Why Work With Karen Starr and Brenda Schaefer?

Here's what our satisfied customers are saying about us:

Anja Plowright

Strong recommendation for Anja Plowright and team. From initial introductory call to handover of keys, Anja, Emma and Rena delivered seasoned professionalism, deep market knowledge and friendly rapport. As a team, they are able to be very responsive whether by text, email, phone or seeing a listing in person. In a very competitive and sometimes complex East Bay market, our effort was surprisingly smooth and quick, many thanks to Anja, Emma and Rena.

3 August 2026, 22:57 PM

Sheila Sabine

July 19, 2026 To Sheila Sabine: We want to express our gratitude for all your hard work and attentiveness in the sales of our duplex in Oakland. The multitude of hours (!) you have expended, your knowledge and professionalism, your trustworthy advice and your accessibility at all hours, resulted in a very favorable sale of our property. In addition, we feel we have gained a new friend. Many thanks to you (here’s hoping you get SOME personal time back!),

Stephanie Rhoads-Bickham

1 August 2026, 20:22 PM

Jennifer Jones

Choosing Jennifer as our agent was a key move in our home buying process that proved to be one of our best decisions. Her command of professional communications and project management adeptly lead us through the entire process. Buying a home proved to be one of the most stressful projects in my life. Not only was Jennifer there to advise and consult, but always available to talk us off a cliff. Her knowledge of the real estate market and its customs, process, timelines, and procedures gave us the confidence and support we needed to make it over the finish line and beyond. Her advice was always spot on and correct. Thank you Jennifer for being such a pro!

Jeric Wilhelmsen

30 July 2026, 17:53 PM

Brenda Schaefer

Brenda was an incredible guide through the housing market. As a first-time home buyer, she made sure every step was clear and introduced me to all the different minds involved in the process. During my home-buying journey, she provided me with many personalized options that each would have been great for me, and my offer was finally accepted on one that I would have normally never have imagined obtaining. She wrote offers quickly, communicated perfectly, was able to sell "me" as a buyer to the sellers, and was an extra set of eyes on tasks that were my own responsibility. I had spoken to some real estate agents in the past who were "meh", but I would recommend Brenda to absolutely anyone!

FY

29 July 2026, 23:57 PM

Patrick MacCartee

Patrick is a master negotiator, and I'm still not entirely sure how he pulled our purchase off. He read the other side better than they read themselves — figured out what actually mattered to them, what didn't, and shaped our offer so it won without us overpaying for the privilege. Then came the detail work: he caught things buried in the disclosures I would have skimmed right past, tracked every deadline, and never once made me chase him for an answer. "Great negotiator" is the easy compliment. What really got us the house was how completely prepared he was before he ever picked up the phone.

28 July 2026, 17:01 PM

Audrey Young

If you are fortunate enough to choose Audrey Young as your agent, you are in capable, caring hands. We’d give her 10 stars if we could. Audrey helped my husband (and I) following the death of his brother. My husband was the Administrator of his brother’s estate, which included a unique home in Montclair. She recommended workers to finish the daunting task of cleaning out the house, suggested an incredible handyman and other professionals and guided and gently encouraged us to make some repairs, paint, carpet and stage the house. Oh my, what a difference this made!! The house had considerable charm to begin with, but her suggestions without a doubt made for a quick and satisfying sale for both seller and buyer. Audrey’s knowledge of the market was key. Also, her team made the negotiations and lead up to closing reassuring and successful. We’d be remiss to not mention that Audrey has a certain effective and caring way of communicating. She listens well, asks the right questions and truly has your welfare in mind. Did we also say she has a heart of gold?!? Although my husband worked more with Audrey, writing reviews is not his thing, so after discussing all of the above with him and knowing Audrey well enough too, I jumped at the chance to sing her praises. She is truly one of a kind… A simple thank you isn’t enough, Audrey! We will recommend you and Grubb to anyone looking to buy or sell in her area….for sure! -Tom and Loranne

Tom and Loranne

28 July 2026, 17:01 PM

Erica Nagel

Erica was a pleasure to work with throughout the entire process. She consistently stayed on top of every issue and proactively addressed items requiring attention, often going above and beyond what would typically be expected of a real estate professional. Having purchased several properties, I can confidently say that her attention to detail, responsiveness, and availability were exceptional. Compared to my previous experiences, Erica's level of service was truly outstanding and contributed significantly to a smooth and successful transaction.

Katrina Nada

28 July 2026, 15:28 PM

Regina Jacobs

Regina was a true pleasure to work with. She was proactive, strategic, and thoughtful throughout the entire process, and she delivered on every promise she made. Her keen eye for design and attention to detail were invaluable, helping me make informed decisions with confidence. I highly recommend Regina to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, reliable, and dedicated realtor.

