testimonals

Property Search

Property

Open House

HouseCondoLand

City or ZipCode:

Min Price:

Max Price:

Bedrooms:

Bathrooms:

Sq Feet:

Testimonals

Testimonials

..."It’s not every day that you meet someone you trust enough to hand over the keys to your home when you are a continent away…"

"We interviewed half a dozen realtors in the process of making the decision to sell our house. We still couldn’t make up our minds to sell it. It wasn’t until we were almost 6,000 miles away during an extended stay in Europe that we decided to make the big move. We had been impressed with Penelope’s effervescent personality, her vast knowledge of the Willows neighborhood, and her resolute professionalism, so we e-mailed her from Europe, and asked if she would be willing to get our house ready and put it on the market without us being there. She acted quickly to get the house in order, get all the inspections done, prepared all the disclosures, and started showing it. Meanwhile, she kept us completely updated by e-mail throughout the whole process. Just a matter of days after our return home, the house was sold. The buyer was a professional acquaintance of Penelope’s who she had convinced to come to look at the house, even though he wasn’t actively in the market for a new home.

Her excellent organization skills, her thoroughness, her professional relationships helped her get the job done, and make it very easy to recommend her to anyone looking for an outstanding realtor."

David & Charlotte DeMoney -Menlo Park

....."Penelope was like the compass that kept us on tract and focused our attention on the important things..."

"Initially, we chose Penelope to represent us because we felt that she knew the Willows neighborhood better than the other realtors we had interviewed. In the end, we couldn’t have made a better decision, for this reason and more. This was our first house sale. We had no idea what we were doing and the process of getting our house on the market was overwhelming. We also have twin toddlers and two large dogs; our lives are chaotic at the best of times. Penelope was like the compass that kept us on tract and focused our attention on the important things. She had a strategy for our house and executed it perfectly from the landscaping and staging to the open house to the final closing process. We sold our house in a week with multiple offers and well above the asking price due to her expertise.

Penelope is a smart and meticulous realtor. It is obvious that she loves what she does and derives great satisfaction from a job well done. She compiled a disclosure packet that drew compliments for its thoroughness and transparency from all the realtors who brought offers. She left no stone unturned, which was

Joris Wiggers & Elizabeth Herman - Menlo Park

.....“Penelope & Omar focused on getting the best price they could for us as opposed to just trying to close a sale..."

"We have a hard time expressing how impressed we have been with Omar and Penelope’s representation of us in the recent sale of our house, but we will try. They organized our sale preparation and selling process meticulously and supervised it closely with more than daily visits, even fixing a minor problem with the windows themselves and going under the house to deal with an emergency plumbing leak that saved the hardwood floors.

Everything ran on time, everything looked great, and the costs were under budget. When it came time to price and market our home, they took us through a very detailed comparative market analysis that took into account the size, noise, specific geographic location and timing of other sales in the Willows.

They were sensitive (just as we were sensitive) to incremental pricing differences, and focused on getting the best price they could for us as opposed to just trying to close a sale. They also used a very effective “product release” marketing approach, exposing our house in a closely spaced series of open houses when everything was perfect and ready for viewing. They then followed up with every agent or possible buyer who visited.

Their hard work generated multiple offers on our house less than two weeks after it went on the market, which was exactly what we had hoped for.

We think they are absolutely terrific at what they do and recommend them without reservation."

Bob & Susie Morse - Menlo Park

....."We really appreciated that Omar always treated us as a priority client..."

"We couldn't have been luckier to have Omar Kinaan as our real estate agent when we purchased our first home in Menlo Park in 2007. Not only does he know the area like the back of his hand, introducing us to many great neighborhoods that we weren't familiar with, but he was more that patient to help two property virgins. Omar took the time to walk us through the property purchasing process long before we made our first offer. He carefully explained all the terms and conditions and how they would effect us as the buyers.

We really appreciated that Omar always treated us as a priority client. Even when he was busy with multiple other clients and sales, he would always take the time to personally show us open houses, arrange for private tours and even drive to our workplaces 15 miles away to complete necessary paperwork.

