Testimonials
March 2011
A few years ago, Pat was my agent when I bought a house in Oxford CT - and I had a great experience with her, which is why I hired her again when I had to sell the house. She did a great job and I highly recommend her.
She knows the area very well, knows how to make the house and property look as nice as possible, advertise with virtual tour and holding open house. All this helps to attract buyers: within 2 months, I had 2 offers. They were initially low, but we managed to get them up to a reasonable level.
After a sales contract was in place, several problems arose which she managed to resolve since I had already moved out of state. She organised sceptic tank clean-up and radon unit installation. With the severe snow-fall this winter, she resolved a small water-leak that occured when the snow started to melt. And she also coordinated well with my lawyer, who was representing me during the sale.
She is very easy to work with, energetic, persistent, highly knowledgeble of the area and real-estate in general. I highly recommend Pat.
Marco H.
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Jan 2011
After months of watching and researching the housing market in our desired location, my husband and I ventured out to an open house, to explore the area more and see a potential home. Most fortunate for us, Pat Blanko was running the open house. From the moment she greeted us at the door, she was interested in learning about us, extremely knowledgeable about the area, and eager to use her expertise to meet our needs. Her enthusiasm for and commitment to matching our family with our ideal home was apparent from the very beginning; and she asked loads of pointed and probing questions to ascertain our expectations, hopes, and needs. Without hesitation, that day we hired her as our realtor. Pat immediately went to work: setting up several viewings that week, compiling sales reports for the area, emailing us links with useful information, and calling any time she had a question or wanted to run an idea by us. Somehow, while catering to a large stable of clients, Pat updates and maintains an encyclopedic reserve of housing information--all in her head. As a result of her preparedness, gifted interpersonal rapport, and easygoing manner, we soon came to trust her completely. After seeing fewer than a dozen homes, Pat called us about a particular house she thought would be a good match for us, and would be a good deal--considering the great neighborhood, the size of the house, and the asking price. She emailed us some preliminary information and made an appointment for us to see it. We walked in and we were home. She was completely right about how much this house matched our vision for our home. Within minutes, we sat down at the kitchen table and wrote out our offer. In 48 hours the negotiations were over and we were in contract. From that moment on, Pat's profound knowledge of real estate proceedings, local and state zoning statutes, expansive relationships in the business, and thorough and genuine enjoyment of her work, made for a well-managed and timely closing process. We are so blessed to have had Pat as our guiding light. We unabashedly sing her praises and recommend her to all our friends and colleagues.
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J. Williams ***************************************************************** Nov. 2010 Pat is a true professional and we had an amazing experience in working with her. She is the resident expert in every sense of the word. Within 2 months of meeting her for the very first time, she helped us get an offer on our condo, find our dream home, and close on both properties. We never could have done this without her help. She managed the process effectively and got the job done!
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Date: Friday, January 14, 2011, 9:38 PM
Hi Pat,
Recently Jim and I were sitting and reflecting on the events of 2010. It was one year ago, late January 2010, when I was about 6 months pregnant with our second child. We had decided to put our condo on the market to see if we got any bites, and considered looking for a larger home to move our growing family into. With the real estate market being as bad as it was at that moment, we thought it was a pipe dream to sell our condo. We didn't think there was a chance in the world to make any of these huge life changes prior to our son being born.
Then we met you.
You took our "long term goals" and gave them a jump start. Within 2 weeks of meeting you for the first time, we had an offer in on our dream home. And just 2 weeks after that, you received an offer on our condo. Within 2 1/2 months of working together, we CLOSED on BOTH properties. Pat, you are absolutely amazing at what you do. You are the resident real estate expert. We met you and instantly felt that working with you was the right decision for us. We signed with you because we knew you would get the job done, and you did.
In many ways, I still cannot believe that we closed on both properties, and we were all moved in and settled prior to our son being born. Those 2 months could have been so stressful for us, but you had it all under control. You stayed on top of deadlines and moved the process along swiftly and smoothly. You told us what we needed to do to make it happen, we listened, and we DID it. On top of all of that, you had an arsenal of experts that you recommended to us, from attorneys to inspectors, and they were all equally wonderful to work with.
Thank you so much for everything you did for us. Please feel free to pass this along to potential clients as a recommendation, so that they all can understand what you are capable of.
Thank you again, and best of luck in 2011!
Kelly Kirkland
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January 2011
Pat,
Thank-you very much for all of your help in selling our house. Your confidence in our being able to sell our house quickly was right on the mark. You helped us stage our house so it would look more attractive to prospective buyers. Your patience in our unique situation with all our animals was above and beyond what one would expect. The advertising was well planned and made our house look it's best. You were straight forward and helped us see what was needed and what was not. We never had a problem with your availability to us through the whole process and that kept our minds at ease. Your professionalism and knowledge of Oxford and the surrounding area was of great assistance. You made this a pleasant experience. Thank you again.
Arthur & Tamara Oppel
Oxford, Ct.
January 2010
ATHOUGH TIMES ARE TOUGH IN THE REAL ESTATE MARKET GET RESULTS WITH PAT BLANKO.
