Lauren O'Brien

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★★★★★
"Although we were hesitant at first from cautious Asian American upbringings, over time, my mom was especially satisfied and happy to work with Lauren: We worked with Lauren last year, and we are happy to recommend her for anyone in the SF Bay Area! She was very patient and understanding of our requirements, especially with Chinese-American traditions. She was also very polite, respectful, and straightforward with weighing the locations' pros and cons. She and Stu both were very informative and knowledgeable about the architecture and were helpful in pointing out big flaws that might turn out to be too costly. We highly recommend working with her!"
- Michael S.


★★★★★
"We just finished selling our SF apartment with Lauren's help. My expectations were for a standard listing and showing with some generic advice and a push towards getting stagers.

Our actual experience was transcendental. Lauren took over arranging contractors/painters to fix up everything, and took over our attempt at staging and made it beautiful. This was all while we had already moved up to Seattle!

We've been though this process 3 times before this and none of those prepared us how easy someone like Lauren can make the process. Every step was clearly outlined and she went to bat directly communicating with property mgmt companies and our bank to get obscure docs. Our apartment was an SF cooperative, so it wasn't just an easy cookie-cutter sell.

Lauren was amazing, you'll be very happy you picked her!"
- Shane H.


★★★★★
"When my partner and I decided to move to Denver, I immediately called Lauren and asked her to list my condo. Lauren had helped me with the purchase three years earlier and always kept my best interest at heart.

Since we wanted to move quickly, Lauren sprang into action. She formalized an aggressive marketing plan, coordinated vendors, provided us with staging recommendations, and, then came over to help us stage! The plan worked; there were multiple offers, and, sold over asking after a brief marketing period.

Through all the ups and downs with the purchase and subsequent sale, Lauren became a dear friend that I knew I could trust."
- Troy P.


★★★★★
"I recently worked with Lauren and had a great experience! I am probably a smaller budget client for San Francisco and didn't feel like I got any less of her time. Lauren was also very calm when I had a stressful situation with a mortgage company that I ultimately ended up moving on from. I would highly recommend Lauren for SF buyers!"
- Kelsey W.


★★★★★
"We are first-time home buyers and Lauren helped us throughout the entire process until we found our dream home. Lauren was great at providing her honest opinion and competitively-smart bids on listing we saw and liked (either online or at an open house). She was extremely helpful in quickly answering a variety of questions that come up during the process, in regards to: disclosures (structure and pests), home-improvements/renovations, financial process, and most importantly areas of concern (and their potential expenses). When we had an inspection contingency on a brick foundation, she found a very knowledgeable structural engineer that helped us understand the entire project and major concerns in the home were in contract to purchase. We spent almost every weekend at open houses for four months and made offers every other week. Lauren quickly understood our needs in a home and would provide excellent recommendations that she saw on her housing tours.

After our offer was accepted on our dream home, we had a few challenges finalizing the loan and in communicating with our mortgage broker but Lauren was extremely helpful in facilitating this connection and getting us to close. We were so happy to celebrate with her when we received the keys from her and would highly recommend her to our friends and family."
- Justin & Kristen


★★★★★
"Fantastic experience, made the whole stressful process smooth and easy. Full of insightful tips, hugely professional and competent - yet... with a lovely personal touch. Totally recommend, in every way."
- Alex L.


★★★★★
"I don't usually write reviews but Lauren was exceptional in helping me buy my home. Her knowledge of how to look for and buy was proven over and over as I went through the process. I'd recommend her to my family and friends any time."
- Chris G.


★★★★★
"Lauren was there every step of the way. She always gave her honest opinion when it came to the homes my wife and I looked at. Whenever we asked her to look at a home with us, she never gave an excuse why she could not be there. She was there, even when it rained. Lauren genuinely cared and made the process very easy to understand. I highly recommend Lauren."
- Eric & Rossi


★★★★★
"Working with Lauren was a dream! She helped us navigate the first time home buying process – answering all our questions and really walking us through the process. Her expertise really set us up for success in a challenging home buying market. She was indispensable at working with our lender in order for us to meet deadlines. Without Lauren - her expertise and indomitable spirit - I can honestly say we might not have been able to realize our dream of home ownership. I recommend her without hesitation."
- Lael & Shumit


