Testimonials

I recently purchased a condo for the first time, and was lucky enough to have Sharon Alva as my guide. I began my search without even knowing what types of questions to ask, and Sharon took me though each step showing an amazing amount of patience ( I had the habit of asking the same questions in different ways). We looked at properties throughout the Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin counties before settling on Albany. Again, Sharon was able to make this complex process an easy one. She was with me from start to finish, and consistently followed up to ensure everything went smoothly. I would highly recommend her for anyone searching for a new home. THANK YOU SHARON!!!

"She is the Best and We Would HIGHLY Recommend Sharon Alva!"

When we first started looking for a house we were completely lost. We did not know the process of buying a home, loans or contingencies.

We had another agent who we were unhappy with and we met Sharon Alva at an Open House. She is real without any B.S. or fluff. She will tell you what she knows, and what she really thinks. She gets to know her clients and wants them to find the right home for them. Sharon spent three hours with us the first week we met her. She wanted to be sure we knew the process of looking, buying and offering. She even called and was there for us when she was on vacation in Israel. She is so knowledgeable and does not make you feel stupid for asking questions. She makes you feel like there is a house out there for you, even if you do not have a lot to spend... She was available for us with questions, at open houses and offering. Once we found the home of our dreams she walked us through escrow, inspections, contingencies, etc. All the way through to the end.

She is the best and we would HIGHLY recommend Sharon Alva! We expect to be friends with her for a long time to come.

I think there is no other person like Sharon Alva. We are grateful for her exceptional support while buying our home. Sharon's knowledge and awareness of Alameda county's Real Estate was outstanding. She is very detailed and communication was excellent. I highly recommend Sharon Alva to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. You will not be disappointed

"That's The Best Part-We Never Had To Worry."

Buying a house is stressful, I won't lie. But working with Sharon made the process smooth, relatively pain free, and dare I say, fun.
Sharon is amazing. We started our housing search nearly two years ago, before the market took a turn, and she patiently stuck with us as we hemmed and hawed over what we could afford, where we wanted to live, and what we were looking for in a property.

She was never pushy and never tried to urge us to buy something that was outside of our means. Not knowing what we wanted at first, we must have been very difficult clients, but she took us around to view a wide range of properties in Alameda, from condos and town homes to ranchers and duplexes, to the beautiful, funky old Victorian we ended up in. She was incredibly patient in explaining the tricky real estate process to us and never once got exasperated with our dumb and panicky questions! She hooked us up with an amazing lender who also had nothing but our best interests in mind, and we were able to secure a fantastic loan at a great interest rate that we never before would have thought possible.

One of the first things Sharon did when we met her was take us on a personalized tour of Alameda so we could see the neighborhoods and amenities that the island has to offer. She is warm, funny, and easy to talk to and has a wealth of insider information on Alameda, from the best contractors and inspectors to the hidden away coffee shops.

Above all else, Sharon is a very dedicated mother, and was eager to show us the kid and family-friendly features of Alameda. Being pregnant while house shopping (we're expecting in October), it was a huge comfort and extremely important to me and my husband to learn about school districts, kid friendly restaurants, playgrounds, and which local gyms have free daycare.

When you call Sharon remember that she may have to schedule viewings around family dinners and bedtimes, but that being said, she is incredibly flexible and generous with her time. During our escrow we hit some bumps and snags that Sharon and her team worked overtime to smooth out. In fact, I don't even know the gory details of what she went through to get us in this house, but that's the best part- we never had to worry.

I can't thank Sharon enough for helping us find our perfect home in a great community. The best part is, she lives just a few blocks away and we're delighted that she's still a part of our lives and will be for years to come. Whether you're just starting out, merely curious, or at your wits end with real estate, I can't recommend Sharon enough to navigate the process and get you into your perfect home.

"Hardworking, Honest and Smart."

As a first time home buyer, I really had no idea what I was doing. I wanted to make sure that I was in good hands and had someone on my side but I had heard some nasty stories about real estate agents and how they are only looking out for themselves. Entering into this brave new world, I never expected to find someone with so much knowledge and honesty.

We were looking for a house around the Bay Area. We did not want to limit our search to only the Peninsula or just the East Bay because we wanted to see what we can get for our money in different areas. I asked all my friends for recommendations. I received several referrals but the agents either did not work in all the areas we were looking at or did not return our calls. But one person that did call back and was flexible with our wide search was Sharon Alva.

Sharon Alva is hardworking, honest and smart. She has a wealth of knowledge not only about homes, locations and all those things but she was able to work with our not so conventional loan too. She was able to answer our questions or knew someone who could.

Throughout the search, she was not pushing one house or location over the other. She would give us the pros and cons she would see of each house including what she knew about school districts and the vibe of the area.

She maintained an amazing level of professionalism without being cold or unapproachable. She listened to what we liked and what we wanted and in the end, we bought our first home September of '09 in a cozy neighborhood of San Lorenzo that gets plenty of sunshine and we actually have met most of the people on our block.

One of the best suggestions Sharon made was for us to look for a house with more than two bedrooms and in a few months, the extra room will come in handy because we are expecting our first baby.

Since our home purchase in September, my uncle bought his dream house in Alameda and now my friend is looking for her first home with the help of Sharon.

Buying a house is stressful, full of paperwork and people that may not have your best interest in mind but with Sharon on your side, she will make sure that you will have all the knowledge to make the best decision.

Give Sharon a call and meet her in person. She will give you the best she can give.

"Thorough, Persistent, and Effective!"

I have used 4 real estate professionals in my lifetime and Sharon is by far the BEST!! Thorough, Persistent, and Effective!
She's a great person who genuinely cares about her clients and tries hard to match you with your perfect home. It. was fun to work with Sharon and once I found the place I wanted to live, she worked her tail off for me.

When buying my home, Sharon was on top of everything, managing the bank, Title Company and listing agent. The seller was not communicating with the title company, so Sharon stepped right in and cleared up the lines of communication.

The place I bought t was a foreclosed property. There were some problems with the documentation, she ran around, made countless phone calls, kept me informed, and got it cleared up.

There were problems with the mortgage, she gave me realistic expectations and deadlines and told me exactly what I should expect.

Unlike some realtors, Sharon did not over-promise and under-deliver. She got me exactly what she promised. She told me she'd try for something and many of the items, including credits from the seller, rebates on closing costs and transfer taxes paid, she got for me.
I had a difficult purchase and Sharon definitely went above-and-beyond, even doing other peoples' jobs or making sure their work was completed.

Exemplary communications and follow-through. I would hire her again in an instant.

"I Highly Recommend Using Sharon's Services For Any Home Buying Or Selling Transaction."

Sharon was assigned to my relocation through Alain Pinel Real Estates. One of the main reason I selected her, was her great knowledge of Alameda. Sharon was fully engaged through the process and really helped me through this process while I was already working at my new job in New Jersey. On the eve of my return to Alameda to pack up my household, she stocked my fridge so I had something to munch on. It was a very lovely touch. I recommend using Sharon's services for any home buying or selling transaction.