Wednesday, January 11th, 2006 at 7:46 AM
Jim’s clients comment here
To assist people who are new to this blog or the Jim Klinge experience, I’d like to politely ask my clients to comment below on the job I did for them in serving their real estate needs. No, I won’t have my wife or my kids make up a bunch of stuff, this is a pure contribution to help new clients make an informed choice. Thanks a million. (To leave a comment, click on the “# comment” below – anonymous is OK)
Posted on Wednesday, January 11th, 2006 at 7:46 AM in Testimonials | 22 Comments » | 
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I’ve bought two homes through Jim, and family members have used his services as well. He is extremely knowledgeable about North County real estate, market trends, and the "mechanics" of transactions. I felt my interests were very well served by Jim, and his advice is always spot on. I highly recommend him!
Mark Morel | January 11th, 2006 at 7:53 pmJim helped me sell our Penasquitos house in 1995 when we moved to Michigan. Four years later, Jim was the first person I called when we decided to move back. He found us the perfect place in Solana Beach. Then two years ago, we listed the SB house with Jim. It was priced right and sold shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, *he* did all the legwork and found our dreamhome in Rancho Santa Fe, except it was a bit out of my reach financially…but after a consultation with his pocket calculator, the owner and I were on the same page. If we ever want or need to move again, I have ZERO concerns of a stressful experience, because I’ll just call Jim and he’ll make it happen.
James P. Boyd, DDS | January 14th, 2006 at 7:59 amLet’s just say Jim the Realtor has no problem going to"BAT"
for you. Without him as our realtor we would have never been able to purchase our current home. Jim has a great staff of realtors that are very informative and definitely can make things happen. We also used Jim to sell a house. And along with the sale of the house came a valuable lesson. The Price! If we had only listened to him in the beginning we would have sold our home immediately. Instead we waited 5 months to price it where he thought it should be. And then it sold. The Market is was it is. If it’s a nice house and its priced right Jim will get top dollar for you. Without a doubt.
S.
S. Ryan | January 14th, 2006 at 2:49 pmMy husband and I have sold 2 homes and purchased 1 while being represented by Jim, and emphatically recommend him to anyone considering buying or selling real estate.
There is no one who has more integrity, is more knowledgable, or is more motivated to help clients than Jim. I am humbled by the way he went out of his way on so many occasions to help us, and even continued to stay in touch about details after we’d not only long since closed on our Carlsbad home, but had completed our cross country move.
He is unequivocally the best realtor we’ve ever had, and is a champion among his peers. When it comes to realtors in the San Diego, Jim is a gentleman who is truly in a class by himself.
Angie Galleno | January 14th, 2006 at 4:04 pmJim found us an affordable dream home and got us top dollar for our old house last year. We were impressed beyond measure with Jim’s web listings, including terrific digital pictures and interest-peaking verbage. His professionalism and expertise were always evident, and he went a long way beyond normal business hours to see that everything went smoothly. We would not hesitate to recommend Jim, or to utilize his services for any future real estate needs. He’s awesome!
Ken and Betty Calkin | January 14th, 2006 at 4:14 pmWe have had dealings with many realtors over the years, and Jim is the best. We worked with Jim on two separate occasions in the past three years (once buying and once selling). His clear sighted expertise proved extremely valuable both times. Jim has distinguished himself from the sea of realtors through tireless research, honing superior negotiation skills, and drawing on a vast knowledge of the intricacies of real estate transactions. He knows his business and truly WORKS for his clients. He goes above and beyond to ensure a positive outcome for his client. Knowledge, experience, and a tireless work ethic…what more could you ask for? (Plus…he ALWAYS returns your calls!!)
Bruce & Laurel Bancroft | January 14th, 2006 at 4:31 pmI was looking for a home in the Vista area and found one Jim had listed that was right in my price range. He represented me as well as the seller and I felt he was more than fair and upfront to both of us. He’s extremely organized and professional AND easy to reach! Buying my own home was a daunting adventure and Jim made it virtually painless.
