Doug Buenz at 680 Group was a pleasure to work with and played a key role in both selling our home and helping us purchase a new one (in 2025). He is highly experienced, well-connected in the local real estate community, and knows the market extremely well. He negotiated behind the scenes to help us secure the home we wanted and coordinated closely with the mortgage and loan teams to keep everything moving. When we hit a serious snag late in the loan process, Doug stepped in and worked through it, which ultimately allowed us to close. He was consistently responsive, met with us several times, and followed up with all parties involved. His professionalism, market knowledge, and commitment to seeing this through made a meaningful difference for us. We highly recommend Doug for all of your real estate needs. read more

We recently sold our home in Pleasanton through Doug Buenz, and every step of the process from listing contract to final closing was exceptional. We actually met Doug prior to the March 2020 sudden shelter in place and subsequent shutdown of the home market due to Covid-19. My husband and I toured a number of open homes and observed the sales trends of many realtors in the area. What we observed was Doug had a high success rate in the speed at which his listings went into contract and ultimately sold at near or even above list price despite the economic woes caused by the pandemic. We held off in the actual listing of our home until the shelter in place restrictions were eased in mid-May. I can't speak enough high praise of Doug's thorough and completeness of his sales process. His team was on point with everything from the photography and video, administrative process to complete seller forms, the actual listing, continual updates of buyer showings, obtaining agent feedback on the showings, and ultimately driving the negotiations in the offer process to ensure our goals were met. Even once we entered the contingency phase through escrow closure, Doug continued to provide regular updates and step-by-step communications on what to expect. He was very responsive to all questions that we had. And finally when our home sale closed, Doug was there to congratulate us; and just today, we were pleasantly surprised to receive a flash drive that contains all of our closing documents, final closing statement, real estate and escrow documents pertaining to the sale of our home. There was not one detail left out in the whole process. I absolutely would recommend Doug Buenz and the 680 Group for anyone looking to buy or sell their home! read more

There are no shortage of good realtors. Everyone knows someone who has a license. Although there are only a few EXCEPTIONAL ones. Doug, Angie and team are truly exception! From the first phone call to schedule a showing, through the purchase process and until after closing they have been exceptional. Doug and Angie have provided an exceptional experience and helped us navigate the water in this turbulent market. Their professionalism and experience has proved to be priceless. They were able to help us through the buying process. Their communication throughout was exceptional, they kept us informed every step of the way through email and phone calls. Always made themselves available as a resource to help us through this process. Looking forward to working with this team in the future! read more

We recently sold our home in Pleasanton with Doug and his team. Great experience all around. Doug really knows the local market and made great suggestions along the way. He was also super quick to respond any time of day to any requests/questions we've had. In fact, he still is now that escrow closed. From coordinating photos and staging to repairs, Doug was really helpful very step and willing to go the extra mile. Also, was flexible and understanding of our situation and goals. I would highly recommend Doug and his team. read more

We met Doug earlier this year (2020) and we can tell his knowledge about the east bay is unparalleled. We have worked with realtors in the past and have varied experiences with them but Doug stands out, he is happy to answer any questions, find details if he is not sure, follow up in an extremely timely way and all this comes with no pressure of buying any listings he shows. We saw at-least 12-15 houses with Doug before we liked the one we chose to move ahead with, he was happy to work with our "criteria" & patiently kept encouraging us to "hang in there" and that the house for us is up next. We recommend Doug without any apprehensions and have already referred him to a few friends that are looking for houses in the east bay. read more

It was a delight for us to work with Crystal and Doug from the 680 homes group on our home purchase. We will always look back at those interactions as a wonderful, wonderful opportunity to have been in touch with and worked with such a warm, friendly and trustworthy team. It is a nerve racking experience as first time home buyers. But Crystal supported us throughout in helping allay our concerns, answered all our questions with a smile and tons of patience making us feel that we were part of the same team. Her warm, frank demeanor and straightforward approach while always having our back throughout got us through many a hurdle without us panicking. Candid conversations around pros and cons with the final decisions resting with us as the buyers always made us feel confident. We were never hurried into making decisions while she herself stayed on top of major deadlines and never let them slip. In addition to helping us with the purchase, Crystal and Doug were also a big partner for us via their constant communication on things to be kept in mind for the new property (HOA, Utilities etc.) and the transition process in general. Crystal and Doug, thank you for helping us make our dream a reality. A big shout out to y'all and our strongest recommendation to anybody looking to purchase a house to reach out to them!! read more

