Note: Reviews may include other agents on their team
What clients say about this agent....
Nicholas W.
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIEDSimon's knowledge of the market, his understanding of timing and staging, and his command of the entire process were truly impressive. From day one, we felt like we were in expert hands. We trusted his process completely, and he and his team delivered beautifully. As with any home sale, issues came up along the way. Simon helped us navigate every one of them with professionalism, kindness, and a consistently positive attitude. We never felt stressed or uncertain aEUR" he always had a plan. We'd highly recommend Simon Black to anyone looking to buy or sell in the Bay Area. You won't find a better advocate in your corner.
Silvia M.
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon Black was wonderful to work with. He has been in real estate for many years and was able to guide us through the process with great patience and efficiency. Very professional and knowledgeable. I can't highly recommend him highly enough.
Endokevin
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Very patient, helpful, low pressure and responsive throughout entire process. We began as unsure movers/sellers and now in we in escrow after reviewing promising offers.
Dstsang
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon is an exceptional realtor and we had an incredible experience with him. His organization, preparation, engagement, tenacity, strong communication and professionalism were absolutely necessary to compete in the market we were shopping in. We ended buying a great house at a price we were comfortable with in a neighborhood we love. We are experienced home buyers, but the East Bay market was a lot more challenging than the areas we had purchased homes in in the past. Simon was really helpful in filling all the knowledge gaps, and getting us prepared to put offers in on houses in a very short turnaround time. It was also invaluable to have someone that understood the different neighborhoods, real estate culture and local government rules that would come into play during the purchase. Simon really made us feel like a priority during this process and was a really effective project leader for our purchase. He kept on top of every aspect of the purchase, making sure nothing delayed closing, or making sure we didnt miss any important deadlines. Beyond very strong follow up with Realtors representing Sellers, he also kept in daily contact with Finance people, escrow, and title representatives as well to ensure there wasnt any hold ups. Mostly importantly he made time for us, to answer any large, or incidental questions we may have had. Now that the transaction is complete, hes still helping us with home improvement resources. I would strongly recommend working with Simon for any new or experienced buyer or seller.
Ashley F.
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon has been a wonderful real estate agent to work with during our first home purchase! He helped us understand the housing market and hone in on what we were looking for and what was realistic given our budget. He helped us find a lender who we trusted, and supported us tirelessly from offer submission to close. We closed on the house quickly, and felt organized and in the loop throughout the process. Simon is incredibly responsive, thorough, and thoughtful. Simon has also given us so many recommendations on companies and people he trusts for home repairs and renovations. We can't thank him enough for his support in making our first Bay Area home purchase a reality!
Konnie H.
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED This is a long overdue review for our realtor, Simon Black.Our friends introduced us to Simon at the beginning of our house hunt in early 2021. We had talked to a few realtors and after our 1st meeting with Simon, we knew he was the person we wanted to work with during the craziest housing market in history. We were lucky enough to work with Simon for about 6-7 months, more than half of which we were actually out of state. When youre looking to purchase a house remotely, you know youre going to need someone who is an excellent communicator, diligent, competent and reliable. Simon always puts your best interest first. He is like a machine learning algorithm who works to understand what you like, what you dont like and continues to refine his searches tailored to your preferences. Throughout and even after the closing process, Simon would continue to check in and send recommendations our way (such as contractors, cleaners, etc). Simon has an extensive network of professionals including the best loan agents in the industry and saved us the trouble of having to find one ourselves (and the rates were very competitive during that time). We were also able to work with one of his home networking/security referrals who was super professional and had great quality of work (thanks Simon!!).Needless to say, Simon sets the bar high for realtors -- he should be the normal and not the exception. We are so grateful to have Simon as part of our house search and would recommend him in a heartbeat! You wont regret it :)
Zach N.
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon is a fantastic agent. Its the little things that count. He is extremely responsive, very honest (even when its not what you want to hear) and is very hands on. He is the type of agent who proactively calls the bank to check just how solid that buyer loan prequalification really is. In the end, he got us a great price and it was a very smooth process. I always felt like I was in good hands with Simon!