Kinley Bennett | January 14th, 2006 at 6:03 pmAfter buying my first home with a complete bozo of a realtor, I was very discouraged. When it came time to sell, I did my homework, and interviewed several realtors. Jim was far and away the best. I decided to go with him. I couldn’t have been happier with his professionalism, knowledge, and skill at negotiations. I have no hesitations whatsoever recommending Jim, and will definitely work with him again in the future.
As Jim himself will no doubt agree, the hot market has brought an enormous number of low skilled realtors into the field. Anyone looking to sell in this market would be foolish to go with a realtor other than Jim Klinge. When it comes to negotiations, Jim will eat them alive.
Chris Gutierrez | January 14th, 2006 at 7:12 pmThree years ago, my husband and I decided that we wanted to move back to North County, our home, after an absence of 15+ years. Needless to say, we were not familiar with the current real estate market. Jim came to us highly recommended and exceeded our expectations. He spent a great deal of time educating us on current market conditions, what each community had to offer, and listening to our needs. He exposed us to many different housing options and neighborhoods to help guide our decision. When we finally found the house of our dreams, Jim navigated us through a multiple bid situation, and knew what it took for us to "win" the house. It was a wonderful, easy experience for us, and we are very thankful for Jim’s expertise. The next time we are thinking of buying or selling, we won’t hesitate to call on Jim.
Lisa and Steve | January 14th, 2006 at 11:58 pmMy wife’s family and I chose Jim as our realtor to sell my father-in-law’s property in Oceanside CA. We were only willing to sell to a developer due to the amount of acreage for sale. We could not have done it without Jim’s expertise and help. Jim worked tirelesly in finding us the right developer with the right price. We had a long escrow (1 year) of our own choosing and Jim stuck with us the whole time. He never failed to answer our calls and would come to our house anytime we asked if necessary. I told Jim when escrow closed that if I ever planned to sell my house or knew someone planning to sell or buy a home I would be sure to contact him.
Chris Stone | January 15th, 2006 at 12:20 amChris Stone
We worked with Jim "The Realtor" to sell two homes and buy another while we lived in North County San Diego.
Jim is a consummate professional and truly takes customer service to a level I have not experienced with any other agent.
When we were getting our Carlsbad house ready to sell, he hired a great "can do it all" handyman to do all of those spruce up and minor repair projects that we all seem to put off until we decide to sell our houses!
And we absolutely will never forget Jim pulling up to our house on a rainy Carlsbad day with his Cadillac full laborers for some last minute landscaping!
We often joke with Jim about the average time on market for our two sales transactions. The first one sold before it was listed! The second took two days but our house was still being remodeled!
We now live in Arizona (too bad Jim doesn’t have his Arizona license) but are using him to find us a rental property in North County.
Gary and Cindy Acord
Gary and Cindy Acord | January 15th, 2006 at 5:42 pmAn investor friend of mine told me that I had to meet Jim Klinge, and work with him to get home inspection referrrals for his buyers. I did, and am the better for it. He is honest and shoots straight, and doesn’t get emotional about the many hurdles of a real estate transaction. My inspection style is quite thorough which turns off many realtors who are woried about the discovery of any potentially deal-breaking defects of a house. Jim takes in stride and rolls up his sleeves to get things done and keep everyone in perspective.
Rich Zak, Check it Out Property Inspections | January 17th, 2006 at 2:04 amI think his stance on the current market is right on – someone has to call out the emperor as having no clothes.
In 1998 we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area and were interested in buying a second home near the beach in Carlsbad. We got Jim’s name as a referral from the Carlsbad Chamber.
Jim spent much of the Christmas holiday season showing us all kinds of possibilities within our price range. He even spent Christmas Eve Day with us when he could have been home with his beautiful wife and daughters.
Finally, after a few trips down here and many phone calls, Jim helped us purchase our beautiful beach condo. We recall him saying that beach property will always hold its value. Since 1998, our property has tripled in price, not that we are planning on selling anytime soon.
A few years ago we decided to give up our home in the Bay Area and move here permanently. So once again we enlisted Jim’s help to find a home in contrast to the hustle and bustle of the beach. Jim took us to see a lovely home in Fallbrook. Since we were originally from the mid-west, the small town in the foothills was just what we wanted.
The market was very competitive, however Jim’s expertise and skills made our offer look the best so we got the house.
