Client Feedback
Anja and Colette were our agents in 2017 when we sold our house in North Berkeley. Our house was ready to show in just 3 weeks and their expertise, attention to detail and professionalism helped us get multiple offers way over the asking price. After several years of living abroad, we wanted to find a house in the Bay Area to be closer to family so naturally we contacted Anja and Colette. They were amazing! When we found our dream house, they were with us every step of the way so we could close on the house right before the holidays. We had to compete with many other offers but ours offer was accepted. We are absolutely thrilled with our new house and all that Anja, Colette and their team did to make our dream come true. Thank you twice!
John H.
The team did a fantastic job! We flew down to check out some neighborhoods over the weekend. They walked us through nearly a dozen homes and gave us some great insights along the way (both the good and the bad). We found a home we liked and they helped us get an offer together within 24 hours and accepted within 48 hours. (All over the 4th of July holiday!) They were super responsive throughout the process and have helped us settle in comfortably by staying in touch well after our close date as we settled into the home and the neighborhood.
Tom S.
The team did a fantastic job! We flew down to check out some neighborhoods over the weekend. They walked us through nearly a dozen homes and gave us some great insights along the way (both the good and the bad). We found a home we liked and they helped us get an offer together within 24 hours and accepted within 48 hours. (All over the 4th of July holiday!) They were super responsive throughout the process and have helped us settle in comfortably by staying in touch well after our close date as we settled into the home and the neighborhood.
Tom S.
Anja and Colette and their well rounded team did an amazing job selling our lovely house in the Claremont Court neighborhood of Berkeley this past June. The process began during our first consultation in January when we walked them through the house and discussed what work we would likely do to bring it to tip-top condition. They quickly articulated a timeline with estimates. Once we agreed to the plan, they arranged all of the contracting teams, gave great guidance on design choices and ensured that the project stayed on schedule, which was a huge accomplishment given the complexity and scope of work involved. The house was ready to go on the market in May as planned and the fresh changes and marketing they performed drove an amazing amount of excitement across the entire community, with loads of prospective buyers coming through. The list price was strategically set to maximize the energy and it worked fabulously as the offers seemed to line up, with the winning offer exceeding our expectations. Throughout the escrow and closing process, Anja and Colette ensured we and the buyers received immediate attention to any details and final decisions. We are so thankful that they were able to help us move through such an incredibly stressful experience that selling a family home can be. We were in great hands the entire time. I will definitely rely on Anja and Colette for future home purchases and sales and recommend them highly to all.
Michael O.
This past year Ford/Plowright sold our home in slightly under 3 months. They are undeniably the top team for The Grubb Co. I appreciated their positivity and support from emptying the property to preparing the home for market to successfully selling the property. It was a tremendous experience to work with them throughout the realty process and moreover come to know these talented women. Moreover [Anja + Colette] are realistic about housing and market conditions in advising sellers, including about living with Bay Area realities. Ultimately their direct and overarching approach resulted in closing on the house without complication within three months. From the first meeting to ensuring the new owner entered a clean home free of debris, I appreciated their integrity, hard work, and seasoned experience. I would highly recommend them.
Margaret F.
Anja and Colette and their team are great professionals. They help guide you through what can be an extremely challenging time. They keep you informed and help with all the little details. I found them to be very understanding and really care about their clients. I recommend them to anyone buying or selling a home if they are looking for a great experience.
Steve R.
Anja and Colette are excellent agents. Besides being very personable, they are professional, always on time, and insightful concerning specific listings, comparables, neighborhoods and schools. They helped us navigate the extremely competitive real estate market in the East Bay and gave us confidence that our offer was both reasonable and realistic. We can’t thank them enough for finding us the perfect home!
Richard W.
Anja and Colette are an amazing team! We wanted to get into one specific neighborhood just as the market was shifting, and they helped us navigate a difficult path to our desired home! Some items they helped us with:
- the seller was living overseas making communication challenging, but Anja and Colette handled this well - the negotiation was complex given changing market conditions
- Anja and Colette remained persistent with solid advice and it paid off! - they set us up with our mortgage broker, also outstanding, and the closing was fast and easy
- they have continued to check-in with us and help with contractors and other neighborhood questions
They are kind, caring, brilliant and responsive - highly recommend their services!
Thomas T.
Emma! Thank you so much for everything! Your patience putting up with driving me up and down the East Bay and changing my mind, your insightful activewear tips and style advice and your brilliance helping us find our dreamy Rockridge home! Your effervescent energy gave us life when going through the months of ups and downs of finding a house!
Cindy H.
Anja and Colette helped us through the very difficult process of buying a house in Berkeley CA. Their local know-how was the only reason we were able to buy our lovely home. They were super responsive, friendly, patient, respectful, and genuinely wanted to help. We would use them again to buy or sell.
Ian C.
Anja, Colette and team helped us sell our house in May. They made the process so easy, laying out all of the steps, being very clear about what we should expect, setting a reasonable but aggressive timeline, and handling all the contractors for us.
After two short weeks on the market we had 3 strong offers despite the impending slowdown and a closed without a hitch.
An easy process from start to finish, which was wonderful for first time sellers like us. The next time I am looking for a realtor they will be the first place I call.