27 July 2026, 22:13 PM

Lisa Carnazzo

We worked with Lisa to help us secure a home in Piedmont. We were not that familiar with the Piedmont market and Lisa helped fill in all the blanks. She was in constant contact about houses coming to the market that fit our criteria and details of each. When we finally found our dream house, Lisa made sure that nothing was left to chance - her strategy to come in with a strong offer worked PERFECTLY and we are so thrilled. Throughout the whole process, no question or issue was too small for her - it was all worth her time because she truly cares and listens. We have since engaged Lisa to sell our current home because we trust her knowledge, instincts, and strategic thinking. If you're looking for a home in Piedmont or Oakland, I can't recommend Lisa enough!

Anagha Sreenivasan

27 July 2026, 20:54 PM

Jennifer Jones

My husband and I just purchased our first home with Jennifer. She was incredibly knowledgeable and supportive in helping us understand the market and get through this process. Jennifer is a great communicator and it's exactly what we needed to negotiate our home purchase. We feel really confident that we got the best possible advice and ended up with a great house we are very happy in for a very good price. Also having the resources available through Grubb was a real asset to us. Jennifer will be the first person we call if we ever need a realtor in the future. She's the best!

Reem Farhat

24 July 2026, 00:05 AM

DANA COHEN

Dana was excellent in guiding me through the process, letting me know what to expect at every stage in the process. Dana also was diligent about conferring with me on decisions about prepping the property for sale.

22 July 2026, 13:10 PM

Ed Kuo

The property required retrofittting, repairs and replacement of a 2 story stairway. Ed knew the right people to do the work which was done professionally at a fair price. Throughout all this Ed was always available, patient, and positive. I feel that we got a fair price and would recommend Ed to anyone selling a property like mine.

22 July 2026, 04:01 AM

Emma Dolgin

Emma helped us find our ideal home. We didn’t think we’d be able to find a home within our budget in the area that we did, but her keen eye and deep understanding of what we were looking for (and what we could love without) led to the one we eventually purchased. Emma went above and beyond to open the house for us a second time before putting in an offer, and being incredibly responsive. She has a knack for negotiating offers, and was able to get us a favorable price on our home. She continues to help us post close with recommendations for flooring specialists, locksmiths and more - everyone she’s recommended has also been great. We highly recommend Emma for your East Bay housing search!

21 July 2026, 17:57 PM

Anastasia Levitansky

We worked with Anastasia to sell our house after having her as our agent to buy our new home. She is wonderful to work with - extremely informed and thoughtful about every aspect of selling. She made several recommendations to us in preparation for our sale and provided support in so many ways that go above & beyond a typical realtor. She is very professional, but also personable.

Vanessa Irving

20 July 2026, 16:00 PM

Anja Plowright

Anja’s years of experience shows: she has many qualified vendors to make your home look great; she has tons of contacts and my home sold after receiving multiple offers. I trust her advice and appreciate her as a professional partner

20 July 2026, 14:48 PM

Shelly Flynn

I am a repeat customer working with Shelly Flynn! My first experience working with Shelly we sold my beautiful home in Alameda. It was one of the most humbling experiences I’ve had in my life. I was a little nervous about how to price the property, but Shelly diligently explain to me how important pricing can be when selling a property. The outcome literally made me cry with humbling gratitude! Shelly has always made me feel as though I was in good hands. She has gone the extra mile for me repeatedly through my experiences with her. Her professionalism is exceptional. She takes it very personal to obtain the knowledge and expertise of the specific area you’ll be looking to purchase. She is intuitive knowing what it is that you specifically desire in your property. Always keeping your best interest in mind! She absolutely goes the extra mile and creates a very personal experience! I have to say out of all the people I have experienced in my life in some of the most important decisions you will make Shelly is one that I am very grateful was in mine!

Jode Faria

18 July 2026, 15:54 PM

Patricia Maloney

Patricia is a wonderful real estate agent. She was very responsive and understanding throughout the whole journey, including when times got very frustrating and disappointing. She was knowledgeable of the market and helped us understand reasonable purchase prices and expectations. She also listened very closely to what we wanted and continued to find appropriate homes for us within our budget. She provided feedback and advise, and continued to help us in detailed ways even through escrow. She helped us beat out 3 other offers on the home we own today. I'd recommend Patricia to friends and colleagues in the future.

17 July 2026, 19:57 PM

Kacey Bridgman

Kacey was very knowledgeable about the Bat Area market, realistic, professional, and patient. I would certainly recommend her services to friends and family.

17 July 2026, 16:07 PM

Teresa Lee

We had extremely difficult circumstances regarding closing a deal on a property. We found Ms Lee extremely knowledgeable and responsive, and she kept things on track and at all hours. Highly recommend. Great communication.

Michael and Kim

15 July 2026, 00:22 AM

Anastasia Levitansky

Anastasia listened well, understood what we were looking for, found several good options for us to consider, provided sound advice throughout the process. From the initial screening call to final closing details Anastasia communicated clearly and reassuringly. The East Bay is a a variety of neighborhoods, each unique in character. You need a savvy agent who understands the nuances, who can find the right home for you, or find the right buyer for your home. From offer to closing, each deal is unique due to terms, regulations and compliance requirements. An agent like Anastasia is fully on top the details, working for you, avoiding surprises. Call Anastasia If you are looking to buy or sell a home in the East Bay.

14 July 2026, 22:44 PM