Ron was absolutely fantastic to work with. As first-time homebuyers, we had alot of questions which Ron welcomed and answered very openly and clearly. He was extremely responsive and reliable in setting up showings/inspections/you name it. His experience in the industry definitely showed as he walked us through every little detail of every property we looked at and alerted us to things we should consider for each one. He was also incredible throughout the negotiation process and seeing us all the way through to closing. Prior to closing on our current place, Ron worked very hard to help us resolve a significant issue on a multi-family property we had an offer accepted on. He was there for us throughout the entire process and did everything he could to resolve the issue in the best possible way for us. We also worked with a few other members of his team during our long journey to home ownership (thanks Matt!), all of which were also great to work with. read more

My girlfriend and I applied for an apartment represented by this company and the owner went with someone else. We lost $125 a piece ($250 total)! Our realtor said they've never heard of application fees so high. read more

Bob is not a normal realtor or an average guy. He's exceptional! He understands the nuances of everything from mortgage strategies to unanticipated costs to an assessment of the furnace. Buying or selling with him by your side is having a secret weapon in your pocket. I wish we'd known him years ago! He's also unavoidably honest; he'll never try to compel you to sell cheap or buy high or do anything just make himself a commission. I've worked with good realtors in the past, but we've hit the jackpot with Bob! read more

Bob was a great agent for a 3-flat he helped us sell. He was great at managing the relationship with tenants during a difficult time, and was forthright with what to expect from a timeline and price standpoint. He was also easy to communicate with and responded to texts quickly and accurately. Will definitely be using him again on any future sales. read more

Ron Knoll = Amazing. Ron is one of the co-owners of this real estate firm (the Ron in Saffron) and despite the extra paperwork that must come with the title, he was there for us every step of the way. My then-boyfriend (got engaged during the house-hunt and not even my mom was as excited as Ron!) and I were first time buyers and went to Saffron directly because of their Yelp rating. Ron called me back right away and talked with me about our needs. We *thought* we wanted a foreclosure property. We *thought* we wanted a fixer-upper. After seeing exactly what that means in this economy, we hastily revised our wants/needs/desires and opened up our search range and Ron just rolled with it, never pushed or pulled at us. We took a home buying class before starting our search which probably made us a dangerous combination - both with too much and too little knowledge of the home buying process. Ron had great suggestions for us and never balked at our requests - even when one of them included moving our close date up by a month. Never a doubt that it would happen - and it did! We did take him up on his suggestion of lawyers (Michelle Laiss - fabulous!) and his mortgage guy (Jeff came to our small, hot apartment to fill out the paperwork!) and couldn't be happier with their work as well. All in all, Ron was amazing. He was there with us despite the fact his first child was born just a few hours after one of our outings (sorry Mrs!) We took longer than the average buyer and saw probably 50+ houses, but couldn't be happier 8 weeks after closing the deal. read more

Ron Knoll = awesome The hubs and I were first time home buyers. We had our stuff in order (for the most part) before we began the search, but as all newbies eventually realize, there's so much more that we don't know. Ron was always there...either by email, text or phone... to answer our questions. I honestly don't think the process could have gone any smoother. Right from the get-go, Ron had us out looking at houses that were exactly what we were looking for. And he was NOT pushy - never once did he show us a house that was out of our range (which was very thoughtful considering we were operating on a tight budget). Within 2 weeks of beginning our search, we had put an offer in and successfully signed a contract! Ron was EXTREMELY helpful in the negotiating portion (the part we felt most unsure about) and helped us get a great deal on a fabulous "diamond in the rough" (with an amazing frisbee yard ;o). Another great service that Ron (and Saffron) offered was their list of attorneys, inspectors, contractors, etc. We've only been in the city for 2 years, so finding quality people to help us through the process was important. We went with Ron's recommendations on attorney (Michelle Laiss) and inspector (Michelle Teague) and both were super. Something we also want to make note of is that over the course of the two months we worked with Ron there was a family death and the birth of his first child. No matter what, he was there for us. He made sure that our contract was sent through, that we had someone there with us during the inspection...and he made sure he was there for our final walk through and closing. That's more than we had expected given the tumultuous times...but he did it anyways! In closing...as I mentioned earlier (and I can't reiterate it enough)...this process was smoother than we had ever expected. And I can guarantee it was all because of Ron! Ron Knoll = awesome read more

