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About Kathy Tai
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Specialties
- Buyer's Agent
- First Time Home Buyers
- Investment Properties
- Listing Agent
- Relocation
Awards
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2025
TOP AGENT
San Mateo, CA
2025
San Mateo, CA
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I had a stellar experience working with Kathy as a first-time buyer. Before I was referred to her by my friend, I haven't felt that agents I tried to work with fully centered my needs during the search. All throughout, she was knowledgeable, patient, supportive, communicative, responsive, and most of all, real when it came to what I should expect from the market and pros/cons of every single choice. She took the time to learn my motivations and goals, and invested in my journey to navigate what is objectively a challenging and draining process. Touring homes with her really helped solidify my non-negotiables and preferences. On offer days, her preparation, communication and hustle allowed me to pivot quickly as needed, let my strategies play out, and put my best foot forward to always be competitive. The power of her network also helped with my financing and ultimately securing my home at a value that I can be thrilled about. At closing, she took accountability for a minor oversight by covering a fee which spoke volumes, and also surprised me with an amazing appliance gift. Overall, becoming a homeowner with her in my corner has been incredibly comforting, and I would highly recommend reaching out to her!
Kathy was beyond pleasant to work with. For the San Francisco market, my price point was low and a parking space mandatory (far and few). While, other agents were not responsive, she did not hesitate to work with me. She is knowledgeable, patience, and knows how to negotiate a "killer deal"! I am so happy I met here and honestly will miss her now that the transition is complete. I will be recommending her to all my friends and grateful she helped me find my dream condo!
Working with Kathy was an incredible experience from start to finish. As first-time buyers, we were amazed by how quickly she helped us navigate the processaEUR"we went from our initial search to closing in just five weeks! ?She spent two weeks touring homes with us, and what impressed us most was her honesty. She never "pushed" a sale; instead, she focused on pointing out the pros and cons of each property and let us make our own informed decisions. Kathy is extremely professional and has a deep understanding of the market. In fact, the home we ended up buying was an off-market property that she found for us, which is a huge advantage in the competitive Bay Area market. ?If you want an agent who is patient, mature, and has the inside track on the best listings, I highly recommend Kathy!
Working with Kathy has been so great! My husband and I were moving back to the Bay Area and Kathy made the process fun and easy. We viewed so many homes and she was right there with me going through it all. She answered all of our questions and made sure that we were well prepared every time we wanted to make an offer. I would definitely recommend Kathy and her team to my friends and family!
As my husband and I are new to the Bay Area, Kathys local expertise was instrumental in finding our new home. She did not dismiss our questions and concerns; rather, she guided us in information gathering so we could feel confident in making decisions for ourselves. Her knowledge of the various areas helped us find the perfect neighborhood for us. I would definitely recommend her - especially if less than 30 day closes, termites on a pest report, or navigating list prices well under close are new to you!
Fiona and Kathy are one of the best people I have met in my life! I met them at an open house in San Bruno and was immediately attracted to their people skills. We have been searching for 8 months and have seen quite a few open houses but lost 5 bids before we found a gem. It was an opportunity of a lifetime in San Mateo and we immediately sealed the deal with a swift and decisive offer. I don't know what they did but the house was appraised 210k above what I paid for so I honestly felt like the luckiest person alive when they signed the contract. Just to top it up, they bought me new a washer and dryer as house warming gifts! Truly dedicated and sincere people. You won't find any agent better than them.
I met Kathy through a Zillow listing and 6 months later found my dream condo in Marin. I was never in a rush to find a place, I was happy with the place I was living in however wanted to find a long term investment which made sense to my budget and family needs. Kathy took the time to understand what I am looking, what is my budget and kept sending my options matching my requirements. At no point I felt the pressure to purchase something, which would usually stress me out and not want to get into home buying. Kathy is extremely professional at the same time respects you space and budget. I will definitely be recommending her to anyone looking to buy a condo or home. I cannot be happier with my first home purchase, whenever I look for anything else I know who to contact without a doubt. !!
