If you want a stress free selling experience, list your home with Susan Michal! Susan guided us through the whole process, answered all our questions and assisted with any/all concerns we may have. She was everything we were looking for in an agent, knowledgeable, talented and reassuring. She had a list of resources that we were able to employ in getting our house market ready straight through to the inspections. Completely hands on! The staging of our house was outstanding and we had offers within days. Susan is very professional, extremely friendly and not pushy and made us feel very comfortable through the whole process of selling our home. She had our back every inch of the way. We could not have had a better agent! Thank you so much Susan…
My husband and I worked with Susan Michal of the Sternsmith Group to purchase our first home in San Mateo and couldn't have had a better experience. We feel so grateful to have had her guidance and expertise throughout the process of finding our home. Her vast knowledge of the Peninsula helped an overwhelming process seem manageable. And her calm demeanor was exactly what we needed. She treated us as if we were family and always kept our best interest in mind. We never could have gotten this house in such a great neighborhood without you and we're so unbelievably happy here. We're planning on sticking around for a while, but if we ever leave, we'll be giving her a call!!
Susan Michal is a wonderful, patient and compassionate realtor. My husband and I were looking for our first home in a very tough market for buyers. We knew nothing about the process and really had to rely on Susan to walk us through every step. Susan fought hard for us in an incredibly difficult market—she was willing to go the extra mile to make sure we got the perfect home for our family. We are now living in our dream home!
Thank you Susan!
I first met Susan Michal back in September of 2011. My family and I had been searching for the perfect home for 4 years. We had made offers on two other homes with different agents who were helping in our search but the deals did not go through. When this particular house came on the market that I had been keeping my eye out for I knew it was going to go fast. I contacted Casey Sternsmith who was the listing agent and she put me in touch with Susan Michal. To my dismay the house was already in contract but it was contingent on their home selling first. This was our dream home; it was everything we were searching for. With Susan's help and expertise we were able to make the offer with a 72 hour waiting period to see if the other family who was in contract could sell their home. Needless to say, it was a nail biting 72 hours but we ended up getting the house. Susan was always available to help with financing, disclosures and any other questions or concerns we had. She made us feel so comfortable and at ease with the purchase of our home that when my mother decided to sell her home, the first person that came to mind was Susan.
My mother’s home was a beautiful craftsman style home in one of the most desirable areas of Burlingame, Chapin Avenue. My mother did not have great experiences with real estate agents in the past so I knew she would be weary of whomever she chose to sell her home. Susan came by with one of her associates, Christine Kosturos to view the house and talk to my mother about her expectations. Of course everyone thinks their home is the best on the block and there is no comparison.
With some compromise on my mother’s part, they came up with an asking price of $2,699,000. As far as my mom was concerned this was too low but Susan assured her that it would be a good starting point and the market will dictate the selling price. Once the price was agreed upon Susan, Christine and Casey started getting the house ready. This was a huge task because through the years my mother had collected furniture, art, knick knacks, garden accessories; you name it, she had it. It was overwhelming. Susan wanted the house to be seen, not the "stuff". This was a challenge because you don't want to offend anybody by removing and/or rearranging their belongings but it is the only way to showcase the house for what it is. Susan, Chris and Casey came to help move, paint and rearrange things until the house was ready for its first showing. They worked around my mother’s schedule with lots of TLC as to not overwhelm her. What a difference; your eyes would focus on the beauty of the home and all of its exquisite craftsmanship. The house was ready for its first open which was held on a Friday evening. It was open to the public both Saturday and Sunday with a lot of foot traffic. There were numerous compliments on how beautifully the house showed. Many agents sought disclosure packets for their clients throughout the week. The house was only held open for one more Sunday when Susan and team thought it was a good idea for offers to be presented by. There were 7 offers with 4 over asking. Thanks to the help of Susan, Chris and Casey, my mother’s house on Chapin Avenue sold for $166,000 over asking. They did a great job and were by our side every step of the way. So far I have had two extraordinary experiences with Susan, Chris and Casey and would definitely use them for any future Real Estate needs.
