Truly the best realtor we could ever hope to have, full stop. Stephen helped us buy our first home in the wildly expensive Marin market somehow. He cared about us, he was very candid when he though a home wasn't right for us and thankfully we listened to him. We eventually found the home of our dreams. It meant the world to us and we really can't thank him enough. He's a great realtor and a great person. read more

I met Steve in 2013, when he sold my neighbor's house in San Anselmo. I took an instant liking to him and kept his business card. (He's now been involved in 3 out of the 8 houses on our street, one sale and two purchases.) Five years later, I tracked Steve down as I wanted him to be my agent to help sell my inherited family home. The first thing he said when he came to look at the house was, "Dude, you're leaving money on the table". Thus began an odyssey of a year and a half of remodeling and renovation with his guidance. (I originally just wanted to sell the house as-is, thus Steve's comment.) Steve's wife, Kim, an interior designer, lent initial guidance on the project and provided input on paint choices and furniture. Steve kept an eye out for usable materials from other projects and showed up a couple of times with strings of café lights that helped make the place look magical. I needed to replace some rotated retaining walls and Steve provided contact information for a contractor that did an immense amount of high quality work in a week and a half. Another contractor replaced older double-glazed windows that had failed. (I did joke with Steve that if he was really a full-service broker, he'd know a discrete arsonist.) He showed up one day to touch base while I was pressure washing the carport. Steve grabbed a broom and starting brushing the standing water out, how many agents would do that? As the market was very hot, we had trouble finding a stager that was available. (I was rather dubious about the value of staging at first due to the high cost.) Michelle at Revelation was more affordable than the others and did a bang-up job. She made the house look too good for the likes of us. It's a common phenomenon that people think twice about selling their house after all the improvements are made and they go from drab to fab. Two photographers were provided, including one with a drone, that produced some beautiful collateral with twilight photos. As I ran out of funds near the end, despite acting as the GC, I wanted to help expedite the sale by having the house measured and inspections done before placing the house on the market; he provided both and lent the funds to do so. We were happy that the sale met my target price. We wanted to move to Pt. Reyes Station. We met multiple times to look at properties in west Marin. Steve met me at the county planning offices several times including a paid sit-down meeting with the county where the planning department researches the said property and guides you as to what is feasible. I wasn't aware of such a thing. It was at Steve's suggestion that we set up the meeting and we ultimately decided against making an offer on an overpriced lot with way too many restrictions. At another vacant site, Steve made the observation that there were blue lines (water elements) in the back and side that could create problems getting a leach field approved. Despite his observation, we made an offer that was rejected and I think he was relieved. Steve didn't think the seller would exactly be Mr. Rogers. I have waited a year to write this review, since the sale of our house, because we weren't done with him. We closed escrow, today, on four vacant acres in Sebastopol with Steve's help. Our ambition is to do restorative farming and to build a house that meets our design sense and needs. Few of the lots we considered met all of our criteria including zoning issues. This one does. Steve came to look at it and gave it his blessing so we went forward. There was a last-minute second offer from another party but we won the bidding with my letter to the seller. I wasn't confident with my letter but Steve gave me the thumbs up saying it was perfect the way it was. He was right since the two bids were equal but the seller chose us. Finally, to the "lady" with the two-star review who accused Steve of being in it for the money; I'm offended at the mischaracterization and feel I must defend him. I never felt Steve didn't have our best interests at heart whether it was in selling our house or buying our land over a 2+ year period. read more

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While considering the daunting task of selling our home, we were understandably fearful. But when we actually committed to working with Stephen Pringle to get the job done, our fears turned out to be unjustified. The entire process was handled with skill and professionalism. Stephens experience and knowledge of the local real estate market made it a pleasurable experience. Besides making the process run smoothly, Stephen helped us obtain the best possible pricing as well. I can't imagine taking on this task with another realtor. Stephen Pringle is THE BEST! read more

My wife and I truly could not have had a more wonderful experience with a Real Estate agent. Stephen is so easy going, incredibly knowledgeable with everything to do with homes, and just an all around great guy to get to know that he felt like a friend by the time we closed on our home. Buying the home was a bit of a crazy story and we would not be in our forever home right now without Stephen. We met with Stephen a few months ago and he drove around the neighborhoods in our price range discussing what we were looking for in a home. We looked at a handful of homes over the following months figuring out what we liked and didn't like as we went. Stephen gave us great advice the entire time and he was able to tell us what was wrong with the house by just looking at it and how much something would roughly cost to fix or replace it. Very valuable to have that insight because we don't know anything about houses. Fast forward to about a month ago and my wife and I had just left for Japan for 10 days. We saw a house pop up in our price range that looked like it had everything we wanted in it. I emailed Stephen, he went and looked at it and said this is the home! Because we had looked at quite a few already Stephen knew exactly what we were looking for so we completely trusted his read on it. He looked at the inspection report and knew everything that was any major issue we had to worry about to give us an accurate view on the home. So, from Japan, without having set foot in the home we put an offer in and by the final day in Japan, at 2:30 AM, Stephen had emailed us to let us know our offer was accepted!! It was pretty crazy to say the least that we bought a home without setting foot in it, but I wanted to stress that this is how comfortable and how much trust we had in Stephen. Once we finally were able to walk into the home we just loved it and knew we had made the right decision. Closing on the home isn't the end of working with Stephen though either. He looks through the inspection report and tells you what you should take care of immediately and what you can wait on. He has wonderful recommendations for contractors as well as home insurance companies and he was very patient in answering my many many questions throughout the entire process. We really feel so lucky to have found Stephen and we can't recommend him highly enough to anyone thinking about buying a home. Thanks Stephen!!! read more

