To Whom It May Concern:

Earlier this year we decided to place our home on the market. I told a Friend I was looking for a realtor who was easy to work with and she immediately told me to call Becky Dalke. She knew of Becky from many recommendations from friends from Shrewsbury. She also knew Becky personally and found her to be a friendly and professional person.

From our first meeting we could tell that Becky Dalke knew her market and would be the right person to list our home. She had years of experience and was very honest and open about the things we should do to get our house sold quickly. We took her advice and found our house sold in a short amount of time in a difficult market. Becky did much negotiating for us and was always willing to go the extra mile to get the deal done and make sure everyone was happy. Becky has a great capacity to get things done quickly and efficiently and has many contacts in the real estate field. We would not hesitate to recommend Becky Dalke to anyone with any real estate needs.

Sincerely,

Jeff and Renee Lowe

 

KEVIN AND DAYLENE LOVE, SHREWSBURY, MA

 Although many good real estate agents work in this area, Becky Dalke is exceptional. We worked with Becky this past summer and knew within minutes of meeting her that we were in very good hands.   

When we first met Becky, we felt comfortable with her immediately. She listened attentively and we quickly learned that she understood the challenges of the current real estate market extremely well. No matter what we asked or had concerns about, Becky offered knowledgeable, insightful answers that truly helped us make informed decisions.

Being an experienced professional isn't the only reason Becky is successful. She brings much to the table for her clients. Her attention to detail, creativity, and vision are evident as she plans the best, most effective way to market your current home or find the right home to meet your needs.  In our situation, Becky was able to coordinate our offer and closing in a little over 30 days and found the sellers a new home that wasn't even on the market.  Without Becky's knowledge of the current market in Central MA, we would not have been able to make the deal happen. 

Even though Becky had multiple clients at the time, we always felt like we were important to her; receiving prompt responses and due diligence every step of the way. Also, it wasn't just Becky who was wonderful. Her assistant, Anne, and each resource she suggested to us, whether it was a moving company, loan officer, attorney, or home inspector, was responsive, ethical, and professional.

The process of buying or selling a home can be wrought with unexpected challenges and circumstances and we feel very fortunate that Becky was our agent. Frankly, she was the best person for the job. The end result is that now we are living in a home that is a perfect fit for our family and we are left feeling very positive about the entire experience.

 If you're thinking about buying or selling your home, call Becky. In short, she knows her stuff, she puts her clients' interests first, and she is a pleasure to work with. We recommend her highly.

 

Kevin and Daylene Love
Shrewsbury, MA    

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STEVE AND LUCIA EATON, GRAFTON, MA 

 

A Real-estate Odyssey

 

My wife and I first met Becky at an open house in the fall of 2009.  Although we had encountered many realtors, Becky’s knowledge, personality and professionalism convinced us that she was the person to guide us through what we anticipated would surely be an epic adventure.    We had a lot to accomplish in the months to come – plan a wedding, get married, sell two townhouses, and buy the perfect home. 

 

Our townhouses went on the market in 2010.  Despite a very difficult market (to say the least), and some challenging negotiations, Becky was able to facilitate the sale of both homes.  This of course was just the beginning. 

 

Having purchased a number of homes over the years and been exposed to dozens more during our search, we had a fairly specific notion of what we wanted.  It was quite simple actually – we just wanted the interior layout, exterior design, lot and neighborhood to be perfect…while not paying a dime over market value. 

 

After much searching and disqualifying homes for any number of reasons (some may describe us as particular), we found a brand new house that met our criteria in the Highfields Golf Course development, Grafton, MA.   A custom home with open layout and high end features, a picturesque lot, and a great neighborhood convenient to work.  The price was more than we wanted to pay, however, and as you may be aware, builders are generally unwilling to move on price.   Nonetheless, armed with her market analysis, Becky carried out a thoughtful and extremely well orchestrated negotiation.  We were able to secure the property for $50k under the asking price – very unusual for a brand new home.   

