We recently bought our first home with Diane's help. We enjoyed going through this process with her tremendously. She is very good at what she does and knows the East Bay market extremely well. She always had valuable information to share with us about different parts of neighborhoods and was patient and understanding of our needs. After seeing several houses with her, she started narrowing down the list for us, most of the time knowing what we would or wouldn't like about certain houses.
What we enjoyed most about working with Diane was that she never tried to push us into making a decision we were not ready to make, and was always thoughtful about when to give us her input.
We ended up buying a house in El Cerrito, which we were not familiar with until Diane suggested we visit a few houses in the area. We are extremely grateful to her for introducing us to El Cerrito because in the end it is exactly what we were looking for and we love our new home.
If we had to do it all over again, we would definitely use the expertise of Diane to help us find a home and would recommend her to anyone in a heartbeat.
Sebastien & Yuna - Buyer/650 Clayton, El Cerrito
Diane is thoughtful, smart and incredibly helpful. She took the time to understand our preferences, and then was careful to only show us houses that met our needs, in terms of size, location, design, etc. Her knowledge of the market and insightful recommendations saved us time and energy in our search.
As a buyerıs agent, I couldnıt recommend Diane more highly. She was always available to answer questions, go back and see a house for a second time, and generally help us navigate the whole process. And most importantly, Diane put together an offer that resulted in us getting the first house that we bid on - at a price we were extremely happy with.
Joanie R. - Buyer/832 San Carlos Avenue, Albany
As a consultant to Fortune 500 companies, I find that I most often achieve the best results for clients that are willing to rely on my experience and judgment. When I looked for help selling my house, I chose Diane and trusted her to guide me through the process which she did in a consummately professional manner. And it paid off in spades, with multiple offers well above my highest expectations. I highly recommend Diane to anyone looking to buy or sell in the East Bay.
Seller/1669 Marin Avenue, Albany - Asking $785,000
My husband, Richard, and I would unhesitatingly and enthusiastically recommend Diane Verducci to anyone looking to buy or sell a home in Berkeley. Twenty-two years ago she guided us as first time buyers, and just this year, once again, carried us through the process of selling that same home. She sat down with us, explained how it would all work within our time constraints, allowed us to moan and comment, then explained again. We were calmly and efficiently led through every legal hoop. She was always available by phone or email with answers. Her contacts in the real estate world of inspections, staging, decorating, city hall, etc., pulled all the strings together smoothly and relatively painlessly. When complications and anxieties arose, she was our investigator and stress reliever. She always had ideas and advice when problems arose. She kept a close look as the uncertain housing market went through its spasms and finally set a price and schedule that she felt would be attractive and workable.
When we finally moved out of the house and out of state, all her contractors went smoothly into operation, painting, fixing, staging, and cleaning. By that time we had no fear that any detail, down to whether or not a ceiling fixture was needed, would be overlooked. Our house was in her care and it couldn't have been in better hands. And it all came together. After just one weekend of open house, we received a great offer, well above our asking price, and closed in just a month - WOW! As we search for a real estate agent in our new home state, we have a great example of what an agent should be. Thanks, Diane! - Ellin and Richard - Sellers/Asking $625,000 (Berkeley)
I bought and sold my house in Berkeley with Diane. I frequently recommend her to folks looking for a realtor. I am a picky guy --she literally spent months helping me find the perfect house (and putting her foot down when she was convinced I wouldn't find anything better -- she was right). When it came time to sell she handled everything perfectly while I up and moved out of the country. She clearly sets expectations, goes way above and beyond that call of duty and works with the highest ethics and integrity. I would use her again in a heartbeat and would happily recommend her to close family and friends. Dennis L. - Asking $850,000
I met Diane by happenstance more than a year ago when I was working with another agent. She left a positive impression on me and when I needed to find another agent to work with, I thought of her and called immediately. There isn't a doubt in my mind that I wouldn't be sitting in my new home if it wasn't for Diane's knowledge and tenacity. I cannot say enough good things about her and how professionally she handled this transaction. I have already recommended her to several friends who will soon be in the market for a new home. Melinda - Buyer/Asking $995,000 (Berkeley Hills)
It was an enormous pleasure working with you. I cannot believe after 7 months of looking - in which we never saw you once get impatient with us - our odyssey has finally reached a happy ending. We never expected it to be such a pleasure because neither of us has any particular interest in real estate.
