Why Work With Karen Starr and Brenda Schaefer?
Here's what our satisfied customers are saying about us:
Martha was great to work with. Of all the agents we talked to, she was the one who listened to what we actually wanted (and what we actually could afford), instead of trying to push us above our comfortable budget/push us to buy a place that wasn't the right fit. At the same time, she helped us navigate the realities of buying in the East Bay, and helped us expand our search to meet our actual needs. Martha never stopped hunting for the perfect place for us, and when we found it, she made really sure we were confident about our decisions and helped us strategize our offer. She really cares about getting her clients into the home that's right for them. As first time homebuyers (and now first time homeowners), we are so grateful for her tremendous depth of expertise and tenacity.
Sam & Andrew Linden
1 June 2026, 23:05 PM
Selling our home was not an easy assignment. We bought at the peak of the market in 2022 before interest rates rose, and by the time we sold, market conditions had changed dramatically. We hoped to find an agent who understood what we needed from the sale and was willing to take on a challenge. Pamela did exactly that.
From day one, Pamela showed up prepared. She walked us through a pricing strategy grounded in real market data and comparable sales while helping us navigate market uncertainty and the unique realities of selling in Oakland. Pamela doesn't tell you what you want to hear—she tells you what you need to hear. As difficult as that sometimes was, it helped us make better decisions, and in the end, the sale exceeded our expectations.
From pricing and marketing to coordinating contractors, staging, and every detail in between, Pamela and her team managed what felt like a hundred moving pieces with incredible skill. She's also an exceptional project manager. We moved out of state before listing, but there was a constant sense of "Pamela's got it" that allowed us to trust the process. Her recommendations often felt less like suggestions and more like "trust me, this matters" and time after time, she was right.
What stood out most was her persistence and hands-on approach. She didn't sit back and wait for buyers to appear. She leveraged her deep East Bay relationships, stayed personally involved, and despite having an outstanding team, was present at every open house.
Her team deserves recognition as well. They were kind, attentive, responsive, and consistently delivered high-quality work. Pamela has high standards, and that culture of excellence carries through her team, vendors, and every detail of the process.
Pamela was our advocate throughout the process. She's the kind of person you'll keep in your contacts long after the transaction is over because she's a great resource who genuinely cares. We can't recommend Pamela and her team highly enough.
Carly Marcoe
1 June 2026, 20:55 PM
Analise went above and beyond getting my house ready for sale. She caught every little detail I would have missed and handled things before I even knew they needed handling. Selling a home can be stressful, but having Analise in my corner made the whole experience so much smoother. I can't recommend her highly enough!
1 June 2026, 20:44 PM
Jennifer led us through the sale every aspect of our house sale in a way that made it feel that it went absolutely as smoothly as it possibly could have gone. Throughout the process, she was always easy to reach to answer any question or concern, and she made what could have easily been an overwhelming experience something far from that. As someone who can get wrapped up in my head with concerns and "what ifs", I really appreciated Jennifer's ability to deal with every step in a calm and reassuring way. Jennifer is an excellent communicator, professional, and someone I felt confident having in my corner.
Damon T
1 June 2026, 19:57 PM
I had the advantage of moving to my new home and then assessing what needed to happen to prepare my home for sale. My family and I were completely unprepared to find out how complex it is -sellers we approached said I was not an estate, no desirable inventory and no interest in providing any helpful direction to clear the property. Enter Lisa! A chance conversation at a social event resulted in her referring me to an estate dealer and he was at my home 2 days later to advise us. The generous gesture and prompt attention to followup was so kind and helpful- that is Lisa! My family and I requested that she be the agent to market our home an we were thrilled she accepted! While my home was lovely it was also tired and dated; Lisa had a great sense of what the house needed to be updated and refreshed and she was spot on in her recommendations. Her resources were professional and timely- clean out service, renovations team and staging coordinator did a beautiful job. There were questions and hurdles along the way- (rats? really?)
but Lisa handled each roadblock with a can-do attitude and had a fix-it for each dilemma. Result- a stunning makeover of my home, an incredible marketing rollout with ads and video, and multiple offers above asking price. Lisa is a consummate professional- warm and interested in the client she is representing- in this case a family leaving their long time home, a bittersweet time for us-but making us feel so cared for and involved in the transitons to the house that helped it to shine as it did. Lisa was a neighborhood child growing up and Waldo always had a passel of kiddos around. It is a sweet closure that someone who enjoyed our little street's karma as a chld helped bring a new family to Waldo by getting my 1926 home ready for the next 100!
Anne H.
31 May 2026, 23:57 PM
Marianne is a fantastic agent! She made it possible for us to buy our lovely Upper Rockridge home. We had looked largely on our own for over a year, and finally found a property that we wanted to bid on. We put in a bid that we knew would probably not be the top one, hoping to get a better deal should the top bidder not follow through. And so it went. When we heard that the seller was reconsidering our bid, among others, Marianne’s advice was just so wise and valuable. She helped us work through the process by consulting on an appropriate counter bid and helped us in navigating the complexities of negotiating with the seller. In the end, Marianne’s advice and support made it all possible. And today, we are happy in our new home, and very grateful to our wonderful agent, Marianne Scott. We highly recommend her!
Kurt and Rosita
31 May 2026, 18:33 PM
Jennifer helped us navigate the challenging experience of getting our house ready for sale and determining how to position it in the market.
We are very particular people and appreciated that Jennifer treated all our ideas and queries with care and attention to detail. We would be happy to recommend her to anyone and are thrilled to have selected her as our partner in the selling of our house.
Michelle Hatton
30 May 2026, 04:02 AM
Adele demonstrates extensive experience & market knowledge, effective negotiating skills and exemplary professionalism. She patiently listens to any questions or concerns you may have & finds answers.
B
29 May 2026, 18:20 PM
Laura
Organized construction contractors, haulers, donation partners and cleaners to get our place ready on time and in budget for sale. She dealt with problems that came up professionally and in a timely manner.
26 May 2026, 06:45 AM
Marianne and Lindsay Scott were my realtors for selling a multi-unit building in Oakland. They were a great mother daughter team—well-informed, timely, thorough, and professional. They answered all of my questions and provided infinite wisdom throughout the entire process. Not only were they professional, but they were also enjoyable and fun to work with, adding just the right amount of humor to what can sometimes be an emotional business of selling a beloved asset. Thank you both for bringing light, honesty, integrity, and wisdom to selling my building, and more importantly, for finding the best possible clients to be the new owners.
Renee Bott
25 May 2026, 18:33 PM