Working with Kathy on an exchange as both a seller and buyer has been an amazing journey with some ups and downs, but she demonstrated adaptability and professionalism when pivoting was needed. Also, greatly appreciate her personal and timely approach throughout the process, providing relevant insights and expert guidance. Thankful we had a friend in common that recommended her!
I met Kathy through Zillow about a year ago and she connected me immediately to understand how she can help. My partner and I are first time home buyers, and we had no idea what the steps are, but she made the experience super comfortable by guiding us at many critical moments throughout the whole process. She also has multiple connections and different resources that she could provide to her clients to facilitate the process. Even though we were not fully ready to place any offers financial wise when we first met but she still provided her best advice and service. When we were finally ready to dive back in, luckily it didnt took us too long to find out perfect home, and she played a crucial role in helping us navigate the journey. I would highly recommend everyone to work with Kathy for your home buying journey as this wasnt only a purchase for us but also a great lasting relationship.
Kathy is a shining star! As two public school employees in the Bay Area looking for a SFH the slice of real estate within our price range was minuscule, but Kathy coached us to closing on the deal of a lifetime! We have a water view, a generous lot, welcoming neighbors, and a checkmark next to our biggest life goal to date. Of course talent attracts talent, so everyone in her circle--her lender, etc--was top notch and always took the time to explain our options every step of the way. That said, there was never any pressure, and we were encouraged to explore our own contacts as well, hers just happened to be the best. I don't want to sugarcoat things, this is the Bay Area and you need to pay to play, but Kathy will give you the best possible chance of getting the most for your money. We were bracing for a house we didn't love, in a neighborhood we didn't love, for a price we didn't love, but with her strategy and market knowledge we flipped each one of those criteria! This new climate of signing a buyer's agreement can add another layer of anxiety to an already intense process, but I'd encourage you to sign-on with Kathy and go win! We're so thankful we did :)
Kathy did an amazing job helping us with our purchase. We met some terrible real estate agents along the way, some that would not leave you alone for a few minutes or a few feet away in the home they were showing. But Kathy is different. She is amazing. Kathy is an encyclopedia of Bay Area real estate knowledge, from the property locations, to the disclosure reports. She definitely does her due diligence in research, learning, and sharing the knowledge to educate her clients. She was willing to go above and beyond for us to find the perfect home. Kathy displays not only expertise in her field, but patience with her clients to make decisions that are best for them. She will listen to your wants and needs, and most importantly, be realistic with you as a client. She understands the process and how important of a purchase this was for us. Kathy was amazing with follow up, response, and negotiation. We 100% recommend her if you are in the market for a new home.
Kathy is honestly the best of the best! Shes realistic and is always on your side. She definitely gives the best advice and doesnt pressure you into locking down something youre not comfortable with. Shes always responsive even with questions after our closing! She is the best agent you can work with and she is on a journey to find your dream house with you. I have had the best experience with her and cant believe were homeowners, all because of Kathy! She is the sweetest and I am so happy with her and every property in the future - shes definitely the person Id recommend and go to! Thank you Kathy for educating me through this process and being so patient! We got the best first home because of you!!
Kathy did a great job, she was so patient with me. This is a long exhausting process but with the team that kathy surrounded me with i was sure i was in good hands. I made a purchase and i feel really good about it, its a great place for my family. Thank you for all the help!!! I 100% recommend kathy!!!!
My partner and I met Kathy at a showing for a listing and we are so glad we did. As first-time homebuyers, we wanted our agent to be knowledgeable, but also understanding, patient, and flexible. Kathy is all those things and more! She was always quick to respond to a text or call. She was never pushy or judgmental. When you're her client, you definitely feel like she's got your back. And with her help, we were able to close on our first purchase!
