PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Carmen Miranda
www.carmenmiranda.com
CARMEN’S BIOGRAPHY… For 30+ years, Carmen Miranda has been assisting buyers and sellers of San Francisco Bay Area real estate. A seasoned veteran with multiple awards for her exceptionally high-level service and production achievements, Carmen does not measure her success by sales volume and accumulation of awards, but by the steady stream of referrals she receives from her clients. Carmen believes that good, long-term relationships are built on a foundation of trust and mutual respect. She considers it an honor and privilege to serve individuals and families who have chosen her to guide them through a process that can often be complex and emotionally charged. She understands that buying Bay Area real estate can be one of the largest investments a person will make in their lifetime. She knows the importance of listening; of open and honest communication; she understands the responsibility that comes with being a knowledgeable and trusted advisor throughout a complicated legal transaction. Carmen takes her role whole-heartedly.
Known for her integrity, strong negotiation skills and extensive experience, Carmen’s philosophy is simple: treat others as you wish to be treated. This fundamental principle is why Carmen serves her clients personally, one-on-one. When needed, she draws from her handpicked network of industry professionals, who she trusts and respects, to provide expert advice and services during stages of a transaction.
As a Mid-Peninsula native, Carmen has in-depth and firsthand knowledge of the trends and nuances that make up Peninsula communities – particularly, in San Mateo County. She holds degrees in Business Management and Computer Science, which provided her a good foundation for life as an entrepreneur. She continues her education today by studying market trends on macro and micro levels, staying in front of industry technology, and keeping up-to-date on legal issues that may affect her clients.
Carmen is a verified member of Top Agent Network (TAN) in San Mateo County (top 10% of SMC agents), has held the Diamond Certified Award for ten consecutive years for her exceptional service in San Mateo County (only 6 agents of 2200), and has won the Five Star Professional award for outstanding service in 2014, 2015 and soon…2016 (only 151 agents of 2200). She is a Relocation Specialist and consistently is a top 10 Realtor in her Alain Pinel Realtors office in Burlingame. She is a member of the California Association of Realtors (CAR) and San Mateo County Association of Realtors (SAMCAR). In 2018 and 2019 Carmen was given one of the most coveted awards in real estate. She was named among America's Best Real Estate Professionals, as the recipient of a REAL Trends Certificate of Distinction.
Carmen leads an active and healthy lifestyle. She loves the great outdoors and is an avid hiker, SUP boarder, camper, kayaker and fisherwoman. She enjoys vacationing in the Hawaiian Islands and travelling to the UK to visit with family. But when at home, she finds great joy in the simple pleasures of preparing nutritious gourmet meals and walking her Frenchie and cocker spaniel around Redwood Shores and at Fort Funston.
Giving back to the community that provides her so much, Carmen supports individuals, families and veterans who struggle with self-sufficiency and homelessness by donating a percentage of her commission to LifeMoves – a San Mateo/Santa Clara County nonprofit committed to ending the cycle of homelessness.
References… Carmen's clients say it best: Visit Carmen's website www.CarmenMiranda.com
and look under Carmen's Reviews where you'll read accounts in her clients own words what it's like to work with Carmen
May 24, 2016
Carmen got our house sold fast and for top dollar. We inherited a home badly in need of updates, so I went searching for a realtor who could help us rehab and sell it and I found Carmen. She coordinated about 10 different tradespeople and I was sent the quotes and later invoices. The tradespeople did good work, were fast and super fair pricing. And I'm cheap. The entire rehab took 3 or 4 weeks and the house looked completely different. We spent about 50k in rehab. Went from shabby to classy chic. My mom and girlfriend were in disbelief when they saw the ‘After’ pictures. My mom told me she is DEFINITELY using Carmen to sell her other properties.
Carmen gave us 3 options/strategies for a list price. We ended up with 5 offers and ended up countering the two cash offers and accepted an offer that was 65k over our strategic list price. I'm checking the bank account this Friday for a big wire transfer.
- Carmen picks up phone or returns calls within a few minutes. Txts are responded to quickly as well.
-She doesn't double end deals.
-She brought us great offers
-She's on your side and you know it.
Kevin Kirkpatrick and Family
****
March 19, 2016
This review is long overdue. I had received a mailer from Carmen and contacted her last summer to sell our duplex in San Bruno. She partnered up with Dave Cauchi and met us at our house, were extremely professional, knowledgeable and gave us a price range of what they thought the duplex would sell for (significantly higher than what we were expecting). As we were first time sellers, they were extremely patient, took the time to explain all the steps, and answered all the questions that we had. Our house was sold within 2 weeks of being on the market, received multiple offers, all within the exact price range that Carmen had predicted! A+ in my book!
Stephen Kwong
*****
January 31, 2016
Carmen was a referral from a close friend of mine who had gone through multiple condo and home purchases with various realtors and she said Carmen was by far the best. I could not agree more. As a first time single buyer, she made the uncomfortable process as comfortable as possible. She has the experience, nearly 30 years, but more importantly is honest without being brutal, extremely responsive, and will fight for you, donning the bargaining hat or gloves when necessary. I could not have imagined going through this without her and neither should you!
Landon Toma
*****
Oct 15,2015
Carmen Miranda is a pretty amazing Real Estate Agent. She is a person of great intelligence, professionalism and is truly sincere on how she presents her selling techniques. Some relatives of ours recommended her.
