*Disclosure: I am a fair Yelp grader. 3 stars to me means the company/product met my expectations…read more It is rare for me to give 5 stars. 5 stars is given if absolute excellence was shown (product AND customer service) AND continued to receive amazing service. 4 stars is given to a business for those that showed they went out of their way to provide better than adequate (expected) service. 3 stars is they did what the goal was with little to no fuss or foul. 2 stars there were some issues but not a horrible experience. 1 star is rarely given as I do not want to discredit a business for 1 initial instance. I would only give 1 star if I continually receive bad service and have lots of frustration that is not met with sincerity or resolution. What can I say about this intelligent, funny, passionate, compassionate, loving, sweet duo? My husband and I contacted Willie & Laurelle January 2017 to get an idea on what steps we should take to purchasing our first home. They gave us direction and connected us with 3 separate lenders. I contacted them individually and asked what was needed to get an estimate. The entire time Willie was by our sides guiding us, helping us ask the right questions, steering us in the right direction. Whenever Willie wasn't available - Laurelle was always there for us so neither of them would leave a client "hanging." They're good about sharing their time with their clients to provide the best support in one of the most stressful moment of your lives. Willie was on speed dial and he'd allow us to contact him anytime even if we were having second thoughts late at night. They constantly gave us constructive feedback on various homes we were looking at. We gave them our must-haves and helped us find a home that exceeded that vision. When we found the house we wanted, Willie willingly drove down that day late evening just so he could show us the house because he knew that house was going to be a hot item on the market. After viewing, we immediately discussed our offer and we submitted it the next morning. That week we received a counter offer and heard that the house had received about 18 other offers! We had to be smart on how we would respond to the counter and Willie's wisdom and advice helped guide us in the right direction. We received another counter before we indicated to the seller this was our final offer. Willie called us shortly after to inform us WE WERE CHOSEN out of 18 other applicants! One of the reasons the seller selected us was because of our savvy realtor. If that doesn't sell you on choosing Whole Life Properties then I don't know what will. Don't regret skipping on this team! They'll help you find your dream home! They received 5 stars because after we moved in, being first time homeowners we still had questions after we've moved in and they're always willing to help answer any questions and reduce any stress you have from this huge life event. They always give 5 star service to their clients. And on our 1 year anniversary, they remembered and stopped by to visit and gave us another housewarming gift. What other realtors should remember your 1 year anniversary?! They don't just want to find you a house in the market. They're in the business of finding you a home.

What can we say about Willie and Laurelle? They are amazing humans and very good realtors, too. We…read morerelied on Willie and Laurelle in 2020-2021 to help us find and purchase our first home. I knew Willie from high school and we reconnected after we found out they lived near us in North County. Many of us have plenty of friends that are realtors or at least have their license. But based on past conversations about buying and purchasing real estate, we knew their passion for helping people was only surpassed by their professionalism and knowledge of the industry. Unknown to us at the time, until we mentioned we were looking to buy new construction, was the fact that Willie has sold new construction for a builder. The fact that he was able to bring that knowledge to the table was just icing on the cake. He expertly guided us on how best to approach and interact with the builder during the entire process helped us understand what was in our control and what was not. There were definitely ups and downs, but Willie and Laurelle helped keep us grounded and realistic because not everything is roses with buying real estate, especially in the market we were in. Going back through and reading all our text messages back and forth during 2021, I'm shocked that Willie and Laurelle didn't drop us as clients! They took the late night and early texts and calls and we felt like we were their only clients. Willie and Laurelle are attentive, patient, kind, and FUN! We are so blessed to know them and to have had the opportunity to work with them as we bought our first home!