I should begin by giving a little background as a first-time seller. My parent's American dream was to purchase a home and back in 2001, they made that happen. After living there for two decades, they realized that the next chapter in their lives was to be closer to their grandchildren living in San Diego. My sister and I were given the task of selling their home with no experience. This task was daunting and intimidating. We decided to find a real estate agent who could help us in the process and fulfill our parents' wishes. Initially, we wanted to interview candidates to find the right fit. The first agent we talked to was Kathy and we were more than impressed with her knowledge, organization, preparedness, and personable skills. After talking with Kathy, we immediately knew she was the right person to help us sell the home. Not only is Kathy knowledgeable, but she also cares about her client's needs and we NEVER felt pressured to do anything we did not want to do. She often told us that she was here to help and guide us in the process and that no matter what decision we made she would have our support. We knew that Kathy had our best interest and followed all of her recommendations and we could not be happier. Kathy went above and beyond with everything that she did and it showed in the house being sold in less than 1 week! I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND KATHY TO ANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS! Not only was she our real estate agent but she has become a person we could call a friend. THANKS AGAIN KATHY FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID FOR ME AND MY FAMILY!
Kathy is an amazing realtor, she went over and beyond to help us find our dream home in California, she explained the process step by step, answering all are questions with her expertise and knowledge of the current market. Kathy was always available to answer are questions and to advise us during the bidding process. Kathy also helped us find the right financing to help with a speedy closing. I cannot say enough about our experiences working with Kathy. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to purchase a home. She is a 5 star realtor ??
Kathy made our first home purchase process a pleasurable and smooth experience as our agent. As a first time homebuyer, Kathy was able to educate us on every aspect of the homebuying process and was transparent about everything that came up. She always ensured to listened to our needs and refined our home search to mainly everything that we were looking for. Kathy is always working and on the move but was also always available for a meeting or phone call if we had any questions or needed to sync. Even when some things did not work out with our first lender, she did not give up and was able to provide solutions allowing us to secure a loan with one of her referred contacts. Her professionalism, positive attitude and relentlessness were one of the reasons we were able to purchase our dream home. I am highly confident that she can help anyone in purchasing a new home and would not hesitate in giving my highest recommendation!
Kathy Tai brought what seemed like an unattainable dream to fruition. She listened closely to our needs and guided us through this tenuous process with grace, deep knowledge, expert intuition and calming confidence. She works tirelessly, quickly and was always available. And although kind and fun, I suspect that behind the scenes should could be a hard-hitting and a fierce negotiator. I give Kathy my highest recommendation ? working with her changed my life and made my family?s dreams come true.
I was referred to Kathy by a close mutual friend. I connected with her twice before as I was looking into my own qualifications and options. Kathy was always patient as I navigated that process and continued to share her perspective on the real estate market. Finally on my 3rd try, I was able to follow through and finally purchase a home! Kathy responded to every text and call and walked me through the home buying process late at night and even during her vacation as I was submitting my offer. My second offer was accepted and I was able to purchase my first home within three weeks thanks to Kathy?s guidance and I couldn?t be more grateful. She handled all matters with professionalism, rigor, and kindness. I?m confident that she could help anyone purchase a home while making it a truly seamless process. Following up, she?s continued to be responsive and supportive, sending me referrals for movers and cleaners and helping me review documents. Thanks so much, Kathy!
Kathy made buying my first condo a breeze. I was new to home buying and Kathy was extremely professional and kind throughout our time together. She never made me feel pressured to buy something I wasn?t 100% in love with and she helped me every step of the way when I had questions. Kathy explained everything in a way that was easy to understand from making an offer to working with the lender. I really appreciate Kathy?s knowledge and how personable she was throughout our time together. She was wonderful to work with and really cares for her clients.
If you?re reading this review looking to pick the best agent to help you with your sale or purchase, then you?re in the same boat as me not too long ago. Buying a home is one of the most important decisions I was going to make in my life, so choosing the right realtor to help me was crucial. Like any new buyer, I was both extremely nervous and unsure where to begin the process. All I knew was that I needed a good agent and a loan approval. One of my biggest fears was using an agent that didn?t pick up their phones because I was sure I was going to have a million questions. Kathy came highly recommended and she made the entire process so much less stressful. What I initially thought would be a couple weeks process only took days. From our initial conversations, I knew I had found the right agent for me. Kathy was both knowledgeable about her market and enthusiastic to help me find my dream home. We were able to secure a loan approval from her lender contacts, allowing us to make offers quickly in a competitive market . Knowing that I had an agent in my corner that was going to help me make offers on my future home as if it were her own home really reassured me in my choice to go with Kathy. I guess working with a good realtor does make a difference because we were in contract shortly after. What I appreciated the most was that Kathy was always a phone call away. As much as I knew I was bothering her with endless calls, she was nothing but professional and patient, helping to answer all my questions. Kathy sets a very high bar and I would not hesitate to work with her again when I?m ready to buy another home.
