Notes of Praise

We made two outstanding decisions when beginning the process to sell our home in the Hollywood Hills:
1) Choosing Melissa Shahin as our agent.
2) Following Melissa’s sale strategy that exactly met our family’s needs and goals.

The guidance, knowledge and follow-through that she delivered was best-in-class. Our home was marketed beautifully and in escrow within days of being presented. Melissa communicated both professionally and kindly with every individual involved in our sale. She was the perfect representation for us – start to finish. And we were THRILLED with the outcome. Thank you, Melissa!

Eugene and his team at The Local Group were awesome. They connected me with contractors and designers when needed to help complete my vision. We did a complete remodel and addition. We sold the property for 250k over asking. Eugene is very hands on and has great idea. He was always on time and enthusiastic about what I was working on. I couldn’t be happier with him and his team.

We just closed on our first home and it was all thanks to Mark and the amazing team at The Local. The homebuying experience is terrifying but Mark was with us every step of the way with his guidance and expertise. He never pushed us to go one way or the other, but always gave us all the information we needed in order to make our decision with sound minds. Because of him we were able to find the home we were looking for and we’re so grateful! Thank you to Mark and The Local!!

If you want to buy a house in this very competitive market, Melissa is the realtor you need! She is very good at reading situations and negotiating – she knew when to play hard ball versus when to accept the deal. After few offers, she guided us on how to change our strategy to make our next offers more appealing to the sellers, as the market was so competitive and the houses we were looking at were going at $150K over asking price.

She is very thorough and made sure that all the necessary information was provided to us before we finalize the deal so that there is no bad surprises later. She was very prompt and reliable, and would be in contact with us every day. We could ask any questions and she would answer immediately or work to find the answer promptly. She advised us a lot, but in the end, she would let us decide whether or not we would proceed with an offer. We never felt pressured into a decision.

Compared to some of our friends’ realtors or sellers’ agents, Melissa stood out as driven, committed and fighting to get us the best deal. We fully trusted that she was working for our best interest.

On top of everything, she is very fun to work with and very friendly!

Melissa was amazing! These were not your ordinary real estate transaction, and without her, I do not think it would have been a success. She had to work with tight deadlines, tough negotiations, and every other hurdle you can imagine. Yet, there was never a doubt she would deliver on everything I needed. I can not thank her or speak highly enough about her abilities.

Thank you Melissa, words do not describe just how much this meant to me.

Eugene was an excellent partner and guide throughout our home selling process. From the beginning, he and his team were able to recommend repairs and improvements that netted us multiple offers well above our list price, immediately creating positive ROI. Next he navigated the offers to maximize the sale price and was able to make sure that we had multiple backups in hand (which we needed!). While this process wasn’t smooth due to external factors, Eugene ensured that the process kept moving even with all the ups and downs. Highly recommend!

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Melissa. She is smart, a hard worker and was very attentive. Being a first time homebuyer is scary, she made the process so much more enjoyable and we really felt she was always looking out for our best interest. Her professionalism went above and beyond as well, we always felt proud to have her representing us, I can’t say the same for a lot of Realtors. I highly recommend choosing her for buying or selling your home, you won’t be disappointed!

I was lucky enough to walk into the office on Glendale. The staff was very nice and professional and they put us in touch with Mark. Mark was super thorough and professional and all around a great guy. Not pushy at all and also is super knowledgeable about the local real estate market. Eugene is also amazing and I was so happy to be able to work with both of them. They always made us feel like they were on our side and wanted us to get the best deal possible. I ended up buying a house and both Mark and Eugene were involved. They made everything super easy and non stressful. I would highly recommend using Mark and Eugene for any of your real estate needs….buying a home, selling a home, renting a home or maybe even renting out your home….

It was an absolute pleasure to recently work with Melissa on the purchase of our home. In a short period of time, she quickly understood exactly the type of home we were looking for and always took the extra steps to provide objective data regarding comps and market intelligence.

When it came to bidding on homes, she skillfully navigated us and ensured that we were always competitive, while at the same time ensuring we were not submitting unreasonable offers. She always took the extra steps many other realtors don’t (but should), like quickly developing a good rapport with the listing agents of homes we were interested in and establishing open lines of communication with them throughout the bidding process. This was extremely critical in the current unprecedented housing market.

She tirelessly worked to make our house purchase as simple and successful as possible. Melissa was always more focused on answering our questions, giving us good advice, and finding homes that met our needs than she was on closing a deal. She’s highly skilled at crafting strong offers to set us apart from other buyers. All with a tremendous amount of positive energy.

