From the beginning, Jay was on top of EVERYTHING. He is knowledgeable about the market, a strong negotiator, great communicator, patient, approachable, personable, and extremely generous with his time. The SALE: We solicited multiple offers and exceeded a net profit far above market value as the highest comp in the area. We accepted the offer before our scheduled open house. Talk about speed! The PURCHASE: Buying a home in this market is challenging. It didn't help that we were very indecisive on the location. Jay and Richie were extremely patient and understanding- steering us in the right direction with genuine advice. They explained every part of the process clearly and thoroughly which made it as painless and straightforward as possible. Richie came to the home inspection, so he was able to give us more insight on the results. He also called a plumber for a second opinion to ease concerns we had on one of the findings. Jay and Richie came to the table with vendor relationships which proved to be invaluable- saving time, money, and stress. We're thankful for them for making it happen. They definitely had our best interests at heart. Highly recommend! read more

Jay and his team were absolutely great. I had been in the market for a few months casually looking at homes and felt like I was missing out on great options. I met with Jay who spent an hour with me discussing my wants and needs. From there spent time detailing market trends, comps that were selling, comps that weren't selling and where my leverage was based on my search. As a first time buyer, there were plenty of areas that I knew just enough information to get into trouble, Jay really helped expand my knowledge and establish comfort in my approach to the process. Jay was always available and always reaching out as options came to market. You really felt he and his team made it a priority to find what you were looking for. It was comforting to know they were working to find the right conditions for me. Once we acted on a house, the process was very clear and progress was reviewed each step of the way. After closing, the service continued and the feeling of working with the right team remains. Really great guy, really great team, would recommend to family and friends without a doubt. read more

Jay O'Brien is truly the definition of a professional, ethical, and dedicated realtor. My husband and I started our home search with two different realtors, that were nothing but a disappointment, and unfortunately tainted our views of Southern California realtors. Fortunately, our mortgage representative recommended we contact Jay, and immediately we noticed a difference. He took the time to understand our needs, wants and worked with us to navigate and understand the crazy OC real estate market. We knew we could count on Jay to ask the right questions, negotiate on our behalf, and be honest with us throughout the process. Jay always answered my calls, e-mails and texts right away - and trust me, we had many questions. I would without hesitation recommend Jay to family and friends looking for a realtor. We have him to thank for helping us find our perfect first home! read more

As a first time homebuyer I was apprehensive about the process. I wanted to make sure we were getting an affordable, yet reasonably priced home in the Torrance/San Pedro area (which is hard to find). Jay was not only knowledgable, he was very comforting and reassuring of the process making sure our questions were answered along the way. Jay was readily available to ease my concerns and provide council on tough decisions when the time came to place an offer. He maintained an enthusiastic demeanor throughout the entire transaction, even when I was being negative. Jay was 100% in our corner and he went above and beyond to prove that when negotiating. At the end of it all we have a great starter place that I am thrilled to make our first home. Jay played an integral part in bringing it altogether. This experience was so positive that in 5-7 years when we are looking to sell I'm not worried. I'm actually excited! I know Jay and his team will not only help us get top dollar for our home but find us a new one that exceeds our expectations. read more

I had the recent pleasure of closing two real estate transactions with Jay O'Brien. I can't emphasize enough what a true professional he is. Within the course of 1 week Jay had produced two cash buyers and helped seamlessly close out both deals quickly and easily. Jay is the kind of Realtor you hope to work with on a transaction and the kind of person you enjoy doing it with. Looking forward to many more deals with this consummate professional!! read more

Working with Jay and his team was the best decision we could have made for the buying and selling of our homes! We chose Jay after letting another realtor go who did not seem to be putting in the effort we needed to sell one home and help us purchase another. From our first meeting with Jay until now (a month after moving into the new home), Jay and his team have impressed us with their professionalism and dedication to making our experience pleasant. Even the contractors he has recommended have been top notch. Jay and his team are one of a kind and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a realtor in OC read more

