TESTIMONIALS

Connie is a Rain Maker!

We just sold our house for full price in the midst of a pandemic with the stock market in free fall, down over 10,000 points. Why did we sell? Connie De Groot is the primary reason. 

Our house was in good condition in a great area – North of Montana, Santa Monica. We listed our home with a previous broker who had several great ideas, but after seven months, they were unable to get the price we knew the house was worth.

We considered Connie because she had a recent track record of selling properties North of Montana that were difficult to sell. We brought her in and asked her how she was able to sell these other homes when ours hadn’t sold. She explained that we needed to make some changes, and have faith in her process. But first, we needed to move out! She would take over as the Captain of the ship, and we would get in her boat.

Connie made the difference. She exudes confidence, backs it up with performance, and makes things happen quickly. Connie’s key is the group of professionals who work on her team.

Improvements were accomplished on a tight schedule in less than a month. Connie also identified improvements that weren’t necessary, saving us about $125,000. Connie didn’t stop working, and like the Energizer Bunny, continued fine-tuning the details long past the start of escrow.

Connie is a Rain Maker.  The results were four offers in less than a week on the market. Hallelujah!

Thomas Padden, Home Seller

516 22nd St., North of Montana, Santa Monica

I would highly recommend Connie De Groot. Connie’s years of experience really became apparent during this unusual real estate market. Her strong awareness of the real estate market as well as the local and global environment really helped us successfully navigate through these uncertain times!
Connie thought of everything and did everything! Connie completely took charge of the whole process quickly and efficiently. Giving up control is normally hard for me, but it was easy once I saw how competent and capable Connie was!
Thank you again Connie for making the sale so painless!
Chris L.

Santa Monica Home Seller - N of Montana

Connie is an astute professional who created and executed a complete marketing plan to highlight the unique attributes and qualities of my home. She knows the market and readily adjusts her promotional and advertising programs to fit current conditions to generate interest and ultimately attract qualified buyers. Multiple offers and over asking offers are the result of a well thought out marketing campaign and her easy rapport with other agents. I highly recommend Connie who produced the outcome I expected in less than 2 weeks—Connie handled every aspect of the sale with precision and complete professionalism with everyone involved.
Richard Nelson, Home Seller

714 22nd St., Santa Monica, North of Montana, November 2019

I am so thrilled that I chose Connie De Groot as my listing agent. Connie generated significant excitement in my house with the result that I immediately received multiple offers and a very quick sale for well over the asking price. Connie achieved this outstanding result for me because she knows her market: she advised me on the repairs and updates to make, as well as the particular staging my house required to appeal to as many buyers as possible. She also implemented a marketing plan to ensure maximum interest and exposure in my area.

 

Connie made the selling process so easy for me, walking me through the paper-work required, guiding me through the escrow process and even providing extra help — such as obtaining parking permits for moving trucks— when I had to leave town unexpectedly.

 

I recommend Connie without reservation. Her enthusiasm, dedication and professionalism impressed me from the beginning and were unwavering right through the close. Thank you, Connie!
June O'Hara, Home Seller

434 21st St., Santa Monica, North of Montana

Connie is the consummate professional, always available and hard working. She knows the marketplace better than most, is always ready with expert advise and takes the pain and stress out of selling your home.

Wido Schaefer, Home Seller

2020 San Vicente Blvd., North of Montana, Santa Monica

My husband and I have bought and sold five homes in various markets, and never before have I felt compelled to write a letter of recommendation on behalf of any real estate agent involved on either side of the transaction.   Buying and selling a home is consistently listed as one of the most stressful events in a person’s lifetime – all the more reason you want someone who is going to navigate the process with confidence, ease, intelligence, and, most importantly, someone you know has your back.  Connie De Groot is that agent.  I can say with absolute certainty that if it weren’t for Connie, our current dream home would not be a reality.  It was an extremely complicated transaction, and if Connie hadn’t stepped up, gently pushed us to consider additional options, and then executed those options with incredible speed, professionalism, and grace, we wouldn’t be where we are.  It isn’t as simple as “we got to move into a home we love.† We got to move into a home we love because of Connie.  Our kids are in incredible schools and we have found the area we want to be long-term, because Connie had a vision and helped make it happen. Connie stayed on top of things, despite being on vacation for part of it, and worked closely with all the other players to help ensure our deal didn’t fall apart.  We will be forever grateful to Connie De Groot, and will proactively recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell a property.  Connie is a beacon of competence, vision, and savvy in the real estate market in the West Los Angeles area.
Michelle Truelson, Home Seller

