It is my pleasure to provide a professional/personal recommendation for Kathleen Baker.
During a 20-year period of active real estate transactions I worked with Kathleen as Buyer/Seller/Renter with transactions including custom homes, raw land and investment property. Millions of dollars with sometimes complex transactions were handled effectively and efficiently. In short, Kathleen is a knowledgeable, experienced real estate professional with high integrity and an extremely cordial approach. Her experience shines when difficulties arise that seemingly would prevent a deal from happening. Her strength is a positive personality which endears her to clients and establishes a friendship which endures for years. Her knowledge of the market is unsurpassed.Kathleen enjoys my unqualified trust.
Sincerely,
Philip Peluso
Executive Recruiter & Senior Vice President at National Search Associates
(760) 431-1115 office
(760) 522-5200 cell
Kathleen Lillie Baker has represented us in six different real estate transactions in the past 25 years. Our transactions involved properties ranging from $500,000 up to multi-million-dollar properties. Kathleen is quite the real estate professional due to her overall knowledge of the market, her 1st class job of marketing representing our properties and her dedication to our success. Kathleen will be our real estate professional “of choice” for all our future real estate sales and purchases.
Charles and Dolly Grubbs
President / Owners of Magna Coatings Corporation
(760) 598-2460 office
Kathleen Baker is the definition of a true Real Estate professional. Her diligence and expertise places her in a class of her own, far above the rest. I have been fortunate to work with Kathleen through some of the most challenging Bank Owned Foreclosure purchases, Short Sale and Traditional Sale transactions one might imagine. Her representation and efforts for her Clients is absolutely above and beyond. Whether she is working with first time home buyers or sophisticated Luxury home sales, her level of professionalism exceeds any Agent I have worked with in over 1500 transactions. Any Buyer or Seller who has the benefit of working with Kathleen will be sincerely blessed by her lovely personality, her Real Estate wisdom and her remarkable work ethic on their behalf. I cannot recommend Kathleen highly enough!
Klover Stewart
American Eagle Real Estate, Inc. / Office Manager & Director of Operations
(208) 610-5454 cell
When I am in the need of real estate services, I turn to Kathleen Baker. She is professional, efficient, knowledgeable, thorough and very pleasant to work with. When working with Kathleen, I know I can relax and trust that she has my best interest at heart. Kathleen provides all the information one needs to make good, sound decisions.
Judy Gezon
(760) 730-0566
I am certain that I am one of many that have had the pleasure of working with Kathleen to purchase and sell property. My experience was outstanding!!! Kathleen knew exactly what I wanted in a home and within a matter of a few days she was successful in identifying the perfect property. In addition, she quickly and efficiently found the right buyer for my property at a value above what I thought would be achieved. Kathleen personally handled every detail connected to my closings, start to finish. Her professionalism and enthusiasm is second to none. I whole heartedly recommend Kathleen if you are in the market to buy or sell. Thank you, Kathleen, for making the process so seamless!
Don Schempp, Senior Vice President
Torrey Pines Bank
(858) 395-9143
To whom it may concern,
Kathleen has worked with us on three real estate transactions, two sales and one purchase. In all three cases, we were extremely satisfied. She did an excellent job for us! On the sales, we received timely offers at excellent prices! And on the purchase Kathleen located the perfect home for us. Each of our transactions went quickly and smoothly. We had no issues with the prospective buyers or the seller. Kathleen is very knowledgeable, professional, and a tireless worker who provides excellent service for her clients. We strongly recommend Kathleen to anyone desiring to purchase or sell a home.
Phil and Urbana Schneider
Retired, Rancho Santa Fe residents
(858) 832-1439
I have bought and sold many properties over the years and many realtors have been involved. Kathleen Baker is the best! She zeros-in on her client’s needs. She is very knowledgeable concerning the real estate market throughout San Diego County, including laws, school districts, transit and upcoming changes in the community. You can count on Kathleen to always make the extra effort to ensure that all aspects of the sale or purchase are completed properly down to the smallest detail. I am a client for life and highly recommend her for all real estate transactions.
Sincerely,
Barbara Andrews, RN, MSN
Family Nurse Practitioner – NCAA
UC San Diego Medical Center, Hepatology Dept.