As first time home buyers, my husband and I were very excited to be buying a house, but also apprehensive about competing in the Bay Area housing market. We first met Susan Michal at an open house around a year before we were ready to start seriously looking, and immediately felt like we had found a knowledgeable agent we could trust.
Susan continued to stay in touch with us over the next year, educating us about the market while developing a deep understanding around what we were looking for. As a Bay Area native, Susan has extensive expertise in the market and was able to give us advice on our house as investment, in addition to a residence. When we were finally ready to buy, Susan worked with us to identify a list of our top priorities and patiently showed us new neighborhoods and options, always going the extra mile to track down background information about a house through her many great relationships with other local agents.
When we found the perfect home for us, Susan went above and beyond to quickly organize viewings and inspections that worked for our limited schedule. She was there for us literally whenever we needed her, always extremely responsive and amenable to any request. She worked closely with us on every step of the buying process and when we ended up in a competitive bidding situation, Susan went to bat and worked with the seller's agent to ensure we were able to secure the house.
Buying our first home was one of the most exciting and nerve-wracking experiences of our lives, but thanks to Susan's dedication and guidance, we couldn't be happier! Anyone would be lucky to work with her.
Susan Michal is an excellent real east agent. She helped me and my wife find and purchase our first home. Susan is very knowledgeable about the housing market in the Bay Area and helps you determine whether an asking price is above or below the going rate and makes sure you feel comfortable with the offer you are putting in. Susan is very personable and professional, and we knew she was always looking out for our best interest. Buying a house is a huge decision and Susan was always accessible and answered our many questions with a smile! Susan is very good at what she does and wouldn't hesitate to reach out to a real estate agent to see if a house was still on the market. It's because of her real estate smarts that we were able to get our dream home. We'd highly recommend her!
Susan Michal, our real estate agent has been a stalwart caring partner in our quest to sell our home of 23 years and purchase a condo.
Susan was instrumental in helping us hire needed repairmen and introducing us to a stager whose decorating talent helped find a buyer for our home.
Susan was tireless as we sought to find a condo that met our needs and desires. Her careful attention as we visited many properties was a deciding factor in our search.
When we found our new home and decided this was it, Susan quickly established a rapport with the sellers’ agent, effectively offered our bid and diligently remained involved throughout all further negotiations.
Our relationship with Susan has been a very pleasant experience. Her friendly demeanor and earnest determination softened what was an emotional journey for us.
We would, without hesitation recommend Susan to any prospective client.
Laura and I feel so grateful to have had your guidance and expertise throughout the process of finding our first home. Your vast knowledge of the Peninsula helped an overwhelming process seem manageable. And your calm demeanor was exactly what we needed. You treated us and if we were family and always kept our best interest in mind. We could’ve never gotten the house without you and we’re so unbelievably happy here. We’re planning on sticking around for a while, but if we ever leave, we’ll be giving you a call.
We were referred to Susan Michal by our good friend’s realtor. We are a newlywed couple looking to purchase our first house. Susan patiently listened to our requests, helped us through the process and connected us to a reliable lender. She gave us her professional opinions; we never felt we were being pushed or hurried into making a decision. After a bit of a search, we got the very first offer we made. What’s more impressive, Susan put a personal touch to everything. She actually went to meet with the listing agent to submit the offer which was probably one of the reasons we got the house we really liked. We definitely would recommend Susan to our potential homebuyer friends!
Dear Susan,
Just a note to let you know that your hard work of selling my Condo in Burlingame has been sincerely appreciated.
Both Connie and I felt that you were the best of all the agents that we interviewed during the selection period. You did not let us down and did an excellent job during the preparation and presentation of the Condo.
Thanks again and I will refer you to my friends when the opportunity arises.
It has been a distinct pleasure to have Susan Michal by my side while selling our home. Her friendliness and her competency in having the most experienced workers to put the house in tip top condition helped to get the widest audience to view the house and make it appealing to all who came to the open houses.
It was a stress free experience and I am happy to recommend Susan to anyone who wants a true professional to help them sell their home.
The proof of Susan’s abilities and contacts is seen in how much we are enjoying our new home!
It was a great pleasure working with Susan. Her expertise as well as her professional and personal manner made the whole home buying process much smoother and less stressful.
