Client Experiences

It’s been said that one of the most important financial decisions that you can make in life is buying or selling a home. If that’s true then choosing the right Realtor® to represent your interest is equally important. For that reason, I select a Realtor® like I would select a Heart Surgeon. When I decided to sell my $2.3+ million dollar home in Point Loma I interviewed three of the top Realtors® in the area and after a lot of investigation and careful consideration, I selected Dawn Leahy of Sotheby’s Realty. I chose Dawn for five reasons they were: 1. She came to our interview armed with a very impressive portfolio of the marketing collateral that she had developed for her past sales and a comprehensive marketing plan. 2. She had a very impressive list of high-end past sales where she negotiated some of the highest selling prices per square foot in the area. 3. She had a track record of …

It’s been said that one of the most important financial decisions that you can make in life is buying or selling a home. If that’s true then choosing the right Realtor® to represent your interest is equally important. For that reason, I select a Realtor® like I would select a Heart Surgeon. When I decided to sell my $2.3+ million dollar home in Point Loma I interviewed three of the top Realtors® in the area and after a lot of investigation and careful consideration, I selected Dawn Leahy of Sotheby’s Realty. I chose Dawn for five reasons they were: 1. She came to our interview armed with a very impressive portfolio of the marketing collateral that she had developed for her past sales and a comprehensive marketing plan. 2. She had a very impressive list of high-end past sales where she negotiated some of the highest selling prices per square foot in the area. 3. She had a track record of being willing to spend the necessary dollars on marketing including publications like Dream Homes. 4. She had a wide network of contacts and resources both locally and internationally that would be critical to finding a buyer in the higher end of the market. 5. Lastly, (and I can’t emphasize enough how important this was in my transaction) She demonstrated in her past sales a willingness to take on any challenges arising during the course of the sale and doggedly pursue a solution. In my case, several issues that came along could have and probably would have been deal stoppers if anyone else was handling the Deal. Dawn promised to give her best effort if I entrusted her with handling the sale of my home and she did exactly that. She secured an offer from a qualified buyer in two weeks of listing the house, got me the highest selling price that I could hope for, handled all of the contingency issues, and closed the deal on schedule. There might be other Realtors® in San Diego on Dawn’s level but I guarantee that there are none better.

If they gave out awards for closing complicated real estate deals in five days, Dawn Leahy should be a top contender. That’s what she did for me, and she did it with impeccable precision, competence, grace, and calm under whirlwind conditions. Dawn is the real deal, the Rockstar I needed. I truly believe that my deal would not have happened without her. My condo was for sale against the timeline of my contingent, accepted offer on my soon-to-be new primary residence and dream home. Just two days before my contingency period was set to expire an offer came in on my condo, but it was not a traditional offer. It was some sort of letter of intent and it proposed seemingly unreasonable closing date of less than a week. Dawn quickly contacted this potential buyer, assessed the situation, and realized she had met this buyer at one of the open houses, and that they were real. Turns out this coup…

