14 years ago I purchased an investment rental home in Oakland. My realtor was Norah Brower. Recently, in a 1031 exchange, I collaborated with Norah in selling that same property and buying another. An exchange requires that one property is sold and another of "like kind" is purchased within a tight time schedule. This time constraint adds more than a dollop of anxiety to an already fraught undertaking. The property I sold was a 100 year old late Victorian home with decades of unmet needs stretching from replacing a portion of brick foundation and renovating the kitchen and bathroom, to making sure all the testy double hung windows were operational.
Norah has a well-developed artist's eye (see her bio) and an accountant's savvy of the complex details of a sale or purchase. She has a wonderful understanding of home styles and the details that are appropriate and that take a house from mundane to unique. I was so relieved to have Norah's knowledge and experience on my side. She lead me in the sale, deciding between projects that must be done and those to be termed "as is". She knew intuitively when an expenditure wasn't worth my time and money, and when it was, and she had a ready team of professionals to do exceptional work, stepping forward when her carefully orchestrated schedule cued them to accomplish the jobs at hand. Emergencies are also part of such a schedule and there is a tenor of respect and good will between Norah and these skilled professionals, such that the ubiquitous scheduling changes and construction "discoveries" missed becoming disasters on the trust and strength of the relationships Norah has fostered over the years with these workers. Norah was truly a contractor with the crews we used, always aware of when each was starting and making sure the schedule was maintained or amended as needed.
The grand finale for this neglected house was accomplished by the dedicated stagers Norah has worked and consulted with over the years. They suggested light fixtures, hardware details, and chose spot-on interior and exterior paint colors. They did a smashing job of creating a calm beauty, charm, and well-loved and lived in atmosphere.
The easy sale of the house accomplished only half the exchange work. Now I had to buy a property, and Norah never lost sight of the full picture. During the renovation of the Victorian Norah kept me informed of properties coming on the market that met the requirements for completion of the exchange. She was always ready to visit properties of interest and had indeed often visited them herself before suggesting them to me. My calls were answered often within minutes and Norah was there with me all the way. Looking back, I'm amazed at what we accomplished, wrapping up both a complex sale and a purchase in ample time.
Buying or selling a house is indeed a project of heart and mind and Norah was able to guide both for me through the twists and turns to the light at the end of the tunnel. Norah knew both the property I sought and the one I sold inside and out and was able to organize, interpret, and lead me through the voluminous forms and signings, the detailed financial factors, construction issues and loan information with wry wit and accomplished wisdom.
In the end all I can say succinctly is that buying and selling property is a complex and time consuming endeavor. Norah's practiced ease never ceased to amaze me. You want, you need, a Norah Brower leading your team!
Valorie Olsen 10/23/19 read more