My three children had inherited a condo from their father. Because the condo was vacant for more than a year since the last tenant, the kids had lost a great amount of rental money. Carmen Miranda came to the rescue. She provided excellent recommendations for various repairs and improvements prior to listing it. She contacted and scheduled the contractors upon the 3 kids' approval. With her recommendations and assistance, all of the painting, kitchen remodeling, removal of carpets and replacement with hardwood floor, cleaning and staging, the condo looked awesome that the kids got multiple offers. It was sold and closed less than two months at a price more than they expected.
Sincerely,
The Belisos
*****
Sept 1, 2015
I had the pleasure of working with Carmen Miranda for the sale of my home in Terrabay (South San Francisco). Besides being a true professional, she is also a marketing master who was able achieve maximum exposure for my home. She also negotiated and sold my home for a record price.
Carmen is extremely knowledgeable. She knew how to make the house look its best in order to sell for top dollar. Her home staging consultant and professional photographer are top notch as well and the overall presentation really made a difference.
Carmen is smart, hard working, dedicated and wonderful to work with. I am always impressed with her ideas and would definitely work with her again. Great job!
Best,
Darrell
*****
Dear Carmen, I am writing to Thank You for your exceptional service on the recent sale of my home on Island Place in Redwood Shores. I could not have been more pleased from beginning to end! I knew that you has a stellar reputation as a realtor from my neighbors who had used you, and I was impressed when I visited your open houses. I had planned to interview a number of realtors, but after our first meeting I was so impressed wit your professionalism, your preparation, and your knowledge of the market that I felt no need to look further. But I was blown away at our second meeting! You came with an interior designer, painter, flooring contractor, general contractor, and we walked through the house and discussed what improvements would bring the greatest return on investment. (more on my website) -Kim Stanley 11/21/19 Her home sold in 10 days with 4 offers all above asking price.
I would like to let everyone know of my experience on selling my house with Carmen Miranda. Carmen has the knowledge and experience to embrace the real estate profession. She’s a hard worker, enjoys what she does, dedicated, detailed oriented and results driven. She is honest, a good listener and understanding. Her caring ways make you feel comfortable to talk to about your goals on selling your home. Camen is knowledgeable with the current real estate market and trends and is able to explain her work style, management and strategies. She provides a top notch real estate support team equipped with state of the art technology to professional and uniquely market my home. My home sold within 12 days with multiple offers that she negotiated at the highest possible price.
Carmen~ Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
Best Regards,
Aludia
*****
March 1,2015
My husband and I highly recommend Carmen who helped sell our house at a record high price. When we first interviewed many realtors, our first impression about Carmen is her professionalism. She is very knowledgeable in the real estate market, well organized, punctual, and calm. The strategy that Carmen outlined was based on extensive research of the housing market in the area. We decide to have Carmen take care of selling the house and it turned out to be a best decision.
Since my family was relocating to other state, Carmen took most care of the house, including fixing, landscaping and staging. She very well controlled the budget, kept us well informed, and did a fantastic job in advertising the house.
In the end, we sold our house in two weeks. It was our great pleasure to work with Carmen. She is the best agent we ever had and we wholeheartedly recommend her.
Sincerely,
Haiqing and Xiaodong (Gilead Relocation)
*****
February 15,2015
This is not the first home Carmen has helped us sell or buy - she has been a trusted friend and realtor for over ten years, and there simply is no one more professional and knowledgeable than Carmen. Her ethics are unquestionable. She gets a double diamond recommendation from me!
Sincerely,
Jill Anderson
*****
Jan 31,2015
She was my realtor when we purchased our home at Foster City in 2013. She was extremely professional and great at getting the job done. She helped us narrow down our options and helped us through every step of the buying process. I could trust her judgment and advice as it was based on extensive knowledge of this area and her go-getter attitude. She even helped us to hire a general contractor for the remodeling work we did at the house. She routinely went over and above what we expected of her. I would highly recommend her - you want her to be on your side in tough bay area housing market.
Apoorv and Ruchita
Foster City, Ca
*****
Jan, 28,2015
Carmen continues to amaze me with her willingness to always help me with references or information that I can take to another level. She recently sold a friends home and was able to take an "old sack" and make it stunning. Great return on the effort. Carmen will do the very best for her clients with competency and grace. I will use no other Realtor!! Thank you Carmen for your commitment and honest professionalism.
Best,
Tami Rosell
*****
May 28, 2014
Dear Carmen,
First, let me congratulate you and your team on earning Diamond Certified for the Eight consecutive year Carmen Miranda - Alain Pinel Realtors scored "highest in quality" in ongoing independent customer satisfaction surveys In addition to your company's high customer satisfaction rating score, I was equally impressed with all of the enthusiastic customer comments I read in the verbatim customer survey comments, Question 3 of your research report.
Most real estate agents can't qualify for Diamond Certified because of the customer satisfaction standards required. Additionally, in order to maintain Diamond Certified, Carmen Miranda - Alain Pine! Realtors must continue to score "highest in quality" in Ongoing Research performed by American Ratings Corporation. So, just earning and maintaining your Diamond Certified status is a great achievement.
Again, congratulations on earning Diamond Certified for your second consecutive year. High customer satisfaction is the ultimate accomplishment in business.
Sincerely,
Jim Stein Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Diamond Certified Realtor for San Mateo County
*****
May 8,2014
As first time sellers, we are both very grateful to you for your foresight, expert advice and patience. Your excellent record in selling property at the "Lanes" over the years gave us the confidence to leave it all in your capable hands and move early to join our son.