408 17th St., North of Montana, Santa Monica

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​It was a pleasure to work with Connie De Groot on looking for our home in Santa Monica. She is extremely responsive and experienced, and very knowledgeable about the Santa Monica market. She was able to introduce us to the right place at the right price in such a competitive market.​ During the bidding process, she communicated efficiently with the sell side and always responded to our questions within a couple of minutes. She knows a lot about putting the right amount of conditions in the offer to protect our interests and also help us win the bid. During the house inspection period, she was able to reasonably negotiate the price for repair solutions that satisfied both the sell and buy sides, which help the closing stay on schedule. She also provided good suggestions on decorating the house and trustworthy contractors to do the renovation. We not only are very satisfied with our new home and Connie’s service, but also love her positive energy and enthusiasm. We have worked with other agents in the past, but Connie’s knowledge, competence, and strong sense of responsibility amazed us. We will stay friends and would love to recommend her to anyone who is looking for their dream house!
Wei Liu and Lingyun Zhou

Santa Monica Clients

If you are considering Connie De Groot as your agent, I can happily report that she pulled together a challenging high end lease for me recently. Connie was attentive and responsive throughout the entire process. I felt she was a knowledgeable and experienced professional, and also caring and supportive. She invested the same level of time and effort in this lease as she would in a big sale.
Sue Firestone Miller

Santa Monica Home Owner

Connie is an amazing broker. She walked us through the whole process and gave us advice. She was professional, persistent, and always available. She was able to find a buyer, and now we are in escrow. We are both very happy with Connie’s work and know that we made the right decision when we hired her as our broker. We would definitely recommend Connie to all our friends.
Renzo Casellini

Brentwood Client

To my friends and colleagues in the Real Estate Industry: I want to introduce Connie De Groot, who frequently advises me on residential real estate values. Our series of companies, of which I am the CEO, own and lease industrial buildings located throughout coastal Southern California and the Inland Empire. We also own commercial properties in the San Joaquin valley. In the conduct of our business, trends in residential real estate are an important ingredient for our planning. In addition, trust deeds on homes are sometimes offered as security on leases for our buildings. To evaluate these situations, I heavily rely on Connie for her knowledge of the residential real estate market. She has a keen and detailed sense of values of Westside properties which enables her to service her clients well and secure top price for her listings. Connie is highly skilled and experienced in residential property client representation. Furthermore, whenever possible, I try to catch Connie’s commentaries on TV. I have found that her analyses on market conditions are accurate and meaningful. I strongly recommend Connie to those who require the services of a knowledgeable and competent residential broker.
John M. Bohn

President, The Bradmore Group

I remember meeting Connie for the first time at the open house and the thing that I liked about her the most (compared to all the other rude and stuck up Realtors in LA) was that she never brushed me aside, even though she knew I was a young first-time buyer.  Every other Realtor I’ve met at every other showing never really gave me the time of day because they assumed I wasn’t a serious buyer, but that’s exactly why Connie stood out from the rest.  She was the listing agent on the property and I immediately agreed to hire her as my agent as well.   As most of you probably know, buying a house for the first time can be a daunting and stressful experience.  From the initial offer to closing, she made sure to thoroughly explain the entire process, from every inspection, every contingency, every document and every signature.  She made me feel extremely comfortable in the whole process, she took her time to get to know me, and she was extremely professional, courteous and helpful.  She’s a no-BS straight shooter and she definitely knows her market. She was always available no matter what was on her plate and she did it so well I honestly thought this was the only property she was working on!  She was constantly playing the balancing act between me and the seller, and she did such an excellent job of accommodating both our needs and concerns.  Escrow came to a point where the loan was the only thing left for approval, and I was so close to giving up because of some comments my lenders had told me one day, but Connie made sure I stuck through it and she even barked at the loan processors in some lengthy emails for me and the next week they approved the loan!  I would absolutely recommend Connie to any family/friends that need a professional agent to buy or sell your home as I witnessed how Connie was able to do both at the same time!
Danny Dangor