The folks here are very good realtors. The office is inviting too! I reccomend anyone that works in this office they do justice to Humboldt Park read more

Ron Ron Ron Ron Ron!!!!!! I cannot say better things about Saffron Realty, and Ron Knoll. Ron is one two owners of Saffron Realty. My boyfriend and I were first time home buyers. Neither one of had a CLUE what happens, what to do, who to call, and what any of these terms meant: escrow, easement, PMI, good faith estimate. This was definitely a learning experience. We were ready to go and needed a real estate agent. We started off with an agent that had been in contact with my BF for at least a year. After trying to set up a time with him to meet, he was out town the first weekend we started. Not a good start. So my BF looked on Yelp and found Saffron Realty due to their 5 star raving reviews. (There is a reason for this rating, they are that good.) He then forwarded the review to me and I randomly chose Ron to call to see if he was available. In 2 days notice, he was able to pull several listings for us to go to - and our "criteria" wasn't easy. We needed certain space and sound requirements that made it not so easy to just pick a condo. And even if he can't make it on a certain day, he will send one of his other agents to take you around, which is great when you don't have a lot of time to find a place!! He was accessible via email/PDA, so if you had a question for him, he would answer very promptly. A short time after we started, we ended up calling off the search and having to cancel our upcoming showings because we had gotten engaged and were planning the wedding in a 6 month time frame. Ron was more than understanding. A couple weeks later, our situation changed and we now had to move out of our place and decided we needed to buy our first condo in less than 2 months and didn't know if this was even possible. This didn't faze Ron. He knew we could do it. After locking down a building, and then a unit, then dealing with a difficult developer's agent, Ron kept his cool. He even got us a lesser price when the developer said "it is non-negotiable." As I said before, we were completely new at this. Ron was with us for the inspection to bring up anything we didn't know to bring up or ask about. He was there every step of the way. We closed yesterday and Ron was right by our side. (Ron has never missed a closing in 13 years.) The closing itself was anything but smooth but it's all over and we have a wonderful place! If you think you can't find a place and close in 2 months, go to Ron, seriously, he will make it happen. read more

Highly recommend Saffron, and specifically Ron Knoll. We're currently trying to decide between buying in Brooklyn and Chicago, and on our recent trip to Chicago Ron spent an afternoon showing us several properties. He's friendly, professional and really listens. We felt completely comfortable with him. Although we've decided to stay in Brooklyn for now, we will go back to Ron if/when we move to Chicago. He's just a really nice guy. read more

As a home inspector I have the priviledge of listening to agents discuss everything under the sun during an inspection, oftentimes gritting my teeth not to vomit or politely walk over and ask them to allow ME to do MY job. I, and our firm, have had numerous inspections with Bob and am always comforted by the fact that he is a career agent who cares quite little about the 'deal' but very much about his clients. He has a keen sense of of the marketplace and is adept at moving his clients patiently through the process keeping their interests first and foremost. read more

Let me start off with saying I am a Realtor in Texas (formerly a Realtor in Chicago) and I know the real estate business and many Realtors in Chicago. Bob Safranski is a first class Realtor and my choice when I have a real estate needs in Chicago. I have sent many referrals to him and he has treated everyone like gold (even though some of them were tuff to deal with). He is currently helping me with a short sale. When I could not find a lawyer to work with on such a unique case he went way out of his way and found one of the best law firms I have worked with. If you want first class marketing, someone who is committed to helping you achieve your goals, a skilled negotiator, a Realtor who will stay in touch, remove much of the stress and who knows the local market well then Saffron Realty & Bob Safranski are the only choice. read more