 

Now, a few months later, we are truly enjoying our new house.  Whether its decorating or landscaping, eating dinner on our deck with the beautiful view or going for walks in an idyllic setting – a perfect outcome.      

 

So as we look forward to many years in our beautiful home and think back to the 18 month journey with Becky (including 3 real estate transactions and a marriage) there is certainly one thing we can say without reservation - if you are looking to buy or sell property, we would highly recommend Becky to manage all of your real-estate needs. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Lucia and Steve Eaton

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Bill and Trish Kelley, Grafton, MA

Dear Becky,

Thank you for all that you did to prepare our house for its sale and your follow-through after it was sold.  We were amazed by the seamlessness of the transaction.  We are positive it was due to your calm and professional manner, real estate knowledge and prowess.  The communication from you and your assistant, Anne was superb; always covering the details both big and small every step of the way.  After working with you, we believe you are truly the best in the business.  It is no surprise you are so successful.  If Fausto has not told you yet, you have a training session with him on us.  Enjoy the workout!

On a side note, thank you very much for the Edible arrangement and note of congratulations.  It was so thoughtful of you to think of us.  Gabriella especially enjoyed the fruit.  We are settling in and adjusting to the new house; working feverishly to making it “ours.”

If and when we know someone who is looking for an agent in your area, we will not hesitate to recommend you and sing your praises.

Fondly,

Bill and Trish Kelley

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Mark and Debbie Bury, Shrewsbury, MA

Becky Dalke saved the day!  We had initially listed our home with another agent to no avail.  Once we were out of that contract we contacted Becky and she was a breath of fresh air!  Becky listened to our particular needs, then gave perfect direction on staging and pricing our home.

To make things even more complicated, in the middle of everything, we decided to head south for the winter.  In our absence, Becky had to step in and market our home, keep it in tip-top shape for showings and an open house.  Her expertise showed every step of the way as she made the final sale within a month.  Becky's communication skills and knowledge made this a successful chapter for the Bury family!

In all of our years and multiple moves across the country, this has proven to be the most positive experience.  We highly recommend and will continually sing Becky's praises.  She's honest, forthright and dedicated and a true pleasure to work with.

 

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Dr. BILL KADISH and Dr. MARIE HOBART

Dear Prospective Client,

 

Some choices in life are hard; others are easy. As you have probably figured out by now, most choices involving real estate are complicated and difficult. That is the bad news. 

 

However, there is one choice in the realm of real estate that is incredibly easy- who to choose to be your agent. The answer is simple: Becky Dalke.

 

How can we be so sure? We know because we had the pleasure of working with Becky, and we met with nothing but success every step of the way. In a market described as the worst anyone had experienced in his or her lifetime, we were able sell our home in 5 DAYS at 7.75% ABOVE our asking price! Then, we found a once-in-a-lifetime, impeccably restored historic home and had our first offer accepted, including all the extras we requested! Finally, we successfully closed both deals on the same day just 2 months after we accepted the offer from our buyers. If this is what Becky Dalke can accomplish in the worst market ever, just imagine what she can do in a good market!

 

With Becky, no detail is left unattended to, no question left unanswered, no problem left unsolved. Each and every day she does what is required of her to provide the most thorough and professional service to her clients. And in a manner that makes the tense, nerve-wracking process of buying or selling a home as fun and enjoyable as it could be possibly be. But don't let the pleasant upbeat manner lead you to wonder if Becky is "too nice" to do what it takes to be sure that you, her client, gets the best deal possible. Because Becky will not allow you to pay one dime more for a property than what she has determined it is worth, and she will do everything in her power to ensure that you receive every last penny of value from the home you are selling. And that is no exaggeration!

 

So don't waste any more time and energy on making the easiest decision there is to make during this whole grueling process- just call Becky and hire her! After all, you will need all that time and energy to do prepare your home for sale, search for the property of your dreams, and fill out all those forms. And all those tasks will be made easier because you will have Becky on your side.

 

That's all there is to it.

