– DAVID WEATHERS (Happy Home Buyer):  Dave was referred to me by a mutual acquaintance, Tony Trantham.  Dave’s company had relocated him (from Florida) to the Austin area about a year prior and he was nearing the end of a temporary lease.   We got in touch about 4 months before the end of his lease to take stock of the situation and to begin formulating a plan for him to purchase at the tail end of his lease.   He was a previous homeowner in Florida but hadn’t purchased a home in some time and wasn’t very familiar with what the Austin market had to offer.  As an avid cyclist, Dave had his sights set on particular areas of South Austin.   We toured many properties in those subdivisions until it became clear that one house provided him with everything he wanted and needed.  The home wasn’t even two years old and he purchased the home for less than the previous owner who originally built the home.   Dave shares his experience in working with me . . . .

” Ryan is extremely knowledgeable about the entire home buying process.   He took the time  initially to learn about what I was trying to accomplish and then was very proficient in helping me narrow my focus until we found exactly what I was looking for.   His communication was great and he was always prompt in getting me the information I was looking for.  Overall my experience in working with Ryan was excelling and I would (and do) recommend him to anyone who is in the market to buy or sell.” – David Weathers (Austin, Texas)

– TODD & DANIELLE WEST (Happy Home Buyers):  Todd is a friend and ex-teammate of mine from college.  When he and his wife Danielle moved to Austin a few years ago, I initially helped them to lease a town home so that they could become familiar with the area.  A year later when they had outgrown their space, we found  a great home for them to lease in the Walsh Ranch neighborhood.  Toward the end of that lease they got the itch to buy.  We spent almost a year exploring different areas and helping them determine the best place to purchase their first house.  Though they had initially set their sights elsewhere, in the end we found a brand new house in their current neighborhood that was just completed and fit their most important needs.  The best part was it was just a few blocks away and allowed them to keep their daughter in her current school and their family in familiar surroundings.   Todd shares his experience in working with me through the home buying process. . . .

“We hit the jackpot with Ryan.   His attention to detail, follow through and commitment to his clients put him in a class all by himself.  We now live in a home that we absolutely love and we would have never found the home if not for Ryan’s diligence and research.  His knowledge of the home buying process, insight and patience were extremely beneficial to us.  We thank Ryan for making the sometimes overwhelming process much easier and understandable.   I give him my highest recommendation and do so without any reservation.”   – Todd West (Cedar Park, Texas)

– DEBBIE BOGGESS (Happy Home Buyer & Seller): Debbie was referred to me by Coleen Wright (see below).  Debbie needed to first sell her current home and then use the proceeds from her sale to downsize to a smaller home in the same area.  However, Debbie’s situation was quite unique in that she was settling the estate of her late husband and we had to go through an extensive approval process with the probate court.  We started by preparing her current home for sale with some simple staging and enhancement.   We received a quick contract for the sale but had to wait a month for the court approval process to run its course.  Once we received the final authority to sell, we worked hard to find just the right house in Debbie’s area of choice.  It was an extremely rewarding experience and Debbie shares her thoughts in working with me on both transactions:

“My experience in working with Ryan was Awesome!  He was always professional and extremely patient throughout the process of both selling me home and helping me find the exact house that I wanted.  No matter what happened, he remained calm and found a solution to the problem.  It began when we first started working together.   I told Ryan that I wanted to get the house sold quickly.  He and his wife Kristin did a great job of staging the house.  Their willingness to come over and help me get ready for the sale was unbelievable.  I have sold houses in the past and the Realtor never helped me get ready.  I appreciate the way that Kristin took pictures and showed me ways to make the house look better for sale.  We priced the house right which resulted in us getting an offer in the first 2 weeks.  This experience was above and beyond.  If you want to get your house sold quickly, I would recommend listening to Ryan and following his direction.  He knows what he is doing and is very good at it!” – Debbie Boggess (Austin, Texas)