Jason M.
Anja and Colette are a terrific team. They helped us through the very difficult process of buying a home in Berkeley. Ultimately, without them, I don't think we would have been able to buy a home. They were patient, caring, and genuinely wanted the best for us. Highly recommended, extremely trustworthy, very competent,... the list goes on and on. Thanks Anja and Colette!
Iain C.
Anja and Colette are simply the best, hands down. As someone who's very picky and seldom uses any superlative adjectives for a person, I just couldn't find any better words to describe them. From the very first meeting with Anja and Colette, I knew we found the right person. They are so sincere, caring, honest and responsible, which make them not only successful business women, but also beautiful persons we're lucky to know! And I'm not even mentioning their professionality! They offered us so many precious suggestions on each step of purchasing a house. And they are not only doing business, they are treating you as someone they really care for. They know so well what a house can mean to a family, and they are so experienced, that they constantly guided us and made sure that we were making the right decision to find "the one" for our family - not only a house to live in, but a home that you will start a new life with. And they never hesitated to go the extra mile for us! So many things they did for us that didn't even occur to us to ask them for. And I couldn't tell you how excited and grateful we are to find our dream house!! We just couldn't be more happy and satisfied! It's definitely big luck if you find Anja and Colette to work with!
Marlin L.
Anja, Colette, and their stellar team helped us to sell our home in the Berkeley Hills. They guided us through navigating a quickly shifting market with grace and perseverance and always kept us informed along the way. Despite facing economic headwinds that none of us could have predicted, they remained tuned in and steadfast in their pursuit of finding the right buyer for our home. They are true experts in the East Bay real estate market and we couldn't recommend them highly enough.
Kyle Y.
We recently worked with Anja and Colette to buy a new home and sell our first one -- which we had bought with them in 2017.
We still feel lucky to have had them as our agents over the years, and would recommend them unconditionally. Buying and selling, they have been the best advocates we could ask for in this incredibly challenging market.
For our new home, we had unique mix of needs including finding a home that allowed for wheelchair accessibility.
Colette worked patiently with us for over a year to find a house that met our needs and was within our budget. As a team they were always responsive, even through a prolonged process. We never felt rushed to make an offer that wouldn't have worked for us -- we truly felt that they always had our family's needs top of mind.
When we finally found a house in Albany that checked all the boxes, Colette was able to help us make a winning offer that was within our budget. Her unique mix of experience and relationships gave us an edge; Anja and Colette's understanding of the market is second-to-none.
Selling our old home was incredibly simple and painless, letting us focus on our move. We completely trusted Anja, Colette, and Rena, our project manager.
They made smart and economical tweaks to our house that made it absolutely shine. I appreciated that they not only polished the appearance of the home, but suggested a few non-superficial improvements that could have easily been swept under the rug and passed to the buyer. We felt it was a mark of integrity, and we felt great about the excellent quality and condition of the home for the next owner.
Bottom line, their approach to marketing and staging the home also paid off -- we received multiple offers that exceeded their initial estimated sale price range. Another home just across the street from us that was listed the same week sold for significantly less.
We are so grateful to Anja and Colette!
Annie Z.
I don't usually post reviews online, but Anja, Colette and their team are incredible. They helped us look for a house when we came back to the US in 2016, and quickly helped us close on a starter home in the ideal location, close to school, swim club, etc. We had a lot of criteria. We must have toured dozens of houses and they were (and continue to be) amazingly patient, warm, collaborative through and through. They have become our close friends and after a few years of searching, just recently helped us close on our next home, again with all of our ideal "needs + wants" in mind. We are extremely lucky to have them in our friend circle here in the Bay Area.
K. H.
Couldn't be more pleased with this team. Solid insight and analysis, great communication, prompt service, very pleasant to deal with. Got the results we had hoped for. Can't really ask for more!
Bruce L.
We had an exceptional experience with Anja and her team. From the very first day, she took the time to understand our priorities and quickly helped us hone our search for a home. Her years of experience and extensive east bay network helped us immensely in closing on the perfect house for us (and at a price that works for us). We were able to close on our dream home in under two months after first meeting Anja. We could not recommend her services more! We are so happy with our new home.
David L.
We initially met Anja and Colette on our home buying search. We didn't end up buying the home they were listing (we were outbid), but their communication, openness, and professionalism stood out amongst the many agents we met in the process. When the time came for us to sell existing home a couple of years later, we knew exactly who to call. Anja and Colette's team are unlike any other real estate team we have encountered. They are expert marketers, communicators, and negotiators with a keen understanding of buyers and deep rooted sense professionalism. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for an agent.
Laura A.
You simply can not do better than Anja, Colette, Rena and their team. Deep market knowledge, excellent communications, sharp attention to detail and an overall true pleasure to work with. How wonderful it was to both get a great result selling our home while actually enjoying the process! Look no further, Anja and Colette are the absolute best in the East Bay.
Patrick H.