 

Sincerely,

Bill Kadish and Marie Hobart

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LUCY LUBKE

To Whom It May Concern,

 

            I feel truly grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Becky Dalke.  My house in Shrewsbury had been on the market with a different realtor for a few months with limited activity.  After a brief period off the market I decided to try again and began interviewing brokers.  I was feeling discouraged by the dropping market and also the process itself until I met Becky.  She was clearly above and beyond any of her competitors in her knowledge of real estate and her commitment to her buyers and sellers.

 

            After carefully inspecting the home, she offered simple recommendations to make it more marketable.  She gave me a "video" package to view which helped me understand the importance of correct pricing.  We met and reviewed the process.  She did an extremely technical market analysis and her experience working in Shrewsbury was evident.  Becky was extremely professional and attentive throughout the entire process and always willing to answer questions.

 

            The house went on the market while I was away on vacation for a few days.  When I returned, I had two offers on my home and many people returning for a second visit.  I was amazed and very relieved.  Although my house sold quickly, Becky was in contact with us daily.  Most days I spoke with Becky several times.  What impressed me most about Becky was her intuitive negotiating abilities as well as her attention to every detail.  I learned so much working with Becky and when I am ready to buy again, I will definitely call her.

 

Sincerely,

 

Lucy Lubke

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MARY ANN AND PHIL PIETROWSKI

 Dear Prospective Home Buyer/Seller:

We recently sold our home in Shrewsbury through Becky Dalke.   Becky heard that we were looking to sell and stopped by our home one afternoon.  We had already planned to go with another realtor, but Becky convinced us she was the one to use.  We were not disappointed.

Our experience with Becky was more than just a "sale".  She took a genuine interest in working with us and helped position our home to sell quickly during the worst real estate market in decades.  Becky did not simply list our house and hope for a buyer.  Instead, she proactively sought out buyers by going door to door seeking referrals from our neighbors, sent out flyers, held several open houses including a broker open house luncheon and came up with creative incentives to bring prospective buyers to our home.  

We moved out of state prior to closing on our home.  Becky continued to work for us throughout this time until closing.  She met with inspectors, contractors and the fire department on our behalf and ran numerous errands including making small purchases and paying our final utility bills. 

With our house closed Becky´s job should have been done.  However, when the new home owner contacted her months later to say they were receiving some of our mail.  She promptly sent it to us. 

This is the work of a dedicated professional.   If you are looking for a real estate agent, we highly recommend Becky Dalke.

Mary Ann and Phil Pietrowski

 
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PETER DUMONT

Dear Becky,

Thanks to your realistic appraisal and pricing of my property in West Boylston, as well as your masterful and creative marketing of it, the house SOLD within weeks of listing with you and your firm, Keller Williams Realty.  And you accomplished this during one of the most difficult real estate markets in recent history!

To say that I am grateful to you seems to me to be an understatement.  I realize that as a real estate professional  this is what you get paid to do ? selling real estate - but in my experience I believe that your performance in this transaction was over-the-top and exceptional beyond expectation.  

Here is my story:

In October of 2005 I purchased a 3700 square-foot Colonial in a private sale with the intent of refinishing and improving the property for resale (also known as ?flipping´).  At the time, I had recently retired from a long career in business and went looking for an outlet to occupy my time, and since I had prior experience and success in real estate I decided to pursue this course.  After substantial investment of my time and finances, the house was placed on the market with a national real estate firm with a long and highly successful local sales record.  Their market analysis was in the middle price range of three other professional price estimates and I listed with them in January of 2006.

Following several months of moderate showing activity, three failed buyer offers, three listing extensions and two price reductions I finally allowed the listing to lapse 9 months later and found a tenant that was prepared to lease/purchase the property.  This turned out to be a mistake and resulted in the need to evict the tenant 7 months later.  The property was re-listed with the original realtor, but suffered the same fate as the first listing from the ongoing decline of the real estate market.  When the former listing agent agreement finally lapsed, I luckily found you and listed with your firm.

