Kathleen & Michael The Smartest Move You’ll Make
Residential Real Estate Sales & Marketing Experts KathleenandMichael.Com
WHY WORK WITH KATHLEEN & MICHAEL? Skilled, smart & enthusiastic about their work & life, Kathleen & Michael's appealing combination of business sense & people skills gives them an edge in an industry demanding both.
With Kathleen & Michael as your Realtors, it's all about you. They'll sweat the details from contracts to disclosures to inspections. They know you have a life & they let you live it.
It's important to Kathleen & Michael to provide the highest level of customer service at all times. There is no such thing as a detail too small & every one gets their careful attention.
Whatever type of home you're looking for, wherever you're looking for it, they've got you covered. They have a solid network of trusted service providers, mortgage lenders, plus a national network of real estate professionals across the county
For nearly three decades, Kathleen & Michael have been helping people just like you make the right moves. They're experts in residential sales & purchases, negotiations & risk management.
You can rely on Kathleen & Michael to work for you before, during & after the sale. No pressure, no hype, no kidding.
Kathleen & Michael are fearless negotiators, aggressive in their approach crafting offers & expert in offer presentation & negotiation. Kathleen & Michael are your advocate before, during & after the sale. They provide expert counsel to first time buyers & savvy investors alike. They know buying & selling is an emotional process. They're very accessible, quick to respond & exceptionally knowledgeable. You can trust they always provide the expert counsel allowing you to make an empowered decision. Rest assured Kathleen & Michael always have your best interests in mind & at heart.
Working with Kathleen & Michael is the smartest move you’ll make
YELP REVIEWS James T. 5.0 star rating Kathleen and Michael did an amazing job for me. They assisted me in purchasing a home as well as selling my existing home. This can be a very tense and difficult process. I know from previous buy/sell real estate experiences. Kathleen and Michael got me through the process in a timely fashion without any hassles. They are the best agents I have ever worked with. They are knowledgeable, have excellent resources (e.g. Mover recommendations, contractors, etc.) and most importantly, they are trustworthy. I can't say that for other agents I have worked with before. In addition, they are nice people. I would not hesitate in recommending them or using them again. Steve G. 5.0 star rating I found my home in one day of viewing properties. I gave Kathleen and Michael my wish list of things that I would like to find in a house. They started to email me listings to consider and to help them refine my search. I wanted to locate myself near my daughter and my grandchildren. With their help, I ended up finding a home that "ticked" almost all of the boxes on my wish list and it was just 15 minutes from my daughter. i was kept well informed throughout the escrow and felt well taken care of. I highly recommend Kathleen and Michael. They were more than helpful throughout the process. I am very grateful to them both. They know what they are doing. Barbara Y. 5.0 star rating Michael and Kathleen, your kindness and excellent work ethics were appreciated from day one to the finish of this sale which will be reached this week. It is indeed a pleasure working with both of you. As I said last week, your team is a "class act". Your communication, timeliness and organizational skills are outstanding. The listing online and the flyers are beautiful. As a senior citizen, who has been out of the mainstream for several years, I thank you for your patience and for sharing your expertise and suggestions to facilitate the sale of our home. On behalf of my centenarian mother, thank you for the expeditious sale of the house. It relieved a lot of stress for both of us. The rating for Kathleen and Michael is at least 10 stars but only 5 were available. Ron D. 5.0 star rating As others have said, excellent experience with Michael and Kathleen. Second time using them and will continue to in the future. They both were extremely knowledgeable and guided us through the process of buying and selling with minimal stress. Its tough enough dealing with buying and selling a home but they kept us updated everyday, answered my texts at all hours of the day, and communicated very well with the other agents.
They were able to sell both of our homes for over the list price and still get us into new homes under list. Much of our financial success in rea. They have helped us into a very comfortable life RN K. 5.0 star rating Kathleen is amazing! She was attentive, supportive and knowledgeable! Kathleen and Michael make a good team! They made buying our first home an easy and fun experience. Emails and calls were answered within a heartbeat. Kathleen walked us through each step with patience and kindness. They were organized, prepared and professional. I'm grateful to be writing this review in our new home. I highly recommend Kathleen and Michael if you are looking to purchase property in the Bay Area! Margaret C. 5.0 star rating Kathleen and Michael helped us find our forever home and.....they can help you too! We were living in a very small apartment for a year after moving to the Bay Area from Philadelphia. We were ready to buy a home and Kathleen and Michael handled everything for us. We fell in love with a place they showed us in beautiful Novato with amazing views. We made an offer that was accepted and have been living our California dream for nearly 6 mos now. The best decision we made was introducing ourselves to Kathleen and Michael. Call them, You'll be so happy you did! Ken G. 5.0 star rating Where do I begin with Kathleen. Let's start with detailed knowledge, skill, experience, and a positive "can do" attitude. From the day I met Kathleen I had a good feeling about her. She worked methodically, yet sensitively, while selling my town home. This is the 4th home I have purchased in my lifetime, and this by far is the most pleasant. I have never rated any service as high as I rate Kathleen. I would recommend her to anyone who is serious about selling or buying a home. If you want the best, hire the team of Kathleen and Michael. Mary B. 5.0 star rating Kathleen is fantastic to work with on every level! My husband lost his job and I needed to sell our rental income property immediately to supplement our income while my husband seeks re-employment. Kathleen is not only friendly, she is easy to talk to, and caring. She is very professional, prompt, thorough, and very knowledgeable in her field. Needless to say, I was deeply stressed not knowing how long it would take to sell our rental property. Her relationships with others in the industry proved to be a valuable asset. She had an open house the weekend after she listed our home and low and behold I had seven offers all above the asking price! I cannot tell you what a relief this was.
Kathleen stayed in the loop with the lenders, inspectors, loan officers, appraisers, etc. so everything could flow as smoothly as possible. I live in Texas and my home was in Union City, Kathleen saved me the cost of a trip to California, she took care of all the paperwork via Docusign and was even my interface with the title company.
In sum it up, Kathleen and Michael give you the 3Es EFFICIENT, EXPERIENCED, EDUCATIONAL and the two important Rs - RESPONSIVE AND RESOURCEFUL. Whether buying or selling a home, Kathleen and Michael, will be your rockstar team hands down and I wholeheartedly recommend them.