Yours Sincerely,
Peter and Sheila Rull
*****
February 26, 2014
To: Carmen Miranda Re: 125 Highland, San Carlos
Dear Carmen,
I'm not sure how to thank you for all you did for us to create such a successful sale of 125 Highland.
I do want to thank you, specifically, for your recommendation to put some money into the property before listing. I know that when we originally talked with you, it looked like we could list it just under $1 million with the thought it might generate enough interest to bid up to $1 million. That seemed good to us, and fair for the property.
Then you did your homework and came back to us with the proposal to put $20,000-$30,000 into fixing the house up enough so we could list it for $1.1 million. We felt that a 300% return on the additional money would be well worth it. Se we went ahead.
As it turns out, we put in almost $36,000 (there were a few surprises in the old house). But, what that got us was over 300 visitors in 10 days, 10 above asking offers and an ultimate sale price of $1.3 million. That's an additional $300,000 that I attribute to our $36,000 "investment" making the house truly beautiful, plus your professional expertise in handling, "general contracting", listing, presenting and negotiating. This was the easiest, quickest and most profitable sale I have ever experienced.
So, thank you Carmen. You're a Diamond Certified Realtor for good reason. You're the first name we will share with anyone selling a home in San Mateo County.
Sincerely,
Robert
*****
1/14/2014
Carmen-
When we purchased our home on Louise seven and a half years ago Nkia and I told each other if we were ever to engage a real estate agent again we would definitely consider you. Little did we know when we once again connected with you in September that with your professional guidance we would be closing on a new home in a mere matter of months. Our intuition did not lead us wrong. Your service has been unparalleled. Throughout we've felt as if we were your one and only client. More than an agent you have been an advocate, an organizer and a wonderful resource. We can truly say that we would not have made it to this day without you and your network. We greatly value all that you have done over the last few months. Without a doubt, we would recommend you to others. Thanks so much for the wonderful gifts ... the home warranty, the Moet & Chandon, the design consulting, the monetary gift and most of all for being even greater than the Carmen Miranda we thought we were going to get.
Our Very Best,
Damon, Nkia, Jaden and Ty
*****
2/27/2014
When our jobs transferred us to Southern California we had little time to prepare for the selling of our home. a client of mine highly recommended Carmen. Now we know why. Her expertise, knowledge and negotiating skills sold our home in less than 2 1/2 weeks. We just handed her the keys and she took care of the rest. Lining up her contractors to prepare the home, stage it, advertising in multiple media and holding and hosting multiple open houses. Great on follow up and keeping us informed and a pleasure to work worth.
Thank you Carmen,
Gene
*****
2/22/2014
Carmen has provided absolutely impressive end-to-end service for our first home buying experience. First, she helped us navigate an incredibly difficult market, giving us realistic expectations on how list prices converted into actual sale prices and how to appropriately over-bid without wasting money. She was incredibly detailed in going over all the inspection and geological reports and explained all the home issues that we did not fully understand. She provided quick, rough estimates of how much things would cost to repair to let us have a mental estimate of the amount of money we needed to set aside for repairs.
Once we were able to get a place, Carmen provided references for some of the best contractors I have ever seen. The people Carmen knows did stellar, highly detailed work for repainting our house and doing some repairs.
Last but not least, Carmen was always on top of everything. She did a great job in organizing all of our contractors. She was detailed focused and made sure we were able to get our place on time.
Mark and Katie (and little Sam)
*****
We chose Carmen Miranda to handle the sale of our home in San Mateo due to her extensive experience, thorough knowledge of real estate market in our area, positive energy and commitment to delivering the best possible offer(s) for our home. Carmen absolutely delivered on all fronts --managing vendors, etc. in our absence, provided frequent updates on status of the process (as we have moved out of town) staged/showcased our home extremely well and ultimately helped to bring in multiple offers --above our asking price --in 9 days. We are extremely pleased with the sale of our home, both in price and timing, and how Carmen facilitated the entire process (even when we, as the clients, were a challenge to her :). It goes without say that we would highly recommend Carmen Miranda as an outstanding real estate agent. Future clients will be in good hands.
Anonymous from Zillow.com
*****
Carmen is a true professional who is very thorough, extremely honest and offers her best. Carmen was able to find us a new tenant for our rental property in record time and for a great rent and She was also able to help us find a new home. We were completely satisfied and very truly impressed with Carmen. Even now, She keeps us updated of market trends and other analysis. Whenever we have any real estate needs in the future, Carmen is the realtor we'll be calling.
Anonymous from Zillow.com
*****
9/13/2013
Carmen is absolutely amazing! She handled the staging of my rental condo and I didn't even go there. I live 140 miles away and she did everything from overseeing tenant move-out, repairs, staging and the sale. The best part is that she was able to negotiate a sale price of 15% higher than the listed price. WOW what a gal. I can't say enough for her talents. She's the BEST real estate broker in San Mateo County. This is the second property she's sold for me and each sale was incredible!
Thank you Carmen.
Lynda Helm
*****
5/15/2013
To whom it may concern,
If you are looking for an exceptional agent to sell/buy your house in San Francisco Bay Area, Carmen Miranda is no doubt the right person for the job.
When my husband and I decided to sell our home in SF Bay Area, we were living overseas. We interviewed several real-estate agents. The first time I met Carmen in person, it was clear to me she was the one I wanted to represent us. In the two days I spent in SF Bay Area, Carmen put together a detailed sale strategy, catered to our needs and a budget.