Eugene & his team did a great job facilitating the sale of my uncle and aunt’s place in Los Angeles. We had to sell their condo after my uncle passed – and with me living in San Francisco, I was worried about how that was going to happen. Eugene made sure we knew what was going on with the renovations, helped us negotiate issues with the HOA, and made sure we knew all the steps in the process of going forward with the sale. The renovation team made the condo sparkle – and that drove up the price of the home BEYOND what we had hoped for. I am happy to recommend Eugene as your agent.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Mark on 2 home purchases and cannot recommend him enough. If you’re considering buying or selling a home in Northeast Los Angeles, this is the agent that you’re looking for. I was first paired with Mark and The Local Real Estate Group during my hunt as a first-time homebuyer. Mark is experienced, active, and extremely personable; he made himself available for questions any time and he wasn’t afraid to speak up if he noticed potential issues with a property. The condo that ended up being my first home was one that Mark recognized as a great fit – he saw the listing go live on the same morning that we were touring another unit nearby and was able to get us a showing that same day. He and The Local team were on-the-ball through the whole escrow process and kept things moving quickly and painlessly through closing. Fast forward a few years and a marriage: Mark was the first person we reached out to when thinking about upgrading to a single family home. Once again, he was fully engaged and always actively listening to what was important to us. He helped us navigate the crazy, much more competitive landscape of the current market and hone in on exactly the home to fit our needs. His strategic experience helped us win out over multiple other offers (some all cash) and he kept the process moving all the way to the finish line. We would not be in our house today without Mark and we can’t thank him enough! Seriously, give him and The Local call if you’re looking into realtors in the area and they just may change your life too.

Working with Melissa was amazing! I have bought two prior homes and used three different real estate agents in the past-, none of whom even come close to the experience I had with Melissa. Our recent purchase was a “short sale”. These words put fear in the hearts of most people, and these sales have many additional hurdles to overcome. Melissa was able to walk us through the process with her expertise and skill, and helped us understand everything that was happening during the process. Because of Melissa we now have the home of our dreams.

On the other side of the sale – Melissa was able to sell our previous home in 4 days! She helped us with what things we should do to show the home (none of which cost much) and held an Open House immediately. We received an offer above the asking price that same weekend.

Overall I cannot express enough how wonderful Melissa is, and how true the friendships are that she builds with her clients.

Eugene and the design team at The Local Real Estate Group were great to work with in the selling of our property. From the beginning, Carla, our main designer was involved in helping us pick the right colors, designs and layouts for the bathrooms and kitchen as well as the outside deck, landscaping and the staging. Eugene and Jenn were able to negotiate a great price for the property and made the closing of the sale smooth and easy. We highly recommend this team and will be using them again for the next property.

Susie was absolutely amazing in helping us find our forever home in a difficult market and through the pandemic. As first time home buyers, she stuck by our side and helped us every step of the way, always available to answer any of our questions with her wealth of knowledge and expertise. Her warmth and professionalism are unmatched. I don’t think you could ask for a better agent in Los Angeles. Everyone else we worked with on her team to close our deal were super kind and proficient as well. I think Kurt has crafted a wonderful team of individuals who really care about their clients, and the heart of the company shines through.

Eugene is so skillful! He handled a complicated, multi unit sale for us with ease and patience. He guided us every step of the way, was an excellent negotiator and easy to work with throughout the process. We would highly recommend him for any sale.

Sold Unique “as is”/cash property before it even listed. Saved me hours of stress and headaches! Kept the process simple and I could reach Eugene day or night Great job!!!

I recently closed escrow on a home that has been in my family for over 60 years. It was an emotional experience. I knew though, from the moment I met Eugene, that I would be in good hands and my intuition proved to be correct. Working with the entire team was a really pleasant and rewarding experience. I always felt that I was kept well informed of the progress of the sale and could reach out to Eugene any time I had questions. The whole process, from start to finish, was seamless. I would highly recommend Eugene and his entire team to represent you as a buyer or seller.

Eugene Ridenour is a joy to work with . He is so professional,helpful and knowledgeable about real estate . It was a pleasure working with him . I would use Eugene again to sell my property. The Local Group is the company to hire for all your real needs !

Eugene did a great job representing us in the sale of my late aunt’s home. He communicated thoroughly throughout the process and marketed the property very well. Due to this, the offer we accepted came in well over asking and we were able to close very quickly. Eugene answered any and all questions that we had, was knowledgeable about the market and very kind throughout. We’re so glad to have worked with him and recommend him wholeheartedly.