Stephen will help you find your house. Read again. He will not sell you a house...he will help YOU find YOUR house. We had always lived in the city (SF) and knew very little about the north bay. Stephen gave use the tour and showed us lots of different areas. By the time we finally bought our house in San Rafael I felt like I knew the north bay like the back of my hand. He's not pushy, but at the same time he will tell you like it is. At the end of the day he really does want to do right by his clients, not just make a buck, which is key. The reality is that, ironically, he will make more money that way. But not all people in sales understand that. If you are ruthlessly protective of your clients best interest it will pay off in the end - and he is. Hey may try to talk you out of a deal if he thinks it's going to be bad for you...and guess what, he's probably right, and just helped you dodge a bullet. He could take the fast money and just let you make your own mistakes like many agents would, but he doesn't, even though that means more work for him, and no guarantee of commission. That's a huge risk with the commission involved in a real estate deal - but that's just Stephen. He's always super responsive to requests to show houses, etc and knows the north bay very well - especially with respect to good areas for young families, since he has a family himself. If you are looking to buy a house in the north bay, he's your guy. read more

Stephen recently helped us purchase the house we were renting in The Valley. Coming from the city, we were apprehensive about some of the peculiarities of the properties in this area. He patiently walked us through the process, which included several hours at the county office reviewing permits, septic issues, etc. The funny part was he wasn't our agent! We met Stephen at an open house for another property. He realized our best bet was to stay where we were and offered to help us with the buying process for free! His only request was that we donate a bench to the local elementary school. Thanks to Steve's knowledge, patience, and kindness, we were able to confidently and happily purchase a wonderful house for our family. We highly recommend working with Steve. His positive, generous, and friendly approach makes the process of buying a home a lot less stressful and a lot more fun! read more

Stephen Pringle is a gem. He listens and quickly understands exactly what you are looking for. I got lucky and was only looking for about 4 months before finding my place, and I have to say it made me sad that I wouldn't be able to drive around with him anymore! He is sincere, straightforward and no bullshit. As soon as we would get to a house he would go right underneath and check the foundation. I felt safe being in his hands, knowing there was no way he would let me make a bad decision. His knowledge of the Bay Area real estate market is incredibly thorough, he knows all of the hidden neighborhoods in Marin, their ins and outs. He found my parents their place in San Anselmo, working with them for SIX years (they are very particular), and I knew he was my guy when I started looking. I can't sing his praises more. When I'm ready to sell and buy another place I will be going right back to him without question. Thank you Stephen! read more

Look no further for a relator in Marin! We found Stephen nearly by accident. My husband and I had found a house that we wanted to put a offer on, so we needed to enlist a realtor. We had no connections to realtors in Marin County and decided to look on Yelp versus pull a name out of a hat. If I recall there weren't many listings, but we chose to call Stephen . No one had a bad thing to say about him. We weren't looking to buy a high priced home, for Marin standards, so we felt like we might get brushed aside a bit with a realtor, but Stephen was the most helpful resource we had through our entire home buying experience. He listens, he takes time to help you and he understands the process well. He has bought and sold homes for himself as well and had a lot of valuable referrals for home improvements that helped us a lot. He really digs in and isn't afraid to get dirty. When we first saw our home with him he even crawled under our house to check it out a bit and was very knowledgable during our inspections. He held our hands every step of the way. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Stephen and will certainly be bugging him once we're ready to sell our current home and find another. He's great at his job! Thanks, Stephen! read more

Stephen helped our family of 5 find a rental home in Marin while we were living in Los Angeles. He is the type of person that wants his clients to find the best home for "them" and he is not interested in just pushing to suit his own needs. We are currently looking for a permanent house in the same area and he is the only agent for us. He is so honest that he turns me away from homes because he wants our family to be happy forever. He is incredibly familiar with codes and building and can spot a problem house easily. We have never before met an agent who has become a part of our life and our family but that's what he does- he just cares and doesn't disappear. read more