The personal touch she offer is hands down top notch! She truly cares about her clients, she listen to you and takes those extra steps. Kathleen has become our family's friend since she sold our first home back in 2000. She now handles our immediate family's real estate needs. If you need an agents who will go the extra mile and provide the full service package, Kathleen and Michael are certainly the team for you.
Ursula U. 5.0 star rating
I am very thankful for all the hard work that Kathleen provided us in selling our home. Kathleen is very generous with her availability, she provides thorough explanations on the changing real estate market and really focuses on your needs. I sincerely recommend them to others and now to you. Topazskye L. 5.0 star rating This second review and second home buying experience certainly cements the fact that Kathleen and Michael are the best in the business. They know the market and give you the best advice. Our experience with them this time around includes both selling our home and purchasing a new home. In selling our home, Kathleen gave sound advice on when to put our home on the market and advised us on the list price. Kathleen and Michael definitely know marketing and they present it well too. I love that they take the effort to come up with a nicely bound report that provides you with the research of what houses in the area were sold for. They did a great job marketing the home with their excellent photography skills, professionally printed flyers and staging. Kathleen fronted everything for us and the best part of it was if we met a roadblock, Kathleen would problem solve it before coming to us and that helps immensely knowing that she took care of business. With our home purchase, Kathleen understood our needs and kept us steady on our course to find us our new home. She was always reassuring when steering us through this roller coaster journey. As a client, what I appreciated about Kathleen was her accessibility (I could always get in touch with her thru email, text and phone to get my answers) and that is excellent customer service. She was also on top of her game and was often following up with all aspects of our transaction - whether it was selling our home or ensuring our appointments are set up for house hunting. She provides a full real estate concierge experience - hand holding us from the initial process right through till the end. With Kathleen, we had absolute confidence in her guidance and experience. She is a true professional and incredibly sharp in this business.
Kathleen and Michael are two of the most amazing, personable, respectful, hard working, reliable, honest, and (etc) people I have ever met. Our condo in the Canal was a challenge to sell. They knew how to market it and had connections to do so. They are damn good realtors. They know what they are working with and can adapt to any situation that arises. I cannot compliment the two of them enough. Given their reviews on Yelp, I think anyone can see they are good at what they do. Not only are they good at what they do, they LOVE what they do! It's easy to see that by the enthusiasm they exude. Thank you, you two!!!! We are forever grateful for your effort and excitement. A house on the market for only 25 days (including escrow and close) is a WIN for everyone!! Allyson C. 5.0 star rating This year we decided to sell our Victorian flat in San Francisco - a difficult decision since we really loved the place and held many memories and happy times there. All of the emotions wrapped up in a real estate transaction like ours can make for a very difficult process unless you have professionals like Kathleen and Michael handling the sale. They understood our emotional attachment to this home and effectively guided us through the landmines of a San Francisco real estate transaction. We achieved all we wanted from the sale including the price, the transition to our new place, and minimizing the headaches associated with all the paperwork. Plus, they schooled the buyers agent and title company to the point where without them, we're not sure all would have happened as timely or efficiently. Their real estate knowledge, marketing expertise, and ability to deal with our emotional ups and downs were stellar every step of the way. We give Kathleen and Michael our highest recommendation and will definitely use them for all future transactions! Jessica O. 5.0 star rating If you are reading this, congratulations! You just found the best real estate agent you could ever wish to have. Kathleen is knowledgeable, efficient and very detailed about every aspect of selling your home for you. I just sold my home in Pinole through Kathleen and I got the price I wanted, the time frame I wanted and none of the contingencies I didn't want. She was truly my agent, because she represented me with my best possible interests in mind throughout the entire process.
Not only did Kathleen show the home during open houses, she and Michael also took wonderful pictures of my home, did a website and fliers especially for us and made sure that the listing was on all of the sites like Zillow, Trulia, etc. She also presented me with a very detailed folder with the comparables in the neighborhood so that we knew we were asking for the best possible price. Kathleen always answered my phone calls, text messages and emails within minutes and was always there when I needed her. Do yourself a favor and rely on Kathleen and Michael to help you buy or sell your home. You will not regret it. Bethany J. 5.0 star rating Kathleen and Michael are a fantastic team to work with on every level! We needed to relocate to Santa Rosa from Texas so we needed someone who was on the ball to help be our eyes and ears. We had tried two agents prior to finding Kathleen and Michael. The first agent was good, but there just wasn't that professional chemistry we desired. The second agent was far from on the ball causing us to miss a couple other properties. Though everything happens for a reason so after the last agent was screwing up I decided to check out some reviews on Yelp. That's when I found our winning team, Kathleen and Michael. They are not only friendly, easy to talk to, and caring, but they were professional, prompt, thorough, and educated. We were in complete chaos trying to get ready to move during the holidays and they were available every step of the way...during holidays (which isn't always easy to find). Their relationships with others in the industry also proved to be important. We needed to close early due to the arrival of our moving truck. Kathleen and Michael stayed in the loop with the lenders, inspectors, loan officers, appraisers, etc so everything could take off as smooth as possible. Not only did we close in only 26 days, but those 26 days were smack in the middle of Christmas and New Years yet it all went great. Lastly, the personal touch these two offer is hands down top notch! They truly care about their clients, listen, and take those extra steps. I feel like we not only found a great team for our real estate needs, we found friends. If you need agents who will go the extra mile and provide the full package, Kathleen and Michael are certainly the team for you. Topazskye L. 5.0 star rating Being totally clueless about buying our first house, Kathleen and Michael were instrumental in helping us to finally find the right house for our little family. They are both highly organized - I remember at our first open house visits, they passed us a folder of all the homes we had shortlisted and she had all the notes penned onto them as well. This made the whole adventure such a breeze.
