Astrid Lacitis – Keynote Properties

Astrid’s attention to detail, knowledge of the market and enthusiasm is fantastic. I just completed my third purchase with her and each time she has been able to locate a gem of a property. She is a true partner and tireless in her search to make sure her clients find a home they want.

Astrid is the BEST, P E R I O D.
She helped me buy my first home in SF over 30 years ago. She wants the best deal for you, not a quick commission earned from the stupidity and impatience of a rookie buyer. I had a very limited budget and zero RE experience. I really wanted a gorgeous place that was for sale in a seedy SF neighborhood. She just wouldn’t let me buy it. Same thing with another house I lusted after (great SF Bay views) that was on steep and unstable ground and later had major problems from sliding. Astrid kept me from making some big real estate mistakes.
Months later we found a sturdy place in a better neighborhood (Bernal) and she helped negotiate a great price. It turned out to be a great house. Later, after we had kids, she helped me get a great deal on a larger house in Noe. When it came time to sell that place she was just amazing. Found us cheap staging, repainted the exterior and made it look far more appealing and got a price that exceeded my wildest expectations by a lot. That allowed me to buy a place in Palo Alto 15 years ago and the rest is history. It has appreciated 2.5x and I love living in it. It wouldn’t have been possible without Astrid’s expert help.
I no longer live in SF but have referred friends and family to Astrid with uniformly great results. Astrid is an energetic upbeat person and shies away from nothing. I sent her clients who wanted a place that was mired in an estate/​probate proceeding, had split ownership etc etc., She helped the buyers navigate through the minefields and got them a killer deal. She is very smart and a great negotiator. She truly puts her client’s interests ahead of her own.
Astrid is a lot of fun to work with too. She likes the hunt and is very savvy and experienced. She prides herself on getting you a great deal on a great house. She doesn’t rush and never pushes you to buy something just so she can get it done and move on to a new client. She has a long term outlook.
I recommend Astrid Lacitis without any reservations. She is a true professional.

Astrid was referred to me by trusted friends who had enlisted her services back in 2002 … the market was still white hot then and I had zero experience buying a house and very little money down. I had a business partner who had very different ideas of what she wanted (a pure investment vs. me — a first home to fix up artistically). We started looking for condos, but I really wanted a duplex and so we turned mid stream to look at a few … Astrid quickly found one a hidden gem in a great neighborhood (Piedmont) that hadn’t been staged, needed work (but was structurally sound — new foundation) and had been on the market for a while (relatively speaking). We were able to buy it under the asking price w/​o any other offers competing against each other. Astrid had the savvy to offer more than asking price but then ask for credit back once we had a better handle on the repairs needed post inspection. This turned out brilliantly as it allowed us cash we wouldn’t have otherwise had to do some immediate repairs.
I was really freaked out to be buying real estate as a single person and Astrid was completely assuring and has continued to be my champion and friend ever since. The business partner and I parted ways and it has been a long road making this duplex work for me solo, but it has been incredibly rewarding and has offered me life experiences (such as being able to have my mom live in one unit for a while before she became ill — a treasured time).
Astrid continued communication with me as I was exploring condo conversion and accompanied me to city council meetings to educate me on the latest politics of converting units to condos.
Most recently, 11 yrs later, I was trying to refinance again and was very leary of all mortgage brokers given previous experiences that left me feeling ‘had’. Astrid recommended someone who has been a complete thrill to work for and has held my hand every step of the way. Astrid keeps good company with tireless client advocates like herself. The most amazing thing was that Astrid physically came to my property on the day of the appraisal (one day before she was leaving the country on vacation) to meet with the appraiser. She came armed with charm and data (great comps) she had worked really hard to get and vet in my best interest. She’s sent me emails at all hours of the day and night, amazingly hard working.
I just received word today that the appraisal came in at more than $ 100k more than I needed to get the new lower rate loan. I was really biting my nails because if the appraisal had come in too low, I would have been out $ 850 for the appraisal and no loan for me. Astrid helped me get into real estate when I had very little confidence it was the right thing to do and she’s been there for over a decade ensuring that I can keep it for the long haul. All hail to the Astrid! Anyone who works with her will be simply amazed at her stamina and drive. She makes things happen! with her clients best interest in mind!

What can I say about Astrid Lacitis? In my opinion she is one of the hardest working people I know. She is responsive, tenacious and able to deal with all sorts of situations (marketing, legal, banking, etc.) in a professional way.
Years ago I was referred to Astrid Lacitis through a group of friends who all have had positive experiences purchasing homes with her help. She listened to what I wanted and helped me to purchase what I considered to be my dream home. She did it with full integrity and I was very happy with the house for a period of years. During the time I owned the property Astrid continued to work with me. She was always available to answer questions about things like insurance and mortgage refinancing. She also gave excellent advice concerning the best ways to invest in the property for maximum comfort and return. I was never made to feel inferior or that I was wasting her time.
When it sadly came time to sell the home, I allowed myself to be persuaded to go with another realtor who does a lot of business in North Oakland. Little did I know how poor that choice really was. At the eleventh hour I called Astrid in a panic. Without hesitation she jumped in. Within twenty four hours my home was staged, a website was created and three open houses were scheduled. She also helped to unwind a nasty bit of paper work and ill will with the banks that had been created by the previous listing agent. She worked tirelessly with all parties to ensure that everything worked in my favor. Within ten days I had five offers and the house closed in less than thirty days from that panic call. No other realtor could have pulled this off. She did all of this in a down market with little inventory moving. Imagine what she can do when things are better. Throughout the entire process, she put in the same effort you’d expect from someone listing a multi-​million dollar mansion, which my modest home was not. (although, no doubt she can handle transactions of any size, the big ones too)
If you want personal attention from a realtor with more than thirty years experience in the bay area, look no further. Astrid Lacitis with Keynote Properties is all you need to know.

So a few years back my ex and were referred to Astrid by some friends. We met her at her office (Keynote properties) and she drove us around for an afternoon to look at some places. We found a 3 bedroom condo in the city (that same afternoon!). We bought it a little under asking price and the whole process went swimmingly easy thanks to Astrid. That alone warrants the 5 stars.
Fast forward 2 years…
Ex and I get a divorce and need to sell the house. It’s February 2008 and the market is turning downwards. We call Astrid and ask her to be the listing agent. We’re hoping to break even, but we clearly forgot about the whirlwind that is Astrid, Not only does she sell it for well over asking price, she also does that within a week. Woohoo!
Fast forward another year…
I decide to take my savings out from under my mattress and buy my own little place. I email Astrid, and tell her my wish list (which by all accounts is a little weird, but hey this is to be my very own dream home):
— can it have stairs please?
— near a Starbucks?
— near a bus stop?
— and BART?
— and shops and restaurants?
— two bedrooms would be great!
— oh and since it’s just me, it needs to be cheap too
«eh, ok.» So, Astrid sends me some listings and we go back and forth for a week or two, figuring out where and what I can afford to buy. Then on a rainy Sunday afternoon Astrid drives me and the bf around to look at places. Fourth stop… my new home. A two bedroom loft. Yay, I have stairs! With a bus stop in front. Ten minute walk from BART. Starbucks? Half a block away. Shops and restaurants? Two blocks in either direction. Price? Well within my budget.
I don’t know how she does it, but I’m a believer. I hope she’ll be working in real estate for a long long time, because I never want another agent. You should call her. You won’t regret it.