I work in the mortgage finance industry and am very skeptical about Real Estate agents. However, my experience with Maitri and John has been nothing less than excellence. Their commitment to professionalism and knowledge shows in every aspect of their work. I just bought my first condo in San Francisco and I will gladly say when I am thinking about buying my next property they will be my first call. I cannot express enough what a pleasure it is to work with them. They are great negotiators and are really in your corner at every step of the process. Being in the mortgage finance industry I have dealt with several Real Estate agents, but can easily say that few are in a top tier echelon as Maitri and John.
As a realtor, John Solaegui sets the standard in professionalism. John is honest, hardworking and provides the utmost in service.
John carefully guided us through the initial stages of home prep, staging and listing, and was a patient and ready resource for any questions and concerns. He engaged a team of talented professionals to ensure that our home was ready to be shown off at the first open house. He was with us every step of the way and took care of a myriad of details, so that we were not the least bit inconvenienced.
John did an outstanding job marketing our home, so that the right buyers were attracted to our property. He achieved success by having a pulse on the market and educating us in understanding how to secure the best possible outcome for our sale.
We highly recommend John Solaegui to anyone who needs a trusted real estate professional to assist in the sale of his or her home.
Gratefully,
We happened to meet Lance by chance when we saw a for sale sign in our neighborhood and decided to check it out, and we’re happy we did.
Lance got to work right away to help us in our search and was with us every step of the way. He was highly knowledgeable about neighborhoods, quickly understood what we were looking for based on our wants and dislikes, and overall made the whole process easy. He even helped us find a great lender with a better rate and lots of vendors to help with our move-in.
My clients are hardworking partners in a successful retail establishment. They asked me to search for a mixed use property that would allow them to have a commercial/retail space as well as at least two apartments that they could each live in, all in the same building. We found a charming three unit building on Haight Street with one store on the street level and two flats above. During our investigations of the property, we discovered that since the property has only two residential units, it could qualify for the 2-unit “bypass” condo conversion. My clients followed the advice of an attorney who specializes in San Francisco landlord/tenant law and condo conversion and they are implementing their plan!
When we started the process of buying a home, we had only a rough idea of where we wanted to be, with no idea how to get there. John and Maitri walked us through every step of the process with patience, clarity, calm, and a seemingly endless depth of knowledge. Even as first time homebuyers, they made us feel comfortable and confident in the process. They were responsive, responsible, and comprehensive. We could not have wished for better partners in navigating the search for our home. John and Maitri are experts of the SF market -the ins and outs of the homes themselves, and the real estate community. They were incredibly responsive -we had a lot of questions, ranging from basic to crazy, and they helped us with every single one, very quickly. We never got the impression that we weren’t their highest priority, even though we knew they had higher value properties on the go. We have already referred John to our family and friends, and owe them our heartfelt gratitude!
We hired John and Maitri to list our 2 bedroom/2 bathroom luxury condo residence in South Beach after interviewing several other top agents in San Francisco and the Bay Area. Hussein has a realtor’s license and we were extremely impressed with John and Maitri’s skill and knowledge. They are a classy, personable and dynamic team and their experience comes across in every detail.
During our initial phone consultation prior to the meeting, we outlined specific (non-negotiable) criteria in terms of timeline and profit margin on the sale of our home. John and Maitri listened and delivered! they came prepared with a thorough market analysis and marketing plan that would enable us to price our unit correctly for maximum exposure. John and Maitri presented a plan that was backed with thorough research, analysis and well-reasoned logic for their approach.
John and Maitri helped us revamp the look and feel of our home by recommending specific upgrades and repairs, including refinishing the hardwood floors, fresh paint and gorgeous staging. Once the property was listed, we received positive feedback from both buyers and the realtor community. Throughout the marketing phase, John and Maitri provided us with constant updates and detailed notes about potential buyers, feedback from other agents, and made sure we were informed. They were extremely responsive by phone, text and email – even while we were on vacation out of the country. We felt confident, well-informed and taken care of in their capable hands.
We are thrilled that John and Maitri sold our home to an all cash buyer! We recommend John and Maitri to anyone who is thinking of buying or selling real estate!
John has helped us buy two houses and sell one.
John has provided outstanding guidance navigating San Francisco’s complex housing market. He really understood how to find what we were looking for and helped us find properties that were a good fit. He is extremely well connected with all aspects of the real estate industry (from contractors and pest control, to stagers and decorators).
John helped us buy two houses and sell one, and has provided outstanding guidance navigating San Francisco’s complex housing market.
John exceeded our expectations when it came time to selling our San Francisco home. With his guidance and direction, our home sold 65% over what we had purchased it for with John four years prior, and 30% over our asking price. After a careful analysis of the current market in our neighborhood, John explained what we could expect and where we should price ourselves to get the maximum marketing visibility. He staffed every open house himself and had a clear sense of who he thought our most likely top bidders would be. And he was right. Even before we got to that stage though, John guided us at every touch point, from helping us hire professionals to tighten up some things in the home, to meeting those people when we could not, and connecting us to the right stager who would respect that we needed to live in the home for at least 30 days after our open house. When it came time to review our 8 offers, two which were identical and two others that were incredibly close, he helped us navigate next steps with grace and empathy. We cannot recommend John more highly. He is responsible for the most important purchase and sale of our lives, and his professionalism ensured that we could stay competitive in our next house purchase across the Bay even in this insane Bay Area market.
Josie and Alex A.G. Shapiro
Just before celebrating her 91st birthday, my client “retired” from teaching yoga, having taught literally thousands of classes in her 40 year career. About the same time, she decided to sell her home at 451 Victoria and move into the Sequoias San Francisco, an accredited life care community. She had lived in her home for 55 years and I advised her on the necessary changes to prepare her home for sale. Within the first week after going on the market, we received four offers and the home sold over the asking price. My client loves the activities and social life at the Sequoias, but most of all she loves the gym. She is the only 91 year old that I know who can still do “the splits”. Thinking of making a change? Call Me.
A seamless and trusted process with Haven Group from start to finish.
My expectations were blown away and I wish I had sold my house years before with this team. They made the process easy and coached and educated me through every step.