After being first completely blown off by big local firm, I came to Yelp, who sent me to Saffron. And Saffron sent me to Jennifer, who is the most awesome real estate agent a first-time home buyer can ever hope to meet. I keep rewriting this part, hoping I can succinctly put down just how damn lucky you're going to be if Jennifer is your agent. Jennifer is a first-time home buyer's savior. She took all of my neurotic questions, anxiety-ridden emails, endless rehashing of information we'd already gone over in stride and never made me feel like I was an idiot or a pain. After an informational meeting at a coffee shop in our neighborhood (to accomodate our schedules with a baby -- at her suggestion) we embarked on the Search. I think we looked at about 25 houses, if not more. It might be closer to 40. It's all a blur. And from the word Go, Jennifer had me pegged. Looking at the houses, I knew she knew what I wanted to find, and that was great. It seemed like our process on the house we actually ended up buying ran into a few snags, but then they always do. Here Jennifer really went out of her way, procuring vendors and doing whatever necessary to help us out. So, I hope you've gathered that Jennifer is awesome. And you will not go wrong with Saffron Realty. read more

This is my second time working with Ron Knoll. He's excellent. We purchased a house 12+ years ago with him and he was great. When it came time to sell we reached out and he made the process easier than expected. He's professional, knowledgeable, and communicative. A+ Service! read more

As an update to the response I've received from Saffron, I would like to say just a few things. I can certainly understand Saffron's desire to protect their 5 star ratings, but Yelp is a venue where I am able to give an honest review, which is exactly what I did. We were never difficult, never negative, never unreasonable, never once disrespectful -- we were merely asking how and where our property was being marketed and if we could sit down for 10 minutes to discuss it, neither of which are unheard of or ridiculous requests. If I am being difficult about something, I'm always the first to admit it but we were not. I don't even know how we could have been since we were with Saffron for less than 2 weeks anyway. We let them do their thing and we did everything they asked us to do. It was completely inappropriate for Bob to start yelling at my husband out of nowhere regardless of whomever may have severed the relationship first. I am certainly not interested in an argument or a he said/she said thing here as I would much prefer to forget the whole matter -- I am using Yelp as it is intended which is to express our opinion, our disappointment, share our experience and provide information so others have the chance to make educated decisions for themselves. I stand by my review. read more

Ron Knoll is a soldier. Not only did he act on every promise he made, he was more than a broker. During the course of our sale with a tumultuous buyer, he was all of the following at one point: A psychiatrist A Mediator A Watchdog A Friend Even though our family lives out of state, Ron will be our first contact when we need help moving into another home. He's that good. read more

I think the best way to start this review for Saffron realty (and especially Bob and Becca) is to say that if you are looking for AMAZING, experienced, thoughtful realtors - you've found them and you need to give them a call right now. After nearly 11 months of looking for our perfect single family home in Chicago, Bob and Becca were totally unflappable, always available for advice and weathered my emotional freak-outs about the entire experience as if it was all part of the process. They both really worked with us as a team and got to know us and our tastes so that it was rare that an outing to look at yet more properties was a waste of time. They always made us feel like we were their only clients and we were absolutely convinced that they had our best interests at heart. It can be so stressful and hard to find a home (especially when like us, our expectations were kind of up there) and the thing that we valued most about working with Bob and Becca was the immense trust that we built with them. We knew that Bob was not going to let us get swindled, or buy some lemon of a house. And Becca was so intuitive and could pick up on when we just weren't feeling it - no matter how great the property was on paper. I really honestly can not recommend Bob and Becca and Saffron Realty enough. They are patient, kind, so smart and really go above and beyond to make sure their clients are happy and end up in homes that they love. I don't know if we would have made it without them! read more