Kathleen is very observant and understood our likes/dislikes well and the best part of it all, she was honest and never pushy about any of the homes we saw. She was always looking out for our best interests and that was what made us so comfortable with her. She found us the dream house which checked off everything we wanted in our first home - SCORE!!! Wading through the bible of paperwork in a home purchase can be daunting but whenever we needed some guidance or help, she was always there for us and patient through the entire process. Working with them is totally a PLEASURE and if we ever look into buying another home or selling one, we will be turning to them again. They are just WONDERFUL!!!! Jason W. 5.0 star rating Kathleen and Michael helped me purchase my first home about 2 years ago and were extremely patient and helpful throughout the process. Being a 1st time home buyer I had no idea what to expect, so it was great to have their support. I was impressed by the amount of knowledge they have about the real estate market. They were willing to spend the time to show me a countless number of properties to make sure I felt comfortable and understood what I was getting myself into. It was also very helpful that they knew the ins and outs with bank procedures for attaining a loan and were in constant communication with my loan officer. I had full confidence and trust that they had my best interest in heart. I still feel like they value me as a client, as they consistently send thank you notes around the holidays to show their appreciation. I would highly recommend working with Kathleen and Michael for any of your real estate needs. They are truly amazing. Chelcea D. 5.0 star rating I am very thankful for all the hard work that Kathleen and Michael provided in purchasing my first home. Kathleen was very flexible with her availability to look at many homes, provided thorough explanations on the changing real estate market and really focused on what was within reason and met my needs. I had worked with two other realtors who pushed properties that were not within my parameters. No mater what I continued to communicated, they still didn't incorporate my feedback or personality into the homes they presented. My house was a short sale with two bank loans. Apparently, that can make the process more difficult. I had no idea on how everything was going to unfold after making an offer. Over the four month waiting period I was educated on each step and constantly updated. I never had to question why I hadn't heard anything from my realtor. They provided a recommendation of a reputable foundation inspector and handled several inspections
when I was away. When it came down to closing escrow in 7 DAYS!! Kathleen helped get EVERYTHING signed, sealed and delivered. When complications occurred by the seller's realtor because of the time crunch, Kathleen fought for what was deserved. Almost a year later, Kathleen took the time to stop by the house to see how I was settling into my new home. Her enthusiasm on some of the changes I made reassured me again on the massive step I took.
You also get the HUGE bonus of having Kathleen Murphy working on your behalf so it's really like getting two agents in one. They bring years of experience and tons of knowledge with them and in addition, they seem like they genuinely take an interest in you. I can't recommend them enough!
I constantly recommended them to others and now to you.
As a first-time buyer just over a year ago, my head was filled with horror stories of how difficult buying a home during that time was supposed to be. I can only guess that people who went through such horrors needed Kathleen and Michael working for them.
Romar D. 5.0 star rating I recently had a transaction with Kathleen on a property in Danville where I represent the buyer. I can't even begin to tell you how professional she is to deal with. She has this down! Not only her professionalism shines through, she's also compassionate and REALLY does care about people! It's really rare to find agents "with heart," like Kathleen, who is not only sympathetic, but also professional and understanding. It's good to know that there are still agents like her that are not focused so much about "the bottom line," but are truly willing to give good people a chance to purchase a home. If I wasn't an agent and I was looking for an agent to buy or sell my home, I would definitely use her! I've been in the business for 10 years now...and I've seen all kinds of agents out there....and Kathleen is definitely in my top percentile that I would do business with again! Thank you Kathleen! Your kindness, professionalism, passion, and compassion does not go un-noticed...and I know somehow, somewhere, you will be rewarded at a higher level. Terrie P. 5.0 star rating Recently, I had the task of selling my uncle's two small, rundown condominiums in Marin County. Not being from the area, I had no idea as to who would be a good candidate to list the two properties. I met Michael Baranowski at a homeowners association meeting for one of the condos. His smart, direct, nononsense, aggressive personality impressed me immediately as the guy you want marketing your property. Michael and Kathleen agreed to come to my house in Benicia to present their thoughts on how to best promote the properties. They were thorough, organized and seemed extremely knowledgeable not only about the real estate market in Marin, but also about both condominium complexes in particular as they had done their homework and researched everything they could prior to meeting with me. The condos sold immediately and (for me) seamlessly for more than we had hoped and Michael was with me every step of the way. He is very communicative and involved and keeps you posted on how the transaction is progressing. Michael (Bulldog) Baranowski will do a tremendous job marketing your property or helping you find your dream home.
Greg H. 5.0 star rating
I arrived for our first - and as it happened, only - day of tours to be greeted by Kathleen and Michael with a clipboard consisting of MLS printouts of all of the houses we were going to see. A year or two prior, I had been out with a large online-based broker that sends its clients out with "field agents" to view homes, and nearly every day of touring was cut short because a home was occupied by tenants and we couldn't come in, because there was no lockbox at a home, or because a home was already sold. That was not to be the case with Kathleen and Michael. They had already checked them out before I arrived, so I hopped in their car and we started touring. As luck would have it, we found a house that was almost exactly what I was looking for on that very first day, and I decided I was ready to pull the trigger (and Michael and Kathleen circled back so that I could take another look at it.) After the tours, I began working almost exclusively with Kathleen, who put up with my constant expressions of worry about low appraisals, last-minute mortgage funding failures, and the like. She reassured me that I had nothing to worry about and that she would take care of ensuring that everything would roll along smoothly. And in the end, that is precisely what happened. Kathleen negotiated a large seller concession for the limited repairs called for in the inspection report and even sought out competitive quotes for some of the work. She helped me line up a sewer lateral inspection, despite it not being required for my area. And for much of the period I was in escrow, I often forgot that the process was moving along, reminded only when Kathleen would request a signature on something or give me an update on one of the processes that had operating which hadn't otherwise needed my attention. When it came time to close (which Kathleen helped me to delay, so that I could attend a wedding) I couldn't believe it had all been that easy. But it was. Kathleen and Michael pride themselves on being professional real estate agents, and my experience is that their pride is well placed and well earned. I don't believe transactions just happen; someone has to keep the transactions rolling. Mine managed to roll like it was on rails.
