Client Feedback

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Lera Woodring in purchasing my first home in Chicago. About 9 months ago, Lera was referred to me by three colleagues of mine. All three colleagues had worked with her previously in purchasing their first homes and couldn't say enough kind words about her.

Immediately, upon meeting Lera I could sense that I was going to be working with a great realtor. She truly loves her job and has a passion for real estate and that comes through so clearly. Her thoroughness, attention to detail, and her ability to make you feel as if you are her only client and her number one priority made me feel reassured and important. Being that I was a first time home buyer I felt incredibly vulnerable, so I was completely reliant on Lera's knowledge and I was able to trust that she would advise me accordingly in making the best decision for me. She's incredibly reliable, dependable, accommodating and she always had my best interest.

For example, after seeing a number of properties I was ready to put in an offer on one that "I loved." Lera immediately researched the property on a Sunday evening only to uncover that another almost exact unit had sold in the same building for much less than the listing price of the condo I was looking to purchase just a year prior. This raised a red flag and concern on her end. With my best interest in mind she encouraged me to put in a fair offer that was significantly lower than the listing price. Importantly, she didn't want for me to pay over market value in a buyer's market even though she could have profited from it. During this negotiation that eventually became exhausted Lera encouraged me to continue looking at places and I am so fortunate that we did. Due to Lera's large network and connections, I ended up purchasing my condo that hadn't even been placed on the market! As Lera reiterated to me throughout… everything really does happen for a reason and that couldn't be truer with my situation.

In addition to working with Lera, she has referred me to her great team of attorneys, lenders, contractors, etc. All of whom have made the process so seamless. I can't thank them all enough.

Excitingly, working with Lera has enabled me to purchase my first home that I love! She has gone above in beyond in so many ways. I appreciate everything she has done for me.

- Lindsay M

Lera was one of many realtors we interviewed when we contemplated changing realtors to sell our home. We were initially impressed with Lera's fresh perspective to marketing our home which reached beyond its "four corners" and offering price. Lera's commitment to full communication never left us wondering how things were progressing. Lera was thorough in her evaluation of showings and was not hesitant to suggest changes to our approach where necessary. We were impressed by Lera's professional demeanor and her vested interest in selling our home. Most importantly, we were happy that she found a buyer for us within 30 days of engaging her. We will not hesitate to refer Lera to anyone in need of a realtor.

Katie and Mel J.

Lera took care of every detail of the sale, from listing to showings to closing, she made it a completely painless process. Even though it was beyond her realm of responsibility, she helped me hand-pick a realtor that was right for me in my destination city. She is very thorough, competent, and friendly and I recommend her to anyone selling a home in the Chicagoland area. Lera, thanks for all of your help!

Mike W.

Dear Lera,

Now that I am settled in my new condo, I wanted to take a minute to thank you again for everything you did to make my recent condo purchase such a pleasant experience. You did so many things along the way to alleviate the stress that I thought would accompany my first-time buying experience and I am so grateful.

First, viewing condos with you was like shopping with a fun and honest friend with great taste. I felt comfortable enough to tell you how I really felt about a property, and trusted that you would do the same if I was missing an important feature or flaw. Once we found the “perfect” place, your referrals and management of all the details was phenomenal! I also know that, thanks to your good negotiation skills, I got a great deal.

Even now, months later, you continue to be a valuable resource to me. It’s comforting to know that I can call you if anything comes up, whether it’s while I am living here, or when I am ready to move again. I carry your business card with me always and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to anyone looking for an exceptional realtor.

Thank you again for everything!

Kate L.

Lera is a consummate professional. She was on top of every aspect of our sale. She is very responsive and a genuine pleasure to work with. She helped me get comfortable with our asking price by taking me out to see other comparable properties. After we settled on an asking price, she sold our 2-flat within a few weeks. She dealt directly with some very temperamental tenants to schedule showings and she succeeded in keeping them happy. I highly recommend Lera!

Cate B.

Lera is rock solid in her preparation, industry knowledge, reliability and support. I would recommend her to anyone and everyone looking to have a positive and smooth-going home buying or selling experience.

Julie B.

As a first-time buyer I was worried about my lack of knowledge in purchasing real estate, dealing with mortgages, etc. Lera led me through the entire process - from the decision to even consider buying property up to closing - answering every little question that I had and making sure that I felt completely comfortable at each step. She had fantastic referrals for all of the other parties that go into making a successful purchase. She also went above and beyond her duty as a real estate agent, in locating painters, locksmiths, and decorators, and accommodating my busy schedule for various meetings. Overall, my worries about a difficult process turned into a wonderful experience, due in large part to Lera. Lera was fantastic!

Michael M.

Thanks for everything! You provided us valuable insight and walked us through every step of the sale on our condo. You made the process so easy plus got us the price we wanted with the perfect timing. Thanks Lera!!