Our story has demonstrated Jim’s expertise. Added value comes in how he makes us feel part of his family. The relationship wasn’t over when the sale was complete. Simply put, Jim’s the BEST!
Greg and Jean Kaput | January 17th, 2006 at 5:03 pmI went to an open house while passing by a home that was for sale.It was in the early 90’s at the bottom of the real estate market. I went in, and Jim asked me if "I wanted to buy a house today"? I told him "NO", I was shopping for a "REALTOR"!!!!! That was a beginning of a long term relationship with Jim. We’ve worked together from Bonsall,Fallbrook,Oceanside,Carlsbad,Long Beach,Hawaii and even in South Florida. Going out on a limb even when it isn’t in his own area. We now reside in Florida and can’t find another "JIM". HE IS THE BEST!!!!! Thank you Jim. We’re spoiled for life!!!!!!!!
Stephen Morley | January 18th, 2006 at 3:36 pmI highly recommend Jim Klinge! I know many real estate agents from being in the business a few years ago and there is only one I will ever work with. Jim Klinge is simply the best Realtor I have ever known. He has the two important qualities that so many agents lack–honesty and integrity.
In the past year, I sold two homes and purchased another one with Jim’s help. He knows the market inside-out and tells the truth (even when a seller might not want to hear it). Thanks to his competence, professionalism, kindness, and wonderful help, both houses sold very quickly! He was there every step of the way–going out of his way to assist me in the chaos and stress of a short
escrow.
There are not enough words to express my gratitude and appreciation to Jim! What a sweetheart he is! I will never forget his kindness in helping to protect my dogs from the coyotes. On a hot miserable summer afternoon, I collapsed on the lawn from the heat–there was Jim working working working to put up a fence to save my beloved pups.
And that is just one small example of Jim. I could go on and on…
Thank You, Jim, I love my beautiful new home.
Sara Hindman | January 21st, 2006 at 9:11 pmWe have bought two homes with Jim Klinge and it should have been three. We got on the list for a new home and once we won the lottery we were forced to use the builders realty company. The entire experience was awful and I ended up calling "Jim the Realtor" to ask him questions and make sure the bad realtor was doing things correctly. Jim was great and answered all our questions and helped us a lot. He really did make the third sell without a commission check in the end. That is a sign of a great realtor. I plan to stay here a while but when we move again it’s "Jim the Realtor" for the job.
Sarah Pearce | January 26th, 2006 at 7:08 pmIt is a pleasure to talk about Jim Klinge. We sold a home in Oceanside and bought another home in Vista. Jim was always available to us and was extremely diligent in helping us through the process. I would never think to go with another realtor. Jim is honest, straighforward and he takes care of his clients.
Melanie Allen | January 28th, 2006 at 5:38 amWe worked with Jim through the Winter of 06 and into Spring of 07. For those considering selling or buying real estate, we strongly and enthusiastically recommend him.
He’s careful, comprehensive, and offers facts about homes, neighborhoods and market trends. Jim helped us to sell our home in San Marcos and buy our new home in Encinitas. He was outstanding in both transactions. He was knowledgeable, thorough and patient. When we first found him we told him we were in no hurry and would mostly likely wait awhile to sell our house and buy another. Over the course of several months, he continued to be available to show us listings at a moment’s notice, while never pressuring us to sell or buy.
In fact, he talked us out of several houses that we were initially interested in because he didn’t believe they were the right house for us (and he was right!), all the while knowing that we probably wouldn’t list our house until we found another house to buy.
Most realtors would have jumped at our initial enthusiasm for any house, being that they wouldn’t make any commission on either end of the deal until we found something. But Jim was genuinely concerned about us buying the right house, no matter how long that took.
When we made up our mind he fought like a tiger on our behalf and got the job done, going very far above the call of duty, and continuing to impress us with his customer service even after escrows closed.
Jim also represents something new — an agent who combines the market savvy and hard work of the traditional realtor with the ability to leverage the information available on the Web. In an age when anyone can look on Zillow or realtor.com and find three hundred listings that meet their search criteria, Jim provides competitive advantage by seeing the trends and patterns behind the individual listings. This is where his blog and youtube tours fit in — he’s really staking out a new way to serve as an effective agent for his clients. At many times while working with Jim we were literally amazed at the information he could find quickly and efficiently.
