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Donna@DonnaDeRubeis.com
Office:661.286.8600 ext.4148
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James Brunelle
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January 2012
...Donna knew what to do every step of the way to make sure everything happened when it needed to happen
...She made the whole experience relatively simple and straightforward
My family and I have known Donna for a very long time, so when I was ready to start looking to buy a house, I scheduled a meeting with Donna. From my first meeting with Donna to the moment she handed me the keys to my new house, she was there every step of the way to explain the process and to answer all my questions.
In my situation, we were dealing with a short sale in which a couple of lenders were involved. Especially towards the end, there were a lot of things that needed to happen in a short period of time in a particular order. Donna knew what to do every step of the way, working with the listing agent and escrow company to make sure everything happened when it needed to happen, explaining everything very clearly to me.
For a first time homebuyer, the whole process can be very confusing and complicated, especially in a short sale situation like this one. She made the whole experience relatively simple and straightforward when it could have otherwise been very stressful and confusing. She conducted herself in a very professional manner throughout the entire process in her dealings with me, the listing agent, the sellers, and the escrow company.
If you are in the market to buy or sell your home, I highly recommend Donna De Rubeis.
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Haley and Norma Warden
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November 2011
Donna De Rubeis really knows the Santa Clarita Valley! We had a lot of 'musts' for our new home including a main floor bedroom and bath, a sunroom, and at least 5 bedrooms. We found the perfect house because of Donna's efforts! She took us to see countless houses, always with an upbeat attitude and a smile. She helped us find a lender and walked us through the process of buying a short-sale property. There is a lot involved in finding and buying a home, and Donna was there every step of the way. She kept us well informed about the buying process and answered all our questions. We could never have done it without Donna!
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David Evans
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July 2011
I’ve know Donna since I was a child, so when the time came to buy a house it just seemed logical for me to ask Donna to be our agent. Through the entire course of the buying process, Donna helped us narrow down what it was we were actually looking for in our first home.
It became evident that Donna is a person who is constantly striving to enhance her own knowledge in the real estate profession and relay that knowledge to her clients. Through our many meetings with Donna we began to feel more and more knowledgeable about the real estate market, and although there were bumps and curves thrown at us- Donna was there to explain and advise us each step of the way.
On the day we closed escrow Donna met us at our property to give us the keys to our new home. She didn’t stay long however, my guess is that she didn’t want to interfere with the momentous occasion my girlfriend and I were sharing together. The services we received from Donna were invaluable. When she walked out the door I felt a feeling of both success and loss. Success for having overcome the short sale process and getting a great value in our first home, and loss because the woman who had acted as the guardian of our financial future was walking out of our lives. If you are looking for knowledge, compassion and great communication skills in a real estate agent- use Donna. It is without question that we will use her services again in the future.
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Valerie Schneider
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... I felt her envelop me with her sincerity, commitment and knowledge
... A trusting and honest relationship blossomed and I knew I could confide in Donna completely
..Whether she read my mind , or brought something to mind,
Donna's listening skills and empathy are impressive
...She took me by the hand and walked me down a path that was otherwise dark and unknown and made the journey exciting and memorable, and I can now proudly say that I live in the perfect new home!
February 6, 2011
It is with great enthusiasm that I highly recommend Donna DeRubeis for all things real estate. I had the opportunity to work closely with Donna for six short months when embarking on the home buying process for the first time. Buying my first home could have been a grueling, drawn out process but with Donna those six months flew by seamlessly. It was as if by pure serendipity that my new house came to find me, and I could not be happier building this house into my home.
Donna came recommended to me by a trusted and loyal girlfriend who happens to be Donna's daughter-in-law. I'd heard how Donna had helped her buy her first home with her new husband, and I was eager to speak with Donna about my own first steps. As soon as I reached out to Donna I felt her completely envelop me with her sincerity, commitment, and knowledge...almost as if I were her own daughter! A trusting and honest relationship blossomed and I knew I could confide in Donna completely with all of my hopes, dreams, and even fantasies of condo castles. Sure enough, Donna was able to see right through to my heart and really understood what was important to me. Whether she read my mind, or brought something to mind, Donna's listening skills and empathy are impressive.
