John and Lorene helped us sell our house and meet our move time line. Having them as a team was perfect. John has such a wonderful energy and personality which made showings the house and negotiations smooth sailing. While Lorene's design talent turned our very lived in home into an inviting model home with ease. They make a fun and powerful team and we can't thank them enough for helping us through the stress of selling our home. read more

John and Lorene sold my home 3 years ago in la costa oaks. They make an excellent pairing. My house was bare of furniture and full of baby toys. She spent two weekends helping me shop and stage the house. I saved a bunch of money bc I didn't have to hire stagers. She has an amazing artistic eye. John steps in and does an awesome job with negotiations and business paper work. The two complement each other very well in their individual strengths. read more

5 stars are not enough for this great team, Lorene & John! It was my first time selling house and I was extra nervous because I've only been this country for 5 years so I don't really know 'the system'. That's why I was looking for someone who is patient enough to answer to all my 'sometimes-stupid' questions and explain to me every steps. Well, I found the right one! I remember John spent two hours helping me filling out one document that seller has to write. Lorene is super professional on staging and she always brings positive energy to my house. I felt like I've been known them for a long time. I wish I can find some other fancy words but due to my limited vocabulary skill, THEY ARE AMAZINGLY DIFFERENT. My house was sold quickly and I am HAPPY. :) read more

I can't say enough good things about John and Lorene Rice. To start, they are both delightful to work with and to be around. They are easy to talk to and get a hold of which is so important with a real estate transaction. I have used John and Lorene twice - once to sell a house and once to buy a house. And, if I was in the market again to purchase or sell, they would be my first call. For my sale, Lorene and John made sure my house looked ready to sell and beautifully staged. They gave me honest opinions about things I should change with my furniture, etc. to make the house more "sellable". Lorene actually spent several hours helping me move furniture from room to room and hang artwork. She even brought her own throw pillows from home to make my living room look more inviting! They walked me through all aspects of the transaction and made sure I was comfortable. For my purchase, I was purchasing a short sale, so the process included a lot of waiting time due to approvals of the banks, etc. John and Lorene always keep me in the loop on the status of the transaction. They went above and beyond the call of duty several times including coming with me to the Homeowners Association meeting to help me negotiate the unpaid HOA dues. I would highly recommend John and Lorene. They are extremely knowledgeable about the market and have extensive experience in the area. I would use them again in a heartbeat! read more

John and Lorene are true professionals. Their expertise and knowledge of the local Carlsbad market is exceptional. They are the reason we now live in the home of our dreams. It's my pleasure to recommend their services. read more

John and Lorene were excellent in assisting us in selling our large home. From the moment we met them it was clear that they were experts in their field and extremely kind and genuinely caring people. We met multiple realtors while trying to find the right selling agent, but John and Lorene were an amazing pair to meet and I could tell instantly that our best interest and forming a relationship with us was their highest priority. They performed with precision and expertise helping us prepare, stage, and show our home within a few weeks of our first meeting. Our home ultimately closed escrow at the full value we aimed for, and above the local comp values other agents were stuck trying to price the home at, just for simplicity. I loved the fact that John could predict that the value I wanted for our house was at the high end for the area but still realistic with hard work, and he executed on that promise and we closed on that same value at the end of escrow! They worked exceptionally well and were able to receive multiple offers within the first weekend of showing. Their expertise and incredible attention to detail never changed even during escrow, when we had to make a difficult decision to drop our highest, but contigent, offer and move forward with the second highest offer. John's sound advice worked perfectly to secure the offer which would truly move along to closing. This was an example of their earned expertise and community knowledge, since they knew the agent selling for our new buyers and had seen the home they were selling, and could confidently predict that this home would sell with ease and ensure our sale would close. John knows the best tradesmen across the county and keeps an incredible list of specialists to solve any issue that may arise in inspection and the close of escrow. We had very little extra time to work through the escrow/inspection stage of our home sale, but John handled so much that we were exceptionally grateful for his hard work. In comparison to other showing agents we have purchased from, John and Lorene stand head to shoulders above the rest and demonstrated more dedication, honesty, and expertise than we have ever seen before. Even after closing on our sale we still see them around town, receive updates and communication, and see them involved with the community and ourselves included. Wonderful team! I would work with them again. read more

