peak of COVID restrictions is a real testament to Alana’s depth of experience, capability and level-headedness. We hope anyone reading this will have the pleasure of working with Alana to secure or sell your ideal home under less stressful circumstances! Finally, aside from her professionalism and expertise, we would be remiss not to note that Alana is also just a genuinely kind, down-to-earth and thoughtful person to work with! The home buying process can be very stressful; you want someone who is personable and relatable on your side! We highly recommend Alana!”