Bret Ceren

Bret was so knowledgeable in helping us locate and acquire our north Scottsdale home! After he sold our rental a few years ago, he stayed in touch with his social media and annual holiday program, so when we were ready for a move we reached out to him. He would always try to take our call during the process; his energy is good and he is kind and thoughtful. He got us a great deal, every time we look at other properties on market we feel validated about our purchase. We would recommend Bret to anyone!

Bret Ceren - INCREDIBLE PHOENIX AREA (SCOTTSDALE BASED) AGENT...

At the outset, we really want everyone reading this who may be getting ready to sell a home in the GREATER PHOENIX area to know that Bret Ceren with North Valley Agents from Platinum Living Realty is absolutely an incredible, consummate professional Real Estate agent, his skillset, communication, and marketing set the bar in the Phoenix, Az market. We could not be happier, he sold our home for MORE than asking our asking price. His professionalism was a HUGE and refreshing contrast to the frustrating and disappointing situation we found ourselves in after initially choosing a supposed group of experts for Canadians selling a second home in Phoenix. The difference is massive, the results speak for themselves. If you’re planning to sell, get Bret involved, you’ll be happy with him, his processes, his team, his skills. Stellar marketing at all levels, his social media presence, his guaranteed sale offer he makes, he was even willing to stand tall and buy a buyers home if the buyer needed to sell FIRST in order to close on ours. Yes, BRET SAID HE WOULD GO AND BUY IT TO GET OURS SOLD fast and for the most amount of money possible!!

Looking back, I REALLY WISH we had initially STARTED the project of selling with Bret, his approach to success was head and shoulders ABOVE the first group we worked with, Bret got it done with ease, GREAT communication, weekly discussions, daily texts, showing updates, feedback from other Realtors, market reports for our area and so much more. We could NOT have had a better experience than the one we had with Bret, my only regret is NOT working with him initially.

Our situation began early in 2023 when my wife and I made the decision to sell our home in Goodyear, Az. at Estrella Mountain Ranch. We were sad to sell our Winter home in Arizona, but the truth is, as Canadians, we had run short of patience with the US/CDN dollar exchange rate. At one point this year it went over 38% and that’s just ridiculous. So, selling was our decision and we began the process.

Quickly we experienced the reality check sellers go through when selling… All too often we end up at the mercy of the Real Estate professional chosen to get the sale handled. We, like any other seller, simply wanted a hassle-free experience. Frankly, the agent and company we chose created the worst experience for us. Much anguish, much frustration, nothing but unkept promises, it was a terrible experience. A hard, tough lesson was learned - there’s a WORLD of difference between Realtors. Many make promises of all sorts and kinds, they promise the world, they want you to believe they’re skilled and capable and have all the answers fall painfully short on delivering. Ultimately, we sellers just want to know what’s going on, we’d like reliable and regular communication, and an eventual sale with the least amount of hassle. This Canadian/American specialist real estate group, who make the claim “all we need is a key”, took ZERO responsibility in the process of our home. Larry, the agent they sent to get us sold, reassured us that they were a good company, that they were specialists for Canadians selling in Arizona and we didn’t have to worry about anything. Yet they did NO MARKETING of my home at all, in the entire time we were listed with them, they didn’t show our house once, they never brought in a perspective buyer once, they don’t even have a system for finding buyers…

The result? It was a complete gong show type experience right from the start. We NEVER got notice of showings, never a phone call, I had requested that people remove their shoes before going upstairs (light coloured carpet) but it seldom happened, doors were left open, kids were running around uncontrolled, locks weren’t locked, lights were left on all over the house, at one point our backyard lights were turned on and left on for days, they left our hot tub cover up, they left our A/C on WAY lower than it should be, at one point my next door neighbour called me at home in Canada from INSIDE our Goodyear home telling me the front door had been left open and was banging in the wind. I do have a concierge that looks after our home when we weren’t there, she was back and forth numerous times at $50.00 per visit. When I asked Larry about handling these things, as he had promised he would, he just shrugged it off, told us it was normal. Even the owner of the company told us in an e-mail that it basically is what it is when you’re trying to sell. A disaster in the customer service department from every angle.