Well, it's been a year since I worked with Ron Knoll during my first time buying a home and I feel compelled to leave a review. Buying my first home was, initially, a nerve-wracking experience. It is, by far, the biggest purchase I've ever made. Ron demonstrated superior patience and was with me every step of the way; he was happy to address my numerous questions about what to look for in a condo, but more importantly, Ron wasn't afraid to be honest when he needed to be. I feel like I can trust Ron and, call me old fashioned, that means something to me. I recommended my best friend to Ron when he was looking to move to Logan Square. While my friend eventually decided to postpone his purchase, he had nothing but good things to say about Ron and intends to dial him up when he's ready to take the plunge. Bottom line: Ron's a good guy and he'll be the first person I call when I'm ready to sell my place. Oh, and Ron - your license plate worked! It was the reminder I needed because, let's be honest, you earned this review. read more

Bob is the man! Over a year ago we noticed a 2 flat in our area was listed at $99k. After crunching some numbers we realized...shit!...in this market we can actually afford to buy a house. A real house in Chicago! (giggle like a schoolgirl) I contacted Saffron Realty after reading other Yelp reviews and couldn't have asked for a better agent. We didn't have much money so our options were pretty much limited to foreclosures and short sales. Bob knew the Humboldt Park area well and tried to show us the properties that had potential. As first time buyers, we needed an agent to help us through the process and Bob was more than willing to answer any question we had. Bob kind of gives me this older brother, I'm looking out for you kind of vibe, which is exactly what we needed. Well, over a year and god knows how many viewings later, we finally moved into our new home last week. Bob stuck with us every step of the way, even through the long and tedious short sale process. Any agent who sticks through that gets 5 stars and then some! I would HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend Bob, especially if you are a first time buyer. You're the man Bob!!!!! read more

Wish I needed more houses :) Want realtors that don't act like salesmen, know their sh$t and respect your time? Look no further. I contacted Saffron based on Yelp reviews and I'll admit, until now, I have been a Yelp leech. But Bob and Becca from Saffron have earned my FIRST yelp review. I was 90% sure I wanted to sell my condo in late 2009 even though the market was not on my side. The team didn't rush me and gave me amazingly simple tips for staging my house to sell. Which happened MUCH faster than expected :) If you're in or interested in some of the coolest Chicago neighborhoods (like ukrainian village) you need an agent who knows those hoods well... Don't assume the big realty names do, you'll be disappointed. Plus these people are actually fun to be around and you're with your agent a lot! Call Bob at Saffron, you will be here writing a five star review soon too! read more

Buying a home can be a daunting task, especially for a first timer in a down market. Enlisting Bob Safranski was the best choice we made in the entire process. It was clear from the beginning that Bob listened carefully to our needs and put our satisfaction as the highest priority. If you are looking to get a long time real estate pro in your corner and fight for your best interests, look no further. Also, in case Yelp decides to actually post this review publicly, I would like to point out the scores of positive reviews that have been incorrectly filtered out (there are currently around 100): http://www.yelp.com/filtered_reviews/OA9Irfswm3BrNOlHnD1S1Q?fsid=k-idtadDzMJ36CAIuauCLg read more

Add my name to the Ron Knoll fan club list. I've been through this process once before, so I wasn't new to the process of buying real estate. My husband and I contacted Ron in the midst of our quest to buy a home. We had been working with another agent, and had even had a house under contract, but we found ourselves seeking a new agent after negotiations didn't go well with our first agent. The long and short of it is that Ron was such a breath of fresh air after our bad experience with the first agent. He was so on top of things, and he took time to really get to know us and to get a sense of what we wanted. He kept us informed and was always responsive to our needs. With Ron's help, we found the house of our dreams -- and got an amazing deal! We couldn't be happier. read more

