Todd Andrew – Red Oak Realty

I was fortunate enough to work a transaction with Todd earlier this month. He was great. As a mortgage broker, it is refreshing to work with an agent that is honest, competent and professional. He represented his clients interests extremely well and was there to help every step of the way. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to purchase or sell in the East Bay.

Todd helped us to sell our Adams Point, Oakland home in July. We began planning the sale several months prior, relying on Todd’s advice regarding necessary tweaks and improvements. He found us excellent contractors for painting, staging and even adding an upscale master bath on a limited budget. All of his suggestions and guidance proved to be right-​on as feedback on our home was phenomenal and we were able to quickly bring in multiple offers, all above our asking price. Todd was available to help us with every step of the process, from things as small as commenting on paint colors, to market research and competitive analysis, to counseling us on countering and accepting the right offer. I couldn’t have asked for a better result! While a neighbor’s property sat for weeks without any offers, we sold in 2 weeks, bringing in a higher price than the supposed «high-​end» competition. I would highly recommend Todd and work with him again on any future real estate transactions.

This is an addendum to my boyfriend’s review (Devin M), we were in this process together. We were originally working with another agent based in SF who was referred to us, and met Todd at an open house where he was representing the seller. Having encountered a handful of slick smooth talker realtors, we immediately jived with his measured and non-​pushy demeanor. We liked that he didn’t tell us that he would take us for a ride in his convertible beamer (that really happened). He was calm and professional and generous with his time. And you want that calm to bring you down from the hysterical roller-​coaster that is the Bay Area housing market right now. So despite our friends and relatives’ well-​intentioned caution against trusting real estate agents, we decided to do just that with Todd, and thank goodness that we did! The place that we ultimately fell in love with ended up getting a total of ten offers, including ours, and I am convinced that Todd’s advice on how to bid strategically is what landed us our home, and also what facilitated an incredibly smooth close of escrow. My only note is that he could be a little bit reticent at times on giving us his personal opinion about certain matters, for example how much he felt the house would sell for. This is entirely understandable, I get the sense his priority is to let you set a price you are comfortable with and not to push you, his is the philosophy of the anti-​push. But that was exactly what WE needed, was a more experienced estimation! After some persistence we got it out of him, and his prediction ended up being right on. Even in this market, its obvious he has an intuitive feel for the game.

Todd is a great find as an agent. Always a complex process in which you’re never sure what’s real and what’s imaginary — he seems to know how to cut through everything and make it clear. If you’re looking in the east bay, I can’t think of a better resource. Especially in this extreme seller’s market, he knows how to outcompete other buyers and make your offer as attractive as possible (especially when competing against cash offers!)

I have know Todd for 20 years. When I decided to buy a vacation home in Sonoma County I knew that even though this was not Todd’s territory, he would learn as much as possible about the area, the homes, the market as he could to help me make the most educated buying decision possible. And he did just that. He tirelessly researched the market so that when I did after 2 short months find our new home I felt comfortable in my decision because I was well informed.
Todd was readily available to answer my questions and guide me in the process of purchasing a home and drove a distance to show me properties as soon as they came on the market.
Once we found the home we wanted to buy, Todd facilitated the inspection as well as all the small details so well, it made the stress associated with moving that much less overwhelming.
Thanks Todd.

Todd is a gem. We are nervous first-​time buyers, and he has spent hours with us — reviewing the details of disclosure packages, traveling from open house to open house to help us assess every detail of roofs and floors and windows, and taking tremendous initiative to stay on top of the limited stock available in our price range within the small area in which we’re looking. We like him so much that we’re writing this review before we’ve even found our home — out of gratitude for all the time he’s spent being helpful to us. Todd is great.

I have worked with Todd on three separate real estate transactions, as both buyer and seller, in a wide variety of market conditions. In all cases, he helped me achieve my primary objectives and reach an outcome that not only met, but exceeded, my expectations.
The first deal was in 2003. I was a buyer in a seller’s market at the beginning of the now notorious real estate bubble that nearly destroyed the U. S economy. With Todd’s help, my wife and I were able to purchase a house that became our home for the next 9 years, without breaking the bank and without having to resort to the «creative financing» (i.e. no money down, teaser rate loan) that was becoming all too common at the time.
The next transaction was in 2012. This time, I was a buyer in a buyer’s market. I still owned the home I bought in 2003, and was in the fortunate position of not needing to sell in order to buy something new. When I indicated my desire to rent the home instead of selling, Todd indicated that if I could afford to do so, that it would probably be a good idea. At the same time, he steered me through the process of purchasing what is now my current home.
The most recent and final transaction was in 2013. Having converted my previous home to a rental in 2012, I decided it was time to sell when my tenant’s lease was up. I consulted with Todd about market conditions, and he provided me detailed information indicating that conditions were indeed ripe for selling. His sound guidance on how to both market and price the home paid off in a big way, as I was able to sell for a price that not only netted me a profit, but was in excess of the list price.
Real estate is an illiquid asset, and deals to buy and sell it have many moving parts. There is also a distinctly human element in real estate deals that simply doesn’t exist when trading other asset classes, like equities or bonds. As a result, there is a lot that can happen, a lot that can go wrong, and oftentimes information can be hard to come by in a real estate deal.
Never once in the three deals Todd and I have worked on did I feel I was lacking in all the relevant facts or information. For anybody who is buying or selling real estate in bay-​facing region of Alameda county, I highly recommend working with Todd. He will undoubtedly be the first person I call in the event I pursue another real estate deal in the future.