Vice President, D.R.L.Y, Inc. dba, Susie's Deals & President Prime Time Clothing, Inc.

“Here she comes to save the day…” is the best way that I can describe my experience with Connie. With Connie’s expertise, diligence and personal understanding of your needs, she stands above the rest. I was not able to fully use her on my recent real estate transaction although, as a friend, she helped me monitor it. As it goes, everybody knows closing the deal is an art. Offers came in and I was not impressed with the way my agent handled things. When I thought it was going to be a long, contentious back-and-forth with the buyer, Connie called me 45 minutes later and made me an additional hundred thousand dollars. Done deal! As time passed, from beginning to end, I noticed Connie always kept up with the latest buying and selling trends that my original agent had no concept of. Thank you Connie for taking away the pain and anguish of selling my home! I highly recommend her to anybody that’s in need of a truly professional real estate agent.

Michael Dittrick

Glendale Client

Thank you so much for all your help, persistence and guidance during this whole process.  It’s definitely made this difficult process much easier for me.  I’ve worked with a lot of different agents over the years and I can honestly say you’re a magician when it comes to getting a place where an offer is put in.  I don’t know how you do it, but you never disappoint!
Thank you again for helping me get my first place!
Jackie Fung

Downtown Client, March 2016

We had the pleasure of working with Connie in two real estate ventures.  In 2012 Connie took us under her wing, I lived in Michigan, my daughter needed a Condo in LA that was central to her possible work sites in the film industry.  Although this wasn’t a large of a sale for Connie as some of her higher priced customers, we always felt like she gave us 110% in finding us a great condominium which ended up in Sherman Oaks, CA.  We couldn’t have asked for more in a realtor, and the end result was spectacular.  In 2017, she assisted us again in the sale of my daughter’s condo in Sherman Oaks because she moved to Vancouver.  Connie gave us an honest assessment of what needed to be done to the unit to make it ready to sell, which included repainting all the walls and staging the furniture and accessories to make the place look presentable.  She assisted us in coordinating entry for all the contractors, and made this a very easy process.  She had an innovative strategy for the sale price which turned out to be true to how the potential buyers responded.  Again, we felt like she gave it 110% all the time.

In summary, we highly recommend Connie, and will miss working with her.  If we ever had a move back to LA, she’d be the first person we’d call.

2012 Testimonial:

Recently, our daughter, Alexandra, purchased a condominium in Sherman Oaks, CA.  She was very fortunate in having Ms. Connie De Groot as her real estate agent.  We connected with Connie, by chance, from an internet search on a LA real estate website.  Although she typically worked with clients who engage in significantly greater purchases in the Los Angeles area, Connie offered to work with us and was one of the most professional and helpful agents we could have ever asked for. Given the fact we both reside in Michigan where Alex originally resided, you could imagine the magnitude of the challenge of coordinating a purchase remotely from Michigan.  It should be understood that Connie turned this challenge into an achievable and fun task, always available to assist us at any hour of the day with multiple email exchanges and/or phone calls to address our questions and concerns. Would we recommend Connie to others? Absolutely!!! Would our daughter seek her out if ever to purchase another property?  You bet!!  There are not many realtors that would have been as diligent, patient, and kind towards us, and that was greatly appreciated. On behalf of both of us, and our daughter Alex, we would like to extend a special thanks to a special person and new friend.  Thank you, Connie.

