Madeline Mulgrew - 5305 Greenridge Road, Castro Valley

Seller

To Whom It May Concern:

It is not often I take time to write a letter of recommendation on behalf of service received. I have bought and sold homes, lots, investment properties, and worked with realtors both in and out of California, so I am not a novice to the real estate industry. I have experienced competent realtors, not so competent, and everything in between. I feel compelled to acknowledge the extraordinary effort and skills that has been exhibited by realtor, Thomas Westfall.

A number of months ago I decided look for a new home for my husband and myself as we plan his upcoming retirement in a few years. This was no simple decision as I had lived in my house for 27 years and had spent that time remodeling and decorating the home and garden, so I had many reservations about selling the home and getting top dollar for the amount of upgrades and work that I put into the house over the years.

I was highly skeptical that I would find a realtor who would be able to market my home (an Eichler) and have an understanding of the type of changes made to the house that maintained the integrity of an Eichler, but now combined an artistic mix of modern and Asian both inside and out. In short, I needed a business professional with an eye for design and the ability to find that specific client looking for a very unique property.

I interviewed Thomas and was pleased with his knowledge and background. He clearly understood the market and the unique nature of the home. He also had a well-developed network of potential prospects. He came back to me with a comprehensive marketing plan unlike anything I had ever seen. As someone with a career background that includes a stint as a Vice President of Marketing and Sales, I immediately recognized someone who knew how to market properties in an effective and creative manner. To say I was impressed is an understatement.

Working with Thomas, we prepared the property for sale. He had an incredible set of photos taken and the visual presentation was stunning. The website was more than comprehensive including an accurate drawn-to-scale floor plan. But more than that, he went beyond the call of duty to prepare the property for sale. He personally reset a broken tile on my front doorstep. (Can you believe this?). He even made special signs for my garden calling out unusual plants and features.

Most importantly, during this process, Thomas was more than helpful. His attention to detail, unbelievable quick response time, ability to resolve issues, and help at keeping distractions to a minimum were critical, because I have yet to tell the most important factor that was occurring during this transaction. My mother was gravely ill and passed away during this process. My husband’s mother passed away earlier this year in Nebraska. We had to take on cleaning and selling their homes, as well as our own, in addition to arranging for the purchase of our new home in a different county. And did I mention, we also decided to put our vacation home on the market at the same time? We had five real estate deals in the works! I think it is fair to say that Thomas was more than responsible for helping us keep our sanity.

When marketing finally started, Thomas handled the process with ease and brilliance. We had put many restrictions on selling the house including we wanted to limit open houses and people coming through the property. Thomas correctly positioned the property with limited open houses, private showings, and making sure he was present during any viewings. He also did his work by making sure we had a well-qualified, highly motivated buyer so we would not have to worry about the deal falling through later. He sold the house in record time, well over asking price.

During this process, I greatly came to enjoy my chats with Thomas. On a personal level, he is witty, warm, and caring. He is a person of integrity. It makes me happy to know that not only did I find a great realtor, but I have also found a new great friend.