Eugene is a pro. He’s knowledgable and experienced – and backed by a great team. He was calm and patient throughout the process despite a few challenges. Ultimately he got the job done when we had all but given up hope. Thank you Eugene!

Feeling cared about and cared for is so important during times of high stress and when a situation is complicated. Eugene and all the folks he works with have been amazing. This selling situation was fraught with so many difficult variables and trying to sell my father’s house while trying to relocate him to me in Washington, was emotionally and physically exhausting. Eugene and his team performed, what felt to me, several miracles to get the sale completed quickly. Eugene’s kindness, patience, and hard work are to be commended. Thank you so much!

Eugene @ The Local was my listing agent when I recently listed (and sold!) my home here on the east side of Los Angeles. As a first time seller, Eugene was a great partner and a strong advocate for my interests in the transaction. Everything was spot on at every step of the way – listing and pricing strategy, marketing, negotiating terms, and navigating escrow all the way to closing. Eugene is kind, super friendly, laid back, and approachable, and I can’t imagine having listed with anyone else. Highly recommend Eugene and the whole team at The Local!

Jen was the agent in the sale of my home. Working with her is a complete joy and I trusted her with this emotional and important process because she is honest, hard-working, and totally does everything with her clients’ best interest at heart. She’s an incredible agent, kind but strong and I couldn’t recommend a better person for the job!

I’ve worked with Jennifer on several deals. She’s very smart; she’s extremely responsive; and she’s REALLY good at getting a deal accepted. I would not hesitate to refer any of my clients to her.

Jen Cahill helped me sell and buy my homes in 2018. She is knowledgeable, patient, and honest. She knows the market inside and out and was able to get me almost $140K over asking on my home. When it was time to buy, she steered me toward a neighborhood nearby that I would have never considered, and now happily call home. Most of all, Jen really listens to her clients. Buying and selling your home can be scary, but Jen Cahill made the whole process familiar and friendly. I would definitely recommend her to anyone getting ready to sell or buy!

Jennifer is beyond professional. She works diligently and honestly, combining great customer service with great advice. She represented my family through the process and all I can say is that the people who make up the transaction are equally as important to her as the transaction itself.

We had the most amazing experience with the purchase of first home and we couldn’t have done it without Susie Park and the team at The Local. Susie is both highly experienced and an intelligent, consummate professional. She knows the area like the back of her hand and was always ultra punctual for every meeting. She would come out with us weekend after weekend to look at homes to buy. It was important for us to find something that was exactly right and her patience with us really showed. We have finally found and closed on our dream home at a fantastic price/sqft. My wife and I are so excited. It also really makes a difference when you have someone who is on top of every aspect of the transaction. Susie provided great balanced advice for bidding, for counter-offers, negotiations, escrow, lenders, and even for vendors. We hardly had to try because she took care of everything. Even when we ran into unusual situations with the sellers and escrow company, she pushed hard for us and was always 100% prepared. We cannot thank you enough Susie. You are the greatest. Thank you for making it all so seamless and easy.

For anyone in the market to buy a home, I would highly recommend choosing Mark Grimes as your agent. Mark is very knowledgeable, professional, responsible and is always readily available. He would arrange showings with short notice ; and would reply to and address all our questions/concerns in a timely manner. Mark’s friendly and kind demeanor puts you at ease in making the best decision in your home purchase. Thank you, thank you Mark for all your help.

Susie repped us when we bought our first house in Silver Lake. We knew NOTHING about the process and she was so helpful. She was honest with us and never pressured us on any decision. We also were confident that when she negotiated, she was extremely fair and really fought for us as much as we could. We never had any doubt that we were in good hands. And also, she’s just a really great person who we now can call our friend. Thank you, Susie!

If you want top dollar and shortest time on market then Melissa should be your go-to. I trusted her vision for some minor “remodeling” and staging, and it paid off in presentation and performance on the market. She’s very accommodating and easy to work/communicate with, but if you give her some freedom on key listing decision making she’ll really come through! Will be recommending her for anyone I know selling a property!

As a first-time home buyer, I honestly wasn’t even sure it was possible to purchase a home in LA. Friends of mine looked for months and months, most over a year, to find something. The process always seemed incredibly daunting and the LA market is terrifying, let’s be real. All my thoughts dramatically changed when we started working with Susie at Courtney + Kurt. Susie is so easy to connect with and she applies zero pressure. I felt so comfortable chatting with Susie about my concerns and ideas and she was always available to listen and offer advice. I can’t tell you how many times we changed our minds about something and Susie would just say “no problem, let’s move on”. Susie really took the time to make sure we were happy with our purchase and felt comfortable with every step of the way. She is amazing and exactly the person you want helping you in this process. In the end, we found the perfect place that instantly felt like home, all thanks to Susie. While I hope we don’t move again any time soon, Susie would be my first call.