I went with Doug and his team to sell my house. The process was smooth from beginning to end and would highly recommend. He was highly attentive to detail and help guide us through the process. He was able to get a great selling price and multiple offers. read more

If you're looking to sell a home in the East Bay area, Doug is the only call you need to make. He makes the selling process as seamless as possible and handles any complications with ease. From contract to closing, he handled every aspect of the sale, including inspections, repairs, staging, landscaping, scheduling and so much more. At each step, he personally made sure to come by- even if only for a minute- to make sure everything was going as needed. We were very happy with Doug's service and wouldn't hesitate to refer him to anyone looking for a top-notch service. read more

Doug helped us find our forever home. He is an amazing real estate agent, and went above and beyond for us in so many ways. He negotiated a great price for our home, helped us to get a number of issues resolved while we were under contract, and continues to be a great resource as we prepare to move into the home. I cannot recommend him highly enough. Thanks Doug! read more

First I'd like to say thanks Doug for your role in our wonderful new home! Wowza, it has been a tumultuous year for our family relocating from Boston back to the Bay Area, and even more stressors considering buying a permanent residence during such global and regional uncertainty. That's why we appreciated Doug's thoughtful and professional demeanor, and tried to remain on upside of things. There were some negative turn of events that really jeopardized our search for a home, all the while Doug's communication remained open and supportive, even though I think we all lost sleep over this issue. He mobilized his long experience and depth of knowledge to quickly point us to the right resources. He went above a beyond for us to see us through this hardship, he strives for the cherry on top for his clients. Sometimes we felt a little crazy trying to purchase a home during this crazy time. He was non-pressuring, and took the time to hear our preferences before offering his input and guidance. When we finally found the home of our dreams, wow, were we sure glad to have Doug represent us. Not only did he show composure and integrity during a rough period (beginning of a global pandemic), but his skills really shined during a smooth transaction. Our needs and budget were difficult to pinpoint, but when we saw the home and specs, it was like the universe finally made sense. THAT IS THE HOUSE! Doug called and had another interested buyer submitting an offer. We went there right away. Maybe a day later we got the house for much under list price against a competing offer. Doug you are a wizard! He asked the right questions and represented our family and our interests to the seller, and the seller was happy to chose us. We are now the happy owners of a serene, private, custom home with an unobstructed view of Mt. Diablo. Thank you so much Doug! read more

Doug and Crystal made selling our home effortless and I mean that because we basically decided to sell from out of state while also dealing with the hospitalization of an aging parent which left us little time to deal with the myriad details of preparing a house for sale. Crystal arranged every detail (new carpets, paint, staging, cleaning and even moving and storing my car! They made sure all inspections were done in advance too). When it came to taking offers Doug got so much more than we ever expected for our house! Like a mind-blowing amount! And much of this was done while we were out of state making it a cinch for us. They handled every detail with total professionalism. thoughtfulness and reliability. There are a ton of agents in the Tri-Valley but you will not find a better team than Doug and Crystal read more

Doug and Crystal are the dynamic duo. Doug's attention to detail when it comes to the sales contracts and process made for a very smooth transaction. Crystal helped us get the right contractors to get our house to market. Her knowledge and experience in our neighborhood market is unsurpassed. Their combined strengths helped us get the best possible price for our home. We couldn't be happier! read more

We recently listed our home with Doug. He is very well known in our area, so we decided to interview him. His obvious grasp of the market, exceptional marketing and online reach, and his focus on the process made it an easy choice. And we had an amazing experience, as Doug was able to negotiate a clean, strong offer with a fast close. His experience and skills were on display as the home was prepared to go on market, shown and later as offers came in. Doug was a calming influence as we evaluated the offers and again his negotiation skills found a win-win solution for all parties. We can strongly recommend Doug as a real estate professional without reservation. Moreover, he's a quality person who made the experience fun, and most importantly he is someone we know we can count on if and when needed. read more

