Testimonials

When we began our search for a home in Lafayette, we understood that having the right realtor to guide us through the process would make all the difference. Helene did an amazing job of helping us evaluate different properties and analyze the market thus ensuring we were able to secure our dream home without overpaying. Her thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and wealth of experience were evident throughout the entire journey. Helene's expertise not only helped us make informed decisions but also significantly alleviated the stress typically associated with the home-buying process. We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have benefited from her professionalism and the ease she brought to the overall experience. We consider ourselves lucky and plan to recommend her to our friends or anyone else embarking on the home buying/selling journey.

Helene Barkin is one of the most delightfully tenacious real estate agents I have ever met. She has now helped me through multiple sales, the most recent being the longest and most difficult, simply due to circumstances of today’s market. Never once has she dropped the ball. She’s always on top of it, she never stops working, and she sticks with it to the bitter end. I’m endlessly amazed with her patience and willingness to go above and beyond for her clients, and I can’t thank her enough for the amount of work and energy that she puts into it every single time. If you need a real estate agent, go with Helene. You’ll absolutely never regret it.

While we have made the decision to leave Berkeley, there are people who have been very important to us here, and you are among them.

When I was a younger woman, I never expected to be involved in the many property purchases and sales that we have been over the years – both in the Napa Valley and in the East Bay. In all our real estate experiences, only you have been the broker I felt we could trust. I have especially enjoyed the sense that from the beginning, you “see” us – see who we are. That seems a rare thing in the world of real estate, but also in friendships and people in general. I don’t always look forward to the nuts and bolts of buying/selling/moving, but I DO look forward to your insight and our interactions, whether they be over coffee, dinner…or a deal! Our whole family is richer (by richer, I mean depth of experience, but the meaning applies as well!) for your presence in our lives. All to say, the sentiments you express are mutually felt by us.

We have known Helene for over 12 years. Helene helped us buying our first home 10 years ago and recently she helped us selling the old home and buying the place of our dreams. It is very hard for us to write this testimonial for two reasons.

The first reason is that on Helene’s website everything has been said by other clients and everything is true. It is true that she is thorough, savvy, and forward-thinking. It is true that her timeless work ethic and her dedication is exceptional. It is true that you can totally trust her and that her expertise and charm will help you getting what you desire.

The second reason is that all these wonderful words are simply not enough to describe Helene’s talent. She held our hand for almost four years, as we were going through a crazy market which was becoming crazier every month. Not a single time she expressed disappointment with our last-minute decision not to go forward with a house (after our fourth visit) or not to bid higher. Instead, every single time she analyzed the outcome with us by using facts, lots of communication skills (mastered only by the top psychologists) and great patience. Without us realizing it, because of this process, each time the gap between us and our dream home became smaller.

Today we wake up every morning in one of the most beautiful homes in the bay area. I cannot believe how many times we were so close to giving up.

Thank you Helene from the bottom of our hearts! We are glad that home search is over but we miss spending time with you!!

It is a pleasure to spread the word about our wonderful experience with Helene Barkin for selling our home in Oakland Hills. Ms. Barkin was recommended to us by our trusted realtor in Tucson, AZ, as a highly-rated agent certified to represent luxury real estate in the Bay Area.

Our house had been listed previously by another agent and, in 39 days had only one showing. Meanwhile, the interest rates were climbing rapidly, and the market was shifting. At this time, we contracted Helene as our listing agent. Unlike our previous realtor, she worked tirelessly to ensure the house was staged properly, photographed and video graphed beautifully, and priced correctly. Our home went into contract within eight days and closed in 20.

Helene has in-depth knowledge and extensive experience in the nuances of the real estate market. She conducts exhaustive research and spares no effort in marketing. In addition, her love of residential architecture and design and her sound advice separating the seller’s subjectivity from marketing plans are all invaluable assets.