In addition to his tireless efforts helping us find the perfect home, Omar is committed to his neighbors in the Menlo Park community. He is an active voice in conversations with City Council, ensuring the safety and quality of life in the area.

We never doubted that Omar had our best interest in heart during the purchase process of our home. Thanks to Omar, we couldn't be happier with our first abode inMenlo Parkand the roots we are starting there. We highly recommend Omar Kinaan to property sellers and buyers alike. Omar is smart, trustworthy, knowledgeable and simply an all-around good guy."

Michael & Jeanne Moeschler- Menlo Park

"...Penelope's capability allowed us to realize a greater gain on the sale..."

"When my siblings and I decided to sell the family home in Belmont, we knew that this aged (1927) house would be a much different than normal real estate transaction. We interviewed several agents who wanted our business, but found them as not suited for the unusual aspects of our sale.

A friend recommended Penelope, and we met to discuss the sale of the property.

We believed that we should market the property as the two legal lots that it was - but other agents had told us that this was not possible. Within hours, Penelope had an innovative and definitive answer to our question! Needless to say, her capability allowed us to realize a greater gain on the sale.

Throughout the sales period, Penelope provided excellent support to ourselves and prospective buyers. She also went the extra mile through a rather unusual set of issues involved in closing the sale.

We'd recommend Penelope without any reservation."

The O'Brien Family - Belmont

...“Omar can truly be your "business partner, ..."

“My husband and I are very grateful to have found Omar Kinaan and to have had him work closely with us to find the right new home.

For buying, and then selling our first home, we worked with two different realtors and did not enjoy the process. We started to worry that home buying would always be an uncomfortable and irritating process. Then we met Omar.

After a year of unfocused "shopping," Omar was at an open house we visited. We were not only impressed by the details he knew about the history of the property, but we quickly learned that Omar was knowledgeable in all the things we cared about: The characters of different neighborhoods, history of the area, construction practices, and architecture. He was friendly, easy to talk to and had a great sense of humor.

It was apparent that Omar was interested and curious about not just what house we might want to buy, but about us as individuals and what we needed from our future "home."

I am sure we were not the ideal clients: Our search was at first unfocused, and we didn't even know whether we wanted a move-in-ready home or one ready for a remodel. Nevertheless, Omar was always patient, keeping information flowing to us and making sure that we were ready to snatch up "our" house, when we finally found it.

Once we were in the offer process, Omar and his staff did an impeccable job of scheduling inspections with reputable, local businesses. He was always by our side, ensuring that our questions got answered. He was concerned on our behalf about things we might not have thought about - all with an eye toward ensuring not just a quick and painless sale, but also a strong, fair negotiation.

The paperwork, and there is always loads of it, never felt overwhelming, inexplicable or arcane. Omar's clarity, focus and organization made the process not just painless, but actually fun!

I highly recommend Omar to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. Omar can truly be your "business partner," keeping you focused on the reality of the sales transaction, without diminishing the magical thrill of purchasing a new home.”

Mark & Yvette - Menlo Park

..."Penelope displayed the professionalism and ethics that more real estate professionals should aspire to...”

The sale of our house was complex, in that the tenants in the house had a lease and wished to extend it beyond the prime selling period. Penelope was able to work out a win/win situation for the tenants and us. The tenants cooperated in showing the house and Penelope structured a simple letter requesting that sellers would like to honor the request of the tenants to extend the lease. We were able to find a strong buyer willing to take on the lease with the existing tenants.

Once we had accepted the offer, my wife and I flew off to Mexico for our previously planned vacation. We left the details of the close to Penelope without a worry. With large complex deals, there is nothing better than a professional who will own all aspects of the transaction follow-up to the end.

My wife and I have been through the purchase or sale transaction, of houses, for over 10 residences or rentals. Penelope stands apart from all of the other agents/brokers, which we have worked with. Penelope has the knowledge, experience, personality, and drive to buy or sell any house."