Recently, we sold our house in Oxford, CT within a few months to retire in Florida. Although the real estate market is experiencing tough times, our house sold as a direct result of Pat Blanko’s expertise.
We recommend Pat enthusiastically as a most knowledgeable and capable real estate agent. Pat is well liked, respected by her peers, tenacious, hard working, and a very detailed person with many industry contacts.
Pat has performed her work to our complete satisfaction and we feel that we would not be in Florida without her great and timely advice. The KEY to “making-it-happen” is to follow her expert directions/advice.
We have no hesitation in saying that Pat will be a significant credit to anyone wanting to sell their house.
Best Regards,
Jim and Kathi Logan
Nov. 4th 2009
Pat Blanko
William Ravies Real Estate
Pat,
Tina and I wanted to personally thank you for the outstanding effort in the recent sale of our home. Were were ecstatic with the results. Four offers in the fourth week!!! You were our second agent for the sale of our home after putting it on the market the first time for almost six months and getting NO offers. I can't tell you how much we appreciated your honesty and straightforward approach. It was comforting to know that we were able to trust in you to get the job done. As we all know, the economy has had a great impact on the real estate market. Nevertheless, our home was priced right, and was advertised with a great photo album of pictures and a personal tour. I wanted to buy my house again when I saw the pictures online! It all created the best possible scenario, which was to get the best price possible and to sell the house in a timely manner!! Your reputation was all that was advertised!! Thanks again..
Best Regards,
Andy Aldo
Tina Aldo
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APRIL 23, 2009
Pat Blanko
Wm. Raveis Realty
Wow !!!! We can't quite believe what you were able to accomplish in just a matter of two weeks !
A deposit on our home in just that space of time..
When you came to see us on that first visit and started with your recommendations that would sell our house, was a bit overwhelming. Putting a lot more of our things away to enable "visitors" to see the house itself and then have a woman come in and help rearrange our furniture to "open" up our rooms was
fantastic. Our size grew right before our eyes...
Then the photographer came and took completely wonderful professional pictures !
Why oh why didn't we come to see you first ..( you were our 3rd agent) More people visited our home in two weeks than we had with the total of other agents. Your advertisements, pricing and know how put us at the top of the list immediately ! Some one who knows the Oxford area is the best bet.
We will be happy to recommend you and the William Raveis Company to any one and feel free to use our name.....
P.S. Using the computer for coverage with Wm. Raveis was as easy as could be....even for a computer dummy like me !
Thankyou,
Joan Kerski
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William Raveis
Patricia Blanko
Realtor
Richter Real Estate March 10, 2008
101 Oxford Road
Oxford, CT 06478
Re: Letter of Recommendation
We had heard through other satisfied home sellers that if you wanted to get the best realtor in Oxford you had to call Pat Blanko. We did just that when we decided to sell our home on O’Neil Road in Oxford.
She made the selling of our home seem easy in a market that was just turning downward and got us a very good price for it.
When we bought, we naturally used her services. She is a consummate professional with a wealth of experience in the area of New Haven County, as well as the Real Estate market as a whole.
Pat was courteous as well as professional in her handling of negotiations on both the selling and buying side of our homes. I felt I could trust her with all the transactions being done and that she had our interests at heart.
I would not hesitate to call upon her in the future for any real estate business I would have.
Sincerely,
Mrs. G. Widmer-Santana
Oxford Homeowner
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To Whom It May Concern;
I am writing a letter of recommendation based on a professional association we had over
the past year with Pat Blanko. My husband and I are from Oxford, and wanted to sell our
raised ranch in the spring of 2007. I did alot of research, and asking around town for the
best agent. After doing all my research, we chose Pat.
Our home was not easy to sell, not to mention the market being what is was. Pat was straight forward in her approach to work. She does barr none the best virtual tour of homes. That can be seen on "Realtor .Com". We found her to be attentive to detail, and constantly
marketing our home, in papers, with other agents, etc. During the the realtor's open house,
she brought in as many as 40 agents to see our home, during the month of March 2007.
We had many offers, and many let downs while the house was for sale. Pat made it possible for us to purchase our dream home. When things got tough, I wanted to give up,
but she kept saying "just hang in there, she would try to find us that buyer." She did!!
I will say I was not easy to deal with, Pat at all times distinguished herself to be a proven
invaluable agent with sterling qualities. She carried out her obligations with vigor and
resolve. She demonstrated a high degree of loyality, and trustworthiness.
Without hesitation we would highly recommend Pat as your agent to sell, and to buy. She
is the caliber of agent with a passion for exactitude and knowledge that sets her above
all the other agents. In todays market, she would be my choice if you want to sell and buy.
Sincerely;
Sarah and Scott Tweedie
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March 9, 2008
To Whom It May Concern:
Pat Blanko is my third realtor. I wish so much she had been my first. Truthfully I was skeptical that she advertised herself as the “Oxford expert”, and I am the type that lives or dies by Consumer Reports and the Better Business Bureau. She has lived up to her name.