★★★★★
"Lauren started looking for that perfect place for me a while back. She stuck with me and kept on the lookout for my perfect place for quite a while. Buying a home is not a small step in life and I took it seriously – I did not want to end up with a home that I regretted buying. So Lauren kept looking for me, and looking…. One night, Lauren had called me saying “Natalya, I have found you place. I’m not kidding”. Indeed, she was not kidding. After some cumbersome experiences with financial side of the deal, I am a happy owner of this exact property. You see Lauren did not just parade me through places – she got to know my tastes, needs, future goals…all to find the right place. She even helped me with finding the right loan group that got me into a loan that I am extremely happy with. I really can’t say enough about the experience – Lauren stuck by me at every step of the way . I would highly recommend services by Lauren. She is knowledgeable, reliable, and nice to work with. And the team she works with are professional, knowledgeable and make buying a home less stressful. I am very happy with my purchase."
- Natalya O.


★★★★★
"I'll start out by saying you're in good hands. No, you're actually in great hands! You can't get better hands than this!! Lauren O'Brien was the rock I leaned on, the teacher and friend I needed doing it all with the grace, knowledge and patience only an incredible person can.

Let me start from the beginning and I'll tell you how I met Lauren and how 6 months later, I'm in the process of moving into my first home.

I met Lauren at a BMR resale listing. She helped us apply, we didn't win the lottery and we went our separate ways. A few months later, we were among the first 20 lottery winners for 1400 Mission. We were ecstatic! We went through the motions and turns out, we made $1,000 annually over the income limit so no more house. In a way to put it all behind us, we decided to keep looking. No more lotteries though!! So we figured we'll go through the DALP program on the open market. That's also through the Mayor's office of Housing whom by then I wasn't too fond of or had any faith in, but I had no choice if I were to ever own a home in this city. First thing I do, I contact Lauren who was so kind and understood the process. By now you've figured out that by no means are we well off. We barely had enough to cover the down payment and closing costs. Off the bat Lauren says "No problem! We'll work within your budget!" Great!!! Happily she said she'll help us get what we want and deserve and we go from there. You are well aware that the market out there is ridiculous. Not only were we at a disadvantage because it would take us 60 days to close instead of the normal 30; we were also looking at very inexpensive homes which gave room to being outbid by tens if not hundreds of thousands. To Lauren, it didn't matter. The first weekend we meet, she takes us to three condos. She can read my thoughts in seconds. Once we walk out, she'll say you didn't like that one, let's move on. Or you liked this one, but we'll get too outbid. Still if you want to try, we'll try. And we tried. We tried and tried and tried and 10 offers later, we made it!! Each and every one of them was seamless. So easy and convenient. Lauren sets up an online listing for you within your budget and then you go and explore at your own pace. If you like something, you give her a call and she takes care of the rest. All offers were done by email and within minutes you were done and ready for the next. She knows the market well and can tell you off the bat what will work and what won't.

I always felt that she took great care of us and had our best interest at heart. Otherwise, why would she bother knowing that closing a deal like ours won't give her much back and it's more of a headache. But she was there the whole time, through every ridiculous question and doubt. Sometimes I would be texting and emailing her at the same time and I would get both replies within minutes in both forms. She really was my rock and there is no way I could have done this with anyone else. She's an incredible friend and a great ally to have by your side through this important process in your life. You've already made your first right decision by picking Lauren. Good luck to you!"
- Sara


★★★★★
"I was very pleased to be able to work with Lauren. I knew very little about the market in San Francisco and was happy to have someone who was able to talk me through things, give me good advice and was transparent and honest. I would recommend her without reservation."
-Cara C.