The team took charge and managed the repair, staging and listing process and through their agent relationships our house obtained 20+ offers and sold for $800,000+ over asking.
I now have my life long real estate agents in SF and the greater Bay Area.
Thank you Casey and John.
We give George Whitney and John Solaegui our absolute highest recommendation. My family and I moved to San Francisco a few years ago and waited for the right time to look to buy our first home here. We were incredibly fortunate to first be connected with George and John through Zillow and to then work closely with them both on finding just the right property for our specific needs. The real estate market in San Francisco can be quite tricky to navigate. I cannot imagine anyone better than George and John to help when it comes time to buy or sell real estate here in the Bay Area. George and John were both deeply committed to our process at all times and went out of their way on numerous occasions to provide us exactly what we needed as we toured new properties. They each exhibited precise attention to detail and a deep knowledge of the market in working with us. We closed on our new condominium in late May and John and George have continued to stand by us and help as we have had some additional work done prior to our move. They each could not be more professional. Both happen to be genuinely nice people. It was a pleasure to spend time with them during the many appointments we had together as we looked at a wide variety of different properties. In short, George and John are just the sort of advocates and sounding board needed when looking to buy a new home in San Francisco.
We recently enlisted John’s help in searching for a new home in San Francisco. We were very impressed with his knowledge of the local market, his willingness to view a wide range of properties with us to ensure we made the right decision, and his expertise in guiding us through the entire process from offer to close of escrow. His service was top notch in every aspect; we were especially impressed in that we were in the market during COVID when viewing properties was quite challenging, and we were searching from our current city, 300 miles away. Thank you John!
From day one John makes you feel at ease – no pressure. John and his Team listened to all my concerns. This sale was challenging not only due to Covid restrictions but also because I was living out of the area. John’s communication with updates and his help with references for trades, as well as being a liaison with our tenants, helped relieve a lot of stress on my brothers and myself. Throughout this process John put me at ease since I was not able to travel to San Francisco. Overall, I would highly recommend John to anyone looking to buy or sell their property. I put my complete faith and trust in John and I would do it again!
We recently enlisted John’s help in searching for a new home in San Francisco. We were very impressed with his knowledge of the local market, his willingness to view a wide range of properties with us to ensure we made the right decision, and his expertise in guiding us through the entire process from offer to close of escrow. His service was top notch in every aspect; we were especially impressed in that we were in the market during COVID when viewing properties was quite challenging, and we were searching from our current city, 300 miles away. Thank you John!
John recently helped me buy my first condo in the city. I was nervous about moving from a small town to a big city and he really paid attention to what I needed in a condo/neighborhood to feel safe and comfortable. He was very kind to me and my whole family through the process and accommodated all of our needs. I now live in an incredible location, in a beautiful home, close to work and close to everything I need. John was great to work with and provides excellent results! I highly recommend working with him to find your next home!
Based on the recommendation of not one but two trusted coworkers, my husband and I decided to work with John and Maitri’s team to buy our very first home. Throughout the entire, somewhat daunting process, John and Maitri were knowledgeable, available, and supportive. Working with them was easy and efficient, and throughout the process their rich knowledge of real estate (Maitri also has experience working on the mortgage brokering side) and San Francisco (John’s experience in the city is long and his knowledge of the ins and outs of SF is vast) made us feel comfortable and confident.
As this was our first home purchase, we were hesitant to rush in to anything and took our time exploring neighborhoods and open houses to determine where we wanted to live and what we were looking for in a house. John and Maitri did not rush us and emphasized the importance of us feeling comfortable with any decision we made. They were patient with us as we made endless spreadsheets and over time changed our minds as to what we were looking for, what neighborhoods we were targeting, and what our budget looked like. Their support during this period allowed us to narrow in on what actually mattered to us and also to get a much better feel for the rhythm of the SF housing market especially with regards to pricing.
All of this culminated in us being completely ready by the time we made our first offer – we had pre-approvals in place from multiple lenders, understood all the terms of the disclosures and the offer letters, and had a very good sense not only for what we wanted in a house but also for how much we thought would be fair to pay in such a crazy market. We were able to make a compelling offer that we felt fully comfortable with on the first try; this level of confidence is not something we would have had on our own and was in large part thanks to the support and patience of John and Maitri. As a result, our first offer was accepted and we are now living in a home we love in a neighborhood that is perfect for our lifestyle, confident that we did not over pay.
We are grateful to Maitri and John for their help in this process and would fully recommend them to any other potential San Francisco home buyers.
Look no further–you’ve found the best real estate agent in San Francisco.
John Solaegui provided excellent advice in the selling of my cooperative recently in the City. He has a wealth of knowledge in dealing with the purchase and sales of condos and cooperatives.
I found John to be extremely patient and provided us with detailed information every step of the way. I had the impression that we were his only client, and he was available and accessible to answer any questions we had. He’s an agent that gets back to you in minutes if you need to call him. He takes great pride in his work and prepares all necessary documents making sure they are executed properly and promptly.
Don’t let John’s gracious and polite manner mislead you. He is aggressive and will make sure the price you’re seeking will be met, and the sale or purchase of your property will be competed in a timely manner. He’s extremely competent and knows his job. You can’t to any better than having John to represent you.
John Solaegui sets the standard in professionalism. He is honest, hardworking and provides the utmost in service. He was a patient and ready resource for any questions and concerns, engaged a team of talented professionals …. and took care of a myriad of details so that we were not the least bit inconvenienced.
John recently helped me buy my first condo in the city. I was nervous about moving from a small town to a big city and he really paid attention to what I needed in a condo/neighborhood to feel safe and comfortable. He was very kind to me and my whole family through the process and accommodated all of our needs. I now live in an incredible location, in a beautiful home, close to work and close to everything I need. John was great to work with and provides excellent results! I highly recommend working with him to find your next home!