But we came quickly to appreciate your endless patience, your quick, intelligent grasp of what we were looking for and your resourcefulness in finding properties to look at, in some cases before they were even listed, In the end, I almost feel you had a better grasp of what would suit us than we did! I can't imagine ever looking for another house but if that happens, there is absolutely no doubt whose door we will know on to ask for help. A & A - Buyer/Asking $1,035,000 (Berkeley)
Now that things have settled down a bit I have time to reflect. I want to thank you again, and make sure you know how much we appreciated you through the entire process of selling our family home. It certainly was a mixed bag, and I am convinced that no one else could have handled things so well. I know there are many competent realtors out there. I'm just glad you were ours. I was able to walk away without one single regret or misgiving. Your sensitivity and diplomacy combined with your willingness to tell it like it is made it all work. You reassured us at every turn of events. You sure know your stuff! John and Linda - Seller/Asking $650,000 (Thousand Oaks Berkeley)
I'm quite excited.... By the way, I must tell you that it is a pleasure working with you and knowing you and I feel I am in good hands, the best hands actually. So, who knows what will happen (che sera sera...) but I'm so glad you're my agent and on my team.
Jan and Family - Asking $960,000 (Rockridge Oakland)
Today is the one-year anniversary of the close of escrow on our house on Milvia. We are still really happy. It is a great house for us.
We think of you a lot. We remember your patience while we looked at over a hundred houses. We remember and are thankful for your words of advice as we struggled through the process. And most important we are thankful for your efforts to actually secure this house.
We had a feeling when we selected you as our agent that your knowledge and experience would be extremely valuable. We were right. Your knowledge of the market and the other agents allowed you to get your ducks lined up early on. It allowed you to come up with that all-important guess as to what bid would be needed to secure this house. Yes, we bumped it but we needed that number to know where to start. It was the right number because we got the house. So thank you. Thank you.
Do come by and check out the changes. Tai has put an enormous amount of work into transforming the front and back gardens. It's really looking good now.
D. J. & Tai - Buyers/Asking $749,000 (Berkeley)
We would like to thank you for the wonderful help you gave us when we sold our house in Berkeley. (Actually, it seems you did the lion's share of the work, and we were only helping you.)
When we decided to move from California to Maine, we quickly realized that selecting a good real estate agent was imperative. We were worried that our 1924 bungalow would be difficult to sell in the current real estate market. When we interviewed you, we were so impressed by your knowledge of the special conditions required for selling houses in Berkeley, that we quickly decided that you were the agnet for us. We have never regretted that decision.
We do recommend your servides as sa real estate agent to anyone selling a house. You dealt with all the problems connected with the sale in an efficient "can do" manner and achieved the best possible result for this sale -- one that much exceeded our expectations. And, as you know, this sale had the additional complexity that it was linked with the purchase of our new house on the other side of the country.
Any propspective home-seller would be fortunate to have you as his or her agent.
Morris and Lynnea - Asking $495,000 (South Berkeley)
Thanks for taking us through the selling process and making sure everything went as well as it did. We had a good experience selling our condo, which says a lot given that is a rather emotional process and given our concern about the market this summer. We were really happy with the guidance you gave us, and appreciated you always having a calm response and solution for the unexpected things that popped up throughout the process. We really appreciated your extra assistance in overseeing the preparation of our condo for sale, since we weren't living in Berkeley. (North Berkeley)S. & S. - Sellers/Asking $429,000
Diane was awesome. Professional, recommended good vendors and was even knowledgeable about Green building.
WW. - Seller/Asking $600,000 (North Berkeley)
ON THE BUYING FRONT
Diane has established a multi-year track record of providing the facts - data driven decisions rule!
Though I have never bought a house through Diane, I have long been one of the fortunate recipients of the excellent market information she provides. Among the things Diane has done that have been a benefit to me are the many ways she has applied new computing tools and technologies to her business. She's definitely on the leading edge. The Market Report, Neighborhood Sales Summary, and Newsletters with links to things of concern to a homeowner - these are all excellent tools and data to empower a buyer and/or an owner. Without these services of hers, the data is very hard to come by and extremely time-consuming to synthesize.