If I could give Anja and Colette and Rena 10 stars I would! You will not find another realty team this amazing! We sold our spacious North Berkeley Hills home in May without drama or fuss due to their expertise. Selling a house is one of the most stressful and emotional things one can experience, so this is why you need Anja and Colette by your side! They were always quick to respond to any questions, and we had total confidence in their sound advice and knowledge of the real estate market. They created such a warm, welcoming video of our house and used social media so adeptly to market our house. Rena was so helpful getting our house ready, attending to all the myriad details with such grace. They held the first open house allowed after lockdown and were rewarded with amazing attendance. We had such confidence in them that we were able to be out of town during most of the time the house was on the market. They kept us apprised with the perfect amount of detail and information. We especially appreciated their counsel when deciding upon mutiple offers. We could not be happier with the outcome! It is no wonder they are the top producers in the east bay. They are not only top notch realtors, they are wonderful and amazing people! We just loved working with them and you will too!
Jalyn L.
Hire this team. From the first meeting to the final closing (where they got us well over asking) my sister and I could only marvel at how all elements were handled with such professionalism. They know the market. They know the moving parts of getting the house ready, done right and finished beautifully. They know how to set a schedule and stay with it. They know how to communicate all of this to their clients, with clarity but also reassurance and a very kind human touch. In the end we were of course thrilled to get over asking. But selling a property is also complicated and emotional and working with such a capable and considerate team really made a difference. Thank you Anja and Colette and Rena and Sally.
Adrienne L.
Anja and Colette were instrumental in the successful sale of my father's home. Their vision and enthusiasm for the remodel potential of the home was wonderful. Organizing and overseeing a facelift/remodel was a key determining factor in selecting their team - and they hit it out of the park. Rena sourced beautiful materials and reasonably priced contractors and kept the project on time and on budget. Once they created the "wow factor" to maximize value, they followed that with excellent staging, beautiful photos and effective marketing. All of this led to a sale WELL ABOVE the list price! I'm a raving fan of this team and you will be too if you make the smart decision to work with them. They are simply exceptional!
John M.
We put our Berkeley home on the market mid-April. In two weeks Anja & Colette linked 2100 hits online, 41 personal covid-safe visits, got two full offers, and we accepted cash offer, $200,00 over asking, no contingencies, and closed two weeks later. Anja and Colette along with teammate Rena Meyer advised preparation, repairs and staging. They knew our market and recommended an attractive asking price. They explained complicated forms, were helpful in our transition, respectful of our needs and timing, helping us dispose of items to new homes. They managed staging, marketing, showing, negotiating and closing--they were superb! We trusted them and they came through for us.
Steven P.
They walked us through the complicated forms and required documents, and spent extra time explaining them to us. They were encouraging and helpful in our transition, respectful of our needs and timing. Anja and Collette know the market and helped us set an attractive asking price. Staging, marketing, showing, negotiating and closing - they were all superb!
Selling our home of 40 years... was an emotional and stressful process. Anja, Colette and Rena were sensitive, supportive, grounded and focused on navigating and leading us through this process. Anja, Collette and Rena are dedicated professionals. We trusted them and they came through for us.
Steven P.
Hire this team. From the first meeting to the final closing (where they got us well over asking) my sister and I could only marvel at how all elements were handled with such professionalism. They know the market. They know the moving parts of getting the house ready, done right and finished beautifully. They know how to set a schedule and stay with it. They know how to communicate all of this to their clients, with clarity but also reassurance and a very kind human touch. In the end we were of course thrilled to get over asking. But selling a property is also complicated and emotional and working with such a capable and considerate team really made a difference. Thank you Anja and Colette and Rena and Sally.
Jacqueline L.
How can I give more than 5 stars to Colette and team? I have bought / sold homes with multiple realtors and Colette is by far the best realtor my wife and I have worked with. Colette knows every detail of every neighborhood, can inform you of which parts of the disclosure to read carefully, and is completely plugged into the local market. She knows every realtor so is able to guide you through making an offer that has a reasonable shot of being enough to have the offer accepted.
Gagan R.
We wish we could give Anja and Colette more than 5 stars. Absolutely the best experience we've ever had selling a home. Their expertise, attention to detail, and responsiveness to our never-ending questions made a complicated home sale less stressful. The proof of their design and staging prowess was evident when we received multiple offers for significantly more than the asking price. We recommend Ford/Plowright enthusiastically and we would use their services again.
James B.
When it came time to sell our family home we wanted to make sure we had a top agent. The house had been in our family for 60 years and the task of getting it ready for sale seemed overwhelming.
Anja, Collette and Rena met with us and laid out a comprehensive plan to ready the house for sale, set a pricing strategy, and put together a solid marketing plan.
They took charge with all the renovations, staging, photos and video tour quickly and efficiently. By the time the house was on the market it looked fantastic and we knew it would generate a lot of buyer interest. Once we were live, I was astonished at how prevalent the web presence of our house was. The results were excellent: we received multiple offers in less than a week at great terms and we closed the sale in less than 30 days.
They made the process effortless for my sisters and me. Although it was difficult to part with our long-time family home, we were happy to see it restored to such a good condition and purchased by an appreciative family.
Jon G.
5 STARS!!! I have had the pleasure of working with Anja and Collette for over a decade and consider them much more than agents but good friends as well. They did an incredible job understanding our criteria and keeping an eye out for special opportunities that met our interests. They are always responsive, strategic, tuned in to market dynamics and are very well respected within the local brokerage community. It is truly an advantage to work with such best in class agents and with that I offer the highest regards for anyone considering working with Anja, Collette and their team!