We are thrilled to provide a glowing testimonial for our realtor, John Solaegui and the Haven Group team, who skillfully helped us successfully sell our beloved Aunt and Uncle’s home. From the moment we met John, we knew that we were in good hands and his professionalism, expertise and dedication surpassed our expectations. The market had shifted, becoming quite challenging since the time that we first started talking with John and what set him apart was his strong commitment for achieving the best outcome for us in the time frame that we required. Selling our Aunt and Uncle’s home held sentimental value for our family and John showed great care and empathy for us, while expertly negotiating offers and ensuring that our interests were protected. Thank you, John, for going above and beyond to ensure a smooth and successful transaction for our Uncle and Aunt’s Trust. You have earned our highest endorsement for anyone seeking an exceptional agent with remarkable integrity.
After making offers on four other homes over a 15 month period, my newlywed clients and I spent a lot of time together. We looked at literally dozens of homes, searching for that perfect combination of views, space, light and location. The wife was always available to get in the car to see any new listing, usually on the same day it hit the MLS. We saw 60 Clifford Terrace and she immediately saw its potential. This stately Edwardian in Ashbury Heights had been lovingly cared for by the same family for over 40 years. An added bonus: the house was sold with a separate parcel in the rear alley, big enough for a separate structure that is currently being used as a 3rd garage. This is the first home for my clients and they are thrilled. Want a Broker who is patient and persistent? Call me.
We asked John to help us sell our condo after having tried (to sell it) ourselves first…. It was like night and day. If you not already are on John’s email list for market status updates we strongly recommend you sign up. He provides the best information on the San Francisco real estate market.
I’ve known John since 1995, when we worked together at Charles Schwab. He was then, as he is now, honest, ethical, kind, detail-oriented and responsive. When I purchased my first condo in 2006, John helped me with a challenging process during the booming market pre-Great Recession. Fast forward to 2017 when I wanted to sell the same condo. I am no longer living in SF, so John and Jennifer got my condo painted and staged and ready to sell in just two weeks’ time. We had 4 excellent offers in two weeks and closed within 21 days. The process was smooth and painless. All I had to do was FedEx them the keys at the beginning of the process and show up to the signing at the end. I was thrilled with the speed and professionalism and care they both took with me. I have enthusiastically referred several friends to John in the past and I continue to refer to him because he’s an ethical and responsible player in the crazy SF real estate market. I truly feel John had my best interests at heart during the entire process.
I had to sell a house on behalf of my step parent who was battling dementia. I was very overwhelmed by everything. A dear trusted friend told me she had the perfect agent to help me sell the house. She was so right. John was knowledgeable and kindly explained things to me when I didn’t understand all the processes. I hadn’t sold a house before only purchased one so I wasn’t familiar with all the steps and legalities needed. John and Simone both helped me sell the house with professional photography, website listing and knowledge of the area’s markets and what the right kind of price was for the home I was trying to sell. I work an insane amount of hours per week and I completely relied on both John and Simone to help me navigate the process. It turned out even better than I had thought possible. John is gracious, kind and generous with his time. Simone was super helpful getting things all set up. I would be delighted to use him/them again if I buy or sell a house in California.
Purchasing a home in the current San Francisco market is a daunting task, and we are so grateful to have had John by our side. Throughout the process, John was extremely patient and calm, which made him very pleasant to work with, while at the same time he worked incredibly hard and quickly to help us succeed in finding our new home. It feels like these two traits should be incompatible — being simultaneously so calm and pleasant but also extremely tenacious — but somehow they exist together in John.
What you can expect if you work with John: He will really take the time to understand what your priorities are and what you’re looking for in a home, both in the initial meetings and while touring properties with you; he will maintain great communication with seller’s agents so that you have the best information about a property and are able to seize any opportunity that may arise (he is well liked and respected by other agents!); he will help you craft a winning bid while making sure you’re not overbidding; he will always maintain prompt and clear communication with you; he will always be honest, while never losing optimism in your search; he is very personable and enjoyable to spend time with.
Almost two months to the day from when we first contacted John we’re so excited to have closed on our new house. For a real estate transaction in San Francisco, you could not do better than working with John Solaegui.
In a nut shell, JOHN SOLAEGUI is the perfect person to be your realtor on the buyer’s side or the seller’s side…..he is on top of all areas of the profession. on our behalf…..buyers….John was professional, professional, professional, that should tell it all. He is the MAN for San Francisco !!! We recommend him with 10 (TEN) stars. If any one can do the job for you, JOHN SOLAEGUI will do the job!!!
John was amazing to work with during our recent purchase of our home in San Francisco. He is extremely hardworking, responsive, friendly, patient, dedicated and knew the housing market very well. My husband and I were looking for homes from out of town and John was great at facilitating our search during a variety of trips to the Bay Area. He was great at encouraging us to explain what we liked and did not like about the places we saw together, was extremely helpful at pointing out various aspects of different homes, and was great at suggesting places to see that fit what we were looking for. In addition, he was very patient as we often changed our mind about our criteria for a house as we saw different places. He also knows many real estate agents, lenders, and inspectors in SF which was incredibly helpful in the process. He was readily accessible via phone and email and very responsive whenever we had changes to our schedule or questions about homes. When we were ready to make an offer on a house, he was helpful in navigating the very fast SF timeline. He also helped us to have a competitive offer while not compromising on our budget. As first time home buyers in an extremely competitive housing market, he was the best possible person we could imagine working with. My husband and I were extremely happy to work with him and strongly recommend him.
With COVID-19, it was such a strange time to try to sell our house. With his calm demeanor and industry expertise, John was able to make this process as stress free as possible. I can’t say enough great things about John and his business partner, Maitri. Once we moved out, they handled everything and were able to quickly turn our home into a showcase. We received multiple offers over asking and had a swift closing. I highly recommend John and his business partner Maitri without reservation.
I first contacted and met John in September 2016 as the result of his excellent marketing materials on a nearby property.
A meeting was arranged with John and the beneficiary of the trust that owned an original Cooperative Eichler Apartment on Cleary Court. John enchanted the beneficiary with his knowledge and skill in the selling of this type of property. She instructed me to make sure when the property was to be sold for the benefit of her charitable and religious beneficiaries, I was to use John.