Stephen Pringle and George Crowe are truly the dynamic duo of Marin Real Estate. My boyfriend and I just closed escrow on a house in Fairfax and we both feel that these two agents are the best that we have ever worked with. We have both bought numerous houses in the past but we have never before had the confidence level that we experienced with George & Stephen. We first met them at an open house and were impressed with their knowledge and follow through, as well as with their sense of ethics and responsibility to their clients. Stephen came to our inspection and when a question arose about foundation work he proceeded to pull a pair of overalls out of his car and crawl under the house for his own up close view! Now that was impressive. They were available and immediately responsive throughout all stages of the process, including providing us with incredible references for the work that we chose to do after the close. In addition to these attributes, they are both charming and funny and REALLY smart! They made the experience as enjoyable as the purchase of a home can be. We highly recommend Stephen & George and cannot say enough about their professionalism and expertise. read more

What an excellent realtor. Stephen was fantastic. If you are looking for a Realtor in Marin County, you can do no better than Stephen Pringle. The most important aspect in real estate is location and Stephen knows the neighborhoods very well. He will find you a place tucked away from the masses if you want. He will find you the best commuter home. He knows the areas that people want to live in, whether for good school systems, proximity to a highway or for its "small town feel". He gets to know you very fast and doesn't waste your time with looking at places that don't fit. He is as concerned with spending your money as you are. I never once felt like he was pushing me towards something more expensive. In fact, he ended up landing me an incredible deal due to my financial circumstances. The experience was so stress-free, it was like shopping for homes with a good friend. I will certainly have Stephen find my next home and recommend him to all my friends and fellow yelpers. read more

Stephen found the perfect house for my family in our favorite part of San Anselmo. We were so thrilled with how flawlessly he handled the purchase and how involved he was with the inspections of the new house that we asked him to be the selling agent on our old house. Saying that Stephen worked along with us to get our home ready to sell is an understatement. He guided us through the repairs and changes we should make to show our home in the best way possible. When we had to leave town for a week Stephen and his team finished the work for us! He made sure the house was perfect for the opening. He printed a beautifully designed 3-fold brochure about our home AND a separate brochure that featured photos and info about our neighborhood. Stephen and his family are a part of the San Anselmo community so he knows all the different neighborhoods really well. What stood out the most about working with Steve was how well he got to know our home and us. My husband and I put a lot of work into our house over the years and were very proud of it. I imagined the questions I would ask if I was at my own open house and I wanted Stephen to answer them confidently. Stephen was able to tell prospective buyers details about all the improvements we had done, about the veggies in our garden, about the schools and parks in our neighborhood, and about all the great families that live nearby. Stephen is a sharp and knowledgeable real estate agent but he is also a warm and genuine person so I always felt good knowing he was representing us. Stephen brought in multiple offers over our asking price. We had such a positive experience working with Stephen. I still send him email updates about how much we love our new home! read more

Stephen sold my house in Marin and I can't recommend him highly enough. I had to coordinate the selling from a distance since I live in the South Bay but Stephen made it easy. We did as much as we could through e-signing of documents, emails, and phone calls. Mine wasn't any easy case for Stephen I'm sure, as I had several stressful situations happening at the same time as the selling. This caused delays in my responses and other small tangles. But Stephen showed nothing but patience, flexibility, and professionalism. He rolled with the delays and couldn't have been more accommodating. I am very happy with the final price of the sale. Many thanks to Stephen and his contractors who helped spruce the house up. read more

Stephen Pringle is one of my proud examples of finding something really great on yelp by filtering for a service with the "most best" reviews. I've been in and out of the housing market since 2005 waiting for prices & rates to hit bottom. That afforded me about 6 long years worth of meeting way-too-many real-estate agents. Some of them were stinkers (especially at the height of the bubble), some of them were good, but Stephen was faaaaar and away my favorite agent. Honestly, there was not even a close second. When I first met him, he struck me as professional, knowledgeable, and relaxed (something I learned to look for in a real estate agent). He seemed like someone that was taking my best interest to heart. As we started shopping (everywhere from Petaluma to Sausalito) that first impression turned out to be spot on. He even helped talk us out of buying one of the first places that we liked (He was right btw. We really dodged a bullet with that one. To name just one of the problems, we viewed it after a big rain and the foundation was a flooded wreck. It was basically poorly done flip with a deceptively nice interior.) He has also been around for a while. Wherever we looked, he seemed to know something about the story behind the neighborhood, the soil, and where the community was heading. We viewed some fixer-uppers and bounced renovating ideas off of him. When it came time to signing, he hooked us up with a loan officer (at my own bank) who found me a lower rate that I was able to find anywhere else on my own. honestly... can't say enough here. He made us really confident we were getting the best deal we could and made everything as easy as I think it could have been. 5 stars Stephen. Thanks for all the help. read more