Tom and Melinda K.

This is a very small token of our appreciation for everything you did to make the condo a reality for us. There were many times in this process when we might not have made it through without your support and guidance. Thanks for your patience and understanding, and for always having our best interests in your heart. We really could not have gotten through the condo purchasing experience without your help. Enjoy this small “get away”, you deserve it.

Fondly, Tom, Sarah, Kate and Andrew T.

Thanks for everything! You provided us valuable insight and walked us through every step of the sale on our condo. You made the process so easy plus got us the price we wanted with the perfect timing. Thanks Lera!!

Todd and Melinda K.

I was nervous about the home-buying experience because I thought I didn't like real estate agents. I figured that driving around with a salesperson would be uncomfortable and that I would always doubt that they had my family's best interest in mind.

Now that we've completed our sale, I realize that I will really miss looking at houses with Lera! She surprised and delighted us in so many ways: Her smarts, her candidness and honesty, her sense of humor, her patience and her intuitive ability to help us find a place to live we didn't even know we wanted. All along she shared our enthusiasm for the process, instead of acting like it was just another transaction to her.

Lera patiently went on endless house hunting trips (often with a crying baby in tow). When we weren't finding what we wanted in our price range, she suggested we try Oak Park. At first we resisted, but when we finally visited it, we realized that she was so right.

Before we started our house hunt, I also had doubts about whether an agent is really worthwhile for home buyers. When we got into the negotiation of our sale and the process of hiring a lawyer, an inspector and a mortgage provider, Lera really proved how helpful an agent can be.

When I heard from a friend that another agent was pressuring them to make an offer after just one day of house hunting, I was shocked. We never felt pressure to make a decision from Lera. When some issues came up with our chosen house that made us reconsider our offer, she was completely supportive of us instead of nudging us ahead to save the sale.

Lera has somewhat changed my cynical attitude about the real estate profession. But I'm not taking any chances -- my family will be sticking with Lera for any future transactions we make.

Carrie P.

I want to sincerely thank you in assisting me in the purchase of my townhome.  You made it a very easy and pleasant experience.  As someone who works with clients daily, I can appreciate value of setting expectations and communication.  Not only were my expectations met, they were exceeded at every level!  Never once was I uneasy or uneducated about a phase in the process.  It always helps to work with true professionals.  I look forward to getting the new place in order and enjoying the upcoming nice weather!

Thanks again,
Dave P.

“My family and I had the great fortune to have Lera Woodring as our real estate agent.  In all ways, Lera is a consummate professional--she is ethical, knowledgeable, and genuine. Because we have two small children, we decided to buy a new home in the suburbs before selling our condominium in the city.  We chose to use Lera for both transactions--and in many ways this was an ultimate leap of faith!  First of all--Lera helped us find the perfect home for our young family.  She listened to our needs and helped us hone in on a great property very quickly. Lera has a real knack for helping her clients identify their housing goals and her knowledge of Chicagoland neighborhoods and real estate trends is unparalleled!  Then came the really scary part--the leap of faith--Lera helped us sell our condo in a buyers market.  Lera helped us to "stage" our condo and gave us suggestions to increase our curb appeal.  Amazingly, within 3 weeks, we received two offers!  Within 8 weeks, we sold our condo and received 97% of our asking price.  Lera obviously priced our property appropriately and used her professional network to help us sell our condo quickly.  All the while, she provided support and gave us referrals to several other professionals, including our real estate lawyer and mortgage lender. We were so pleased that the professionals she referred to us were as knowledgeable as she was!  She puts a lot of emphasis on cultivating relationships with quality individuals.  Lera's attention to detail helped the process to flow very smoothly. We developed such a strong level of trust and confidence in Lera.  We will never forget that she helped guide us through this journey--and to our beautiful home. She will always have a place at our dinner table!”

Sheela R.

Dear Lera,
Thanks for everything. Your patience with us and persistence with others made this whole process a truly remarkable and successful experience.  I can’t believe how smoothly everything has gone.  The experience was enjoyable, plus, we ended up with the perfect home!

Marcella S. and Dan N.

Lera,
Thank you!  As first time home buyers, we were a little overwhelmed with finding our new home. You made it easy and fun! You came highly recommended and exceeded our expectations. We will definitely need you in a few years too!

Katie W.

Lera is the best agent in Chicago. She knows exactly what needs to be done and takes the hassle away from the process.

Maia P.

Lera,
We do want to thank you for everything you have done.  Not only were you there, walking us through our first home purchase, step-by-step, but you have consistently been a source for all of our real estate questions and home referrals.    Your knowledge and assistance is appreciated.  When I tell people I still am in contact with our real estate agent (buying the home 3 years ago) people are in shock.  Not to mention the fact we received our contractor referral from you as well as continue to receive current market information.    Thank you Lera. Alim and I look forward to a long relationship. Our best as always,

Beth and Alim R.