After months of passing Saffron's storefront and dream-shopping the homes in the window, my fiance and I realized around mid-January that we might actually be able to reach our dream of home ownership. We made an appointment with Bob Safranski after reading a few Yelp reviews, and long story short, its April 20 right now and I've been a homeowner now for over a month. Yes, that's fast. When I tell people how smoothly our homebuying process was, nobody will believe me. It is 100% because of Bob's expertise, not just with the process of buying a home, but with dealing with the unsteady mood swings of the first-time homebuyer :) It all began with a thorough in-person meeting where we just sat and talked about what we hoped to find. I work from home, so I needed at least 2 bedrooms. Having lived with my fiance for a while, I also knew the importance of us having at least 1.5 baths. We gave him our budget and the neighborhood we hoped to move (Logan Square). The following weekend we toured about half a dozen places, all within our budget and all within our specifications. The fourth place we toured was on our MLS list, and I honestly didn't want to tour it at first. The pictures weren't enticing at all, but once we got inside, it became clear that this was The Place. And it was more than we could have hoped for. 3 bedrooms! 2 full bathrooms! Top floor with skyline view, parking spot, fenced-in yard for our dog, private deck, sun everywhere, professionally managed building....and it was well under our budget to boot! After the second tour we just knew it was time. We'd found our place in less than 2 weeks. After that it seems things just happened as smooth as can be. Bob was there for us with advice and recommendations the entire time, and everyone he recommended was outstanding. Our Lawyer was fantastic, answering emails in the evening while she was on vacation at the beach! (In our defense I didn't know she was on vacation until closing!) Our loan officer came out to my apartment to go through every single document with me, and got us the best rate available at the time. We were buying a foreclosure, which came with its own set of unique circumstances, but Bob made everything go just unbelievably smooth. Before we knew it, it was March 12, and I was a homeowner. I love my condo. I loved buying a home with Saffron and Bob Safranski. It was scary - its a lot of money and its a big change in your life - so don't leave it up to anyone else. You can trust these guys, and they know what they're doing. This is THE time to buy, so if you've passed the signs in the window and thought to yourself "hey... I think I can do this!" give Bob a call. You will be a happy homeowner too. read more

It's funny, the older I get, the harder it seems for me to find excellent and trustworthy service providers. I have owned a house before and and have had 2 separate Realtors in the past -- a buyers agent when I bought my house and then a different sellers agent when I sold my house. Neither of those agents lived up to my expectations basically because I was just another client to them. Bob and Becca Safranski exceeded my expectations. They are very friendly, personable and professional. They KNOW the business and Chicagoland extremely well and I found them to be very realistic about market conditions. They get to know you and they really hone in on your wants and needs, ask the right questions (to you and other Realtors), offer sound advice, use the right technology, know how to negotiate...the list goes on and on. They just know what to do and how to get it done. They're awesome, really. We're in our new house and love it! read more

My best friend referred us to Bob Safranski for our first-time home purchase in Chicago. Bob made the process fun and was relaxed and patient while we figured out what we were really looking for. He was super knowledgeable and investment-minded, and he foresaw 100 things we didn't think of. We really appreciated that down the line! When it came time to negotiate and close the deal, Bob was an *amazing* advocate and we are thrilled with the home we ended up in and the deal we got. Highly recommend! read more

I found Bob Safranski on Yelp, so I must give back to Yelp in thanks with this review. Bob sold my condo for me, in the dead of the winter, in what hopefully will be the very bottom of our recession. He was thorough in his efforts to market the place, patient through every showing, and in the end - my tried and true guide through the offer process. I can honestly say if I would have been making the calls without his help, I'd still have a condo on the market. Because of Bob's guidance - I sold it, at the right time, and at a fair price. Bob knows and loves Chicago, will work hard for you, and will be honest with you - what more could you ever want? I love it when I can find people to do business with who I can trust who have high integrity in everything they do. That is what you get with Bob at Saffron Realty. read more