When the property was available for sale, some 2 years later, John piloted the ship through the reef of clearing, cleaning, updating, staging, various stakeholders’ concerns and closing. It was a Wonderment to see John and his team taking this sixty year old property and bring up to current tastes. There are many superlatives’ in Roget’s Theseus that describe John’s abilities to complete this real estate transaction. Too long of the list of these superlatives for this space. My wife and I have been involved in buying, holding and selling real estate in San Francisco and Marin Counties for over 56 years. John and his team are the BEST that we have ever met!
As a result of John and his team, the charitable and religious beneficiaries realized over 27% above the offer of private party!
In my professional career, there was a guiding principal that was hammered in my head:
“Manage by objective, and assess by Results.”
Well, John managed to prepare, present and sell this great property with a awesome result!
Making the decision to sell your home is a big deal and we were grateful to have the Haven Group assist us with the process. John Solaegui’s team was very professional and made the process smooth. I was impressed with their marketing strategies, setting up timelines, customer service and many other skill sets. Thank you Haven Team!
John and his team were great and I would highly recommend them for selling your home. They were extremely helpful getting the house ready to go on the market. Jennifer was so organized and managed all the logistics for us. The open houses were managed extremely well with lots of potential buyers and the marketing was great. The house sold very quickly with multiple offers well over the asking price.
I was referred to John by a client friend of mine….and thank goodness. Working with John has been a fantastic experience. It was the first time (and I’ve moved quite a lot) I have had such a top notch experience with a realtor. His had a professional demeanor, upbeat attitude and unwavering advocacy to get us just what we wanted and nothing less. Our closing took over a year because it was a new home development but John stayed the course and checked in with us and stayed on top of all the details. Thank you, John! Hope we have an excuse to see you soon again!
I am so glad I hired John to sell my mother’s house in the central Sunset after her death. He is deeply knowledgeable about the crazy San Francisco real estate market, passionate about his work, incredibly hardworking, the consummate professional and, at the same time, a most personable and gracious man. I needed someone to handle every aspect of the sale, and John did: he recommended a reliable estate liquidator, got multiple estimates for the work I needed to do on the house, oversaw all the work, handled open houses himself and sent me a detailed report after each one, gave me clear, unpressured advice when the offers were submitted, and then worked to make sure the offers went as high as possible. No task – including taking out the garbage cans and having the lawn mowed during escrow – was too small for John to do. The money I spent on preparing the house for sale was less than I budgeted, and the sale price was more than I estimated. In short, John Solaegui is the real deal – a superb realtor – as the other reviews on his website attest. You won’t find anyone better.
We couldn’t be more thrilled with the work that John and his team did to sell our home. They worked with us to ensure that our home was beautifully presented and marketed. The home sold in 9 days, and we received 10 offers! Everything went smoothly, and we actually closed the deal a week earlier than planned. I’d highly recommend John and his team to anyone selling real estate in San Francisco!
John is professional, professional, professional. He is the MAN for San Francisco!!! We recommend him with 10 (TEN) stars.
We have known John for a long time, and started asking questions about what we could afford and get for our money in San Francisco real estate. When we started looking he was incredibly patient with us, for we had a lot of questions.
After months of searching and checking financing options, we finally were able to get our property ready for sale. It sold in 6 days, and our offer on another property was accepted on the next day. With 30 day closing on both places, we had a larger place to move into!!! Without John’s help, we would not be where we are today, proud owners of a new condo! Thank you John!
My husband and I were referred to John and his partner Ashley through a friend and we are so glad we found them! Their knowledge, team work and patience made finding a home in San Francisco so much easier. SF is a difficult market and our many months of searching went into the COVID-19 pandemic, but through it all we felt comfortable and confident in John and Ashley’s hands. Their shared expertise helped us navigate some tricky home offers and we ended up purchasing our dream apartment in Laurel Heights! We are lucky have them, not only as our real estate advisors, but our friends.
Buying a new home in San Francisco can be an extremely daunting process, and I’m grateful I had the best team of agents at my side! I was introduced to John by a colleague who was a past client of his, and was immediately impressed. Throughout the entire process, I felt like I was in excellent hands with John and Maitri as buyer’s agents. They are extremely knowledgeable about the SF housing market and neighborhood affordability, and provided excellent advice and guidance as I conducted my search. On our initial outing, we conducted a tour of six properties that matched my budget and neighborhood requirements. I fell in love with the second property we toured — a 2 bedroom modern condo in Duboce Triangle — and knew that I needed to act fast. John and Maitri’s connections with other top real estate agents proved to be invaluable to my successful purchase in an extremely competitive multiple offer situation. They are extremely well connected in the industry, and were able to get the “inside scoop” from the listing agent: he was planning to set an offer deadline for the following week, but had just gotten word that a pre-emptive offer from another party was on its way. With this information, John and Maitri helped me craft a winning offer in this extremely competitive situation. We won in a multiple-offer offer process, beating out 3 other pre-emptive offer buyers! The condo was only on the market for 5 days in total. I’m thrilled with my experience working with John and Maitri (and team), and could not have asked for better real estate agents to represent me in this tough market with low inventory and too much demand. I will absolutely recommend their team to friends, colleagues and family.
I worked closely with John a few years ago to help an elderly friend sell a $2M home in SF and was so impressed with his professionalism, knowledge of the local market, and pricing expertise than I enlisted John and his associate Maitri in a 2020 search for my first home in SF. Throughout the process, from our initial scoping of my desired property attributes and neighborhoods through the viewing, offer, and escrow process, I could not have been more impressed (again) with John’s local knowledge of the real estate market, patience and expertise at guiding me through the process,. His responsiveness–particularly in what became a surprise and last minute weekend competitive bid–was of particular note. I will no doubt continue to leverage John and his services and widely recommend him. Thank you John and Maitri!
Ashley is an incredible realtor that 100% cares about her clients best interest. I had such a positive experience having Ashley as my agent to sell my condo and I feel her attention to detail, ability to go above and beyond and positive attitude helped a complicated process seam seamless. Thank you Ashley for your hard work and dedication!
John and Phillip are both professional, knowledgeable, and empathetic people. We had an unusual situation and feel very fortunate to have found them, as they stepped out of their comfort zone to provide excellent support for our family.