“Penelope was able to sell our house for 20% more than a broker from a large office stated he could get for us. The “large office” broker, who had worked with us for 2 years as we rented the residence, attempted to pressure us with a “No Conditions Offer” which was for a low ball 20% less than Penelope later delivered. He could even give us a 1% discount on the Selling Cost since he would be the Selling AND Buying Broker.

James & Rebecca Casciani - Cupertino

....."Penelope & Omar made some astute decisions that were crucial in maximizing my home's appeal...."

"After purchasing a house in Santa Cruz, I hired an agent to sell my home in San Jose....Since I was in the process of moving to Santa Cruz, I relied on the agent to supervise the makeover.

However, even though the makeover ended up costing thousands of dollars, the house actually looked less attractive than before.....After 4 open houses, we received one offer from another realtor at $60K below the asking price.

I took the house off the market and then hired Penelope and Omar to help me sell the house. Since I was living in Santa Cruz, I had to rely on them to manage the preparation of the house. They made some astute decisions that were crucial in maximizing its appeal. The interior was painted again but this time with several attractive neutral colors that greatly enhanced the appearance. All of my furniture was removed and professional stager was hired. She did a fantastic job in transforming the interior of the house with furniture, artwork and accessories. A dated chandelier was removed from the dining room and an unsightly ceiling fan was removed from the master bedroom. Both were replaced by inexpensive yet attractive and updated alternatives.

The real breakthrough occurred when Omar had the idea of converting a screened-in shed in the back yard into an outdoor entertaining area. Previously, I had used this shed for storing junk. The junk had been removed by the first agent, so the shed was empty but it was still unsightly. Omar removed the tattered screens to open up the shed, removed the stained, moldy indoor/outdoor carpet that covered the floor, pressure-washed the concrete floor and then furnished it with patio furniture and other accessories.

....All of this was occurring just when the Bay Area real estate market was imploding. Inventory was about 3 times greater than previous years, interest rates were peaking and buyers were taking a wait-and-see approach. We had to reevaluate the value of the house relative to the market....After just a few days on the market, we received an offer from a young couple which we were able to counter to within $1000 of the asking price....During the entire process, Penelope and Omar handled everything in a professional and thorough manner. I would highly recommend them to anyone considering a real estate transaction."

Roy Nakashima - Willow Glen

"...it was clear from the beginning that Penelope

was the one we wanted to go with...”

“When we were looking to buy our first house, we considered over half a dozen agents, but it was clear from the beginning that Penelope was the one we wanted to go with. We were impressed with her expertise, professionalism and enthusiasm. We looked at houses with her every weekend for months. She never pressured us into making an offer on something we weren't comfortable with, and she gave us pep talks when we needed it. With her help, we were able to find our dream home.

Penelope was also instrumental in helping us sell our condo. She helped us stage it, scheduled inspections, and was even home for them when we couldn't be there. The condo sold in less than one week for more than we had hoped for. We couldn't have asked for a better agent, and we can't imagine using anyone else. Now, she is not only our realtor, but also a good friend.”

Seppi & Liz Lin - Menlo Park

..."We can say without reservation that we would not have found this home if we did not have Penelope & Omar representing us....”

“When the time came for my husband and I to buy our first home we knew we needed an aggressive real estate team with established market experience who were trustworthy and supportive. It was Penelope and Omar's tenacity and their grass roots understanding of the Willows neighborhood that allowed us to make an offer on a home before it was listed. We were literally about to give up when they found us the perfect home. I can say without reservation that we would not have found this home if we did not have them representing us. They are knowledgeable, experienced, committed and so easy to work with. We highly recommend them for anyone looking to buy or sell their home. They really are fantastic and we are proud to call them our first friends in the neighborhood."

Lea Redmond & Jake Averbuck - Menlo Park

"Omar is an exceptional agent..."