John and Lorene sold our house in Feb of 2015. They have a great business partnership and offer a unique approach that we have not seen before - marketing your house as if it was a new model home in a new community. Lorene spent days staging our house (including providing some of her own furniture and decorations) and working with the landscaper and photographer to maximize the house's visual appeal. John worked the comps, wrote the listing and made the pitch to the real estate community. They also made sure that one of them was always present for any showings. The net, net is that the house was in escrow in under 45 days and this during Nov/Dec. We also felt that due to their approach we got far more for our home than if we had used the standard, run of the mill realtor. They are honest, trustworthy and most importantly make the selling of your home a easy and yes, fun experience. They love doing what they do and it shows. read more

Lorene sold us our current home in La Costa Oaks almost eight years ago. I remember like it was yesterday how amazing she was to work with. She made one of the most stressful life events into a truly enjoyable experience. We never felt rushed even when she was clearly very busy (which is no surprise since she's so good). She knows this area better than anyone, which is why we definitely would use her when (and if) we ever sell our home. I could not recommend her more highly. read more

This is the third post I've ever made on Yelp as I reserve recommendations for those special circumstances that truly warrant taking the time and putting my own reputation at risk by making a recommendation. This is certainly one of those special circumstances. Our family (2 boys 11 and 14 at the time) decided to move from Baltimore to San Diego for...well everything San Diego has to offer. We had rented a vacation home here during the kids' school vacations but didn't have a firm sense of what neighborhood would suit us best. I particularly liked the Rancho Santa Fe area however my wife wanted to be closer to what would be the boys schools...either the Encinitas Ranch, The Ranch or La Costa Oaks neighborhoods. I'm not particularly fond of all agents. I didn't want someone pressuring me to buy...I wanted to look at every option. My wife and I would constantly look online and after we found a few listings we thought were interesting, we flew west to look at them. We made an appointment to see each property including one property listed by Lorene and John Rice. We instantly hit it off with the Rice's. They were not your "typical" agents. Knowing we were somewhat unfamiliar with the areas, they provided us with excellent information beyond what we learned by our own research. They were honest and there was no sales pitch. I felt I could trust them. That particular home didn't work for us and we returned to Baltimore. I found myself, however, e-mailing the Rice's with my questions. I always received a prompt response without any expectation I would be utilizing them as an agent. Over time, I disclosed to Lorene and John what we were seeking. I made it clear I was looking for an extraordinary property and wasn't interested in paying retail. They advised me that the situation I'm seeking would most likely be a property not on the market but known by "insiders" only. I asked them to keep their ears open if they heard of a potentially available property. Not long after our conversation, I received "the call". A property not yet on the market that had everything we wanted...the pool...the square footage...the style...the neighborhood, etc., etc. however the Rice's honestly informed us that it had all the ingredients for a potentially difficult transaction. The seller was extremely difficult and in a situation that forced him to sell. He would not be overly accommodating. I can honestly say that nobody other then Lorene and John could have closed this transaction. They handled everything. What could have been a nightmare was an absolute pleasure. We were kept informed every step of the way. They were available anytime (day, nights or weekends) we needed them. They were professional, were always 100% honest and went beyond what I would have ever expected when issues arose. They showed me early on they were competent...which can make the difference in whether or not the transaction closes. Even after we closed on our home, Lorene and John continued to go well beyond their duties. I received a call from Lorene (after we closed!!). She went out of her way knowing we were new to the area and introduced us to other families who had kids our boy's ages. One of those families has become our dearest friends. I consider both Lorene and John not only excellent real estate professionals but friends as well. They are tuned into the market and provide their services honesty, ethically and with absolute integrity. I would, without hesitation, recommend Lorene and John Rice. read more