IN TERMS OF MAINTAINING A HOME
Diane has developed a set of skills and a network which enable a homeowner to manage and maintain with confidence.
Another important aspect of our interactions has been Diane's acting as a sounding board and clearinghouse as I've gone through my first major set of upgrades to my home since purchasing it. Helping me prioritize the many jobs I've singled out, connecting me with good contractors, following up for feedback on what they've done - these are the many facets of a service Diane has provided that is of enormous value to me. Without her willingness to be my ally in these pursuits, many of my projects would still be waiting. She engages on both sides of the equation and keeps her information current and relevant.
THE PROSPECT OF SELLING A HOME
Diane has distilled the critical few decisions in the buy/sell decision.
Recently, Diane and I had one very important meeting regarding the possibility of selling my house. Again, she added so much value to my thinking there: giving me solid insights into my home's current value, enabling me to understand the "critical few" projects to undertake in order to get the house ready to sell if I should choose to go that route, even coming up with the dollar values of line items necessary to prepare the house. Perhaps what was most important here, however, was that there was no push from her at all. She was simply supporting my decision-making in the best way that a professional can and letting me apply the forward motion to the extent that I wanted to. Though ultimately I decided to stay right where I am, I felt that with Diane's expert guidance I was able to evaluate my options fully and make a most important decision with great confidence and ease.
A Satisfied Homeowner
Homeowner
In meeting such challenges as the collapsing housing market, an out-of-state owner, and putting a new face on a house that was definitely showing its years, your enthusiasm, foresight, hands-on attention to detail, absolute candor with all parties, 24/7 accessibiity, depth of knowledge of the area and market, sense of humor and seemingly limitless resources provided a level of support and peace of mind no money can buy. I would highly recommend you to anyone wishing to buy or sell a family home - but especially to anyone new to the process who needed someone they could trust to guide them safely (and very successfully) through.
Jill (Seller)
Thank you so much for all you have done to steer me successfully through the sale of my house. I really appreciate how available and responsive you were, without hovering and micromanaging me. It was very warming when at the close of the deal, you told me that you were going to make a donation to the organization of my choice. I expect the business world to be cold and heartless, and you show it does not have to be like that.
Ed and Sharon, Berkeley (Buyer) With appreciation, respect and trust...we have so enjoyed working with you. Thank you for all your efforts on our behalf.
Julia and Lionel, Berkeley (Buyer and Seller)
I think that for Diane the relationship is the most interesting part of her work. She is an excellent facilitator. She is genuine and appealing and she definitely approaches every transaction as a unique situation even though she has seen everything. Of course, she is also prompt, responsive, listens carefully, and is ethical, trustworthy and engaged.
Sandra & Giselle, Kensington (Buyer)
We quickly grew to trust Diane with guiding us through the morass of law and culture that governs the housing market in the East Bay. She expertly negotiated on our behalf.
We recommend Diane for her professionalism, her knowledge, and her wonderful sense of humor!
Obie and Rachel, Berkeley (Buyer)
Rachel and I (and our burgeoning family - a boy!) want to express our gratitude once again for your help and perseverance in our buying. We couldn't have done it without you.
David and Nancy, Seattle (Buyer and Seller)
We found her to be a highly knowledgeable, organized, and dedicated real estate professional, as well as a wonderful person.
Dennis, Kensington (Seller)
We had a different type of house in the Kensington area which could not be marketed in quite the usual way. Even with this unusual house in a market that had deteriorated from the usual multiple offers customary in the area to one where one good buyer was at a premium, Diane persevered. This extra attention to detail is probably the reason why she has been so successful.
Leland, Oakland (Buyer)
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
When I thought I would never be able to find a home that I could both afford AND be happy with, you encouraged me not to give up. And I will not forget when we ran into moments of difficulty with the seller; you were very resourceful, argued effectively and convinced them to see things "our way".
Vernon, Seattle (Seller)
Your contribution to the charity of my choice was the icing on the cake.
From our first contact, to the pricing of the house in an uncertain market, to the arrangements to prepare the property for sale, the advertising and use of the Internet, the open house, the evaluation of the offers, the closing arrangements, all went smoothly and expeditiously.
Your reputation as a topnotch agent was merited. I give you high marks all around, and stand ready to recommend you as needed.