If they gave out awards for closing complicated real estate deals in five days, Dawn Leahy should be a top contender. That’s what she did for me, and she did it with impeccable precision, competence, grace, and calm under whirlwind conditions. Dawn is the real deal, the Rockstar I needed. I truly believe that my deal would not have happened without her. My condo was for sale against the timeline of my contingent, accepted offer on my soon-to-be new primary residence and dream home. Just two days before my contingency period was set to expire an offer came in on my condo, but it was not a traditional offer. It was some sort of letter of intent and it proposed seemingly unreasonable closing date of less than a week. Dawn quickly contacted this potential buyer, assessed the situation, and realized she had met this buyer at one of the open houses, and that they were real. Turns out this couple had a time constraint to transfer their property tax basis from their old property to a new one, leaving them with only five business days to close. That same weekend, two other serious buyers entered the mix which required further juggling by Dawn. All the while, she painstakingly prepped for the deal on the table. That prospective buyer was a licensed broker, but not an active one. This meant Dawn had to hold their hands and attempt to guide them, while maintaining her independence, in how to construct an offer properly and quickly. What was really appreciated beyond the substance of her work, was her personal care of me along the way? Regular “how are you holding up?” and “Do you have any questions” and my favorite, a proactive reminder: “Don’t worry about a thing. I’ve got everything well in hand.” Dawn was keenly aware of the natural personal pressure I was under and went out of her way to make me feel as comfortable as possible. The day before the deal was set to close, there was an unforeseen issue that arose with the HOA. Once again, with her calm and grace, Dawn lasered in on it and collected the necessary understanding and disclosure paperwork. It was at this time, I buckled under the pressure and unfortunately and inappropriately lashed out at Dawn. She patiently allowed me to vent, then apologize, and then she just could not have been a better partner at that moment – giving me a full hall pass, with understanding, comfort, and reassurance. Dawn was also able to put the buyers at ease and the deal closed on Friday as planned. Under normal circumstances, I would have felt like I spent five days tumbling around inside a dryer. Instead, Dawn created an atmosphere of absolute trust, assuredness, and calm in me. No one could believe this whole thing got done so fast. Oh, and Dawn negotiated me a 2-month leaseback and my favorite couch back! Dawn’s steadfast professionalism and machine-like precision processing were a wonder to behold. And she’s just an overall cool, smart and friendly person. I absolutely adore her and the impeccable service she provides.

When we decided to relocate and purchase in Banker’s Hill, Dawn was instrumental in helping us sell our architecturally significant view home in Fallbrook on a contingency and seamlessly get into the newly built project, Vue on the 5th. Her professionalism and attention to detail are second to none. Her extensive knowledge of the market and the areas were invaluable in negotiating the purchase of our condo and the sale of our special Weir Brothers Adobe. And when it came time to sell again for a job relocation, she once again delivered the highest level of service. We were extremely pleased with her personal attention, marketing, sale price, and turnaround time. And not only did she manage the sale perfectly, she simultaneously got us into a new property as quickly and efficiently as possible. We have worked with Dawn over many years and several transactions and trust her implicitly as a…

When we decided to relocate and purchase in Banker’s Hill, Dawn was instrumental in helping us sell our architecturally significant view home in Fallbrook on a contingency and seamlessly get into the newly built project, Vue on the 5th. Her professionalism and attention to detail are second to none. Her extensive knowledge of the market and the areas were invaluable in negotiating the purchase of our condo and the sale of our special Weir Brothers Adobe. And when it came time to sell again for a job relocation, she once again delivered the highest level of service. We were extremely pleased with her personal attention, marketing, sale price, and turnaround time. And not only did she manage the sale perfectly, she simultaneously got us into a new property as quickly and efficiently as possible. We have worked with Dawn over many years and several transactions and trust her implicitly as a Realtor® and as a friend as well. I would never consider using anyone else when it comes to buying and selling properties.

I met Dawn in June 2024 and was immediately impressed with her knowledge, her background, and our shared commitment to ensuring that our family home be cared for and sold to another family who would appreciate its special characteristics. I was living in the SF Bay Area, so she was my eyes and ears on the ground in SD. She brought in her team of experts and frugally led me through the minimal restoration process, handling every aspect with personal attention and action recommending only those renovations that would make the most sense. The result was beautiful. The house shown with renewed sparkle in the windows, sheen of the woodwork and gleam of the floors. Several members of my family came down in September to say goodbye to the family home, pleased to see the transformation for sale. At every turn Dawn guided me with her expertise, attention to detail, and common sense. I would highl…

I met Dawn in June 2024 and was immediately impressed with her knowledge, her background, and our shared commitment to ensuring that our family home be cared for and sold to another family who would appreciate its special characteristics. I was living in the SF Bay Area, so she was my eyes and ears on the ground in SD. She brought in her team of experts and frugally led me through the minimal restoration process, handling every aspect with personal attention and action recommending only those renovations that would make the most sense. The result was beautiful. The house shown with renewed sparkle in the windows, sheen of the woodwork and gleam of the floors. Several members of my family came down in September to say goodbye to the family home, pleased to see the transformation for sale. At every turn Dawn guided me with her expertise, attention to detail, and common sense. I would highly recommend Dawn to everyone who wants an honest, sincere, experienced and trustworthy realtor.