I can't say enough good things about Jay and his team. We had dealt with numerous other realtors., and never felt like a priority. From the minute, I called Jay, I felt the love. He listened and made us feel important. Our budget was not as large as others, but we never felt less important. He responded to all of our questions within minutes and made us feel part of the family. Jay and his time exemplify all that is good about customer service. As we say at work, you guys ROCK!!!! read more

I recently completed my third property closing with Jay, this time as the seller. The day before closing a problem was found that was hidden during inspection that needed fixing. There's no one else I would want representing me than Jay O'Brien. It's often said that how people handle problems is when their true colors appear. With Jay, I got exactly what I expected, nothing but the most responsive, proactive, caring and problem solution behavior. Through his strong ability to stay calm and even headed in stressful situations, he guided me every step of the way so that we were still able to close in a very reasonable amount of time. Jay is incredibly helpful, giving, kind and caring on a normal day. So many sweet gifts and caring notes makes it great to work with him. But how he handled this extremely sensitive situation is one very important reason I will never close a real estate deal without Jay as my representation. read more

We had a great experience working with Jay, Richie, and other Remax Prestige Associates. Jay and Richie were very patient in helping us find our 1st home. Richie has a great eye when walking through houses and provided us with valuable input. Jay is very knowledgable about the real estate process and paperwork, which was extremely helpful when escrow was having issues with the paperwork. Both Jay and Richie were always available and quick to respond to emails, texts, or phone calls. It was a pleasure working with them and will definitely give them a call when we go to sell our home in the future. read more

My wife and I purchased our first home with Jay's help. Jay was incredibly helpful and made us feel comfortable at every turn. It can be a very stressful process but knowing Jay was on our side alleviated the stress as much as possible. This was the biggest purchase of our lives and Jay treated it as such. It was more than a transaction with Jay.. he genuinely cared about us and made us feel special. Will recommend to anyone and everyone. read more

I would like to start out by saying this was my the first time ever selling my property. I lived in a condo with my husband for 2 years, when we decided to sell. We were first time buyers and sellers. I was referred to Jay by a family friend. From the first conversation I had with Jay I was certain I wanted him to represent my husband and I in the sale of our condo. He was so thorough with explanations, he answered every single question I had with so much detail and was so friendly. I immediately had a great feeling about him, not only as a real estate agent, but just as a normal guy. From then he advised that my husband and I wait a few months before signing any contracts since we wanted to sell in September that July would be the best time to list. We waited and after several phone conversations later (with me asking the same questions over and over and him happily answering) we finally met Jay in person. Dressed in a full suit, looking extremely professional to add to his already lovely persona. He explained the entire process of the sale and we discussed the listing price. He was incredibly realistic which we loved since there would be no point in him just telling us what we wanted to hear. He had incredibly professional photos taken of the property and created an entire website for the condo. We had a few open houses and the property sold, but not only did it sell, it was sold at the highest price that a 1 bedroom condo in our complex had ever sold for! The entire process of the transaction was smooth and effortless. With support from start to finish. He always answered phone calls and responded to text messages right away. The staff at Remax Prestige was on top of everything and always kept us in the loop (Shawnna his assistant was amazing). Jay would go out of his way to ensure we always felt comfortable which was really refreshing. We had actually forgotten to make extra copies of keys initially and my husband didn't have his, so Jay drove to his work and took it to him. I mean that's unheard of. All in all, we will continue to use him for our future purchase and refer to all of our friends and family. Great service and he genuinely cares! Since the property has sold we still remain in contact, he is even hosting a Client Appreciation for his clients. The level of service we have received has been like nothing we have ever experienced before. Thank you Jay, you are THE BEST! read more

The only regret is I can't give 0 stars. Horrible experience... And a waste of time. Not helpful and kept ring to upsell me into place I had no interest in. At times he was rude and seemed to be more distracted than focused on working with me... Skip over him and his attitude is my recommendation. read more

My husband and I just purchased our first home with Jay and could not have been more pleased with him and his team. Very professional, quick to respond, accommodating and efficient. The entire process is so overwhelming at the beginning but Jay was careful to thoroughly explain what was going on every step of the way so we never felt out of the loop. Cannot recommend him enough! read more