Jules and Patricia LoRusso

Out of State Buyers

I never knew how smooth and painless selling a house could be until I enlisted the help of Connie DeGroot. She personifies the word “professional” when it comes to real estate sales. Not only was she more knowledgeable than any other agent I met, she was “hands on” from day one through the very end of closing. At every stage of the process, she was always ten steps ahead, avoiding costly mistakes other real estate agents make. In addition, her sense of interior design and staging was spot on and she completely transformed my house into the perfect show home, full of warmth and heart. Because of this, we had a deal way over asking only a few days after listing. Connie was always there to answer questions and provide reassurance. She hosted the most amazing open house—no detail was spared and everyone commented on how gracious, charming and personable she was. If you want honesty, peace of mind and results, then don’t even bother going to anyone else. There is no doubt that whenever I buy or sell again, Connie will be the only one I’ll call.
Shane August

Writer, Director, Producer

Dear Connie, I want to recognize and congratulate you on your outstanding success in your very short real estate career. I am amazed that after only three years in our industry you have achieved a level in our company that only a few have attained. You have risen to the top 2% of all the 126,000 sales associates we have around the world. What is equally amazing is that you have accomplished this feat in a market that few have success in. The Beverly Hills market is very competitive and extremely difficult to break into. What is even more difficult to accomplish is that when you began selling in this market, you were new to the area and knew only a handful of people. You are an outstanding credit to Coldwell Banker. I also wish to congratulate you for the wonderful job you did on the Fine Living television network show, “Real Estate Confidential.” The way you handled a most difficult listing that two previous real estate sales people had failed to sell was tremendous. I loved how you confronted a delicate situation with professionalism and gentleness, a needed combination in dealing with a seller’s home to get the job done. You are a true “Star.” Connie, it is people like you make Coldwell Banker special. There is nothing more important than providing outstanding service resulting in a satisfied experience for our customers. You are a true asset to our great company and I wish you continued success.
Jim Gillespie

President and CEO, Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation

There’s no doubt Connie DeGroot’s hard work consistently delivers. She brings vision, enthusiasm and determination resulting in real offers. It’s all part of Connie’s magic.
David Siegel

Home Seller Beverly Hills

Connie sold my home of over 40 years in just a few short weeks!!! She was amazing, from helping me stage my home, to holding open houses, to holding my hand through this difficult process. Connie has the best attitude of any realtor out there and she really knows her stuff. I have already recommended her to a few others who are looking to buy or sell their homes.
Deanie Kramer

Home Seller Cheviot Hills

Dear Connie: I want to thank you for selling my house on Multiview Drive.  This was not an easy transaction, particularly in this market, and you were always positive, energetic and creative.  You have exquisite taste and made the house look terrific.  I give you my highest recommendation.
Jack Welch

Attorney, Latham & Watkins, Home Seller Hollywood Hills

Connie, once again, you were right and I should have listened to you. You have great instincts and insights into the Southern California RE market. I should have taken your advice on when to sell.
Richard Arroyo

Beverly Hills Resident, June 2010

Connie De Groot was the only one who could make it happen. She sold a house others struggled with. I would use Connie again without a second thought. She is hard working, enthusiastic, reliable, knowledgeable, and persistent. Connie tackles situations and transactions professionally, and we always felt like we were in good hands. When she told us to re-stage the property – move this, move that, re-dress the house – we did it, and she was right. We trusted her to do her best and she did. Connie sold our home after it had been on the market for a long time.
Barry Bijan Todd