Bob and Becca, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! You made our first buying experience a bliss.! If you're looking for reliable, trust-worthy realtors, you've found them! When my husband and I started our house-hunting adventure, I was 2 months pregnant and hoping that we would find the perfect home within a few months. Since our very first outing we realized that Bob was not just a "salesman", trying to get us to buy something just so he could cash in on his commission. He was genuinely interested in getting us a place that we could call HOME. As first-time buyers, my husband and I had no idea what to expect or what we really wanted. Bob did an amazing job at helping us pinpoint exactly what we wanted (and needed). He helped my husband and I reconcile our expectations so we could both be on the same page. As the clock was ticking, I got more and more anxious to have a place and got to the point where I loved every single place we saw, as long as we found something before the baby came. SOOOO glad Bob used his "realtor veto power" and kept my emotions in check! He kept reassuring us that we'd find that perfect place we were hoping for and we sure did! It was a complicated short sale that took over six months to close! Bob was incredibly supportive. He fought for us, negotiated like the pro he is and got us our home at an incredible price! I know I'm not doing them justice with this review... I could seriously write for hours if I was to detail our experience with them from beginning to end. Just know that buying a property is a huge decision and a process that could be really enjoyable or very painful. If you want no regrets with the outcome of your purchase and want to feel you're in the good hands at all times, you have to call Saffron Realty Group. Bob, you're absolutely the best! read more

It was a fortuitous day in 2002 when I first came across a listing by Jennifer Barnes and decided to contact her- I wasn't even really sure I wanted to buy at that point. I was fresh out of school and completely naive to what it would entail to find and buy a condo, but without realizing it, I had found the perfect real estate agent to guide me through the whole process. It wasn't long before I found the right place, in the right neighborhood, and at the right price. Fast forward to 2011- The seemingly impossible had occurred, I had in fact outgrown my first home. It was a hard decision to put it on the market, but it was a simple choice on which agent to use- Jennifer Barnes all the way. She was clearly dedicated to selling my place; showing it non stop, making sure it was effectively marketed, following up regularly with any potential buyers. Even with the less than ideal real estate market, she sold my condo! And on the buying side for me, I looked over many listings, but she always listened to what I was saying and kept modifying and improving my searches. Sometimes catching on to things I didn't really verbalize- almost to the point where she and I both knew before seeing a place that it could be 'the one." I am finally in my new condo and loving this place, it was all worth it in the end. Selling/buying- it was a tedious and often stressful process- without the right agent, I don't think I would have actually gone through with it. Whether you're selling or buying or both, you want someone like Jennifer on your side, she's smart, has outstanding negotiating skills, is persistant (without being pushy), knowledgeable, trustworthy, and extremely dependable. Just contact her and see for yourself. read more

I have been putting off writing this review because I just don't know how to capture the awesomeness that is Jennifer Barnes. I'm sure she is great with all types of clients, but she is truly first-time home buyer's savior. Let's be honest, I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I didn't even want the responsibility of owning a place - I just couldn't keep throwing away money on rent. After our introductory meeting I knew I'd be in good hands. She gave me a high-level overview of the whole process and made me feel at ease. Plus, you have to like your realtor since you spend so much time with him/her and our conversation never seemed forced or formal. The search: It seemed like every place I looked at before I found "the one" was too expensive, too small, too dumpy, too whatever. Jennifer was always either on the same page as me or one step ahead (would notice flaws that I hadn't seen and didn't let me settle for anything I wasn't completely in love with). It seemed like she knew what I was looking for better than I did, and she never made me feel bad for being the Goldilocks of house hunters. Submitting an offer: Jennifer has worked in the city for a long time and already had a relationship with the seller's realtor, which probably helped me win the multi-offer bidding war. She talked me through the offer paperwork so I understood what I was committing to and helped me sort out what were appropriate things I could ask for in the offer. Everything in between: Jennifer hooked me up with an awesome lawyer, came with me to my multiple appointments to select finishes since it was new construction and gave her input where I needed it (girl has some great taste), recommended a fantastic and affordable inspector, and helped smooth over some issues with the lender and seller's attorney. She was a terrific sounding board, educator, and reality check throughout the whole process (let me know when my freak-outs had merit and when I should probably just let it go). If I had a question she didn't know the answer to, she went above and beyond to research the topic and help me make an informed decision. Closing: Jennifer kept me on track for the final walk-through and calmed my nerves at the closing table. Overall I could not imagine going through this process without Jennifer by my side. I'm sure I would have had a nervous breakdown along the way, or at least been very confused the entire time. If you are a first time homebuyer, you want Jennifer as your tour guide. read more