I recently purchased a new home and had the pleasure of working with Mark. From start to finish, Mark went above and beyond to ensure our home buying experience was smooth and successful. He kept us informed at every step, ensuring we were fully aware of the progress and any necessary actions. His ability to navigate the complexities of our escrow process world was truly invaluable.

If you are shopping for a realtor, literally stop searching! Melissa is your gal! Melissa sort of fell into our lap, as our original realtor moved and then referred us to her. I honestly wouldn’t have wanted it any other way as Melissa was a gift to us! She helped us sell our condo for WAY over asking price and was with us every step of the way in our search for a single family home. From the moment we initially met, I felt so much peace and confidence about our future endeavors with her. Not only was she so kind, but she really took the time to listen to our wants and needs, and then make them come true! She has many connections and helpful people in her radius, too. Her communication was above anything we’ve experienced (and we’ve dealt with other realtors). We never felt like we were just another customer. She was there for everything; from the painters touching up our condo, to the final walk through of the home we purchased. I could go ON and ON about why I’m thankful for Melissa, but I’d say, you should just experience her for yourself. LA is beyond lucky to have her in the market. It is possible to sell OR buy with Melissa by your side; even in this current crazy market!

My husband and I are forever grateful to Susie Park at The Local, who helped us purchase our first home in the intimidating LA market. Six months later we are still so thrilled with our home and know we never could have done it without her. Susie has a perfect calm energy; I am the type to ask 9,000 questions about every little thing and she was able to clearly explain every piece of the process along the way to quell my anxiety. She always had our backs and stuck up for us on more than a few occasions. I can’t say enough good things about her!! Without a doubt the next time we have any realtor needs we’ll be running back to her, would work with her again in a heartbeat.

I had the pleasure of working with the team at The Local on two real estate transactions in relatively rapid succession – the purchase of my home and then the subsequent sale. Mark, Eugene, Kurt, and the rest of the team at The Local were friendly, approachable, and extremely knowledgable of both the market and the whole process at large. As a first time home buyer (and then first time seller!) they always took the time to walk me through the various steps of the process, answer all of my questions no matter how basic, and make sure I was comfortable and satisfied with every move we made. They worked diligently and advocated tirelessly on my behalf, and I was very pleased with where we landed on both transactions. Highly recommend the team at The Local!

Many, many thanks to our agent, Melissa Shahin, for ALL her expertise and help with purchasing our new home. Melissa’s guidance across the transaction which at times became complicated, (from initial offer to close) kept this purchase moving. She was a problem-solver, thoughful regarding next steps and action oriented. There was never a moment that we weren’t kept fully informed – which brought us a lot of confidence. Without a doubt, Melissa’s strong industry experience and collegial style with the seller’s agent brought this sale to close. We are so appreciative and love our new home!

I have great things to say about Eugene, Kurt, Compass, and The Local. The team was with us every step of the way as we prepared to buy a new home as well as sell our current home. Everyone was extremely communicative and responsive via text and email. We always felt that the team had our best interests in mind. They helped walk us through every step and detail along the way. All my questions and concerns were met with positive reinforcement and clear explanations. I highly recommend Eugene and his group to anyone hoping to buy or sell a home. Although the market seemed to be shifting, Eugene and his team were confident that we could achieve our goals. That positivity sincerely helped with the stresses of moving and buying a new home. I’m so happy we chose The Local!

Eugene was exactly who I needed to get a complicated sale accomplished. His kindness and patience and local knowledge were impeccable. Thank you to everyone at The Local, and especially to Eugene Ridenour who made an impossible situation so much less stressful.

Kurt and The Local are the best in the business. Every step of the way in our home purchase was met with professionalism, care and candor. They listened carefully to our “wish list” and after months of follow up and negotiation on one home in particular, defeated the odds and secured the win for us. Considering the specific and rare situation with the seller (an investment company), combined with the crazy market we find ourselves in, this was no easy feat. Nonetheless, they succeeded we have our dream home.
I don’t know that you can find a better set of real estate professionals than Kurt Wisner and The Local. Aside from their incredible market instincts and neighborhood knowledge, they possess a rare blend of intelligence and honest enthusiasm.
What comes through is that they care about each and every project. For two people with such a refined sense of style, they are incredibly down to earth and eager to be involved in every step of the process. Whether it’s dealing with a legal issue or a drainage issue, The Local are right by your side and loving it.
The truth is it’s fun to do business with The Local. It’s easy to have fun when you have such great trust in your partners. And that’s what The Local are, partners. Our family feels very fortunate to have them in our lives.