★★★★★
"I wanted to buy a condo when I retired from the SFFD. I consulted Lauren O'Brien to help me with the onerous process of finding a home in this market. I knew Lauren and felt comfortable asking her to guide me through the process. Since I retired in early April, my time frame to buy was before the end of the year 2013. In early March, we decided to site visit some listings and visited six open houses. At the end of a long afternoon, Lauren found out (most importantly) what I didn't want. We were going to call it a day but she had a listing for two lofts at the same location. The 1BR/2BA listing piqued my interest…because what condo would have one bedroom and two baths? Actually, it has two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a powder room on the first floor in a three level unit. The loft turned out to be exactly what I wanted times ten. Lauren formulated a plan to make an aggressive offer. I trusted her judgment and we made the best offer I could afford. The sellers received multiple offers and accepted my offer. I purchased my dream home and moved in May 2013. The home buying process can be intimidating for a first time buyer. Lauren guided me and explained all that I did not understand. Who finds a home the very first day they begin the search? Our friendship gave her qualified insight to my personality and character. I do believe Lauren is more than capable to represent anyone with their search for a home. Lauren is always present and available."
-Leo


★★★★★
"I decided to work with Lauren because I can trust she has my best interest at heart and understands the nature of our transactions and what we are trying to accomplish. Her in depth knowledge of the San Francisco market and the various neighborhoods, along with her experience working with investors were also significant reasons for establishing a professional relationship with Lauren.

My expectations of working with Lauren were to create a working relationship built on trust and working toward a common goal. I had worked with Lauren in the past, so I knew she would meet my expectations, but after our last transaction I can say she surpassed the expectations I had for our last project. I had very little knowledge of the local market and inner workings of the local market.

Lauren understood what I needed to know and provided the information necessary to execute a successful transaction. A lot of people in this business know how to communicate the plan, Lauren knows how to communicate it and then back it up with the action necessary to execute it. She went above and beyond her normal job description to help coordinate and provide access to consultants and contractors prior to having a listing.

I think what makes Lauren stand out the most is she does what she says she is going to do and then some. That is hard to find in this business. She also has excellent knowledge of the market and the overall goal of the transaction."
-Aaron


★★★★★
"Lauren is helpful, knowledgeable, and thorough. I really appreciate Lauren's guidance and I look forward to working with her again."
-Laura


★★★★★
"Lauren O'Brien was a pleasure to work with. She was very business like and attentive to information needs. Lauren is extremely reliable and trustworthy. I would be pleased to work with Lauren again."
-Carol


★★★★★
"I trust Lauren. In a real estate agent, I can't imagine anything more important. She was honest with me when she saw things differently than I did, but she paid attention to and honored my wishes. I had to make two major changes to my housing search, and she pivoted with a smile. Lauren was able to make the crucial aspects of timing work, including getting contractors that seemed professional and trustworthy, as well as timely. Lauren also seemed to have the experience to know when to push, and when to step back, in negotiations. Lauren was level-headed, practical, reliable, and honest with me. She seemed to truly want to help me find the house that was right for me (not for her)."
-Shani


★★★★★
"Lauren is super knowledgable about the San Francisco market and a delight to work with."
-Clair


★★★★★
"We are glad that we selected the team of Lauren O’Brien and Stu Gerry to sell our home in San Francisco. The two functioned in a ring-yang manner that handled every unexpected problem in a calm, professional manner that left our minds at ease. We benefitted from Lauren’s deep knowledge of the arcane details of real estate and her quick responses to e-mails and phone calls that let us know what was happening every step of the way. We definitely recommend Lauren O’Brien to anyone wishing to sell in the San Francisco area."
-Ellen


★★★★★
"In 2009, our company (McKinley Partners) got into the distressed housing business. We raised two distressed housing funds: one for the purchase, rehab, and rental of the home; the second for purchase, rehab and sale (flip) of the home. Since we were novices in the flip business, we needed a seasoned sales agent that knew how to stage our homes and squeeze the highest value when selling our homes. Lauren hit the ground running and did a great job for McKinley, she exceeded our expectations"
-Dan


★★★★★
"We wanted to buy a condo for our daughter who had just moved into San Francisco. While we had lived in the South Bay for 20 years, navigating the real estate market in the City was a whole different ball game. We knew very little of the neighborhoods there. A close friend introduced us to Lauren. She quickly narrowed down the search set based on our budget, safety rating, and proximity to public transportation requirements. Lauren not only supplied us with a steady stream of well-selected properties, she also signed us up for direct MLS access. Even over the holiday season when inventory is typically at its lowest, Lauren helped us find exactly what we were looking for! She is always available over email or phone and super responsive even late into the evenings, which made a big difference to us given my hectic travel schedule. From start to finish, we closed on the condo in just over 30 days. Lauren is no-pressure, who helps you with all the information and then allows you the space to make your important"
-Sushma and Indrajit