Experienced Home Seller

I have had the pleasure of knowing Connie for the last 4 months as my Beverly Hills real estate agent/licensed broker and more importantly as my personal trusted advisor. As a first time home buyer, Connie helps to demystify the current real estate market from start to finish. Her commitment to client service is impeccable. When I leave her a voice message, she responds within a timely manner. When there is a property that I am interested in, she is able to get us an appointment within 24 hours. When I am unable to see a property, Connie previews it for me. As a client of Connie, she takes the time to understand my current and future housing needs and to listen to my concerns, hopes, desires and constraints. Connie is extremely knowledgeable about the trends of the real estate market, as well as the most sought-after locations in Los Angeles. She is forward-looking and makes sure that I am not only satisfied with the purchase, but that I also consider the future implications should there be a need to sell in any economic climate. She encourages me to contribute ideas and fosters an open exchange of ideas and opinions. And her website and blogs provide invaluable information, from the current housing market to available federal and state housing tax credits. As a trusted advisor, Connie helps me assess my long term home buying goals and gives me balanced and constructive feedback, such as taking into consideration all the alternatives when making a purchase (i.e. location, schools, resale value), even if only to avoid me falling into pitfalls other buyers may have encountered. Most importantly, she is honest about her comments on various properties we have looked at. These are qualities that make for a lasting relationship. All said, I am glad and privileged to have had such a person cross my path, and to take an active interest in helping me weave through the volumes and volumes of real estate data. Thank you, Connie, for all your help. I highly recommend Connie De Groot to potential home buyers, both new and veteran.
Julie Tseng

First-Time Home Buyer

We were still living as expats in London when Connie came into our lives. Via email, she seemed extremely smart, energized and professional. Further email correspondence revealed Connie to be organized, timely in her replies and an encyclopedia of real estate knowledge. She truly listened to what we needed and wanted, and when we came home to Los Angeles, we had customized appointments that matched our criteria perfectly. In person, she was charming, savvy, and easy to understand the entire time. We had a billion questions and she answered all of them with patience and unparalleled expertise. Throughout the process, she was in constant reliable communication, ensuring nothing slipped through the cracks and that our financial interests were always protected. Simply put, nobody will work harder to find your dream home than Connie De Groot. Connie ensures the buying process is as painless as possible, and in today’s tumultuous real estate market, she’s someone you really, really, really want in your corner.
Brian & Kimberly Palmer

Home Buyer from LONDON

As an out of town buyer, I was looking for a diligent, hard-working, loyal, and savvy real estate professional with integrity. I found that person in Connie De Groot. Connie worked tirelessly: to find the right property at the right price before I ever made an offer, during the offer period to ensure the best deal, and in helping with improvements, remodeling, and re-decorating after closing. I was always informed with real-time information and any questions were always handled quickly and effectively by Connie and her excellent assistant Sally. Her expertise in understanding the value of the marketplace and her contacts in the refurbishment market proved invaluable. This expertise allowed me to purchase a home that I otherwise could not have purchased given my time constraints. Her integrity and knowledge allowed me to feel confident every step of the way.
James Eder

Out-Of-State Home Buyer

After having our house on the market for a year with not even one showing, we knew we needed a big-gun with global exposure to help us move it. After seeing Connie on the Fine Living Network, we knew that if anyone could help us, it was her. Her no-nonsense, straight-shooting, put-the-client-first philosophy drew us in. But then we thought, “Why would this Beverly Hills big-shot want to help us� Nevertheless, we called and that question was never asked. Connie was congenial and highly motivated from the first call and assured us, even though our property was over 1200 miles away, that she would find us an agent to help sell it. And that, she did. Connie found us an agent, and equipped us with the tools to help move our property right away, even 1200 miles away. If you think distance is a problem, think again……nothing stops Connie!!
David & Rebecca Smith

North Fork, Idaho- Referral Client

Thank you so much for helping us to find our dream home. It had everything we were looking for in the BHPO: school district, location, design and architecture, and a fair price. Thanks so much for fighting hard for two first-time home buyers like Julee and me – walking us through the process step-by-step was so comforting and so critical to a successful outcome. Now that we’re in the home, we are so happy – it seems like many of our old problems have melted away! We’re still not completely furnished, but when we are, we’d love to have you over for drinks sometime in the summer (especially when the landscaping is complete). We hope you’re still the neighborhood expert the next time we’re looking to move… there’s nobody we’d rather use and nobody we trust more than you Connie.
Anthony and Julee Choe