(619) 318-1598
I feel privileged to be in a position to write a testimonial about Kathleen Baker’s professional real estate service. During the early decline of the housing market, my wife and I relocated to the East coast due to a job transfer. Despite our own efforts and those of two reputable real estate agents in the local area, our property stood vacant for over a year. Each month we struggled with escalating living expenses, two mortgages and reduced cash flow while my wife continued her job search. This, coupled with learning a new job, was very stressful. With the San Diego property looming over our heads, we were looking at the blueprint for financial ruin. Things turned around once we were referred to Kathleen Baker. Without exaggeration, I can honestly say she represented the light at the end of the tunnel. She immediately employed a myriad of resources to give our property the right level of exposure. Kathleen’s approach had a sense of urgency and she stayed in constant communication with us throughout the whole process. Ms. Baker attracted a buyer and closed our sale quickly and efficiently! To anyone seeking a personal touch, you will be very pleased at the level of experience and commitment you will receive from this extraordinary professional.
Respectfully Submitted,
Everett L. Butler
Engineering & Platform Lead
Department of Defense Contract Management Agency
619.813.5075 Cell
I have bought and sold real estate for the last 42 years in Michigan, Illinois, Florida and California. I worked with Kathleen Lillie Baker because of a referral by a friend of mine. She was moving from Michigan to California and did extensive research to locate just the right realtor and as a result, she found Kathleen. I began looking for properties in San Diego a few years before I purchased a property. Kathleen was always patient and gracious and took me around to see many properties, even though she knew I might not buy for some time. Once I did decide to purchase, Kathleen did an excellent job from the beginning to the end of the process. I ultimately completed several real estate sale and purchase transactions with Kathleen as my broker representative. Each transaction resulted in a great experience. Kathleen is the consummate real estate professional, extremely smart, market savvy and gives meticulous attention to detail. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell properties in the Southern California market. Please call me at any time for further details.
Marcia VanderWoude
Retired Investment Advisor
(616) 405-1932
We have known and done business with Kathleen Lillie Baker for many years. Her expertise and overall knowledge of the real estate business is outstanding. It is so nice to do business with someone who has your “best interest” at heart and never her own bottom line. In this age of so many people unequipped to handle their business, whatever it may be, Kathleen is the exception. Many, many times we have told her “just do what you think is best” and the result has always been to our advantage. Kathleen is always there for you, even after the transaction has been completed. Many, manytimes we have gone to Kathleen for advice about our properties after the purchase was made. Anyone who is fortunate to be doing business with Kathleen Baker will be greatly blessed… We are about to put another property on the market with her and we are already confident in the outcome. If we can answer any questions for you, regarding what you can expect from Kathleen, as your real estate professional, please do not hesitate to call us.
Ted and Mary Ellen West
West Racing Stables
(626) 536-9365
When we were wishing to check out real estate possibilities in San Diego, Kathleen Baker was highly recommended to us. Kathleen first requested a “wish list” from us. We began communicating our requirements to her. Based on that, she was able to put together a very good cross-section of listings for us to inspect online, in a variety of areas. After looking at those listings online and giving her the yes or no on each, she narrowed down what she felt we would like to see. By the time we drove over to look at a score of houses, it was clear that she had listened carefully to our wish list of likes and dislikes. On the second day of our house touring with her, we found the ideal house in an ideal location. Kathleen proactively made certain that the acquisition process flowed smoothly. From the preliminary emailing, back and forth with us in Arizona, to the final process of acquiring our new home in California, we could not have been more satisfied with and grateful for her cheerful, knowledgeable, well-organized professional services on our behalf. There are no words to adequately express how very grateful we are that we were introduced to Kathleen for her professional real estate services and all that she did for us.
Karen and Russ Butcher
(760) 295-4679
I was introduced to Kathleen Lillie Baker almost ten years ago by a friend. I’d been working previously with another realtor who’d shown me homes in Coronado, downtown San Diego, and Del Mar, but nothing I’d seen met my needs. Kathleen initially took the time to help me define my interests and needs and we developed a trusting relationship which resulted in my purchasing a “second” home in “Aviara” in Carlsbad. Earlier this year, I finally moved from South Carolina to Carlsbad where I’m now living in the home Kathleen helped me acquire. Over the years, I’ve maintained a friendly relationship with Kathleen and her husband, Mark, and she has continued to help me in many ways, large and small, as I’ve made the transition to full-time living in SoCal. In sum, I owe much of my happiness today to Kathleen Lillie Baker.”
