After a career as a zookeeper at the world-famous San Diego Zoo, I switched animals completely in 2005 to work in real estate. Oddly enough, there is a similarity, in that success in both depends on great relationships with those you work with! I specialize in the central and coastal areas of San Diego County and have expertise in all aspects of residential real estate. Having lived in San Diego for the last 40 years and the beach areas for 30, I know San Diego County well. I enjoy the relationships that I develop with my clients very much, and hold communication as having the utmost importance in a real estate transaction. I am thrilled to have received the 5 Star Professional Award for the last several years. The award is based on surveys of San Diego homebuyers who rate their agents on communication, customer service, and overall satisfaction. I am an executive committee member for the newly formed Compass + division, which will bridge the gap between older adults and essential real estate and adjacent services such as home health, move management and estate planning. Having had the responsibility for the care of my wonderful mom, I gained a deeper understanding of the emotional aspects of preparing the "estate" and selling a family home, particularly in the context of seniors and their beneficiaries during life's transitions. Born in Sweden, I stay connected with my membership with the House of Sweden in Balboa Park. I also enjoy my board position with the esteemed La Jolla Woman's Club. We have a very sports minded family, with golf being a big part. With a daughter who is an alumna of the women's golf team at the University of Colorado and a son who played college golf at UC Berkeley, followed by professional golf tours, we are avid fans of the game!
OTHER LANGUAGES
Swedish
Community Involvement
Vice President of the La Jolla Woman's Club, Membership Chair of the House of Sweden, Education Chair of the Compass Plus Executive Committee
HOBBIES/INTEREST
Play golf, run around with my dog, club events, historical architecture, history
FAMILY
Born in Sweden, Lenna stays connected with her board position at the House of Sweden in Balboa Park. She also enjoys her Vice President board position with the esteemed La Jolla Woman's Club. Lenna's husband of 36 years, Mark, is Executive Vice President at The Corky McMillin Companies (semi-retired). Lenna has a very sports minded family, with golf playing a big part. Lenna's daughter, Taylor, played golf for the University of Colorado and her son, Ben, played for the Cal Bears and continued to compete in the pro golf tours.
Read More About Lenna
Credentials
LICENSE
Real Estate - California - # 01732169
Designation
Certified Senior Advisor
REALTOR
Specialties
Sellers
Buyers
Residential Property
Luxury specialist, relocation specialist, real estate representation for seniors, Certified Senior Advisor, Coastal San Diego, La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Del Mar, golf properties, vacation homes
Awards
Other Awards
Five Star Professional Award, Circle of Excellence award winner
View All Awards
FAQ
1. What advice would you give a buyer trying to purchase a home?
Number 1 is to be preapproved for a loan if you need one. Use your lender as your advisor on how best to position yourself to get the best loan. Number 2 is do not be afraid of making offers!! Too often, buyers will hesitate if the home is incorrectly priced and wait to see if the price comes down. That's the best way to miss out. You will never buy a house if you don't put an offer in. Use your realtor to represent you. Don't try to do all the work finding a home yourself. I have access to a whole off market platform as well.
2. What advice would you give a seller trying to sell their home?
Rely on the pricing suggestions give to you from a real market analysis. Do not rely on internet sites for valuation as they do not know the condition or marketability of your home. Do not expect buyers to bid on your house if you are priced too high. The more that you have to lower your price, the lower the percentage of the list price you will end up getting. Buyers are savvy, the longer your home sits on the market, the lower their offers will be.
3. What types of clients have you worked with?
First time buyers, vacation home buyers, investors, seniors that are down sizing or making transitions into assisted living, beneficiaries who have inherited property, families that are growing and need more space.
4. Describe a recent transaction you are fond of. How did it go?
My first one of 2025 was extremely special. My buyers were valued past clients of mine who ended up losing their home of 30 years in the Eaton Fire. They did not have the "bandwidth" to go through a rebuilding process so they elected to move to San Diego near their son. To work with them through finding a home that they could love and be safe and happy in after such a traumatic event, trying to make it as easy and smooth for them to minimize the stress they were already carrying and seeing how happy they were at the end will go down as one of my favorite real estate relationships in my 20 years.
5. How did you get started in Real Estate?
I was a zookeeper for 20 years at the San Diego Zoo. When it came time to make a change due to kids and their activities, I decided to study real estate which I had always been very interested in. Big change in type of business and I will always cherish the time with my animals.
6. Do you have any special education or training that will benefit your clients?
In recent years, I have experienced more client needs as well as personal events with an aging parent that has emphasized the fact that seniors should have a much more customized approach and representation in their real estate transactions. I am a part of the newest division of Compass, Compass Plus. The Compass Plus agents have acquired their CSA (Certified Senior Advisor) designations which allows them to better understand the events and issues involved in senior needs such as finances, health and estate questions. Compass Plus agents have a wide referral base to the various professionals that can help in all of those categories.
Contact Information
Location
7863 Girard Avenue #208 San Diego, CA, 92037
Social Media
Marketing Materials
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Lenna Doyle's Reviews & Ratings
42 Reviews
(5/5)
Note: Reviews may include other agents on their team
What clients say about this agent....