Mary and Bill, Rossmoor (Seller)
We were impressed with your communications, your marketing, your overall strategy and your guidance. Mary and I, in our discussions of the sale, often remarked abut your positive outlook, your enthusiasm and, above all, how you were easy to work with during the whole process.
Robin and Mirjam, Cambridge (Seller)
You restored my faith in RE agents...I'm writing this to thank you on behalf of all our family for helping us to sell our house...we truly appreciated the way you went about the sale and are very happy with the outcome, from the view of the price it received, the relatively short amount of time it took to sell and the lack of disruption to our day-to-day routine. It really helped to have someone who knew exactly how to handle things. The additional value provided by you and your company clearly justifies your agent fees.
Richar, San Ramon (Seller)
It has been a pleasure working with you...your activities in arranging for the sale were very efficient and professional, resulting in minimum effort on my part. I would not hesitate for one moment to recommend you.
Lynn and Jeff, Grass Valley (Seller)
Your professionalism, attention to detail and firm yet gentle manner guided us through the emotionally fraught period of open houses, inspections, and broker visits with minimal stress. You never promised us anything you couldn't deliver. And your persistent good humor even made the selling of our home fun. We would be happy to recommend you to anyone looking to buy or sell property in the Bay Area.
Alix and Scott, Seattle (Buyer, Seller, Buyer, Seller)
Diane represented us in three important transactions in the last year. Our most recent purchase was completed seamlessly due to her enormous effort. Without her active engagement and professionalism, we would not have been as successful as we were. On a more personal note, Diane was a delight to work with! We recommend her without reservation.
Geri and Cona, Toronto (Seller)
Diane sold our house in Berkeley at one of the most difficult times in America. The period around September 11, 2001.
From the start Diane showed perspective into the process of selling a house that I had not seen prior to this experience. Her candid comments regarding organizing the house for show, the web with pictures, the description that met what people in this market are looking for, and laying a sales strategy, all contributed to a satisfying experience.
She is the best sales person I have utilized to date. She should be training everyone how to do the job.
Jane, El Cerrito (Seller)
I want to thank you so much for your assistance, guidance and expertise in the selling of my mother's home...your knowledge of the area, the current market, and the real estate business in general combined to make for a swift sale. Thank you again for your support and help over the years.
Jeffrey, Cold Spring, New York (Seller)
At every turn, in every instance, your advice was timely and correct, and your decisions were right. And in keeping with these highest standards of excellence, you went beyond the call of duty in helping us navigate the unknown terrain of our next transaction. Our deepest gratitude to you for your good work and for your help to our family is overdue, but not diminished at all by the passage of time.
Thomas and Martine, Berkeley (Seller, Buyer, Seller, Buyer)
...thank you enough for the superior service - and for your superior skills! in selling our house and in buying a new one. Above all, you really understood our needs and catered to them. As for buying the new house, I simply can't believe the great deal that you got for us. You drove a hard bargain and got us what we needed. You were always a joy to work with, very responsive, creative in problem solving and marketing.
Mr. and Mrs. M. Braun, Berkeley (Seller)
This letter is to express our thanks for the outstanding job you did...every stage you communicated with us...during the escrow negotiations, you were truly our advocate...we cannot thank you enough for your diligence, expertise and care. Good job!
Miranda and Brian, Oakand (Buyer)
We very much enjoyed working with Diane, and her skills, dedication, and patience made the experience far more agreeable...she provided excellent advice...and presented us with a wide variety of choices. Diane guided us each step of the way, gave us regular updates so that we were informed and prepared at every juncture.
Carla and Carl, Berkeley (Buyer)
We were so fortunate to be in your capable, patient hands. Thank you for making our home wishes come true and for dealing with obstacles with consummate, professional skill. You're a great Realtor.
Peter and Elizabeth, Oakland (Buyer, Seller)
You bring all of the elements of an exceptionally capable Realtor together into such a nice and likeable person that we would be fortunate to have the opportunity to work with you again. Thank you for your patience, support and kindness throughout.
Kristin, Seattle (Seller)
The Hill sisters would like to thank you again and again for your unflagging help with the unique and challenging sale of our family home. You never lost your professional skill or grace (my sister says aplomb); most notably when others around you did. You responded to all requests from your out-of-state clients. Communication with you was always fast and accurate with total follow through and follow up. You never disappointed us, not once, not in the tiniest way.