Hugh Groocock – Zephyr Real Estate

This is a long over due review! I’m just finally getting around to it! We were going from open house to open house when we happen to meet Hugh. He has such wealth of knowledge and information and I was able to learn a lot about the area that we were looking at. At the time I didn’t have any agent and this being my first time home purchase (3 ½ years ago) I really didn’t have much guidance. This is where Hugh come in. He was very patient and very helpful through out the entire process. He help showed many different homes and gave us all the pros and cons so I can make the best decision. When I finally find the place that I now reside in, he made the whole process very painless and made everything very easy for a beginner like myself to understand. Hugh is really great to work with, really pleasant, very patient and very knowledgeable! If I were in the market again, I’d definitely will connect with him again! Highly recommended!

We selected Hugh as our listing agent to sell our house based on his experience and knowledge of our neighborhood. He stayed in constant contact with us over two years as we contemplated our options. He followed through with continued communication — sometimes with several emails a day — between the time we signed the selling agreement until we looked at offers and closed the deal. We moved out of the area and the detailed color commentary he provided really helped us understand what was happening.
Hugh worked extremely hard on this transaction — selecting the best stagers, recommending only the minor repairs that were needed, bringing in a photographer on several days /​different times to capture all of the views and creating a set of quality marketing pieces. Not only did he do these things, he was selling to brokers, agents and prospective buyers all the while — and attended every open house to really understand who buyers were and who were not. If we had to do it all again, we wouldn’t have changed a thing. We also appreciate Hugh’s attention to detail and all of the extra work he did to coordinate services like carpet cleaning, inspections, waste and paint removal.
Hugh was a consummate professional throughout the process always demonstrating a high degree of integrity. We know Hugh put his heart and soul into selling our house and we can’t tell you how much that meant to us.

We worked with Hugh to both sell and buy a home in San Francisco and could not recommend him more highly for anyone looking for a strong agent to help them navigate San Francisco real estate.
Our sale had the potential to be complex but Hugh made it clean and simple. The property was «unique.» Hugh helped us proactively aggregate and present information to reduce confusion and back and forth with potential buyers. He was thoughtful about the recommendations he made re: staging, inspections and improvements to insure the property presented well and addressed any potential concerns. It ultimately sold off market with multiple offers well above asking.
On the buy side, he was amazing. We had some very specific requirements for a property in San Francisco. He listened to our needs and our feedback, iterated recommendations, and referenced property attributes in comparison to stuff we’d already seen, which was so helpful to keep in context.
Hugh is a member of Top Agent Network and has good relationship with other agents. As a result, he was able to get the word out early on our listing as well as get us access to properties before they even hit the market. It is this proactive approach that helped us ultimately get our home. Hugh saw it on a preview over a weekend when we were out of town, sent us a write up with photos he shot (property was not yet listed) and recommended we see it. We saw it Wednesday and were in contract by Saturday in advance of the first open on Sunday.
He makes you feel like you are the only client he is working with. He has an incredible attention to detail and memory for conversations and feedback you have given him. He is very accessible and responsive. Most importantly, he’s someone we enjoyed spending time with.

Hugh helped us buy our house back in 2000. His patience and expert advise kept us going through 6 months of open houses and multiple offers on houses all over the city. In the end, Hugh uncovered a property that had been overlooked by other buyers. After 6 months of searching he knew exactly what we were looking for and he nailed it with this house. We ended up with a house that was, and still is, perfect for us at a price we could manage. That would not have happened without Hugh.
We have been referring friends and family to Hugh ever since and everyone we have referred has had the same experience. Hugh is patient, knowledgeable, and professional. He is the perfect partner.