John is a spectacular real estate agent. He’s genuine, transparent, sets modest expectations and outperforms…. I can’t wait to work with John again. Highly recommended!
I’m new to this real estate stuff. I’ve done decades in the deepest depths of Wall Street maneuvering such arcane and ugly beasts as index puts and calls, but real estate is an entirely new pursuit. AJ; a result when it was time for me to buy a house I needed help- and lots of it. Fortunately I knew precisely where to go. John Solaegui.
The short laundry list of adjectives for John includes smart, capable, timely, personable, dedicated, and, perhaps most appropriate, tenacious. These qualities will pay dividends in any undertaking. Applying these qualities to his singular passion of real estate results in a full-on exhibition of greatness. Do not accuse me of hyperbole. I dare you to see it for yourself.
My own experience on Wall Street gives me a unique perspective on the importance of professional guidance and counseling. Without a pro by your side beginning lessons will be painful and expensive. Buying real estate with John was like trading options with me as your broker. Just as I know every wrinkle of the options market John knows the real estate market. He helped me understand every step of the process. He knew when to be aggressive, when to fade, and what was important. Read that sentence again – that’s his competitive edge. Bolt on the fact he took the time to get to know me, my goals, and my disposition so he could put together the
comprehensive Greg package and John goes into the “win” column every time.
I suspect you are getting the idea. Get with the program and get John on your side. He far exceeded my expectations. How many things in life can you say that about?
When it came time to review multiple offers on their Mission Dolores condo, I noticed that one of my clients was visibly moved by the personal letter from two British guys. My clients had already heard about these guys, since I had reported that they came to see the property on four different occasions. The guys described how they began their relationship in England and they had been searching for the perfect place to call home since moving to the United States. My clients felt a connection to these guys. They explained that a combination of strangers, friends and chance circumstances helped them buy their own home 26 years ago and now they wanted to help the British Guys buy their first home too! The only problem was we had an all-cash offer that was $88,000 higher than the British Guys’ offer. Could the British Guys come up in price a little bit? The response was a polite,“No, this is all that we can afford”. Would the British Guys be willing to meet with us in person? Certainly! That evening the two young men knocked on my clients’ front door bearing a bouquet of flowers and warm smiles. The deal was done and my clients are thrilled!
As first-time buyers in an extremely competitive market, John was the best possible person we could imagine working with. My husband and I were extremely happy and strongly recommend him.
John is a very experienced realtor with extensive knowledge about the San Francisco market and neighborhoods. He is full of integrity and compassion which show in every facet of the work he does. It was a huge benefit to have him on our side when we bought our home in San Francisco.
I entered the process with the idea that in a warm or hot market, heavy investments in prep would be a money loser and not a good investment.
In reality… with few buyers and many properties stuck on the market indefinitely, spending extra for an extremely well prepped and staged property was probably of crucial importance. Getting just one person to fall in love with the property, despite lack of parking, closet space, etc., was the key and may not have happened without all that expensive prep and beautification. So, your approach was vindicated and I am thankful that it worked out the way it did.
Working with John and the team was great. We entered the market recently, at a very challenging time. With John’s support and guidance we were able to have a successful transaction at a time where many similar properties were stuck on the market. I would recommend him and Haven without qualification.
We found John through a realtor that we trusted through multiple transactions in Palo Alto. For the next adventure we needed someone who knew the San Francisco market and the recommendation was John, without hesitation. The three best things about John during this transaction: 1) John knows San Francisco. Inside and out. When your goal is “move to San Francisco” there are so many options. John was able to provide guidance about what area we could look in given price and desired amenities. 2) John is committed. Over the course of several weeks we visited several properties and he was always available to discuss new ideas or schedule visits. I’m sure he has other clients but I always thought he had plenty of time for me. 3) John has support. The team at Compass was super helpful. They have a portal where we are able to discuss the different properties available in a dedicated chat. This allowed us to talk through the pros and cons of each of the houses. And there are other people on his team that we could meet with as well. For my next purchase or sale in San Francisco, I will call John Solaegui.
Working with Phillip Nguyen as our realtor has been a dream for us first time home buyers. While we were searching, Phillip was more than responsive and helpful when trying to figure out what our needs are in a new home. When we first started working with Phillip, we instantly knew that he’d be a great buyers’ agent as his attention to detail was impeccable. Phillip listened to our concerns and even went above and beyond while we’re in escrow to make sure the place we purchased was what we were dreaming of. We’re fortunate to have worked with Phillip and can’t ask for another realtor for our first time buying a home.
John and his team successfully orchestrated a lengthy and complicated sale of my SF home *while I had to be 4,000 miles away the entire time!* They helped me sell items I couldn’t move, do all the necessary repairs, stage the place beautifully and finally sell it above asking price. John’s knowledge and expertise, calm and respectful demeanor, focus on solutions rather than problems greatly helped the process. I would work with his team again in a heartbeat and will be recommending them to all my friends in SF Bay Area!
I work in the mortgage finance industry and am very skeptical about real estate agents. My experience with Maitri and John has been nothing less than excellence.
We found John through a realtor that we trusted through multiple transactions in Palo Alto. For the next adventure we needed someone who knew the San Francisco market and the recommendation was John, without hesitation. The three best things about John during this transaction: 1) John knows San Francisco. Inside and out. When your goal is “move to San Francisco” there are so many options. John was able to provide guidance about what area we could look in given price and desired amenities. 2) John is committed. Over the course of several weeks we visited several properties and he was always available to discuss new ideas or schedule visits. I’m sure he has other clients but I always thought he had plenty of time for me. 3) John has support. The team at Compass was super helpful. They have a portal where we are able to discuss the different properties available in a dedicated chat. This allowed us to talk through the pros and cons of each of the houses. And there are other people on his team that we could meet with as well. For my next purchase or sale in San Francisco, I will call John Solaegui.