Kurt y El Local son los mejores en el negocio. Cada paso del camino en la compra de nuestra casa fue dirijido con profesionalismo, cuidado y franqueza. Escucharon atentamente nuestra “lista de deseos” y después de meses de seguimiento y negociación con una casa en particular, superaron las probabilidades y nos aseguraron la victoria. Teniendo en cuenta la rara y específica situación con el vendedor (una empresa de inversión), combinada con el loco mercado loco en el que nos encontramos, esta no fue una tarea fácil. No obstante, lograron que tengamos el hogar de nuestros sueños.

What an awesome team!! Every single person that Kurt brought on to help us in our sale made the process efficient and graceful. We felt that we were in good hands from start to finish, photos and staging to final sale. Every person on this team is outstanding at what they do, focused, reachable with ease and personable. We’re so grateful to this team and highly recommend them. They bring elegance to an at times challenging process!

Jen was an incredible listing agent. After interviewing 5 different realtors, we made the decision to go with Jen and Kurt at the Local. They were kind and sympathetic to our current situation. They made suggestions and recommendations, came through on them and had over 84 people at our first open house. Not only did Jen get us over asking price, but she walked us through every step of the process, explained what was happening, and helped us with the stress of closing deadlines. She and The Local had the folks in place to complete every transaction and meet every deadline. Jen, Kurt, and the whole team at The Local made our wildest dreams come true.

As soon as I reached out to Eugene he immediately made himself available and helped us every step of the way, knowing full well he and his team was managing other properties as well. I had reached out to another agent prior to Eugene and I just wasn’t feeling it. I knew Eugene as he sold us our house back in 2019. I remembered his calm, but friendly and professional manner and knew he would be what we needed to sell our home. Their team was amazing and treated us like long time friends. They even provided to us free partial staging items since we were still living in our house and didn’t want a full stage. During the sale we were also purchasing another home. Eugene went out of his way to assist us and protect our interests on the new property even when it was not required or expected of him as he was not representing the second property. Eugene is experienced, professional, makes you feel at ease (which is big for me and difficult to do), and is a pro multi-tasker. We would recommend him to anyone looking to sell their home.

Working in the real estate industry means that I come across a lot of different agents every day. After linking up with The Local Real Estate through a networking group, I think that it’s safe to say that I’ve found one of the great ones. Their social media marketing is stellar, they incorporate “takeover Tuesdays” on their Instagram stories and have an amazing aesthetic to their look. I look forward to working together with them on referral deals in the future.

I’ve worked with this team for two home purchases and one home sale now, and I’ve been thrilled with the process and outcome each time. Our agent was smart, patient, helpful, and has absolutely the best taste. I’d give him, and the whole team for that matter, 10 stars if that was an option!

My wife and I had such an awesome experience purchasing our first home through The Local Real Estate Team! Our agent was so supportive and was definitely in our corner throughout the entire process – always being available to answer silly first-time buyer questions and guiding us through this rollercoaster of a market. He’s also just the nicest guy and very knowledgeable on the areas that we were looking in. Would highly recommend the entire Local Real Estate Team if you’re in the market to purchase or sell a home in LA.

This is THE team to have on your side for all your real estate needs.

If you are looking to buy, call The Local and they will expertly guide you through the process. They have the relationships and know how to get deals done, even in this crazy competitive market. And the team is patient, level-headed, and provides sound advice from offer to counter to close. Most importantly, he keeps you optimistic in what can be a rollercoaster of ups and downs. And when he said we were close and not to give up, he was right. I wake up every day in my beautiful new home and still can’t believe it’s mine. We truly could not have done it without him!!

Another shout out to Mark Grimes from The Local RE team who helped us get our duplex rented at lightening fast speed, and for over asking. He brought so many quality applicants to the table it was almost impossible to pick. So happy with the results and confident we found the perfect tenants.

I highly recommend these guys! Good people + great results.

I could not recommend this team enough. From start to finish this was the most pleasant experience imaginable.