Within the two weeks we hired Carmen to sell our house, she managed to fully remodel our kitchen, including new cabinets with granite counter-tops and new appliances. She had the house professionally cleaned, painted and staged by the feng shui expert.
The house looked amazing.
4 weeks from our initial meeting with Carmen we were in escrow and sold over asking price.
Carmen went above and beyond her duty as a real estate agent. She took full charge, kept us informed and was on top of everything. She worked closely with our relocation company, resolved all the issues along the way and successfully finalize the sale.
We could not have made a better choice and will happily continue working with Carmen on the future real estate transactions.
Carmen, thank you once again!
Best regards,
Jozef and Dalma
*****
2/12/2013
I recommend Carmen very highly. In this extreme seller's market, a buyer needs to have a knowledgeable and connected Realtor, and Carmen is both. She was indispensable in helping us buy our house in San Carlos (on our first offer!), and is now actually walking us through the remodel process with her various connections. She is there 24/7 for her clients, and made the stress of Bay Area home buying a lot easier to handle.
Please give her a call!
Andy and Tera
*****
Carmen was a realtor who worked diligently to assist on this difficult sale. She managed to get me the price and terms I had requested. She stayed on the other realtor who seemed to be slacking on his end. Time was of the essence. Diamond certified, prompt, thorough and willing to take the next step as well as the side step...I will use Carmen for future sales and purchases.
Tami, Norfolk (Off Market Sale)
*****
Carmen was amazing in all respects during the entire home buying process. We ran into her at an open house she was holding for another property and her willingness to discuss all aspects of the home buying process and her approach to it, incredible experience and detailed knowledge across the entire peninsula, and ability to recall all aspects of a home's details (API scores for school by neighborhood or even address) impressed us on our first meeting.
Carmen is very focused on getting to know you as a client, what you are looking for, the minute details of your life that will impact which home is right for you, and takes all this into account when guiding you through the process. We discussed what we were looking for in a house on our initial consult in deep detail, discussed specific needs for kitchen and entertaining areas, a desire for a backyard to play in, wanting to have room to grow, as well as aesthetic considerations based on our personal sense of style.
Many realtors put together a list of properties to inspect for you, but Carmen goes one or two extra steps. She had a bound volume containing all information about each property we were going to see each time we went to tour homes. This included the standard home details, neighborhood information, school information for each property, public records that may be pertinent, and even a listing of the neighbors (and Carmen would even knock on doors to help us chat with people in the neighborhoods!!) . In a busy world Carmen made it her priority to maximize our touring time through preparation of the booklets as well as visiting homes that fit our general profile, or listings that we sent, to narrow the list and weed out properties so we only saw houses we could potentially be interested in.
During the negotiation process Carmen was always a step ahead, prepared for any contingency, and able to pull in resources from her network for any issue, inspection, or financing question. The people in her network were incredibly professional and were able to answer any questions she was not. They all showed a similar dedication to preparation that allowed us to sail through negotiations, predict exactly what would be needed to close on the house we wanted despite multiple offers, and balance and negotiate from a strong position.
You can't go wrong with Carmen, and she will be there to help you through not only the home buying/selling process, but also any area where her vast real estate experience can help.
Steve and Jess, Buyer St. Francis, RC
*****
Carmen is a fantastic realtor. She was able to find us a new tenant for our rental property in record time and for a great rent. She was also able to help us find a new home. She is extremely professional, honest, thorough and offers her best. We were completely satisfied with Carmen. Without Carmen's excellent services, we simply could not have done what we wanted to do. Carmen is our realtor for life!!
John D., Landlord in FC, Isle Cove
*****
Carmen helped us through the process of finding and making a bid on our first home. With her excellent knowledge, the process was fast and enjoyable and we ended up with a house that fit us well.
Jill B.~Buyer in SF
*****
Dear Ms. Wondolowski,
Please allow me to take a few minutes of your time. My name is Angela Moreci, and I just had the pleasure of completing a real estate sale with Carmen Miranda. I understand you are the Vice President of Alain Pinel Realtors, and I wanted to personally write a letter of commendation about Carmen to you.
I have dealt with many real estate agents in my day, but no one has, or I believe ever will, live up to the standards of Carmen.
From the moment I first met her, I knew we "clicked". My mother was selling her condo after living there for 30 years, and moving to a new home in a new town. This was an emotional and physically demanding move on us, and I felt I could not take on one more responsibility other than making my mother as comfortable as I could in her new home, as well as caring for her every need. Carmen picked up on that. I asked her to take the reigns and entrusted her with the entire process to get the condo sold. She truly listened to me, from what I wanted, to what I needed. I felt like she really understood what a daughter was trying to accomplish for an aging parent. She related. She was sympathetic. She remained positive for me.
Carmen took on the task with gusto. I believed in her and trusted all of her suggestions. Within days the condo was painted, cleaned and staged. It was picture perfect. Within days, she was showing it. Within days, we had multiple offers, and within days we were in escrow. Today the deal was done and she personally called me with a heartwarming congratulations and thank you!
I have been in Customer Service for over 34 years. I recognize what it takes to make a client happy, make them feel important, satisfied, and keep them coming back. Carmen is pro-active, efficient and knowledgeable. She is honest; she is confident and calming when one becomes overwhelmed with all that entails in selling a home. Whatever situation came up, I asked her to take care of it for me, and she always had the solution at the tip of her fingers. She made the entire process effortless for me. I trusted her judgment at all times because I knew she had my best interest at heart.