We asked John to help us sell our condo in San Francisco recently after having tried our self first. John made it very effortless on our behalf. It was like night and day. We were very impressed of his market knowledge, extended showing hours and work during the closing. He was always keeping us up to date on what the feedback was from each showing and what the next steps were to be. He is also a good listener and let us take the time needed to discuss before taking decisions. If you not already are on John’s email list for market status updates we strongly recommend that you sign up. It provides the best information on the San Francisco real estate market.
In the real estate industry, where relationships and interpersonal skills are of utmost importance, yet where financial conflicts of interest abound, it is no easy feat to find a genuine, attentive, professional who will always truly have your best interest at heart. However, we were very fortunate to find just such an agent in John Soleagui. What makes writing a recommendation for John so difficult is that no prolific words one may commit to paper could truly capture how wonderful it is to work with John and how masterful he is at his craft. Having closed on our new home in San Francisco after a long and very particular search, we know that we could not have possibly found such a perfect home for us to start our family without John’s guidance every step of the way.
First impressions are often everything. We first met John at an open house randomly browsing in 2009 when my wife and I just started dating. John left such a positive impression on us that we knew then that John would represent us when we would be shopping for our next home. Five years later, in the Spring of 2014, we decided to purchase our next home and reached out to John. We were not going to be easy clients. We each had our own properties we wanted to keep, which made structuring financing more esoteric than for first time buyers, and were very particular in our target property, from neighborhood and condition to year built and architectural style. Over the course of the subsequent year, John made introductions to incredible colleagues in the industry who helped us navigate numerous complexities and prepared us to put together an offer package that won over a higher all cash bid – unheard of in this market. Buying and selling a home is a very personal, intrinsically driven process that many people, much to their detriment, relegate to the exclusive realm of dollars and cents. John’s approach is holistic and exhaustive, which wins over sellers and their brokers on every level. His reputation for integrity, unwavering work-ethic and utmost pleasant disposition opened doors with listing agents, bankers, inspectors and everyone else we encountered in the process. We were always welcomed with open arms by those who knew John (practically everyone we met throughout our search) in the same warm manner John welcomed us as his clients.
Representing buyers who are laser focused on exactly what they want is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you have decisive clients. On the other, you have clients who aren’t going to settle for anything other than what they want, requiring patience and time to seek out that right home. From the inception, John established an impressively clear understanding of what we wanted and never steered us to any property he did not feel we would agree was perfect for us. In many cases, John steered us away from properties he knew we would not love in the long run and kept us grounded at points when we were losing faith that we would find what we had endeavored to acquire. John’s responsiveness, wonderful attitude, and ultimately amazing friendship was the number one factor in us being able to acquire our newest home about which we are positively thrilled. We are deeply grateful to John and are honored to wholeheartedly recommend John to anyone looking for the best, uncompromising representation in the San Francisco real estate market.
John Solaegui and team were very comforting during our sales process. Every step of the way, John and Casey were available to discuss any detail or concern we had. Meeting in person at our property was always offered without hesitation. All the sales materials, website and photos were done quickly and professionally. We sold our place in one day and over asking as well as closed quickly in less than a month. Thank you John!
I had a great experience working with John and Maitri. New to the SF housing market I was instantly made comfortable; they understood exactly what I was looking for and were supportive through the whole process.
This was our Congregation’s first experience in working with John and we will certainly work with him again in the SF region. John provided excellent management of the selling process for an Eichler apartment in Laguna Heights that was gifted to the Congregation. He oversaw the minor remodeling and updating of the unit, as well as, hazard removal and staging. We felt John went beyond the call of duty in working with other vendors to prepare for the sale. John also was able to coordinate between the Home Owners Association Board, the seller, and the buyer in executing all the required documents. And throughout the whole process, he did this with a kind, delightful, and upbeat attitude. We were very happy with our final sales prices, and John made the process painless and efficient. Thank you John!
John Solegui laid out a game plan to achieve success: He prepared a chart indicating the steps and actions required. He arranged all necessary inspections, recommended improvements, assisted in evaluating offers, and kept in contact to advise us on progress. I highly recommend him as a knowledgeable real estate agent who clearly delivered for us!
John did an absolutely phenomenal job helping us go through the process of finding and buying our first home. The most valuable strengths that differentiated him from other real estate agents we met with were:
1. Organization and due diligence: From our first meeting and throughout our interactions, John provided clear organized documentation and guidance on the process. He provided helpful resources for us and always followed up with detailed action steps and notes. He was extremely diligent in his communication with our mortgage lender to process our offer as well as the seller’s agent. He was on top of all communication with the agent from our initial offer, following up for insider updates, as well as ensuring our walk through findings were fully addressed prior to move-in.
2. Attention to our priorities/preferences: John is an amazing listener and somehow remembers everything you say. In our initial meeting he put a lot of effort in understanding our needs and diligently documenting notes of everything about us. Other real estate agents we met made a lot of assumptions about what we were looking for and pushed listings on us that were not anywhere close to what we wanted. John invested time in the beginning to ensure we were all on the same page before we moved forward.
3. End to end support: John exceeded our expectations in the level of services he provided. We expected him to just provide listings and to take us through the process of closing on a property. Instead, John took the extra effort to spend a whole day with us driving around to get to know all the neighborhoods in SF so that we could narrow down our interests. He also took the extra effort to always be present during the process from attending signings at our mortgage lender, detailed walk throughs of the property after close, and even attended our walk through with the developer after we moved in! It was fantastic to have a single resource that we could rely on to always be there. After working with John through this process, we are confident that we will be able to reach out to him in the future for ongoing support and additional services. We absolutely will recommend him to others as well. We look forward to working with him for our next home!
I needed to sell my downtown condominium and move cross-country on short notice this spring and knew it was going to be difficult in the midst of the Covid-19 shutdown. Fortunately, I thought of John, whom I have been acquainted with for several years, but had never conducted a real estate transaction with him.
After our initial conversation, John and his team got right to work gathering recent sales comps, building a schedule and creating a marketing plan.
John and George delivered a professional and well thought out presentation detailing every step of the preparation and marketing process. They arranged for painting, carpeting and lighting upgrades, cleaning, staging and photography for the online listing. This was all completed within a span of 6 ½ weeks!