Stephen Pringle has been a dream for my husband and I, as has his partner George Crowe. We actually found them because of all the wonderful Yelp reviews! What is so special about Stephen, is that he actually cares about what he is selling you. He will crawl under a house, into a dark hole and behind bushes to explore the foundation of any house you're looking at. My husband and I had never had any experience buying a house, and Stephen pointed out a number of things that we never would have thought of. It was clear to us that he was selling us a lifetime home where he wanted us to be happy, rather then just making a quick buck. I would highly recommend this team of Realtors. I am so thankful that I have had such a positive experience with such honest, helpful people. read more

The best Real Estate Agent I know. Stephen is hands on, down to earth and works tirelessly to achieve what his client's want. I spent every Thursday with Stephen for more than half a year before he was able to find my family the perfect Dominican retreat that we had been seeking. He was always there for us and catered to our every little whim. He is a great guy and I would and have recommended him to anyone I know looking for a home in Marin. read more

If I were to "build" the perfect real estate agent, I think the end result might well be Stephen Pringle. In addition to possessing an incredible knowledge of the Fairfax/San Anselmo/San Rafael neighborhoods I was interested in, Stephen is smart, funny, intuitive, and one of the best listeners I've ever met. After asking me questions about what I wanted in a house and looking at a couple properties, Stephen probably had a better sense than I did of what I was looking for and what would work for me. Although I am not a first-time home buyer, I am certainly no expert either, and the process made me nervous. Stephen's patience and responsiveness put me at ease and made me feel like I was his only client. More importantly, I knew I could trust his instincts and guidance during the whole process. Simply put, Stephen (and his fabulous network of resources) took care of me and got me into a house I never imagined I would find. If you're looking for someone who will work hard for you, is honest and respectful in all his interactions, has great market knowledge and is an all-around nice guy, I can't imagine a better agent than Stephen Pringle. read more

My wife and I were in the habit of going to open houses on Sundays. We did this for two years before we bought our house. We met Stephen at one of these open houses and because we were vaguely considering a house he was showing, we had occasion to speak with him several times. He was always friendly, outgoing and genuinely interested in getting to know us. He wanted to know what houses we were looking at that day and knew each and every one including each particular house's peccadilloes. When we got serious, Stephen was the hands down favorite and no one else even came close. Stephen exudes a trustworthiness that is quite rare in the sales business. We trusted him and were never ever betrayed by his trust. On top of this, Stephen was the consummate professional with a brigade of local trades people and professionals at his command to make the process smooth and effortless. When it came time to sell our condo in an overcrowded market, (5 for sale besides ours) Stephen got ours sold first and well within the price margins we demanded. We LOVE Stephen. He has continued to be a wonderful resource for us and his easy smile and engaging personality are always a pleasant sight when we bump into him. We would never hesitate to recommend that if you need an agent for buying or selling, Stephen is in a realm all his own for service and quality and he's a wonderful person as well. read more

Stephen did an excellent job for us selling our home in San Anselmo! Sorry for the long review! To summarize, if you are looking for a no-nonsense, honest, and attentive agent, who treats you like a human being and not a commission check, Stephen is your man! If you want the details, keep reading! ************ We first met Stephen as buyers at an open house he was putting on for a seller at the time. We were really turned on by how forward he was with not only the positive aspects of the home he was showing, but also the aspects of the home that needed some TLC. He seemed very honest in a way that would benefit both the buyer and his seller in coming to a fair deal. We ended up putting an offer in on that house and losing out, but we walked away knowing that the next time we were in the market to sell a house, we were going to give Stephen a call. So that's exactly what we did when it came time to sell our house in San Anselmo a few years later. We met with Stephen at our home a few months before we were ready to put our house on the market. He consulted with us on the market, our house, it's condition, and the improvements/maintenance we should complete prior to listing the house. This being the first house we have sold, we had a zillion questions, we had a ton of anxiety, and we needed someone to closely guide us through the process. Stephen was always there to pick up the phone or stop by the house to cure whatever was ailing us! We ended up getting an offer on the house, over asking, the first week on the market! He guided us through all of the details of the offer and we accepted the same night! Stephen really respected our right as a buyer to make our own decision but was there for us to provide his advice on all of our options when asked. So....we thought we were done. Not yet. Buyer inspections... We had done pre-inspections at the advice of Stephen, which is a great idea especially in the San Anselmo/Fairfax area where the majority of the homes are really old and all come with some unexpected faults. Our buyer ended up deciding to do their own inspections to double-check ours. They had a structural engineer come out and crawl under our house to inspect the foundation. That engineer raised concerns about our foundation to the buyers. The buyers also did their own pest inspection and their inspector claimed to find an alleged additional 9K of wood rot/termite damage in our crawl space. Needless to say, the buyers were a little more than freaked out (they were first time buyers too). Stephen CRAWLED UNDER OUR HOUSE and did his own visual inspection of our sub area!!! What Realtor does that? Stephen did. He did not agree with the findings of the buyers inspectors, so he called in the professionals to get us second opinions. Not only did he coordinate with our pest inspector (Company = NBI = awesome) to come out and do a second inspection, he got them to agree to complete all of the recommended work that the other inspector was recommending even though they didn't agree - for free! He also coordinated with another structural engineer and drainage expert to come inspect our crawl space. In the end Stephen just wanted to get the facts so that he could negotiate a fair deal for all parties involved, which he did. He was an excellent negotiator (he ended up potentially saving us thousands) when it came down to it and we ended up sealing the deal with the buyers - all thanks for Stephen! read more