Donna made me her priority and I knew she was going to bat for me every moment we worked together. I should note that Donna is a well-known figure in her community of Realtors in the Santa Clarita Valley. When I explained that my top locations to buy were out of her normal market, she assured me that she would take on all of my specs, standards, needs, must-haves, & loves...and she did. She made things clear, direct, she kept me on track, & she was readily accessible. I truly believe in Donna's capacity and competency when it came to all my real estate needs. She took me by the hand and walked me down a path that was otherwise dark and unknown and made the journey exciting and memorable.
The home buying process is not always sunshine and rainbows, though. After countless yet fruitless weekends of hitting the pavement, I began to grow weary of my options out there in the big bad world of real estate. Then, as I stood at a crossroads, Donna made one more (& ultimately one last) appointment for me. She said she'd been tipped off about a fantastic place that was going to hit the market the following Monday & we had to be the first to see it. I hesitated but agreed to meet early that Saturday morning. Sure enough, when we got to the property and walked to the door the feeling of pure certainty washed over me. It was...love at first sight. I walked across the threshold and knew that Donna had just taken me to the house I would make my very first home. From that moment on Donna made it her mission to find me the best lender (who happened to be the best lender indeed, Mitch Milat), best financing, and all the best options done...and done right.
Once I closed escrow, and as timing would have it, my keys were handed over just before the Thanksgiving holiday. The next day as I sat around the table with friends and family I had so much love and gratitude to share as a brand new homeowner. As if it were all just simply meant to be, Donna and I made the perfect team and I can now proudly say that I live in the perfect new home. Thank you Donna! I just love to tell the story of my home buying experience, and each & every time I of course praise Donna for being the best thing that could have happened to me six months ago.
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Mr. and Mrs. Rubin
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...We never failed to be amazed at Donna's wealth of knowledge
...She is very up-to-date on new laws and loan procedures
...We attempted to short sale our home and from the beginning,
it was very clear that Donna was keeping our best interest above all other factors
...We will be calling her again whenever we are ready to buy or sell a home
August, 18,2010
I would like to take this opportunity to unreservedly recommend Donna DeRubeis as your Realtor. A few weeks ago we attempted to short sale our home and we couldn’t have been more pleased with how Donna kept us informed and how she supported us throughout the process. From the beginning, it was very clear that Donna was keeping our best interest above all other factors.
Before our initial meeting, Donna did a considerable amount of research on our area and comparable properties. She came to the table already armed with the latest information. She not only did online research, but she went into every comparable property that she was able to, in order to get a first hand look at our competition. She patiently listened to all of our thoughts and concerns and then together we came up with a game plan to sell our home. She was at all times patient, informative, and thorough.
Immediately after putting our home on the market Donna began contacting our lenders in order to get all the information that we would need to propose a short sale. When their documents came though, Donna reviewed them and found some wording she was uncomfortable with as it did not seem to be in our best interest. She suggested we contact a legal representative to get further information. After speaking to our lawyer and much debating back and forth we came to the decision to pull our home and not go through with the short sale. Donna was incredibly understanding and very supportive of our decision even though it meant that she had done all that work for nothing.
In addition to all the work she did helping us try to sell our home, she also tried to help us find a rental property. She sent us suggestions and made herself available to us whenever it was convenient to show us prospective places.
We never failed to be amazed at Donna’s wealth of knowledge regarding homes in the Santa Clarita Valley. From floor plans and tracts to school districts to HOA’s, she had excellent suggestions and information. She had a keen eye for detail and noticed things that we might have missed on our own. She also is very up-to-date on new laws and loan procedures. She was the perfect balance of information and knowing her limits. She was not afraid to tell us that we should contact our accountant or lawyer in order to make sure we were getting accurate and full information. Also, after each time we contacted another professional, she asked us what they had said so that she could learn more about each hurdle we encountered.
From the beautiful pictures she took of our home to post on the MLS, to the patience she showed when trying to draw up a rental agreement for us while my three year old was simultaneously trying to color on it, to the kindness she showed us when we decided to go in a different direction, Donna DeRubeis gets our highest praise and recommendation.
We really enjoyed working with her and without question we will be calling her again whenever we are ready to buy or sell a home.