Zuser20140702131326715
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon was absolutely stellar and amazing to work with. My partner and I embarked on our very first house search together this past yearaEUR"we didn't know too much of what to expect from the process. We were connected to Simon by a friend who had purchased a home in the bay area a few years ago.For those of you who are looking to purchase in the bay area, you may already know that the the market is REALLY competitive. You want your realtor to help you understand the process from a high level, be highly communicative with you and all the parties that you'll work with in your search, to be a guide and help you make your first offer, to move things along quickly so that you are set up for success in this fast-moving market. We first met Simon over a video call (we began our search during the pandemic :D) where Simon walked us through what buying a home in the bay area looked like. I knew very little about taking out a mortgage, offers, and closing aEUR" essentially, I only knew how to look at properties listed online. Well, only a month after starting the search with Simon, we put an offer in on our dream home and are now homeowners! Simon was extremely involved and organized throughout the ENTIRE process for us (the search, going into contract, closing) and was a great resource , whether it was reaching out to sellers, the lenders, discussing our options with us, recommending lawyers when there were legal questions that we needed to answer about a specific property. He always gave us his time and his honest thoughts, and knew where to point us when we needed to consult someone else.We are so grateful for his expertise, and can't wait to invite him over for dinner once we finish remodeling!
Robertmguidrey
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon is a very knowledgeable Real Estate professional. He has a very good sense of the market and imparts that information to his clients. He has a very good network of painters, staging companies and handymen to assist him in preparing a home for sale in the most presentable fashion possible which serves to maximize the value of the property.
MatthewSachs
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon made my home buying process smooth and stress free. As a first time buyer I was overwhelmed with the process but Simons expertise and communication with each step allowed me to confidently submit an offer and close on my first home with ease.
Patrick H.
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED We worked with Simon starting in April 2020 (during the middle of the COVID19 shutdown) to search for a new home in the Bay Area, and it was a true pleasure. We felt very fortunate to have found such a knowledgeable, effective, attentive, and thoughtful agent. Even during the constantly-changing circumstances caused by COVID, Simon was always on top of things. He always seemed to be at least three steps ahead, ready to guide us through our first attempt at navigating the Bay Area housing market. Starting with our initial (virtual) meeting, Simon graciously and thoroughly answered all our questions - about neighborhoods, process, advice, etc. During each step along the way, he was readily available, extremely quick to respond (including on nights and weekends), and always prepared. He also generously offered excellent recommendations and personal connections to many others, including lenders and several contractors. Overall, we had an exceptionally positive and smooth house-hunting and buying experience, which we believe was in large part due to Simon's skill, professionalism, and hard work. On top of everything else, Simon is kind and genuine, and brings a personal touch to his work and interactions. While the process of buying a home can be both daunting and stressful, working with Simon helped to make it a real joy.
Dwill524
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon is an excellent real estate agent. When we started our search, we were living in southern California, and Simon agreed to help us back in February. Then Covid-19 came along and we couldn't really proceed with the search until fall. But all during spring and summer, Simon sent us listings and kept us informed through personal emails. Once we felt ready to get serious, Simon arranged zoom tours, answered our many questions, and seemed to know everything about the neighborhoods and houses we were interested in. His advice was spot on when it came to decisions about offers. Although we were not first-time home buyers, we often felt like we were, and we relied on his guidance every step of the way. It was truly a pleasure to work with him. Now we have closed on a lovely home in the Oakland hills and it is all due to Simon's exceptional help and support.
Jmillard47
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Mr. Black skillfully guides a prospective home buyer through the process, so there are no surprises. He is very responsive and knowledgeable. I would recommend him without reservation.
Christophewu
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Buying a home can be extremely daunting and discouraging aEUR" especially if its your first home. This is how I felt before I met Simon Black. Very soon after Simon was referred to me by a close friend, we began on a journey together that eventually led me to purchasing my dream home. A Bay Area real estate expert and veteran, a patient and kind person, an incredibly quick responder who always seems to be there for me, and an outstanding and well connected member of this community, Simon is an incredible and thoughtful leader who will work so hard day and night for you to ensure that you are well informed, happy, and organized. I highly recommend Simon to anyone who might be considering buying a first home or even a real estate investor aEUR" Simon Black will fight for you.
Zuser20151010220235817
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon was an amazing real estate agent! He was responsive, knowledgable, persistent and a great person to work with throughout the entire process. He helped me purchase my first home and I am very appreciative of the support he provided! He was also extremely helpful in navigating purchasing a home during a global pandemic and prioritized the safety of everyone involved. He is a people-first kind of person and I admire this about his style.I highly, highly recommend working with Simon if you are looking to have a positive and successful experience!
