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" Working with Kimberly was an absolute pleasure. We feel so lucky to have had her in our corner. She was responsive, hard working, supportive and skilfully guided us through this tricky market. Importantly, she has first rate local knowledge, we really were in safe hands with her. We would whole heartedly recommend her. Working with her will be one of the best decisions you’ll make!" - Alice Barnes
" I had the chance to leverage Kimberly's services to purchase, renovate, and sell a property. She was quite resourceful in finding a property that fit my within my realm of interest and budget. During the renovation phase, she provided ongoing insights and ideas, sourced from her years of experience with local properties. The selling process took place during the interest rate hike and even in the face of such turbulent times, she was able to find several buyers. She was very knowledgeable, capable, and effective in getting deals done efficiently."
-Brian Binns
"Oh my goodness, where to start with the fabulous Kimberly. There truly aren't enough stars to rate how much my partner and I enjoyed working with Kimberly as first-time homebuyers. This review is terribly delayed, but all for good reasons, ones that Kimberly helped us achieve. We're complete on the remodel of the home Kimberly helped us buy in late January and are about 8 weeks away from welcoming our first baby. When my partner and I began our home search we did so in stages. We were juggling the priorities of trying to conceive while also wanting to buy our first home. When we were ready to interview real estate agents we interviewed a few folks, all different, all wonderful, all with presumably different skillsets. However, I recall after we got off Zoom with Kimberly, my partner and I were in immediate agreement, Kimberly was the agent for us. She was thought, and AMAZING listener, caring, considerate and incredibly professional. You could tell instantly that she was going to take care of you. As first-time homebuyers we weren't sure what to expect from the buying process. Especially in the Bay Area. How many open houses would we need to go to before we found the right one? How many offers would we need to send? Could we really truly, stay within our budget? Through a really stressful time, Kimberly kept us level-headed and thinking about the right things, and how to be flexible with our strategy. She encouraged us to look at potential, and different neighborhoods, and thank goodness she did. If not for her guidance, we might have missed this dream home we're now in. All in all, Kimberly helped us purchase our first home after only our 2nd offer. Yes, that's correct. We only submitted 2 offers, on 2 different homes, and our offer on the 2nd home was accepted. Is that unheard of in the Bay? I think it might be... While our time with Kimberly turned out to be shorter than we expected (for all of the right reasons) we consider her family. She is incredibly personable, a fabulous negotiator and cares about putting you in the best possible home for YOU. My partner and I would recommend her a million times over.!" -mikayla lyles30
"If you are looking for the best Real Estate Agent in the Bay Area, look no further. Kimberly Gates is an amazing agent that is responsive to the needs of her clients, offers expert advice, provided consistent communication and most importantly, exceeded my previous experience selling and buying six previous homes. The sale of my parents home in East Oakland was made even more challenging during covid restrictions that impacted the scheduling of repairs and upgrades. Her "hands" on level of professionalism and team of contractors made all the difference in the world. The work was completed timely and our budget to prepare our home for sale came under budget. Ultimately, we had ten offers for our home and sold for much more than the listing price. I would recommend Kimberly to friends and family without reservation. She simply is the best real estate agent that I have had the pleasure to work with." - Daniel Navarrette
"My wife and I first met Kimberly Gates at an open house where she was the listing agent. We chose Kimberley because she is the ultimate professional. From day one until we closed escrow she was at our side. She responded to every phone call, text and email promptly and professionally. I wouldn’t look anywhere else for my next Realtor. I would recommend Kimberly to any family member or friend in the market for a new home." - yonas tg
"Kimberly Gates is a phenomenal realtor. Due to her knowledge, expertise and hard work our home sold quickly and for a record price for the area. Kimberly responded promptly to our questions. She also kept us informed throughout the process. It was pleasure working with Kimberly." - benicia3.
"Kimberly Gates is the BEST realtor I could have asked for! My sister recommended her to me for the sale of my home in East Oakland. My partner and I were getting divorced and Kimberly really worked hard to make the sale of our home go super smoothly. It was a tricky situation which she navigated flawlessly. She kept my Ex and I on track and under budget with our home improvements. Quite frankly, this alone was an astounding feat! Kimberly worked her magic with all the vendors we had fixing up our home. She managed them flawlessly and helped us achieve our goals in record time. She was always there when we needed her. She walked us through EVERY step of the process with such elegance and professionalism, I never doubted that we would lose money on our sale. Kimberly was my biggest cheerleader when I was near exhaustion cleaning out the house. I honestly could not have done it without her. She helped us sell our house for WAY WAY over the asking price. We ended up with over 40 offers that overwhelmed us in the most wonderful way! She will be helping me find my new forever home soon. I know I’m in good hands. Thank You Thank You Thank You Kimberly!" - ubergoober29
"We wish to express our deepest satisfaction after working with Kimberly Gates as our Realtor for the purchase of our property in Berkeley. Kimberly was professional, knowledgeable, helpful, kind and accessible during the entire process of searching for the property through the actual purchase. She provided patient confidence and attention to detail as we moved through the offer process, which was challenging due to the Berkeley market at that time. We were very pleased with the outcome of our purchase and we would definitely work with Kimberly again when we sell or purchase our next property." - lreutter
Education
Master of Public Policy Degree (MPP)
Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government
Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA), Psychology
Wheaton College (MA)
Credentials & Associations
Seniors Real Estate Specialist®
Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource®
National Association of Realtors®
California, Association of Realtors®
Oakland/Berkeley Association of Realtors®
Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional®
Honest. Knowledgeable. Warm.
These are just a few words clients frequently use to describe Kimberly Gates. Born and raised in Southern California, Kimberly was drawn to the natural beauty and vibrancy of the Bay Area and has called the region home for the past 26 years. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful oasis in Alameda, a trendy hotspot in Berkeley, a charming retreat in Oakland, or one of the East Bay’s “hidden cities”, Kimberly can help you find the perfect place to live, work, and play—not to mention love.
After earning her Master’s Degree from Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, Kimberly went on to have a successful corporate career with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, General Electric Homeland Protection, Inc., and served as a governor appointee in the Gray Davis administration. In 2004, Kimberly happily switched gears, aligning her lifelong passion for service with her love of real estate. Beginning as a transaction coordinator for high-volume real estate agents, with the encouragement from family and friends, Kimberly became a licensed real estate professional with respected real estate brokerage companies in the Oakland Hills. She has since established herself as a deeply knowledgeable and trust-worthy real estate professional.
Kimberly’s greatest asset lies in her positive attitude and compassionate approach. Not only is she an excellent communicator, always remaining transparent and accessible, but she is also a wonderful listener, truly getting to know her clients and their needs. Kimberly knows that buying and selling a home is often a transformational point in a person’s life and she loves helping people navigate such a significant experience, with compassionate truth-telling and integrity.
Kimberly lives in Oakland with her husband Paul (whom she met while helping mutual friends buy their first home!), their German Shepherd Bruno, and their cat Baby Blu. Some of Kimberly’s favorite pastimes include adding stamps to her passport with her husband, curling up with a good TV drama or great book on a rainy day, and fun-filled dinner parties enjoying delicious meals and lively conversation with her husband, family-friends and two adult children.
Kimberly is a member of the National, California, and Oakland/Berkeley Association of Realtors®, Solano County and Inland Valleys Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Services. In addition, Kimberly brings an unparalleled level of professionalism and expertise evident in her Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®), Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource® (SFR®), and Certified Corporate Compliance & Ethics Professional designations.