We had a fabulous experience buying our dream home in 2021 despite the challenges of COVID and a…read morered hot real estate market. Our buyers agent, Donna Digiovine, of Markel Realty Group/ Keller Williams Realty, Westford, MA was a delight to work with and delivered above and beyond our highest expectations. She possessed an exceptional level of detailed knowledge of the buying process from our initial contact through our closing. We appreciated her professionalism guiding us through each decision and helping us every step of the way. We were buying a home from across country sight unseen. She was right there for us, utilizing Zoom and current technology to communicate with the us and the seller, do remote walk throughs of the property and identify important questions we needed to ask. Donna's knowledge and experience resulted in several recommendations we would not have considered, greatly improving the quality and livability of our home. She was right on top of everything for us and communicated with us in a timely manner. It was a stressful experience and she was a rock talking us through rough spots and helping us understand our best options and course of actions. Her insightful recommendations and comprehensive knowledge of real estate were beneficial and much appreciated. We felt so fortunate having her watching our backs. Donna was there for us. It was evident that she cared and was working hard on our behalf to achieve the best possible outcome for us first and foremost. We received a referral from someone who said that Donna went the extra mile for her clients, that her primary goal was to insure they find the home they love and provide them an exceptional buying experience. Donna met and exceeded that recommendation. She delivered all of that and so much more. She was a delight to work with. Donna is a true gem as a realtor, a person and now as a friend. We highly recommend her. If you are in search for a quality realtor who will help you find and buy your dream home give Donna a call and see for yourself. I doubt you will be disappointed. Sheri and Dan

Rented a property through The Markel Realty Group and have been a little disappointed. In the…read moretwelve months that we have been with at the property, we have not heard one thing until we informed them we were leaving. They have been extremely disorganized in terms of getting a replacement tenant. We leave the property tomorrow and still this property management company has not even contacted us to arrange collection of the keys - unbelievable. We can't say that these guys are bad, the simple fact is we just don't know as there has been no interaction. Not a good experience from a renter perspective.

IN MARINA WE TRUST!…read more Go with THE BEST and FORGET the REST! Talk about above and beyond? Realtors often recommend improvements to boost your return, but then leave it to you to make it happen. If you only had the time, right! Marina Masciarelli Tramontozzi (now THAT's ITALIAN, eh!) was the only realtor to bring in a dedicated, competent, turnkey contractor that works on Marina's schedule, for the price promised and does all the "right" work needed for the elusive Marina "WOW" factor that really sells. She transitioned a "lived in 45 years, needs a lot of work" home into a turnkey 32% price increase yielding an added $100,000 in profit in 30 days! All I had to do was Trust in Marina! Simply THE BEST! Trust in Marina...you'll be impressed!

Selecting True North Realty was the best decision we made as we planned our move. Marina was…read moreextraordinary! She provided expert advice during every step of the process, was kind and supportive as we made the decision to sell the house that was our home for 37 years, and used her experience and skill to match us with a buyer who we could count on to complete the sale with ease. We couldn't be happier, and highly recommend True North Realty to anyone who wants to make selling (or buying) a home a pleasant and rewarding experience.

I have been working with Jennifer Taves for many years on a property I owned in Charlestown.  She…read morehas rented the three apartments at various times always bringing in high quality renters.  She did everything so that I didn't have to.  Her background checks were thorough and she handled all photography and showings.  I never had an issue with any tenant she brought in. When it came time to sell the house, Jennifer calculated the best time to put it on the market, and did deep research into what someone would be willing to pay knowing that the house needed to be renovated. She then set the asking price. She marketed the property beautifully with gorgeous photos, marketing documents and set up a website for this particular house. We put the house up for sale on a Tuesday, and we had a very good offer the next morning which we accepted. Jennifer was right on with the asking price and brought us the perfect buyer - cash, no contingencies. I was thrilled with how Jennifer handled everything. Jennifer is very professional, experienced, goes beyond what a realtor is expected to do, and is a lovely person. I would use her again.

If you are reading this review, then congratulations because you just found an amazing Realtor in…read moreJennifer Taves. As a first time homebuyer, Jennifer went above and beyond to help educate and ensure that I fully understood the process. She showed me multiple properties before I closed on the perfect condo that had everything on my checklist. Not only is Jennifer EXTREMELY responsive but also pro-active both pre and post sale. Her work ethic is second to none. There were multiple times where I was ready to make a move and Jennifer always insisted that I sleep on it. 5 stars easy!

When I purchased my first home, Irene Bremis was the listing agent. She tried to take advantage of…read moreme and my wife's real estate inexperience by acting as the buying and selling agent on the transaction without our permission and double dip on her profit. When we raised our concern to her and presented the actual agent we hired, she ended up extorting our agent for half of their commission. Our agent did not want to get into a legal battle with her given her notoriety in the city and our agent's status as a newer player. It was a stressful lesson I learned the hard way as a first time home buyer and would like to help others avoid what my wife and I had to go through.