My husband and I decided to sell our home in Anaheim and buy in South Orange County because of a new job opportunity. It was a super scary and daunting task, and we interviewed at least 5-6 realtors because we wanted the best shot at buying and selling successfully at a good price. We picked Jay in the end, and could not have been happier!!! Right off the bat, we loved Jay - he's personable, friendly, honest, professional, knowledgeable, trustworthy, and just awesome haha. We wanted someone who would work well with other agents, but still protect our own interests, and Jay did just that. His photographer/videographer made our house look its best AND made a cinematic quality video of our property. We were in escrow on our Anaheim house within a week! It was a more complicated sale because we were the 3rd domino in a domino effect situation, but Jay was amazing and helped out people who weren't even his clients. He put in so much extra leg work and phone calls (to Regional VPs of banks!) to ensure that everything worked out in the end for everyone. Our home buying experience was easy with the help of Jay and his right hand man Richie. Jay and his team were always on top of it with documents, timelines, and referrals for other professionals that I needed. He was so sweet and surprised us with little perks every step of the way (I won't reveal his secrets though!) He was always easy to get a hold of, and he typically called me before I even knew I needed to call him haha. My husband and I would recommend Jay and his team wholeheartedly with no reservations!! read more

Very informative and competent agent. He knows what needs to get done and what is not necessary, so he can efficiently get clients through the process quickly while ensuring that quality is not compromised. Not your average agent, he goes the extra mile! read more

I couldn't be more satisfied with my home buying experience, and it's due largely in part to working with Jay. He is the epitome of a professional and you can tell that he genuinely cares about his clients. Jay went above and beyond to make sure my needs were met and that the entire process was smooth and efficient. Months after buying my home, I even received an invitation from Jay to a client appreciation dinner he held at Anqi where we were not only served delicious food and drinks, but donations were made on our behalf to a children's charity. His integrity and generosity are qualities not often found in the world of real estate. For that, and a numerous amount of other reasons, there is no one I'd rather work with when buying a home. read more

Just wanted to say thank you for helping me and my family with all our home & mortgage needs! You guys make this tedious and complicated process super easy! I'm glad to have met you and thank you for all the thoughtful gifts you keep sending us! :-) read more

A friend who is a realtor from another state recommended Jay to me and my brother. We were tasked at selling our parent's house as part of an estate liquidation. We interviewed several realtors and Jay stood out from the rest of them with his knowledge, professionalism and enthusiasm in presenting a strategy to sell our house. We also reviewed all the glowing Yelp reviews along with his previous sales record and concluded that he was the one for us. We had a complicated property to sell because we had to first clear out our parent's belongings through an estate sale, and bring in cleaning services for the house and windows. Jay recommended the cleaning service that he uses and they did an excellent job at cleaning the entire house at a very reasonable price. Both me and my brother do not live in the area so Jay was instrumental in locally coordinating access to the house with the cleaning service. Our house was priced at the higher end of the market due to its location and size. However, my parents did not do any updates to the interior so the house looked dated and was a fixer upper. Additionally, the floor plan layout itself was not conducive with the principles of Feng Shui which adversely affected a sale to many potential Asian buyers. Once the house was empty and cleaned, Jay went to work by posting a yard sign, taking professional photos of the house and listing it on MLS, Zillow and all the other usual web sites. Jay held several open houses to attract potential buyers. This was a challenging house to sell due to its dated interiors combined with competing with several comparable houses in in the area on the market with fully remodeled interiors although at higher prices. During the escrow process, almost all the paperwork was handled digitally via email using Docusign services which significantly streamlined the process especially with us not living in the area. After the initial buyer fell out of escrow, Jay found another buyer who accepted our asking price. Unfortunately, this buyer's agent and loan company were subpar in performing their tasks in a timely manner during escrow but Jay was persistent and proactive with them in trying to meet their promised deadlines. In the end, the house successfully closed escrow and we felt that we received excellent service along with maximizing our return on the house. Frankie was our escrow officer and Shawnna was our transaction coordinator who were both responsive and easy to work with. Whether talking to him on the phone, texting or by email, Jay was always responsive and went out of his way in answering all the questions that we had. He did a steller job in listing the house, identifying and negotiating with potential buyers and successfully closing escrow. Jay is already accomplished as an agent at a relatively young age and will no doubt become only more successful based on my experience with him. It was a pleasure working with Jay and his entire team and I highly recommend his services to anyone buying or selling property in Orange County. read more