Joe F.
When my husband and I were ready to sell our Berkeley home, I knew I wanted the absolute best of the best representing us and our house. We couldn't be more pleased to have worked with Anja, Colette and Rena. They are the DREAM TEAM - knowledgable, professional, warm and friendly! They knew exactly all the right things that needed to be done to have our house ready for sale. We moved out of state and were so relieved to have them handle everything with their exceptional organization, attention to detail and incredible eye for design and style. They provided excellent advice and made sure we were comfortable with all the important decisions throughout the process.
Anja sent timely updates and was prompt to reply to any questions or concerns we had. On our offer day, they guided us through the multiple offers we received. We are beyond thrilled with the outcome of the sale and know that we have Anja, Colette and team to thank for the wonderful results.
Their 5 star rating is well-earned!
Nini T.
We worked mostly with Anja who is a consummate professional and truly caring. She helped us buy our first home, which was also our dream house. Responsive, honest and supportive from start to finish, Anja helped us navigate the complex terrain of Bay area real estate. We loved working with her, and she has also been an amazing resource for us since we bought the house, helping us find the right people for various jobs around the house.
A. G.
Have you ever worked with someone that was SOOOO OUTSTANDING and went OVER & BEYOND YOUR EXPECTATIONS that you wanted everyone to know about them and use them?!?! Let me tell you about Anya and Colette. They are not only the BEST REAL ESTATE TEAM in the Bay Area, they are what any person would dream of with when purchasing a home! Anja changed my life for the better and made my dream of buying a home a reality. She was with me every step of the way and responded to all my questions, concerns within minutes of me asking. I could count on her anytime of the day, 7 days a week. My condo closed in November and Anja continued checking and making sure every last detail was perfect for me well into the new year! Anja and Colette are not only professional, experts, personable, knowledgeable real estate agents they took extra time with me so I understood the entire process. They made the whole process FUN, EASY and POSITIVE. They are so Resourceful, CREATIVE, Passionate, GREAT Communicators and just get houses and people! I loved working with them and you will too!
Karle F.
We worked mostly with Anja who is a consummate professional and truly caring. She helped us buy our first home, which was also our dream house. Responsive, honest and supportive from start to finish, Anja helped us navigate the complex terrain of Bay area real estate.
Stefan H.
What a dream team Anja and Colette were for our home sale this spring! They were experienced, responsive, a pleasure to work with, and at every turn willing to go above and beyond to prepare our home beautifully, navigate an extremely active response to their lovely listing, and bring home a very successful sale. I would recommend them without hesitation! Their decades of Bay Area expertise, their excellent sense of home aesthetics and the market, and their warm friendliness make for a winning formula. We couldn't have been more pleased with our choice!
Melita S.
We worked with Colette for more than a year and it was a great partnership. Colette always accommodated my busy schedule and was available to show us homes throughout Berkeley and Oakland. She has very deep knowledge about the different neighborhoods and provided us insights that wasn't easily available online. Moreover, Colette was a pleasure to work with. I would definitely work with Colette again in the future.
Jas S.
I can't speak highly enough about the service provided by Colette and Anja during the purchase of my current home! The Ford/Plowright team is the most knowledgeable, attentive, efficient, and effective. We had a couple of roadblocks with this transaction and they were super resourceful and supportive and helped to overcome it all and made sure the deal closed. I strongly recommend that you chose Colette and Anja as your realtors if you're looking for a house in the East Bay!
Natasha T.
Anja and Collette came highly recommended and the praise and expertise were not an exaggeration. It is well deserved. As a first time home seller, of a property that had been in our family for forty years, we had many questions, fears and concerns. But from the moment we met them, we knew we were in good hands. They assessed our home, gave recommendations, and helped us implement and arrange what needed to be done. They offered excellent recommendations on staging and even added additional touches to the stager’s design. Their promotion was superb. We had good offers and they gave us excellent assistance on how to navigate our decision. They were always dependable and responsive. We would use them again in a heartbeat.
Gaby S.
Anja and Colette are a fabulous team! Every aspect of working with them was seamless - from the personalized relationship, expert advice, top notch negotiation and authentic care for our entire family. We bought our dream home and owe it all to their expertise!
Ali M.
We worked with Colette and Anja for a year to buy our house in Berkeley Hills and had a great experience. We got the first house we made an offer for, and fortunately for us, she picked the offer price that won us the house. We ended up saving money because of Colette, and her instincts were bang on target. We got our dream house at a great price, and with a smooth closing. Her patience through our one year search was phenomenal and there were times she eliminated houses for us, as she understood what we were looking for. I would highly recommend them. Pleasure to work with
K. D.
We have used Anja and Colette for four different transactions and each time they have exceeded our expectations. Twice they helped us buy, guiding us expertly through the competitive bidding processed, making sure that we did not offer too much on any property, but always making sure our offers were strong. Twice they have helped us sell our home, and both times they got us a great price. During the sale process they have given us great recommendations on what improvements we should make to the property to get the highest price possible, and their list of contractors were all top notch. When it came to the offer process, they expertly negotiated with the multiple buyers making sure we got the best offer possible. They are the best in a very crowded industry and we would never buy or sell a home in the Oakland/Berkeley area without them.