Eileen was a great person helping us with selling the home. We had some bad experiences and then…read morereferred to Irene. She did everything for us - she really really helped us when we had some bad interactions with other people. She walked us through every stage. We got a great deal and were able to sell our house at an excellent price and move out-of-state. I highly recommend Irene to any buying or selling their house - an excellent, knowledgeable professional and a good human being.

My roommate and myself have just have an awful experience "working" with Carlina Nabatoff and the…read moreagency Keller Williams 955 Mass Ave #100 Cambridge Mass 02138 (617) 497-8900 She was unprofessional and a poorly represented not only herself but her agency. The agency has shown little to no regard for their "clients" and the experience some endure when they encounter an agent as incompetent as we have. Just documenting our complaint alone was exhausting and time consuming. Because it's so long we are unable to even post the entire complaint on Yelp because of its length. All I can say is if you work with this Keller Williams agency please use caution and take your time when selecting an agent. Don't just agree to do business with the first broker that walks out and has the time to sit down with you or possible show you their OWN listing that day. If you do decide to take on business please GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING! Don't agree to use the shaky at best "Dot Loop" applications, they don't process well and after all the difficulties we inquired using them we doubt the security of the system in the first place! Carlina cashed her brokers commission check for $2,450 equal to one months rent a week before my landlord had even seen a dime or signed our legal lease. She stated to me several times that no one cashes checks unit a LEGAL lease is signed. My bank charged me $140.00 overdraft fee for her early check cashing as well! That Friday when I went to pump gas and was unable too it was followed by a bank visit. When I text Carlina about the over drafting I was upset. Stated that she wasn't a very good broker and from this point forward I asked her not to contact me. I would be driving from Maine to Mass the following Monday morning after requesting a meeting with her boss Tom Heany. From there on he "took" on the finishing touches to my lease finally being signed. My experience with Keller William's has only gotten more surpassing and worse since he has gotten involved! I have reached out to their "owner" Jessica and she conveniently on her way to Hong Kong for several weeks and referred me back to Tom. Who when presented with my six page complaint read it in lighting fashion and proceeded to tell me that he still felt Keller Williams had no accountability for any of the wrong doing or misleading. Its all about their checks and that's it. Clients needs come in dead last. No one is held accountable or takes responsibility for there actions! They are not representing Keller Williams with integrity and leadership that the brand is normally known for. Christina LeBel Taryn Kaczmerek

Carlina was very responsive, friendly, non-pushy and showed us some great apartments. She helped us…read morefind a great place without any hidden fee and continues to check up on how we're doing or if we need anything through move in. I'd highly recommend her to anyone looking for an apartment in the area. Thanks Carlina!

I listed my two-family and bought a beautiful home with the expertise of The Shanahan Group. I…read moreenjoyed working with and highly recommend them!! I listed my two-family in Medford with The Shanahan Group over the summer. Christine Curtain met with me and carried me through a very stressful time. She was thorough and diligent. After agreeing on a listing price, she wrote the perfect listing, scheduled and managed an open house within just a couple of days, and professionally dealt with my tenants (both of whom were not happy about the sale of the property). She handled a difficult situation delicately. I had several offers at the end of two days on the market, and the house sold at over asking very shortly thereafter. I also met with Christine at several properties that I had expressed an interest in buying. She worked with my busy schedule and answered all of my questions promptly and honestly. After a legnthy search, I settled on a home on the north shore. I came across it on a drive while visiting a friend. I loved it so much and really wanted to see it and make a move quickly. Christine had planned a week's vacation the same week. I spoke with one of Christine's associates, June Burt, who stepped in without hesitation and walked me through the offer procedure and subsequently visited the property with me so I could get another look at it with a family member. Upon Christine's return, she haggled with the sellers on my behalf and saved me a chunk of money off of the sale price. I also thouroughly enjoyed the beautiful housewarming gift they sent to me - a patio heater. What a thoughful surprise!! I love my new home and couldn't be happier with the quality of service and attention I received from The Shanahan Group.

Dara Singleton is an excellent option to put your place on the market. She helped us sell two…read morecondos in Cambridge. She is efficient, responsive, knowledgeable and thorough-- everything that you want in an agent. She partnered with us on day one and provided an analysis of our property and walked us through the sale process. She gave recommendations on best practices and positioning our property for the best sale price. She managed all of the milestones and kept us in the loop and provided contacts as necessary for staging and legal. It was a great experience and we are happy with the result!

We are very grateful that Adriana Scholz sold our house--but, wait, that's too simple…read more Adirana sold our house with knowledge and skill. Adriana sold our house with care, persistence, and precision. Adriana sold our house with support, guidance, and empathy. We are very grateful that Adriana sold our house, and we would highly recommend that she sell yours or work with you to find your next home. Adriana Scholz is the dream realtor. Don't give it a second thought--just get her on your team to buy or sell.