Our experience in working with Doug was extremely satisfying. At the start of our engagement, he actually took time to understand our current situation and needs. During the process of purchasing a new home his knowledge of local market and all its moving factors, conditions unique to the property we wanted to purchase, and other factors like timing of offers was very accurate and helpful. Overtime we developed trust in his judgement such that when it came to make a final decision on offers, we felt very confident in taking Doug's advise. Would highly recommend Doug and would engage with him again if we had any needs. read more

If you are serious about conducting a professional real estate transaction, Doug Buenz is the MAN to contact. I have been working with Doug for more than 15 years and we have bought and sold homes in a number of East Bay neighborhoods. My time is very valuable and I am very busy Doug personally screened every home or buyer prior to my investing time or money in the exploration phase. Every transaction went exactly I would expect it to when handled by a consummate professional like Doug Buenz. NO surprises NO BS, just business and done professionally at every phase of the transaction. i would not have a real estate transaction of any size without Doug Buenz involved. Feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions. Bill Fuchs read more

Doug Buenz, Pleasanton CA We interviewed seven real estate professions all with great credentials. We choose to go with Doug Buenz because of his tract record, market knowledge, professionalism, concise thinking, and good organization and utter confidence. Doug's performance far exceeded our already high expectations. His follow through was terrific. Selling a house in a buyer market is hard but having the right partnership in a realtor is priceless. On top of this, Doug became a good friend. We recommend Doug with the highest marks possible. It is easy to see why he is the top realtor in the area. Steven and Victoria Salkow, Pleasanton, CA read more

Doug's team did an outstanding job finding us a home in Pleasanton. He helped eductate us on the area. He also negotiated extremely well for us. He was also extremely professional. He put our needs above himself. He didn't push us to close on a house. He looked out for us. I highly recommend Doug and team. They did an outstanding job and would use them again in a minute. There is no wonder that he has such a great name in the area, it is earned. read more

I saw Doug today, by chance, and it reminded me that I should write a review for those of you who are trying to select a realtor. We went to Doug, almost in desperation, after a very trying experience with another realtor because, at the time, we were also dealing with very serious health problems - well, life happens all at once sometimes. Murphy's Law continued to hit us when we discovered a plumbing issue that would we would have to have repaired before sale - but we couldn't figure out the source of the problem. It was so stressful. Doug dealt with one issue at a time and got us through it all. He has contacts with very qualified contractors who really like him and they showed up even in the middle of other big jobs and pulled us out of a very difficult time. When we went to market, the house sold in a week with 5 offers, three of which were very solid. One week! Our previous realtor was pretty popular in Ruby Hill but had no decent contractors and more importantly, had no group of waiting buyers. Doug had several buyers waiting for our house to come to market and that made all the difference. You will have a good experience with Doug, no doubt about it. I wish him and Crystal well. We are very grateful for their help. read more

When I was transferred to the Bay Area last October, the real estate market was very confusing. I was fortunate to find Doug Buenz, one of the best brokers I have worked with in my 10+ relocations. Doug was extremely knowledgeable in educating buyers about the market, the type of homes with resell value in the area, and was a "fun guy to spend time with shopping for a home." While Doug runs his business with the highest level of integrity he is also a savvy negotiator and I'm glad to have him on my side. I will work with Doug in the future and recommend him to all my friends and co-workers. Kim read more

Doug and his team helped us purchase our new house in Pleasanton. We contacted Doug last year and discussed our desired neighborhood and to find us a home in that particular area. Doug and his team found us a great house at a great price. Doug is an expert regarding real estate market and its trends. He is very familiar and knowledgeable with the Pleasanton area. Our closing process took longer than 6 months because of some legal issues on the seller's side, during the process Doug always answered our calls and kept us informed of the process. He was there to help on every step. He always calls after the deal is closed to stay in touch and to help with any issues which occurs later on. He is a very good realtor and goes an extra mile to help his clients', I would strongly recommend his services to anybody. read more