We were originally referred to Hugh by friends; through which he came highly recommended. He has subsequently represented us twice; once as the buyers and then again, nearly 9 years later, as seller of the same property in Noe Valley. Hugh has always lived up to the well deserved recommendation by which we found him. More than that, he has surpassed it.
When we first met Hugh in 2005, in search of a condo in Noe, he was honest in his opinions about our expectations and budget. He worked hard to show us properties that met our requirements without pressuring us to increase our budget in a very hot market. We found our dream condo and Hugh expertly walked us through the offer package, considering every detail. He then presented our offer, walking the sellers agent through all the reasons we were the best buyers and they should choose us; and they did!
Hugh managed all aspects of the escrow process, not letting anything slip through the cracks. We were so impressed and pleased with Hugh, we knew without a doubt we would be calling him when it was time to sell.
Fast forward almost 9 years and Hugh was there for us again. In fact, sooner than 9 years, as we were in touch for nearly a year in deciding the perfect time to put our condo on the market. The team of people Hugh has assembled over the years to work with in all aspects of getting a property ready for the market are as great as he is. Hugh takes no detail lightly, he considers everything. And seems to remember everything. Hugh remembered details of our buying transaction (some complicated easement issues) even 9 years later!
Hugh worked tirelessly through the entire process of selling our condo. He added many more open houses when he could not accommodate all the viewing requests in this crazy market. We received multiple offers on the condo and Hugh took time to carefully review each one with us, weighing all the pros and cons, giving his expert opinion but never pressuring us one way or another. When you are on the selling side of the deal, you see the sloppy offers agents send in on behalf of their clients. Trust me, you want someone like Hugh who will represent you all the way and really have your back. We received personal letters from people desperately wanting to buy our condo, but their official offer paperwork prepared by their agent was incomplete or had discrepancies that their agents just shrugged off or couldn’t explain when asked. Who represents you is SO important. After 10 days on the market and an escrow that closed three days early; Hugh secured us an amazing price for our condo. It wasn’t the highest priced condo sold in Noe Valley that month, but it was the highest price paid per square foot! The hot market obviously contributed to the high price, but we wouldn’t have been nearly as successful without Hugh.
A real estate transaction involves so many people, each with paperwork they need to contribute, reports and inspections to be made, approvals they need to seek; it requires someone to lead the process and make sure all the benchmarks and deadlines are being met. You also need someone to represent you who is a serious negotiator; who can sell your position and fight your corner for you. Hugh is all of these things.
Hugh is truly an expert with years of experience and neighborhood knowledge. He has an incredible attention for detail and is highly organized. I don’t think I’ve ever had to chase him to ask him to do something; he is literally on top of everything and always one step ahead. When you work with Hugh, you are on his team and he cares about doing a good job and delivering the best outcome possible. Above all Hugh is the epitome of integrity. He is genuinely trustworthy; which at the end of the day, might the the most important part of finding someone to represent you in buying or selling your home. We recommend him to our family, friends, and you without hesitation.
Re-​reading this, it sounds like I’m leaving out anything negative, so here’s something: I’m just sorry I don’t have more houses to buy and sell in San Francisco because Hugh is so fantastic to work with. Call him, you won’t regret it.

Hugh came highly recommended by a friend. We were very happy working with him. Hugh was very patient and gave us a ton of info even before we decided to work with him. He guided us through the process and we never felt pressured. Buying a house is a very stressful, especially here in SF but Hugh quickly gained our trust and we relied on him to guide us through the process.
We were interested in a house that needed a lot of work. He walked us through it and pointed out a lot of the issues that the inspector would and explained that the house had construction done without permits. We knew nothing about the permits and what that meant to someone buying the property. Eventually we came to the conclusion that it wasn’t the right house for us. We never would have seen all this if Hugh hadn’t taken the time to explain all of the things to be aware of. In the end, the house sold above our budget AND needed a ton of work.
Hugh’s knowledge of the market and relationships with other realtors came in super handy. This was an asset we hadn’t considered when looking for a realtor and we learned there’s definitely a benefit of going with someone who has so many years of experience in SF.
Our search was fairly short and very efficient. We ended up feeling like we got a good value for our money even in this crazy market. We would highly recommend Hugh.

It’s hard to think about truly eclipsing some of Hugh’s other reviews, but we can add at least one more 5 star recommendation to the mix. I’d like to give him 10 stars at least, if I could!
Hugh is a gem. It doesn’t get any better — either in SF or (I would say) anywhere in the world.
I first met Hugh about 8 years ago when I purchased a home in Noe Valley, SF. He was kind, thoughtful, thorough and simply excellent in every way. As many others have said, I never felt pressured or uncomfortable. Hugh has an uncanny way of enabling a person to enjoy the process — something I almost didn’t think was possible in SF, but even today, I reflect on that experience with fond and even joyful memories.
Since then, we’ve kept in touch often with Hugh. He has consistently provided spot-​on guidance and insights. We’ve also referred Hugh to numerous friends and colleagues, who have been equally happy with the results. And of course we will absolutely return to work with Hugh again in the future.
I’m glad to consider Hugh not only an excellent agent and real estate expert, but also a friend. Perhaps that is the best recommendation of all. :)