Adriana is, hands down, everything you could possibly want in a realtor.  She works exceptionally…read morehard to make the process as seamless as possible and to make sure you have everything you want while also ensuring you understand all of the pros and cons of each decision to be made. My wife and I were first time homebuyers and bought our first home during the pandemic. I had emailed her asking for info about her approach and to get her insights on the current market.  She replied and without being pushy or forceful, answered my numerous questions in great detail.  She got us set up to get the MLS emails and we expressed interest in a house.  We were unable to tour it so what did Adriana do?  She traveled to the house herself and took a 20 minute video to give us an inch by inch detailed look at the property.  She did this for clients she had never worked with before and had never met before.  This jumped out at us as a true sign of an incomparable work ethic. "If she does something like this for a couple she doesn't even know, imagine what she'd do for us after working with us" was a thought my wife and I both had. Qualities one seeks in a realtor are communicative, supportive, friendly, strong, personable, knowledgeable and diligent.  Adriana has all of those traits in spades but she also possesses the rarest, most important trait of all...honesty.  Anyone working with a realtor needs someone who will be brutally honest and tell you the good and the bad, whether you want to hear it or not.  Adriana does this expertly well and, if something is bad, she also comes to the table with suggestions on how to navigate any issues. If we could give her more than 5 stars we would.  Our family is expanding and we are actually looking for our next home and, of course, are working with Adriana to find it. The prospect of buying, selling, moving and having a first child in an ongoing pandemic is daunting, but we know we are in excellent hands with Adriana and she has been instrumental in making so many of our family's dreams come true. She also has access to a massive network of professionals that are now our network and has allowed us to navigate homeownership with ease. She is clearly so very valued and respected by all of those she works with and interacts with. We have also personally referred several friends to her and they have been equally as pleased with her work as we have.  Adriana is the epitome of an expert realtor, professional and person and we cannot recommend her enough!

Exceptional Real Estate Partner - Phil Delivers Results…read more I've had the pleasure of working with Phil at Park Hou Group through Splice on multiple transactions over the years. Phil helped me purchase a single-family home in Cambridge, buy a townhouse condo in Somerville, and later sell the condo. Each experience exceeded my expectations. Going Above and Beyond from Day One For my Cambridge purchase, Phil's team secured an early showing before the open house, allowing me to submit a competitive offer ahead of the crowd. In Cambridge's cutthroat market, this strategic move made all the difference--I'm confident I wouldn't have gotten the house otherwise. Phil provided an incredibly detailed comparative market analysis (CMA) that gave me the confidence to make a strong but justified offer. Expert Advice That Pays Dividends One of Phil's best recommendations was converting my 2-bed, 1.5-bath home into a 3-bed, 2-bath. This renovation created a versatile home office and guest room, and when I relocated, significantly increased the property's rental value. It's rare to find a realtor who thinks so strategically about long-term value. Unmatched Expertise and Resources Phil's personal experience with rental properties and renovations sets him apart. As a first-time renovator, I had countless questions, and Phil never hesitated to share his knowledge--even well after closing. I later learned he develops properties himself and manages investment properties for other clients, which explains his deep understanding of what to buy, what to avoid, and how to maximize ROI on improvements. A Full-Service Team with Vetted Professionals Phil has built an impressive network of trusted vendors--inspectors, architects, contractors, loan officers, attorneys, photographers, stagers, and more. When he makes a recommendation, I don't waste time researching alternatives because I know they're competent and fairly priced. This network is invaluable and saves tremendous time and stress. Proactive Marketing That Gets Results When selling my condo, Phil convinced me to stage the property (excellent advice) and staffed the open house with multiple team members to ensure every visitor felt attended to. What impressed me most was his follow-through--he personally called every prospective buyer multiple times for feedback and to maintain engagement. Phil doesn't just list properties; he actively sells them. Always Available, Always Professional Throughout every transaction, Phil was accessible via text and phone, answering questions and easing anxieties. His communication style is both professional and reassuring during what can be a stressful process. I've recommended Phil to all my friends because I genuinely believe you won't find a better realtor in the Boston area. His combination of market knowledge, strategic thinking, and exceptional service makes him an invaluable partner in any real estate transaction.

Splice Realty is and has been amazing…read more They were the reality group that help my partner and I brought our first home. On every step of the way, they walk and talk us though it. As first time home buyer, there were many things that we didn't know or weren't aware of. Splice educated us on so many different things such as flood zones, tax, and other fees. They made as feel comfortable with every decision and empower every decision with facts. They honesty and fact checking was something we needed. Buying a house is difficult but factors such as the pandemic and inflation doesn't make anything easier. So we highly recommend this group. They really do have your back, have your best interest, make time for any questions you have, and never rush the sale. Thank you, Splice!