Testimonials

Gail and Matt are a great team. We moved quickly. They kept me ahead of the pack of buyers who wanted the same property. Late night calls, weekend visits to property, whatever it took to win. I could not think of a better team to help me with another transaction.

They helped me purchase a loft in SOMA. I had interviewed 3 well recommended/rated realtors with my 2 plus pages of questions that covered everything from knowledge based questions to potential conundrums. They powered through all of my interview questions and did not roll their eyes once! If I had to sum them up in one word it would be genuine. Let’s just say some of their competitors did not do so well and was more of the smoke and mirrors I’ve come to expect with a lot of realtors. The two of them combined are the perfect blend and they complement each other wonderfully. Not only are they great people that I would honestly hang out with in the city but they possess everything from a crazy deep knowledge base of San Francisco real-estate, relationships with developers, they are well known by their peers to everything technical. What do you want/need and there it is in your email waiting for you. They even had suggestions and ended up assisting me with my mortgage broker selection. Which also was the best rate and closed on time. When you go with the dynamic duo you end up with two people that are responsive at all hours and most importantly, they care. They prepared me and made it so easy that after some careful negotiations with the seller/agent, including our offer and multiple counter offers, they were able to secure the first place that we pursued together, one and done for me! Buying real estate in San Francisco is stressful and you need a team you can really count on that have ‘your’ best interest in mind. If you are looking for a place in the city you need to look this team up.

I worked with Matt to buy a home in San Francisco's Lower Pac Heights area. Matt is very professional and detail oriented; very knowledgable about the San Francisco market and the changes it has gone through during the pandemic. The great part about working with Matt is the access to Compass pre market listings which is how he found my home. Matt and his team at Compass answered all my questions and emails extremely fast and accurately every time. If you are looking for someone to guide you through the buying process (and I can guess selling is just as great via Matt) I would highly recommend working with Matt.

I only have good things to say about Matt. First, and what I think sets him apart from the vast majority of agents, is his relentless attention to detail. (This is probably a byproduct of his years as an electrical engineer). We looked at multiple condos in the $1.7-2.5 million price range. He was all over the finer points of buying a 100+- year old home with shared walls, to say nothing of each aspect of the offer/acceptance/closing process. He was always available to talk or meet with me. He was cheery and prompt. He got me the price I wanted (which represented a substantial discount from the asking price). A true professional. Nice guy, too!

My wife and I had the pleasure of working with Matt as we purchased our first home in San Francisco. From beginning to end, Matt was a stellar agent, advisor, and confidant throughout the entire purchase process. He knows the San Francisco market extremely well and was able to steer us to properties that suited our needs and aligned w/what we wanted out of a property. His input on both neighborhoods and properties was invaluable as we evaluated prospective homes. He also helped us develop compelling strategies when it came time to offer, and we were able to navigate competitive situations effectively. Lastly, he has a vast network, and that came in handy when we shopped for loans. We definitely would recommend Matt to anyone looking for a home in San Francisco.

Matt is thorough, detailed, and actually listened to what we wanted, instead of just pushing properties at us. He is an excellent communicator and easily accessible through a variety of means. His level of professionalism and knowledge of the Bay Area real estate market is almost unrivaled. I would highly recommend Matt if you are thinking of buying or selling your home.

Matt helped me purchase a loft in SOMA. I had interviewed 3 well recommended and rated realtors with my 2 plus pages of questions that covered everything from knowledge based questions to potential conundrums. They powered through all of my interview questions and did not roll their eyes once! If I had to sum them up in one word it would be genuine. Let’s just say some of their competitors did not do so well and was more of the smoke and mirrors I’ve come to expect with a lot of realtors. The two of them combined are the perfect blend and they complement each other wonderfully. Not only are they great people that I would honestly hang out with in the city but they possess everything from a crazy deep knowledge base of San Francisco real-estate, relationships with developers, they are well known by their peers to everything technical. What do you want or need and there it is in your email waiting for you. They even had suggestions and ended up assisting me with my mortgage broker selection. Which also was the best rate and closed on time. When you go with the dynamic duo you end up with two people that are responsive at all hours and most importantly, they care. They prepared me and made it so easy that after some careful negotiations with the seller or agent, including our offer and multiple counter offers, they were able to secure the first place that we pursued together, one and done for me! Buying real estate in San Francisco is stressful and you need a team you can really count on that have ‘your’ best interest in mind. If you are looking for a place in the city you need to look this team up.