It goes without saying that I would highly recommend Carmen to all my colleagues, friends and family without hesitation.
And one of the best things about her? You could always "hear the smile on her face" over the phone. I'll admit that I will almost miss our daily calls, emails and texts!
You are lucky to have her on your team.
Angela and Mary~Admiralty, FC
*****
April, 8, 2011
Thanks again Carmen,
You are such a fabulous agent. I look forward to working with you on more transactions
Sharie Leird
Relocation Services
*****
June 4,2011
Dear Carmen,
Carolyn and I are back from our trip and happily settling into our house outside of Volcano. We still can’t believe that our home in Millbrae sold so quickly and for such a great price. Thank you so much for your expertise it making that happen.
As you know, we were a little discouraged after our house languished on the market for four months last year without a serious offer. We knew we needed to sell this year in a market that was even worse, so were expecting to get much less then we asked for last year. Little did we imagine that we would sell for more than $200,000 over our asking price!
Your marketing strategy was brilliant and obviously effective. From the first time we met, we were confident that with you we were in the hands of a professional. You were honest about what you thought we needed to do to sell our house and comprehensive in presenting the pros and cons of a wide range of marketing options.
We especially appreciated the whole team of professionals you assembled to get our house sold. Though we were out of town at the time that you, Nancy and Brian first surveyed our house, we were impressed that you emailed us the room--by--room audio of your suggestions for the work that needed to be done to make it more marketable.
Initially it was difficult for us to commit to the expense of doing the work and staging our home but, as it turned out, that expense was probably the best investment we ever made. Brian Hytry was superb in getting all the home improvements done while we were in Hawaii.
We were blown away with how good everything looked when we returned. Nancy Linebarier and her team from Habitat Enhancements proved to be true artists as they staged our home in a way that made all the architectural features stand out. As it went on the market, you told us it was going to create excitement and it did.
Throughout the phase of getting the house ready for market you were always available and helpful in managing the logistics of getting your team’s work done and the inspections made. Your market analysis was astute and we appreciated the way you presented different pricing strategies that clarified the advantages and disadvantages of each. We’re so glad we picked the strategy you recommended.
You were great in keeping us informed of buyers comments from the open houses and the numbers of prospective buyers who visited the video website and the number who downloaded our disclosures.
We always felt that our home had the maximum exposure to buyers and that you had anticipated every detail needed to make it sell. Of course we were thrilled when, after only 7 days on the market, you presented us with three bids, all over our asking price. Little did we know at that time that your work had just begun. You were instrumental in helping us evaluate each offer and counter with the most effective strategy for each bid. You were able to negotiate a great deal for us. Even though we were nervous as each contingency came up for removal, we were confident that you were always on top of things.
In fact, you remained totally engaged and on top of our evolving situation even when you were on vacation. We’re sorry we had to interrupt your trip so frequently but even on the beach you got back to us and made the deal happen. I still can’t believe that we successfully closed escrow in less than five weeks!
So Carmen, thank you, thank you, thank you. We experienced the agony of our house sitting on the market with nothing happening last year and now the joy of working with you and getting our house sold in record time for a fantastic price. We are so glad you were recommended to us and we are more than happy to enthusiastically recommend you to any prospective clients you might have.
Carolyn and I are happy to finally be settled here in the foothills. We could not have done it without all the work that you and your team did to get our house sold. Whenever you want to get away from the bustle of life in the Bay Area, come visit us in the Mother Lode.
All the Best,
Robin Field and Carolyn Mischer (415) 806-4553
Millbrea
*****
A note from L. Sierra regarding Carmen’s Real Estate Services…
“I have enjoyed working and learning with you. It has been a wonderful painless experience. I am forever grateful to you for all you've done. Please share my message and I would love to speak to any of your clients to personally share your brilliance! District email is an easy way to communicate too. Always available for that until I get a moment to write a letter of thanks.”
L. Sierra
sierritas@aol.com
San Mateo Knolls
*****
A note from us to add to your wall of fame. " What can we say ... with Carmen on your side, the competition doesn't stand a chance. Her attitude and professionalism puts her above even her similarly diamond certified peers. She helped us buy our house and sell a city loft without a hitch, and the personal attention to every detail makes you feel completely at ease. Her network of resources will be of use to us for many years. Being "Carmen certified" puts any service provider on the fast track to success. Thanks Carmen, you are the best :)
Fond regards from
Susan, Steve and Grace. "
Millbrea and San Francisco
*****
Dear Carmen,
I want to personally thank you for doing such great, professional job on selling my home in Foster City. From the very beginning I knew you were the type of realtor I wanted to list my home. I interviewed several other realtors but you had all the right answers and a terrific reputation. I'm so glad I listed with you.
As you know, I've been a real estate broker since 1979, dealing exclusively in commercial real estate, so I do know the difference between an average realtor and one that stand head and shoulders above the rest. From the beginning, you came through with the right advice and suggestions. From staging the house, to open houses, to referrals of "fix it" persons, and even the movers...you were "right on" with your suggestions and solutions.
You had exclusive control and entry of my house, in my absence, and you treated that duty as gold. You are trustworthy, loyal to your clients and very smart. You achieved a sale price, in this downturn market, that amazed us all.
If you ever need a referral, you can rely on me. I can't speak more highly on your behalf. Thanks again for doing such a grand job.