Last year I got remarried. My husband I both had homes to sell and then we bought one to call our own. Doug Buenz and his team made it all stress free! They guided us every step of the way. His staff and local contacts helped prepare and stage both homes for selling. I just had to tell Doug what I needed and he knew someone that could help. It could not have been easier and I could not have been happier. The pictures were great but the videos were really impressive. Makes you ask yourself why you are selling the house looked so good! Doug really knows this industry and has so many contacts he knew all the right ways and places to market the houses. It was a great success. Both houses sold within the first week for more than we expected. The negotiations and escrow process went seamlessly. Again, Doug and his team managed everything. Always friendly, professional and happy to help in anyway. I don't want to ever move again but, if I had to, I would absolutely use Doug Buenz. read more

Doug was recommended by a co-worker who purchased a house in Pleasanton. Doug brought a level of experience that was refreshing. We were looking at a number of houses in a similar price range - yet he wasn't pushing us to spend every penny out of our wallets. He has an eye for details (and issues) with a house that other realtors would never see: some of these were significant enough that we would have regretted our purchase if we used someone else. He also has a good eye for both the price potentials and for subsequent negotiations. Somehow, he managed to push decent concessions from the bank who owned the house we bought - despite the "as-is" clause. He is responsive, well connected and extremely patient. We'd use him again but we like our house enough that, at best, I'll see him at the gym for the next 10 years or so ;-).. read more

After interviewing several top real estate agents, we listed our home for sale with Doug Buenz. In our price range, these are difficult times to sell a home to say the least, but Doug has an incredible marketing machine that generates massive exposure and got results fast. Our house was visible everywhere; on the Internet, in the realtor multiple listing MLS, advertising, flyers, a website (680homes.com), newspapers, magazines, you name it, our house was there. Doug's pricing recommendations and marketing strategy were right on. His team brought staging items in and helped us make the house look gorgeous. In fact the staging made the house look like a model home! Doug's team took magazine-quality photos that were used for the virtual tour, and no kidding, those photos made the house look even better than real life. In the end, Doug got our home sold very quickly for a price that we were happy with, and the buyer came from Doug's website! The escrow process went extremely smooth. Doug has a follow-up system the left no rock unturned. I'm a real estate broker and could have listed and sold our home myself, but the fee Doug earned was worth every cent. You'll have no regrets going with Doug. He's as professional and hard working as they get. read more

Thanks to Doug and his amazing team we are now living in our dream home. We worked with Doug for 6 months. During that entire time, he was mindful of our price point, always returned messages at lightening speed (even while he was on a short vacation!) and never pushed us to buy a house. Most importantly, he went to bat for us when it came time to bid. He didn't let us overpay but at the same time knew what it took to get the deal done. We could also see that he has an excellent reputation and is well liked by other agents in the area. Buying a house is one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make which is why we are so grateful we had Doug and his team by our side every step of the way. read more

Doug's team was fantastic. They helped us through purchasing our house in Pleasanton and they were very professional and met our needs perfectly. I strongly recommend them to anyone. read more

We asked Doug to sell our house, when we finally decided not to return to the Bay Area, after interviewing several real estate agents in the Pleasanton since he is one of the leading agents in the area and he had been very helpful to us in providing rental market data over the years. Our house had become a rental property since we left the Pleasanton for a new job in the North West in the late 1990s and it had become run-down after such a long period of renting. Doug took care of everything to get the house ready for sale. He got the tenants checked out, took care of geting the necessary repairs and updates done, the garden freshened, and the house staged. Being out-of-state owners, it was critically that we had complete trust in Doug's dedication and constant communications. And, thanks to Doug's hard work, our house was sold and the transaction sailed through without any issues. Our trust and faith was fullfilled with Doug's promise that he would take care of everything. He also kept us in constant communications throughout the process and that helped to reduce the anxiety of being faraway. We could not have asked for a better agent. If you need to have a real estate agent, Doug should be at the top of your list. read more

