D.B.

To Whom It May Concern:

It is with pleasure that I write this letter of reference for Mary. Mary has been a friend of my family for years. Not only is she an outstanding real estate agent, but also a delightful person as well.

My mother, recently widowed, experienced severe health problems and was moved to a nursing home. After six months, when it became clear that she could no longer live at home, the difficult decision was made to sell the family house that my father had built 51 years ago. With no hesitation, my mom and I asked Mary to act as the family’s real estate agent. I don’t know what we would have done without her. Acting on behalf of my mom, it was my first time selling a house and the circumstances couldn’t have been more fraught with stress. Mary’s professionalism, calmness and patience were much appreciated. She explained how the real estate process worked, how to value the property, researched comparable properties, was straightforward in her assessment of the house’s strengths and weaknesses relative to others which were on the market or had recently sold, and most importantly, explained the strategy required to ensure my mother received the very best price for her home. She even helped us “+”prep”+” the house so that it looked its best. Throughout the entire process, through detailed reports, Mary kept my mom and I informed of all activity on the house. As the offers came in, she explained them in a clear way and helped to negotiate a deal that exceeded the asking price — the house sold within 10 days. As an aside, at one point, because of a conflict of interest, she had to excuse herself from representing a buyer who wished her to act as his agent — she asked a fellow agent to represent his offer so that Mary could remain unbiased during the negotiations. Her integrity was greatly appreciated.

When it came time for me to purchase a home, I called Mary. She interviewed me to determine both my needs and my desires. We looked at numerous properties and Mary’s keen eye quickly caught the pros and cons of each. But before voicing her opinion, she always asked what I thought of the property and how close it came to my ideal home. She patiently answered my numerous questions. When a new house was listed in the area, I would receive the details that same evening. It paid off — we went to see a house that had just been listed, determined it was the one, and the next day, put forward an offer. By knowing exactly what I was looking for, by staying up well into the night to do research on comparables, and by employing her excellent negotiation skills, Mary was able to close a deal that came in 4% below the asking price — during a hot market.

I trust Mary. She is an excellent real estate agent. I recommend her without hesitation to anyone wishing to buy or sell a house.

— D.B.