Julie G. 5.0 star rating Kathleen is a gift to the real estate industry, she is extremely knowledgeable, organized, patient, helpful and caring with a delightful sense of humor and a smile that brightens up the entire universe. Several years ago my now husband and I decided to sell our condo's and purchase our first house/home together. Kathleen was referred to us by our neighbors who sold their condo in our complex and purchased their first house. Kathleen listened to our ideas about our dream house and the area we were interested in living. The day we put our condos on the market Kathleen took us to look at homes in the area we choose as our number 1 location and found a perfect house on the 1ST DAY, AND she sold our condo in less than 2 weeks. Kathleen completed the required paperwork which could be overwhelming for anyone who is not in real estate making the entire process not only painless but exciting, easy and fun. We were in our new home in six weeks. We have a book of "before and after" photos which we took when we purchased our home, our favorite is the FIRST photo which is of Kathleen opening up the front door with the key to our home in her hand as we walked up the sidewalk greeting us with a hug and her smile that makes me smile whenever I think of Kathleen or look at the book reminiscing. When I drive into our driveway I still marvel every that this is OUR HOME!!!! I have recommended Kathleen to everyone I know that is interested in looking to sell or purchase a home, everyone fortunate enough to know and work with Kathleen all feel the same way. Kathleen, will take your hopes and dreams and made them a reality, still when I drive into our driveway I marvel that this is OUR HOME! Thank you Kathleen, you are an ANGEL! We are thrilled and proud to say that you are and always will be a very important person in our lives and a wonderful friend. Joanna P. 5.0 star rating Kathleen helped my husband and I thru the short sale of our first home. Kathleen was a pleasure to work with, very professional & easy to communicate with. She was extremely thorough & assertive when it came to working with our bank. It was a rough process, but we feel so thankful she was on our team. A huge weight has been lifted & it's a great feeling to be able to move forward to a brighter future. Anyone lucky enough to have Kathleen on their team will have a winning experience!!! Don W. 5.0 star rating I love these guys and trust them with my life. I've known Kathleen for a good 20+ years and she has helped me through numerous transactions over that time. Michael brought even
more to the table when they teamed up. Here's what I can tell you about the two of them: They are very patient and they know the industry like nobody's business. I can think of few things that can be more stressful than a real estate transaction. There are no words that can describe how comforting it is to let them handle everything and know that they will take care of any issues that may arise. Michael and Kathleen know their stuff and know how to get things done. My wife and I can't thank them enough, as they have saved us time, money and kept us clear of all the headaches that come with the territory. I wholeheartedly recommend them. Yelp Filtered Kaitain J. 5.0 star rating I have to tell you, until very recently I had this idea in my head that real estate agents were essentially a necessary evil, these vaguely parasitic people who took a large commission and didn't do much work in the process. Kathleen Murphy disabused me of this notion. She worked proactively and efficiently with me on a short sale that took FIVE MONTHS to complete. That length of time was imposed upon us by the Byzantine setup of the ownership situation: occupants in arrears, two separate banks who owned two separate loans on the property (and couldn't agree with each other), delinquent HOA fees, and ultimately (sadly) the unexpected death of one of the sellers. Circumstance threw the book at us, and Kathleen calmly swatted each obstacle aside, came up with a plan, and dealt with it. She suggested alternate properties to me at several junctures but respected the fact that I did intend to buy this (seemingly ill-starred) place, and after the banks finally came to an agreement with each other, she moved quickly and efficiently to ensure that close of escrow took place well within the time window we had. I would recommend her in a heartbeat. She was always available, always had sound answers and advice, and steered me through the process of all the various inspections and expected costs. It felt like working with a top-class lawyer who also understood the human side of buying a home. Massive difference from the UK (where I come from) where most estate agents feel like useless chancers with no specialist knowledge or ability. She fought my corner at every turn and the really strange thing is that a story that sounds like it ought to have been full of screaming and hair-pulling on my part was in fact an oddly serene and stress-free experience. It just required patience and time, and at no point did I think that we weren't on top of everything and ready for whatever was around the corner. And she continued to be a source of advice in the weeks after buying the home. I can't tell you that she's the best in Marin simply because she was the only agent I tried. I CAN tell you that I thought she was excellent. Lisa B. 5.0 star rating I will keep this short & sweet.....Kathleen is the best realtor I have encountered! I would not hesitate for a second to call on
her for any real estate needs. She is thorough, efficient, knowledgeable, detailed, and very pleasant to work with. It was a stress free sale and she handled EVERYTHING! Do yourself a favor and contact Kathleen for the sale of your home. You won't regret it! Simone S. 5.0 star rating We met Kathleen and Michael through a co- worker. What a great team. We had Kathleen sell our family home in southern Marin and at the same time she was busy finding us our new place. There was never a time during the frenzy that she wasn't immediately available . Always cheerful and positive . She walked us through inspections and the mounds of paperwork with ease. I recommended her to a client who also was thrilled. If you chose them you won't be sorry !!! John W. 5.0 star rating I just sold my home through Kathleen. This was the first time I have ever sold a home, so I didn't know what to expect. Kathleen laid everything out very clearly and professionally. It was all quite easy for me. We did almost all the documentation over DocuSign, so that helped make things much easier than it would have been just getting through the 100s of pages that need to be signed. She walked me through the various documents, which would have taken me days to read and understand if she hadn't been on the phone with me, explaining them one by one. Kathleen kept the whole process moving forward at a quick and steady pace. Kathleen made a very well organized and annotated table of all the offers. We went through them together and she pointed out the good points and bad points of each offer. Finally i felt we took the best one, although it was not the highest. Bottom-line, I was very happy with the experience. It was smooth, easy and very professional. Mary G. 5.0 star rating Kathleen is fantastic to work with on every level! My husband lost his job and I needed to sell our rental income property immediately to supplement our income while my husband seeks re-employment. Kathleen is not only friendly, she is easy to talk to, and caring. She is very professional, prompt, thorough, and very knowledgeable in her field. Needless to say, I was deeply stressed not knowing how long it would take to sell our rental property. Her relationships with others in the industry proved to be a valuable asset. She had an open house the weekend after she listed our home and low and behold I had seven offers all above the asking price! I cannot tell you what a relief this was. Kathleen stayed in the loop with the lenders, inspectors, loan officers, appraisers, etc. so everything could flow as smoothly as possible. I live in Texas and my home was in Union City, Kathleen saved me the cost of a trip to California, she took care of all the paperwork via DocuSign and was even my interface
with the title company. The personal touch she offer is hands down top notch! She truly cares about her clients, she listen to you and takes those extra steps. Kathleen has become our family's friend since she sold our first home back in 2000. She now handles all our immediate family's real estate needs. If you need an agents who will go the extra mile and provide the full service package, Kathleen and Michael are certainly the team for you. I am very thankful for all the hard work that Kathleen provided us in selling our home. Kathleen is very generous with her availability, she provides thorough explanations on the changing real estate market and really focuses on your needs. I sincerely recommend them to others and now to you. Karol K. 5.0 star rating We recently bought a house in Novato. .We have a home in Kansas but wanted a home here in order to be close to our son and his partner. Kathleen and Michael were amazing. They are honest, respectable, and business smart We told Kathleen and Michael our needs and they found what we needed and wanted. We were in Kansas at the time and we were not able to come to California. However, they were able to work out the logistics of a long distance sale.. We were able to put our trust in these two people who were so professional. Never did I have reason to doubt their honesty or integrity. These traits mixed with kindness gave us a happy home. Jean R. 5.0 star rating Kathleen Murphy handled sale of my condo. She is the best realtors I have known. She is truly an expert in her field and she really understands what awesome service is all about and delivers. She did thorough market analysis, generated multiple offers, and helped me pick the offer that was best for my situation. It's usually difficult to deal with HOA but she handled that expertly and got the escrow closed in a very short time. I really appreciated her excellent and honest communication style that made me feel that I knew what was going on during the whole transaction period. Thank you Kathleen! E K. 5.0 star rating I can't say enough good things about my experience working with Kathleen. She recently helped me to sell a property in Mill valley. We had a lot of curve balls thrown at us during the transaction, from buyers, agent and tenant, but her advice and experience helped us to navigate well and ultimately sell for the highest price possible. I would recommend Kathleen to everyone. I know she will work hard for everyone of her clients because that is who she is. Thank you Kathleen!