Jonathan W.
As a first time home seller, I was nervous. I didn't know how to find contractors, coordinate their work, or navigate my way through the maze of paperwork that I knew would be forthcoming. Anja, Colette, and their project manager Rena are all very knowledgeable, supportive, kind, and proactive individuals. They promptly answered my many questions and walked me through the entire process. They kept to their schedule for repairs and upgrades to the home. After all of the work was done, the house looked beautiful and inviting! Working with Anja, Colette, and their team to sell my home was an enjoyable experience! I give them my highest recommendation!
Dave M.
My brother and I cleaned out and sold our childhood home recently. We interviewed 3 local realtors/realtor teams and agreed on Anja and Colette at Grubb Company. What a great decision. They were very knowledgeable and so professional and wonderful to work with. More than once during the project I remarked to my brother "Wow, we really picked the right team." Things ran efficiently and we came to really trust all their input and suggestions. It was a great experience for me and I definitely recommend them.
Ann S.
From the first moment we met with Anja and Collette to discuss the sale of our Berkeley house, we knew we were in good hands. They were fully engaged, asked all the right questions and provided an upbeat and realistic sense of what we might expect of the sales process. While consummate professionals we found them to be engaging and very warm - a rare mix. Our house had been rented for several years and needed some work to get it turnkey ready. Living in LA as we were we could not accomplish any of the updating ourselves. Anja and Collette took full charge of the process. They had immediate access to a cadre of top-class craftspeople who did excellent, reasonably-priced work under their tasteful and thoughtful supervision. We followed their advice to a T and they communicated with us quickly and efficiently, always keeping us appraised of the important details. Their guidance on pricing was invaluable. Our house achieved one of the highest in the Elmwood area in the entire 2018 year - we were delighted. The sale, and its preparation, were achieved in a fair, honest, and straightforward way. Our confidence in Anja, Collette, and the Grubb team never wavered - there is absolutely no doubt in our minds that we chose the best team to sell our house. They fully lived up to our very high expectations.
David M.
We were very happy to work with Anja and Colette on the sale of our condo. They were incredibly responsive to our questions and we felt that there was always an open line of communication. We were so pleased to be able to get in touch with them quickly and all matters were able to be handled without any delay! They have impeccable taste and we wanted to work with a group that could present our property in a way that highlighted all that we had enjoyed about it while we lived there. They are meticulous and knowledgable. Everything was handled with the upmost degree of professionalism. We are incredibly grateful for their hard work and dedication.
R. & T.
I had a complicated sale and Colette and Anja were outstanding partners in navigating all of the challenges involved. They were incredibly responsive to my many questions and concerns. When they didn't know answers, they consulted experts or did research so as to ensure the best possible outcome. I'm going to miss working with both of them now that the sale is final!
Nancy M.
My wife and I worked with Anja & Colette to purchase a home in Oakland and would highly recommend them to others! We had a very specific type of property we were looking for (fixer upper, large backyard) within a very small area (Lower Rockridge/Temescal and 10min walking distance to BART). Based on historical sales, we knew few properties matched our criteria. Enter Anja & Colette. They were patient and quickly zeroed in on what we were looking for, frequently sending us listings -- sometimes for properties which were not even officially on the market yet. Our work schedules didn’t always allow us to make it to the East Bay for traditional open houses, but Anja & Colette were always accommodating, showing us properties during the week and early on weekends when necessary. Even though we were very selective in what we wanted, there was never pressure to put an offer in or go higher than our comfort level when bidding. When our dream home eventually came on the market, we knew it was going to be a hot commodity with many offers. We ended up having to put an offer together with only 8 hours notice (as another buyer pre-emptively put one in a week before offers were due), and while this was understandably stressful, both Anja & Colette were extremely responsive. They coordinated the entire process with us and our mortgage broker, and by 6pm the same day we had our entire offer package together and submitted to the seller. Two hours later we had an accepted offer for the exact house we wanted -- something we could not have done without them! Anja & Colette continue to be extremely helpful even after closing, helping us coordinate various details before move-in and putting us in touch with recommended contractors (for the various bits of “fixing-up” our new place requires). If you are on the hunt for an East Bay home, we highly recommend working with Anja & Colette!
Adam F.
I couldn’t be happier with any realtors than I am with Anja Plowright and Colette Ford. They came highly recommended, and the recommendations were no exaggerations. They assessed my house, suggested what I needed to do, then hired the contractors to do the work. In the end, my house was beautiful. They arranged to paint the house, redo the floors, remodel the kitchen, change the lights fixtures and finally stage the house. The work was fantastic and seamlessly done. In the end, I got multiple offers and the house sold for a higher price than they predicted. Most importantly, Anja, Colette and their wonderful assistant Rena were warm and supportive throughout the process. They helped turn an extremely stressful time into an exciting and interesting experience. I am so glad I followed their suggestions.
Marjory K.