Doug has been my real estate agent on three transactions now. In each case Doug represented me with professionalism and competence, but more importantly with a determination to help find a solution that was to the benefit of me and my family. Doug's approach to real estate is considerably different, and significantly more professional, than the real-estate representation experiences I had prior to working with Doug. read more

Doug is as good as it gets. He was our real estate agent for our home purchase. What impressed us was his responsiveness & excellent guidance. Emails were answered within the hour and guidance given (using his years of experience in the business through good times & down times). He was never pushy and was always patient. As our buying agent during the transaction process, he was always on top of things and maintained a detailed checklist (very impressive) and had the sellers agent always on his toes to make sure that things were completed on time and to our advantage. With his knowledge of the market he steered us through the complicated transaction adroitly, with grace and without losing his cool, even during the toughest situations which tested our mettle. He represented our interests very well & negotiated everything favorably (purchase price, repair costs, escrow charges etc.), saving us thousands of dollars and was worth his weight in gold. read more

Doug helped me buying a place for my father and I was truly amazed how professionally his team handled every little detail. I sold our first home myself and bought 2 new homes without a realtor's help because I realized it is hard to find a realtor you can trust. I often felt that they are trying to sell me something they need to sell rather then something that I want to have. In today's market I didn't want to take chances and opted for a help but spent some time researching. Doug was a fifth person I considered and after the first conversation I knew he was the one. I got the property I wanted, everything was handled in a timely manner with consideration of all of my wishes and concerns. Doug was always available to answer all of my questions and entire team was extremely helpful in showing the property, with inspections, all the paperwork etc. I felt like I am represented by a professional team who is working hard towards getting the property of my choice. read more

Doug assisted us in the speedy sale of our home from the beginning where his wife gave us some great staging suggestions, to hiring a pro photographer to take the listing pictures, to closing up a quick sale. Doug is very tuned in to the Real Estate market and will give you a competitive edge when selling (or buying) your home. Doug was very responsive to our questions and needs during the entire marketing/sales process. If you want to be represented by an agent who has YOUR needs in mind, Doug is your guy. PS Hi to Stacey and all the gals at the office who put up with my incessant faxing. read more

I just closed escrow on a home in Pleasanton that Doug Buenz handled for me. This transaction went extremely well and actually is the most efficient real estate transaction that I have been involved in (I have purchased and/or sold approx. 20 homes in the past). Doug is very knowledgeable about the housing market in the Tri-Valley area , listens well, negotiated effectively with both myself and the seller, and is very organized. Additionally, Doug's assistant and office personnel assisted in the transaction by doing a lot of the paperwork for me to save me quite a bit of time and effort. I would highly recommend using Doug for any real estate transaction in the Tri-Valley area. I will definitely use Doug in the future. read more

Doug has always gone the extra mile for our family. We have lived in the area for almost 4 years now and Doug has played a critical part in the success of all our real estate transactions. Initially with the purchase of our first home in Pleasanton. Second with the sale of that home and third with the purchase our latest home in San Ramon. I recommend him to all my friends because he is extremely professional, reliable, and is the type of realtor who will go out of his way for you and your family. He provides something many realtors can't offer....himself. I know many people who complain that once they sign the papers, they never see the realtor again, just their assistants. Not with Doug, he is there in the beginning, middle, and end, providing his expertise and many years of experience along the way. read more

Doug and his team recently oversaw the sale of our custom built, 6000 sqft home in south Pleasanton, California. They executed flawlessly throughout this process and delivered great value to us as home owners. Here are just a few of the reasons why I rated Doug as five stars (which I don't generally do!): Market Expertise: Doug has many years of experience in the Pleasanton real estate market and he's intimate with the details of the "subdivision" markets within the city; the attributes of each, their differences, the types of buyers/sellers they each attract, etc. Marketing: Doug and his team prepared and executed on a professional quality and comprehensive campaign to market our home including broshures, on-line videos, Internet postings, social media usage, etc. Responsiveness: whenever we had questions, suggestions, or as opportunities arose, Doug and his team were on top of it "real-time." Negotiating: due to the high-end custom nature of our home, it's market value and location, the negotiation of the sale of our property required some creativity that Doug was uniquely qualified to offer. His creativity allowed us to get "top dollar." All-in-all, I can offer my highest recommendation without any reservations. read more