Todd Andrew helped us with the purchase of a house for my father. He was very professional and friendly. I really appreciated that he always returned any e-​mails very promptly. He has extensive knowledge of the East Bay real estate market and I trusted his advice and opinions. I would definitely recommend him to anyone trying to buy a house in Berkeley or the surrounding areas.

I feel so lucky that we found Todd. We were first time home buyers, and he was great at walking us through the process. All the great reviews are true. Todd was attentive, professional, thorough and always willing to answer any of our questions.
We never felt pressured at any point in the process and he really wanted to make us happy rather than sell us a house. In fact, he talked us out of a few houses and boy are we thankful he did. Todd really had an eye for things to look out for when it comes to old bay area houses. We started off knowing nothing, and thanks to Todd, we are comfortable with the buying process.
Thanks to Todd, we are happily in our new home and we will definitely be recommending him to any of our friends or family in the future.
Thanks Todd!

We love our home and we marvel each day that it is ours. When we found it, as first time home buyers, we had no idea how to purchase it. Luckily, a friend recommended Todd. We couldn’t have done it without him.
He helped us weather the ups and downs, gave us sage advice and explained all the complicated parts involved in buying our home. In addition, he is a really nice person and someone we knew we could trust, which is so important while you are going through the intense process of buying a home.

My wife and I chose Todd to be our realtor when we sought to buy a house in Oakland, after several years of living in San Francisco. Todd had helped our friends purchase a house in Rockridge and came highly recommended.
We appreciated his attention to detail, responsiveness, and ability to understand our goals when looking for a house. In fact, he emailed us the disclosures packet to the house we eventually bought, before we had even seen the house! Todd knew what we were looking for (maybe even better than we did), and three years later we’re still loving our perfect home.
After we went into contract, he quickly scheduled appointments for the home inspection and to get quotes for a new roof and some chimney repair work. There was a little bit of negotiating with the sellers, and Todd advised us well and confidently through the process. Todd has continued to help in numerous ways over the years, providing recommendations and sage advice on everything from insurance to refinancing.
I would highly recommend Todd if you’re looking to buy a house in the Oakland/​Berkeley area. We are so grateful for all he has done and continues to do for our family.

Todd was our Real Estate Agent when we were looking for our house. Todd spent a lot of time getting to know what we wanted and then spent a lot of time finding properties which fit our desires, sending many updates to these searches, and spending lots of time with us looking at properties. He was very friendly and made us feel comfortable. He was very knowledgeable about the real estate industry and answered any newbie questions we had. When things did not go so good the first couple of times with short sale sellers, he gave us very good advice and also kept our spirits up to keep looking. We felt it was a good partnership, with excellent results, as we now have our dream home! We would highly recommend Todd to anyone looking for a property.

Todd is a great agent! He helped my family find a great house in Rockridge. He has also helped 2 of my other friends find their homes in Oakland as well. He still checks up on us almost 3 years later and is always up for giving some sound advice.
When we first started looking at homes with him a few years back, my wife and I would joke that he talked us OUT of more houses then he talked us in to. He would always make very astute observations, both sensible and practical, to ensure that we were completely satisfied with our experience. I can safely say that we were… and still are!
If we ever decide to sell our house, and/​or purchase another house in the East Bay, there is no doubt that we will contact Todd.

I randomly encountered Todd showing a house in El Cerrito and he had such good vibes at that house that I basically turned over our whole home search to him. He was then very professional and courteous, found us numerous homes and took us to them, and we had nothing but great and candid conversations about the homes we saw and the neighborhoods. He quickly grasped not only what we wanted but who we were as people. When we finally found a home we liked, Todd expertly led us through the buying process, helped us beat out another offer, and we ended up in the house we picked. Todd once told me he sees his profession as a «business that’s really about people» and that it’s all about putting the right person in the right place, and his actions stayed 100% true to that ethic. Highly Recommended…

Todd was easy to work with from the start. As soon as I saw him at an open house, I felt he would be great in representing me. Todd looks very polished yet he has a down to earth approach.
When I decided to work with him to sell my home, I found he was relaxed but always on the ball and motivated to get me the selling price I wanted with a good down payment. Todd made helpful suggestions along the way making my home more saleable and getting me a higher selling price in the end. Throughout the entire process Todd was patient, he listened to my needs and followed up with helpful solutions. In the end we had a fantastic open house with tons of people at the perfect time of year, and I got 4 offers at a time when the market was crashing. Only 3 weeks later, the same type of home was on the market and sat there for 3 months before selling. I am confident this is because I worked with Todd and not another agent. It was all because of his good timing, and great instinct. I’d recommend Todd in both a search for a new home as well as the sale of a home. Most agents are money hungry and will do anything for a buck, I always felt Todd was all about giving me the client a pleasant experience, from start to finish.

Todd is a great real estate agent! He is hard working, intelligent, friendly and attentive. You can really tell that he is looking out for you and that he has your best interest in mind. I completely trusted his judgment and advice because he is very sharp and thoroughly professional. I feel very lucky that we found him!