What a great guy! I called Stephen today, explaining that I was thinking of selling my house and needed a consult as to what might be involved in sprucing it up to be show-ready. He came by my house an hour later, listened thoughtfully, did a thorough walk-through, and gave me a practical, doable list. Then we talked at length about my finances, and I asked him what he thought about renting the house out vs. selling it. Given my situation, Stephen recommended renting it. Knock me over with a feather! I just didn't expect a realtor to forego nabbing a client in favor of providing different, and ultimately better, advice. Stephen impressed me as ethical, and oriented to what *you* need. If I do end up selling this house, I'm calling Stephen in a heartbeat. read more

Working with Stephen was a wonderful experience. My situation is unique in that one day while looking for homes my brother called me about his neighbor selling her house "for sale by owner." The location was ideal and the asking price was actually in my price range. I called Stephen and he confirmed the house was not listed on the MLS. He encouraged me to contact the seller and set up a time to walk through the property. Stephen met me at the home and to my surprise it was exactly was I was looking for. Here comes the curve ball...the seller was adamant she would not work with a real estate agent and wanted to work directly with me. The home was significantly underpriced for the neighborhood and condition it was in, so I was nervous forking over my life's savings to a possible scam. Stephen provided me with support, guidance and reassurance throughout the process. He worked quickly and had an offer prepared the following day. His expedience allowed us to snatch up this home before it ever hit the market, sparing me from a dreaded bidding war. He provided me with all the necessary paperwork and reviewed the contract every step of the way to ensure I wasn't getting taken advantage of. Stephen even answered my numerous freak out and melt down phone calls and kept me sane during the home buying process. Stephen, you helped me buy my forever home. I am grateful for your hard work and dedication. We did it! read more

My sweetheart and I first worked with Stephen Pringle as buyers over a dozen years ago, when we found him to be an engaged, dedicated, heartily capable agent. Working with him as sellers more recently was all that and more: not only does Stephen bring warmth and enthusiasm to the table, but a depth of experience and insight that only comes from many years in the business. Specifically, Stephen helped us to: prepare our home for sale under a short timeline, including identifying items needing fixing and the people to fix them, even to the point of supervising some of the work; make decisions about what financial and time investments to make before listing and which to skip; and present our home in the best possible light, inclusive of dynamite promotional materials, both hard copy and online, highlighted by professional photography. Stephen gave tremendous thought to the best listing price and coached us both realistically and aggressively to arrive at the right number. Stephen hosted all our open houses personally; provided updates along the way; and always helped us keep our eye on the big picture. Ultimately, Stephen's tenacity was paramount when it came to accepting and closing a deal under terms which delighted us. Selling or buying a house can be an incredibly stressful time. In this sense, perhaps most important, Stephen helped us to keep laughing and when needed, met us with understanding when our frustrations rose to the surface. I cannot recommend Stephen highly enough, for both his spot-on intuition and stellar counsel. read more

This man deserves more than 5 stars! From our first contact, Stephen was personable, helpful, kind and skilled. He knows the Marin market, has great contacts and a great reputation. He tuned into me and my specific situation. He had great ideas for increasing the value of my property and worked with me closely. At the start, he didn't think i should sell my property, but seeing that I was forced to for financial reasons, he accommodated me. Then when i was able to get financing that allowed me to keep the property, after several months of working on the sale, he didnt bat an eye. He was immediately happy for me, saying that this is what he had wanted the whole time. This was a jaw dropper for me. Stephen could not have been more selfless and had my best interest at the top of his priority list. I highly recommend Stephen for your real estate needs. After writing this review, i then looked at his other reviews. This is who he is ... crawling around under houses, helping people with their fears, educating folks about how things work, and going the extra mile, always. read more

In today's market houses either sell right away or don't sell at all, and a smart, pro-active realtor can make all the difference. From the first meeting with Stephen, I knew I'd found the right one: he's honest, assertive and very hard-working. I've never seen a realtor roll up his sleeves and go to work in the garden with the crew, or climb into the crawl space to scope things out before inspection, but Stephen does those things. He's also a very savvy marketer, who pre-identifies the target buyer and guides you in preparing your house to suit their tastes and needs. His wife, Kim, is a stager, which makes the process that much easier. They're both real pro's and super nice people to boot. Net net, our house sold immediately, for over the asking price, and closed 30 days later without a hitch. read more

