FIVE STAR Real Estate Agents

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ANNOUNCING: San Diego’s 2009 FIVE STAR Real Estate Agents

We surveyed recent homebuyers and other industry experts to find the best real estate agents in the San Diego area. Here they are.

Experts say that at least 90 percent of homebuyers rely on real estate agents for advice and guidance. But with more than 12,000 San Diego residents holding real estate licenses, how do you find someone who knows the market, represents your interests and operates with an emphasis on integrity and service?

San Diego Magazine can help. For the second year, the magazine partnered with Crescendo Business Services, an independent research firm, to find out which real estate agents have most consistently wowed their clients.

The Selection Process

This past August, Crescendo surveyed by mail and phone 20,500 San Diego area residents who had recently purchased homes, and 9,000 subscribers of San Diego Magazine. An additional 400 surveys were sent to mortgage and title companies, who are often best able to judge a real estate agent’s technical skills and knowledge.

On the surveys, recipients were asked to nominate only real estate agents whom they knew through personal experience. They were asked to evaluate them based upon nine criteria: customer service, communication, finding the right home, integrity, negotiation, marketing the home, market knowledge, closing preparation and overall satisfaction.

Only original surveys—no copies—returned in their specially designed envelopes were accepted as valid. By September, stacks of surveys had arrived, and Crescendo began carefully scoring and screening each nominee with the California State Real Estate Commission’s database to make certain that licenses were up-to-date and that no disciplinary actions were pending.

Then, before finalizing the list, nominated real estate agents were reviewed by a blue-ribbon panel of local industry experts. The panel consisted of realty company executives, professional and trade association officers and others directly involved in housing-related businesses.

Although panelists’ comments were incorporated into the final score, safeguards were built into the review process to reduce the ability of panel members to influence the composition of the final list on the basis of company affiliation.

Best in Client Satisfaction

The resulting list of FIVE STAR Real Estate Agents is an elite group, representing less than 3 percent of licensed agents in the San Diego area. Only 360 of the top-scoring real estate agents made this year’s list. To make the list more user-friendly, agents have been grouped based on their city of focus.

Throughout the nomination process, respondents told stories of lasting friendships that have emerged from what is most often a stressful business transaction. Several even wrote essays on why their particular agent excelled.

Although this list will certainly be a useful tool for anyone buying or selling a home, it should not be considered exhaustive. Undoubtedly, there are many other excellent real estate agents who, for one reason or another, are not on this year’s list. But don’t be surprised to see them next year.

RESEARCH DECLARATIONS:

As with any research or recognition program, it is important that we provide you the following declarations:

• The 2009 FIVE STAR Real Estate Agents do not pay a fee to be included in the research or the final list of FIVE STAR: Best in Client Satisfaction Real Estate Agents.

• The overall evaluation score of a real estate agent reflects an average of all respondents and may not be representative of any one client’s evaluation.

• The FIVE STAR Award is not indicative of the real estate agent’s future performance.

• The inclusion of a real estate agent on the FIVE STAR real estate agent list should not be construed as an endorsement of the real estate agent by Crescendo Business Services or San Diego Magazine.

• Working with a FIVE STAR Real Estate Agent or any real estate agent is no guarantee that the selected real estate agent will be awarded this accomplishment by Crescendo in the future.

• For more information on the FIVE STAR Award and the research/selection methodology, go to: fivestarprofessional.com/reresearch.

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List compiled by Crescendo Business Services. All agents are sorted by city and are listed alphabetically by last name. Names in boldface also appear in the profiles that follow.