".....he started by discussing what I wanted in a house. He didn't just ask about the zip code, but layout, size, and other details that probably hadn't occurred to me. Unlike some agents, Omar did not just connect me to a flood of email listings: he effectively searched for homes that fit the requirements, sending me filtered choices that wouldn't waste my time. He then previewed anything interesting and wrote up descriptions. I don't know how he has the time to do all this; I certainly don't. Way to make it happen man! This approach made it possible to zero in on a house, but I am picky and it did take some looking. Omar kept to his plan and kept his cool even when I was getting frustrated with various aspects of the process. Omar's responsive and effective method and easy personality kept moving a process that can be trying in this area. Now I have a house instead of a bloated rent payment. Thanks!"

Kevin James - Sunnyvale

..."Working with Penelope Huang was a joy..."

"We moved across the country with 2 kids under the age of 2, which was a tough task. Penelope really rolled up her sleeves and pitched in to help make our home ready for move-in.

It seemed there was no limit to her capacity to help us out, from taking and e-mailing extensive photos of homes (interior and exterior), to buying furniture and appliances, to hiring contractors and actually coming to the house to oversee work in our absence-she was amazing!

Her encyclopedic knowledge of the ins and outs of Silicon Valley home ownership coupled with her years of experience make her the only Realtor you'll ever need."

Bryan & Adrienne Roberts - Portola Valley

...“I have worked with several realtors in the past. By far, Omar is the best."

"…Omar is extremely customer service oriented and will work tirelessly to find you the right home. Unlike many others, Omar is ready and willing to provide help even after the deal is complete. I completely trusted Omar because he was willing to read disclosures and summarize the findings which was immensely helpful. He was also proactive in generating the necessary due diligence. He is knowledgeable and stays updated on the market trends. More importantly, he always has a pleasant demeanor and made the whole process almost stress free. I give Omar my strongest recommendation. You will not be disappointed.”

Suresh - Palo Alto

..."If you're going to spend a lot of time with your real estate agent, you might as well find someone you like......"

"In our case, we found Penelope (and spent EVERY SINGLE Saturday with her for a year). She's an upbeat, energetic, and knowledgeable realtor, but also a down-to-earth, fun person; someone you would want to hang out with, even when not house hunting. And now we do!

Penelope found the 3-acre Woodside home we eventually bought. Using her expertise, we won the bidding, offering the right price plus writing personal statements which resonated with the seller. Penelope also took care of all the inspections and other details. After a long year of searching for just the right property, she made the actual buying process very easy and stress free.

Penelope also sold our Mountain View condo, handling all the repairs and preparations herself. I wouldn't hesitate to use her again as my realtor."

Ann Sydeman - Woodside

....."Penelope is an independent realtor...."

"This means MORE than just finding a house...or selling a house. She has done those too, of course. However when we worked with the big real estate houses, like Alain Pinel and Coldwell Banker, the agents SHARED OUR NEGOTIATING INFORMATION with other brokers, so we would have paid more money for a home. Can you imagine?

After experiencing those things with the big guys, we would not consider anyone but an independent like Penelope Huang for a Real Estate Broker.

Penelope found us our home in Palo Alto at a time when multiple bids were the norm, and we had quite a long wish list. She also found us a great beach home/investment property. These are the best investments we ever made.

Thanks Penelope, to a friend as well as an agent!"

Sue Lubais - Palo Alto

..."I wonder if all Realtors work as hard as Omar does?…"

"...We are first time home buyers and Omar helped us through every step of the transaction from finding our home, negotiating the contract and through every step of the escrow process. He was very accessible and patiently answered all our questions in a thorough manner. Omar and Taylor and Huang Properties come with our highest recommendation."

Christopher and Vicky Schaeffer – Fernley, NV

.."Penelope is exceptionally clear in her planning and is a tough negotiator..."

"We are totally satisfied with Penelope. She is totally honest, straightforward and easy to deal with. She pushed through our sale at 10% over asking price. She has our highest recommendation; one that is rarely given”

Joe Becker - Mountain View

..."It was very reassuring to know we could rely on you 110%... "

"You are a great agent and a fabulous person with an amazing work ethic. We feel lucky to have found you."

Scott and Kelley Wolf - Menlo Park

RE/MAX Distinctive Properties | 648 Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025 | 650.328.8881 | |

Each Office Independently Owned and Operated