By the time the property listed, I had already moved and John provided daily updates and feedback from showings and potential buyers while always keeping a finger on the pulse of the current market and competitive properties. John was able to complete a sale to an all-cash buyer within 5 days of our listing.
John brings a professionalism and attention to detail I have rarely seen in any situation. He has the unique ability to understand the needs of his clients and make the entire experience as efficient and stress-free as possible. Despite his calm demeanor, he is an expert negotiator and will do everything to see that the entire transaction is handled with integrity and in his client’s best interest.
I heartily recommend John to anyone in need of a skilled, energetic, attentive and personable real estate professional.
We found John through a realtor that we trusted through multiple transactions in Palo Alto. For the next adventure we needed someone who knew the San Francisco market and the recommendation was John, without hesitation. The three best things about John during this transaction: 1) John knows San Francisco. Inside and out. When your goal is “move to San Francisco” there are so many options. John was able to provide guidance about what area we could look in given price and desired amenities. 2) John is committed. Over the course of several weeks we visited several properties and he was always available to discuss new ideas or schedule visits. I’m sure he has other clients but I always thought he had plenty of time for me. 3) John has support. The team at Compass was super helpful. They have a portal where we are able to discuss the different properties available in a dedicated chat. This allowed us to talk through the pros and cons of each of the houses. And there are other people on his team that we could meet with as well. For my next purchase or sale in San Francisco, I will call John Solaegui.
Although John Solaegui was recommended to me, I interviewed many agents before making my decision. I initially chose John because (1) it was clear he knew far more about San Francisco real estate than anyone else I interviewed; (2) I did not get the sense that he would pressure me; (3) he had a proven track record with buyers in a sellers’ market; and (4) he was knowledgeable about remodeling, which is helpful when you love a place, but it isn’t perfect.
I am so glad I chose John. First, all of the above-mentioned qualities I detected during our phone interview proved true. Second, John is an incredibly skilled businessman and negotiator. When we fell in love with a condo, he was in constant communication with the listing agent to make sure we had the most up-to-date information so that we could make an informed offer. John then made and negotiated our offer in person–which made all the difference in us getting the condo we wanted at an amazing price. I really can’t express how impressed we were with John’s work.
Lastly, I should mention all of the other qualities that make John amazing: he is available nearly 24/7; he asks all the right questions of the listing agent; he listens to your comments and asks the listing agent all of your questions (even the questions you didn’t know you had); he is organized and keeps the bankers, appraisers, inspectors, listing agent and title company organized; he is a fun and interesting person and you’ll enjoy spending your weekends with him!
My wife and I have wanted to buy a home together for quite some time. When we initially raised the topic, it was 2013 and we were living in DC. Since then, we have also lived in New York and Denver. I think it’s fair to say that none of our home searches in those markets, hot as they were, quite prepared us for the madness that is San Francisco’s. John (and his wonderful colleague Maitri) was recommended to us by one of my colleagues. Without their help understanding and navigating the peculiarities of the SF market, my wife, our dog Goose and I would not be waking up in our very own home today. There are at least five things that worked to our advantage when buying our home with John & Maitri: (1) their patience and understanding of our budget and tastes; (2) their extensive experience as both buyer and seller agents; (3) good relationships with other agents; (4) a deep understanding of the nuances of the Bay Area’s different neighborhoods; and (5) an ability to act quickly and methodically when putting an offer together. If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in the Bay Area – especially if you’re a new transplant – you’re in great hands with John & Maitri!
Based on the recommendation of not one but two trusted coworkers, my husband and I decided to work with John and Maitri’s team to buy our very first home. Throughout the entire, somewhat daunting process, John and Maitri were knowledgeable, available, and supportive. Working with them was easy and efficient, and throughout the process their rich knowledge of real estate (Maitri also has experience working on the mortgage brokering side) and San Francisco (John’s experience in the city is long and his knowledge of the ins and outs of SF is vast) made us feel comfortable and confident.
As this was our first home purchase, we were hesitant to rush in to anything and took our time exploring neighborhoods and open houses to determine where we wanted to live and what we were looking for in a house. John and Maitri did not rush us and emphasized the importance of us feeling comfortable with any decision we made. They were patient with us as we made endless spreadsheets and over time changed our minds as to what we were looking for, what neighborhoods we were targeting, and what our budget looked like. Their support during this period allowed us to narrow in on what actually mattered to us and also to get a much better feel for the rhythm of the SF housing market especially with regards to pricing.
All of this culminated in us being completely ready by the time we made our first offer – we had pre-approvals in place from multiple lenders, understood all the terms of the disclosures and the offer letters, and had a very good sense not only for what we wanted in a house but also for how much we thought would be fair to pay in such a crazy market. We were able to make a compelling offer that we felt fully comfortable with on the first try; this level of confidence is not something we would have had on our own and was in large part thanks to the support and patience of John and Maitri. As a result, our first offer was accepted and we are now living in a home we love in a neighborhood that is perfect for our lifestyle, confident that we did not over pay.
We are grateful to Maitri and John for their help in this process and would fully recommend them to any other potential San Francisco home buyers.
I am pleased to recommend John Solaegui as the broker who recently successfully marketed and achieve the sale of my condominium in San Francisco. I selected John after interviewing a number of real estate agents. His approach made sense to us and he laid out a game plan from beginning to end to achieve a successful sale. He prepared a chart indicating the steps and actions required. He arranged to have all necessary inspections performed and assisted in accomplishing any required corrective action. John and his team recommended improvements to the condo such as painting, new flooring, and staging of the unit for presentation to prospective buyers. He then assisted in evaluating offers and helped us to select the best offer. Throughout the sale process, he kept it almost daily contact to advise us on the progress. John has an excellent knowledge of the San Francisco real estate market and advised us on the recommended offering price for the property. During escrow, John was in regular contact with the buyers agent and the result was a timely close to the sale. I would highly recommend John as a knowledgeable real estate agent who clearly delivered for us!
John Solaegui: smart, capable, timely, personable, dedicated, and, perhaps most appropriate, tenacious. These qualities will pay dividends in any undertaking. Applying these qualities to his singular passion of real estate results in full-on greatness. Do not accuse me of hyperbole. I dare you to see for yourself.