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ALPINE

Susan Manis Two-Year Winner, Manis & Associates (619) 445-2398 s.manis@cox.net www.susanmanis.com

CARLSBAD

Patty Abbott Anderson, Prudential California Realty

Christine Christoph, Keller Williams Realty - Carlsbad

Jeff Cole, Windermere Exclusive Properties

Louise Copeland, Century 21 Award

Debbie Drumm, Prudential California Realty

Eileen Drutman, Keller Williams Realty

Whitney Fields 2009 Winner Masters Real Estate Group (760) 579-8490 www.mastersrealestategroup.com

Linda Grubbs, Windermere Real Estate

Marta Hall, Coldwell Banker

Neal Hribar, Keller Williams Realty

Kent Johnson, Prudential California Realty

Cherryl Johnston, McMillin Realty

Dennis Kaiser, RE/MAX Associates

Jill Kammerude, RE/MAX By-The-Sea

Jim Klinge, North San Diego County Real Estate

Candis Kolb, Coldwell Banker

Marilyn Lawhead, Coldwell Banker

Cathy Leclair, Prudential California Realty

Carlton Lund, Lund Team Real Estate

Michael Murphy, San Diego Previews Real Estate

Maria Nunn, Keller Williams Realty

Karen Ritz, Windermere Real Estate

Danny Rubenstein, House Rebate

Tracy P. Sharrar, Prudential California Realty

Gilbert Soto, Atvantage

Bridget R. Sturm 2009 Winner Century 21 Award (760) 533-4551 www.SellingNorthCounty.com

Sheila Sullivan, Keller Williams Realty

Brad Whaley, Keller Williams Realty

Mike Williams, Keller Williams Realty

Serri Yates, Realty Executives

David Zeman, RE/MAX Associates

CARMEL VALLEY

Terikim Andary, Prudential California Realty

James Dedolph, Keller Williams Realty

Deborah Engel Two-Year Winner, Prudential CA Realty (858) 829-1989 Deb@PropertybyDeb.com www.PropertybyDeb.com

Daniel Greer, Prudential California Realty

Kylie Reiter, Keller Williams Realty

Jeff Smith, Coldwell Banker

Dennis Whan, Prudential California Realty

Jean Wilson 2009 Winner Windemere Excl Prop (858) 945-0612 www.jeanwilson.mywindermere.com

Danielle Wright, Prudential California Realty

CHULA VISTA

Jeff Bettger, Prudential California Realty

Maureen Charles, RE/MAX Associates

Karen Crabtree, Prudential California Realty

Eleanor Mello, Compass Real Estate & Property Management

Gail Nordstrom, McMillin Realty

Pamela Ratcliffe, Prudential California Realty

James Youel 2009 Winner, McMillin Realty (619) 981-2286 jyouel@mcmillinrealty.com www.jamesyouel.com

CORONADO

Charles Ahern, Coronado Real Estate Consultants

Susan Ahern, Coronado Real Estate Consultants

Laura Concannon, Lee Mather Company

Georgia Ellis, Prudential California Realty

Ruth Ann Fisher, Del Realty

Gwen Hovland, Willis Allen Real Estate

Charlotte Rudowicz, Prudential California Realty

Dwight Settle, Ascent Real Estate

Frank Spitzer, Independence Realty

Suzie Sandberg, Coronado Shores Company

David Udell, Napolitano GMAC Real Estate

DEL MAR

John Borgia, Coastal Mortgage Services - Del Mar Realty

Cheryl Bray, Prudential California Realty

Ann Casadont, RE/MAX Distinctive Properties

Brett Combs, Pacific Shore Platinum

Sharon Dick, Prudential California Realty

Jennifer Friend, Coldwell Banker

Sandy Friend, Coldwell Banker

Frank Gill, Gill Real Estate Company

Shannon Hagan, Coldwell Banker

Kay Hoeprich, Prudential California Realty

Benny Landman, Coldwell Banker

Wendy Persson, Coldwell Banker

Susane Roberts, Prudential California Realty

Tracy Weaver, Coldwell Banker

ENCINITAS

Tom Cozens, Century 21

Sue De Legge, Coldwell Banker

Jeff DeChamplain, Keller Williams Realty

Gita Gendloff, Realty Executives

Patty Keck, RE/MAX Associates

Janis Libuse, RE/MAX Associates

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