If the future of business looks more and more like the Web then the future Realtor looks a lot like Jim Klinge.
C. Tucker | October 11th, 2007 at 10:27 amI moved to Encinitas (from Chicago) about a year ago and rented a house. The market seemed peculiar and buying struck me as a bad idea.
Over the year, I spent many a happy hour reading Jim’s insightful and witty blog posts. "Here’s a guy that knows the market," I thought to myself, "Here’s a guy I want to buy a house with."
By the time our lease was up for renewal, I was feeling a little better about the market and shot Jim an email. I am tremendously happy that I did.
Jim showed us around homes and was incredibly honest with us. He knew the areas we were looking at, had in-depth information about the houses we were looking at and his expert commentary made the tough decisions much easier.
We ended up buying what is, in my opinion, the perfect little house for our family. Jim got us a great deal and made the whole purchase process a breeze.
Jim’s blog made it feel like I knew him from the moment I met him but working with Jim has made him feel like a friend.
I would happily recommend Jim to anyone looking for a friendly expert that really knows how to make himself valuable to a home buyer.
Marc Needham | May 31st, 2008 at 8:31 pmNice website…checkout sdlookup.com
Alonzo | November 10th, 2008 at 12:44 pmWe recently used Jim as a buyer’s agent, and for those that want to know what it’s like to have him as your agent, you can look at his post dated Oct 20, 2009, “Hiring JtR” – that’s pretty much how it went.
We looked for about 2-3 months, meeting him at houses of interest, and never once was there any pressure to buy quickly – instead, you hear him think out loud, just like in his many videos, with honest and straightforward opinions that are clearly free of any rose-colored-glasses bias.
Finally, when we found our house, the negotiations went smoothly. After the offer was accepted, his wife Donna and he were in continuous contact with us, keeping us updated as to the issues that come up during escrow. They responded very quickly to any inquiries, either by phone or email.
Just to give you all an idea of the lengths he will go to keep you satisfied:
1) When we submitted our offer, there was an plasma TV attached on one of the walls in the house – Jim even took video of it as proof that it was a “fixture.” However, in the middle of escrow, the sellers went ahead and took it. Instead of getting into a big legal battle, Jim, umprompted by me, used his connections with the seller’s agent to negotiate an amount for me to buy a new replacement TV, and covered it. In Jim’s words: “You bought a house with a TV in it, and that’s what you’re going to get.” Talk about service!
2) When the termite inspection came back “incomplete”, Jim took it upon himself to “complete” the inspection by reaching into his car, pulling out his tool(s) and, in front of me, manually mashing on the siding that was covered by some shrubs, that the initial inspector had neglected to do.
There are a lot of other things he and Donna did (including the awesome customized housewarming gift basket) that were clearly above and beyond the call of duty – the above two are just a few of the examples.
In short, I’ll have no problem referring Jim and Donna to anyone that needs any real estate services in the Carlsbad area. Thanks Jim and Donna!
Anonymous | November 25th, 2009 at 2:23 pmI just purchased a house with Jim and Donna’s help and wanted to throw my two cents in about my experience.
Jim has a reputation from his blog of being a straight shooter that tells it like he sees it. I absolutely found this to be true while working with him as a client. I really felt that he gave his honest assessment at all times about the properties, sellers, and the areas that we were looking at. I definitely did not get the cheerleader treatment that some realtors use during this downturn, when they are looking to get a sale, any sale, done as fast as possible.
Jim also brought a lot of insight into the nuances of the search – for example, in analyzing the actions and intentions of the listing agents and sellers that we encountered. His experience level really showed, and it was extremely helpful.
Once we had a deal going, Jim’s wife Donna managed the process. She performed flawlessly, keeping me up to date on escrow, handling communications with third parties, and not missing a single detail. Very professional, and at the same time a really nice person. Now I know how Jim has the time to do all these videos!
I highly recommend Jim, Donna, and the team at Klinge Realty and will use them again without hesitation. They are honest, knowledgeable, and very effective.
Tony H | March 3rd, 2010 at 2:30 am