John is a spectacular real estate agent. He’s extremely genuine and transparent. He set’s modest expectations and outperforms. He gets back to clients ASAP and makes the selling of a home easy and convenient. I hope to buy another place in SF soon, and I can’t wait to work with John again. Highly recommended!
Ashley is an incredible realtor that 100% cares about her clients best interest. I had such a positive experience having Ashley as my agent to sell my condo and I feel her attention to detail, ability to go above and beyond and positive attitude helped a complicated process seam seamless. Thank you Ashley for your hard work and dedication!
I had a great experience working with John and Maitri. I was new to the SF housing market and was instantly made comfortable that John and Maitri understood exactly what I was looking for and were supportive through the whole process. I was able to find the perfect spot and had a seamless experience all the way through closing.
John and Maitri are clearly well respected in the real estate community and just top notch guys to work with. I had fun on our open house tours, and when we got into contract they were responsive and professional. I couldn’t be happier working with them or recommend them highly enough.
My husband and I worked with John on the sale of our home in the Outer Richmond district of San Francisco. We were delighted with our experience working with John and Michael. We spoke with several outstanding agents, but ultimately John’s persistence, attention to detail, reliable responsiveness, proactiveness made us very comfortable with our choice to list our home with him.
John was a real professional throughout the entire process, from initial interviews to discuss selling strategy to preparing the home for sale to determining the best time to go to market. He really took ownership of the process and provided sage advice along the way which was very valuable for us. For example, we knew we wanted to stage the home for sale, but instead of having to spend thousands of dollars for a full home staging, he prudently advised us to do a partial staging which saved a lot of time and money.
Whenever a new listing hit the market, he would proactively go to see it and report back which gave us a very good idea of how the market was developing.
At the end of the day, we could not be more pleased with our experience with John. Beyond being a true gentleman and professional, he is extremely personable and nice, traits which we’re sure made our listing stand out during the open houses that he hosted. It was such a pleasure to work with him! We recommend him without any reservations at all.
This was our Congregation’s first experience in working with John and we will certainly work with him again in the SF region. John provided excellent management of the selling process for an Eichler apartment in Laguna Heights that was gifted to the Congregation. He oversaw the minor remodeling and updating of the unit, as well as, hazard removal and staging. We felt John went beyond the call of duty in working with other vendors to prepare for the sale. John also was able to coordinate between the Home Owners Association Board, the seller, and the buyer in executing all the required documents. And throughout the whole process, he did this with a kind, delightful, and upbeat attitude. We were very happy with our final sales prices, and John made the process painless and efficient. Thank you John!
As first-time home buyers navigating a difficult San Francisco real estate market, we interviewed a number of real estate agents recommended by friends and colleagues. Immediately, we were impressed by John’s patience, deep knowledge, and friendly demeanor – it was an easy decision for us to move forward with him. Both of us are lawyers, and consequently we like to ask a lot of technical questions about the process, the market, and the offer process. John methodically answered all of our questions and made sure we were satisfied. He took time to visit many places we were interested in, even when it meant meeting up at odd hours to see listings. And when we toured places on our own, other agents always knew John and had positive things to say about our choice of agent. He helped us navigate the offer process and made sure we put together competitive packages. And when we initially lost out in multiple-bid situations–as is inevitable, it seems, in this market–John helped us keep our resolve to find a place that was perfect for us. He ensured we had a smooth closing process, even when small hiccups came up, which kept our anxiety about the process to a minimum. We’re now happily settled in our new place, and couldn’t have asked for a better experience. John came to us via word of mouth, and we wouldn’t hesitate to keep that recommendation moving forward!
John helped us close a condo purchase. He provided good guidance, was extremely responsive, and helped to navigate and get results from a challenging lender. I’d definitely use him again.
My client had long been searching for a new abode in far-flung places including southern France, Washington’s Puget Sound and Costa Rica. One day he called me to say that he found his dream home near friends in Rancho Mirage, CA and he wanted to list his pristine Glen Park home immediately! He showed me pictures of a desert oasis complete with elegant interiors, inviting pool and lush landscaping. We completed staging, photographing and listing his San Francisco home for sale within 9 days after receiving that phone call. Droves of buyers came to see the house and my client told me that he was looking for a special buyer who would (a) personally connect with the house, and (b) be a friendly, helpful neighbor. Knowing this, I asked the buyers agents to share details about their buyers. Once we were in contract, my client quickly befriended the couple who purchased his house and hosted a housewarming party to introduce them to their new neighbors. My client is now happily enjoying in his Rancho Mirage home!
John is straightforward and cooperative. He is a true professional who really understands how to work with others. I appreciated his flexibility and he continuously went the extra mile
We chose John because it was clear he knew more about San Francisco real estate than anyone else interviewed. We are so glad we chose him. John is an incredibly skilled businessman and negotiator. We really can’t express how impressed we were.
I first contacted and met John in September 2016 as the result of his excellent marketing materials on a nearby property.
A meeting was arranged with John and the beneficiary of the trust that owned an original Cooperative Eichler Apartment on Cleary Court. John enchanted the beneficiary with his knowledge and skill in the selling of this type of property. She instructed me to make sure when the property was to be sold for the benefit of her charitable and religious beneficiaries, I was to use John.
When the property was available for sale, some 2 years later, John piloted the ship through the reef of clearing, cleaning, updating, staging, various stakeholders’ concerns and closing. It was a Wonderment to see John and his team taking this sixty year old property and bring up to current tastes. There are many superlatives’ in Roget’s Theseus that describe John’s abilities to complete this real estate transaction. Too long of the list of these superlatives for this space. My wife and I have been involved in buying, holding and selling real estate in San Francisco and Marin Counties for over 56 years. John and his team are the BEST that we have ever met!
As a result of John and his team, the charitable and religious beneficiaries realized over 27% above the offer of private party!
In my professional career, there was a guiding principal that was hammered in my head:
“Manage by objective, and assess by Results.”
Well, John managed to prepare, present and sell this great property with a awesome result!