It has been four years since my last review. Last time, I reviewed Steve as a buyer, but today I am doing as a seller. If you are looking for someone who knows what he is doing and work hard, Steve is the one! Since this is the first house we sold, we did not know what is the best way to show the house. Steve came to our house on Sunday (yes, he has very flexible schedule), and told us exactly what we needed to do to make our house looking beautiful in small amount budget we had. Since we were preparing opening our San Jose practice at the same time as selling the house, we could not stay in Marin when we were selling the house. Steve is so amazing. He helped us with everything, and I mean everything. He helped us selling our old futurities, making sure the house look great, even scheduling the donation pick up for our stuff. We cannot ask for a better agent than Steve. The MOST important thing is that we got multiple offers, and we sold the house in the price that we are very happy with. Once again, thank you, Steve! read more

My wife and I needed to short sell our house and Stephen was the only person we believed could do the job. I was sure we wouldn't be able to sell our place, given the state of housing in our area, but he managed to pull off a miracle and sell it in 2 months. As if that feat was not enough, he somehow made it possible for us to walk away with some money in our pockets (thank you Stephen). Stephen is straight forward and honest, seemingly rare characteristics among realtors. If you need a realtor in Marin, and want someone who will listen to you and represent you with their heart instead of thinking only about the payoff, Stephen is the guy. read more

The best decision we made when buying our home was getting Stephen as our agent. We were first time home buyers with a not-so-huge budget, but Stephen was low pressure, patient, positive, took the time to listen to our needs and wants, and was a tremendous resource from beginning to end. And he obviously has good judgement ... we ended up in a place that he took us to see the first day! It's been 7 months now and we could not be happier -- such a nice feeling with a huge purchase like this. We are so grateful for Stephen's guidance (not to mention the amazing deal he negotiated for us -- seriously, he saved us a ton)! read more

If you are looking for a realtor, you can not do any better than Stephen Pringle. My husband and I were renting a house in San Rafael a couple of years ago and the owner decided to sell it. We knew that we wanted to try and buy it before her realtor put the house on the market but we had no idea how to do anything when it came to buying a house. We were not even thinking about looking and had no idea about the process. We immediately called Stephen, on the advice of a friend, and he helped us out in so many ways. From answering the most basic questions about mortgages to suggesting different inspections and things to think about when buying a house. He was so helpful and always there when we needed anything. Stephen made the whole process so easy and we were able to buy our house for an amazing price. Stephen is hands down the best realtor in Marin and I recommend him to everyone I know! read more

It is no surprise to me that Stephen has so many glowing reviews from home buyers he has helped but everyone should know he is fantastic at selling homes too! Last year my wife and I approached Stephen about the idea of selling our home in San Anselmo. We were very conflicted about the idea as we had purchased the property with a dream of renovating it and living there for a very long time. Alas, plans don't always work out and we were feeling some pressure to make a change. Stephen set the tone for our relationship right then and there. We met for coffee and he just listened and asked questions. He quickly understood how conflicted we were about selling our house and took the time to understand our needs and motivations. After taking in all the information he spelled out our options...including some ideas on how we might keep the home that we hadn't thought of! We ultimately decided to sell and that is when Stephen really shined. He had a clear vision for how we would prepare, show and market the home. The plan included some recommended upgrades to the property that gave us some pause. Once again, Stephen didn't push. He simply helped us understand the return we would see on each upgrade and the trade offs. We ultimately decided to follow Stephen's plan to the letter. As we executed the plan, he was there every step of the way providing us with his network of contractors, painters, and stagers. All of whom did tremendous work at reasonable prices for Stephen. He even added some of his own personal touches to the staging that demonstrated his sense of style and showmanship. In the end, the house looked AMAZING and we received multiple offers above asking price after one open house....just as he had predicted. With the offers in hand, Stephen helped us pick the buyer that represented the strongest opportunity for a quick, problem free close. He was fantastic at setting a collegial, professional tone with our prospective buyers that persisted right through close day. Stephen was absolutely masterful at leading from behind. He made sure the decisions required were ours alone but he armed us with all the information we needed to make good ones. From the day we approached him with thoughts of selling to the day we closed, Stephen exuded a calm confidence about our plan and the outcome we would achieve. We are clearly better off for having hired Stephen to help us and he has our highest recommendation. Thank you Stephen. We will give you a call when we are ready to buy again. :-) read more