Sincerely,
David D. Dodge
(803) 556.6334 cell
Kathleen supported our relocation to San Diego from our distant Virginia home. Despite so much of our effort being “remote”, Kathleen did a “superb job” understanding our requirements for a new home, sharing her deep knowledge of San Diego, and helping us locate to just the right neighborhood and property. Once our choice was determined, Kathleen made the closing a breeze. It was a great experience!
Rick L’Heureux
Director of Corporate & Government Relations for ITT
(703) 973-3701 cell
We truly appreciate the wonderful job you did in finding the right house for us to purchase. You understood our criteria and parameters and focused the search just right. You provided us with a lot of data so we could see and understand for ourselves and when it was time for action, whether visiting a property or signing a document, you were on top of it. We will certainly recommend you to any friends in the market to buy or sell property.
John Degrassie
Scientist VII, General Atomics
(760) 753-7526 home
(858) 455-2098 office
Kathleen is a true professional who assisted us in purchasing an investment property. Her communication was excellent and she advised us on the process the whole way through. She went out of her way to make sure the transaction was as seamless, as possible. We’ve worked with other agents and they simply don’t compare to Kathleen. I highly recommend Kathleen and look forward to work with her in the future.
Shelley Saban
Senior Marketing & Communications Director, Qualcomm
I met Kathleen Baker in 2009. I had just relocated to California from New York and I was looking for a home for myself and my husband. Kathleen showed up many, many homes and was always patient, caring and respectful of our needs and our budget. Ultimately, Kathleen lead us to the perfect home. It was a short sale.We had 3 other realtors before we met Kathleen. They all stayed away from short sales because they said it took too long to close. Kathleen was very willing to put in the extra effort on the short sale and kept us posted on how the sale was going. She was always responsive to our phone calls and concerns. She explained everything to us very thoroughly.We have kept in touch with Kathleen over the years and would highly recommend her to anyone. Please feel free to call me anytime for a recommendation.
Katie Posner
Registered Nurse, Sharp Healthcare
(516) 263-6120
Dr. Serene and I met Kathleen Baker back when we were relocating to San Diego from Palm Springs. Kathleen acted quickly, locating just the right properties which would suit our needs. She is a true professional who listened to our preferences and then introduced us to the best purchase opportunities in a timely manner. It was not for Kathleen we would not have found and properly secured our “little piece of heaven” here San Diego (a new construction home, built by Shea Homes). Kathleen knew from her extensive experience representing buyers in new housing tracks, just what to “hold firm on” as it applied to upgrades we wanted the “throw in”, and where the line would be drawn in the sand. Kathleen ultimately saved us thousands of dollars being there as the go between as “our representative”. We will be forever grateful to Kathleen for her dedication to our success.Kathleen oversaw the escrow, step by step, even though this was not necessarily her obligation to do this. She looked out for us throughout the entire process. We have worked with MANY real estate agents throughout the US over the years and Kathleen has proven to be the best! She is trustworthy, very knowledgeable concerning every facet of the real estate process, and a great communicator. Any future real estate transaction which we partake of here in Southern California will be handled by Kathleen Baker on our behalf.
Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Clyone Serene
(760) 602-9436
My husband and I live in Washington and wanted to purchase a second home in San Diego. We partnered up with Kathleen Baker. What a great experience! We were long distance buyers. Kathleen took a lot of time researching neighborhoods and sending us information on potential homes. Although the very first house we looked at checked most of our boxes, we really wanted to take the time to look at many houses to get a feel for the market.While visiting from Seattle for a few days, Kathleen patiently walked my entire family through dozens of houses when, in the end, we chose the first house! There were several offers on the property. We relied on Kathleen’s experience and expertise as we submitted our offer which resulted in a win for us. Not only did Kathleen well prepare us for the unfamiliar laws and regulations surrounding purchasing a foreclosure in California, she referred us to several sound professionals for painting, roofing, etc. There were no surprises which was very important to us. I have confidently referred other Seattleites to Kathleen as we are all looking to get away from the gray! Do not hesitate to call me for further reference.