– DON & JILLIAN BERGMAN (Happy Home Buyers & Sellers): Don and Jillian were referred to me by my sister Gretchen who works with Jillian.  Jillian mentioned in conversation that she and her husband were looking to move.  Don was starting a job in South Austin soon and because they currently lived in Pflugerville, the commute was going to be a killer.  It just so happened the Jillian was 9 months pregnant at the time too, so logically they wanted to move closer to Don’s office so that he could spend that extra special time with their newborn daughter, Madison instead of on the road.  I helped them find a beautiful home in Circle C to purchase.  After they’d moved into their new home we staged their vacant house in Pflugerville and fortunately got it sold in just over 20 days when the neighborhood average was closer to 2.5 months.  Don and Jillian briefly share their experience in working with me:

– COLLEEN WRIGHT (Happy Home Buyer & Seller): Coleen was referred to me by her friend, Debbie Bratcher, who is the wife of my high school baseball coach.  When I met Coleen, she had a house that she needed to fix up to sell.  She’d owned the house for over twenty years and was not well versed in the sales process.  We worked hard to prepare the house for sale and it sold within the first 2 weeks.  A couple of months later she contacted me when she was ready to buy and we were able to find a great house for her that also met the needs of her home based business.  This is what Coleen had to say about her experience working with me to both buy and sell:

“Ryan was always very honest wi th me about all of my options.  He clearly outlined all the benefits of each option so that I could m ake the best decision.  He was extremely patient in explaining how th ings worked. Ryan took a personal interest in me and made sure that I felt secure in my decisions every step of the way.  Thank you Ryan for your generosity and kindness along the way.  Thank you for your patience with me and a job well done.  I will refer you to as many people as I can.”  – Coleen Wright (Austin, TX)

– PATRICK & AMY KOFRON (Happy Home Sellers): Patrick and his wife Amy own the Cedar Park Nationwide Insurance agency (HALO Insurance Agency).  Patrick and I have known each other for a few years now.  We were introduced by a mutual business partner.   Recently when the prospect of selling their Cedar Park home came up, they knew exactly who to turn to in order to make sure that everything was done right.  This house was featured in a August 2010 article in the Austin American Statesman about the Cedar Park Area.

“If you are buying or selling real estate in the Greater Austin area, I highly recommend you give Ryan France of Stone Haven Realty a call. My experience with Ryan is that he goes above and beyond any Realtor that I have worked with. Check out his web site and you’ll see some of the things that make him unique (www.BetterAustinLiving.com) – Patrick Kofron (Cedar Park, TX)

– CINDY & HARVEY KEEBLER (Happy Home Sellers): Cindy and Harvey were referred to me by a friend on theirs who happens to be a Realtor in a different area.  The long time tenant at their investment property had recently moved out and they had been trying to rent the property themselves unsuccessfully. Finally, they decided that it was time to sell.  They were ready to get out of the Landlord business and use the equity from the sale to invest in themselves.  I suggested a few minor repairs prior to listing and a price to s el l within 30 days. Within 24 hours of having the house listed for sale, we received 3 qualified offers. With the proceeds of their sale, they were both able to invest in their own personal businesses.  They had this t o say about their experience in working with me:

“Ryan – you did everything you promised which made this sale so quick and easy.  We were so impressed that you were always waiting on us and not vise-versa.  You were so honest and professional from start to finish which was refreshing.  This was a perfect and very pleasurable experience and we would definitely feel comfortable referring your services to oth e rs.”  -  Cindy & Harvey Keebler (Austin, TX)

– PATRICK & KAYO BREZIK (Happy Home Buyers): Patrick and his wife Kayo were referred to me by my friend Melissa who is als o Patrick’s sister.  At the time, they were still renting a small apartment but had decided that now was the time to buy.  They wanted to make sure and take advantage of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit, so we looked to find a house that would suit their needs for years to come.  And we did – we found a great house in their ideal area and fortunately their offer won out in a multiple offer situation.  They had this to say:

“We could not have imagined a better experience than the one you provided as our Realtor.  You were responsive to our needs and were always available to answer our questions – even when you were on vacation.  You always went the extra mile to make sure that we were informed which saved us a great deal of time and hassle.  We have already shared our experience with our friends and hope that they call you when the time comes for them to buy.”  -  Patrick & Kayo Brezik (Austin, TX)

– SCOTT DUNN (Happy Home Buyer): My friend Scott, a first time buyer, had his eye on a particular area that he wanted to live when the opportunity presented itself.  Trouble is, houses don’t come up fo r sale in that area very often.  Luckily, after a few months, we were able to find just what he was looking for.  After a few inspection and appraisal hiccups, we finally nailed down the deal and he is loving the experience of owning his own home in a convenient location.

“As a first time buyer, I wasn’t really aware of everything that goes into the buying a home .  However, your patience and expertise made me feel at ease throughout the entire process.  Finding a house that I am really happy with has been a rewarding experience.  I will definitely refer potential buyers your way when the time comes.”  – Scott Dunn (Austin, TX)

– DOUG & JANE LIPPMAN (Happy Home Sellers): Doug and his wife Jane purchased an investment property in the Ranch at Brushy early in 2006.  Between 2006 and 2009, I worked with them each year to re-lease and manage the property since they live in southern California.  In the Summer of 2009 they decided to put the house on the market to explore other opportunities.  During the first week of the house being on the market, the area sustained a major hail and wind storm causing a lot of damage to the house.  Not only did I work to sell the home, but I also stepped in to make sure that all of the repair work was completed in time to close the deal.  It was quite a process but all is well that ends well.  Doug had this to say:

“My wife and I have worked with Ryan on a couple of transactions now and he continues to impress.  His attention to detail and communication skills are top notch.  In this market that is what separates your average agent from a superb agent.  We would recommend Ryan to anyone who is in need of assistance in buying or selling real estate.”  – Doug Lippman (Cedar Park, TX & California)

– TRISH & TONY LEE (Happy Prospective Home Buyers & Sellers): Trish and her husband Tony were looking for a larger home both for their growing family but also added space for their businesses that each run from their home.  We looked at both resale and new construction options in the Cedar Park area.  In the end, they decided to stay put for a variety of reasons.  Still Trish was gracious enough to share her thoughts about their experience in working with me as a Realtor:

“Ryan has been extremely helpful in our family’s decision to buy and/or sell a house this year.  He has been a great resource, offering huge amounts of information to help us make our decision.  Though our decision to pursue a new home has been temporarily on hold, Ryan continues to provide us with sound insight into the local market.  Most agents would have given up on us a long time ago, but Ryan is more interested in building lasting relationships than making quick bucks.  If you are in the market to buy or sell real estate, I would strongly recommend you contact Ryan.”  – Trish Lee (Cedar Park, TX)

– NACOLE & CERWIN THOMPSON (Happy Home Buyers): Nacole and her husband Cerwin were referred to me through one of our lending partners.  At the time, they were renting a home in Cedar Park and wanted to find a larger home for their expanding family.  After touring many resale homes in the Cedar Park area, they decided to build a home in a new area of Leander where they currently live.  Nacole had this to say:

“Ryan – Thank you so much for all of your help.  I’ll be sure to refer you to others because of the respect and professionalism that you have shown us.  Thank you.”  – Nacole Thompson (Leander, TX)

– SCOTT & HOLLY MCKHANN (Happy Real Estate Investor): Scott and Holly were introduced to our company through an investor client of ours.  We helped them through the process of buying, renovating and selling a condo conversion project in Austin.  Due to the fact that they were located in California at the time, we/I had to be their eyes and ears in between their trips to and from Austin.  Holly had this to say about the experience:

“Ryan France has proven himself throughout our time working together to be a tremendous asset.  He responds quickly to my questions and concerns.  He analyzes properties with great detail and always interacts in a professional manner.  He showed us numerous comparable properties to help us assess a reasonable value for our project.  Overall we are very pleased with Ryan and would openly refer him to anyone who is looking to buy or sell.”  – Holly McKhann (Austin, TX & California)