Very best regards,
Linda Backman Helm
President, National Hotel & Motel Brokers, Inc.
Foster City
*****
You found us a fabulous home... Thanks a million!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Manuel and Tess Pilli
San Bruno
*****
Escrow on sale of my home (to Buyer #3) closed today! Carmen had to work for her money on this one -- she did a great job. Very thorough in all the details; excellent insight and intuition about timing and negotiations, and good negotiation skills. It's a difficult time to sell right now, and especially in my development where a $44,000 per unit assessment was proposed (but not passed). It's been quite a roller-coaster ride... good thing I'm anchored in trust in God or I would have been a nervous wreck by now I imagine....
Nanette Leatherwood
Foster City
*****
I highly recommend hiring Carmen Miranda for all your real estate needs! I first found Carmen at an open house she was conducting on our street, Louise Lane, in San Mateo. My husband and I were interested in following the sale of that house because it was one very similar to our house. We were really impressed with Carmen’s professional demeanor and “go getting” attitude. After learning of the astronomical sales price on that house, Carmen was the first person to come to mind when thinking about selling our house.
In the summer, Carmen helped us sell our house in San Mateo and buy a new house in Burlingame. On the sales side, Carmen went above and beyond the call of duty – no detail was overlooked as she aggressively marketed our house and made sure our house showed in the best possible way. In a changing market that could be very stressful, Carmen made the process go very smoothly. Most importantly, she advised us to sell our house first and then buy our new house due to low inventory on the market and the time of year (late summer). No one could have predicted the mortgage meltdown of 2007…..yet Carmen wisely and miraculously advised us to sell our house before the mortgage mess hit the market. We received 7 offers and most were above asking – need I say more? The winning bid came in over 100K over asking, way exceeding our expectations and setting a record high for Louise Lane. Moreover, Carmen made sure we got all the terms we were looking for – no contingencies and a long rent back with the first 2 months free rent! We found ourselves in the very very optimal position of having sold our house at the height of the market with up to 4 months to look for our new house (in a declining market, by the way!). On the sales side, we were in a very strong position, having already sold our house with cash in hand. Carmen did a fantastic job educating us about the market in Burlingame and pointing out what to look for in certain houses. We learned to distinguish quality homes from not so quality homes. When it came time to make an offer in Burlingame, Carmen aggressively negotiated the deal and again, no detail was overlooked as she made sure that all the little things were taken care of and the closing went smoothly. . The house we ended up with in Burlingame exceeded all our expectations in terms of our wish list, and we are extremely happy with the house we have.
Selling and buying a home is probably one of the most stressful experiences in a person’s life. With the help of Carmen, everything went surprisingly smooth and with every step of the way, my expectations were exceeded. Carmen’s “can do” attitude, breadth of knowledge about all things regarding real estate and highly professional level of service make her an exceptional realtor.
David & Sonya Hong
Burlingame, CA
*****
Hi Carmen,
Thank you for helping us realize our goal. It has been a while since we have wanted to invest in income property but to no avail. When the financial meltdown came along with the housing bust, it further exasperated our goal but the desire of going forward was not thwarted but made us only move forward with more vigor, recognizing that this could be the opportunity of a lifetime. It was your professionalism and your ability to convey to us through your thorough market analysis what was out there for us, but much more than that, the message could not have been heard if it had fallen on deaf ears. That's when trust comes into play' unless there is trust in the person, the information is not heard and the goal is never realized. We Thank You for your perseverance and hard work, which earned our trust in you and our goal was realized.
Carmen, you are a genuine person inside and out. we consider you not only a savvy business person but a friend as well and would highly recommend you to family and friends alike for all their real estate needs.
All the best~
Peter and Caterina Marriotti
San Mateo
*****
April 21,2010
Dear Carmen,
I just wanted to give you a hearty recommendation on the wonderful job you did in preparing and ultimately selling my home at 653 Celestial Lane. Your knowledge of the market conditions as well as your experience in knowing how to prepare and position a property were essential for the rapid ~30 day sale of my home. This made my corporate relocation to the east coast seamless.
With respect to market conditions, your suggestions on timing were important since the local market appears to be on the upswing. So your accelerated schedule in coordinating your wide network of tradespeople was essential. Of course, your proven team of professionals made the difference; its clear that you have carefully selected key tradespeople who can deliver.
With respect to preparation, your keen insight on what critical areas to remediate was most informative. From the feedback that was received by the buyers and other interested parties, it was clear that the changes made the difference.
Finally, your negotiation skills were key to getting multiple bids. The sweet reward of a selling price that was $20k over the asking price was confirmation of your negotiating prowess in a slowly recovering market. Hence, I would strongly recommend your services to my friends or any interested parties.
Sincerely,
Daniel Chin, Ph.D.
Foster City
*****
Hello from Shanghai. I want to take a moment to thank you again for your help with the short sale of my home.
You said it would be a lengthy and difficult process, For me it was just a lengthy process because you handled all of the difficulties, and for that I am truly grateful. Because of the rushed nature of my move overseas, knowing you were handling in on that side of the ocean was such a comfort. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of the extra miles you went to see my sale through to completion.
Despite the delays caused by the bank and all of the extra detail work needed for this kind of sale, your persistence and stewardship saw it through to completion.
The decision to go through with a short sale was difficult, but thanks to you, the process was not.
You can be sure I will recommend you to everybody I know who is looking for a first class realtor in the Bay Area.