We decided to sell our beloved home quickly for a relocation opportunity. Ron made the process easier than we could have imagined. His respect and care for our emotions and his simple embellishment suggestions made working with him a no brainer. He's responsive, kind, and sold our house immediately. read more

We have been working with Jennifer Barnes for a few years now, with everything from the sale of our home to the purchasing of our new home. She has been excellent in advising us on the market, timing, inspections, she is truly a pro at what she does. She is not afraid to step on toes if she thinks you are making a bad move (and she is most likely correct). If you use Jennifer you can put your trust in her. She will not rush you into a money pit so she can get a commission and move on to the next project. We even had an issue after the sale and contacted her, she made herself and her resources available to us with no talk of financial compensation. A true professional. read more

Attention future home buyers: I have one name for you. Erin Duncan at Saffron. I have never worked with anyone who cares more about her clients than Erin. Not only did she hit the bricks with us for close to a year, She held our hands during a horrible short sale experience and through several buyers that were less than cordial. Erin and I have probably been inside every house that has been for sale in this city. She is well organized, well connected and a pleasure to shop with. Day or night, weekends whatever, Erin was always ready to go. We never would have gotten through the whole process without her. The way she worked with everyone involved form sellers, buyers lawyers to lenders was impressive and I slept well knowing that she was on top of things. We finally found something that suited us last month. And closed without a problem. Thanks to Erin and her hard work. Rarely do you find someone in any field that has the character and knowledge that Erin does. Whatever the commission was on that sale, was not nearly enough for the year of her life that went into it. Erin, thanks for everything! If I have to do it again, your coming with me. read more

I love your yelp page! I am a realtor in Iowa...but I commend you.

Bob is the best! I was moving out of state and needed to sell my condo fast!! I had had a previous realtor who was unable to sell my unit (it was on the parket for over 6 months when I decided to call Bob). I was in a panic with trying to get everything ready to move out of state and Bob made it happen! Within 2 MONTHS Bob had sold my unit! The entire deal was complete in 2 months. He was able to create an amazing virtual tour online of my condo and it generated a lot of people to come view the unit. It was amazing how quickly he was able to get it sold for the exact asking price I wanted! He also was able to help with an excellent referral to a lawyer to help with the closing etc. I have told numerous people to use his as a realtor. My brother also uses Bob and has worked on 2 seperate properties with him as well. If I ever move back to Chicago, Bob is the realtor I would use in a heart beat! Without a doubt, he gets the job done! read more

Bottom line......Bob is the best realtor I have ever used. I will never use anyone else, no matter where I buy in Chicago. Bob has helped me buy a number of properties, including my first investment building. He also helped me find an excellent tenant for my rental property. Saffron Realty is built on generating personal relationships as opposed to generating numbers. Bob took the time to find out what I was exactly looking for and tailored my searches to meet those needs. My searches with Bob rarely took longer than a few weeks because he was so good at finding properties that interested me, although I suspect he would be just as enthusiastic at helping me if my search took a few months. I recommend Saffron to all my friends because Bob and crew have made my life so much easier when it came to buying property in Chicago. read more

I became a first time home-owner this year, and Bob and Becca were ridiculously awesome in assisting and guiding me through the process. I was very uncertain about the whole ordeal going into it, but they were extremely thorough in explaining every detail that I needed to know about, and more than patient in dealing with what ended up being a better-part-of-the-year search. While I had some rough ideas as to what I was looking for, they were incredibly motivated to help me find exactly what I was looking for, without pushing me to hurry or settle. Aside from being exceptionally capable, they are also super friendly, great people. I could not have asked for anything more. read more