As first time buyers, The Local were our shepherds as we navigated through the arduous task of buying in Los Angeles during this market. Step by step he laid out all of the options for us and was extremely prompt and caring when it came to any of our concerns. He was able to break everything down for us in a way that it didn’t become overwhelming or frustrating. He managed our expectations and took the time to walk us through every scenario that pertained (and could’ve pertained) to us.

Together we found the perfect house that checked all our boxes but to our surprise it didn’t end there.
The team not only held our hand during the escrow process taking care of all of the finer details but they had our best interest and facilitated professionals that were trustworthy and experienced when it came to any of our concerns. Buying a postwar modern home was always a dream for us and there are many aspects of it that aren’t necessarily turnkey, so his list of contacts to help us after the move-in has been invaluable.

We couldn’t imagine a more perfect situation leading up to the purchase, during, and after. The level of attention, patience and care is one that I’ve rarely seen in ANY industry and we can’t show enough gratitude for feeling like someone really had our back. It’s something that can’t easily be described and can only be experienced.

Thank you to the Local Group team for making our dreams come true, we can’t wait to host you at our new house!

We had such a great experience with The Local’s team selling our house in Silver Lake. When we first met Kurt and Jenn, we immediately felt their positive outlook and confidence –
something that was missing from the other agents we interviewed. Jenn went above and beyond to prep, oversee, market, and sell our house above asking. This team really knows the east side and
the exact look and feel of homes that sell well. Also Jane was meticulous in prepping and staging our home for photos and open houses, which made all the difference. We could not be happier and feel we could not have had a better experience with anyone else. If you’re buying or selling in Silver Lake/Echo Park/Atwater, then go with The Local!

My husband and I are forever grateful to Susie Park at The Local, who helped us purchase our first home in the intimidating LA market. Six months later we are still so thrilled with our home and know we never could have done it without her.

Susie has a perfect calm energy; I am the type to ask 9,000 questions about every little thing and she was able to clearly explain every piece of the process along the way to quell my anxiety. She always had our backs and stuck up for us on more than a few occasions. I can’t say enough good things about her!!

Without a doubt the next time we have any realtor needs we’ll be running back to her, would work with her again in a heartbeat.

Eugene’s extensive knowledge of the market area and connections allowed him to time the listing and sale of our house expertly–with multiple offers well over asking and exceeding our expectations. He’s a skillful negotiator that you want on your side! We first met the Local team while looking for our house in northeast LA two years ago. We loved a number of their properties but, because they get so many offers, we lost out. We eventually found a home we’ve loved for the past few years. When we realized COVID-19 meant we weren’t going to be going back to the office anytime soon and we had the freedom to go wherever we pleased, we contacted The Local. We knew we wanted them on our side this time!

Kurt and Eugene hopped on a call with me to talk about the market, then came to our house to give us an honest assessment of our options and expectations.

As soon as we decided we were ready to sell, Eugene and their designer, Jane, determined what we needed to do and sent an awesome handyman to do to the few repairs. Jane, Eugene, and the
photographer created stellar marketing materials and all we had to do was not mess it up for the showings.

Eugene scheduled showings, with very little interruption to us, garning numerous offers. Eugene had met and spent time with almost everyone who looked at our house and guided us through picking the best offer, well above listing price and exceeding our expectations. With Eugene and Steve handling the closing, it was a breeze. What could have been a major derailment was handled quickly and competently.

We’ll be calling The Local when we return to LA!

I had the BEST experience with Karina Del Toro of The Local’s team. She was recommended to me through my mortgage broker and I am so so so incredibly glad she was. I was a first time home
buyer, completely clueless and needed extra guidance and help to make sure I was doing everything “right. ” Karina was so informative. Helpful, never shaming especially when I would ask my “rookie” questions.

She was available to.me via phone or text whenever I needed her and we had a LOT of fun on our outing to find the right place. She fought for me with the offers I made and we found my
home, my happy place and she had EVERYTHING to do with it. I will be using her for any of my future real estate needs and will be referring her whenever I can. Thank you Karina!!!!

We feel lucky that we found such a great real estate team! The Local are professional and just simply a good group of people. We bought our first home in Glassell Park with The Local almost five years ago. Blake got us such a good deal that we knew we wanted Kurt’s team to help us sell and buy a new home again. Kurt instantly responded to our request and got on a zoom call with Eugene. Our biggest concern was timing as we were wanting to buy and sell at the same time. They talked through their strategy to help us prepare for multiple scenarios. We knew that we were in good hands.