In retrospect, I realize now that with the first real estate firm I was initially chasing the markets downward spiral by making suggested price reduction changes after the fact, and working with agents whose primary strength came from working for big name realty firms, rather than proven individual performance records in weak markets.  That all changed when I met you.

Only days after our initial phone call, you were already prepared with a realistic market appraisal, supported by a large and well presented collection of data in order to properly price and present my property in the current market.  You followed this with an innovative and creative marketing plan.  I cannot say enough about your dedication to the task of showing the property, locating eligible buyers and negotiating a successful agreement on my behalf. 

After this experience, I firmly believe that you are the best real estate agent anyone could hope for to represent them in this challenging marketplace.  You are a true professional, and one that the dozens and dozens of real estate agents that I have met over a lifetime can only aspire to become.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  And for my gratitude, I offer that you use my name and story as a referral for any of your future clients.

Respectfully,

Pete Dumont

978-235-4336 (cell)

To Whom It May Concern:

My husband Steve and I recently had the pleasure of working with Becky Dalke on the sale of our past home and purchase of our new residence.  Throughout the process, Becky was extremely professional, understood our specific needs, and maintained a steadfast "can do" attitude ? even in a very challenging real estate market.  She sold our home very quickly and went above and beyond to find us a new home.

Last May we put our residence at 10 Bracken Road in Shrewsbury on the market.  The house sold in two days for $20,000 over the asking price!  Given that the real estate market was slow (not to mention flooded with comparable homes that were not selling) we were thrilled.  Becky´s expertise and advice were instrumental in selling the house so successfully.  She did a number of things to ensure that we would sell the house quickly and at the highest price possible. Specifically, Becky:

-          Performed a thorough market analysis and identified appropriate "comps" in order to set the price right the first time.

-          Suggested ways to "stage" the house.

-          Creatively marketed the house and effected a sense of excitement around the sale (ultimately leading to a bidding war in the end).

-          Effectively and tactfully worked with potential buyers and their agents.

-          Carefully monitored the follow-up steps that needed to be taken on both the buyer and seller sides in order for the sale to close.

We became increasingly impressed with Becky when it came time to find our new home.  Given that it was a "buyer´s market" we assumed that finding the right house would be easy - but nothing could have been further from the truth!  As fate would have it, there were very few houses on the market that met our criteria. 

Becky went to "Herculean" lengths to find us the right home.  She knew exactly what things were important to us and never once pushed us toward a home simply to close the deal.  For over three months, she kept a vigilant eye on the market and called us as soon as a viable prospect came up.  With time running out before we needed to vacate our home, she became even more creative with her strategies.  She identified homes that had been on the market earlier in the year and had then been taken off ? and called the homeowners to see if they would be interested in selling.  Further, Becky spent time driving us around town to see what types of homes appealed to us, and was more than willing to ring doorbells if we saw one that looked interesting. Becky´s perseverance paid off in August after she found a "For Sale by Owner" that met our needs.

I  strongly recommend Becky Dalke to anyone looking to buy or sell a home in these difficult economic times.  She´s experienced, smart, creative, driven, and always puts her clients´ needs and issues first.  She is also a joy to work with!

Sincerely,

Karen and Steve Bean

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Dr. Steve and AnnMarie Bird

To whom it may concern,

If you are looking to buy or sell a home, Becky Dalke is your realtor. From the very first meeting with Becky we found her to be professional and hard working.   She initially sat down with us to find out why we wanted to move and what we were looking for in a new home. After that Becky worked tirelessly with us to find the home that we wanted.

We also had a great experience in the sale of our house. We came up with the right price for our house to sell in this very competitive market.  Becky gave us helpful hints to get our house staged for showing. She also went the extra mile in preparation for selling our house, including going door-to-door around our neighborhood to let the neighbors know we were selling in case they knew someone who was looking to live in this area. Within 14 days of the open house we had multiple offers, allowing us the luxury of choosing the best offer for our situation - one that allowed us to close on the sale and rent back from the new owners while our new construction was being completed.  Our house sold quickly enough that a neighbor decided to have Becky list their house after we told them our story and the pleasant experience we had with her.  Their house has a "Sale Pending" sign in the front lawn as I write this.