Kathy is hands down the best Realtor I have. She is honest and explains you if you have any related questions. She is very knowledgeable and is reliable. She responds to you quickly and makes sure you?re taken care of on your side of the transaction. I?m glad I worked with Kathy for my Real Estate needs.
Truth be told, Kathy was not the first realtor we spoke with when we started our home search, but after meeting her for the first time through a referral, we decided to go with her instead due to her knowledge of the market and the larger area she covers. My girlfriend and I are so glad to have gone with Kathy as our realtor. Everyday the home buying process felt like the stars aligned and Kathy was the main reason for that. She always had our best interest at heart. She jumped on every opportunity and she provided us with the best support and resources whether it be her colleagues or her referrals to lenders. As Kathy explained to us, in the SF Bay Area, we are against some tough competition and we need to be agile in order to get the home we wanted. When we saw our dream home, we immediately made an offer that day. We were aggressive in contacting the realtor and seller and our offer was accepted in two days! Not many people get their first offer accepted, but Kathy and her wonderful colleagues made it happen! I?d highly recommend Kathy and her firm! -Susie and Nestor
Kathy is an excellent agent! My wife and I were interested in buying a bigger house and selling our townhouse. Kathy listened to our needs and was very transparent and responsive during the whole process. Kathy toured homes with us for several months during the pandemic when open houses were not available yet. After several months of touring and bidding in the competitive Bay Area market, Kathy never gave up on us. We got an offer accepted and we closed on the house shortly thereafter. Kathy was always available and made the listing/selling process as smooth as possible as well. We were very impressed with the marketing of our townhouse and we were under contract within two weeks. We highly recommend Kathy and her team if you are looking for a knowledgeable and professional agent!
From the first meeting, Kathy has been professional, responsive, and enthusiastic. While I wasnt super serious about buying a home, I was genuinely curious about my potential to own something in SF. The best part about Kathy is that she truly has her clients best interest at heart and she does her job with no hesitations. We looked at so many homes for 3 months and went through 3 rejected offers -- even when I told her I wanted to wait because I was discouraged, she kept my spirits up and it led me to finding my dream condo. Shes my go-to person for anything real estate related because she not only is super knowledgeable, but she is great at managing and leveraging expectations so you are fully prepared for any situation.
Kathy was wonderful to work with and always very responsive. She knew the area and neighborhoods very well and was able to provide suggestions for other houses nearby that we liked. She was very honest and helpful. After many unsuccessful tries of making offers on properties at the very top of our budget, we worked together on what we were willing to compromise on and eventually found a property within our budget that we were still happy with. In the end, she provided worked with us to come up with an offer just close enough that allowed us to win the bid.
We started working with Kathy midway through our search. While working with her, she was on top of her game. She knew every single answer to our questions, she sent listings to us almost everyday, and gave us confidence that we were able to get into a home. My wife and I had her for only about 2 months and we purchased a house pretty quickly. Mind you this was our first bid with her and it got accepted fast. She was one of the greatest realtors but she also became has a friend as well.
Fantastic agent. We were trying to buy a new development but we could not reach to the seller. So we requested online and Kathy was the first one that called and helped me set up an appointment for a tour the next day. Very responsive and professional agent
Kathy brings professionalism, exuberance and an unparalleled work ethic to her transactions. Working with her was so incredibly easy. It was my first time looking to purchase a place and she walked me through the entire process and anticipated my needs 5 steps ahead! I highly recommend Kathy as your agent if you?re looking for someone who will be reliable and knowledgeable!