I have participated in the San Francisco real estate game twice in my life, and both times Hugh was the realtor who made the whole experience worth my while. Hugh helped us find a home 15 years ago, and at that time his patience and calm shepherding was just what we needed. Our budget was limited, and we were picky, and in one month we looked at more than 80 houses before finding the one that felt perfect for us, a house that Hugh located and brought us to one rainy evening back in 1998. In spite of having just a couple years experience in the field then, Hugh was adept at writing a shrewd but fair offer that was accepted by the sellers. And the house was indeed perfect. Over the years, we referred a number of friends to work with Hugh, and every time, our friends had great experiences working with him.
Then last month, Hugh was our agent again as we sold the same house. And as a selling agent, with all those additional years of experience, Hugh was incredible to work with. He guided us through the process every step of the way. He clearly developed a plan for achieving the best price, and we followed his guidance all the way. Hugh knew just the right tips for staging the house and trusted that I would be capable of doing it myself. He facilitated fantastic photos for an impressive marketing brochure and website, and I was proud to share those with friends and relatives. You could always tell that he cared about our home as a place and for what it meant to us as owners, too.
When I or my partner had doubts about something Hugh recommended, we were always comfortable talking to him about them, and his ability to explain how each piece was part of the overall plan convinced us to follow his guidance. At one point we were worried that we were underpricing our home, but Hugh helped us understand the strategy. And when we were presented with above asking preemptive offers within days of going on the market, Hugh explained why we probably did not want to accept them, as tempting as they might have been. In each case, Hugh was right, and we got a much better price by waiting for offers on the agreed upon date. All the way to the close of escrow, Hugh’s knowledge and contacts within the SF real estate world helped us understand and know what to expect. I literally never worried about a thing once I checked in with Hugh. He has a brilliant capacity to state a range of possibilities and spot-​on most likely scenarios. I do not hesitate to recommend Hugh as I have done so many times in the past.

wow! 19 reviews — all 5 stars. I guess that says it all.
17 years ago Hugh helped me and my partner buy a house in the Excelsior which we sold last month, October 2014. Hugh was our selling agent. We have maintained a relationship with him over these years and completed the circle with this house. It was sold in 9 days, at an amazingly excellent price. Although selling and buying are stressful it’s so helpful to have someone like Hugh guide you through the complex maze of real estate. Everything went smoothly with the sale.
And Hugh knows almost everything. Ask him a question and if he doesn’t know, he’ll find an answer quickly. And his answers are complete, representing multiple aspects or angles of the question. When I was looking to buy a place in Oakland, I found someone with many of the same work characteristics as Hugh. If I could have used Hugh in Oakland, I would have.
Look no further, he’s your agent!

When I was looking for a home several years ago, I used real estate agents in a few different markets. My man in San Francisco was Hugh and I must say, I spent a lot of time with him during those months! His patience, knowledge, friendliness and sense of aesthetic impressed me to no end and were the qualities that made me continue on with him for viewing after viewing after viewing… His insight into architecture, art, the neighborhoods of San Francisco and his pure, unvarnished integrity and honesty are not the easiest things to find in this day of device distraction, superficiality and selfishness.
I should also mention that this was my first home purchase and at no time did I feel pressured or belittled in any way. My lack of skill and/​or knowledge of the industry must have been evident but was never highlighted or used against me at all by Hugh. I was always treated with respect and patience which made me comfortable to be myself throughout the process.
Hugh is an asset to the industry. You would do well to work with him.

Hugh is first class in every way. I could not recommend him more highly. Competent, thorough, responsive, always available, and insanely detail-​oriented, just the way I like in a broker :) He guided me through the search and closing process masterfully. Get him if you can.

A friend recommended Hugh and he was a fantastic agent for us, especially considering the SF housing market. From the start he was very professional, cared about our interests, and was willing to adjust to our hectic schedule. Aside from being extremely detail oriented, Hugh took the time go through what was structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing (tailored to our tastes of course) in each of the places we viewed. In email exchanges and other forms of communication, Hugh responded very quickly to our concerns and was very thorough in his replies. Most importantly, Hugh was very calm through our entire experience (searching for properties, making bids, prepping our property for the market, selling our property/​closing). Finally, he understood our limits and didn’t force us to make a decision that we could have regretted in the future, as many other agents can be very pushy and unreasonable when it comes to bidding and such.
Hugh has worked in the SF housing market for 20+ years and knows his real estate/​the SF housing market. We whole-​heartedly recommend Hugh for any housing transaction. He is a tremendous agent and you will not be disappointed after working with him!