– KATHLEEN JOLLY (Happy Home Renter & Prospective Buyer): Kathy was introduced to me through the internet.  She and her family were trying to arrange for a property to lease from miles and miles away.  She was about at her wits end because she was working with another Realtor at the time who was giving her the run around.  I helped her to find a house to rent where she has been for the past 3 years.  We are currently working toward finding a couple of investment properties for her to buy as well as a personal residence.  Kathy shares her original experience:

“I was informed that I would be transferred to Austin so I made an appointment to meet with another Realtor.  I took vacation time and spent money on airfare, hotel and rental car.  I arrived in Austin to find out she was too busy to meet us to find a rental property.  She literally handed me a bunch of addresses to go search on my own – no keys, no map, no knowledge of the area.  When I arrived home after that experience, I was in a near panic.  I went online and happened upon StoneHaven Realty.  Ryan and I started an email conversation and he made it his personal quest to find a home that I would be comfortable renting until it was time for me to buy.  Ryan personally went to each home that I was interested in and took additional photographs to send to me.  Being in the customer service field myself I know that in today’s day and age that is unprecedented.  Ryan was not making a lot of money off of helping me to find a house to rent, but that did not matter to him.  As a result, when I am ready to buy, I will deal with no other Realtor but Ryan and would refer him to anyone who needs to rent or purchase a house in the Austin Area.”  – Kathy Jolly (Round Rock, TX)

– MARK JASPER (Happy Real Estate Investor): Mark was referred to me by a friend.  As a mortgage broker himself, Mark was in tune with the market and looking for some assistance in purchasing investment properties.  It turned out that we never did get a chance to complete a transaction together (though I’m hopeful we will in the future).  Still Mark went out of his way to share his experience:

“If you are considering the purchase or sale of a new home in the near future, an agent in the Austin market that I have had very positive results in working with is Ryan France.  I rarely run into someone who is professional enough where I feel comfortable referring them to my family, friends, and co-workers but Ryan is one of those people.”  - Mark Jasper (Austin, TX)

– TINA & DAREN KIRBY (Happy Home Sellers): Daren and Tina were referred to me by Tina’s brother Chris.  They were already under contract to purchase a bigger home in another area and had been trying to seller Daren’s condo “For Sale by Owner” without much success.  I sat down with them and reviewed their options.  It turns out that price was not the problem, but proper exposure was.  We actually listed the condo at a higher price than they were originally trying to sell it and we had 3 offers within 3 days.  They accepted an offer above asking price that met their time line for the move.  This is what Tina had to say:

“This was by far the best experience we have ever had with a Realtor.  Ryan was never on time, he was always early.  He was a step ahead the whole time and we appreciate everything that he has done for us.”  – Tina Benoit-Kirby (Austin, TX)

– KEVIN FRIZZELL (Happy Real Estate Investor): My good friend Kevin purchased his first home in Austin right after graduating from college.  He and his wife Amanda lived there for a few years befor e he got a job  opportunity he couldn’t pass up in San Diego.  They flirted with the decision of selling the house but it is in such a prime location that they realized it was a solid long term investment.  Thus, they decided to lease the property out for the foreseeable future.  I’ve helped Kevin and Amanda lease and manage the property for the past 3 years.  This is what Kevin had to say about the experience:

“Trying to rent and maintain my real estate investments from 1300 miles away can be a daunting task.  We have relied on Ryan to be our leasing agent over the past few years and he has done an excellent job.  Ryan had not only found well qualified and responsible tenants, but also managed to keep our property occupied without vacancy.  He has been very responsive and courteous, while keeping us up to date on the current market trends in our area.  When choosing a Realtor that you can trust and depend on, I recommend Ryan without question.”  – Kevin Frizzell (Austin, TX & San Diego, CA)