The purpose of this letter is to relate our experiences with Brett and Annette Junell in the purchase of our new home, and the sale of our old home. In short, I have been amazed at the performance of Brett and Annette and was pleasantly surprised by their skill on both sides of the table.
Annette helped us purchase our home. We had two new additions to our family, and outgrew our modest home. Annette listened to our needs, and was able to “read between the lines” to discern our true desires in a home even though we ourselves were not sure. She was very patient and literally showed us at least 30 homes as we evolved from “just interested” to more serious buyers. We settled on a home that was offered by short sale (a tricky transaction at the best of times, and for many lesser agents virtually impossible to close.) Not a problem for Annette – she kept us fully informed during the four months we had to wait, and represented our interests with a laser focus. Most importantly, her negotiating skills ensured that we paid no more than a reasonable price for a home that had its share of “issues.” We used this savings to complete needed maintenance and upgrades to our new home.
With the new home settled, it was time to sell our old home. For a variety of reasons, it was a tricky transaction. Brett quickly sized up our situation and presented us with a number of options and a recommended offer price. The Junell team did a fabulous job with marketing our home, to include a great website and aggressive online marketing as well as an automated method of viewing the status of our home’s sale on the internet. Brett provided us with outstanding service to include a top-notch stager, inspectors, and contractors to bring our home up to the best condition possible. He met inspectors and contractors when we couldn’t, dealt with a temperamental neighbor, and calmly (and accurately) answered our many questions about the sales process.
Even with fantastic service from our listing agent, we were floored to receive 4 offers in 72 hours. Two offers were at list price, and two were above (one significantly above.) Given the declining real estate environment, our inclination was to take the first offer and run with it. Brett counseled patience and knew exactly what to do in a multiple offer situation. We found the best possible buyer at the best possible price. Our home closed in record time.
The Junells’ integrity is beyond reproach. No promises were made, except for the best possible effort from both of them. They insisted (as I would expect them to) on full disclosures, fair dealings with all parties, and forthright communication for the inevitable bumps along the journey. At no point did we ever feel pressure, and if we needed to think about things for a few days Brett and Annette graciously allowed us the time to do.
Both Brett and Annette are data-driven, analytical people not given to marketing hype and hyperbole. They are exceedingly competent in an up market, a down market, with distressed homes, with distressed sellers, and plain old vanilla real estate transactions. If you are in need of a home in the Tri-Valley area, either to sell or to purchase, I strongly recommend that you immediately contact Brett and Annette Junell.
Brad & Lidia Vereen
