Testimonials - Carr Long Real Estate

Testimonials

Meghan & Paul Kresk

Between us we have bought and sold over 20 houses and we have acquired rental properties that we still own. We have never worked with a Realtor better than Mark, and the comparisons are not even close. I really don’t know how many superlative adjectives it would take to completely describe his commitment, tenacity, creativity, empathy, competence, knowledge, awareness, and loyalty; all the while just being a wonderful person who does his job extraordinarily. He is simply the best. We are very fortunate to have met him, befriended him, and benefited from his skills.

Sandi & Tim Somerville

Don Carr was our real estate agent when we first came to Tahoe to consider buying a home. We found him through his firm’s appealing marketing presence when we first came to town. We could not have picked better. Don educated us on the lay of the land throughout the whole region. He was a quick study when it came to evaluating what we liked. From his recommended starting point, we exhaustively eliminated all other options and came back to where we began. Then, when it came time to sell, Don and his whole team came together to work tirelessly on our behalf. We believe in Don and his team and believe we have found someone who puts our interests first. We know our trust is well placed, and we whole-heartedly recommend him to you, whether you are buying or selling.

Lori and Chris Fransenn

We want to take a moment to recognize Tori Long and the entire team at Carr Long for their exceptional service and attention to detail in the sale of our Truckee home. We received top notch service and guidance from start to the finish. We thank you for your professionalism, friendly manner, know-how staging, explanation and patience through the entire process. Carr Long is an exceptional and professional Real Estate firm and we recommend their services to anyone looking to buy or sell their home in the Tahoe/Truckee area.

John & Dagny Borcich

Don Carr represented us when we first purchased our home site here in Old Greenwood in 2003.  We can’t say enough about his integrity and thoroughness in the transaction and we are indebted to him for helping us build our dream home.  The great thing is that what began as a business relationship quickly evolved into a close personal relationship with he and his wonderful family. Don is a very warm and caring individual and is certainly our Realtor (and friend) for life.

 

Susan D.

I had the pleasure of meeting Tori Long before my husband and I were ever in the market to buy our second home. Her hardworking nature and the fact that she is one of the most pleasant people to be around put her at the top of our list when we began to consider purchasing a second home in the Tahoe/Truckee area. I am here to assure you that she is an exceptional real estate agent. She really cares for her clients, and has impeccable integrity in an industry that can be cut throat. I frequently tell my husband that superwoman does exist, and it’s Tori Long. She pays brilliant attention to detail, while being personable, confident and agile in negotiations. She is a well networked person in the Tahoe/Truckee area who made us feel very comfortable and saved us a lot of time getting the most reliable information. I believe her character is the real foundation for her success; she is honest, humble, tolerant and very thoughtful. Not only is her knowledge of the market extensive, the entire Carr Long team is top notch. Every phone call was answered or quickly returned, every email addressed, and anytime we felt overwhelmed with the stress of buying a home Tori was right there to get us back on track. She listened and planned everything purposefully for us, she was consistently positive and guided us in the right direction during our home search, and she was very persistent in her pursuits, which resulted in our dream vacation home that exceeded our expectations. She truly puts her heart, mind, and intellect into the smallest things. I speak for my husband and myself when I say we could not have asked for a more dedicated, compassionate and truthful team. As people and professionals, the world needs more realtors like Tori Long and the entire Carr Long Team.

Jen and Steve C.

Tori Long recently helped us sell our property in Gray’s Crossing. We’ve worked with many different agents over the years and Tori looked out for our interests as if they were her own. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Tori since 2002 and I’ve watched her book of business grow over the last decade. Her diligence in executing a strategy with utmost professionalism and polish is something seen infrequently in the business of real estate and most certainly why she is successful.

During our recent transaction Tori went the extra mile by contributing out of her own pocket in order for the deal to come together. At any time during the transaction if I had a question I knew it would be answered at a moments notice by Tori via email, text or a phone call.

I would absolutely recommend Tori to anyone looking to purchase or sell real estate in Lake Tahoe. Tori is also well respected by her peers in the business. This brought us ultimate confidence in knowing that when she speaks her peers listen and therefore again our best interests were being looked after during the entire length of the transaction.