Sincerely,
Matthew and Brenda Rubin
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Robert Miles
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Dear Donna,
I was reading your previous letters of recommendation from your website - well it brought to mind things you have always said during our journey towards purchasing my first home, "Stay cautiously optimistic," and "Never assume anything." I think those two statements speak volumes in the type of services you have provided to me over the last year in my search to find the perfect home.
You always had an eye out for what was next to come on the market, calling me and making appointments for me to see the next place. You kept in mind what I was looking for and were very flexible to my many first-time-home-buyer anxiety driven changes. As I made offers on numerous properties, your positive attitude kept me going through the difficult stages of purchasing a home (and it was trying at times).
You never assumed anything, you're a great communicator - consistently keeping me informed of all the new changes in the market. You were new to servicing a veteran with a VA loan, but you would have never known. You kept up on all the new regulations and researched issues as they arose. I really appreciated your attention to detail and absolute professionalism. Through all the ups and downs, you were by my side holding my hand. You made my first home purchase a wonderful experience.
Thank you so much!
Sincerely,
Robert Miles
July 12, 2010
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Peggy Hard and Vegas!
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You are the only one I would go to when I sell my home.
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Jessica and Greg D.
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January 22, 2009
Recently married and very excited about the next major milestone in our lives, we began our search for our first home. In anticipation of this important step, we knew we needed help and Donna was exactly who we needed. A short time after our initial meeting, she was quickly able to lay out our game plan. The area, type of property we wanted and critical financing were all mapped out for us. In today’s tight credit market, she proved extremely knowledgeable about the latest requirements for various types of loan programs. Once we were pre-approved for a loan, we shopped with confidence.
We did not realize it then but buying a home involves so many important decisions; from highlighting the “pros and cons” of each property to educating us about the function of escrow and the intricate loan process, Donna guided us through every step.
Always mindful of the fact that this was an investment in our future, Donna suggested we look at a previously unknown new home development. Since we did not originally consider a new home, thankfully, she escorted us on our first visit to the sales office which enabled us to have buyer representation. Donna advised that sales agents for new developments represent the builder and, by having a Realtor represent us, she was able to explain all the disclosures, maximize our options, and negotiated the inclusion of an addendum to the purchase agreement ensuring a special incentive interest rate! Wow!
Thrilled with our new home, we continue to recommend Donna to all of our friends and family knowing that anyone who enlists her assistance will be extremely satisfied.
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Bob and Pat Callahan
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...Donna is a great communicator, always cheerful, easy to work with and so tenacious!!
...She went through great lengths to assist us in making our home more marketable
...Our home sold with a full price offer!!!
November 6, 2008
We just wanted to let everyone know what a GREAT real estate agent Donna DeRubeis is!! We both were recently retired and looking forward to spending our “golden years” in our new log house in the mountains when the real estate market took a serious downturn both in price and activity. We worried for over a year that when the time came to leave the Stevenson Ranch area we would be unable to sell our home. But never fear….Donna came to our rescue!!
We had listed our home with another agent a year earlier and it didn’t sell and the activity was very low….We took it off the market and “casually” tried to sell by owner….no advertising, just a sign on the house. We had no luck.
Donna saw our “For Sale by Owner” sign and approached us about listing our home. No pressure….just a few casual contacts. When the time was right we called Donna and listed the house with her. She came to that meeting fully prepared with comps, market analysis for the area and other demographics that helped us price our home appropriately. Because of the declining prices in the area, Donna met with us regularly to present current marketing information and assisted us in making appropriate price adjustments.
In just 5 months our house sold with a full price offer!! Donna kept us informed throughout the escrow process so we could be prepared to be moved out when escrow closed.
Donna is a great communicator, always cheerful, easy to work with and is so tenacious!! She went to great lengths to obtain feedback from the clients and realtors that looked at our home, to assist us in making our home more marketable. She is without a doubt a dedicated, hard worker and will always do her best for her clients.
We are so happy we listed with Donna DeRubeis and know she will continue to provide top notch service to all her future clients.
Sincerely,
Bob and Pat Callahan
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Jeff Evans and Megan Hard
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...When deciding to purchase our first home, we wanted an agent we knew we could trust
...We are in our new home and couldn't be happier with our purchase
...We made a great choice and found our real estate agent for life!