Ben A. 5.0 star rating We were in the market to buy our first home. We had been working with a real estate agent for the first six months of 2013; we put in several offers, all above asking price, but we weren't having any luck. Low inventory, lots of cash offers, etc etc... we were frustrated. We were referred to Kathleen through a friend, and had the pleasure to start working with her. I can't tell you how much of a relief it was working with Kathleen. The experience was short and sweet - within a week of contacting her, we put in an offer on a house that I was SURE was a long shot. It was a great house... great location, move-in ready, etc. Offer accepted. A little over a month later and we moved in. I know things don't always work out like that, but I can tell you there was a lot more than luck involved. From the get-go, Kathleen was super attentive and a superb communicator. She was matter-of-fact honest, available through emails, texts, and in-person visits, and her experience and person ability really shone through in every way. She worked side-byside with us throughout the process, from the open house visits and the offers we put in with her, to the complexities of the closing process, keeping us in the loop the whole time. Michael joined us for house visits, and his words of wisdom and great sense of humor really added a lot to the experience as well. The first time home-buying process was pretty bewildering for us, and I can't tell you how much it helped to have the level of experience, professionalism, and attentiveness that we got from Kathleen. I feel like that is exactly what we needed in this competitive market, and I will highly recommend her to all friends and family. Jen H. 5.0 star rating I bought my first home in Sonoma County with Kathleen and Michael last year and it was a wonderful experience. They walked me through the transaction every step of the way. I was impressed by their knowledge, organization and follow through. Being a first time home buyer I was expecting to be stressed out by the process and all of the paperwork, however, with Kathleen and Michael representing me I was delighted by how easy and stress-free the transaction was. I would most definitely recommend them to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. Mark D. 5.0 star rating Kathleen Murphy is outstanding. She has acted as our agent now for two purchases and one sale. In every case she demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the local market as well as a sound understanding of the real estate business in general, and we have always been left with complete confidence and peace of mind knowing that every detail was properly handled and that we got the best deal possible. Kathleen's dedication, availability, reliability and thoroughness are first-rate. When we were discussing with her the possibility
that we might instead use an online service for our most recent sale and purchase, her final words to us were "No one will work harder for you". From our previous experience with her, we knew those weren't empty words, but she made good on that promise over and over again, and we could not have been more pleased with the superb level of service she provided. We have recommended Kathleen to close friends, who were also very happy with her, and I would not hesitate to recommend her again. John K. 5.0 star rating I worked with Kathleen in purchasing a home in Sonoma. Kathleen couldn't have been nicer to work with - knowledgeable in all aspects of home buying/owning - from the purchase, to mortgage, contractor recommendations, and more. She was fun to work with and understanding when things get bumpy. Kathleen was also very responsive and helpful when well after the sale I needed a little professional help in working with the county to adjust my property taxes. I'd definitely work with her again - and would have absolutely no hesitation recommending her. Michelle J. 5.0 star rating Kathleen and Michael are two of the best realtors I have had the pleasure of working with. In our industry it is hard to find people that are professional, pay attention to details, and know their stuff like these two. They work as a team with the client and loan agent to ensure a smooth transaction from start to finish. Clients come first with them. I have worked with them in the past and look forward to working with them in the future. Dale R. 5.0 star rating Kathleen and Michael did a great job of helping me sell my condo in San Francisco in 2004. They were there to provide guidance and advise at every step, from initial listing, to open houses, and reviewing offers, to the final close of the sale. I always felt that I was in the loop the entire time. Because of their expertise, in 2010, my wife and I sought their advice in helping us refinance out current home. Kathleen and Michael suggested the names of several mortgage brokers for us to consider, one of which we opted to work with. Their recommendation helped us get a significantly lower mortgage rate that resulted in a more than $265K reduction in interest over the life of the loan. Kathleen and Michael make a great team with an eye for detail. I would recommend putting them at the top of your short list for selecting a realtor. You won't be disappointed.
Richard E. 5.0 star rating
John D. 5.0 star rating
Kathleen has helped us on three real estate transactions. The first was the purchase our home in 1991. She was extremely patient and very helpful throughout the process. She is organized, knowledgeable, responsive and the personification of customer service. She possesses a wonderful sense of humor which made the stressful process of home buying much easier to handle. She helped us sell the first home and assisted us in purchase of our current home. In addition to her knowledge of the real estate, she was a great help in staging our home for sale. When purchasing our second (current) home, Kathleen exactly what our tastes were and what we were looking for in a potential home. This is a testament to her skill as an real estate professional.
