Naturally, we turned to Claire and David for help, as Claire has been our agent on several transactions over the past eight years. Claire and David helped us in putting together our offer on our dream home (it was accepted) and in getting our former home on the market quickly so that we were able to close both transactions in record time.

More importantly, Claire and David provided us with advice and counsel that helped keep us calm through a rather hectic period. We couldn't have done it without them!

R.K. & W.A.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation for your help in finding our new home. You gave us sound advice, showed grace under fire, and always listened carefully to what we wanted. Your matchless knowledge of the East Bay neighborhoods, schools, shopping districts, and climates proved invaluable. As a result, we found the home of our dreams.

As first-time buyers, we so appreciated your diligence, availability (even during your vacation), and consideration. We always felt that you would support our decisions, and that you would marshal your considerable expertise and resources to help us find a home we loved at a price we felt comfortable with. Your attention to detail and willingness to be persistent, particularly throughout the inspection period, aided us in making a well-informed decision about purchasing our wonderful new home. We will highly recommend you to anyone we know who is interested in buying a house in the East Bay

B. & E.

You not only provided sound advice at every stage, but you had real solutions to each problem from your cadre of skilled, proven resources to do each job as needed - including packing, painting, fixing, cleaning, and staging. You knew what to do and how to get it done.

You professionally promoted the sale by ads, postcards, the Internet, and open homes. The house sold easily and well. And you were always available and ready with professional solutions and personal support throughout the entire process.

David, you were extremely helpful in providing information, including data regarding charitable trusts, related to the issues caused by capital gains.

We certainly recommend you.

F. & S.L.

We recently purchased a home [and], we must confess, with the nature of the current market, we were quite nervous about the process. We had heard stories of people bidding on homes for months and being outbid by tens of thousands of dollars.

Our experience could not have been better. Sure we bid on homes we didn't get. We also started to become frustrated, but, because of our broker, Claire Cunningham, we were constantly reassured and never lost hope. Claire was always professional and constantly supportive. Our decisions were always respected. Claire always made us feel as if we were in control. She was always available to us. There was no pressure to make a decision if we were not comfortable with it. It was always our purchase. In the end, we got a great house in the area we wanted.

We can't thank Claire enough [and] will continue to refer Claire to anyone considering buying a home.

T.H. & C. P.

Last spring, Claire Cunningham handled the sale of my mother's house at in Piedmont. I have been meaning for sometime to write a letter of appreciation for her work and efforts.

The sale was a particularly difficult one. My mother is 90, but in full charge of her faculties and opinions - which were often in conflict [with] good business sense. Having lived there since 1948 it was very difficult for her to accept what needed to [be] done to stage and to modify the interior. She was not shy about expressing her opinions. While I love her dearly, I was very glad not to be a real estate agent.

We were also very concerned about the declining market and obtaining a good price.

Claire demonstrated a rare gift to manage the conflicts and forge ahead in the right direction while keeping the deal together. I do know that it was extraordinarily hard. I have had many experiences with real estate agents in the past, and few would be able to pull off what she did with such grace and professionalism.

In the end, we had only 2 bids. That was definitely a sign of the declining market. However, if Claire had not managed to pull off the makeover of the house, I know we would have been stuck with [a lower bid].

I was also impressed how she timed and negotiated the handling of the open houses and acceptance of offers. As it turned out, the timing was perfect and negotiations successful.

It was very clear to me that she was not only very familiar with the legal and paperwork aspects of real estate, but also (and more importantly) with the sales and negotiating end. I consider Claire to be the best broker I have encountered and would definitely use her services in the future.

W.N.

Claire Cunningham represented us in our recent purchase of a home in Oakland. We were under some time pressure and she was able to locate a wonderful property very quickly. Claire's diligence and experience guided us through contract negotiations in a housing market that had become unfamiliar to us and helped secure a good purchase price. She shepherded the deal through a tricky escrow caused [by] the financial problems of the sellers. The sellers again were problematic in delivering possession of the property and Claire was in constant vigilance to insure that the matter proceeded to a prompt and successful conclusion. Furthermore, she has spent numerous hours arranging services and meeting with workmen at the house to help prepare it for occupancy. This was far beyond the cull of duty. Throughout the entire process she has been accessible, responsive and wonderful to work with. As a result of her excellent efforts, we are moving into our new house this weekend. It is my pleasure to recommend Claire to anyone else who may be needing a real estate agent.

D.J.C.

I am long overdue in my thanks for your superb job in getting my house sold. It was not easy with my being in Budapest most of the summer - at least it was not easy on [Claire]. In retrospect, I actually had it pretty good being away during the sale process. It would have been very different if I hadn't known I could trust you to do the necessary and appropriate things to show the house to its best and negotiate the various offers. Furniture purchases with my daughter and vacuuming the carpet were definitely exceptional, though, and I appreciate all you did beyond the call of duty. The bed, by the way, also looks good in my present house.

As you know, I interviewed several people before I made my decision to have you represent me. It was the right choice; selling a house is never easy and at the $800,000 plus level there is considerable anxiety. I had the time pressures of the move� You kept me calm as it is possible to be under the circumstances through Fax, phone and overnight mail.

D.S.

Written to the Manager
Prudential California Real Estate
Piedmont, CA

I am writing to tell you about the first rate assistance my wife and I received from Claire Cunningham in purchasing our home. Although our friends had warned us to be prepared for a lengthy and exhaustive home search, Claire found us the perfect home within 3 days of our search

Not only did Claire find us a wonderful house, she also helped guide us through the offer and escrow process. Claire was responsive to all of our questions, helped calm our anxieties, and went that extra mile to help turn what should have been a stressful experience into a relatively peaceful one.

We intend to recommend Claire to any of our friends who are looking for a home in the Piedmont area.

R.T.K.

[We] just wanted to take a minute to thank your for all of your help and hard work in assisting U.S to find and purchase our new home. Because we are living across the country and were in the market for our first home, it was especially important to us to have an agent who knew the Oakland area, who was familiar with inspectors and contractors in the area, and who was able to get things done thoroughly arid efficiently. In all of these things, you met and surpassed our expectations.

We are still amazed by the fact that we are now homeowners and are extremely excited about moving to Oakland. When we think back a few months to the beginning of our home search, we are amazed that we hardly knew anything about Alameda County. Without your knowledgeable input into Oakland neighborhoods and the statistics you provided to us about those various neighborhoods, we would never have found the Laurel area of Oakland - much less our new home.

Although we do not expect to be looking for a new home in the near future, we will certainly check back with you when the rime does come to move out of our first home. We appreciate your knowledge and professionalism and would not be where we are today were it not for your assistance,

L.H. & R.W.

Thank you so much for the lovely sundial and, especially, for holding my hand as we searched for a house. When you and I first connected, I had given up hope of finding anything remotely resembling what I wanted. Your optimism helped and showed me all was not lost.

This has been a pleasant process throughout, contrary to previous experiences. I have you to thank for that.

V.

I can't believe it's been about a month since we've made the move and since the close. We wanted to thank you for your involvement throughout. Especially many thanks for our 1st night pizza and beverages. That was definitely a life saver!

We are absolutely in love with our �Grande Dame,� current blemishes and all.

Please stop by for the current tour! Thanks again.

B., M., K. & K.