8/14/10
Upon meeting Dan Ortega, Jenna and I were instantly struck with his combination of
warmth and housing market knowledge. We had just started looking at housing prices in
our neighborhood, not really sure what our budget might be or if we were even ready for
home ownership. Dan listened, offered advice, gave us space and was there if we had
questions. Once we had our finances together and felt secure that the time was right, we
reached out to Dan and began our search. Dan knew the area inside and out. More
importantly, he seemed to have a great relationship with every real estate agent we came
across. Dan very quickly earned our trust. He was available to discuss our fears, talk
about a new house we’d seen online, or just chat about the market. Once we started
making offers, Dan was invaluable. He was able to tell us when a house was overpriced,
and when we’d have to come in high on a popular property. In addition, through his
relationships, he was able to get us into houses that hadn’t been listed yet, and get the
scoop on which properties might be coming on the market soon. He was consistent,
steady and patient with us even when the financial stress and housing fears made us less
than easy to deal with.
Above all, it was clear throughout the process, that whether we ended up buying a house
or not, Dan was really only motivated by helping us make a decision that was right for us.
We never doubted whose interests he had at heart: ours. And once we found the property
we ultimately purchased Dan was on our side one hundred percent through negotiations.
He and the seller’s agent both worked hard to make the process as easy as possible for us,
and Dan really took the time to point out every small detail that we should be aware of,
which things might be cause for concern and which weren’t. Even after the sale finalized
and we moved in, Dan was still there for us if we needed a referral or had a question.
He’s still there for us now and we’re grateful for all his help, guidance, patience and
friendship. We can’t recommend him enough.
Andrew Guest & Jenna Friedenberg