First-Time Home Buyers

As a first-time home buyer, I had lots of questions and concerns and went through two or three other agents with multiple failed negotiations before I found Connie. Connie is committed from start to finish. She strives to understand her clients, their needs, and their wants. She finds immediate listings and schedules appointments without delay. She gives honest guidance and advice, which was invaluable to me. Connie is well-informed, hardworking, responsive, energetic and sharp. Her professionalism and effectiveness was highly appreciated. I recommend Connie without reservations. In fact, I have already referred her to my family and friends. Connie, thank you for making it FINALLY happen! I feel fortunate to have been able to work with you as my agent and am looking forward to keeping a long-term friendship.
Christine Huang

First-Time Buyer That Went Through Several Agents

Connie, previous to you representing us, we had two other real estate agents who were unsuccessful at delivering us a qualified buyer at the price we felt our home warranted and deserved. We had our house on the market for over one year without any viable potential buyers. When we first met you and reviewed the frustrations and challenges of selling our home, you outlined for us the steps you felt were necessary to make our home more marketable. We were impressed by your hard work, dedication and high-energy in doing everything possible to attract the right buyers. We are now in escrow and we are happy to say that we couldn’t have done it without all of your hard work and persistence.
Ron and Joan Hoffman

Home Sellers Needing To Do Construction To Sell

Within 24 hours of listing my property, Connie had voice mails out to over 1,000 agents, had professional photos taken and placed in the MLS, CaliforniaMoves.com, and Realtor.com, had a Virtual Tour set up, and had placed ads in the Los Angeles Times, Caravan Express, and Homes and Open Houses. While coming home one evening, I found her personally blanketing the neighborhood with flyers! As promised, she was personally present at every showing, Open House, and even made sure that my dogs were safe, secure and loved. I whole-heartedly recommend Connie! To put it simply, she is the best!
Clark Hallren

Experience Home Seller

I am a Realtor from San Diego and I had my daughter, who was living in Los Angeles, call Coldwell Banker Beverly Hills to help her find a 2 bedroom condo in Mar Vista. When my daughter told me that she spoke to Connie and that I would really like working with her, I was very excited. She was of course, very kind, knowledgeable, and so dedicated that we liked her right away. Our plans changed, and after showing us properties for 3 months, we decided to move the entire family to Beverly Hills! Connie was a good sport and adjusted to all our changing plans and opinions, and did not give up even when we cancelled 3 escrows! Being a Realtor myself, I found her absolutely impressive! I am happy to say that Connie found us a home in Beverly Hills and we routinely enjoy each other’s company to this day!
Katia Basha

Realtor and Home Buyer

Connie, through her firm Coldwell Banker, has represented three properties for our Estate. As we have had to go through Probate proceedings, Connie has been there every step of the way to make sure everything was in order. She has been diligent and successful in selling these properties for us. We live in Hawaii and Connie is in Beverly Hills, but she has communicated and followed through in an exceptional manner even though we are miles apart. Her work ethic has been great and that’s why we would highly recommend Connie to anyone who is thinking of selling or buying real estate.
Paula Wagner

Out-Of-State Home Seller

Connie’s extensive list of contacts, her international experience, and her media relations skills are an asset to our clients. Many of our luxury buyers are international and it’s important to market to them through media, via the Web, and through our networks.
Scott L. Gibson

President and Founder, Gibson International

ZILLOW REVIEWS

Wido Schaefer

Chairman & CEO, TravelStore

Michael Dittrick

CEO, MICDI Productions

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Vice President of Animation and Production, MammothVision

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Interior and Architectural Designer, Langworthy Design

Laura Tomas

Regional Brand Director, Latin America, Australia & NZ, The Estee Lauder Companies

Lisa Young

Resident, Cahuilla Hills, Palm Desert, CA

Nela Suka

Principal, Brand Strategist, Suka Media Group

Wendy Robinson

Organizational Development Manager and Leadership Coach, NantWorks LLC

Linda Grossman

Home Owner, Santa Monica

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Jules LoRusso

Home Buyer, Los Angeles

Jennifer Mann

Home Seller, West Hollywood Hills

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Home Seller, Santa Monica

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Home Buyer, Downtown Los Angeles

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Resident, Los Angeles

Wendy Robinson

Home Seller, Santa Monica