Norma Pearce Winger
(760) 535-5505 cell
I had the pleasure of working with Kathleen Lillie Baker on the purchase of our home in San Diego. We were living in the Bay area, so most of our interactions were by phone, fax, email and very busy whirlwind visits to preview many homes. The housing market was hot at the time and houses were selling very quickly, often with multiple offers. Kathleen was very knowledgeable about all the listings, comps and neighborhoods and had a network of trustworthy appraisers, inspectors, contractors, escrow and title companies all of whom were very responsive.Kathleen works very well with other agents and is a strong, yet fair negotiator. Kathleen has a superior work ethic, is totally customer focused and we trusted her ethics and honesty. She is extremely detail oriented, listens carefully, pays close attention and has tremendous perseverance. I can highly recommend Kathleen to anyone who wants to buy or sell a home.
Respectfully submitted,
Betsey Meyer
(760) 613-4643 cell
I have known and worked with Kathleen Baker for more than 5 years. Kathleen is one of the brightest and attentive Realtors I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Kathleen is a consummate professional, and her desire to serve her clients well has been demonstrated consistently on every transaction we have worked on together. I highly recommend Kathleen Baker as one of the finest and most professional Realtors I have ever worked with.
Thomas Walters
Bank of America Home Loans, Vice President – Sales Manager
Cellular: (760) 445-2710
Kathleen was fantastic during the entire process of assisting my wife and I purchase and then a few years later sell our home in Carmel Valley, Del Mar. My entire household was extremely busy with daily life (international job, relocation, kids, etc.). Kathleen kept the process going in the right direction at all times. So many important details required her utmost attention. I learned that I could trust Kathleen to do the right thing for us, always. I personally recommend Kathleen to our closest friends and family. You can be confident that when working with Kathleen as your real estate broker, you will be lead down a path, geared towards meeting your goals, as it applies to all your real estate needs. She is a true professional!
Jeff Engel, Senior VP Retail
Interactions Consumer Experience Marketing
(858) 581-8718
We are pleased to have this opportunity to extend this endorsement on behalf of Kathleen Lillie Baker. My husband and I were very fortunate to have worked with Kathleen during a complicated two-year, out of state, transitional period that lead to the purchase of our home. Kathleen’s professionalism, knowledge and genuine character, put us at ease. We knew she had our best interest at heart. She truly listened to our goals and worked diligently over a two-year period to find the perfect home that fit our interests and needs. Being equestrian people who enjoy boarding our horses on the property, Kathleen was determined to find the perfect dream home for us that facilitated our equestrian interests and she succeeded! She even went the extra mile and engaged the HOA on our behalf to secure approval that our horse trailer and other equipment be permitted on the property. Because of her qualities as a business person and dependable good character, she has become a trusted friend. We know that we can recommend her to family, friends and colleagues in confidence. She has earned our trust and future business.
Sincerely,
Claude and Jillene Straub
(775) 338-5992 cell
(858) 771-1081 home
When working with a Real Estate Broker, the two most important qualities to us were market knowledge and reliability. Having been a professional Realtor in San Diego for more than 20 years, Kathleen had an excellent grasp on current market conditions in every neighborhood we were considering our purchase. When questions came up about certain properties, Kathleen could answer most of them right on the spot — based on her extensive experience. When our questions required more detailed research, Kathleen provided us with answers and supporting documents by the next day, in a format that was easy to understand and apply to our decision-making process.
In terms of availability and reliability, Kathleen was always there for us – either answering her phone on the first call, or calling us back within minutes. She made herself available to show property in the evenings and on weekends. Would I recommend Kathleen to friends and family? Absolutely! Would I buy with her again? Yes.
John Safarik & Nancy Valencia
(714) 231-7177
Kathleen Baker is to be commended for her superior customer service as a real estate professional. My wife and I knew little of the real estate market and trends in the San Diego area. However, Kathleen quickly eased our minds. We were impressed right from the beginning. She was extremely prepared and organized for our first visit. She had planned a tour of about 12 listed homes and we accomplished that. We were expecting to view about three or four. We put an offer in on one. A couple days later, a property came on the market that Kathleen felt strongly “we had to see”. My wife flew down from Las Vegas as we could sense the urgency. Kathleen was “spot on” and our offer was accepted. We closed August 7th. During the entire process Kathleen was always looking out for our best interests, giving us sound advice and obtaining concessions from the owners. She was extremely thorough and professional and maintained clear and prompt communication with the listing agent, loan officer, and everyone else involved – the appraiser, the building inspector, the termite inspector. It made the whole process smooth and trouble free.
