Testimonials

Creative Ventures, LLC

I just wanted to drop you a brief note of appreciation for the amazing and successful job you did in representing our acquisition in Portola Valley. As I put the files away it gave me the opportunity to reflect that we spent over six months negotiating this transaction. I'm so thankful you were there to battle on our behalf as well as keep track of the eleven counter offers, which eventually satisfied our obvious "picky" concerns. When we started this process, I was a bit skeptical that we could ever eventually acquire this property given the immense complexity of development in Portola Valley and the peculiar character of the sellers. Your teflon coating and your iron will were paramount in making this transaction come to fruition. I look forward to working with you in the future. In my many years in the business, seldom have I been so ably and energetically represented and I will show my appreciation with additional work.

Claudia – Emerson St, Palo Alto

My husband Matt and I moved to Palo Alto from the East Coast about four years ago. We bought the only house in our price range in one weekend, and have been trying to understand the real estate market and our place in it ever since. We met Zach at an open house in Los Altos and we were immediately impressed by his approach. He managed to be enthusiastic without being overly aggressive, but was also candid and realistic about the house. This was so refreshing to us and stood in sharp contrast to most realtors we have met, who will say anything they think you want to hear without listening to what you say! He asked us about where we were living, and told us he was born and raised in Palo Alto. I'm not sure he even mentioned his Palo Alto listing. He was extremely professional, yet personable. This positive impression had direct bearing on our decision to purchase his listing in Professorville within weeks of our first meeting. We decided we couldn't ask our children to change schools and we should stay in Palo Alto. That led to our driving by Zach's listing, which was then a whole in the ground surrounded by a chain link fence with a for sale sign. I realized I had driven by it before and completely dismissed it. What an odd situation, I thought. How do you possibly know what you are getting? Pay how much for essentially a drawing and a promise? But because it was Zach's listing, we opened our minds to it and began talking to him. We didn't even think of bringing another agent in to represent us separately. We felt Zach should be our agent because we wouldn't have been pursuing it without his involvement. Zach knew just how to help us make this important decision. He arranged meeting, provided plans and offered some creative solutions. I think he served us well, and the sellers as well. He provided the seller with a serious buyer with the ability and interest to follow through. He correctly gauged us though we had been looking for years. He brought us along and made us feel comfortable with the situation without our ever feeling manipulated. Additionally, we are having Zach represent us in the sale of our home in Old Palo Alto, a home with some drawbacks as well as some real assets, both tangible and intangible. Other realtors have trooped through at various points, clutching papers and talking in terms of square feet alone. I often felt they were employing tactics, and could almost feel them turning my house into their college tuition payments or retirement accounts. While Zach's proposed numbers did not vary significantly from theirs, his attitude and point of view were much different. He really "saw" the house and was excited by it. I think his relative youth is actually an asset in a number of ways, and the most important one is that he can see a house the way a real buyer would see it. He is also energetic and accessible. This is coupled with his extensive knowledge of Palo Alto, which seems like a town of micro-micro markets. He knows the nuances of every block, particularly in Professorville and Old Palo Alto. I think he also has great instincts. I am happy we happened on him that day, and confident in recommending him.

The Fogleins

We had been looking for a house for slightly over one year. Actively shopping through all means available to us. The difficulty? Very discerning tastes! Also a need to be overly certain that we buy what is reasonable. We did not want to overpay just because we knew what we wanted, nor were we looking for that infamous and non-existent steal. We just wanted to find what "we" wanted In our journey we found "HIM." Our, unbeknownst to us, soon to be realtor -He was young, but he did not seem to mind working hard for what matter…like us. We continued on our journey and now with "HIM." On weekdays, on weekends, and at 9pm he found it, at 9am our papers were ready, and by late afternoon we were speaking of those magical words: "new homeowners." It takes a keen person to listen…really listen to his clients. It takes an equally qualified and assertive person to listen to and make the seller confident in their choice to sell to you. Zach Trailer did this for us and he did this for the sellers, the sellers' agent, and our loan broker - the whole network involved. I am certain that without Zach we would not have our dream home. It all truly went quickly when in motion, and he made it all happen. He has been an integral part in our real estate web, leaving no strand untended. We highly recommend Zach Trailer when what "you" want really matters. Thank you so much Zach!

Sally and Doug

We recently sold our home in Palo Alto and our positive experience was one which we wanted you to know about, since we were represented by your company and by one of your very talented young brokers. We had owned our home in Palo Alto for over 22 years and had lived in the area until recently. My husband and I both work in the South Bay and knew many people with whom we could have listed our family home. However, when it came to listing our home, there was not a question who we would contact. It would be Zach Trailer. Zach was a third grade student of mine at Phillips Brooks School in Menlo Park many years ago. After over thirty years in education, I remember Zach very well. He was one of those students who simply stood out from many of the others. Zach was not only an excellent student, but he was a person who the other children looked up to for his fairness, honesty, kindness - and of course athletic talents. Infact, I recall numerous games where Zach would make the call and all the kids knew that his call, whatever way it went, was fair and unbiased. We had seen Zach around Palo Alto over the years, and he was as personable and friendly as I’d always remembered him to be, so when it came to selling the house, we contacted Zach early in 2009. After an unsuccessful attempt to sell the house last year, we decided to rent it. Zach guided us to find excellent and trustworthy renters to wait out the downturn in the economy. With his guidance again in late April, we put it back on the market and it sold within a few days. While we were pleased to have it sold, the home represented many years of wonderful memories. Zach was always sensitive and positive throughout the many months in working with him. In addition, he has been attentive, encouraging and always professional while representing us throughout this rather stressful process. Recently, he delivered to us a watercolor picture which he had someone paint for us. The watercolor shows the beautiful hand painted tiles which were above the counter in our Palo Alto home. These tiles were individually hand painted by my grandmother, who spent many years in our home and passed away two years ago. This was a very special part of our Palo Alto home for us, and a part that we would not be able to take with us. Zach knew of their significance and took it upon himself to "save" these memories for us with this very kind and thoughtful gesture. We wanted you to know that you have a star in your office. We will not hesitate to refer our family and our friends to Zach Trailer and Coldwell Banker. He is the kind of person who takes great pride in what he does and represents your company with the utmost professionalism and care.

Betsy

Zach Trailer is a real estate agent of incredible talent. His articulate and accurate way of representing a property for sale had enabled us to achieve profitable transactions in a well-organized manner. Zach is knowledgeable, personable, dynamic, and always up to date and well informed on the markets we work within. He is honest and truly possesses a high level of integrity, which facilitates communication and cooperation with other agents and potential clients. Zach has successfully assisted us with the purchase of new projects as well as represented us as sellers. His superb marketing skills coupled with his dedicated work ethic serve him well in the residential real estate arena. Although he is comparatively young, he is mature in nature and is thoroughly educated and experienced in the area of sales. Recently Zach pre-sold a single-family residential project for us. Through his talent and commitment, Zach was successful in placing the project in contract before the foundation work had started. In addition, he has been an integral part in the ongoing follow through in working with the homebuyers to approve plans, increase deposits, and keep the channels of communication open between the builder and homebuyer. I recommend Zach Trailer whole-heartedly and without reserve. He has performed an outstanding job for us and is an individual we are proud to work with and have as our agent.