SpencerCrooks
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED My partner and I are first time homebuyers and were nervous going into this process. Simon was recommended to us by friends and we couldn't have been happier with his service. He made us feel comfortable and confident in our search for and eventual purchase of a home. He was encouraging and diligent without being pushy or making us feel pressured. He responded quickly and thoroughly. He was available when we needed him and he truly cared about our success. He made us feel like a priority. He followed through on all loose ends and made sure we understood the process at each step.Our search for a home was a chaotic experience. We bought into a new development which burned down a few months after we paid a deposit. Simon stuck with us all along while we waited a year for things to get back on track. He made sure we stayed up to date on the progress and checked in on us frequently. The condo was finished in the midst of the current pandemic and Simon was still right there working with us and doing the extra due diligence of making sure that all parties were adhering to the social distancing order. If you want a real estate agent who will be there for you even during times of disaster and global pandemic then Simon is your agent.
Raul M.
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Selling a home can be a stressful situation, but not with Simon Black! He is a consummate real estate professional that works with you to understand many points of view related to your home. From the very beginning of the journey, when we met with Simon to review the real estate market landscape in our neighborhood to the final closing, he kept us informed and supported every step of the way. He will deliver marketing recommendations and a project plan with a common goal of finding you the best buyers for your home. We highly recommend working with him, and we thank him for working with us!
Joyce A.
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED To meet Simon randomly at an open house this year and having the honor of his representation as our real estate agent has been one of the most fortuitous life events to have ever happened for us. He helped me and my partner find and close on our dream home in a very short matter of time, and we couldnt have done it without his expertise on local market trends, negotiating strategy, and vast networking connections (just a few of his MANY skills!). His excellent advice and guidance made all the difference in what could potentially have been a nerve wracking home buying experience. He was ALWAYS responsive, prompt, extremely professional while also supportive, calm while also firm, and an all around stellar communicator across all parties, which is vital in this process. Not to mention that hes a generally wonderful, thoughtful, and fun person to be around, which really brought necessary moments of ease in our home buying journey. We are so happy to continue our relationship with him as he assists us in selling our condo in the new year. There really is a Simon Black Difference and we are so blessed to have found our realtor for life. Do not hesitate to go with Simon as your agent; it truly was the best decision we couldve ever made!
Ashleyrhall92
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Working with Simon to purchase our first home was an incredible experience! Simon was so patient with us as we navigated first-time home-buying in such a unique market and he connected us with an amazing mortgage broker. He took the time to answer any and all of our questions, follow up with us often, and made sure to communicate frequently, which helped us feel supported and confident when things moved really quickly after putting in an offer. Simon's experience, deep knowledge of the market, and expansive network connections helped us win the first offer we put in and close four days early! I would HIGHLY recommend working with Simon Black and will absolutely work with him again when the opportunity arises!
Zuser20151221192143449
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon was a pleasure to work with. He helped us navigate a potentially stressful property search and got us into the home of our dreams at a great price! Some positives...- Patient and supportive: We started working with Simon remotely while we were living on the East Coast. He worked around our availability and took the time to do thorough video walkthroughs of properties so that we wouldn't miss out on inventory.- Understands the market: He's savvy at extracting market guidance and formulating winning offer strategies. In fact, we secured our property for $30k under asking.- Well-networked: He has relationships with many local realtors and also lenders. After a hiccup with our loan, he was able to find us a new lender that was able to close in less than 20 days and at a phenomenal rate--much less than what other lenders were offering. Note that we ended up expanding our search and looking at homes in Castro Valley--not just in Oakland or Berkeley where Simon has expertise (hence the 4 stars for 'local knowledge'). While Simon did not have deep experience within that part of the Bay, he did have a working relationship with the listing agent which proved to be very beneficial for our transaction.
Mark W.
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon was a pleasure to work with, and became more than our agent but also a friend. He is detail oriented, professional, and knows all the tricks of the trade. He helped us navigate one of the hottest properties in Oakland, and I know for certain that our offer would not have been accepted if not for his expertise and negotiation skills.Thanks to Simon, we are living in our dream house! We would very highly recommend him!
Funesdvm
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon is the absolutely best realtor we have met! He is professional, hard working and a pleasure to talk to. He was always available to discuss any questions and help us with the process. Thanks to Simon we own the house of our dreams and we could not be happier. He is an incredible realtor and a wonderful person. We highly recommend him to anyone who wants to buy a house in this market!
Kateyfratini
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED We stumbled upon Simon at an open house and immediately felt a great comfort with him. We started working together the next day and only a week after, he found us our dream home! He was absolutely amazing, super on top of it, very understanding and empathetic, and very responsive and available at all times of the day and is very knowledgeable. He held our hands throughout the entire process since we were nervous first time home buyers, and we couldnt have asked for a better relationship. We tell all of our friends to contact Simon as soon as they decide to buy or sell. Hes by far the best realtor in the Bay Area and have heard from others who have worked with him and they all agree.