Matt and Gail were fantastic realtors who guided me through the purchase of a loft in SoMa. They were very knowledgeable about the market in the Bay Area and about lofts in particular. They were able to quickly answer all of my questions and were incredibly organized and diligent throughout the process. They were instrumental in the offer process, ensuring that my offer stood out, while at the same time they made it clear that I should not feel pressureto accept a price I did not like. In the end, I felt like I had two very well-informed and clearheaded advisors who enabled me to make a confident decision. They were great throughout the entire process: - They enabled me to view the place multiple times on my schedule - They worked extremely well with my lender - They pulled comps from surrounding properties to estimate a reasonable price point (the comps were good and checked out with the analysis I did on my own) - They went the extra mile to work on my behalf directly with the seller - They explained every aspect of the disclosure packet - They were extremely available and answered questions very promptly - They gave me a complete picture of the home-buying process and timeline - They followed up after closing with introductions to contractors and other home improvement specialists Two thumbs up, would recommend to anyone considering buying a home in SF, and especially first-time home buyers.

Gail and Matt are the best! We actually met them at an open house. At the time we were still interviewing agents and after speaking with them we immediately could tell that they are very knowledgeable about the SF market especially lofts, which was exactly what we were looking for. They walked us through each step of the buying process and were so patient and helpful with all of our questions as first-time buyers. Not only do they know the market, they are also well connected in the industry. We loved working with the mortgage broker and title officer they recommended. Our seller demanded an aggressive closing cycle and on top of that we ran into unexpected challenge in securing our home loan, Gail and Matt worked strategically and swiftly with our mortgage broker and the seller agent and got us through the hurdle, including adding few extra days to our closing deadline. They really had our best interest in mind and we never felt being pushed or pressured. We couldn't have asked for better help!

Gail and Matt helped my fiancee and I buy a single family home in Noe Valley. We are first time home buyers and they went above and beyond to help us during this crazy seller’s market. They even went to 8 open houses in one day for us when we were out of town (and provided detailed insight and photos for us)! They got to know us so well that they knew exactly which houses we would be interested in, in rank order, and exactly what we would like and dislike about each house (we are very particular). They were patient and organized and gave us the advice we really needed. We ended up with the perfect home and couldn’t be happier. Gail has years of real estate experience in San Francisco and Matt is great at reading the market and knows all of the comps. I highly recommend this duo! We will be friends with them forever now.

I would recommend Matt and Gail to anyone in San Francisco that is serious about buying a new home. PROFESSIONAL, SAVVY, ATTENTIVE, GENUINE. They are very passionate about what they do and sincerely cared for my personal interests during the process. They guided us in making sure our offer stood out, but at the same time, it was clear that the negotiation on price was our decision, and there was no pressure to accept anything we didn’t like. Matt and Gail’s knowledge and network of the SF market is invaluable. They are on very good terms with many of the SF real estate industry, and made sure that our offer was in first, by staying in close contact with the seller’s agent. After our offer was accepted, they were able to use their network to make sure we closed as fast as possible, and with a great lender. Being a first time home buyer, they patiently explained every step of the purchasing process, and were always available to answer my almost-daily emails or texts. Thank you Matt and Gail!

You cannot go wrong with Gail and Matt. They have a great deal of knowledge and expertise. Gail is also a very skilled negotiator; Matt gave me a lot of good tips and strategies in my house hunting quest and helped me land the perfect house. When I had to be in the real estate market again, they were my first, second and third choice. I never regretted that decision. My purchase was eventually concluded after an incredibly difficult purchase process. My sale went off without a hitch. In both cases, they looked after my interests in the best way. Through each of these, Gail and Matt fought for me. I have already recommended them to others and will continue to do so with no reservation.

We worked with Gail and Matt to buy a home in San Francisco. We are first time homebuyers and they were so patient with us, guiding us through the process and teaching us everything so that we could be as knowledgeable as possible. The market for single family homes was competitive and they were patient and very helpful as they guided us to our dream house in Noe Valley. They are also both wonderful people who I genuinely enjoyed spending time with and I know we'll continue to be friends for a long time to come!

Gail and Matt are the best agents I ever worked with in my past 10 years of real estate buying and selling experiences. They are professional, knowledgeable and attentive. They are very passionate about what they do and sincerely care for my personal interests during the process. I got to know them at a personal level towards the end and would love to recommend them to anyone I know. You will not regret engaging them in either buying or selling.

We're not from San Francisco so we had to rely on Gail and Matt's local knowledge. After listening to our requirements, they knew exactly the perfect neighborhood for us. We are extremely happy with the investment property introduced by them. We rented it out very quickly (as they said it would) and for the price they told us it could rent for. I highly recommend Gail and Matt and hope to use them again in the future. Fred & Wenni Hsu

Thoughtful, professional, respectful, and patient. There's no need to belabor how crazy the San Francisco real estate market is. Matt worked with us for a year, thoughtfully, professionally, respectfully, and patiently until the right house came along, where he made a huge effort to drive it home for me.

Unlike many, Matt listens, show up promptly when needed, and competently act as a buffer between the seller, his agent and myself.