Kathleen and Michael are as good as it gets when it comes to representing both buyers and seller in the real estate market. When you look at the industry as a whole, there is a much larger population of listing agents vs. buyer's agents. Why? Because representing buyers requires much more effort and time than working with a listing.
In the roughly 20 years that we have known Kathleen, she has proven to be a good friend and resource. Because of her professionalism and knowledge, we have never hesitated in referring her to friends. A friend to whom we recommended Kathleen purchased a home. She was entirely satisfied with the quality of service Kathleen gave her and thanked us for introducing Kathleen to her.
As good as they are at being a listing agent, Kathleen and Michael are superb buyer's agent's. The highest compliment I can give them is that they treat each purchase as if it was their own. Nothing short of the best when it comes to inspections, education and advice - the always leave the buyer knowing that they were educated in every aspect of the home, neighborhood, schools and more prior to closing.
Colleen C. 5.0 star rating
When I buy a home, I expect my agent to protect mine and my families interest and they do this as well or better than any I have worked with.
Kathleen has been our agent for 4 purchases and 4 sales. Our first time using Kathleen was 1990 and I just finished moving in to my current home a month ago. I have complete trust in her that she will have my best interest in what ever transactions take place. Kathleen is honest, ethical and a really good person. She puts her clients first and stays on top of the process all the way through. She obviously has the experience necessary to do a great job, but she also keeps up on the latest trends and technology so she can be as efficient as possible. Once my latest home purchase was complete, I was a little sad that I wouldn't get to hear from her every day. Michael was indirectly involved in the latest sale and purchase and was also supportive and helpful. I recommend Michael and Kathleen without reservation and would never think of using anyone else! Luba M. 5.0 star rating Kathleen helped us with our last three real estate transactions (with added bonus of Michael on third transaction).I cannot imagine anyone better than Kathleen in this job. She is incredibly responsive, organized and helpful. She usually knows the answer, but if not, she will find it. No detail or matter is too small for her. In the last transaction, Kathleen and Michael went to all the homes were potentially interested in before taking us, to make sure it was really something we would like. Prepared is just an understatement. And they both have the attitude that their job is to serve their client and it shows in all they do.
You need to prepare reviews and inspect multiple homes rather than just the one that is listed, you need to gauge markets and selling points for various areas and you need to have a keen eye to protect the buyer and properly advise them as they go to purchase their new home.
It is so nice to know that you have a counselor out there that will take care of you in every way when you go to make the biggest purchase of your life. Kathleen and Michael are the best!
KATHLEEN & MICHAEL EARNED THESE DESIGNATIONS When is a Real Estate Agent a REALTOR?: The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® & subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Code of Ethics: The Code establishes time-honored & baseline principles that come from the collective experiences of REALTORS® since the Code of Ethics was first established in 1913. Those principles can be loosely defined as: Loyalty to clients; Fiduciary (legal) duty to clients; Cooperation with competitors; Truthfulness in statements & advertising; & noninterference in exclusive relationships that other REALTORS® have with their clients. Real Estate Broker: The broker is a higher level license than a real estate agent & would be authorized to hire real estate agents to work under broker's supervision. Certified Residential Specialist / CRS: The Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) is the highest Designation awarded to sales associates in the residential sales field. The CRS Designation recognizes professional accomplishments in both experience & education. Since 1977 the Council of Residential Specialists has been conferring the CRS Designation on agents who meet its stringent requirements. Today, only the Top 4% of all Realtors in the United States have earned this designation, the highest in the industry. Accredited Staging Professional/ ASP: An ASP Real Estate Agent is a real estate agent that completed a rigorous training program covering specific techniques & concepts in home presentation & Staging. This includes classroom training & staging of homes that will soon go on the market using the skill they learned in class. An ASP Real Estate Agent will help the home owner properly prepare their home for sale & get the home sold faster & for more money. Graduate Realtor Institute/ GRI: Buying property is a complex & stressful task. In fact, it's often the biggest single investment you will make in your lifetime. At the same time, real estate transactions have become increasingly complicated. New technology, laws, procedures & the increasing sophistication of buyers & sellers require real estate practitioners to perform at an ever-increasing level of professionalism. So it's more important than ever that you work with an agent who has a keen understanding of the real estate business. The GRI program has helped the best & the brightest in the industry achieve that level of understanding. GRIs are: Nationally recognized as top performers in the real estate industry Professionally trained Knowledgeable Dedicated to bringing you quality service A GRI can make a difference When you see the letters "GRI" after an agent's name, you can count on receiving the knowledge & guidance you need to make your transaction go smoothly. In short, you can count on the best service available from a real estate professional.
Accredited Relocation Expert: Assisting major corporations relocate their valued employees & families through out the US. According to Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, being a relocation expert proves "they have a working knowledge of the basics of relocation & the policies & procedures. Relocation Coordinators feel more confident in placing referrals because it indicates that their transferee will receive quality service & that they can expect proper, prompt & professional service. Certified Short Sale & Foreclosure Expert/ CSSFE: A Certified Short Sale & Foreclosure Expert has a thorough understanding of complex issues in today’s turbulent real estate industry & knowledge of foreclosure avoidance options available to homeowners. CDPEs can provide solutions, specifically short sales, for homeowners facing market hardships. Homeowners regularly proceed without guidance of any kind through the often financially & emotionally devastating prospect of foreclosure. Speaking with a well-informed, licensed real estate professional is the best course of action for a homeowner in distress. Through comprehensive training & experience, CDPEs have the tools to help homeowners find the best solutions for their unique situations & to avoid foreclosure through the efficient execution of a short sale. Living through financial difficulties poses a challenge for any family, so why make the process of finding a qualified real estate professional difficult too? Select an agent with the CDPE Designation to ensure you have a trained professional to address your specific needs. They don’t merely assist in selling properties, they serve & help save their clients in need.
USING THE INTERNET CUSTOM WEBSITES GET YOUR HOME WIDE EXPOSURE The real estate industry has moved on-line with good reason -- that's where today's tech-savvy & Internet oriented homebuyers have gone. Real estate sales methods are being redefined, as people increasingly rely on search engines to locate precisely the house they want. An ever-increasing percentage of buyers (53 percent) search the Internet as part of their house hunt; & 75 percent found the agent they used on-line. Technology improvements that help buyers find the perfect fit keep getting better & better. By comparison, yellow page ads & newspapers are declining in usage.