Pat is knowledgeable, friendly and articulate. She has done everything in her power to hear my requests and then direct me according to my own needs and desires. I have been brutally picky and she has been responsive.
We are about to close on a house I originally turned down, but she was absolutely right about it, and it does fit my life like a glove. It is in a safe neighborhood for my family, with plenty of room and storage. The yard is large enough, the kitchen open and airy enough to suit my purposes.
Please do not hesitate to hire Pat on my recommendation. She will not disappoint you unless you don’t fully disclose to her what you are seeking in a new home.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Shemitz-Smith
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Hello Pat,
We just wanted to send you a note saying how happy we were with your service as our realtor. You understood what we needed to do to our home to get it sold quickly. I am still amazed that we had multiple offers within two weeks. The extra services you provided for free, like the virtual tour, the pre-sales prep recommendations and your knowledge and experience, made it easy on us. The virtual tour was an amazing tool that let buyers see exactly what our house looked like and allowed them to decide if they wanted to pursue it or not. This, I believe, allowed buyers to pre-qualify themselves. Therefore, the buyers who looked at our house, were one step closer to making an offer than people who had no idea what they were going to see. We also used this service in the purchase of our next home...again through you.
As buyers, you immediately honed in on only appropriate houses and made our search as quick and efficient as possible. When it was time to make an offer, you helped us negotiate a great deal, not only in dollars but in extra features.
We consider your years of experience, in this market, and in real estate to be a priceless value add that not many others can offer. Being in the sales industries ourselves, we both know how important that is.
We look forward to working with you again in the future, as we know there is no other realtor we would trust with such an important transaction.
Kindest regards,
Dan & Susannah Feminella
To Whom It May Concern:
Buying and selling a home can and is a very stressful and joyful time. Pat Blanko helped me to sell my existing home and purchase my new home -- I had to close on both homes on the same day but Pat made the process easier and less confusing as this was the first time I sold and purchased a home without the help of a corporate relocation package.
When it comes to selling your home, Pat is an expert on the market conditions. She always involves the highest quality photographers so pictures of your home and video look amazing on line. When I first saw my house on line, I couldn't believe I actually lived in the house that was on the screen. I truly believe that this ability gives her the competitive edge when selling your home. She offers many suggestions on make your home look better when showing the house. I would recommend you taker her advise -- she is usually right in terms of 'prepping' your home to show.
Pat was also very helpful in showing me listings when purchasing my new home. She understood the type of home I wanted to buy, the areas I wanted to live and the needs for me and my family. She listens to your feedback and does her best to find you the perfect house.
Although Pat and I no longer talk on a daily or hourly basis, I now consider her to be one of my friends after going through this experience with her. If I ever have to buy or sell again, I couldn't imagine working with anybody else.
Best of Luck!!
Tammy Hennessy
February 16, 2009
Pat Blanko, Realtor
The Oxford Group
William Raveis Real Estate, Southbury, CT 06488
I want to offer you a sincere, thank you for all your valuable work in selling our house. As you know we had initially tried to sell through another agent. Our research suggested that her client base would be interested in our unique property, a 10,000 square foot mansion, in need of further TLC. Unfortunately, she did not have the contacts, broad reaching advertisement or creative seller’s attitude that you have. We lost an entire selling season to inactivity and realtor chasing. When you came on board, however, the activity was steady, even in a slower market. You networked and found creative and realistic alternative uses for our property thanks to the depth of your experience with the “Valley” market. Your print ads brought many interested lookers from down county and across the state borders. Your professional photographic spread aroused enormous interest and attention. Ultimately we were able to choose from three offers. It was not easy, I know we taxed your resources, but you were driven to complete the deal. Now we look back and know we should have gone with you from the start. I assure you, I have, and continue to, recommend you to friends and acquaintances. We are grateful we were able to leverage your talents.
Sincerely,
Molly and Paul Moran
53 Great Hill Rd.
Oxford, CT 06478
203-906-4180
Hi Pat!
I wanted to take a minute to thank you for a pleasurable and successful home-selling experience. I first decided to call you because of your presence in Oxford. I saw your name on numerous "for sale" signs, met you at other open houses and saw you multiple times at community events. My husband and I felt, to sell a house in Oxford we should go to the person who knew best what was going on in Oxford. From the first phone call I made to you almost a year before we decided to sell, you were a consummate professional, reliable and an ever present expert. I was most impressed with the way you were ALWAYS available to me. Anytime I called, I could either get you or would receive a call/email back from you within an hour. I really felt like your only client, even though I knew that wasn't the case. This is an incredible attribute you posses. It is very rare and very appreciated! Being able to speak to you answered my questions as they arose and abated any nerves I was feeling. The second most important asset you provided us was the beautiful tour and on-line presence. I really felt together we properly assessed the market, prepared the home, marketed the home and ultimately SOLD the home in a declining market. To get an offer within a month of listing it in late 2008 was no small feat. Sincerely, thank you, for your commitment to success!
Mindy and Derrol Smith