Sincerely and with my best regards,
Alex D'Aquila Shanghai, China
Foster City
*****
Thank you for helping us purchase our 1st home. We'll let our friends and family know you did an awesome job. Please include us in your referral list, we're happy to give testimony on your professional services.
James and Lam
Burlingame
*****
Hi Carmen,
Thank you very much for all the help you have done for us. Maria and I very sincerely appreciate your honest, sincerity and professionalism. Like I've said to you before, we could not have done what we have done without your help. I will keep this for my records.
We will definitely stay in touch with you.
Many regards,
John and Maria
Foster City
*****
We enjoyed working with you on our 2 transactions~ you did a GREAT JOB and EXCEEDED our expectations!
Please don't hesitate to let me know if there's anything I can do for you!
The Kershner Family
Burlingame
*****
Carmen, I cannot tell you enough how pleased and thankful we are that we met you and that you became our Real Estate Agent! You made the whole process so easy - especially since we are first-time buyers. You always shared your knowledge and provided guidance in a way that helped us understand our options and empowered us to make sound, informed decisions. You were always there for us - often on a moment's notice! - making sure our needs were being met. We LOOOOVE our new home! We are so excited that our son will grow up with a large yard like we did, in a desirable neighborhood with good schools and great neighbors. It was our hope to be able to purchase in the area and you made it all happen by helping us watch the market, monitor the listings and go for it when the time was just right. (Did you count how many houses you showed us? I think close to 20, right?) We have also been extremely impressed with your extensive professional network of "team services" and contacts - i.e. mortgage lenders, title company, contractors, electricians, engineers, inspections, etc. and so on... it has helped this entire process run smoothly and has ensured we are fully served. We have been very satisfied and fully trust your recommendations. Thank you, thank you, thank you! For your patience and perseverance, as well as guidance and advice! We really appreciate the attention to details and the very personal touch you added to the buying experience. Rest assured, this will not be the last you see of us! :-) Thank you!
Cristina, Ricardo & Joaquin
San Mateo
*****
We wanted to take a moment and describe the experience we had selling our home with Carmen Miranda. As first-time home sellers, both my wife & I had many pre-conceptions about the selling process. In the SF Bay Area, sellers too easily think that their homes will demand top dollar - with little effort involved. That's actually not true. We interviewed several candidate agents. We obtained a range of opinions from - "do nothing" to "full kitchen remodel". Only one person - Carmen Miranda - give us the feeling of confidence that not only would a strategic set of updates to the house pay off; but her guidance on pricing strategy and marketing were by far the best of any agent we interviewed. Carmen's commitment to professional excellence, and absolute thoroughness in every part of the job gave my wife and I the satisfaction that we had picked the right person to represent us in selling our home. Briefly, Carmen provided the following assistance for us: 1) Strategic advice on financially manageable - but high impact "freshening" for our kitchen and front yard 2) Superb handyman & contractor support 3) Thorough inspections 4) Excellent staging guidance 5) Relocation company support
I'm happy to say that Carmen's advice paid off for us - way beyond our expectations. We highly recommend Carmen's services to anyone looking to sell their home.
Gina & Shawn Davis
San Mateo, CA
*****
It was truly our pleasure to have Carmen Miranda as our agent during the sale of our home. She was the utmost professional every step of the way, from the first presentation about two years ago when we first thought about selling until the escrow closing this week. Thanks to her guidance in setting the price and preparing our home for sale, we had multiple offers and got more than $100,000 over the listing price. Carmen's attention to detail is as impressive as the extensive network of professionals she can tap on a phone call's notice. What other agent would have been able to get our house on TV and raise a storm of publicity? What I also found refreshing is that unlike other real estate agents. Carmen never put too much pressure, convincing us of her strategy through giving more information. In the end, it was always up to us which way to go. In conclusion, I wish we could use Carmen's services to buy our next home (moving to Southern Calif). She is the role model for all professionals. That is why I unreservedly recommend Carmen Miranda as the best real estate agent in San Mateo.
The Frishbergs
Foster City
*****
Carmen,
Well, we FINALLY did it!!! Although the outcome was not what we originally expected, I'm glad we stuck together through it all. You have gone above and beyond the call of a realtor in your quest to sell our house, and for that, we thank you greatly. I look forward to putting this chapter of our lives behind us, and look forward to what is to come. I know this is just the beginning, and look forward to our future dealings. Again, many thanks for all you have done for us!
Cathy and Mike
San Bruno
*****
Kim and I truly appreciate the effort you put into selling our old home & helping us find our "forever" home. Not only was the whole process tricky & complicated since it was done almost concurrent with each other, but the transactions themselves gave us something that could not be quantified, and that is peace of mind. Peace of mind for me is knowing that we got the best price for our home when we sold it, and that we bought our new "old" home for the best possible price too. And that our decisions and our timing were Right-On, absolutely no doubt about it. I was impressed by your knowledge of the market, your creativity to think outside the box, your professionalism and courtesy, & your network of contacts within the support industry; from home finance to home upgrading. Thank you for your continued assistance in various matters, long after the completion of our transaction.
Kim & Paul H.
