May 4, 2015
Sharon Sweeney
Househunter for some special friends.
In January 2015, when my dear friends from eastern Canada decided to finally move back to California to be close to friends and family, they asked if I knew a good real estate agent. I immediately thought of Melinda. She doggedly pursued a wonderful home for my neighbors' daughter (and her cousin) that fit her needs and budget. I knew she could do the same for my friends.
Melinda immediately went to work, and we went out seeking a house/home that would meet my friends' needs. Their son would be the owner, and the three of us set our priorities. Together, we looked at many houses in an exploding market. Melinda connected the son with a great financial consultant right away, and they worked many hours putting together a loan package. That was a major key to success. Melinda was with us every step of the way, and she picked up on many nuances that we projected as we drove around and then walked through various places. We had important specifics in mind such as one-story houses, hardwood floors, no more than one step-down room, easy to step into bathrooms, and a good amount of kitchen cupboard space. Good rain gutters, excellent sloping in the side and back yards were also prime. Melinda also understood that house hunting in the rain is an excellent tactic. She takes careful looks at the surrounding neighborhood, and is great at sniffing out peculiar odors in houses.
Then one Saturday in late February, she and I visited three houses that seemed to satisfy the requirements. One of the houses was a first choice. However, there were so many "lookers" that we didn't think there was a chance that a bid would be accepted. Nonetheless, and sight unseen based on Melinda's and my reports, my friends' son put bids in on each of them. Melinda doggedly pursued that first choice, and the bid was accepted.
Our friends have finally seen the house, and we all had tears in our eyes. It is a wonderful place, and I know that it will serve that family well. I'd recommend Melinda to anyone. She cares about the people she serves. She looks deeply at their goals and searches for a home that will meet their needs including cleanliness, easy care, easy to move about in, good floor plan, solid bathrooms and kitchens, etc. She knows her stuff.