When you talk about perfection, it’s Kathleen Baker. I was the controller for six years for the largest real estate broker in Nevada with over 300 real estate agents. I know an outstanding real estate professional when I see one. Kathleen is the best!
Sincerely,
Ken and Karin Maxfield
(702) 340-1134
Following retirement, we temporarily moved to a condo in Carlsbad for three months to determine whether or not North County was a place where we would ultimately want to live. It did not take long for us to determine that the answer was yes. During that time, we met several realtors, but once we met Kathleen Lillie Baker, it did not take long for us to realize that she was the right realtor for us.
Kathleen was very knowledgeable, professional, efficient, helpful, and well informed regarding the local real estate market. She took the time to understand exactly what it was we were looking for in a home. We looked at many existing homes but basically determined that new construction would best meet our needs.
Prior to our making the purchase decision, I decided to go back to work and accepted a job out of state. We did not return until a year later, except for an occasional visit to North County to continue our new home search with Kathleen. Throughout that entire timeframe Kathleen stayed on top of the many new subdivisions in the area. She continually checked status with the builders and communicated with us on a regular basis. She also agreed to represent us in our absence. She signed us up on 4 different wait lists and made us aware of their release dates. When we were unable to be there, she would wait in line to sign us in so that we would not lose our priority position.
Kathleen brought to our attention a new subdivision in Aviara called Cristalla that she was certain would be the perfect home for us. She was right. Thanks to Kathleen’s ongoing involvement and effort, we were # 1 on their wait list and when the lot was released for sale we were successful in purchasing the home of our dreams with a perfect ocean view.Not once did Kathleen become discouraged or impatient with us over this long period of time. She was very conscientious and always put a lot of energy and effort into making it happen. Kathleen always goes out of her way to take care of her clients and definitely went above and beyond on this one! We are so fortunate to have found her. We would surely recommend her to others and would not hesitate to call upon her again in the future.
Wayne and Lorna Pannell
(760) 602-9366
It was an absolute pleasure working with Kathleen. One of the things we liked the most among many other things was that Kathleen made us feel like she was truly working in our behalf to get us the best home that would fit our wish list and our budget. She let us direct her to what we felt like we wanted in our new home and she then provided us with as many options as possible all the way up to the last second. Once we decided on a home she once again sprang into action putting us in the best possible position to acquire our dream home. Not knowing much about the home buying process Kathleen made it seem easy. If you want a worry-free home buying experience Kathleen will deliver.
Travis and Mari Richardson
(608) 332-6735
Kathleen helped my wife and I secure a larger home for us in the Carmel Valley area of San Diego and then sell our La Jolla condo. We were expanding our young family and needed more space. It was a very busy time for us which made the prospect of entering into the home purchase process seem overwhelming. It quickly became apparent that Kathleen had exceptional levels of expertise and experience. Her knowledge and strict attention to detail imbued a sense of confidence and comfort into a situation that may have otherwise been much more nerve-racking. On a professional level, Kathleen is superb. On a personal-level she is fantastic and we continue to keep in touch. Thank you, Kathleen,for two jobs well done!
Bill and Adele Winkelman
I have had the pleasure of having Kathleen Baker help me with an emotional decision for me in the sale of my home. She was professional and quickly went to work and I had a great response with the listing and many good offers. I have been looking for a realtor/broker who I could trust and connect with and I found that in Kathleen. She knew exactly what needed to be done and why the property did not sell before. I was very pleased with her knowledge and ability. She took care of everything for me and was there for me through the end. I will definitely utilize Kathleen for all my future real estate service needs and I am glad to have her as a friend.
Toni MacKenzie, CEO MacKenzie Aircraft Parts, Inc.