Stuart Cramer, President, Residential Group Kennedy Wilson (NYSE – KW) Owner Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe

In my business as President of the Residential Group at Kennedy Wilson, I have managed a number of complex real estate projects from a distance. My experience in each location has taught me the importance of local talent. In December 2012, I spearheaded Kennedy Wilson’s acquisition of the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe.  This became the first hotel property owned by Kennedy Wilson and it is the most iconic property in any mountain community of California.

The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe is the only AAA Five Diamond hotel in the California mountains, and selling its 23 Penthouse Residences demanded expertise on the highest level.

We immediately began assessing the marketplace in search of the best team of Realtors to handle the sales and marketing efforts of these unrivaled penthouses. Through my connections at the Ritz-Carlton I was turned onto the duo of Tori Long & Don Carr, who own Carr Long Real Estate. Their story is fascinating. As individuals, both Don & Tori had reputations as the top producers for the company that built the Ritz-Carlton. They had recently left the developer’s sales team to open their own brokerage. And the Ritz-Carlton VP Development & Residential Business had Tori right on the top of his list. Here’s how she was referred to me: “Tori would be a natural and great fit for the project. In addition to her sales excellence, and delightful personality her ability to create a trusted relationship with the prospects is second to none. Add to that her background and experience with the Ritz-Carlton brand and the project and it is a winning combination.”

As it turns out, what she and her partner Don bring to the table is hard to quantify because it is so encompassing. The Carr Long Team has elevated the atmosphere of the hotel by their presence. Each sale of a Ritz-Carlton Residence is significant, with many very demanding buyers. As we near sell-out of the Residences right on schedule, our experience with Tori and Don is one of a growing level of trust.

This is why I’m so pleased to write this review. I will recommend them to any buyer or seller with the knowledge that their clients’ interests will be served on the highest levels.

Stuart Cramer
President, Residential Group
Kennedy Wilson (NYSE – KW)

Chet Hong and Julianna Shaw

My wife and I have had the pleasure of knowing Mark DiGiacomo since our earliest days coming to Northstar. We were fortunate enough to meet him at the Carr Long Northstar office 4 seasons ago when we were first started tinkering with the idea to purchase. Mark was always very patient; never pressuring us to buy and his kind and calm demeanor resonated with us. Every ski season, we would revisit the idea and would pester Mark to show us homes/condos, which he would happily do, and luckily, late last year, Mark found us a home that met our needs. He’s genuine, sincere and has your best interests in mind. We’ve recommended Mark to many of our friends, including one couple that is actively searching for a home in Tahoe. We would highly recommend him to anyone that needs a real estate professional.

Andy and Lisa Ellsmore

Mark listens. He is kind, attentive, patient and willing to help find the right home. Mark was filling in for another agent over a year ago when we first met. The property was already under contract, however, Mark was happy to show us all the ins and outs. We felt comfortable and free to explore our real estate fancies. Since then he became part of our growing family through showing us up to several properties a week until we found our first home in May. He was never pushy or in a hurry and always accommodated our schedule. He even enjoyed the hijinks of our three young children. When we were feeling hopeless he would have a positive attitude and provide some alternatives that got us back on track. Ultimately, we found a rare foreclosure with a very tight offer time frame. Mark was on it. He contacted us within hours of the listing and quickly contacted the listing agent. Even though he was not familiar with the specific process required by the bank, Mark became an expert overnight and spent his planned vacation getting all the offer documentation perfect. We closed without a hitch due to Marks professionalism, attention to detail and consistent effort. He went well beyond what we expected every step of the way. Thanks to his thorough research on the property, we even received a sizable credit toward the closing costs. If you need an attentive, affable, smart, patient agent, look no further.

P. K. Boeck

I recently had the pleasure to work with Don Carr on the sale of our home in Old Greenwood.

I found Don to be the consummate professional: he was knowledgeable of his product, worked well with people, and best of all, he sold our house for an attractive price in a difficult market.

I would recommend Don and his team to anyone looking for a Real Estate professional in the Tahoe Area.

Keith Cox, Resort Equities

For five years running, Tori Long has represented the interests of my company as if it were her own. She has been dedicated, professional and competent, and literally helped to get our business off the ground. I owe a debt of gratitude for her countless efforts on our behalf. The partnership of Carr Long is a perfect blending of two of the most successful agents with whom I have worked, a success which I know will be amplified by their working together.

Mike & Sharon Dixon

Don focuses his energy in helping his clients to achieve their dreams and objectives.  Don helped us to clearly define and obtain the best property for our family.  Don possesses the highest integrity and was focused on meeting our objectives.  Without hesitation we would use Don again in our purchase or sell of future properties.