Lera,
Awesome.  Just awesome.  You have made a potentially hectic and totally nightmarish experience an enjoyable one.

Dan B.

Lera,
I wanted to say again thank you so much for your work and attention to every last detail.  Your patience, professionalism, and care truly show.   Thank you SO much for your consistent professionalism, wonderful attitude and an outstanding job.  You gave your 150 % on this for us and for that there is our deepest gratitude.  It is has been such a wonderful experience working with you.  

Jeff R.

Lera,
How do you do it? You made our home hunting process fun!  Thank you for your dedication to our search as well as your honesty and positive energy.  We love our new home and would not have found a place that is so perfect for our lifestyle if it wasn't for you!

Gina and John D.

Lera,
I truly admire the work you do.  Your work product is of the highest quality.  Both my old home and my new one are more special because of your help. 

Thank you, Audrey L.

Hey Lera,
“Where do we begin?  Our experience with you was nothing short of fantastic!  You quickly earned our complete trust and confidence as we witnessed your initiative and integrity.  We are still amazed that we received an offer within three days on the market.  Thank you for recognizing that our initial asking price was too low and for suggesting that we raise it before going to market.  Your suggestion demonstrated to us that you had our best interest at heart.  Throughout the entire process you continually reinforced that notion.  You are a consummate professional and we would highly recommend without reservation.  Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for us. We really appreciate it!  You’re the greatest!”

Ray Y. and May L.

Hey Lera,
You are the best! I will never be able to tell you how grateful I am for everything you did.  I love my new place!  Every time I walk into my neighborhood and my home, I feel better about living in Chicago.  I always liked Chicago, but I never felt like I loved it or that I had a home here, and now I do.  I can’t tell you how much that means to me.  I love my new home!

Sarah L.

Dear Lera,
I wanted to write and thank you so very much for helping us find our 1^st home!  We are so excited to move in and both of us know we couldn’t have done any of this without you.  I can’t impress upon you how professional, thorough and easy to work with you were.  Thank you so much for walking us through the entire process and always keeping us in the loop.  You are awesome at your job and both of us feel lucky to have worked with you.  This could have been a very scary nerve racking process but you always made us feel comfortable!

Sincerely, Jennifer R. and Dan S.

“We were purchasing our first condo and working with Lera made our experience very enjoyable. She was very patience with us as we had a clear idea of the amenities we were looking for within a certain budget. When we went to look at properties they were within our budget.  We were never pressured to look at condo that was out of our price range. When looking at the properties, Lera was always prepared with questions to ask about the property that we would have never thought to ask ourselves.  Lera is very personable and we felt comfortable with her right away. I highly recommend using her as an agent and look forward to working with her again in future.”

Beth K

Lera,
Not only did you work incredibly hard locating properties and helping finalize the sale for the property I ultimately chose, but you also truly cared about finding a home for me.  Whether buying or selling, I would definitely want you on my team again. 

Leah W.

Lera -
Now that I'm settling into my new place and things have calmed down a bit, I wanted to take a moment to write to you and thank you.  As a first-time home buyer, I was really nervous going into the process because I wasn't sure what to expect.  I had been referred to you by a colleague and am so grateful to her for making that referral!  You went above and beyond in every single aspect of the home-buying process.  You helped me figure out what I was looking for when I wasn't even sure what I wanted - your picks for potential places were better than even my picks time and time again!  You were always patient with my questions.  When I finally found "the place," you made excellent referrals for the people who needed to be involved in the process.  Everyone you personally recommended was quick to respond, had fair rates and did a fantastic job.  I probably won't ever be able to tell you how thankful I am for everything you did - I had friends who were telling me real estate horror stories along the way, so I was preparing for the worst.  However, I can honestly say that searching for and buying my condo was a tremendous, rewarding experience and you are a HUGE part of the reason that's true.  I will definitely be spreading your name to every single person who mentions that they're interested in purchasing property, so I'll probably be calling you for more business cards soon!  And the next time I buy a property in Chicago, I'll know who to call.  Thanks again for everything, and I wish you the best!Sincerely,

Sarah L.

As a first-time home buyer I was thrilled with the level of attention that Lera dedicated to me during my first purchase. Given my hectic schedule, Lera was very accommodating with her time and treated me as if I was her only client. I saw several exceptional properties over the course of my search, but ultimately we found the perfect match. Lera has continued to be extremely helpful in providing contact information for painters, carpenters, etc. beyond my closing. I would recommend Lera to any of my family members or friends entering the housing market, and look forward to working with her again when it's time for my next purchase.

-Eric P.