We were so glad to get rid of them and get Bret hired for the job. It was a COMPLETE reversal of what we had experienced thus far, getting Bret on the project was like a breath of fresh air. He got it done, with ZERO issues, ZERO hassle, ZERO frustration. We could NOT have been happier with Bret’s service and his system for selling. If you haven’t yet, call Bret today, get him involved as soon as you can, you’ll be as happy as we are.

Thanks Bret!!
-Rick & Carol Brash

Our experience working with Bret to meet our real estate needs was nothing short of outstanding. From the beginning, Bret’s prompt communication and extensive knowledge stood out. He consistently answered all of our questions in a timely manner, demonstrating his expertise in the selling and renting process, as well as the current market conditions. Bret's professionalism and kindness were evident throughout the entire journey. He maintained a respectful and courteous approach, making us feel valued as a client. His dedication to following up on requests and providing informative insights further contributed to our smooth and successful real estate experience.
We highly recommend Bret for anyone seeking a reliable and knowledgeable real estate agent. His exceptional service, prompt communication, and expertise make him stand out in the industry. Thank you, Bret and Ian, for all your outstanding support and professionalism!

I am lucky to have had the opportunity to work with Bret Ceren. Each and every
time it is an absolute pleasure. Bret is a hard working professional who is going to
educate you on the current market, get to know you as a person, find your needs,
and ultimately find you the home of your dreams. Bret is truly a great real estate
professional, and anyone looking to purchase is going to have a great experience
working with him. Whether it is a first home purchase, investment home, or vacation home, Bret Ceren is the guy to talk to!

Bret has incredible attention to detail in both the needs of his clients and the properties he works with. He was awesome in anticipating my needs and navigating the home buying experience! He is professional, intelligent, and a great negotiator. He was wonderful to work with as I was shopping from out of state. He worked through skype, and other outlets to provide me visual information on homes in the area I wanted. He helped arrange viewings of the home as soon as I was in the area. Great job, and thank you so much Bret!

Bret helped us sell and buy a house when we moved, and did a great job at both. Just so you have an idea of the markets we were in, we sold for 225k and bought for 315k. As first time sellers and second time buyers, we didn't know exactly what to expect in two very different markets. The house we sold was in south Phoenix, in a predominantly FHA market, and the house we bought was in Cave Creek, in a market that made determining prices and negotiating more difficult because there weren’t many comparable properties.

Bret walked us through both scenarios with ease, explained everything in advance so we knew what to expect, and made the entire process enjoyable. He was quick to respond to questions, polite, professional, humorous, and came across as knowledgeable and experienced. Bret and I share a similar background in business finance, so I particularly appreciated his financial market analysis for each property we were interested in. You don't get this with many realtors, at least not at this level, and Bret could back up everything he proposed with examples and numbers. On the selling end, he offers guarantees to sell at or above market value within 45 days before you agree to work with him, so we knew exactly what we were getting into. I told him that I didn't want to sell our house in two days, because then I would think it was priced too low, but I also didn't want to wait 6 months because then I would think it was priced too high. I wanted to sell in about a month, and we closed in 31 days for about 10k more than we expected (always a nice bonus!).

Our selling experience involved several hurdles. When we initially accepted an offer, Bret had the foresight to leave our listing up. The next week, earnest money never showed up and the buyer backed out. I didn’t know they could do this once under contract! Because Bret had left our listing up, we didn't miss a beat and we actually received another offer that weekend and later closed on that offer! Another hurdle we had was a break in at the house while we were out of town. Bret immediately contacted all the realtors who had showings planned to make sure it wasn't them while we worked with our alarm company to dispatch the police. While this situation wasn’t ideal, Bret helped us strategize how to sell our house by making it warm and inviting during showings while keeping it secure the rest of time while we were away.

Our buying experience was much more difficult. We gave Bret our budget and a very loose set of requirements. We wanted a perfect house, but we also wanted land, and were willing to give up the perfect house and get a complete fixer-upper if we could get enough land. I also have very specific tastes and preferences so cheap flips were out of the question, and there are a lot of them in Phoenix.

