Testimonials

John and Katie are outstanding. To avoid burying the lede, if you are reading this, you should just stop and move forward with them. You won't find better service anywhere. They are amazing. We had an incredible experience working with John, and we truly can’t recommend highly enough. 

First and foremost, John is just a genuinely great person. He is kind, funny, and refreshingly not the stereotypical pushy  realtor. We met John through friends who had worked with him and the whole process felt more like working with a trusted friend who just happened to know everything about buying a home, rather than someone hunting a commission. We interviewed several realtors before choosing John, and they all felt so salesy. They also made the whole process seem so daunting and formal; it felt like we were sheep. John was approachable and low-pressure. He did all the real work. We just got to look at houses. We started the process without clear requirements or a specific neighborhood in mind. We also wanted to be choosy because we plan to be here for years, so we told him it may take us a while. That was never an issue, and we never felt pressured.

During the process, John's expertise combined and honesty was exceptional. We wanted to rely on our realtor to evaluate the homes not just find options for us to review, and John always delivered. Other realtors we have worked with make every house seem great. John was candid throughout pointing out flaws, identifying non-starters, and explaining why certain homes wouldn’t be the right fit for us. At the same time, he clearly outlined the benefits of each property. In every house we toured, John uncovered 5–10 pros and cons we never would have noticed on our own.

Finally, (this is no exaggeration) over 50% of the agents we met at showings (including ones we did without John on a whim), the selling realtors raved about how great John and Katie are and that we were in great hands. We even had a couple offers where we got outbid but the selling agent told their client to take our offer instead because the escrow process would be so smooth. The comments we got were typically like: "There are a lot of bad realtors out there; you guys are working with one of the greats." (We always chuckled that those same agents would NOT say that to other people at the open houses). We couldn't agree more and it felt good to hear other experts confirm it. Seriously, work with John and Katie.  

- JAKE + LIZZY, STUDIO CITY

We have relocated more times than we can count, and without a doubt, Katie Crain + John Podhor are the most professional agents we have ever had the pleasure of working with.  Their preparation of our home for sale -- including updating, staging, open houses, showings, contracts, disclosures and endless details -- resulted in the receipt of multiple offers in less than two weeks on the market.  Every aspect of the sale, from the initial contract to the final closing, was handled flawlessly.   The selling price, well over asking, was negotiated to both ours and the Buyer's satisfaction.  Ten stars are not enough!  We give Katie and John our highest recommendation.

- THE WOOD FAMILY, EAGLE ROCK

Katie & John are exceptional real estate agents who have provide unparalleled support, we have done 2 house sales and 2 house purchases with Katie. Their expertise and professionalism make the transactions seamless and stress-free. They are incredibly knowledgeable about the real estate market and are always available to answer any questions. Their attention to detail and constant communication kept us informed and confident throughout the entire process. We highly recommend Katie and John to anyone in need of a real estate agent. They truly exceeded our expectations and made the typically painful experience a positive one.

- EMILY + ELDAD, HOLLYWOOD HILLS

We met Katie and John through mutual friends who had worked with them multiple times to buy and sell their previous and current house. So when it came time to sell our house, we knew we'd be in good hands.

In addition to being incredibly knowledgeable about the LA real estate market, Katie and John helped us navigate some tricky escrow situations with ease and grace (even when we were overwhelmed and emotional). Thanks to their savviness, reputation, and hard work, we received several offers and ended up closing over asking. We cannot recommend them enough, and we’d work with them again in a heartbeat!

- TARA + DAN, LOS FELIZ

We couldn't have asked for better people to work with. Katie and John are both lovely and they work wonderfully together. They were able to help us navigate the LA housing market and find a home that we love. As first time home buyers, even with lots of preparation, we had a steep learning curve. Katie and John were honest in their assessments of homes we saw, knew the process inside and out, and gave invaluable guidance when it came time to negotiate the sale. We unreservedly recommend them. Thanks Katie and John!

