What Clara’s Clients Are Saying . . .

Clara Is A Blessing!

Clara is set apart from all other real estate agents in the field, and I used to be one (a real estate agent). Clara helped my daughter find her first-time home and was there through the entire process - even after the sale. On top of that Clara has helped ME try and find a home in another state, for no monetary gain, simply because she cares. Buying a home is the biggest expense in life and can be very stressful. Having the help of someone who TRULY cares is a blessing. Clara is a blessing!

~ I. Perry

Recommend Without Hesitation!

In these times of unprecedented real estate prices and growth, Clara Duran Reed managed both the sale of my home and purchase of my current residence.  [Clara] was recommended by a friend which afforded me confidence and trust as I entered the aspects of both buying and selling.

The challenges of both buying and selling are complex for those outside of the profession.  Procedures, knowledge of legal issues, and financial aspects which required both oversight and direct involvement of capable, knowledgeable and experienced professionals. It was my great fortune that these were the attributes clearly evidenced throughout the buying, selling and follow up afforded.

Important also was ongoing communication, confidentiality, sensitivity toward personal and business components, as well as direct and transparent interaction throughout the phases of determining my current needs, preferences and responsibilities was a constant.

I recommend [Clara’s] services without hesitation.

~ Elizabeth S. Norwood

Confidently Recommend!

Dear Clara,

We got lucky that afternoon that we happened to meet by chance while bicycling! It could’ve gone differently but, thanks to your follow through, perseverance, organization and negotiating skill, you delivered exactly what we were looking for, in a tough sellers’ market to boot! A Herculean task accomplished with grace. You were lovely to work with, and we will happily and confidently recommend you to anyone we know! Also, this is not the end - hope to see more of you in the future!

Xoxo The H’s

Exceptional!

My sisters and I met Clara soon after the heartbreaking loss of our beloved mother. We decided it was time to sell our family home and didn’t have an agent. We turned to our Church first for a referral. A lady named Juanita, whom my mother happened to admire greatly for her character, spiritual presence and vast accomplishments, highly recommended Clara. Also knowing and admiring this lady as well, we welcomed Clara immediately and my blind faith that she was sent to us in our time of need was soon thereafter validated.

Clara was very sensitive, sympathetic and understanding of this difficult time; yet, she effectively helped us devise a strategic plan to sort out a lifetime of possessions, make minor but necessary repairs, and, finally stage the house for sale in a very timely fashion. Her referrals for inspectors, handy man, and a contractor were all very pleasant, professional and fairly priced. 

Her strategy to market the house before it was officially for sale was brilliant. It generated vast interest, followed by numerous solid offers well above our asking price and we closed escrow in a couple of months after initial meeting. We soon noticed other agents, employing her ingenious marketing techniques in the neighborhood. 

Throughout the process, Clara’s caring presence and guidance was palpable. Having my Real Estate license, though only having worked on commercial transactions which differ drastically from residential ones, familiarized me with the sequence of events of a real estate sale. But, it was Clara’s expert counsel which could only be imparted by one with vast experience which made the transaction as smooth as possible. She was always available to answer any questions and her explanations were always thorough and pertinent. 

I had no doubt that I would want her to represent me when the time came for me to make my first residential purchase. Having witnessed her performance as the seller’s agent, I knew I would want her on my side when it came time to buy.

During the course of the next year, Clara thoughtfully checked in on us to see how we were doing from time to time. She occasionally brought to my attention some new listings she thought I might be interested in, having gleaned an accurate sense of what my tastes, values, priorities, and budget were. She respectfully understood when I would say, “Thank you; but I’m not ready yet.” 

Then, one day in June of this year, I called her and said, “I’m ready.” Though the inventory on the market was very limited, within a short period we found “the one”.  She was keen on sifting through the handful of listings to weed out the ones she knew I would not want, expediting the search for my new home.

We placed the offer and started the ball rolling. At first it wasn’t accepted and several counter offers ensued before mine was rejected and the sellers accepted another buyer’s. Needless to say, I was disappointed. But, I also knew that this was part of the business and Clara and I share philosophy that things will work out as they should. All the same, Clara demonstrated her tenacity on behalf of her client by checking in with the seller’s agent to see how escrow was proceeding with the accepted offer of the other buyer. As fate would have it, the sellers of that first property approached us to see if I was still interested when their other agreement dissolved; and, I was. We began our due diligence and again, every inspector and contractor Clara recommended was great. They were professional, highly reputable and competitively priced. 

Although the property was marketed “As is”, Clara was able to negotiate significant sellers’ credits for repairs and maintenance. Some of the repair needs were discovered by her when she insightfully asked to examine the wood floors beneath an area rug. 

Clara’s being a lawyer proved to be invaluable. My purchase happened to be in a Co-op building which are rare on the West Coast albeit most common in New York City where Clara happened to earn her law degree. Because of her familiarity with contracts and legal terms, she was able to help my lender understand the by-laws of the HOA of the Co-op I was buying into. She was also able to give me expert advice when drawing up the purchase agreement, ensuring we had certain contingencies to protect me. Having someone know your rights and being passionate about defending them is priceless.

When we encountered a few obstacles which occasionally made it seem the deal would fall through, she asked me, “What would you like to do?” Of course I always asked her opinion which I respect immensely and proceeded accordingly. I never doubted that she had my best interests at heart even if my course of action would preclude the closing of the deal. But, we stayed the course, persevered and completed a transaction which professionally and respectfully satisfied all parties. 

Having lived in South America, New York, Europe, and Los Angeles gives Clara a clearer understanding of the world and human nature.  She knows how to relate to members of different ethnicities as a result of her diverse background in a very comfortable second-nature manner.  I cannot say enough about her.  I’ve never seen such a professional work so hard while maintaining a superior work ethic, level of integrity and passion.  Additionally, she’s insightful, clever and has a great sense of humor.  I look forward to hearing my friends’ and family’s comments on their experiences with Clara as I recommend her to everyone I know.  I also look forward to retaining Clara as a Real Estate Broker and – above all – a friend.

Extraordinary Real Estate Broker and

Seller Representative Specialist!

Clara Duran Reed and her business associates in the Duran Reed Firm recently represented us in the sale of our home.  Clara is an extraordinary Real Estate Broker and Seller Representative Specialist.  She handled all aspects of the sale of our house with great professionalism and flexibility, accommodating all our particular needs and wants from the first conversation about listing our house through Final Closing.  Thanks to her organizational skills, business planning, and get-things-done approach, the entire transaction was smooth, on-schedule and surprise-free.  We are very happy home sellers!

Among Clara's outstanding accomplishments during this sale were:

• The preparation of the property, inside and out, prior to listing.

• The beautiful staging of the house, personally executed by Clara.

• The presentation and marketing of the property with beautiful photographs, quality videos (hosted by Clara), and descriptive articles appearing in newspapers, magazines, websites, and Real Estate information sites.

• The build-up to the first showing, creating excitement and enthusiasm.

• The handling of qualified buyers and their agents during the showing of the house, resulting in five (5) solid offers over asking price in a total of just five (5) days listed. 

• The excellent negotiations before our acceptance of an offer that resulted in our selecting a very strong offer with the promise of a worry-free escrow. 

Clara was a delight to work with and she made the sale of our home an enjoyable, enlightening, and financially rewarding experience.  

We are very thankful to Clara and will enthusiastically recommend her to all our family and friends for all their real estate needs!

~ Kenny and Annie Barnes