Millbrae
*****
Dear Carmen-
We wish to extend our utmost gratitude to you for your extreme patience and professionalism in assisting us in our very first home purchase. Truly, we couldn’t have done it without you! You are to be commended for your unwavering support and your incredible work ethic. Your knowledge of the real estate industry is expansive and we took great comfort in knowing that you were representing us, always keeping our best interests in the forefront. Your understanding of the current market, and ability to see the possibilities, where we thought none existed: your capacity to negotiate on our behalf, all the while educating and advising us so that we could make fully-informed decisions, has resulted in the successful purchase of our “dream home”. Your extensive network of professionals to aid us in, and through, the inspection process is amazing, and we have found the referrals to be of tremendous value. Each service person we have contacted has demonstrated integrity and trustworthiness, and we couldn’t be more satisfied. Please add us to your list of very happy customers, and know that we are looking forward to the opportunity to work with you again. We have already referred a friend to you, and should the need for a realtor arise within our circle of family and friends, we will sing your praises. It has been an absolute delight working with you. Be on the lookout for the housewarming/pool party invite!
So Very Gratefully- Susan & Bernard Wright
San Mateo
*****
We have really enjoyed working with you. You did an extraordinary job selling our house. Your work marketing was exceptional and really paid off dividends in terms of buyer interest and finally, the number of offers we received. Thanks to your efforts, we were quite overwhelmed to receive 12 offers that we reviewed in the end. My wife Aruna & I feel you were always very helpful and took care of much of the effort involved in placing the home on sale, with minimal effort on our part. Without your help & referrals we wouldn't have been able to put our house on the market as well as we did. We would love the chance to work with you again, and will definitely refer you to future transactions of friends & family. Thanks again!
Ram & Aruna
South San Francisco
*****
Thanks Carmen for all your assistance on the Purchase and Resale of my first home in San Mateo. Your Team (Inspectors, Handymen, Escrow to Loan Brokers) was fantastic the first time around. Your assistance on selling it before I moved to the east coast again was 'hassle and stress free'! You knew exactly how to guide me through both of my experiences in purchasing and selling. I will always be Thankful to you for all you've done. (I just hope I can find someone as good in the east coast!) Yours, L. Anderson
L. Anderson
San Mateo
*****
Carmen Miranda was a key person in helping us sell properties and purchase a home. She has a talent in reading the real estate economy and providing us with insightful suggestions. Both homes that she sold for us sold within a week from the first open house. Her open house presentation was very good which is the reason is the reason why the homes attracted multiple potential buyers.
In addition, she always went out of her way to help us out with ANY matter. For instance, she took the extra step to help us coordinate the cleaning service for our new home and we must say, the coordinations was organized and her efforts took loads off our minds. When an unexpected issue arose, she immediately gave us solid recommendations that worked to our advantage. Most of all, the extra effort gave us peace of mind.
Overall, Carmen is a very effective Investment Property Realtor. She is insightful, provides very good recommendations, takes quick action, fair and a very generous!
The Halls
Redwood Shores
*****
February 28th, 2006
I write this letter of recommendation and support of Carmen Miranda. I recently sold my home in San Carlos after having learned of an unexpected need to move out of my house six weeks earlier. Carmen's clear direction enabled me to keep in step with critical decisions required for the sale of my home. With her experience and keen understanding of market conditions, she was able to guide me with what I needed to do to prepare my home and also counseled me on what I could expect from buyers. I really appreciate her transparency in communication regarding this entire process.
Also the outbound marketing of my home was stellar! Everything with the virtual tour on CarmenMiranda.com to effective positioning in the weekly Real Estate Magazine.
In summary, I really respected and appreciated her responsiveness, thoroughness, sense of urgency and professionalism. I will recommend her to all I know who are looking to buy or sell their house!
Sincerely,
T. Callahan
San Carlos
*****
To California & Hawaii ReMAX Executive Managers,
I would like to Thank you for introducing us to an incredible ReMAX agent, Carmen Miranda, based at ReMAX Dolphin in the Peninsula. While searching for our first home, we interviewed countless realtors. Carmen came to our first meeting with more in hand than did all of the other realtors we had worked for some time. After one meeting with Carmen we dropped all other potential realtors, on the basis that, we knew she was dedicated to our best interest and not solely in the interest of the sale. In addition to Carmen's in depth knowledge in all sectors of her business, she is refreshingly straight forward, professional and pleasant to work with. Carmen instilled great confidence that we would end up making the best purchasing decision, with her guidance.
Bidding wars can be extremely stressful and disappointing to a first time home buyer. We found a great house, unfortunately, several other people wrote offers on the same house. Carmen planned out an effective strategy based on her past experience, and was the only agent to present in person. Something we only see in offers for much more expensive properties. We close on our house in September, and are elated!
Thank you for introducing us to our Realtor! Now, I'm even more enthusiastic about next years ReMAX campaign.
Claudia S.
Redwood City
*****
Wanted to thank you for taking care of everything throughout the selling process of my home. It was good to know that I had someone who would look after all the details so I didn't have to worry. What can I say but "You Rock!" I hope 2005 will be a fun and prosperous year for you. You truly do enjoy your work as this is very evident in the service you provide your clients.
Gale I.
Redwood Shores
PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE
Five Star Professional conducts market-specific research throughout the U.S. to identify service professionals who demonstrate professional excellence and provide quality services to their clients. The Five Star Real Estate Agent program is the largest and most widely published award program for real estate agents in North America, covering more than 40 major markets. Five Star award winners do not pay a fee to be included in the research or on the final list of award winners.
The Five Star Professional research team contacted thousands of recent homebuyers, consumers and industry leaders to identify San Francisco-area real estate agents who stand out in their industry and community.
To learn more about the research methodology, click here.