Becky works hard which is so important when you want your home sold in a timely manner.  Becky always kept the lines of communication open, answered all of our questions, and did more than we ever expected.  In this current housing and economic markets we are fortunate to have everything fall into place. We would certainly use Becky again and recommend her highly. 

AnneMarie and Steve Bird

 

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Paul and Bridgett Galvin, Worcester

When Paul first asked to have an interview with you before we decided to engage you as our agent, we weren´t sure how you would react.  We wanted to make sure we could work with you and that we could trust our future to you.  You responded in the most professional of ways and from that first day to the closing on the sale of our condo, you never wavered.  Your first strength became apparent when you identified a "team" of professionals to help us.  The mortgage lender and the attorney you referred us to work with were simply amazing.  We had worked with the mortgage lender on our previous purchase, but the attorney you recommended was also the "best".  You began our relationship by educating us as to the market issues in buying and selling our homes.  Your advice on staging our home and showing it was invaluable.  Neither Paul nor I have ever worked so hard to "please" someone who was actually working for us!

While buying our new home was relatively easy, you worked diligently on finding us a new home and made the purchase of that home a pleasure.  You helped us to make good decisions on rejecting some homes and "waiting" for the right one.  When we found our home, the first few exchanges were so scary.  Yet, you stayed right there with us, asking the right question, and listening to our answers.  You took us from the first offer to the closing without a problem.  We love our new home.

However, we are most grateful for your efforts in selling our condo.  Unfortunately for us, we decide to sell our condo when the market took its worst downturn in 20 years!  As soon as we put our condo on the market, it plummeted and kept plummeting over the four months before we finally closed.  During that time, your efforts were amazing.  In spite of numerous open houses and lots of interest, qualified buyers simply were scarce.  We would get discouraged and you would find yet another way to market our home, always coming up with ideas.  When we met to brainstorm new ways to attract buyers, you even followed up on our suggestions!  I´ll always remember the day you told me you went "door to door" so to speak in placing flyers at manufacturing centers and at the UMass Medical School.  You made us feel apart of a "team" dedicated to selling our home.  We were especially grateful when times looked bleak and you wouldn´t let us even think negative thoughts!  Your e-mails and routine calls to check in kept us going in spite of the worsening market.  Paul and I were always ready for a "hang in there call" from you.

When a qualified buyer finally came along, you moved into an even higher gear and didn´t let a moment go by before you began working on our behalf.  Even when you were recovering from a horrible cold and should have stayed in bed, you attended a showing to make sure the potential buyer could see "the entire picture".  Your knowledge and experience as a real estate agent clearly came in to play as we moved toward the final transactions of our condo.   During the process our attorney discovered a problem with our deed to the condo that required contacting the previous owner of 6 years earlier.  Before he could even begin to locate the owner, you took it on yourself to investigate, "Google" and locate him so we could clear up the issue.  You did not let even the smallest detail slip by!    Right up to the hour before closing you were there at the walk through making sure everything was okay.

Just as important as your work ethic, your knowledge and skills, your contacts, and overall effort, was "just you as a person".  Your kindness and ability to empathize are rare traits in people these days.  You understood our fears, hopes and dreams and actually shared them with us.  You even welcomed and made our dogs feel special!  We feel like we not only had a professional working for us, but that we have developed a new friend in the process.  Paul and I will be forever grateful for all you have done for us.  I hope we can maintain contact in the years to come and when we decide to sell/purchase again, you will be our first choice and the only realtor we would recommend to others.

Sincerely,

Bridgett and Paul Galvin

 

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Leah and Trygve Noreng

Have you ever heard the saying, "there´s never a crowd on the extra mile"? It´s what we think of when we reflect on our working relationship with Becky Dalke. Here´s our story:

I met Becky a few years ago through the Welcome Wagon Club of Shrewsbury where we served on the board together. I appreciated her enthusiasm and noticed that her salesmanship trickled throughout each project that we worked on as a board so I had a hunch that she was probably also a good realtor!