- SARAH + TOM, ALTADENA

In the five years that I've worked with Katie, she has represented me in three rental transactions and two sales transactions. Katie's knowledge of the Los Angeles real estate market is unparalleled. She knows exactly how to price a property and knows exactly how much one should pay for a property. She is meticulous, patient, professional, and extremely thorough. Katie has a confidence and a calm that I am profoundly grateful for, and is able to keep you feeling well looked after during what are very often extremely stressful negotiations. All this and a great sense of humor to boot. I cannot recommend her highly enough. She is that good! I look forward to continuing working with her long into the future.

- MICHAEL, WEST HOLLYWOOD

We cannot praise John enough for being not only incredibly knowledgeable and professional but trustworthy, which means everything to me and my husband. John was recommended by close friends, when we suddenly found ourselves looking to buy a house in Los Angeles. He called back right away after my first phone message to him and won me over with his down-to-earth and clearly intelligent way of being, and he worked closely with us for over a year, guiding us through the rather traumatizing journey of finding a house in L.A. As is inevitable in this market, we lost at least four or five houses, and John was always there to keep us from freaking out, using his gracious manner and wonderfully gentle sense of humor to help us stay calm. Finally, when we did land the perfect house for us (and it still is perfect today, four months after we moved in), we had to leave for a preplanned trip, and John took care of all the stressful inspections and escrow stuff and was an incredible communicator. John is simply a delightful person, and we have great respect for him and miss him too!

- HENNY, RESEDA

I recently hired John and Katie to sell my Condo in Hollywood. It was my first home and thus my first experience selling a property. John and Katie met me to discuss the listing and I found them to be extremely knowledgeable and prepared. During the sale they were both there to guide me step by step, and were so fun to work with. They created a great set of professional photos for the listing and beautiful marketing materials. As a result of both their dedication and follow up skills, we had a offer within the first 10 days! I would highly recommend John and Katie if you're looking for  knowledgeable, personable, and dedicated agents.

- CAREY, HOLLYWOOD

Navigating the LA real estate market in search of your dream home initially felt like finding a needle in a haystack.  But since the moment we arrived from New York and met Katie, we felt guided in the home buying process in a way we never imagined was possible.  Katie was more than our agent.  She became our friend who we trusted implicitly. She understood our tastes, wish list items, and needs from the get go.  Never once did we feel like we were rolling the dice and crossing our fingers.  Even in a competitive bidding situation, we knew Katie would take care of us, and sure enough, we were handed the keys to our dream home a month before our baby was born.  I know Katie is someone we will have in our life for a long time, whether sharing special moments or finding a future house to call a new home.   

- HOPE + ALEX, SILVER LAKE

Katie helped us both buy and sell our home. Having worked with other realtors in the past, the difference between Katie and them was like night and day. Katie is extremely professional, meticulous, and detail-oriented, while also being warm, fun, and engaged. She never pressures you into anything you're not comfortable with, and is with you side-by-side though the stressful process that buying/selling a home can be. Katie is excellent at dealing with complex paperwork and seems to always make herself available through the numerous texts, emails, and phone calls exchanged. She also constantly goes above and beyond what one would expect from real estate agent. We would absolutely recommend Katie to anyone buying or selling a home! 

- MARIA + JEREMY, HIGHLAND PARK

John just helped my wife and I purchase our first home. Anyone shopping in East LA will tell you it's no easy task to find a house that can check off all your boxes and those people would be right. However, John's persistence and patience over the past several months made the whole process so much more pleasant. Throughout the search, John understood what we wanted and was constantly looking out for new options as soon as they'd hit the MLS and sometimes before. He would meet us and the drop of a hat to show a home and take the time and care to answer all of our questions.

When it came time to place offers, John was always quick to have docs ready to sign in order meet all deadlines. He was great at getting as much info as possible before we submitted offers and counters so we would be able to make the right decisions. He operates on that notion, giving you all the information you need to feel confident in making a decision. When our final offer was accepted, John did a tremendous job of lining up our inspections and helping us manage communications between the seller, escrow, and our mortgage company. After inspections, he negotiated the credits we wanted back for us from the seller. We were able to close in less than 30 days which is due in large part to John's hard work and coordination. We thankfully won't have to look for another home soon, but if the time comes to sell or look for a new home, our first call will be to John.

