Before we met Carol and Rosemary, we had only a general idea of what we wanted to buy and which neighborhoods we would consider. They drove us through neighborhoods, and we were immediately impressed with their outstanding knowledge of the area, schools and the market. They really gave us a feel for the flavor of each neighborhood, which helped us refine our thinking.

The Art of Listening:

One of the greatest strengths that Carol and Rosemary offer is careful, attentive listening. After hearing our ideas, they helped us refine our thinking, and this ultimately saved us from wasting time. They were always a pleasure to work with, never pushy or overbearing.

Presentation:

To distinguish our home from others, they recommended a professional stager. Her work was truly amazing and made a huge difference - our home looked like a showpiece in comparison to others on the market.

Competitive Edge:

They helped us price our home in a way that generated excitement and competition for buyers in our price range. This was "right on" advice: we sold the home in one week, with multiple offers at more than the asking price.

Dana Tom & Nancy Kawakita

 Preparation:

We started working with Carol and Rosemary a full six months before the house went on the market. They developed a detailed marketing strategy and advised us on the best time to put the house on the market.

Staging:

They really helped us understand the key importance of staging the home. Even though our house was beautifully furnished, we needed to understand that we were selling the features of the home, not our personal tastes. We paid careful attention to even the smallest of details - closets and pantries were neatly arranged, with extra items taken away to storage.

Upgrades:

We invested in upgrades to two bathrooms and the kitchen, and we recarpeted and painted. We also did a facelift to the garden.

Marketing:

Featuring a dramatic photo of our home, we placed ads in magazines and newspapers, and printed 4-color postcards. We had these ready months ahead of the target sale date.

Paige and Carl Roetter

Strategy:

My husband, an attorney, was admittedly skeptical about our chances of finding a good Realtor. We interviewed several Palo Alto area agents and were not terribly impressed. Then we met with Carol and Rosemary, and both my husband and I were immediately convinced by their knowledge and great ideas for the selling strategy.

Scheduling:

Soon after we started working with them - almost immediately, in fact - they gave us a very detailed schedule for all steps in the process of selling my mother's home. And the amazing thing is that they stuck with this schedule, almost to the minute, up to the actual day we began receiving offers. Having the schedule gave us a great deal of confidence.

Relationship:

It was truly a pleasure working with them on the sales strategy. One or both of them is always available, and they are extremely attentive to following up with you right away.

Jeanne Aufmuth

We basically transformed a 1974 house into a 1999 model home. After spending 22 years in our home, we were surprised to discover that a huge amount of termite work needed to be done before we sold. Decks and flooring needed to be replaced, and repainting was needed inside and out. Rosemary and Carol coordinated all the renovation work for us, and it was amazing how quickly and smoothly everything went.

Staging:

They introduced us to a professional stager who transformed the appearance of our home, making it look comfortable and attractive but not tied to any one particular taste. We brought in selected pieces of furniture and artwork and placed other things in storage.

Strategy:

Their goal was to be ready for a Realtor's tour of our home exactly six weeks after we began renovation. They kept to this schedule - the house opened for tour on the day they said it would, and we accepted an offer in a multiple offer presentation, five days later.

Competitive Edge:

Part of Carol's and Rosemary's strategy was to let no one see the house until it was perfect and ready to show. this - combined with the fact that they knew exactly how to price the home - generated a great deal of excitement among Realtors and helped us sell almost immediately.

Relationships:

We Selected Carol and Rosemary because a friend had described them as "thorough -going professionals." This is definitely the case. As a team, they strike a very nice balance between being light-hearted and enjoyable to handling every step of the process in a very professional manner.

Betty Kasson

We were living and working in Pakistan, with plans to relocate to Palo Alto and my work at Stanford University. We first met with Carol and Rosemary in the summer, about a year prior to our scheduled return. A month later, we were suddenly evacuated from Pakistan. Needless to say, we wanted to make a decision on a house fairly quickly.

Approach:

Carol and Rosemary really did a great job of getting to know what we were looking for in a house. During our summer stay, they showed us more than 30 homes. Though we didn't select a home at that point, we returned to Pakistan with the confidence that Carol and Rosemary knew - and would find - exactly what we wanted in a home.

Result:

During the evacuation process, we were able to steal just a few days to visit Palo Alto and make a decision on a house. Carol and Rosemary had selected a home they knew would fit us. We agreed, and they were able to handle all details of the purchase, with our attorney, while we were back in Pakistan.

Relationship:

Their skills are truly complementary. They remind me of the kind of teams I strive to put together for successful projects. Both are very keen on personal interaction with the client. Rosemary is extremely intuitive; Carol has an extraordinary capacity for detail.

Erik Jensen