My wife and I worked with Anja and Colette to buy our first home in Berkeley, and we feel incredibly fortunate to have had them as our agents. We set out with fairly picky needs, a strict budget, and no real estate experience in an incredibly competitive market. Anja and Colette worked to deeply understand what our requirements were, kept us looking at great places, and were honest about our chances when we needed it. They offered clear, knowledgeable opinions about homes we looked at, but never tried to pressure us into an offer. They were our best advocates throughout the process. We were also constantly impressed with the regard others in the field hold them in – they are deeply respected and connected in a business that runs on these relationships. We'd recommend them highly to any new buyer.
Zach S.
Anja and Colette were recommended to me by my business partner and I knew right away that they were going to be excellent. The process of buying a house was long, tenuous and stressful but both of them made it a easier on both me and my wife. First of all they are so well respected in the market that dropping their name helped the sellers agent know that you are a serious buyer. Then, their instincts about where the price would end up at were always so very accurate that we decided to forgo doing our own research and follow their lead on how to place the offers. They were very upfront about our chances of winning an offer too and worked with us to really understand the value we put on different types of properties. In the end after making 6 unsuccessful offers we were able to get the house of our dreams thanks to them. We are very very happy with our purchase and I am glad to say we didn't feel like we were compromising on anything which is rare in buying anything let alone a house. Anja and Colette are very upfront, straight forward but supportive and are some of the best business people I have had a chance to work with. They are excellent agents and we will be so happy to recommend them to anyone who's in the market
Prayag N.
Anja and Colette is an amazing team! From the first email contact to the last second of closing, they were right by our side with their expertise, excellent advice and professionalism. We received 13 incredible offers and closed in 10 days. Beyond our wildest expectations thanks to the dynamic duo! Thanks again Anja and Colette!
Wuin H.
To say Anja and Collette are real estate superstars in the Berkeley/Oakland area is a massive understatement. They know everyone, know the market incredibly well, and are beyond persistent, focused, and patient--key qualities in this hyper-competitive market. We worked with another agent for a while and found that we were getting no where. We were then referred to Anja and Collette. It was like night and day. Their knowledge, expertise, and professionalism far exceeds any other agent's we know. They worked incredibly fast and efficiently, turning offers some times within a day, and once even while we were abroad! We finally "won" a home that we love--and beat out about a dozen other offers, thanks to Anja and Collette's guidance (which is critical) in the last few hours leading to finalizing our bid. The icing on the cake? They had the home cleaned, with a bottle of champagne and 2 stuffed animals for our kids, waiting for us on our move day. They are all class.
If you're looking in Berkeley/Oakland, look no further. Seriously.
Meg C.
We had a great experience working with Anja and Colette. They know the market very well and guided us to invest just the right amount, but not more than necessary, in preparing the house for sale. They were able to accomodate my brother and my very distinct communication styles graciously and patiently. I can recommend them highly.
Rachel B.
This was my first time selling a property so I had never had a listing agent before. I was quite wary and not sure I wanted to work with sellers agents but my sister and I picked Anja and Colette after interviewing many others. Part of my decision to work with them was that we would get two agents working for us and that worked out very well. Our sale went very smoothly and Anja & Colette went beyond what they said they would do. Colette and Anja handled our Rockridge sale with class and worked with my sister and I to prepare the house and guide us with what we really needed to do and what we didn't. In the end we got a very good price and a very smooth sale. I couldn't have had a better experience so I recommend them very highly and would give my trust to them again.
Treven B.
We just completed our third transaction with Anja and Colette! In this very difficult market where speed is of the essence, they never missed a deadline or a meeting. Their different, yet compatible personalities helped provide contrasting thoughts and idea. I would not hesitate to use them again and highly recommend them.
Jonathan W.
We just completed a home purchase with Anja and Colette in a very difficult buyers' market. New to the area, we came across Anja through a cold inquiry into a property. On first speaking with Anja and then meeting in person, and having previously bought a home in a different market with a different agent, she struck us as extremely competent, knowledgeable of, and connected to, the local market. Importantly, we had the impression that she would be honest to deliver candid feedback in this tough environment to buy. Thankfully, as we established our relationship over a number of months these first impressions were 100% validated. I should also add that as I inquired through my colleagues and friends into the Oakland/Berekely area, a surprising number of them directly or indirectly knew of Anja and Colette and affirmed extremely strong reputations for them both. Anja and Colette are connected to the neighborhoods they operate in, not just as realtors, but as members of the community. The number of times we were with Anja and people stopped her to chat was validation again of our choice of agent.
Prospective clients should be aware that Anja and Colette work as a team, and they do so seamlessly. As much as I value client service 24/7, I also feel it is right and reasonable that agents can get to enjoy weekends every now and then. I mention this because at the point we were writing our fourth and ultimately successful offer, Anja was touring colleges with her eldest daughter. We might have been upset by the timing of this were it not for the fact that Colette stepped right in and even though we hadn't had much exposure to her, she was wonderful to work with and we felt the whole process was seamless between Anja and Colette. It goes without saying that buying a house is an emotional roller coaster and as I think about the attributes I would want in an agent, having someone who understands buyer & seller wants, who doesn't try to oversell every opportunity, who has the strength and honesty to provide appropriate market feedback, and who has the patience to stay vested for the duration of what are often long processes, I think these traits are instilled in Anja and Colette. While I'm not anticipating selling our beutiful new family home anytime soon, should that point come I would first call Anja and Colette.