- MARK + MARIANA, EL SERENO

John helped my husband and I purchase our first home. We are very hands-on in everything we do, and John was open to both suggest homes to us as well as arrange to show us homes that we found online. John was very responsive to us via both email and over the phone and, during the days we would view homes, John would devise an itinerary that allowed us to see the homes we were interested in during a single afternoon – and without having to drive back and forth across town. 

We looked at many many homes and John helped us write offers, counter offers, and negotiate terms with sellers two-times before John showed us the house that would become our home. After our offer was accepted, John was also extremely helpful in scheduling inspections, us at the house whenever necessary, and all-in-all making the escrow process as painless as possible. We will work with John the next time we need to buy / sell a home in Los Angeles.

 - MARK + CHRISTIAN, LADERA HEIGHTS

Katie Crain is nothing short of extraordinary. Her patience, knowledge and above all, taste are incredible. Katie's understanding of the process, from finding the perfect home, to inspections, all the way through escrow is full of confidence and patience. I will not use any other agent ever!

- MICHAEL, LOS FELIZ

We expected buying our first home to be an intimidating process, but fortunately some friends referred us to Katie and from our very first call with her, whatever stress we'd been feeling melted away. Katie is really everything one could hope for in a realtor - knowledgable about the market and the process, patient with our many questions, responsive to our feedback and supportive from start to finish, with a work ethic and positive attitude that just can't be match. (Not to mention she's just a lovely person, which matters when you're spending months together driving around town to make what's likely to be one of the biggest purchases of your life). With Katie, we never felt rushed and were always confident we had a seasoned pro in our corner, as committed as we were to finding the right home for our family. And on the one or two occasions we had a scheduling conflict, her incredible partner, John, was ready to fill in without missing a beat. In the end, we found the home we were looking for and Katie was there with us every step of the way, even continuing to check in long after closing just to make sure we were settling in alright and there was nothing else she could do to help. Bottom line: she's the real deal and anyone would be lucky to work with her.

- JEREMIAH + REBECCA, EAGLE ROCK

Katie found us our dream home!! We worked with her for months to find our perfect house and she always selected the homes that were our perfect fit and style.  She has such a passion for architecture and an amazing eye to spot exactly what you want and need, but most importantly she has the biggest heart and wants to find her clients the perfect house, no matter how long it takes.  Katie will always be our go-to for any buying, selling, and even design consulting - thank you for always guiding us in the right direction!

- SABRINA + JOHN-MICHAEL, MIRACLE MILE

Working with Katie was incredible! She helped us find our first house and we could not have been happier. Her knowledge of Los Angeles and the market is extensive, and the way she helped us navigate the home buying process made everything seem so easy. She has impeccable taste, and understood exactly what we were looking for from the beginning. Katie was very present from start to finish -- open houses to offer, and inspections through close of escrow -- and was always happy to answer questions no matter how big or small. At times it felt like things were moving very quickly, but Katie’s experience, resources, and calming confidence always kept us at ease. It’s no secret that the market is incredibly competitive, but Katie’s direction enabled us to come out on top in the bidding process. The end result is we’re in a home we love and feel lucky to call Katie a friend. 

- CODY + TAL, MT. WASHINGTON

Katie helped me purchase my first home a little over two years ago.  As a realtor Katie was extremely professional as she was charismatic and intelligent. She really made it such a pleasant experience. I remember I contacted her on Easter Sunday about a home I had just found and she dropped what she was doing to show me the house that day. I know I was not her only client but she sure made me feel like I was.

- ALEX, MONTECITO HEIGHTS

Katie made the home buying process so easy to navigate. She has great taste and really listened to our needs. She helped us sort through tons of listings and gave us her honest feedback about the properties we saw.   Most importantly, she had the skills necessary to help us negotiate and close the deal and gave us constant communication through out the process.  We highly recommend Katie!

- DAVID + LAUREN, SHERMAN OAKS

Working with Katie was far and away the best experience we’ve had working with a real-estate agent — in fact, the only one where we succeeded in buying a house. She was extremely attentive to our sometimes eccentric needs and never pushed towards a place we didn’t want or that was below par. She knows the ins and outs of LA real estate extremely well and guided us through every step of the process, from inspections to the mortgage to final walk-through. We still call her for recommendations and guidance. In short, she’s the best!  