I had to move out of California many years ago and was renting my home in San Rafael until the end of last year when I finally decided I needed to sell it. I dreaded the effort to get the house on the market from across the country, and was intimidated even thinking about it. Knowing I was going through tough medical issues and felt overwhelmed, a friend in the area recommended I call Stephen. She knew he would be the right person to sell my house from 3,000 miles away and she couldn't have been any more accurate. Once I gave the long time tenants in the main house and downstairs apartment notice, Stephen got the ball rolling. He gave me a list of recommended upgrades to help the house sell and an estimate of costs. There were upgrades I thought I needed, but he modified the list and knew which would result in the best return on investment. He and his wife, Kim coordinated the work which included everything from choosing paint colors, hiring a painter, recarpeting, removal of tile, installation of wood floors, hauling materials, landscaping and even addition of recessed lighting. He gave me a rough estimate of costs, and it turned out to be extremely accurate. And it didn't stop there. Kim recommended upgrades like changing out sconces and door handles to get the house further up to date. They handled hiring the staging company, ordering materials, hiring contractors, scheduling the work, closing out permits, landscaping, etc. By the time they were done, I wanted to move back! It was an incredible transformation. No time was wasted, the house was on the market exactly as planned and received multiple offers within weeks and closed a month later with an offer well above asking. I know this sounds too good to be true, and believe me I would have never guessed the entire process would have gone this smoothly. If needed, please ask Stephen for my referral. I would recommend this team in a heart beat! read more

I can honestly say that I don't know what we would have done if we hadn't had this guy by our sides when buying our first home a few months ago! Not only did he work some serious magic to find us the perfect spot to call our own but he did so with endless patience, kindness, skill and a great sense of humor (super helpful when things got stressful!). He's the real deal and rolls with an endless list of resources that are all amazing in their own right (carpenters, electricians, etc., etc.) and don't even get me started on his lovely, talented wife and her mad interior design skills - what a fantastic duo they are! Needless to say, we can't recommend Stephen enough and while we hope to not move for a very long time, he's who we would call each and every time should the need arise! read more

Stephen was the real estate agent of our dreams. We contemplated moving to Fairfax years earlier and I tried to work with another agent who lacked enthusiasm and we ended up staying where we were. Fast forward a couple year when the market is far tighter and the prices higher. I found Stephen on Yelp and interviewed him about moving to Marin and he proceeded to make me fall in love with Fairfax (based on who I am and what I was looking for in a town). He drove me around regularly, made me familiar with the different neighborhoods, was frank when he thought a house had issues, as other reviews said crawled under the house with the inspectors to check out the foundation. He helped us in every respect - from repeatedly bringing us back to look at our house while I tried to convince my husband to move to Fairfax, to negotiating a good deal on our house and closing the deal. When we were rejected from the preschool we wanted to go to, Stephen, whose kids it turned out had attended there, made a phone call and got my daughter in. He had recommendations for me in getting settled here, from restaurants to our dentist to my hair dresser. He loves Fairfax, for good reason, and it is contagious. We can't believe we live in this beautiful house in this amazing town and we definitely owe it in large part to him. read more

"STEVE IS YOUR MAN!" That's what all my friends told me about 8 years ago when I first started working with Steve. He has helped me buy 3 (and sell two) houses in the past several years and from the bottom of my heart I advise everyone I care about (and even those I don't:) please go nowhere else because there is nowhere else I have even heard of where you get full-service, completely honest, IN THE CLIENT'S BEST INTEREST (even at the cost of Steve's personal financial gain) not only up to when you are buying your home, or even thinking about thinking about it, but years later. Even the other realtors in town are amazed at Steve's honesty, integrity, and SMARTS, and the ability to get customers their homes often against all odds. He's a local hero among his clients and anyone related to anything to do with home buying. EVERYBODY LOVES THE GUY! In the process of purchasing various homes, Steve was totally protective of my own interests, helping me process through every level of the experience. After he gets you your home, he helps you for the rest of your life. I'm serious! One day as I was working on some decisions about improving my new home and I had called him for advice, he said, "Really, before you make big decisions check in with me. I know who is out there and I want you to get the best and most honest treatment possible." After buying my most recent dream home, just after I closed and before I moved in, I went by and found a beautiful hand-made wooden bench on my patio with no name or sign attached to it. I thought for about 3 minutes how this gift would have anonymously arrived, and then, "Of course, Steve." He's the real deal. It just doesn't get any better, and I swear he is as smart as he is kind. Go nowhere else. You will never regret it!!! read more

Stephen is awesome! We were first time home buyers and called him after having a tough time with a realtor that was not knowledgable at all. We were impressed from the first phone call on. He seems to know everything about houses and home buying and talked us out of buying a money pit in Novato. We felt so confident with him on our side. He knows which houses make the best investments and all about the schools and neighborhood. He is also really funny and keeps you laughing and having fun through the process. He even had snacks for us so we wouldn't get "cranky" during a long day of looking at houses! He is a great negotiator as well and saved us lots of money on our place. Most importantly we got a wonderful home at a great price and he is still responsive to our needs with referrals for service providers. If you call Stephen he will knock your socks off. :-) read more