We were referred to Ria by a business acquaintance of ours, and that was our lucky day. We were…read morelooking for a new place to live in N. San Diego, initially looking to buy/renovate. Ria sent and showed us all sort of properties, and when we did find anything that would not cost as much as to build from scratch, we asked her to show us lots so we could build a customer house. We felt terrible about wasting her time, but she didn't give it a thought and was excited to start hunting for lots. We zeroed in on Fallbrook, and even though that area was not previously Ria's specialty, she quickly made it her specialty. She went well beyond what we ever expected, going out on her own to walk the lots so she wouldn't waste our time; and once we found one, forged a great relationship with the seller's Realtor; and she, her assistant their escrow team took care of all details. It could not have gone more smoothly. Most importantly Ria has a great sense of people, and both my husband and I trusted her implicitly. We knew she always had our best interests at heart, and that certainly helped relieve the stress which comes with any real estate transaction. We are very grateful for having had her as our agent, and would recommend to anyone that they have the good fortune of being the beneficiary her very savvy real estate and project management experience, and very caring style. We look forward to a very long relationship with Ria.

Ria, and her team, were absolute rock stars. We had been spinning our wheels for months looking for…read moreour new home in North County SD, without much luck. After meeting with Ria and Colleen just ONCE, they were able to laser focus our search and helped us find the perfect home! With their extensive local knowledge, they were able to steer us away from areas that were expecting a downturn, and were able to identify great, under the radar locations. Add to that her relationships with seemingly everyone that has ever worked on a house in San Diego, and her ability to connect us with the right folks to do all the upgrades and renovations, is what truly sets her apart from your good real estate agents. She is the top of her class. Oh, and she saved us hundreds of thousands of dollars. So, yea. Rock Stars.

Jodie Lee is the epitome of what every realtor should aspire to be. She truly works for her clients…read more- fiercely, ethically, and with total commitment. She will go to bat for you without hesitation, because doing the right thing matters to her. That is who she is -- she will always put her clients first, no matter what. Her clients continue to call her long after closing because she's still there for them. She answers the phone. She returns texts. She communicates clearly. She's reliable, responsive, and genuinely cares. That's why her clients trust her and refer her again and again -- and why other agents love working with her, too. Jodie has experience across the board, from $32M luxury homes to smaller condos, and she treats every transaction with the same professionalism and dedication. She is well-rounded, honest, and exceptional at what she does. Jodie also comes with experience of design and renovation of homes. I highly recommend Jodie Lee to anyone looking for a realtor who will truly advocate for them and make the process feel supported every step of the way.

Jodie is freakin' INCREDIBLE!!!…read more n we honestly didn't even know our first realtor was awful until we were blessed enough to have Jodie as our second she will advocate for you, fight for yah, and she's extremely responsive. Jodie is one heck of a bad a$$, and we are so grateful she helped us thru the hectic home-buying process. we genuinely love Jodie and would recommend her to anyone who means business!

If you're looking for a realtor who is not only exceptional at her job but genuinely cares about…read moreher clients, look no further than Loren Thistle. My husband and I stumbled upon Loren at a random open house and had no idea she'd become the reason we found our dream home. As first-time homebuyers, we were nervous and overwhelmed, but Loren made the process so easy. She walked us through every step--from inspections and insurance to connecting us with a better mortgage company and local contractors for plumbing and electrical work. She was always available, incredibly knowledgeable, and made us feel completely supported. Even when we briefly paused our search, she remained kind, patient, and encouraging. When we started looking again (with only one month to buy and move before our baby's arrival!), Loren pulled off what felt impossible--helping us close quickly and confidently. Her professionalism, communication, and deep local connections are unmatched. Thanks to Loren, we're now settled into our dream home and couldn't be happier.

I first met Loren Thistle in 2021 at an open house. She was warm, welcoming, and genuinely…read moreinterested in understanding our dream home requirements and budget. We had to postpone our plans, and Loren respected that completely--no pressure, no pestering. She checked in exactly a year later, and when we still weren't ready, she waited another year. Throughout this time, she sent periodic listings matching our preferences but never pushed. When we finally got serious in 2025, her professionalism truly shone. As first-time homebuyers, we had so much to learn. Loren patiently walked us through every step, answering all our questions with a heartwarming smile. She only shared listings within our budget and never pushed us higher. During home tours, she was always punctual and provided thorough analyses with clear pros, cons, and suggestions. When we decided to make an offer, she conducted comprehensive market analysis and advised us on a competitive price that would be accepted without overpaying. Once our offer was accepted, Loren made everything seamless through her firm's online portal. She referred reliable lenders, responded to texts promptly with clear answers, and ensured the house met our "move-in-ready" requirements. She guided us through inspections, suggested handymen for minor fixes, and provided contacts for future needs. Loren is incredibly professional yet genuinely warm. We feel very lucky to have worked with her and will definitely refer her to anyone buying a home in San Diego.