Ron Judson

I have known Tori Long for more than 5 years and have done a number of transactions with her.  I have always found Tori to be very professional: she knows the market and she knows my particular interests.  She is very organized and has an opinion and I trust her immensely.  The best part of dealing with her is that she makes the whole process enjoyable!

Tori immediately became my friend and we have gotten to know each others families and friends.  I hope that in the future my family will have many occasions to be with her both socially and professionally.

Mark & Melody Mariani

We have had the pleasure of knowing and doing business with Tori Long for the past five years. Tori has been instrumental in all aspects of our real estate investments; her in-depth knowledge of the industry and market, along with her strong work ethic makes her an excellent real estate agent. She has been incredibly gracious to us with her time invested and expertise, and has provided us with a quality, professional realtor experience.

Scott & Leigh Benner

My wife and I have had many experiences buying and selling homes across the country due to career moves. Never have we had a better experience than we did with Mark DiGiacomo and Carr Long. Mark handled both our recent purchase of a home in Northstar and our Northstar sale. To say Mark made our life easy is an understatement. First off we handled the purchase while he was on a flight to Pennsylvania and I was on a business trip. The deal was struck before he landed! The sale was equally impressive. Not only was his market analysis honest and accurate, but knowing we would be listing once we moved into the new home, he started letting folks know that while not listed it would be coming on the market. Suffice it to say we filled out the paperwork to sell and 18 hours later accepted an offer. Mark did not stop there, he handled inspections, oversaw necessary work that was needed etc. It was our best representation ever by a long shot. It’s no wonder both Mark and his firm are so successful. Top of the line skill, while being low key, relaxed and knowledgeable.

Rick & Patty Cassidy

Don Carr was our sales representative for three purchases we pursued in Northstar at the new village at Tahoe Mountain Resorts and at Gray’s Crossing. We implicitly trust his experience and knowledge of the real estate climate at Northstar. When there were problems he worked on getting them resolved to our satisfaction, but even better… he contacted and assisted us 2 years post closing to help us appeal our property tax rate hike with the County Assessor’s Office. That type of service is what distinguishes him from an agent whose focus is solely on closing the deal. We whole heartedly recommend him to anyone looking to invest at Northstar.

Roger Meuter

Jan and I have worked with many realtors over the past forty years. If we were to rate them for overall satisfaction, Don Carr and Tori Long would be at the top of our list by a considerable margin. They have a history of being chosen to represent sophisticated developers, including the Ritz Carlton Condos at North Star because of their marketing expertise and sales performance. They really work for you. Whether you are a seller or a buyer we would strongly recommend them.

The Taylors

We wanted to thank you for helping us find our dream home in Truckee! Your support and guidance through the entire process was tremendous. When we first started looking, we were not sure what we wanted, or even where we wanted to look, and you really helped us determine what was most important to us. You were extremely patient as our wants and needs continued to develop and change. This not only helped us find our dream home, but also saved us a ton of time and energy since we did not have to look at a bunch of homes that did not fit us. In fact, if we inquired about a house we thought might be interesting the phrase “Kris said it’s not us” was enough for both of us to know it was off of our list. On the flipside, when you did find our home and you told us we needed to see it, you were absolutely right. Throughout the process, you had our best interest at heart, you helped us discover our wants and needs, and fought to make sure our offer was accepted in a competitive bid situation. We simply cannot thank you enough!

Richard Gil

Don Carr helped us find the right house for us in no time. His negotiation skills and attention to detail were crucial on having this transaction done in the time frame we were aiming for (less than two weeks!). Most importantly Don’s customer service didn’t stop after we signed the documents and Title was done. He went way beyond that, totally understanding the “second home” situation. He was absolutely helpful and never gave us a reason to feel worried about taking care of details after closing. We will definitely recommend him (like we already did) for your RE needs.

David and Kathryn Kaufman

We recently purchased a home in Martis Camp and used Tori Long as our buyer’s agent. The process was professional, thorough, and seamless. Tori did a great job looking out for our interests and made the transaction go very smoothly. I would highly recommend her for the Northstar/Tahoe area. She’s very personable and knows the area very well.

Preston Smart

I absolutely would recommend Tori ,Don and their team to anyone thinking about buying or selling a home. Tori is someone I feel completely comfortable with. There was always open dialog and conversation and I never felt like I was being taken or left in the dark about anything. We are so lucky to have found such an honest, fun, exciting and dedicated professionals to help us!