I first me Stephen when he was our building manager in San Rafael. My girlfriend was moving out from NY, so that we could live together (we're married now). We really felt like we were home when we moved in. The place was spotless, there were flowers, and we found a bottle of champagne in the fridge...all thanks to Steve. It was the warmest, kindest, and most generous thing a building manager has ever done for anyone in the history of the world, ever. I'm certain of that. And it's an exact characterization of Steve. A few years later, Steve helped us buy our first home..at asking price...in 2003...in Sausalito. Fine work! He was on top of every detail and took care of everything: scheduled inspections, referred prefessionals, and made sure all the deadlines were met. He kept us on target throughout the whole process. He even sat through the closing with us, and again we found flowers and champagne in our new place when we arrived on move-in day. When we were ready to sell, he staged the place for us, took care of every detail again, and through his expert marketing, had the place sold almost instantly...in a buyers market...at above asking price. read more

Stephen is hands-down one of the most pleasant, knowledgable and trustworthy professionals we've ever met. My wife and I could not have found the house we now live in and love without him. He volunteered his time on nights and weekends to show us around the neighborhoods and always, always told us the pros AND cons of each property, which quickly earned my trust. He knows homes and the Marin area inside-out, so he not only has in-depth knowledge of the real estate market and each neighborhood, but also an appreciation for everything the area has to offer (as evidenced by his amazing blog, which is chock full of Marin gems and activities.) Buying a home is a long, complex and sometimes emotionally draining process, but throughout it, Stephen went above and beyond to not only find our home but close the deal. On top of it all, he's also a fun and cool person, so we never felt like we were being pressured or going through the process with a salesperson but rather someone who genuinely cares about people and put our interests first. In short, Stephen is top-class, the best at what he does. We can't recommend him highly enough and are eternally grateful we found him to help us through this journey. read more

Steve is pretty much all that people in these Yelp reviews say - solid, easy to work with, very much knows what he's doing, strongly represents his clients while being realistic, honest, responsive, down-to-earth, knows the market well. I don't have much to add except yet another perfect 5-star review. There is one tidbit I suppose I could add that doesn't seem to be represented in other reviews. Like you, before engaging today's crazy real estate market, I poked around the Internet looking for the right broker, read Yelp reviews, looked at broker websites and such. Steve, as you've probably already found, shows very well on all these counts, however I did get the impression he was a more upscale broker, meaning he seemed to be mostly involved in mid-to-high end, pristine homes. The was certainly not what I was putting on the market; I was selling a pretty serious fixer upper with septic issues, incomplete foundation and pest problems in the San Geronimo Valley. I understood going in that I was not gonna get top-dollar for my house that needed some "TLC" as they put it in the industry and I thought, given what I read about Steve, that he may not be the best representative for what I had to offer the market. Even though he was rated very high, he didn't seem like a match for my situation. I was wrong; Steve is the kind of person who is a match for any property and probably any person. Steve was all those things people said about him even with a challenging property like mine. Perhaps his usual is the more mid-to-high value property, but his working with my TLC-house was equally stellar. I'd also like to add that Steve surrounds himself with people who match his attitude and approach. My situation required some seller-side, pre-showing home inspections and septic reports and, of course, Title people were involved as things moved along, etc. Won't be reviewing them all individually here, but Steve has built an excellent support-team around him. read more

I never thought I'd meet a real estate agent I liked, until I met Stephen Pringle. My wife and I recently bought and sold with him. He is one of the smartest, most professional and likable people I know. He is clearly looking out for his clients at every turn. During the home inspection of the house that we bought he was crawling under the house with the inspector. And when he sold our house he made sure it looked beautiful. We had neighbors, who went to the open house, telling us that we had a great agent. Stephen really understands the business of real estate and helped us navigate a really crazy ride. I'll throw in a note that every referral we got from him turned out to be equally great. From his mortgage broker to home inspector, they were all terrific. read more

Stephen is the real estate agent you want! My husband found Stephen on Yelp. We interviewed 3 different realtors but went with Stephen because of how knowledgeable he is and his warm personality. Buying a house is stressful and we were so glad that Stephen was our agent. He's honest, straight forward and the best part about him is he educates you into being a better buyer. He knows what he's talking about and there were many a times where he talked us out of buying a house. He's not about just getting you into a house, he's all about getting you the right house. Patience is key though when looking. I think we looked around for 6 months but it was totally worth it. The house we ended up with is by far our favorite and we couldn't be happier :) read more

Stephen helped me determine a fair market rental price for my property. He was very prompt in answering my emails. I believe his 5 star reviews on Yelp are justified. Thanks Yelp for helping me find a knowledgeable realtor. read more