My husband and I recently bought our first home with Jay's help and I cannot recommend him, and the Re/Max Prestige team, enough. They were knowledgable, genuine, effective, trustworthy and super helpful. The whole experience was wonderful from start to finish and it was reassuring to know we had such a professional team on our side for this important milestone. Jay's knowledge of the market was apparent as he guided us through negotiations and got us our dream house within our budget. And even as we progressed through the process quickly, he was patient and offered great guidance to us as first time buyers. He and his team were very responsive to all of our questions and concerns and also brought a great network of trustworthy professionals from mortgage lenders to inspectors, etc. They went above and beyond to surprise and delight us from beginning to end, and even after the transaction was done. All in all, they did a fabulous job and I would absolutely recommend Jay and the Re/Max Prestige team to anyone who wants to enter their next real estate transaction with the full confidence that they've got the best team around. read more

Jay is amazing. He helped my family get out of a complicated sale, one we had previously been trying to sell for over 6 months. He came in and sold in less than 2 months. Jay then turned around and got us into a great house and community for our family at a great price. He is very knowledgeable and has the patience to explain it all like no realtor I've ever come across. I wouldn't buy or sell a house without him now read more

When beginning my search for a home - all I heard was horror stories regarding the shady, unscrupulous nature of realtors in Southern California. Within seconds of bringing up my search with Jay O'Brien, I knew I had found my guy and was in the best of hands. Jay didn't sell me on anything, he spend hours and hours tailor-fitting a solution that would fit my needs while still managing expectations and advising on market conditions. Trust and accountability are as important to me as they are to Jay. From day one, he did his absolute utmost to show he would be completely transparent and educational throughout this entire harrowing process. If it weren't for Jay's guidance and support, I probably would not have gone through with it. Jay was truly there every day and every step of the way making sure I was 100% comfortable, aware of the processes, and protected in them - everywhere from a 6am phone call to 1030pm on a Friday night finalizing an offer. As of this writing, I have lived in my home for close to a month and he continues to follow up to ensure quality and satisfaction. Jay O'Brien is truly the best, more than a realtor - he is a trusted advisor and friend. read more

I would give 10 Stars if I could! We were referred to Jay O'Brien from a friend of ours that has done business with Jay over the years. After meeting with Jay, We knew he was the right person to sell our home. From start to finish Jay and everyone at ReMax Prestige were absolutely professional and are superstars in our book. We have found our realtor for life. Thank you to everyone at Remax Prestige! read more

Jay O'Brien is the home buyers best friend.It has been about 2 years since I had bought my first home utilizing Jay's services. He literally covered all the bases from doing the property research based on location, my budget, preference in type of neighborhood, helping with finding a mortgage lender, etc. As a first time buyer the process was intimidating at first but because of Jay the process of buying my home was smooth and worry free! Even to this day I still have questions and he responds very quickly! Jay is reliable, honest, always has your best interests in mind, and extremely knowledgeable about the industry and trends going on. Whether it is your first time buying a home or deciding to go back and see what's on the market Jay O'Brien is the RIGHT agent to talk to. Trust me you won't be disappointed! You're the man Jay! Thanks again for everything! read more