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Saffron Realty Group, namely Bob. If only I could give 10 stars! First of all, Bob is an all around great guy. He truely has your very best interest at heart. He was always the first to tell us if he thought a property we were interested in seeing was not a good fit for us. We never doubted that Bob genuinely wanted what was best for us. Bob is also incredibly patient. When we first started looking, we weren't really sure what we wanted. Bob showed us a variety of different property types and never became frustrated when we changed our minds (several times). It tooks us approximately 4 months to find our new home and we couldn't be happier. The deal we found was solely due to Bob's professional relationships, which are no doubt a result of the great reputation he has built among his colleagues. Bob has gone above and beyond what we believe to be the responsibilites of an agent. He is always will to answer our questions and give us some much valued advice even after the deal is done. I would highly recommend this business to anyone!!! THANK YOU BOB!!! read more

The five stars should say "FANTASTIC". I don't think I could have gone through the past ten years without Ron's help with my real estate needs. He sold my custom built condo in 2010 and found me a great new home. And then recently he sold that home and I'm now in another new home. Life has many changes and Ron has the knowledge and professionalism one needs when working with clients in an emotional state of selling a beloved home and finding something that will be equally loved. If Ron covered the entire USA I would use him and recommend him to everyone. read more

Back in 2013 when I was interested in purchasing a condo, friends suggested I meet with Bob Safranski. After taking the time to understand what I was looking for, he helped me find the perfect place to call home. Only two years and a ton of life changes later, I would need to sell that same condo. Without hesitation, I turned to Bob again. Bob is without a doubt in a league of his own. Everyone knows that buying and/or selling a home can be one of the most stressful and unpredictable experiences in life. With Bob's knowledge of the industry and positive attitude, I felt confident that he would get the job done and he did. I think it's rare to find an agent that will patiently answer all of your questions, calm your nerves when the pressure is on and always have your best interests in mind. Bob did all of this and more. After helping me and at least five of my friends, I would be happy to refer him to anyone. read more

My husband and I worked with Ron in 2013 when we purchased our condo in Bucktown. He helped steer us towards the soon to be built Bloomingdale Trail (now 606) as he knew we were looking to sell in under 5 years and thought it would be a good investment. We were thrilled with how he negotiated the deal and were happy to live in our condo for 4 years. We decided we needed more space and he listed our property and helped us purchase our new home. His advice on how to paint our condo and stage our pre-existing furniture was very valuable. His photographer took fantastic pictures and they also used some drone shots to showcase the proximity to the 606. We had multiple offers within 2 days and accepted an offer 6K over list. As a working mom, it was important to me that showings went seamlessly. The app they use for showings made it easy for me to schedule time out of the condo with my daughter and they always called/texted me when showings were over to report back. Matt handled the purchase of our new home and always had a keen eye on repairs that needed to be made, which helped us with negotiations. He followed up with the seller's agent as they were having seller's remorse and managed to pull the deal through. We were going to accept the seller's counter offer, but his advice was to continue to negotiate. We're glad we did as we got the house for less plus a credit for repairs. We hope to be in our new home for the long haul, but if anything changes, we would definitely use them again. They still text and check-in with us and even stopped by for our daughter's birthday party in the new house. Above and beyond is what you will get and we are thankful we found them on yelp all those years ago to guide us in our real estate endeavors. read more

Ron Knoll was absolutely amazing. As first-time home buyers, we interviewed numerous agents and decided to choose Ron. What a good decision. He was our advocate from day one. He tirelessly fielded all of our concerns and questions. He listened to us. He made himself available. We never felt pressured or forced to buy something that was not a good fit. When we did finally find that perfect place, Ron's industry expertise and experience was invaluable. Without him and his advice, we would not have gotten our home. I have recommended Ron to all of our friends and family and if we ever decide to move, Ron would be our first phone call. He is both an amazing agent and an amazing person, we couldn't have worked with a better person and I highly recommend him. read more