Kindah
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon is as good as it gets! He is patient, humorous, and made shopping for a home in one of the most competitive markets - FUN. He is incredibly efficient, and does not waste anytime in helping achieve your goals. He really knows so much about the market, and his experience shows. His work does not end with helping you find a home either; he's genuinely interested building relationships with in his clients which is a breath of fresh air in this market. We thought we'd be house hunting forever, but Simon helped us find our dream home in such little time. We were in awe of how much he went above and beyond to help us, and are so grateful to have him as a resource.
Kristalee14
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simon was so amazing throughout this whole house hunting process and we highly recommend him to anyone! We were first time home buyers and he made us feel supported and informed the entire time, patiently answering all of our questions to the best of his knowledge. Simon was so professional, diligent, personable, and hardworking. He is very attentive and responsive to calls/emails, and we felt like we were his only clients, though we know he has many. He was able to solve unexpected issues with poise and ensured us that everything was going to work out. We praise his excellent communication and we always felt as though Simon could help us through any other bumps in the road. We love how genuine and sweet he is, always making sure to keep our best interest in mind. In the very competitive bay area real estate market, it is so rare to find an agent that won't pressure his clients into making uncomfortable bids for personal gain. With Simon's expertise, our offer was accepted even though we weren't the highest bid. We truly can't think of a better realtor to help us find our perfect home! Thank you so so so much, Simon, we will refer you to all our friends!
Scaralbany
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Simons a triple threat and you definitely want him on your side! He genuinely cares, is great at building relationships with people (huge help in this competitive market where insights from the sellers agent can make or break you), and hes an effective communicator and negotiator. My wife and I were looking to buy our first home in the East Bay and met Simon at an open house. We hadnt done much research at that point and Simon was very patient in answering all our Qs (we had a ton!) about the market and process. We immediately agreed that Simon was our person! We werent always able to make the open houses & Simon was very accommodating with our busy schedules to show us the homes. Hed be quick to get us disclosures and meticulous in addressing our concerns. We had 2 failed bids before third time being the charm, and with each bid we learned a ton - it hurts to lose a house, but it helps tremendously to understand why right away (for instance - nothing you can do about an all cash offer thats 10% higher than what youre willing to pay!).When we finally won a bid, there were some tricky timing issues during closing and Simon handled it like a pro, communicating with all parties involved and keeping everyone honest. In short - despite the crazy Bay Area market, Simon made the home-buying process as painless as can be :)
Humandrive
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Searching for a dream house can be a very exciting but also a daunting experience. Therefore, my partner and I wanted to choose the right realtor for it. We planned on interviewing several agents, but after meeting with Simon (our second interview) we chose him because he seemed an extremely honest, refreshingly direct, and knowledgeable professional. There was a "quiet confidence" about him, which we really liked as we did not want to work with a pushy broker of a "car salesman personality". Our choice turned out to be right. Simon has the patience of a saint who really let us take the lead in any decision-making. He was very attentive to our likes and dislikes in our search. He listened and took a lot of time to find the houses that were the right fit for us. In fact, we were quite surprised how perfect his suggestions were for us. Simon's knowledge base is much more extensive than what I imagined a realtor would need to know, which added immeasurably to his helping us in our search. We did not once feel intimidated or pressured by him. He shared his knowledge and experience about the Bay Area housing situation, which is an extremely competitive marketplace. He spent a lot of time showing us houses in private showings beyond regular hours (early mornings & evenings) as we work long hours. Simon is one of the most devoted professionals we have ever worked with. We would highly recommend him to anyone looking for an agent in a tough house market and we would use him again in a heartbeat.
Ariellateal
Review for Member: Simon Black
ZillowVERIFIED Buying in this sellers market is no fun! Simon helped me buy exactly the house I had fantasized about, and his partnership, rock-solid reliability, and sense of humor made the process genuinely enjoyable. He comes from a family with deep expertise in real estate and really knows his stuff. I particularly valued Simons former expertise as senior corporate executive. He brings that topnotch professionalism that those of us in the business world expect to his work as a realtor, which makes interacting with him super easy. Seeing the bigger picture, tracking the details, following up on every outstanding question or task, and knowing how to collaborate and communicate effectively with agents and escrow staff are second nature to him. Simon is patient and committed to seeing his clients happy in their new homes. He listened carefully to my criteria, prescreened properties, and always respected my decisions and opinions with no pressure to consider something that I didnt feel was a fit. He works extremely hard. He would often suggest another visit to a property if I was uncertain, persisted in getting answers when others dragged their feet getting back to us, and was very timely in responding to my communications. This was also true after I moved in! He continued to offer referrals for services and helped me resolve those last few questions about how things work in the house.