Matt Wathen of Compass Real Estate sold my SF condo this month and I am so pleased to have worked with him! Matt navigated every challenge with the upmost professionalism, including a pandemic (!) and water intrusion with subsequent rebuild. Matt was accountable to every nuance of selling such as emergent installation of a washer & dryer while I was abroad and installing new smoke detectors to shore up expenses. Matt’s high-level communication skills kept me informed throughout the selling process as well; it seemed he anticipated every question or concern I had. I highly recommend Matt; his expertise, experience and people skills make him a top choice to represent your property.

Matt was/is amazing to work with from start to finish as well as for the duration. We are able to connect with Matt if/when needed. He’s an excellent source of knowledge on the area as well as on finding us home improvement specialists that we need. This is a bonus! I have worked closely with Matt for 7 years. He is patient, he listens, and understands our needs in finding the right property. We always felt he had our best interest at heart. That is a trustworthy characteristic I find valuable, when working with a realtor.. I definitely will send clients his way any chance I get. I know they are in good hands. He’s a real find! Thank you Matt. We are very happy in our new place and feel grateful to know you.

Over the last 30+ years, we’ve had to deal with many real-estate agents. Some were wonderful, good folks and others were very aggressive in representing our interests. Our latest real-estate venture led us to San Francisco where we needed to purchase a loft. We were very specific in what we needed, and my wife started working with Matt to share our vision with him. Matt was and remains honest, patient, understanding, professional, and very kind. He knew the city well and his expert opinions and recommendations were never in doubt. Unlike others, Matt is not a magician. In other words, he did not pull a disappearing act as soon as we closed escrow. Instead, he went above and beyond all expectations by recommending painters, maintenance, cleaning crew and assisted us with negotiating great deals. In short, until Matt, I’ve never met a more professional and a more generous agent. He was very professional specifically in navigating the market and in suggesting a winnable bid that worked in our favor. Generous with his time and genuinely cared. We truly appreciate his endless giving and are grateful to know and work with him.

Matt is an amazing realtor. He is patient, persistent, diligent and trustworthy. It took us a few years in the crazy SF market to find the right house, but when we did, Matt was able to help us get the deal done. Our purchase was complex and Matt navigated it masterfully. We are first time home buyers and Matt was able to explain everything clearly and negotiate on our behalf. He took the time to really understand us which resulted in us landing an amazing home. I highly recommend Matt!

After several years of purchasing homes in different parts of the country, I can confidently assert that Matt Wathen stands out as the most exceptional real estate agent we've had the pleasure of working with. Matt consistently places the needs of his clients at the forefront, providing a level of service that has surpassed all expectations. His approach is characterized by an informed perspective, ensuring that every decision is rooted in a comprehensive understanding of the market and our specific requirements. One of Matt's standout qualities is his commitment to a pressure-free experience. Matt respects the pace at which his clients are comfortable moving, allowing for a smooth and stress-free transaction. It is evident that our priorities are his priorities, creating a sense of trust and reliability throughout the entire process. Having experienced Matt's exceptional professionalism, we are confident that for any future real estate endeavors, we will continue to rely on his expertise. Matt Wathen has truly set a standard of excellence in the real estate industry, and we look forward to working with him again and again.

A review will not do enough justice to how amazing Matt is! He has been more than our realtor, and has been a great advisor about market trends in an otherwise complex real-estate climate. We are going to miss our house-hunting adventures with him now that he has helped us find our new home! Besides having an in-depth knowledge of the market, Matt has a great instinct for what his clients are looking for and he just knows everyone in the real-estate business. His attention to detail is unparalleled and he has a great eye for architecture and structural engineering issues - we highly recommend him!

Matt was/is amazing to work with from start to finish as well as for the duration. We are able to connect with Matt if/when needed. He's an excellent source of knowledge on the area as well as on finding us home improvement specialists that we need. This is a bonus! I have worked closely with Matt for 7 years. He is patient, he listens, and understands our needs in finding the right property. We always feel he has our best interest at heart. That is a trustworthy characteristic I find valuable, when working with a realtor. I definitely will send clients his way any chance I get. I know they are in good hands. He's a real find! Thank you Matt. We are very happy in our new place and feel grateful to know you.

One and done! We made only one offer on a single family house in SF (of all places!) and we were in contract within hours. This was our very first home and we were so fortunate to have Matt by our side. Matt and his team was reliable, responsive, strategic, and honest about the whole process. As homebuyers with a strict budget, we were hands-on throughout the search process. We knew what was right for us. Matt was an excellent advisor and collaborator in this quest - he was realistic and worked with our situation. When we made that one offer, he was strategic and represented our best interests and remained this way until the keys were in our hands. Our experience is unique in the SF market, and as first time homebuyers, we were shocked at how smooth the whole process was. We can only attribute all this to Matt's knowledge and expertise of the SF real estate. We cannot recommend Matt enough to anyone looking to own a home in SF.