We had used friends in the past to sell our houses and it was always less than satisfactory so this time we decided to try out the "neighborhood expert". Doug came fast out of the starting gate with his team of experts who cleaned, staged, landscaped and made necessary repairs to the house. Doug came several times to oversee it all. Then we left town, he opened the house, and, BAM we got three good, strong offers and it sold immediately. We were... thrilled. Doug's big smile, funny humor and constant availability took the sting out of what can be a very stressful process. I'd definitely recommend him. read more

After interviewing several agents, some of which we had done transactions with in the past, we hired Doug Buenz and The 680 Homes Group to sell our luxury home in Pleasanton. We are so glad we did! He was engaging, knowledgeable, highly competent, and hyper focused on process, which was important to me. Open and quick communication, no drama, highly professional made a world difference. Once we engaged with him, he delivered on all promises made. Doug and his team arranged for staging, painting, inspections, and cleaning. Their service really made the process easy for us, as we are both very busy professionals. They had the resources for anything that needed to be addressed. Once we were ready to sell, Doug's pricing recommendations were right on the mark. And I simply can not say enough about the marketing that Doug employed, from his spectacular custom web site he created for our home, 3D walk through video, to his targeted marketing and impressive online marketing and social media presence. Our home was seen thousands of times online, and we were able to sell our home in under a week for a fantastic price. And once we were in contract, Doug and his team handled everything, again making the process easy and stress free. He was even able to locate temporary housing for us, which really took a huge burden off our shoulders. Going above and beyond! We were very pleased with Doug and the results he achieved. He is the best of the best and we highly recommend him and his team. read more

When we asked Doug to help us try and sell our house, we had many conditions that were important to us and Doug respected our wishes and made the experience as worry-free as possible. Doug is very well networked in the area that made getting the house ready to sell much easier and faster. Doug provided incredibly good advice on resolving any issues and demonstrated stellar negotiating skills. We relied on Doug for everything and he came through for us 100% of the time. He is a experienced professional, has a great demeanor, and is very easy to work with. Doug took on all the difficulties for us and was able to sell our house quickly at a good price. Overall, a great experience. read more

A master mind! Doug and his team are powerhouses! Doug recently helped me sell my 1st home and purchase a town home. His knowledge of the business is immeasurable. His negotiation skills are impeccable. This was a daunting task for me to go through yet Doug and his experienced team got me thought it. Doug was instrumental in the time line of the sale and the purchase of the new home. In this market timing is so important. Doug new the last thing I wanted to do was to have to move twice. He knew just what to do and what not to do in getting my house ready for the market. Many times Doug checked in on workers at my house as he knew I was at work. Doug guided me every step of the way. He was always quick to respond to me. Always went that extra mile. Doug and The 680 Group are top notch. read more

Doug helped us find our new home in Pleasanton. Doug worked with us for 2 years, never pushing us to compromise or rushing us to make an offer. Over those 2 years, we benefited tremendously from Doug's incredible knowledge of the entire Pleasanton area. When we found the home we wanted to buy, Doug's strong proactive negotiation skills got us the home. I compare this to my experience when I have previously purchased and sold a home; I just feIt the realtors coasted through on the momentum of the California real estate market. Anyway, I don't review or recommend many people, I would recommend Doug. read more

I would not recommend Doug Buenz or his team to anyone who is in the real estate market - unless you are at the high end of the market, he will tell you in not so many words that he doesn't have time for you. We were very displeased with his attitude and lack of professionalism. After wasting three months with him, we went with another realtor with a different company and ended up closing on a house we had originally put an offer in with Doug months before. read more

The best, no stress. Doug helped us buy and sell a home in Pleasanton. His experience and expertise made a highly competitive, fast paced process seem easy. He guided us through the entire process from bidding on our dream home to signing the closing documents on our existing home and everything in between. He even got our solar lease transferred to the new owners just to take something off our plate. FULL SERVICE! Quality work, great attitude and customer service. I really can't say enough. Not one complaint. read more