Nick T.
Ours was a quick offer in a heated market where overbids are common. Anja was on top of the transaction from the beginning and helped us anticipate what we needed to do,and evaluate what we wanted to do, before we took each step. After owning 8 homes in 3 states, she is the most thorough and gracious agent I have ever worked with.
Whitney G.
Colette and Anja, sold two properties for me. They are very professional, and only had my interest in mind. They make a great team. They are very honest and direct about what it will take to sell your home, and they deliver ! - Just do exactly what they say, and you can't go wrong. They are also very fun to work with, and make a stressful situation seem so easy!
Jim R.
Anja and Colette went above and beyond for us - they are extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and caring. They work as a tag team, are extremely attentive and provide amazing service. We had a complicated search and were both traveling but their hard work and dedication to getting us settled really showed through! They worked with us closely throughout the entire process (including long after the offer was accepted) and we are so grateful.
L. M.
My wife and I bought a house with Anja and Colette in May 2013. Embarrassingly, they were our third agent. They proved to be both friendly and hard-working and we benefited from the reputation they have within their industry. Our fourth offer with them was accepted. Then they helped us negotiate a substantial price reduction during escrow. We appreciated the knowledge and finesse they showed through the process.
Scott B.
Simply put: this team is a perfect example of the highest professional excellence. They are experienced, and scrupulous about details; they skillfully and knowledgeably guide the process from beginning to end in the least stressful way possible to negotiate the best possible deal. They know the market. They're not only reliable and hardworking, trustworthy and smart -- they are also available at a moment's notice and they return calls immediately, always offering to go that extra mile -- with enthusiasm. I was able to close on my dream house in a highly competitive market, where I was competing against many other strong offers. I never felt I wasted any of my time -- Anja is intuitive and understood exactly what I was looking for in a house. They are on top of it -- responsive, caring and impeccable about seeing the transaction through from start to finish.
Robin O.
Anja and Colette are consummate professionals. They know their stuff, are easy to work with, well connected in the area and drive to the finish line without being too pushy. I would work with them again, if I ever needed another home.
Theodore L.
Interest, Professionalism, Knowledge of the Market, Appearance, Demeanor, Courtesy, Patience, and above all The Ability to Listen; These are all qualities that we look for when searching for a real estate agent. Upon meeting with Anja and Colette, our first impression was that they were extremely professional and listened to what we had to say about our needs and concerns. They also had a fantastic ability to read into specifics with respect to the style of home that we were looking for and treated us like the best of friends, putting our interests first, and were always committed to being there for us during the process as well as after. 5 Stars, for sure. We *highly* recommend them to anyone looking for quality real estate agents.
David P.
We could not have asked for a better team to work with in purchasing our first home. Throughout our house hunt, they were extremely responsive and consultative. They work seamlessly together to provide great service for their clients and provided an excellent guidance on our bid. Their goal was to not let us pay more than we needed to especially in this competitive market and that's exactly what happened. We are thrilled that we now have our dream house. Look no further- this is the team to go with!
Mike L.
Anja and Colette deftly guided us through the process of purchasing our home. Anja, in particular, spent endless hours with us over the course of several months, searching for just the right place, helping us to hone our application, and provided much needed support. She is a direct, no nonsense person and gave us honest advice - a rare trait in our experience. Highly recommended.
I.Z.
If you are looking to buy or list your house I highly recommend Anja Plowright and Colette Ford. They are so wonderful to work with, as they are incredibly motivated to get their clients exactly what they want, without wasting time, but they are also the kindest women. We felt as if they were family, with the amount of attention they gave us, and how they held our hand along the way (we did not know what we were doing!). I cannot recommend them enough. They will surely make the buying or listing of your home enjoyable, easy and fun. Yes, they seriously make it fun.
Erin L.
We recently sold our home and are so happy that we chose Anja and Colette as our agents. They are fabulous! They were amazingly responsive, brought total integrity to all of their dealings and knew the market inside and out. In addition, we also felt very well cared for with Grubb Company as the broker and were sure the market exposure was greater than it would have been with other firms. You will begin the process of selling your home working with them as real estate professionals, and end up with new friends. What a wonderful experience!
Holly B.
Selling our beloved home of 16 years was difficult but Collette and Anja were so supportive and efficient and lovely--we are forever thankful to have found them. And I have already recommended them to many friends!
Saskia V.
My wife Megan and I embarked on the move from the East Coast to Berkeley and got referred to Collete and Anja to buy in the area. Colette did a great job interacting with us initially remotely, giving us a detailed view of the market and being very patient as we literally looked at dozens of homes while we tried to get our bearings.
It took us over a year and a half to find the home we really wanted, and I really appreciated the patience and consistency that Colette and Anja had during this whole process. Once we found that home everyone moved incredibly quickly and we were able to get it in a very competitive market. We will easily use team again and recommend them to everyone we can.
Nabeel S.
We loved working with Anja and Colette - they are a seamless tag team not only throughout the house search but also after the contract closed! They were a huge resource and invaluable help in managing and surviving all the challenges that come after you have the house (eg, contractors!). Would recommend in a heartbeat for those looking in Berkeley or Oakland.