In writing this testimonial, we want to thank Helene for her service and recommend her to anyone planning to sell their home, especially for homes with beautiful designs and architectural features that need to be represented with knowledge and a passion for beauty and quality.

Well, I guess it’s over for the time being! I am going to miss our many-times-a-day phone and email exchanges. These last couple of months have been busy, at times frustrating, but ultimately very, very successful. I think we did very well. All three properties are good choices and will likely be good long term investments.

You have been wonderful. We would never have been able to do this without you, especially your amazing ability to make people want to sell to us! Three for three this time, in addition to the ones past. I don’t know how you do that, but you are absolute magic on that score — sort of like one of Harry Potter’s spells!

Once again, I just want to say thank you for all the great diligence and help. You are a miracle worker!

We were so fortunate to have met you 12 years ago when you were the seller’s agent for the house we bought. When the time came to sell, you were our only choice and you did not disappoint. You handled everything so competently and efficiently, you just took my breath away. On day one you laid out everything so clearly that we were able to plan an agenda. You came equipped with many sources from which we could choose: stagers, window washers, movers, inspectors, plumbers…your years of experience paid off in a big way for us.

As you know, this was a difficult time for us and I don’t know what we would have done without you. You were a great teammate: always available, always reliable, always compassionate. We have been so confident and comfortable with everything in your hands. Nothing escaped your attention; your advice, your guidance, your knowledge, and judgment were so deeply appreciated.

In this world of constant competition, Helene’s many loyal clients would agree with me that when it comes to buying and selling any home, Helene ranks many notches above the very best. I cannot recommend her enough and count myself very fortunate to know her. I am a very appreciative client – I credit Helene for the achievement of setting a record for having sold my home for the highest price per square foot in the Berkeley/Oakland hills.

I can only talk in the superlative about her devotion to her clients and unsurpassed professionalism. The affection and admiration I have for her spans decades and is the result of a multitude of real estate finds and investment opportunities she so wisely encouraged me to pursue. Her understanding of the market is unequaled. Her pursuit of excellence in every deal she undertakes, and her sheer determination to understand a client’s needs as well as her drive to exceed their expectations is indisputable.

It is not by coincidence that she enjoys the sterling reputation she so generously deserves. She is the hardest working, most knowledgeable and most involved real estate professional I have ever worked with, with an un-erasable smile and refreshing humility always there to provide you comfort and wisdom.

I had the good fortune to build my dream house a few years ago. When it came time to sell it, I had the even better fortune to have Helene represent me, as always. Within a complex market she managed to help us sell it at a substantial profit by finding that one perfect buyer who best understood the house in a way that transcended anything else. Helene found a way to break a new sales record.

When I met her a few years back as a potential architect for work she needed done to her house, we immediately connected on a design level few appreciate. That refined sense of style allows her to see potential where none is clear, to see a market where none is established and to see possibilities where none seem feasible.

Helene was unwavering in her strategy, and was confident we were priced at the top margin. Her knowledge and professional manner, as well as her charming personality, places her at the absolute top.

We have now bought and sold three homes with Helene Barkin, a total of 6 transactions. Working with Helene is a pleasure! She is thorough, savvy, and forward-thinking. Helene most recently represented us in selling our home of 15 years, and it was a labor of love. Even in a strong market, there is always a range of potential outcomes, yet when our offers came in — considerably over the asking price — we were over the moon. Throughout the process, Helene was patient and understanding when we were nervous, she advised us on every detail as we got the house ready, and she prepared wonderfully creative marketing materials. Our home never looked better thanks to the terrific network that Helene has established through the years. Her experience and refined taste allow Helene to recommend the best people to contribute to readying the home for market, and the buyers’ agents appreciate working with her as she is respectful, responsive and thorough, all of which served us extremely well. We have only terrific things to say about Helene after 28 years of working together. What Helene brings cannot be measured alone by dollars, however, we have no doubt that all of six outcomes would not have been as successful without the level of involvement, care, intensity and prowess that Helene brings to every transaction and to every person she works with.