Last Fall (2005), my husband and I were presented with an opportunity to be relocated to the West Coast via a promotion with his company and we knew we had to hussle to sell our house before the holidays. I called Becky to let her know that we´d like to talk to her about selling our house, and I also mentioned that we´d been speaking to another realtor who had a lot of experience selling other condos within our neighborhood. Becky jumped at the chance to talk to us and promptly arrived at our home with a creative package of materials including her credentials for us to review. Becky´s presentation was creative and thorough, and most importantly, extremely professional. I especially appreciated that she did not assume that she should get our business just because of the personal connection that we´d already shared.

When it came time to finally list our home, Becky gave me detailed directions on preparing and staging our house for the market, all with the intention to make the home feel as large as possible and to appeal to as many buyers as possible. And when the "big day" arrived and we received what we felt was a good offer on the home, Becky went to extra lengths to ensure that we would have the opportunity to choose the best offer, not just the first offer. We were prepared to sign the deal and be done, and I´m sure that any other realtor would have been inclined to follow our lead, but Becky is persistent! As a result, I am absolutely convinced she got top dollar for our house, which obviously meant more money in our pocket.

We´d assured Becky that selling our house would not likely be an entirely smooth process based on the uniqueness of our neighborhood, and the fact that we were working through a relocation company which would be involved as well. Sure enough, when the hiccups started to arise and I started to panic, Becky calmly worked through each issue, which allowed me to focus on my family and our upcoming move.

We are now settled into our new home on the West Coast, and we´re thrilled to be able to provide a strong, and enthusiastic recommendation for Becky. Our business dealings in New England were not always positive, and it was rare that we had the opportunity to work with someone like Becky who not only enjoys what she does, but she takes pride in her work. We found her style so refreshing and we think you will too!

Sincerely,

The Noreng Family                                           

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Jen and Rick O'Brien

Becky,

We wanted to let you know how much we appreciated your hard work and good advice as we sold our house in Shrewsbury.  Never in our wildest dreams did we expect to sell in 4 days, given the current market.  It was clearly due to your excellent advice in pricing the property and your strong marketing plan that drove potential buyers to the door.  
Your references all said that you were not the typical real estate agent, but we found that to be true on our own.  Thank you so much for making our move as easy as you did.  We greatly enjoyed working with you.

Rick & Jen O'Brien

 

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Carl and Cindy DiPinto

We have bought and sold homes from coast to coast five times in eighteen years.  As a result, we have worked with many realtors and relocation companies.  Becky Dalke is by far the best!  She is professional and efficient, as well as honest and sincere.  She truly cares about her clients and their best interests, and she understands all aspects of residential real estate.

            We sold our home in Massachusetts in the fall of 2006, when the market had just about "bottomed out".  Becky´s thorough research and well prepared presentation helped us determine a "starting" sale price.  Becky then helped us prepare our home for showings in a manner which would highlight all of the positive aspects of our property.  She also agreed to work with the relocation company that was moving us to Minnesota.  We were on the road within two weeks.  Becky remained in daily contact with us, either by phone or email.  She gave us feedback from showings, both positive and negative.  She took care of every imaginable detail including making sure lights were turned on before showings and then turned off after showings.  Becky advised us as to when we should consider changing our asking price, always based on current research and market analysis.  She also remained very positive and reassuring.  At times while our house was on the market she must have felt more like a counselor than a realtor.  Becky took care of every detail pertaining to the sale of the house.  Even though we were 1500 miles away we were confident that the sale would go smoothly3;. And it did, thanks to Becky´s hard work and dedication.  When it was finally time for us to buy a new home, Becky gave us tips and feedback to help us purchase the best house for our needs at the best price.  We definitely will contact Becky Dalke when we move back to Massachusetts!!

Sincerely,

Carl and Cindy DiPinto
 

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Beverly Greer