760- 519-6938 cell, 760-407-5612 office
I have had the pleasure of having Kathleen Baker help me with an emotional decision for me in the sale of my home. She was professional and quickly went to work and I had a great response with the listing and many good offers. I have been looking for a realtor/broker who I could trust and connect with and I found that in Kathleen. She knew exactly what needed to be done and why the property did not sell before. I was very pleased with her knowledge and ability. She took care of everything for me and was there for me through the end. I will definitely utilize Kathleen for all my future real estate service needs and I am glad to have her as a friend.
Toni MacKenzie, CEO MacKenzie Aircraft Parts, Inc.
760- 519-6938 cell, 760-407-5612 office
From the moment we met Kathleen Baker, it was smooth sailing!
After an absence of seven years, we wanted to move back to San Diego, California from Florida. After placing our Florida home in escrow, we flew out to San Diego for a two-week period to purchase a new home. At the end of week one we were in panic mode. Our first realtor wasn’t introducing us to anything that met our expectations.
We called on an ad and was introduced to Kathleen Baker. Thank the Lord! Within a couple days of very organized property viewing, Kathleen located the perfect property for us. Kathleen provided us thorough, well organized, closed sale comp information which greatly assisted us in setting value prior to our making an offer. There were multiple offers presented to the seller. We are quite confident that our offer was ultimately accepted mainly due to Kathleen’s extensive experience. Kathleen addressed the negotiation process with top-notch professionalism. She was extremely thorough with her offer presentation materials, she displayed excellent communication skills and a very pleasant demeanor. We flew back to Florida with great confidence knowing we were in good hands with Kathleen on our side. Kathleen coordinated a seamless closing for us with no drama connected.
Having owned and operated four Real Estate offices prior to our retirement we recognize the value of good service in the industry. Kathleen is a credit to the business. We feel that we have gained a friend for life. Thank you Kathleen!
Paul and Eleanor Brown
San Diego, CA
We had the pleasure of working with Kathleen Baker to sell our home. We were so impressed that we want to write the following recommendation:
Kathleen Lillie Baker is extremely professional, analytical and knowledgeable. She promoted our home using a variety of marketing vehicles. Once an offer was made, Kathleen negotiated a very positive outcome. Throughout the selling process, Kathleen displayed great attention to detail. Each step of the way, it was obvious that Kathleen was focused on producing the best possible outcome for us. This has not always been our experience with other realtors we have worked with in the past. Kathleen is clearly a specialist in her field and a true professional in all regards. We plan to refer Kathleen out to all our family and friends who plan to purchase or sell property in the San Diego area.
Sincerely,
Gail A. Manginelli
Michael A. Manginelli
Kathleen Baker was extremely helpful and thorough in our search to purchase investment real estate earlier this year. Kathleen understood what we wanted and used her experience and skills to quickly and thoroughly scour the market to identify several prospective properties for us to visit. After only a few weeks, we made a successful offer on a property and closed without any problems.
Kathleen oversaw the entire process on our behalf and identified several opportunities for us to improve the terms of our purchase. She never hesitated to communicate with the seller’s agent to share our concerns and pursue an equitable resolution. As a seasoned real estate professional, Kathleen’s expertise and diligence were ever present and reassured us at every step that nothing would be missed. We found this to be the case, indeed!
We have bought and sold properties many times but found our experience with Kathleen Baker’s assistance to be the best-ever!
Pam & Jason Hartman
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
(858) 663-3793 cell
To Whom It May Concern,
We have had an exceptional experience working with Kathleen Baker. From the beginning of our home search process to post-acquisition, Kathleen is the type of realtor that is always there to help and make the client feel comfortable and at ease. Just as important, Kathleen is transparent, realistic and provides insightful guidance that results in the customer obtaining maximum situational awareness and perspective on what options and strategies to employ in the real estate process. Kathleen always seems to think “3 chess moves ahead” and is one of the most prepared individuals we have ever met. To that end, Kathleen has tremendous communication strengths – thorough documentation, well-written detail on actions to take, innate ability to know the perfect words by which to bring people together in deal progress prior to final transaction….and a date driven style. We appreciated this and never felt like we were getting surprised or that we weren’t the top priority.
We highly recommend Kathleen Baker and vouch for the exceptional customer experience that she provides.
Sincerely,
Georgina and Tony Mueller
Solana Beach, CA
Kathleen Lillie Baker