Each property appears under its own domain name (the street address) & provides a comprehensive resource about a single listing. Each seller receives their very own website, for the duration of the sales process. It is also important to deliver convenience in a way that appeals to both sellers & buyers. To the oft-quoted real estate phrase, "location, location, location," add "convenience, convenience, convenience." Now days, that's what everyone looks for. As improbable as it would seem, individual sites for each listing are convenient & simple. Kathleen & Michael’s unique marketing strategy gives your property a competitive advantage.
Those preferences have fundamentally changed the way Kathleen & Michael tell the world about the listings they  Convenience for Sellers: have. Homes that aren't easily found on-line are likely to be missed -- & sell slowly. Sellers want their property to sell quickly & easily. They expect their agent to make their property stand out from Expect Internet reliance for real estate to increase further, similar homes. Providing maximum Internet exposure because computer- & Internet-savvy buyers find answers guides buyers directly to their property that way (no matter what they're buying). Studies show web searchers tend to have higher education & incomes &  Convenience for Buyers are more likely to buy. The address takes them to the website, with numerous picNovel exposure for a listing is hard to come by. Firms tures & all the property specs. No need to click through employing effective online methods out-perform the rest, numerous listings that don't interest them. It's much easier by delivering answers in the way buyers prefer: ample to find the home that "rings their bell," without needing to pictures, simple & direct facts, & easy-to-find online visit the property initially. information. When it comes time for a seller to choose which agent There's an easy answer that avoids a property being lost. brings "something extra," offering Sellers their own buyerKathleen & Michael provide their home sellers their own oriented website (for no cost to them) like Kathleen & totally unique website, (in addition to our usual top shelf Michael always do, counts as a noteworthy listing tool. service), entirely devoted to one particular property. The domain name? It's location, of course: www.1122MainStreet.com. Take a peek. No question about where it's located. The home stands out in a high-impact way. People notice & its front yard sign sends passers-by to the unique website for all the particulars. The website stays up until the home is sold. It seems like a lot of trouble & expense for just one home. But advances in technology & new solutions mean it's not. Kathleen & Michael can provide such high-impact exposure to every listing, not just the million dollar ones, at no cost to the seller. Any property offered from its very own website rates extra attention -- & gets it.
USING TECHNOLOGY FOR BUYERS AND SELLERS
FOR BUYERS
E-SIGNATURES ARE EASY AS CHECKING EMAIL LISTING WATCH: HOMES MATCHING YOUR CRITERIA ARRIVE LIKE MAGIC DocuSign is the fastest, most secure way to sign documents from anywhere. Whether you need to close a sales contract, Imagine if you could have search which automatically buy a home or approve a project estimate, trust DocuSign, sends you homes potentially matching your needs. This is the most widely used eSignature. With DocuSign, you can called Listing Watch and it’s yet another way Kathleen & sign anytime, anywhere on any Internet-enabled device. Michael excel at client service. Once the criteria for your new home is decided upon, Kathleen & Michael craft and What is an electronic signature? monitor a custom search designed just for you. These listings will arrive in your midmorning email each day there is An electronic signature, or eSignature, is an electronic indi- something new, back on market or price reduced matching cation of intent to agree to or a prove the contents of a doc- your search parameters. ument. More specifically, the U.S. Federal ESIGN Act defines an electronic signature as an “electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a contract or other record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record.” How does DocuSign eSignature work? DocuSign enables you to sign with your mouse, upload a scanned image of your signature, or type in your name and select from a variety of signature styles to sign a document. With the DocuSign Ink mobile app you are able to sign with your finger. Whichever option you choose, your signature is a valid electronic signature. This signature will be associated with a unique identifier so that every document you sign will be recorded as signed by you and you alone. SEARCH THE MLS FOR YOUR NEXT HOME Only Kathleen & Michael can provide you direct MLS access for researching a home purchase. Simply click over to KathleenandMichael.com, scroll down and click Search for Homes. After a bit of data input, you are free to search the MLS.
YOUR LENDER WILL NEED THESE DOCUMENTS FROM A W-2/1099 BORROWER
Copies of pay stubs for the most recent 30 days Copies of W-2/1099s for last two years Complete copies of Corporate Returns/ partnerships/K-1s for last two years NOTE: if ownership is less than 25% these are not necessary Copies of most recent two (2) months statements for the following asset accounts. Please provide copies of all pages for each statement. Should any of the institutions issue you quarterly statements those can be provided in lieu of monthly. Please note that all funds will have to be sourced, therefore if there are any large deposits reflected that are nonpayroll, or not transfers between your accounts, additional documentation sourcing those deposits will be required. Complete copies of Federal Tax Returns (1040s) for last two years, please provide all schedules & pages Copy of extension filed for tax year last year (if applicable – provide previous year taxes if using an extension) Homeowners Insurance Declaration page for all properties & agent name & phone number For gift documentation, please provide the following attachment completed by you & the donor accordingly along with a copy of the donor's bank statement, copies of the deposit(s) evidencing that the funds are in your account(s). Most recent copy of your mortgage statement for all properties owned Copy of your residency card or driver’s license
FROM A SELF EMPLOYED BORROWER