Knowledgeable
Responsive
Communicative
Professional
Trustworthy
Outstanding
Attentive
Hard working
Excellent negotiator
Gems4lola2
Review for Member: Lenna Doyle
April 10, 2025
Local Knowledge
Process Expertise
Responsiveness
Negotiation skills
ZillowVERIFIED
Lenna was absolutely excellent. This is the second time we have utilized her expertise in finding a residence in San Diego. We are victims of the Eaton fire in Pasadena and loss everything. We temporary relocated with our son who Lenna secured a lovely townhouse a few years earlier. She had to deal with clients who were obviously experiencing tremendous stress trying to locate a second forever home. She expertly handled everything including contributing funds to help us temporarily. Trust her, we have twice and will continue to do so.
Michael H.
Review for Member: Lenna Doyle
August 26, 2024
Local Knowledge
Process Expertise
Responsiveness
Negotiation skills
ZillowVERIFIED
Lenna Doyle and her assistant Brianna Keys did an absolutely fantastic job securing a dream home for us in our preferred location of northern San Diego County. Seeking such a home seemed like a daunting task given we were living on the East Coast and had to rely on a couple of weekend trips to visit homes in person. However, Lenna and Bri kept in constant touch by email and phone, giving us Facetime tours of new listings and making inquiries to sellers and their agents promptly and efficiently no matter the day or time. Lenna's knowledge of the Southern California market is exceptional, and she uses only first-rate inspectors, remediation experts, and contractors to ensure we're getting the best service. (One particularly meticulous inspection saved us from buying a home that had serious hidden problems.) Our relationship with Lenna and Bri has continued well past the home purchase date, as they remain in touch to guarantee that we are getting solid advice as we pursue some remodeling projects. We wholeheartedly recommend them for anyone seeking to move to this region, including the Encinitas, Carlsbad, La Jolla and San Diego neighborhoods!
Susan G.
Review for Member: Lenna Doyle
August 11, 2024
Local Knowledge
Process Expertise
Responsiveness
Negotiation skills
ZillowVERIFIED
Lenna helped me sell my condo recently. Lenna is efficient, thorough and very helpful. She helped me with every part of the sale, from marketing to closing. I have 100% trust and confidence in her. Property sales can be stressful, but Lenna has the experience and knowledge to expedite the sale and make things as easy as possible.
Gotta1der
Review for Member: Lenna Doyle
June 7, 2024
Local Knowledge
Process Expertise
Responsiveness
Negotiation skills
ZillowVERIFIED
People say aEUR?you get the house youre meant to have" and that aEURoethings happen for a reason." The fact of the matter is, when youre looking for a home in San Diego, you need someone with the kind of talent, skill, and elan that Lenna has. She goes above and beyond and makes things happen without brute force; instead she engages in clear communication and strategic planning. She anticipates potential issues before they arise and handles everything with remarkable ease. Shes not afraid to submit offers under listing if thats appropriate. And she does all of her research and truly listens to your "wants" and "dont wants." She is even-keeled and yet, if you dont get a particular house, she has empathy for how painful the process can be. She is a generous soul with an intellect to match. She offered to pick me up at the airport twice when I flew in to view a couple of houses. No one would balk at 6% commissions these days if all realtors were like Lenna. But theyre not. She is one in 1 million. If you have the opportunity to work with her, dont hesitate. She is one of the best. Her talent and skill in navigating the complexities of the real estate landscape are unparalleled. Thanks to Lenna, I secured my dream home without any of the usual headaches. She truly went above and beyond, demonstrating a level of competence and commitment that sets her apart from others in the field. Whether youre buying or selling, you won't find a better partner in your real estate journey. Thank you, Lenna. Your incredible understanding of the market, and your strategic approach to pricing and negotiations was crucial in closing our deal quickly and efficiently . . . and it was actually fun! Every step of the way!
Corrywagner7
Review for Member: Lenna Doyle
February 17, 2024
Local Knowledge
Process Expertise
Responsiveness
Negotiation skills
ZillowVERIFIED
If I could give Lenna 10 stars, or 100 stars I would. She helped us get a rental property ready for sale after my father's passing. Her advice and expertise landed us a great price, far above what we expected. The property had a lot of deferred maintenance, and she helped us make decisions on what should be fixed/updated and what was best left alone. She was also very active in decision making for the work we were doing. She provided excellent referrals for people to help us with work on the property, as we managed the work ourselves. When a glitch happened with our first offer - completely out of Lenna's control - she dealt with it quickly and efficiently. We thought that losing the first offer might have an effect on the price we received, but due to her hard work, we were still able to receive a very good price on the sale! MOST importantly, she helped us manage differences of opinion among the co-trustees with grace and a positive attitude. She did not take sides and was able to find the best qualities in everyone, and helped us in working together. Lenna's calm, kind, yet "get-it-done" personality is EXACTLY what you want in your realtor! HIRE HER!!