The Local was amazing and immediately hit the ground running. They really understood what we were looking for and had such a positive attitude. He is pro-active, responsive, provided realistic guidance throughout the process, and was always patient with us! Eugene was fantastic and brings a depth of knowledge in real estate. He has an extensive network in the area, and found us a buyer who put in an offer within 2 weeks since our first meeting!

Concurrently, we found a home we loved in South Pasadena, put in an offer, got accepted, and went into escrow just a day apart from our selling home! Everything worked out perfectly and there was clear communication between everyone throughout the process. We felt very fortunate that all things aligned in a timely manner, but knew that this wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the entire The Local team. Steve helped us through our escrow documents, answering all our questions promptly and clearly. Melissa was thorough and
professional when evaluating our house.

They really take care of you beyond the big transactions, and they are so organized! They help prep the house, provide great resources and vendor recommendations, and would literally help with
anything else you need! They are also not gone after closing, and Eugene made sure we were well settled in the new home.

We love the Local team and would highly recommend to anyone looking to buy or sell a property!

We would like to thank you both very much for all of your hard work and how smooth you two made this process. Anytime we had questions or concerns you both were there to assist! We learned so much from this process and working with you guys and your knowledge! One thing we really liked was that we never felt pushed or rushed into buying a place, you guys knew what we liked and found the perfect home! We also appreciate that even though escrow has closed, you are both still here with the answers to our questions, no matter how small they are!

Thank you both very much for making this home buying process fun, and easy! We can’t wait to work with you again on our next purchase!

Again, thank you both so much for this amazing experience!

We wanted to be sure to say a HUGE thank you for everything you have done to help Adam and I buy our first home. From the first meetings with you back in February, to the last of dropping off the keys, you have both been incredibly positive, supportive, helpful, and reassuring that we would find something fitting, and didn’t try to convince us at any point that we were being unrealistic.

You kindly guided us through a very daunting new experience, we now have a handle on everything from bids to escrow! Our experience with you was tremendous, thank you for always answering our persistent emails, questions, and taking the time to talk me off the ledge when needed. Even watering our new garden….big props! We will be sure to recommend you to our friends, as our experience was so great.

We are so excited to transform this little abode into our family home, and have you both over to celebrate soon.

When my partner and I finally decided it was time to move into a home with more space, we already knew exactly who to turn to for help. We owned a home in Atwater Village, and were hoping to find something new in the same surrounding areas – The Local were at the top of our list. Having met them personally from their many listings in our neighborhood, we knew them to be extremely knowledgeable and familiar with our neighborhoods of choice, and knew we could count on them to find a buyer for our existing home.

The Local are highly personable, very professional and extremely helpful with all aspects of selling and buying a home. We hired them to find us a new home as well as sell our existing home. They listened to our needs, were in constant contact with us throughout the process, answered all our questions without hesitation, and were so helpful with anything we needed. They made what can typically be a very stressful process run smooth and without incident.

They were so patient as we looked and looked at MANY homes until we found the one perfect for us. When we listed our home, we had multiple offers within days! We are so happy in our new home and we thank The Local for helping us on this adventure. When or if I ever need to sell or buy again, I will hire The Local in a second!!

Absolutely the best real estate team I have ever worked with. I’ve sold 4 properties and I wish I had found them sooner. Personable, incredibly knowledgeable, strategic and extremely professional. The advice they gave was priceless and they sold our house in 5 days at a record price WELL over asking with a bidding war! The very best agents – bar none! Still need to have that champagne!

The Local are way more than just realtors. I can’t tell you how helpful it is working with realtors who have been through multiple renovations and who own rental property. They helped me to estimate costs, they offered to share super helpful contacts, and they also have excellent taste, so came up with amazing, creative solutions to help paint a picture of what a potential property could become. On top of all of this, they are truly experts in their field. I may not have always listened to their advice, but let me tell you, it was always spot-on. They also didn’t hesitate to leverage their resources to help me get in a home. I am certain no other realtors would have been able to get me the perfect place I ended up with.

I was constantly impressed by how above and beyond they went, but was just amazed after I closed and imagined their job was done, yet the help kept on coming. The Local was instrumental in helping me become a first time landlady. Did I mention I was a VERY picky client and they never once made me feel like the pain in the butt I know I was? I really can’t say enough great things these guys!

We are the kind of couple who will search far and wide for a review or testimonial before we do just about anything. We want to hear the truth about other’s experiences to know what we’re getting into – and if we want to get into it.

