Ira & Carol Serkes, COMPASS Real Estate - Berkeley, California

Mary H.

Unparalleled professionalism. Exceptional results.

Ira & Carol just completed the sale of another home for me. I could not be happier with their exceptional service and results.
From the first call to Ira to the closing of escrow my experience with Ira & Carol has been outstanding.
Ira’s skill with analytical tools and knowledge of the marketplace set our asking price. He used his excellent communication skills paired with his years of experience for a highly successful marketing process.
Carol’s careful attention to detail and knowledge of real estate transactional requirements assured a thorough and professional disclosure process.
Ira & Carol’s time, attention, and responsiveness made me feel as if I was their most important client, though I knew they had many others to service as well.
I have the deepest confidence and trust in Ira & Carol. I will look forward to working with them again.

Kristen N.

From our first meeting, we knew Ira had the right perspective, temperament, and experience we were looking for. We were immediately impressed by his data-driven approach and how embedded and familiar he was with the market. Ira and Carol work seamlessly together, complementing each other’s skills. Communication was consistent and timely throughout the whole process, and they carefully answered or addressed our many questions. As first time home buyers, we really relied on the expertise of Ira and Carol, and they were incredibly transparent, thorough, and helpful. We really didn’t want a “hard sell”, and one of the things we appreciated most about Ira and Carol was that they always were on our side - pointing out when things didn’t seem quite right, being receptive to our feedback and preferences, and letting us make the decisions that were best for us. Ira and Carol are truly kind and warm people, making working together a real pleasure. We can’t recommend them highly enough!

Hanna E. M.

We have had a wonderful experience working with Carol and Ira Serkes as our real estate agents. Carol and Ira’s experience and knowledge of Berkeley are unparalleled. They are also extremely professional and supportive. They have been working with us patiently for more than a year as we figured out what it is we are looking for, and never once felt pressured into moving more quickly. On multiple occasions, they even gently suggested that we continue looking as we saw houses that would not really meet our family's needs.  Carol and Ira were particularly helpful once COVID-19 restrictions went into place and it was more difficult for us to visit homes: They did visits for us on FaceTime and scheduled numerous visits back-to-back appointments to accommodate our schedule.

Carol and Ira’s expertise really came into relief when we started making offers on homes (we made 3 and won the third).Ira’s spreadsheets and analyses were extremely helpful, as were his and Carol’s sage advice. They were organized and efficient after we closed, always available on short notice for a call or a walk through.  We finally got into contract on a house that we love, and are so glad that we took Carol and Ira's advice not to settle. What is more, we think we got it for a fair price. Carol and Ira are very scrupulous and it was clear they were looking out for our best interest. We highly recommend them.

Holly G.

Ira and Carol are the best. They are an amazing team and they know everything that is going on in Berkeley! If you want an experienced, well-connected realtor who can give you all the information to make your own informed decision, you'll love them. Ira has a well-developed system for tracking what is going on and making it easy to get information. Carol has an artistic flair, an eye for anything visual and a warm engaging personality. She is extremely experienced and informed, so she is a great person to represent you in this competitive market. Whether you are buying a home or selling the one you own, you will love them.

Nate B.

I really enjoyed working with Ira and Carol. From out initial meeting I was impressed with the data they collected and how they put our property into context. We sold a large loft in Oakland that because of it’s size and location was difficult to find comparable properties for, but they did a good job with lots of good data.

The Serkes are good communicators and checked in often. Having sold a few houses before, I was very happy with how the process unfolded and never worried that a ball might get dropped.

The best part was the negotiation phase. We were lucky enough to get multiple offers and Ira really shined helping us during the offer phase. We are super pleased with the result and would definitely recommend Ira and Carol for listing your property. Couldn’t be happier.

shir K.

My husband and I had an excellent experience working with Ira and Carol. We've been looking for a place of our own in the Bay Area for a while when a friend connected us. We already felt on our first meeting that Ira took the time to listen, to give us relevant data and made a true effort to understand our needs. From then onward, we received regular updates on available properties that were within our budget and fit our needs while regularly checking in with Ira regarding relevant or potentially interesting properties - every conversation with Ira was filled with good advice, tips and patient listening, which is so important to us. Once we finally found our new place Ira and Carol were there for every step of the way; whether it meant late night calls and emails or last minute checking in. This is the first time we purchased a property and Ira and Carol's endless patience to our many questions and concerns was truly admirable. We have already recommended them to friends in the area and look forward to work with them again in the future.

Michael R.

I met Ira Serkes at a number of open houses when I was thinking about selling my home in Berkeley last year and wanted to see what larger homes were available in the neighborhood for purchase. Ira was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. He helped me better understand the pros and cons of selling my home in this market, as well as consider some remodeling possibilities to stay put and increase long-term value. Ultimately I decided not to sell. Ira is a true professional and a great resource if you are considering buying or selling a home in the area.

Rajeev A.

We met Ira and Carol Serkes in 2012 when they helped us find our home in Kensington. We had been looking at homes in Berkeley but found our perfect home in Kensington because of the guidance and advice from Ira and Carol. The Serkes are Real Estate agents but that's not how they approach the relationship. They help their clients make the right decisions. In 2012 it turned out that a home in Kensington was the right decision for us. During that home buying process we had made an offer to a house in Kensington that fell through for various reasons. Ira and Carol worked with us to find an even more suitable home for us. We have absolutely loved this home.

But this is 2021, and now, it is time for us to move to a different country. Our initial thought was to sell the home and so we consulted Ira and Carol. A few weeks after signing the agreement with them we had second thoughts and were thinking of keeping the house and renting it. Through this uncertain decision making period Ira and Carol have been our consultant and advisor anchors. We consult them and they provide us all the information to help us make the right decision. Not once have they tried to influence our decision one way or another and not once have they been impatient with us. At the time of writing this, we are again leaning toward selling the house. We feel fortunate in having Ira and Carol as advisors because they are infinitely patient and have our best interests at heart no matter the decision we make.