Just a quick note to let you know how outstanding our short sale has been. I'm not one to arbitrarily give props, but wanted to tell you what a breath of fresh air it has been dealing with you these past couple of months. We have been at the mercy of our mortgage company since 2009, and as you well know, we have had no success. In 2011, I was looking to see about what my house value was, and found your website. What a blessing that turned out to be! Not only did I never get solicited by you, I was able to view all properties in my area and had a good idea about what my house was worth. When we were at our last option, I contacted you to see if a short sale was a viable solution to our dilemma. Wow! What a pleasant surprise, you and your associates turned out to be. The level of professionalism and courtesy was beyond compare. I want to thank you for making what was the worst time in my life, a tolerable experience. As you well know, I work a kind of crazy schedule and couple that with the fact my wife works from home. You rose to the occasion to list and show our house around our schedule, Jay, I don't think you know how much that meant to us. I also appreciate the fact you are helping find a new place after this. I am positive we will find what we are looking for with your help and expertise. I can't wait to get this behind us and will definitely seek your assistance when we are ready to purchase our next home. Fast forward 2 years and again Jay came through for us with flying colors. Just a little over two years after our short sale, Jay was able to help us find our beautiful house in Lakewood. I just can't say enough great things about this guy! My wife and I consider ourselves truly fortunate to have found a true professional with an amazing personality who treats you like a friend instead of a client. You won't find another man like this in todays real estate market, he is dedicated to finding you your dream home, always has your best interests at heart, and is always available to answer any questions or concerns you have. Thank you again Jay, you have clients for life! read more

What a pleasure it was woking with Jay and the Remax Prestige team! The moment we decided on him as our realtor, he hit the ground running. From the start, he was extremely up front and thorough about what to expect from buying a home, which was so helpful to us as clueless, first-time home buyers. He let us know what we were in for before we even started looking at places, which was such a crucial step. I've heard horror stories from friends about being blindsided by some unexpected expense or inspection they never knew they needed that threatened to derail closing escrow, but thanks to Jay's forethought, we were prepared when it came time to purchase our home. We truly were looking for a dream home and had specific parameters in mind as well as a strict budget. This meant over a 9 month period of searching, we looked at hundreds of listings online, attended weekend after weekend of open houses, walked through countless homes, and even prepared to put offers in on a few. Always by our side was the Remax team. Jay's associate, Richie, kept a smile on his face even through the longest days of house hunting or when we would make him drive entirely out of his way to see a potential place. He was always available over the phone or email and accommodated our schedules. As we would look at these houses, he'd point out the areas of concern that his eye had come to recognize quickly over years of experience and would dream up ways we could customize or improve something to better match our taste. Not only was he professional and helpful, he was also a pleasure to be around. When we did find our home, Jay counseled us on the best way to proceed with making an appropriate offer. That offer was quickly accepted, and then the hard part was over for us! From that moment on, Jay took the reigns and ensured every base was covered. The majority of the paperwork was done online which was extremely convenient and any questions we had, he was quick to answer. We never felt out of the loop and knew we were in good hands. During the escrow period, Jay took care of everything you could think of, including helping us find a trusted insurance provider. He scheduled inspections and appraisals and even got us repairs and a credit from the seller. Jay and his team worked seamlessly with our lender and everything closed on time. He even made sure we had packing supplies. Not much more you can ask for than that! We had a fantastic experience with Jay and his team, which is not something you hear often about purchasing a home. Jay and everyone he surrounds himself with is truly at the top of their game. You will never feel pressured or overwhelmed working with him. He helps you feel like the process is an adventure, and at the end of the day, may be just as excited as you are to get you into your home. I could go on and on about how wonderful our home buying experience was, which I do to anyone I know considering buying a home! Jay and Remax Prestige has my full recommendation. Though I think we'll be in our home for a long time to come, should we ever jump in the market again, Jay will be our first call. read more

I was a first time home buyer and I called Jay because of a referral from my previous roommate. Jay gave me a thorough one-on-one tutorial about buying a home. After the hour-long session, he assigned to me realtor Richie Schimkus, who Jay assured was very knowledgeable and professional. Let's just say Richie exceeded my expectations...and more. I never felt pushed into a property or location I didn't want to be in. The team also ran all the comps to make sure I didn't put in an offer that exceeded the market's value. We placed several offers and were able to find the right home for me in a month. The team understood my timeline and helped expedite the process. The entire RE/MAX Prestige team (Jay, Richie, Anthony) were very responsive, polite, and courteous. Jay even sent a personal message to let me know that he would be out of the country for a few day. It's those little things that makes a BIG difference. I just finished moving all of my stuff in several days ago and as a move-in gift, the Prestige team sent a handyman free of charge for 2 hours. I was very grateful. I will definitely work with the team again when I buy my next home. I don't write many reviews on Yelp!, but when I do -- it's because I mean it. read more