But for us to actually sit down and share our own opinion on a service, it takes something pretty special. That’s where The Local come in. This is a team that redefines special. We often found ourselves wondering how we could possibly let more people know about them, and about our incredibly positive and fun experience working with them to find our very first house. A house we never would have discovered without their help. A house we love.

When it comes to all things real estate, The Local are not only smart and organized and insightful, they’re also honest and creative. To us, what makes them stand out above the rest is that they’re genuine, sincere, and real. They will never put the sell over the human experience. They offer guidance along with friendship, and are an absolute blast to be around. A lot of laughs were had by all! And they listen. They work within needs and hopes, they don’t try to change them.

We truly feel that The Local give new meaning to the term “above and beyond,” because we asked them 1 million questions. They had 1 million answers, as well as 1 million pounds of patience and kindness and humor to give. So in short, this is a partnership you want to get into. We are so grateful that we did, and that now we get to kick up our heels, look at one another, and say with smiles, “welcome home.”

We had the best experience possible in buying and selling our house thanks to The Local. Everybody knows that the process of buying and selling is one of the most stressful experiences in life; they minimized that aspect for us by being so knowledgeable, patient, helpful, and supportive.

I can safely say they were the reason we landed our dream home, in a very competitive market, and they also sold our home for wayyyy more than we expected. During the buying process they were extremely patient and gracious with their time. Their relationship with the selling agent and negotiating skills resulted in our offer on our new home being accepted amidst many others. In turn, their marketing skills led to us receiving SIX offers over list on our prior home on the first day we began accepting offers. It sold very quickly at more than 10% over list.

In addition, they are generous with recommendations for contractors and just about any other homeowner advice you might need. On top of all of that professional ability, they are super people to work with and hang with too! Highest recommendation!

This letter is being written in whole-hearted support of The Local. We moved in to a home in our dream neighborhood towards the end of November, and that reality would never have been realized without their unending dedication, innovation, and hard work.

When we met The Local, we were frustrated and discouraged—we had been searching for an affordable (first-time owners) and yet comfortable home in a very specific location for several months, and had been beat out on several offers. Our realtor at the time was pleasant but disinterested, and we felt as if were doing much of the footwork ourselves. What a contrast The Local were! From the moment we started working with them it was clear that they had a firm mission in mind, and that mission was to find (and successfully buy) the home we wanted. They were incredibly knowledgeable about the housing market, the neighborhood we were looking in, and the ins and outs of home ownership. Through the ups and downs of the home search they were consistently positive, encouraging, and yet realistic—they always seemed several steps ahead of the game and had a well-formulated plan for how to achieve our goals. And their energy was incredible!

We can’t say enough about what a positive experience we had working with Kurt and The Local. They will do an excellent job for anyone in a position to either sell or purchase real estate, because they understand what is involved, have an incredible work ethic, and—more importantly—actually care about what the client is going through. It’s like having really good friends find you a home—or sell your house.

We would be more than happy to speak with anyone considering The Local as realtors; we are so grateful for the excellent job they did and for their support and friendship.

PS
They also helped us move into our place two days before Thanksgiving and helped us hire painters who got the job done before company showed up – who does that?

My husband & I had been in our home for 26 years & thinking of moving to a condo. Eugene helped us from day one; going over every detail of the process from timing, marketing, what we needed to do to present our home in the best light, realistic pricing, & advising us on updated housing codes we needed to follow. After about 6 weeks on the market, we had 13 valid offers for well over asking price. We could not have been happier with Eugene and his handling of the whole experience. He worked with us to make sure we felt comfortable each step of the way & was always available to answer our endless questions. He also helped us find a fantastic condo to purchase.

The Local and Kurt Wisner sold our home in Silver Lake – they made it easy, quick and fun – that’s right, fun! It’s the first time we ever sold a house and they were patient with our many questions, easing our anxiety about the process. They were a joy and a pleasure to work with and at times we even forgot we were selling a house – they did everything for us without putting us through any daily drama – which I’m sure they took the brunt of for us. We live in San Francisco and The Local made selling a home “long distance” easy and seamless. They took on all the details, sent us regular updates and everything was submitted on time and with ease. They even handled the details of finalizing the lease with our tenants that were moving out. I wish we had another home we needed to sell just so we could still have regular conference calls with these guys. The Local offer first class service with a laid back attitude – a combination that works like a charm when showing a home. Because The Local know the area so well they priced our home perfectly – generating interest and capturing serious buyers. After getting multiple great offers, we ended up finding the perfect buyers for our home. The Local knew exactly how to spruce up the home, stage it and market it — and we ended up with a win-win for all parties involved.