Bret and his business partner do some real estate investing and remodeling, so he knows what types of houses have potential. He found us a 1970's house with good "bones" on a two acre lot that we fell in love with. The only problem was that it was about 50k overpriced. We had a stubborn seller who didn't need to sell because it wasn’t their primary residence, and the house had been on the market for 9 months. Bret crafted an offer for 70k under the asking price to get their realtor’s attention and let them know that we meant business but weren’t willing to overpay. 5 counter offers later we were under contract for a price that we didn’t think would make value, but also required the seller to pay for the appraisal costs so we could back out without losing a dime. This came in handy when the house didn’t make value as expected, and Bret used this as leverage to bring them down to right price. While we paid top dollar for the property as a fixer-upper, we didn’t pay anything over the appraised value, and looking at it after the remodel it was a great investment. It’s also hard to beat the view we get of the sunset from our dining room window. We don’t plan on moving anytime soon, but if we do we will definitely hire Bret again and we recommend him to anyone in the Phoenix area.

Bret was great and super helpful in the buying process. He provided his expertise in the offer process and was there throughout the rest of the process through closing. He knew the market as well as the areas of Phoenix so we could make the best home decision for our family.

He was very organized and we felt our time was well used. We felt free to contact him with any questions we had and he is always quick to respond. Even after our house closed Bret has helped us with questions.

Bret is an excellent agent. He made the first-time homebuyer experience seem easy. Bret remained in constant contact with me, the mortgage company I used, and the seller's agents. He worked constantly to ensure I received forms to sign in a timely manner, usually the same day or the next. He is extremely knowledgeable and provided good input and made recommendations. Bret is personable, hardworking, and trustworthy. If you want a job well done, Bret is the man for the job!

We are so glad we chose Bret as our realtor! We found a property that we wanted to purchase and needed to sell our home to make it happen. Our home sold after only being on the market for a week. The photography of our home and listing were beautiful and almost made us want to keep it! He kept us aware of any changes and was very proactive and helpful, even while we purchased a home in much need of repair, he was aggressive in helping us get the best price on all accounts.

Bret was amazing throughout our whole process of looking at homes through the buying and closing of our chosen home. His response time was always immediate. He watched out for our concern's and kept us abreast of changing market trends as well as advising us on things to look out for - often we would become excited about a house only to discover some potential problems. The house we did find and close on is amazing and much of it is due to Brett's diligent effort in getting answers to our many questions. Patience of a saint, he has...I would recommend Brett to all of my family and friends. We already miss interacting with him...

Bret and Greg are the Dynamic Duo!!! They get you the house you can want and at the best and fairest price. They keep in touch with you and make you feel like you are their rockstar client even though I am sure the are assisting others as well. No matter what the time of day they are there for you! Best home buying team ever!!! A++++++

Bret is very responsive and great to work with. Our home sold fast and for a price that we were very happy with. He kept us informed throughout the entire process. We had a great experience working with Bret and definitely recommend working with him!

Bret was involved from day one with a commitment to sell our home and to achieve the maximum value the market would provide. He is thorough from start to finish and easily accessible at all times through the sales negotiation and closing process. He makes a commitment and utilizes his skills and association with his partner Greg Krome to maximize results and reduce your stress! We highly recommend Bret if you are needing to sell your home. Kevin & Christine Shelton

Bret was able to understand our requirements and research homes that met our criteria. He not only used the MLS but visited the homes to be sure it would be worthwhile for us to visit. This was especially helpful since we were purchasing from out of town and our time in Anthem was limited. During the mortgage and contract phase he coordinated between the different parties to be sure things remained on track and explained to us how the process works in Arizona. A total professional.

Bret was great and helped us greatly with it being our first home. He answered all our questions, gave us his personal advice. He worked with our schedule and took us out to see many lots and homes. We would recommend Bret to anyone, looking to buy a home.