Hugh made my first home-​buying experience a breeze! I was very nervous about the whole process, considering how expensive the SF market is. My modest budget priced me out of most of the homes in the neighborhoods I was initially interested in. But with Hugh’s vast knowledge of the SF real estate market, he was able to guide me to areas I had not previously thought about, namely Bayview where I ultimately decided to buy. It’s been a great decision, as my property value has increased 20% in less than two years, and I’m loving the condo and neighborhood.
I cannot recommend Hugh enough. Contrary to the stereotypical view of a real estate agent that many fear, Hugh is kind, thoughtful, attentive, extremely knowledgable, and does not pressure you at all. Given his backgournd in counseling, he knows how to listen well, to ask the right questions, and also to bring you gently down to earth when your expectations or ambitions become too unrealistic. Most importantly, he is always on your side, and you know you’re going to get straight answers and advice from him.
Be smart and pick Hugh to represent you!

It takes about 60 seconds from talking to Hugh to know that he knows his stuff. It was my first home purchase, so I definitely had some fear of being in over my head. Hugh definitely made me feel like I had a powerful ally on my team during this complicated process. It really felt like he was my advocate at every stage of the process.
Hugh never pressured me even one tiny bit. He took the time to answer my questions, coached me and was patient with me when I got close to bidding but didn’t do it, and disappeared for 9 months, and then picked up right where we left off when I reached out to him.
Hugh is the kind of guy who only has to be told stuff once, and sometimes not at all — he remembered every preference and ever smile or frown I had as we went through the various units.
There is no BS with Hugh. He tells you like it is. He doesn’t decide things for you that you really ought to decide for yourself, but he advises you in such a way that at all stages you feel like you are doing the right thing and making the best move. He’s not shy about dissuading you from ill-​advised decisions, but he has tremendous respect for his clients and it shows in all of his actions. Hugh will let you make your own decisions if you like and is happy to recommend anything from inspectors to mortgage brokers to general strategy if you want it.
I bought my Inner Sunset condo during the downturn in 2011. Hugh knew the market and knew that asking for some money off to fix some things that turned up after the offer was in wouldn’t sour the deal — saved me some major money. I have no doubt that Hugh’s expertise in this hot market would be just as valuable to a buyer now as it was to me back then. Three years later and I am living in the neighborhood that I never thought I would find a home in. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Hugh (and have done so) and will definitely go back to him if/​when it’s time to sell!

We met Hugh through a good friend, and over the years, he’s helped several people in our circle of friends buy and sell their homes. Hugh helped us buy our first home back in 2000 and again with a search for a larger home in 2012. Both times, Hugh brought his extensive knowledge and understanding of the SF market, along with his patient, low-​key style.
Both my husband and I are easily turned off by high-​pressure «sales-​y» types, and Hugh is exactly the opposite. He really tried to understand what we were looking for, while at the same time, gently expanded our viewpoint to consider areas and homes we might have otherwise overlooked. He patiently answered a million questions about the process and about specific homes we were considering.
Hugh is also very well-​connected in the SF real estate business and has great relationships with and insight into the styles of other local realtors: a real asset when negotiating in a hot market.
More than anything, we felt that Hugh always had our best interests at heart. We were in contract on a home when inspections uncovered some structural problems. Rather than pressure us to move forward, Hugh logically walked us through the pros and cons of our available options and helped us come to a decision we’ve never regretted.

Hugh has helped us with three transactions over the years and we are deeply grateful to him for his expert guidance and assistance. He is conscientious and honest and these are traits that are sometimes difficult to find in real estate agents.
First, he helped with the purchase of a condo in a building where there was litigation, but we recognized that the issues were manageable and that there was good upside potential and over time this indeed proved to be the case — we got in at a good price, the litigation resolved and the value of our condo shot up. Hugh helped us sell that unit some years later and then represented us in the purchase of the single family home where we still live today.
Over the years whenever I’ve needed to turn to Hugh for advice about comps, contractors, and other potential investments, he has been super responsive and just a pleasure to deal with every time. He has never pressured us to do anything that didn’t feel right and always took the time to go over what would work best for us without an agenda for what we ought to do. I really have a lot of respect and admiration for Hugh as an individual.
I don’t want to go on and on like a broken record … you could do a lot worse than Hugh and I would be very surprised if you could find anyone better!