Copies of pay stubs for the most recent 30 days (if they pay themselves) Copies of most recent TWO (2) months statements for all asset accounts. Please provide copies of ALL PAGES for each statement. Should any of the institutions issue you a quarterly statement those can be provided in lieu of monthly. Please note that all funds will have to be sourced, therefore if there are any large deposits reflected that are non payroll, or not transfers between your accounts, additional documentation sourcing those deposits will be required. Complete copies of Federal Tax Returns (1040s) for last two years, please provide all schedules & pages Copies of extension filed for two tax year 2011 (if applicable – provide previous year taxes if using an extension). Complete copies of Corporate Returns/ partnerships/ K-1s for two years NOTE: if ownership is less than 25% these are not necessary Copy of your business license covering a 2 year period Signed & date Year-to-date Profit & Loss statement along with 12 months of business bank statements to demonstrate cash flow Copy of letter from your tax preparer / CPA confirming you've been self employed for at least the last two years, & located at the same location Homeowners Insurance Declaration page & agent name & phone number For gift documentation, please provide the following attachment completed by you & the donor accordingly along with a copy of the donor's bank statement, copies of the deposit(s) evidencing that the funds are now in your account(s). Confirmation of the complete name of your trust, including the date created. (if applicable) Confirmation of the manner in which you wish to hold title (joint tenancy, community property, etc) Copy of your residency card or copy of driver’s license. Most recent copy of your mortgage statement for all properties owned
MORTGAGE DO’S & DON'TS While you are considering the purchase of a new home or exploring new financing on your current home, you need to be aware of what things might adversely affect your loan. Your credit, income and assets are verified after you submit your application and in some instances right before closing. Following these tips throughout the loan process can be very important. The key is to call us if you wish to make any changes to your financial picture, even it seems like a simple, logical thing to do. To have your loan commitment or your pre-approval remain valid, please pay close attention to the Do’s and Don’ts below: DO CALL YOUR MORTGAGE CONSULTANT: If you are unsure if something will impact your loan, call. EMPLOYMENT: Employment stability is a big factor in the underwriting process. Quitting, changing jobs or even changing positions in same company can greatly impact your loan approval. Inform us immediately of any changes to your job, position or income. DOCUMENTATION DO KEEP ORIGINALS: Keep originals of all paystubs, bank statements and other financial documents. DO KEEP AND PROVIDE ALL DOCUMENTATION FOR THE SALE OF YOUR CURRENT HOME: Provide all documents for the sale of your current home if selling it. Examples: sales contract, closing statement, employer relocation buyout program, etc. CREDIT DO STAY CURRENT ON EXISTING ACCOUNTS: Late payments on current accounts like mortgage, car payment, charge cards, etc. will impact your credit score which identifies your likeliness to repay your debts. Make your mortgage payments on time but call us before you make any payments that are scheduled within two weeks of closing. DO CONTINUE TO USE YOUR CREDIT AS YOU NORMALLY WOULD: Red flags are easily raised within the scoring system. If it appears you are diverting from your normal spending patterns, it could cause your score to go down. For example, if you’ve had a monthly service for cable billed to the same credit card for the past two years, don’t change that
now. Make any changes after loan closing. DON’T APPLY FOR NEW CREDIT OR INCREASE ANY CURRENT LIABILITIES. Avoid making major purchases such as cars, lines of credit for furniture, appliances, computers, etc. If you receive an invitation to apply for new lines of credit or to increase existing credit, don’t respond. If you do, that company will pull your credit report and this will have an adverse effect on your credit score. DON’T PAY OFF COLLECTIONS OR CHARGEOFFS: Generally, paying off old collections causes a drop in the credit score. Don’t pay off any collections unless we specifically ask you to in order to secure the loan. DON’T MAX OUT OR OVER CHARGE EXISTING CREDIT CARDS: Running up credit cards is the fastest way to bring a credit score down. Try to keep credit cards below 30% of the available limit. DON’T CONSOLIDATE DEBT TO ONE OR TWO CARDS or CLOSE CREDIT CARD ACCOUNTS: This may change your qualification ratio of debt to available credit which also affects your credit score. You want to keep an active beneficial credit history on your record. If you really want to do these things, do it after you close your mortgage loan. DON’T RAISE RED FLAGS: Don’t co-sign on another person’s loan or change your name and address. The less activity that occurs while your loan is in process, the smoother the process. ASSETS DON’T MAKE LARGE UNEXPLAINABLE DEPOSITS INTO BANK ACCOUNTS: Deposit amounts exceeding past history will be questioned by an underwriter unless the deposit is a documented gift. If you are getting a gift, call (gifts require specific documentation) your Mortgage Consultant to discuss. DON’T MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS OR TRANSFERS IN YOUR ASSET PICTURE: Don’t change investments, move positions, close, open or transfer any savings or other asset accounts without contacting us first.
LIFE OF A LOAN
LIFE OF AN ESCROW
WAYS TO HOLD TITLE
KATHLEEN & MICHAEL: PROFESSIONALS Kathleen is a licensed California Real Estate Broker & member of the National Association of Realtors.
Michael is a licensed California Realtor & member of the National Association of Realtors. Michael Baranowski Realtor C 415.519.8769 O 415.446.5511 E MBaranowski@comcast.net CalBRE #01417019
Kathleen Murphy, CRS Broker Associate C 510.366.3445 O 415.446.5511 E Kat.Murphy@comcast.net CalBRE #0952533 Kathleen serves on the professional standards committee for the Board of Realtors. She is also a Docent & past President of the Docent council at the Audubon Canyon Ranch Martin Griffin Preserve. egret.org
Michael paddles Outrigger Canoes with the Tamalpais Outrigger Canoe Club & served on the Board of Directors. tamoutrigger.org
Proudly affiliated with
851 Irwin St., San Rafael, California 94901
Kathleen & Michael also support: Surfrider Foundation ARF Marin Food Bank Hospice by the Bay The Marin Humane Society
Kathleen & Michael give back to the community through volunteering. They regularly cook for the REST Homeless project, Mill Street & Ritter Center. The are regular contributors to food/ shelter programs. They attend St. Luke Presbyterian Church.
Kathleen & Michael earn Chairman’s Club again in 2015 Top 1% of Realtors, Brokerage Wide, 6 years in a row!
The Power of Bradley Real Estate Bradley Commercial 851 Irwin Street, Suite 302 San Rafael, CA 94901
Napa Valley 3249 Browns Valley Road Napa, California 94558
Tiburon 1690 Tiburon Blvd Tiburon Tiburon, CA 94920
Fairfax (Bolinas Road) 44 Bolinas Road Fairfax, California 94930
Novato 1701 Novato Boulevard Novato, California 94947
Woodacre 18 Park Street Woodacre, California 94973
Fairfax (Broadway) 55 Broadway Fairfax, CA 94930
San Anselmo/Ross Valley Petaluma Coming Soon! 850 Sir Francis Drake Blvd San Anselmo, California 94960
Kentfield 636 College Avenue Kentfield, CA 94904
San Rafael 851 Irwin Street San Rafael, California 94901
Mill Valley 206 East Blithedale Avenue Mill Valley, California 94941
Santa Rosa 1401 Fourth Street Santa Rosa, CA 95404