My family and I moved to Arizona in February 2017. Bret was recommended to us by a family member. With not knowing the area, Bret was a huge help to us. Our home purchase was such a great process! He always responded to our questions in a very quick manner. We would highly recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. If it was an option, it would be more than 5 stars for sure!

Our experience with Bret as our agent started in November of 2016 when my family and I decided we would like to build a home with Richmond American just north of Anthem. We had no idea at the time what all it would involve and having Bret by our side was invaluable. He was patiently there with us every step of the way for six months and never hesitated to answer all my many, many questions. He also got answers for us that the builder refused to discuss with us and saved us on numerous occasions when the builder's representative tried to glaze over things that we had rights to. Their rep works for the builder, not the buyer, so I highly recommend hiring Bret to look out for your best interests. Our time together didn't end there though; we also had to perfectly time the sale of our current home in order for everything to close properly. Bret helped us figure out exactly when to list, what price to list at, and did a great job with presenting our home perfectly on the listing. He also talked tirelessly with the buyers agent to make sure we were getting the amount we needed to put down on our new build. We were actually under contract in 36 hours when 2 of our neighbors were on the market for 6 months before being under contract! I can't say enough great things about Bret. He is a great agent because along with his vast knowledge and experience he is a great man of integrity. He truly is an advocate for his clients and wants the best for them.

Bret did a wonderful job of making the sale of our home both fast and easy! Before our initial meeting, Bret had already prepared an analysis of the comparable homes in our area and was able to set a realistic and competitive sales price. Bret provided us a status update each week through the entire process and it was a great tool for our very busy schedules! Bret handled each interaction with the utmost professionalism and was enjoyable to work with. There were several occasions when Bret went way above and beyond by even dog sitting for us!!! I would absolutely recommend Bret to get your home sold quickly and efficiently!

Bret worked tirelessly for me for a long time trying to find the home I had described, and with a set of impossible circumstances. Bret only had once answer for my wife and I, "I'll make it happen." Bret has the highest integrity, and has invested in this career as a true professional. When you retain Bret as your realtor, you are basically getting a real estate consultant as an added bonus. I highly recommend Bret Ceren to be your personal real estate professional

I had the opportunity to work with Bret on a home purchase. It was an absolute pleasure working with him as he made the entire process extremely simple. He is professional, knowledgeable, and hard working. Day or night, he was always available to answer all of my questions and to address my concerns.

I simply cannot imagine doing a real estate transaction without Bret, after receiving impeccable customer service while selling my home recently. Bret is level headed, highly educated and intuitive in real estate trends, always is professional but most of all he is thoughtful and possesses integrity. Buying and selling in competitive markets is stressful but Bret always stepped in to lighten the burden, with encouragement, help and perspective. His marketing is above average which makes his listings stand out against all other available inventory. The videos and photos of my home were works of art! Any realtor can get the job done, but Bret is above average and the selling experience with him was so much less worrisome. I always felt secure I was in good hands and that he had my best interests as his priority. THAT is what makes him unique and outstanding.

Bret Ceren was excellent in every way in helping us to sell our home, do the negotiating needed with the buyer's agent who wasn't well skilled in the profession. By having Bret we avoided the pitfalls of that agent and the lending company, and Bret worked so well with getting things done according to the strict rules of the VA for this veteran's loan. We could have never done this on our own and highly recommend Bret to others. He is professional, highly skilled, and most of all compassionate and willing to help in so many ways. We count ourselves blessed to have worked with him!

Bret is our go to when it comes to all things real estate. Not only did he help us acquire our first rental property in one of the most easy home purchases we've ever done but stayed with us and helped us get set up with our renter, all while making the process so easy. He literally knows everyone and is an endless vault of resources. not to mention he simply just cares. I also love that he gives back and participates with charities in the valley that do meaningful work for the good of the world! Highly recommend.

This is not the first time that we have done business with Bret and it surely won’t be our last. Bret is very responsive and attentive to everything we need, we are a military family living overseas and he still was above and beyond ensuring everything was done quickly and professionally. With that being said we also required some renovations done to the location prior to sell and he was more than we could ask for wiry being helpful and ensuring all went smoothly! We have and always will call Bret for our real estate needs!