Hugh helped me find and buy my lovely SF apartment. I recommend him to everyone. And I don’t give gushing compliments like this to just anyone.
Here’s why: He’s very honest. Hugh knows integrity is key. He communicates clearly: no babble or BS. He’s intelligent and can get things done, but he doesn’t assume you have prior knowledge of the home-​buying process. He’s calm and patient. He’s been working in SF for a long time, so he knows most of the other agents (ie, who to trust) and they know him (ie, they trust him). He sent info on a lot of good places to me and when I found the one I wanted, he was dedicated to helping mine be the winning bid. And he remained a dedicated and helpful ally throughout the mortgage and inspection processes until closing.

Hugh is a fantastic realtor. I was a nervous (actually, «terrified» is probably a more appropriate description of my state) first-​time homebuyer, and Hugh was just great at patiently explaining and guiding me thorough the process. With Hugh as my realtor, I managed to find and buy my dream home in San Francisco. I heard from my new neighbors that Hugh’s presentation to the seller made a huge impression on her, and I am sure this was instrumental in her selecting my offer among the others, in a multi-​offer situation in a hot market. I recommend Hugh most highly.

I have worked with Hugh on two purchases and one sale of homes in SF, and I would not *think* of working with anyone else. He knows the San Francisco real estate market like no one else. Even more important, he is meticulously thorough in his research and management of all of the details, and incredibly calm, reassuring, and pleasant to work with. I think of Hugh as much more than a real estate agent. .. a true counselor, even therapist when needed :-)
And I say this as a lawyer of almost 20 years. During the last days before the purchase of my most recent home, a few issues came up concerning the permits that had been obtained before a prior renovation. After studying the question for a few days, I told Hugh that i was comfortable moving forward. Hugh said no – he went to the permit office the next day on his own, and tracked down the issues completely. (I bought the house.)
On both purchases, Hugh spent countless hours reviewing potential houses with me on the phone and in person. He was always available to meet me for a walk through, sometimes 2 or 3!
On the house sale, Hugh gave close guidance on what type of staging we should employ, and when to put the house on the market. After a short set of showings, we received multiple bids above asking price.
In the meantime, I always consult with Hugh before doing any major work on the house. He gives superb guidance as to what types of home improvement may improve the resale value, versus those improvements that are for «me» but not necessarily the next buyer.
I have recommended Hugh to at least 5 close friends and colleagues that I can think of, and every one of them have been delighted by working with Hugh.
I cannot recommend Hugh more highly.

The decision to sell (or buy) a home is significantly hard to navigate in normal times in normal markets. Doing so in the summer of 2013 in San Francisco was not a task we were looking forward to. With 2 small children, staging, showing and negotiating price and close dates appeared to us as an uphill task. Enter the Zen Master of real estate — Hugh Groocock.
We were introduced to Hugh by our neighbor who sold his home a year before us and Hugh’s thoughtful, deliberate approach and his hermit like calm immediately impressed us. So much in fact that when we were ready to sell our home almost 7 months later, Hugh was our first call.
Hugh’s patient demeanor, professionalism and knowledge of San Francisco real estate are unmatched. Throughout the sales process, Hugh’s insights and advise on issues ranging from touch ups and maintenance to staging (he saved us thousands of professional staging fees by advising us on how to use some of our own furniture to stage our home — and it looked fabulous) to setting the appropriate list price were invaluable. Hugh thoughtfully walked us through new regulatory requirements and reporting schedules never appearing impatient or rushed even given some several late evening and last minute queries. His marketing brochure and property specific website spectacularly highlighted not only our home but also the neighborhood — so much so that we discovered things about our neighborhood that we did not know ourselves even after living there for 9 years.
We sold our home after 4 showings for a price that far exceeded what we were expecting with the incremental benefit of a month’s free stay beyond the close date giving us flexibility to move out. We recommend Hugh highly! If only we could use to help us buy our new home in the East Bay.