Testimonials

The housing market is so intense right now so there is a really broad range of prices at which your home can sell. Helene is someone I was able to trust implicitly throughout the process of selling our home. She had us make the exact right investments in staging and preparing the house for sale that resulted in our being beyond thrilled with the ultimate sale price which was well above what we had anticipated. You could not possibly choose a better agent to work with to list your home. Her combination of expertise, wisdom and charm will get you the exact outcome you want … or an even better one!

We have known Helene Barkin for 7 years now. She waited patiently while we took our time to find the right home and when we were, we went through that deal like a hot knife through butter thanks to Helene’s expertise, attention to detail and way with people. Helene was instrumental in helping us buy our dream house in the middle of the pandemic! and then subsequently helped us sell another property during such a challenging time. On both ends we came out ahead of what we expected the outcome would be. Best of all is that throughout the entire process, Helene was there to answer any questions, research anything she needed to know and worked tirelessly to see to it that we were happy and confident with our choices. We have bought and sold properties with two other agents and between these experiences and the countless stories that I have heard from other people who have worked with other realtors, I have never heard anyone say anything remotely close to what I am sharing with you now. When we were looking to buy in this area, the selling agent showing that house asked us who our agent was, and I told her that it was Helene. She replied with a big smile and said to me, “Oh alright then. You’re in really good hands. Helene will get you your house.” I believed them and sure enough they were right. Go with Helene and you will be amazed as the outcome on every level surpasses all expectations you may have. Whether buying and/or selling, as we were, you will find yourself surprised at how smoothly the process went, trusting that you have been well cared for, impeccably attended to and so happy with the outcome.

More than just her deep knowledge of the real estate market, diligence process, contractual nuances, and negotiations tactics — she knows people!

Helene recently ushered us through the stressful process that is buying a house in the bay area. Helene is balanced and extremely experienced but most of all, she listens, learns, and adapts as our needs and wants evolved. It seemed like she was able to intuit our needs and preferences before we even realized them ourselves! She operated with the utmost patience and without skipping a beat as we navigated inventory and changed our minds about our priorities many times.

When it came to contract negotiation, Helene helped us prevail in a competitive situation, ultimately getting our dream home! She was level-headed and calm during a late night high pressure negotiation, and we believe her relationships and reputation were a critical reason in us winning out over other offers.

Helene made herself available around the clock and we felt as if we were her only client. Not only that…she was FUN and a pleasure to work with!

As if aiding us close the sale transaction wasn’t enough, Helene went the extra mile in offering her interior design skills. She helped us understand where our personal items could be placed in the new space. Moreover she brokered offers of buying some of the seller’s items for us.

In summary, Helene is a full-service, experienced broker that will have your best interests in mind and guide you through the process of buying a house — end-to-end!

You will be in safe hands! We couldn’t recommend any broker over Helene.

Thank you for your beautiful and thoughtful representation of our home. Please know that I have never been as impressed with any realtor's knowledge, taste, dedication, and marketing strategy. I am truly blown away and appreciate your expertise.

Helene was great! Helene orchestrated the entire process of selling our property with grace and finesse. Even when gingerly prodded to complete yet another form, we always enjoyed our palaver. Helene gave every aspect of our sale equal weight, from the price to what time of day presented the most optimal, natural light for photos. Helene worked great with all inspectors, stagers, title companies, banks, agents, neighbors and us. If and when we needed names of companies, Helene had extensive lists of current recommendations. Helene was completely covered for all possible complications. Helene is a complete professional yet feels like family. We highly recommend Helene and will come to her for all our future real estate adventures!

Helene helped us to sell our home and find a new one in record time and we will forever be grateful for her professionalism, skill, and friendship. Helene guided us through the steps of preparing our home for sale and did an incredible job of negotiating its sale at the price we were looking for. We are so excited to already be in our beautiful new home and we know that getting this home so quickly was a miracle that she worked for us! We deeply admired Helene’s attention to detail. Helene is especially successful at what she does as a result the respect she has gained amongst her colleagues for her integrity and her trustworthiness. Her help extended far and beyond just a real estate agent. She was a true friend in her support and kindness in every way. We highly recommend Helene for anyone wanting to sell or buy in the Bay Area!

We have had the good fortune of working with Helene Barkin over the last year to both buy a new home and sell our former one. In the beginning of our process, we knew we wanted more space but weren’t sure about exactly where or what kind of home would best fit our needs. Helene did an excellent job of discerning the difference between what we said we wanted with what we actually responded to in-person (and ultimately ended up with!). She always listens first before offering her opinion. During our home buying search, the pandemic began and Helene adeptly helped us adjust to the quickly changing landscape of how to continue the search during difficult times. We found our dream home during this time and she was able to expertly facilitate its successful purchase. Helene shined in managing the relationships of stakeholders and making sure everything got done in a timely manner. Soon thereafter we decided to put our condo on the market and again Helene guided us through the process leading to a successful sale. This was no small feat given the ongoing pandemic and a record-breaking heatwave the week of showings. Helene is a consummate professional with extensive experience and a wide network of connections. She has a keen and artistic eye, is passionate about helping her clients and delivering high-quality service. For any of your East Bay real estate needs you are in excellent hands with Helene Barkin.

We weren’t actually looking to buy, but suddenly there we were — standing in a fabulous house in the ideal neighborhood. Taking a brisk walk through the Claremont Hills on a Sunday afternoon brought us here. We had wanted to move closer to things that interested us culturally.

We would need tip-top dollar on our home in Piedmont to make the leap. Helene was immediately helpful and responsive. She proposed a clever strategy that resulted in a landmark price for our home. We were so impressed.

Helene is pristine in everything she does. She handles every aspect expertly. Her ethics are totally within her being, and you know her numbers are correct. She calls the shots really honestly. Helene is spot-on!

We were immediately impressed with her deep knowledge of the market for homes in Berkeley, Oakland and Piedmont. Through her network with others in the industry, we were able to see a number of homes before they were publicly listed.

One thing we were really impressed with is Helene’s finger on the pulse of the market. She accurately estimated the final sales price of every house that we were going to bid on. We are thrilled with our new home. The property attracted a great deal of interest, resulting in seven offers, and we know we would not have been successful in purchasing the house without Helene’s dedicated work and good relationship with the selling broker. She was in constant communication with the seller’s broker and really advocated for us.

We have the highest regard for Helene and have already recommended her to several friends.

My husband and I are in the process of selling our former home in Berkeley after having recently moved to our new Orinda home. Our realtor is Helene Barkin, who is the same realtor that originally helped my husband purchase our Berkeley house and helped his son purchase his first home in Albany, Ca.

All of these transactions occurred in California in highly desirable areas where bidding wars are the norm. Helene guided us through the process with ease. She was available 24/7 for our texts, emails and phone calls. She did all of this really well because she is, without question, one of the best realtors around. One of the reasons she is so good is because she loves what she does and it shows. She is passionate about her work, feels that no detail is too small and with her experience she can successfully solve any issue that comes up with ease.

We give her our highest recommendation and will endlessly be grateful to her for her professionalism, knowledge and kindness.