Julie Durkee

Quick Summary: Julie Durkee is professional, punctual, organized, energetic, and easy to communicate with. Every recommendation she made to us was right on the money. Full Story: My sister and I inherited our mother’s house in Oakland which she had owned for over 50 years. When Julie first toured the house, it was in poor condition and a mess. But, she saw the potential and had a vision for what it should be. Julie has connections to many skilled (and reasonably priced) craftspeople who quickly got to work on all that needed to be done. Julie herself oversaw all the work being done, which was especially important to me because I live in New York. Julie also worked with an interior designer to select paint colors, tiles, and fixtures with results more beautiful than I could have imagined. The landscaper she hired for us worked wonders on the long-neglected, overgrown front and back yards. Throughout the process, Julie kept in daily contact with me. She gave me updates, sought my approval for decisions big and small, and always answered my questions promptly the same day I called or texted. As soon as the work on the house was complete, the staging was done and professional photos taken for the online listing. I could barely recognize the house I had grown up in. It had been utterly transformed. The original beauty of the craftsman style house had been restored and revealed. At the same time, the house had been improved and modernized with remodeled bathrooms and kitchen. The house was on the market less than two weeks before we had an offer that was 50% higher than if we had just sold it “as is” without Julie’s many months of work getting the house into tip-top condition. Finally, I must say that Julie Durkee’s personal qualities of warmth, humor, and kindness made the whole process renovating and selling the house so much less stressful and that it was an absolute pleasure to have her as our realtor.