Charlie and Marcela Smith

We have owned and enjoyed our home in Northstar for many years. Being a part of the fabric of the Northstar community, we have paid close attention to the real estate market for as long as we’ve owned our home. We’ve seen all the real estate signs come and go and we’ve gotten to know the players here extensively.

When it came time to pick the Realtors to be the listing agents for our home, we knew instinctively that it had to be Don & Tori. As we told them, they are our “inner circle”. They are the agents we have confidence in to be stewards of our multi-million dollar home. We trust them to be professionals at the highest level when it comes to security and safety. Our home is important to us. We have poured so much of ourselves into it and feel it is a privilege to be invited in. Don & Tori convey the spirit of exclusivity that we want. They have the tools to represent the home to prospective buyers in its best light.

Don & Tori’s firm, Carr Long Real Estate, has quickly become an innovator in the area for compelling and visible marketing efforts. They are also extremely collaborative and embrace opportunities to add our experiences into the presentation and marketing of our home.

We have known Don & Tori since they first arrived in Tahoe and have enjoyed watching their business succeed and grow. We are pleased to have them working on our behalf and will wholeheartedly recommend them to represent your interest whether you are a buyer or a seller of real estate in North Tahoe.

Lance Schlichter

We were probably Mark’s smallest real estate transaction of the year, yet we received million dollar treatment. Every question was quickly answered, every concern addressed, everything you would expect for a much larger deal, even though we were a little minnow. The transaction was as smooth as possible. You cannot do better.

Trevor Mills

Don Carr helped our family buy a second home in Lake Tahoe. We have worked with a lot of agents as we have moved many times (over 10). We are also very choosy. Don quickly figured out what we wanted and showed us many options. Don is a very capable agent with very strong bargaining skills. He works through the details of the transaction, which many agents don’t. What I liked most about Don was his strong sense of ethics. We ultimately bought a home where Don was the listing agent and I felt he treated all parties fairly and both sides were happy with the outcome. Finally, when we moved in he made sure that all the details off of the punch list had been sorted out. I would unreservedly recommend Don Carr and his firm.

Jan Meuter

Tori Long is an exceptional realtor. Her listening skills, attention to detail and negotiating talent resulted in a second home purchase that was truly creative. As buyers, we were looking for an attractive investment in this distressed market and of course the seller wanted to feel good about the sale as well. Tori orchestrated a transaction with the seller carrying the paper for 3 years so he could yield interest income. We were then able to avoid a bank loan appraisal that would have made bank financing difficult. Now, five years later, we have paid off the 3 year contract, benefited from a higher appraisal than we would have had in 2009 and have a terrific bank loan. Tori Long deserves all the credit, This would not have happened without her creative negotiating expertise. Equally important, Tori is very pleasant to work with.

Joel and Katie Light

Tori Long assisted my family with the purchase of our home in Truckee in 2011. She knew that we had been looking from afar to purchase a home in Tahoe and she found the perfect community and home for us. Tori patiently guided us through a difficult negotiation in a very challenging market. She is extremely knowledgeable, professional, and honest. We felt no pressure to make a decision; she wanted to make sure that we were 100% confident and happy in our purchase. Tori is a wonderful person and I full heartedly recommend her for anyone looking to purchase a home in the Truckee/Tahoe area.

Marty and Laurie Kacin

Mark and the Carr Long team are simply experts and experienced with all facets of the Tahoe real estate market. Owning in Tahoe is a remote operation for many of us, and having such a trustworthy friend in Mark with top shelf client service skills is invaluable to any homeowner like myself. Mark understands what it takes to maximize owner value in the Tahoe area and just as important, builds strong long-term relationships with his clients rooted in trust, exceptional service, and expert performance.

Walt & Sandy Arute

Tori Long and her associate Don Carr are par excellent realtors!!  Tori is amazing, she staged our lakefront home at Heritage Cove in Tahoe Vista in an unbelievable way which I know took many hours.  The condo sold in only six days!  She is meticulous in every aspect and even answers her cell phone while on vacation and follows through with anything we asked of her.  We will always recommend Tori if anyone wants to sell property in the Lake Tahoe region.  She is friendly and always has a smile and she became our friend and we hope we will continue to stay in touch with each other!  Thank you Tori for making this transaction so easy.

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