I cannot say enough good things about my experience with Wes. As a buyer, especially in today's…read moremarket, you have to move quickly. This can be an extremely stressful experience. The home buying process can feel like navigating a maze while feeling all too much pressure. That is where Wes comes in. Not once did I feel like just another commission. Never did I feel like he was trying to sell me a home. He listened to what I wanted, and sent me properties that fit my needs and budget. Wes was readily available to communicate with, show me homes, and made me feel like a priority at all times. When considering making an offer on a home, he put together detailed analyses of comps along with a narrative about whether the price was justified. Ultimately when I made an offer, he was extremely strategic in how he presented the offer. His presentation was extremely professional, well strategized for acceptance, and made it very desirable for the seller. My first contract was ultimately accepted, and fortunately I was in a position for a quick closing. I could not recommend Wes more highly, from a buyers perspective, and can't imagine that he wouldn't be just as successful representing a seller. Good agents are tough to find, and I would highly recommend Wes!

Wes was so helpful in finding the right house for me. He listened to what I wanted. Also as a…read morefirst-time homebuyer, I had a lot of questions and he was very patient and explained everything very clearly. We did a 14 day escrow and he worked very hard to get everything done by then. After I bought the house, I wanted to get some remodeling done. He set me up with a great painting company and a kitchen counter installer. Their work was stellar. I highly recommend Wes.

We had an excellent experience working with our realtor. With more than 35 years of experience in…read morethe San Diego real estate market, his knowledge and expertise were invaluable throughout the entire home-buying process. He helped us find our home in just two months, patiently showing us many properties on weekends and always taking the time to listen to what we wanted. He was an excellent communicator, responsive, clear, and never made us feel pressured. We truly felt that he had our best interests at heart. His experience in evaluating homes was especially helpful, and his negotiating skills allowed us to purchase our home below the asking price. He also did an outstanding job working with the seller's team and successfully negotiating important repairs and home-improvement contingencies on our behalf. We are incredibly grateful for his guidance and would highly recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell a home in San Diego. We would gladly work with him again in the future.

Gillian and John are the best agents in town HANDS DOWN!…read moreThey treat all their clients like family! They were able to find my client an off market home in the most competitive market in the history of the USA! We were BLOWN AWAY! HIGHLY RECOMENDED!!!

Andrea and her associates are absolutely wonderful to work with. Being first time home-buyers we…read morewere unaware of many things not only about the market but about different types of houses and areas. Like many, we were initially overwhelmed by the search. Andrea was quick to educate us and was eager for our feedback because her ultimate goal was clearly our happiness. Our house hunting involved a long search and a variety of different geographical areas, but Andrea took it all in stride and was determined to find "our" house. Andrea is very eager to listen to your needs/wants for your home and treats you with incredible respect; she places a high priority on her clients and was available it seemed like 24-7. She is always quick to ask as well as answer questions. Andrea is incredibly experienced, thorough and absolutely knows her information. Additionally she provided us with wonderful references for a wide variety of additional home needs. We could not have had a better experience with Andrea and would highly recommend her. Not only she is she an outstanding agent, but she is a very respectful, honest and considerate person who is a true pleasure to work with.

John and Katie are a dream to work with. I have worked with many realtors over the years, and can…read moretruly say that John provides a singular and exceptional experience for his clients. By far the best I've known from finding my clients a home, managing negotiations, to seeing the transaction through.

I have known the Griswold family for over 2 decades, and have used them for various real estate…read moreresources throughout the years. Bob is an exceptionally knowledgeable asset to the team, John puts his clients first, and Katie makes sure everything in the background is running as smoothly as possible. The entire team is top notch and their service is unmatched. I don't live in the San Diego area anymore, but if anyone I know is looking in the area I immediately refer them to the Griswold Group. And you better believe that if we ever come back to the area John will be the first person I call to find our family the perfect place to call home.