- ALEX + JONATHAN, LOS FELIZ

Katie was my agent for both a condo sale in Santa Monica and the purchase of a property in Glassell Park. With Katie's help, the condo was sold quickly and at a very good price. She knew how to make the property stand out, and was organized and extremely reliable throughout the whole process. Finding a new place to live in the current market was daunting, but Katie again, knew how to make us stand out from the crowd, and in the end, I found the perfect house. She comes highly recommended from this new home owner. Thank you Katie!!

- EVAN, GLASSELL PARK + SANTA MONICA

Katie represented us in buying a new home, and selling our previous condo. We are admittedly discerning and difficult and Katie was an absolute pleasure to work with -- professional, knowledgeable, and always had our best interests in mind. We liked Katie so much that we were sad when we finally completed our transactions and we didn't get to spend our weekends with her anymore. Will need to buy something again soon...

- RACHEL + JAKE, MAR VISTA + WESTWOOD

Working with Katie to find my first home was a great experience. All I really have to say is THANK YOU SO MUCH! She was patient & supportive throughout the entire process, extremely resourceful in navigating through difficult decisions, in addition to being a tough negotiator.

- MAX, ECHO PARK

Katie Crain was extraordinary every step of the way. From our first meeting to our very successful closing, she was super knowledgeable and had a masterful business sense. She's creative, classy, gracious, and completely on point which made selling our home actually fun.

- JF, SILVER LAKE + SIERRA MADRE

The first time we met with Katie we immediately warned her that we were not ready to buy for at least a year.  She whole heartedly told us that she was there to help with whatever we needed when we were ready.  It was obvious that she just wanted us happy. We ended up closing escrow two months later, because we found the right fit quickly.  Katie made the process painless. It all happened so fast I couldn't believe it.  One day on the phone after signing everything I said, "what happens now?  Is there a key ceremony or something?"  I had watched a little too much HGTV.  Katie took us to dinner for my key ceremony.  There are just no words.

- MARTA + BRYAN, SANTA MONICA

As first time homeowners, having Katie in our corner to walk us through the process of buying a home was invaluable! Thanks to her knowledge of the market, attention to detail, and personable nature, I felt confident that she had our best interests at heart every step of the way. 

- DEANNA + EMMA, STUDIO CITY

Katie was fantastic to work with and ultimately helped me find my ideal home.  She is patient, diligent, responsive, and has her eyes and ears to the various neighborhoods in LA.  Throughout every part of the process she was helpful and went out of her way to make me comfortable and educated in my decision making process.  She had access to great inspectors who were all very helpful, and even offered to supervise some repair work when my schedule got in the way.  Overall it was a great experience and I've been rewarded with my dream home!  Thanks Katie.

- SCOTT, MT. WASHINGTON

Katie was our listing agent when we sold our condo in 2010 and then she helped us again when we bought our home.  We previously had an awful experience with another realtor when we purchased our condo in 2006, so we were a bit nervous to go through the process again. But after knowing Katie for many years, we naturally chose her to be our realtor the second time around. As my husband and I began the process with Katie, we realized very quickly that there was something different and special about her compared to our previous experience. Her considerable attention to detail and knowledge about the process, various levels of inspections and construction did not go unnoticed.  More importantly, she truly became a part of the family as it became a bit of a lengthy process trying to sell one home while simultaneously buying another.  She listened very closely to our struggles in the condo centered on our desperate need for more space and therefore could relate to what we were going through on a personal level.  She also understood very clearly what we were hoping to find in our future home.  Choosing Katie was quite simply put, the best decision we’ve ever made.  Her marketing strategy was outstanding – she hired a professional photographer who created beautiful pictures to help with the sale of the condo.  Katie even provided her own fresh flowers and plants for the photo shoot and open houses. In addition, she helped us navigate the purchase of our new home.  This was during a time when houses were going into multiples after one open house, nevertheless, she led our negotiations with an iron fist, and was able to convince the sellers to accept our offer, for just below the asking price!  Unprecedented during that time in real estate in 2010.  Needless to say, the entire experience and both the final sale and purchase exceeded our expectations.  Today, Katie remains a friend and I look forward to working with her again on any and all of our future real estate transactions.

- SAMANTHA + MITCH, BRENTWOOD + WESTWOOD