I have known Jay personally for a few years through my wife, and have seen firsthand his rise in real estate. By the time we were ready to buy it was an obvious choice to go with Jay and his team. After our first meeting with Jay, we knew that we were in great hands. We were not only impressed with his knowledge, but also how quickly he got us set up to start looking at properties. Our search was relatively quick with us putting in an offer within the week, and when it came to negotiating the final price Jay and his team made sure we paid exactly what we wanted to! It was great to know that his team's fast action ensured that we got the best deal possible. Throughout the escrow process, my wife and I felt that we could always count on Jay to answer any questions we had, and to provide a strong team of vendors for all our needs. If you are looking for a realtor to provide excellent service and make sure you get the best deal possible, I cannot think of anyone better than Jay and Re/Max Prestige. I would definitely recommend him as realtor and know we will be using him as an agent in the future as well. read more

You simply could not ask for, or find, a better home-buying experience that we had with Jay at ReMAX Prestige. From the moment we met Jay, he made my wife and I feel comfortable, heard, and truly cared for. As first time homebuyers, we knew we'd need a lot of guidance and support throughout the process. Upon meeting Jay, we immediately felt taken care of and pretty much worry-free. From that point on, he took care of everything. Answered every question. Fielded every concern. There are a ton of twists and turns that come up during the home-buying process and Jay took the time to make everything clear and simple for us to understand, so we could stay relaxed and focus on making good decisions. Jay found us listings that we didn't see anywhere else and he got us in to see everything we were ever interested in. In the end, Jay helped us find our dream home. Then he worked an unbelievable negotiation so we could get it below our budget, which I thought was going to be impossible. We are so so grateful. Maybe the best part of our experience with Jay was that the amazing service didn't stop after we bought the house. Jay has checked in with us regularly to see how we're enjoying our home and asked if he could help with anything. He's helped us find the right contractors, sent his gardener to do our landscaping, and much more. Jay and ReMax never viewed us as a customer or a commission... they made us feel like family and they continue to prove it long after the transaction is complete. I have already recommended Jay to many of my friends and I will continue to do so. read more

From my first interaction with Jay I had complete trust in him. He is beyond knowledgeable in his field, he is honest, forever available, and always the upmost professional. My husband and I had a very specific vision for our growing family and Jay completely respected our wishes. We hired Jay to both sell our home and represent us as buyers for our new home and we couldn't be happier with that decision. read more

Jay O'Brien is a consummate professional. He is very detail oriented and ALWAYS returns phone calls and emails promptly. He was excellent navigating me through the purchase process and handling any issues that came up in a very fair manner to all parties involved. His excellent support team and business partners filled in where their professional expertise was needed. I would recommend Jay for all of your real estate needs! read more

Jay is the ultimate professional. The thing I loved most about Jay is how responsive he is. Every time I called/text/or emailed he responded right away. The transaction went smooth and if there were any glitches Jay made sure to iron them out right away so that we could close on time. I highly recommend Jay to anyone looking to buy or sell Real Estate in the areas he services. read more

Finding and buying our first home with Jay and Jordan couldn't have gone any better. My husband and I had a few ideas of what we wanted and needed in our first home together. We quickly got in contact with Jay thru a referral and he sat down with us and did a first time buyers counseling session. In this session he explained the whole process and all the "big terms" we would start to hear. Soon after we met with Jordan and he took us to view a few condos met the needs we requested. After only looking at 4 or 5 condos we found the one. Jay and Jordan were so on top of things and worked so quickly and efficiently. They always had our needs in mind and answered any and every question we had. They were very professional and made us feel comfortable and explained every step along the way. We could not be more grateful for them and all their hard work. We were beyond happy with everything they did and we absolutely love our new place! read more