We will most definitely be calling on Susan again when it is time to purchase another home. We will not hesitate in referring her to friends and family for their home purchase needs.
I first met Susan Michal back in September of 2011. My family and I had been searching for the perfect home for 4 years. We had made offers on two other homes with different agents who were helping in our search but the deals did not fall through. When this particular house came on the market that I had been keeping my eye out for I knew it was going to go fast. I contacted Casey Sternsmith who was the listing agent and she put me in touch with Susan Michal. To my dismay the house was already in contract but it was contingent on their home selling first. This was our dream home; it was everything we were searching for. With Susan's help and expertise we were able to make the offer with a 72 hour waiting period to see if the other family who was in contract could sell their home. Needless to say, it was a nail biting 72 hours but we ended up getting the house. Susan was always available to help with financing, disclosures and any other questions or concerns we had. She made us feel so comfortable and at ease with the purchase of our home that when my mother decided to sell her home, the first person that came to mind was Susan.
My mother’s home was a beautiful craftsman style home in one of the most desirable areas of Burlingame, Chapin Avenue. My mother did not have great experiences with real estate agents in the past so I knew she would be weary of whomever she chose to sell her home. Susan came by with one of her associates, Christine Kosturos to view the house and talk to my mother about her expectations. Of course everyone thinks their home is the best on the block and there is no comparison.
With some compromise on my mother’s part, they came up with an asking price of $2,699,000. As far as my mom was concerned this was too low but Susan assured her that it would be a good starting point and the market will dictate the selling price. Once the price was agreed upon Susan, Christine and Casey started getting the house ready. This was a huge task because through the years my mother had collected furniture, art, knick knacks, garden accessories; you name it, she had it. It was overwhelming. Susan wanted the house to be seen, not the "stuff". This was a challenge because you don't want to offend anybody by removing and/or rearranging their belongings but it is the only way to showcase the house for what it is. Susan, Chris and Casey came to help move, paint and rearrange things until the house was ready for its first showing. They worked around my mother’s schedule with lots of TLC as to not overwhelm her. What a difference; your eyes would focus on the beauty of the home and all of its exquisite craftsmanship. The house was ready for its first open which was held on a Friday evening. It was open to the public both Saturday and Sunday with a lot of foot traffic. There were numerous compliments on how beautifully the house showed. Many agents sought disclosure packets for their clients throughout the week. The house was only held open for one more Sunday when Susan and team thought it was a good idea for offers to be presented by. There were 7 offers with 4 over asking. Thanks to the help of Susan, Chris and Casey, my mother’s house on Chapin Avenue sold for $166,000 over asking. They did a great job and were by our side every step of the way. So far I have had two extraordinary experiences with Susan, Chris and Casey and would definitely use them for any future Real Estate needs.
Recently my Mother and myself had the extreme good fortune of having Susan Michal handle the sale of my mother’s property at 360 Vallejo Drive #117, Millbrae, CA. Moving from the Bay Area was very difficult for my mother who had lived there for many years, coupled with the numerous steps involved with selling her condominium was more than overwhelming. Susan came in and immediately set a tone of order to the process and gave my mother and me a complete sense of relief and confidence.
From the initial defining of the processes to take place, to the handling of the multitudes of forms to be filled out, to having the inspections done, to seeing to the required repairs, to preparing the property for showing, to the removal of unneeded furnishings, to the interaction with the finance company and the final closing of escrow, there was not one step unexplained and not one detail unattended to.
After being through this process of selling a property in todays’ extremely over complicated real estate market, I cannot believe that there is anyone that could have handled the sale of my mothers’ condominium any better than Susan Michal. Our sincere thanks to Susan, we could not have done it without you!
Nancy and I wanted to thank you and most particular your team, Susan Michal, Casey Sternsmith and Christine Kosturos for selling our home in less than 3 weeks. Having lived in this home for over 28 years, we were somewhat apprehensive about the process. The team provided support in all areas including packing, arranging, open houses, house inspections and work that needed to be done and most importantly support for Nancy and I making the process almost painless.
As you know, we have been Real Estate Appraisers in this area since 1963 and know most agents in this market. We could not have been happier in having chosen your team to market and sell our home. We look forward to working with you again in the future as well as maintaining our friendship.