David S.
I have been fortunate to work with both Anja and Colette on multiple transactions. They are a power team! They are both honest advocates for their clients and extremely knowledgeable agents in Berkeley / Oakland area. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking to buy or sell in this area. I appreciate how well organized and diligent they are...and they really do form an amazing team. Kudos!
Brady T. (Mortgage Broker)
My wife and I have worked with the Ford/Plowright Team for 10 years through 3 purchases and a sale, including homes for our son and his family. They are the ultimate professionals in every respect. They have strong knowledge of the Berkeley and Oakland real estate markets, and are tenacious and diligent in pursuing their clients' interests. Anja and Colette are both delightful people, making a search to buy or a process to sell as fun as possible.
Henry D.
“Anja and Colette were tireless champions in my search. Their knowledge of the market and insight into the process allowed me to be optimistic in my search while having realistic and reasonable expectations. I have a new home and I couldn’t be more pleased with the service and care they have provided.”
Tracy A.
“We are thrilled that we engaged Anja and Colette to help us sell our Berkeley home. They lined up multiple contractors to prepare the home, staged it beatifully and advertised it widely. They were strong advocates on our behalf – when a terribly written offer was submitted, they told us but they didn’t show it to us until they’d had the potential buyer’s agent rewrite the offer to their standards (4 versions later…) They don’t take the easy way out, they do it right. As a result, we had a seamless experience selling our beloved home!”
Laurie W.
“My wife and I have bought a few homes in the last decade and our experience working with Anja and Colette was far better than any other we’ve had. Their attention to detail throughout the process was stunning, usually predicting our needs before we knew to ask. They go above and beyond the call of duty looking into properties that haven’t come into the market yet giving you the strongest advantage as a buyer. We can’t say enough about them!”
Wyatt J.
“Anja and Colette helped me sell my home in Oakland and the experience was fast and painless. They helped me to understand how to prepare my home for sale without investing too much time or money, staged it beautifully and we received multiple offers within a short time. They were great at negotiating and selecting the right offer. I would highly recommend them!”
Joann P.
“My wife and I worked with Colette and Anja on our home purchase in the East Bay. They were a delight to work with and very patient with us throughout the process. Never did we feel pressured by them. They were understanding, thorough, optimistic, and responsive in what for us was a major life decision. We also found them to be extremely well connected with the local brokerage community and held in high regards. Their credibility provided us instant legitimacy in the eyes of seller agents which is valuable in a highly competitive market.”
Ashminder S.
“I interviewed many realtor teams and Colette and Anja blew away the pack. They were prepared, professional and upbeat throughout the entire emotional process of selling what many believed to be a challenging property. They listened to my needs and wants and stood firm to what they believed to be the best marketing strategy and in the end, they were right as we received 6 outstanding offers!”
Catherine D.
“10 stars…Both Anja and Colette are the most thorough, responsible, conscientious, positive, and kindest realtors. They are so on top of the market and their knowledge is unequaled. I can’t imagine having anyone more knowledgeable, connected, thoughtful and hard-working as these two people. They guided us with true kindness and care, but it was their attention and smarts that finally got us a home that was more than we had ever expected. In this market, you truly need an expert if you want to find your home. Look no further!”
Diane O.
“To say that Anja and Colette are absolute pros would be a gross understatement. Being in the real estate business myself, I could have chosen from dozens of realtors. Many agents will show up and tell you what you want to hear in order to get the listing but Anja and Colette were sincere and to the point. From beginning to end, they steered us through the process seamlessly. There was not a single thing that they missed in their communication and marketing and our home sold for more than any other in the complex. "
Gus M.
“We seriously cannot recommend Anja and Colette enough. From the beginning, Anja and Colette were very committed to working with us. They invariably maintained an attitude that was respectful, responsive and they were always working together as a very well coordinated team. As the sale of our house was coming to a close, I remarked to the Escrow officer that our experience with Anja And Colette was so exemplary. She responded by saying, “they are extremely good at what they do”! and I wholeheartedly echo this statement.”
Leslie D.
“Anja and Colette are the epitome of professionalism. They attended to every detail of preparing the house for sale. They were sensitive to my family’s situation, made the process as smooth as possible and moved quickly as to not drag out our difficult situation. We sold the house for much more than we originally anticipated to a wonderful family. Thank you Anja and Colette. I highly recommend you to anyone I know who is considering buying or selling a home.”
Carla S.
“Anja and Colette have a rare blend of high negotiation skill and effective communication. I have completed both a sale and a purchase with them in the past few months. During the sale, they created a marketing buzz that produced multiple offers, and navigated the difficult process with decisiveness and professional ease. They truly took much of the stress out of what can be a difficult journey. Their extensive network and connections to other agents through past transactions is an invaluable asset for any client. ”
Abe W.
“Anja and Colette were exactly what we needed being new to the area from Austin and looking to find the perfect home for 2 kids, 4 dogs, close to restaurants, good schools, etc. They know Berkeley and Oakland areas inside and out, quickly determined the best fits for us, and once we found our perfect home, walked us expertly through the buying process. Finding and buying a home in the Bay Area can be tough, but it is much easier with these 2 on your side!”