When deciding to purchase our first home, my girlfriend and I wanted a real estate agent we knew we could trust. Someone who could explain the in's and out's of real estate for us because, we did not know a whole lot about it. We made a great choice. Working with Donna was an absolute pleasure. She made sure we knew exactly what we were getting into, and what to expect from every situation. She even sat us down before we put in our first offer and went over all the papers that we would be signing, and explained them thoroughly so that we would be confident when we signed them.
A few weeks later, Donna found us just what we had been looking for. But, there was a catch... it was a short sale. Initially, Donna had told us we would stay away from these as she did not want to see us get our hopes up on a property and then end up not getting it months later. Nevertheless, she told us that she had a good feeling about this particular property so we gave it a shot. Three days later our offer had been accepted. Three days is unheard of on any short sale. So, just over a month later we are in our new home and couldn't be happier with our purchase.
At no point throughout this process were we out of the loop. Donna called my girlfriend Megan or myself everyday, sometimes several times a day to keep us informed on what she knew. Even if she had no new information to tell us, she would call us so that we weren't sitting around wondering. Purchasing a home is a very stressful time but, Donna did everything in her power to alleviate that stress. It was true professionalism. We have found our real estate agent for life. I am looking forward to doing business with Donna again.
Sincerely,
Jeff Evans
August 2008
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Phil and Jean Cochran
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...In a most difficult market...Her dedication to our cause kept us going ...developing a [perfect strategy] ...Donna's attention to detail and hard-charging "can-do" attitude made the difference!
...We whole-heartedly recommend Donna as the Realtor who sets the standards in her profession!!
While in the full grip and downward spiral of the real estate market of Southern California, as well as across the country, we found it necessary to put our home of 20 years on the market and prepare to relocate to Indiana. Yes, it wasn't the best time to sell!
Our home was the largest model built in the Canyon Gardens development.
Unfortunately, there were several of our same model on the market when we listed our home.
We chose realtor, Donna DeRubeis of Realty Executives to help us. Donna was well-known in our area, having worked at Pinetree School as a teacher before going into the real estate profession.
Donna responded to our call for help. In our home, she became the leader in our effort to sell our home. We had sit down meetings, information sharing sessions, and discussions that covered every detail of what was ahead for us as sellers in a market that was overflowing with sellers. Her dedication to our cause, her almost daily phone calls giving us exact specifics and any changes in all the areas we had no insight into, kept us going forward despite some very stressful and tension-filled times.
Following Donna's suggestions and ideas, we developed a strategy of presenting and marketing our home throughout the local community as well as neighboring communities.
Donna could not have exposed our home to the looking and buying public any greater than she did. Her efforts and constant exploration of all areas of opportunity paid off for us.
Buyers found us and our home.Donna took the uncertainty of our situation and turned it into a positive experience. Donna's professionalism, attention to detail and her hard charging can-do attitude made the difference!
We whole-heartedly recommend Donna as the Realtor who sets the standards in her profession!
January 2008
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Margaret Erangey
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Every once in awhile you meet someone in a service field who exceeds expectations. A REALTOR® with the utmost of integrity, Donna De Rubeis is the consummate professional. Donna always puts the best interests of her clients first, focusing on achieving their goals and providing attention to every detail. Keeping her clients updated on changing market conditions and about the progress of their transaction, is vitally important to Donna. Communication and education breeds success in any industry and she is committed to both. From my experience, it is with the utmost of confidence that I can recommend Donna’s real estate consultant services, as she truly is “…A Class Above.”
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Janet Evans
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I’ve had the opportunity to know and work with Donna for many years when she was a teacher at the same school where I was employed. Donna is very thorough and she always goes above & beyond in everything she does. She is always confident in what she is doing.
When Donna told me she wanted to go into real estate I knew she would put more than 100% effort into her new career. I recently had her sell my home and I would highly recommend her. She has a pleasant demeanor and works hard to establish and maintain positive relationships with her clients.
Donna is a very organized person. She kept me abreast of everything going on in the real estate market as well as advice in selling my home. She definitely is a go getter.
I strongly recommend Donna as a qualified realtor.
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