Please feel free to contact us at any time.
Thanks again and best regards.
I can still hear my wife jumping up and down when we found out we were going to be homeowners. We never thought we would find a place in San Mateo, within our budget and something we loved. And we have Susan Michal to thank for that.
As first time homebuyers, my wife and I were nervous about the entire home buying process. Susan made the entire experience surprisingly easy and enjoyable (two words that you never associate with today's market).
Susan has years of experience and provided trustworthy guidance. She understands today's competitive market, the region, the different players and gave us very realistic advice. She listened to what we were looking for as we honed in on our future home and never tried to push us in any particular way.
Susan treats you like family. She was also great with our 1.5 year old twin boys and she still reaches out to make sure that everything is going well with the house. She provided us with a helpful list of personal contacts - from plumbers to electricians to painters, etc - to help us if anything ever came up. We love our home in San Mateo and would still be house-hunting had we not met Susan. If you're looking for a home on the Peninsula - work with Susan.
How can we thank you enough for your guidance, patience, professionalism and support you have given us through our house buying experience. We could not have asked for a better agent and feel so lucky to have worked with you. We hope that even though business has finished (for now), that we will still be in touch regularly
I bought a house sight-unseen in San Mateo, while sitting on my living room couch in New York City. My husband had moved to the Bay Area ahead of the family and Susan hunted for houses with him for three months. When he called to say he had found the perfect place, I asked him to pass the phone to Susan. She guided me through the virtual tour over the phone. As a mother of three, Susan is acutely aware of a family's needs for a home. She made a great case for the house, ticking off how it met our ideal in almost every way. More importantly, she was forthcoming with how the home didn't fit our ideal. That ten-minute, hugely expensive, conversation proved to me that Susan had listened carefully; that she wanted us to find our perfect home. When she said the house was a ringer, I listened and wrote the big fat check.
Love the house. Best decision I ever made-trusting Susan that is!
It was so great working with you these past few months. Thanks for being such a great realtor and friend
The prospect of moving to California and buying into the local real estate market was daunting for us. Susan helped to educate us not only about the various communities in the area and what they had to offer, but also on how to navigate the competitive purchasing process. She was so attentive to what we wanted in a home that she found us the perfect house, which we were hesitant to see, and convinced us to take a quick look. Now that gorgeous, newly built house, bigger and more luxurious than we hoped to find, is what we call home. We are so grateful to her for supporting us through the process, calming our fears and anxieties, and helping us find our dream house. In Susan Michal we found not only a savvy, skillful and hardworking real estate agent but a warm and caring friend. Thank you Susan!
You were a wonderful guide through the entire process of locating and purchasing our home, and what we really appreciated was your ability to hear what we were saying (which at times was diversely different) about our housing requirements.
Buying a home is stressful and requires so much exchange of information, and yet, you and your team made it very easy and convenient. We are so lucky to have been able to select you as our exclusive agent and send you our warmest regards!
With all that was going on in our lives, it was a pleasure to work with a professional who could help set the right price, produce effective marketing, schedule all inspections, provide suggestions to make the house show well, conduct open houses, work with Coca Cola relocation, and handle all the contract negotiations. The results speak for themselves...seven offers over asking after the first week!
You really stepped up to the plate and delivered the winning run!
Within our search area, Susan knew something about almost every block we traveled on, and knew about each home, each school district and the personality of each neighborhood. In addition, she knew every agent we came into contact with and every agent knew and responded extremely positively to her.
Her guidance on how much to bid, how quickly to present our offer and with what terms was pivotal in obtaining the home she had found us we have no doubt that without her level of expertise and professionalism, we never would have closed the deal on our new house.
As an agent, she was committed, hard working and responsive and as a person we found her to be kind, funny, smart and honest. We would recommend her to any friend or family member without hesitation.
Thanks for all your informed and gracious help during the purchase of my very first (at age 56, no less), but substantial, house. I had always heard that the process was complicated and fraught with anxiety-laden events and guess what? Its true.
However, your amiable availability and comforting competence made it all happen from start to finish without a hitch. In short, I couldn't have done it without you
