Nicholas Tarantola – Zephyr Real Estate

Nick and Karen are a GREAT team to work with! Because of them, we are no longer property virgins. =)
We were looking to purchase a house in 2013 and used another agent that my sister used. We were outbidded several times and we were very disappointed. That agent would wait until the last minute to put in offers (if due on ¹⁄₁ at 1100 am, he’d wait until 1000 am) and I was always stressed everytime! We stopped looking for a little over a year.
When we were ready to get our feet wet again in late 2014, we decided to contact Nick. Nick has a very outgoing but non pressure attitude. He listened to what we wanted and knew exactly what to say and when to say. During the entire process, we felt cared for. They gave references for different companies to use for inspections of fireplace, sewage line, etc. They also showed up on time for those inspections, and also provided advices. I did not feel like they were in it just for the commission like I did with the other agent.
And Bob, the great loan guy that they often use, was awesome to work with as well. They all knew we had a vacation planned and made sure that that everything was done prior to our vacation. We became homeowners in less than 4 weeks of seeing our house. How awesome is that?
Because they made the house buying process so easy and smooth, I look forward to buying another house with them soon. Well, not that soon since I have to recover from this purchase first. ;)
Highly recommended!

I was sauntering from open house to open house when I met Nick. At the time, my mind entertained this abstract ideal of finding myself a home, but I was also a novice, commitment-​phobic first-​time buyer. Uncertainties ran rampant: Was this really the right time to buy? How does one get started? Are short sales a good deal, or not worth the hassle? How many places should I see before I decide? Which neighborhood suits me? Can I trust a real estate agent? Will I know when I find the right place?
Diligently, Nick managed to untether all those stressful knots and chains I had initially created in my head, diffuse new ones when they arose, as well as anticipate and address other potential concerns before I even knew to have them. Renting in Manhattan and visiting open houses on my own in San Francisco, I had encountered many real estate agents and brokers who, with their patronizing, pushy attitudes, bait-​and-​switch practices, and shifty communication styles, had left my beyond weary. But Nick was the opposite; he acted like a real person, not an unfeeling salesperson. He always listened and would recall small details that I had mentioned in passing, which made me feel like he wasn’t just there for the commission, but that he truly cared.
Meanwhile, he competently and comprehensively showed me the ways of the San Francisco real estate market. In less than two weeks, I transformed from a jumbled heap of confusion to an educated buyer capable of deciphering disclosures, comps, contracts, contingencies, and more. Nick tirelessly and eloquently answered my hundreds of emails and responded to my every call. He coordinated with all parties, keeping things simple, linear, and calendared for me, even when it seemed like a hundred things were happening in parallel. Despite his fervent work ethic, Nick is also extraordinarily passionate about his city, which made touring properties a delight. His effusive knowledge of local people and places, both past and present, would send the average tour guide running for the suburbs.
I recommend Nick wholeheartedly.