John and Lorene represent us as our selling agents for our home in Carlsbad. We moved away to Northern California due to a reassignment & to be closer to our family and thus kept our house as second home. While we have lived in several Carlsbad and Encinitas neighborhoods and bought/sold several houses in the past 15 years, this was a bit challenging when it's time to sell this home since it only has few pieces furnishings in the house. We started off by contacting our past agents but while they seemed very interested to take on our listing, they did not provide much help on "staging" process of our home. They also did not give us "good feeling" leaving our second home with them. Then, we came across one of John and Lorene's La Costa Oaks listings & its impressive pictures. We decided to give them a call. John and Lorene came over on a weekend and they share their insights and approach how to "stage" and "sell" our home. Their genuine comments (+ Lorene's artistic staging ideas + John's detailed analysis) def. won us over. Once the preparation started, John and Lorene helped us every steps along the way to prepare, list, and sell our home from the 1st day it hit MLS. Lorene also personally helped with staging for our home. Thus, our home went into pending in less than one month. John continued to help and coordinate all inspection and needed misc repairs till closing. Not to mention John & his assistant even helped for the rental furnishings pickup as well. If you want a superb agent to represent your home (actually two very good agents' team), we def will recommend John and Lorene. They are also good at communicating and keeping us in "the loop" through out the process via phone/text/emails no matter where we are (v important during real estate process)! read more

John and Lorene are professional, diligent kind and tenacious. They spent a year looking at houses with us and didn't flinch when we decided to wait to buy. When the right house came up recently they made the decisions and made sure we got the house over ten other offers. Calm, a real team and the best in the business.....use them to buy or sell..... read more

This is the third house that John and Lorene helped me buy, and they continue to be the only realtors I will talk to. They make the process simple and are happy to work at your pace. They take the time to answer all of your questions and give very candid answers about market trends, neighborhoods, home values, etc. I would recommend them to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. read more

John and Lorene are active participants in the process of buying and selling homes. They very much help in the process and keep temperatures down when things are stressful. We purchased a few properties with them and they are wonderful to work with. read more

John made everything about moving/ real estate process simple from beginning to end. Renting in Southern California is as tough as it gets but John manages his clients and prospective renters with great respect and professionalism. Based on the ease of the lease negotiation/move in process, I know that John is at the top of his game in SoCal Real Estate. It is good to meet someone like John who I now know I can trust when and if the potential of buying a home becomes a reality. read more

John and Lorene are FANTASTIC to work with. We bought our home from them 10 years ago in a super smooth and easy process. They have made themselves available ever since to answer questions about the house and the neighborhood. We recently made an offer on another home and while we pulled out of the process before completion, John and Lorene were endlessly helpful in preparing our home for listing and in dealing with a difficult bank transaction. When we pulled out of the deal, they were gracious and understanding. We will definitely be using them when we finally do sell and move on. read more

Lorene just finished staging our home in Temecula, making it look like a model home to dream for. We received four offers in the first 12 hours, and had it sold for more than our asking price within 24 hours!! It was Lorene's staging (arranging and designing the home) that made the difference. She turned all of our nooks, crannies, and liabilities into gorgeous assets that became conversation starters. From the chandelier she hung in our back yard to the beautiful well-placed succulents in the court yard, Lorene had all the answers. She almost made us keep our home it was so beautiful. Lorene and John are the best think since the round wheel was invented!!! read more

John and Lorene are amazing people! They are completely different than most real estate agents in the market today because they know what they are doing and they know the market. When my wife and I wanted to sell our home in San Marcos, we interviewed several agents and John and Lorene were, hands down, the best choice for us. They are easy to work with and had great ideas for getting our home ready to show. Lorene has outstanding staging skills that adds to the value. It was obvious to us that they were not in it for the commission alone. They wanted to be sure that we were completely satisfied and that the buyers would be happy with their purchase. A lot of agents try to list the house at a low price to sell it quick, make their commission and move on; not John and Lorene. They were in no hurry to make a quick sale. They worked at our pace and also made the buyers happy. We determined our selling price based on the information that John and Lorene had. In addition, a lot of agents will take pictures with their phone or use a cheap camera. John and Lorene use a professional photographer. Our house looked so good in the listing, we wondered why we were selling it. My wife and I are real estate investors, so we are familiar with buying and selling real estate. John and Lorene are great partners when buying or selling your home. They make the process easy and constantly stay in touch to be sure that you understand what is happening at all times. We are very fortunate to have met them and had them as our agents. The transaction could not have gone any better. read more