Testimonials

Recently I had the good fortune to work with Berenice DeLasalle, an agent in the Coldwell Banker Real estate office in Mammoth Lakes, Ca. I listed the home in Mammoth I was selling with her after interviewing several other agents who too had the reputation for high end sales; Berenice presented herself with knowledgeable professionalism at our first meeting which she continued to present throughout the listing and transaction process. In a challenging market, where buyers were particularly demanding and difficult, she was more than able to navigate the twists and unexpected turns manifested by the buyers and their agents.

I have bought and sold dozens of properties over the years and accordingly have come across many realty agents, most of whom quite frankly, are not skilled in business protocols and techniques of negotiation. Berenice is the exception. She applied vigorous energy from the outset applying innovative marketing efforts, and when an interested buyer appeared, she skillfully managed to bring the buyer into escrow and was able to keep them there, ultimately closing after several precarious developments threatened the closing.

There are three stages a good agent must perform for success; Marketing, negotiation and closing. All three are key, but without closing, deals do not get done. Berenice is a strong closer.

Eric Fishburn
Seller
109 North Star Circle, Mammoth Lakes

I met Berenice by chance in February 2007 at an open house she was running in The Bluffs. My mom, sister and I were casually driving around after a day on the mountain. They had never been to Mammoth before, so I was showing them my favorite neighborhoods. There were Open House signs and flags outside Phil Cardan’s house, (which we had almost rented for the week until our group ballooned to 17) so we thought hey, let’s check it out! It was already after 5pm, Berenice was closing-up, we could not have looked that serious in our ski & snowboard stuff, and frankly, we weren’t. But she still let us in. 

After we toured the Chalet, I casually mentioned I was more interested in a lot in The Bluffs to build on someday, vs. a house. That comment could have been easily overlooked or dismissed, but Berenice must’ve put that in her files because a year & a half later, she followed up and forwarded what turned out to be a listing for the exact kind of situation I had in mind, at the right price. Anybody who’s had real estate agents bombard them with all kinds of property under the sun can appreciate that kind of focus and efficiency, believe me!

As a buyer, I respect Berenice’s intuitive grasp of the Mammoth Lakes market in what is arguably a strange time for real estate nationwide. The offer phase went smoothly, largely because she recommended the right price point, and Berenice worked long hours to get the paperwork done and get the property into escrow so I could get my ass up there from LA to walk the lot without worrying about competitive offers. Throughout the escrow process she was constantly available via phone and e-mail to answer or forward any questions, and she kept impeccable tabs on what was supposed to happen when. But more than anything, what I am really thankful for was her energy, enthusiasm and sense of humor during what is typically a scary, scary process, from a buyer’s perspective.

If you are not already sold on this agent, as a buyer OR seller, consider this: 

• She is an Oklahoma Territorial Marshal and has the badge to prove it.

• She won’t think twice about bushwacking through scrub in heels to show you what amazing hiking trails abound beyond your future backdoor – or the backdoor you are hoping to unload.

Kate Flather, Buyer, Lot in The Bluffs

We just sold our home in Mammoth in June 2008. It had been on the market for two years with two different brokers before we switched realtors again. How did we do it in a tepid market with buyers either apathetic or bent on lowballing? We did it by having Berenice delaSalle!

Any real estate agent can take a listing, sit on her haunches, and hope a buyer shows up via the internet. That’s what most realtors in Mammoth do. There is the same boring ad, week after week, in the Mammoth Times. It’s no fun watching a parade of looky-lu’s as the listing gets older and older.

But Berenice doesn’t work that way. She developed an elegant e-Brochure that she emailed to various brokers in and out of state. She held meetings in Malibu to gin up interest. She had countless open houses to get traffic through the house, even when the famous Mammoth wind blew her signs down. You may say that open houses don’t work, especially in the high-end. Well, they do. They are particularly important in Mammoth when there is plenty of down time after skiing, and the competition is still back in their realty office. Berenice was familiar with every aspect of the house, from the ground up, along with its building history, and was able to intelligently answer questions from prospective buyers.

When we opened escrow, that’s when she really kicked into gear. She was always on top of things, keeping tabs on deadlines, escrow, inspections, the buyers’ responsibilities, our responsibilities, every aspect. When the negotiations got bloody, she defended us.

There are a million realtors in Mammoth. In my opinion, Berenice is the best.

Phil Cardan,M.D. Seller, Chalet in the Bluffs

"Anyone who owns multimillion dollar property in Mammoth and is not using Bérénice as their real estate agent is quite simply crazy. She's the best."

Adriene Cardan

Owner of Property at the Bluffs

"Bérénice is truly the agent a professional broker would hire to sell his own property. Unlike those agents whose selling stops when the "listing" is signed, Bérénice works every angle, with sophistication, intelligence, unparalleled business expertise, and a commitment to succeed. My guardian angels were certainly looking out for me when they sent Bérénice!"

Robert Vicino

Del Mar, CA

“We would recommend Berenice to anyone without a moment’s hesitation. She is everything you could expect and much more. She is honest, compassionate and extremely patient! Berenice took care of every detail & went out of her way to make sure all of our questions & concerns were met. Not only is she a "one of a kind" realtor but a truly genuine person. We love our 2nd home in Mammoth & Berenice !”

Gary and Kathy Becker

Agoura, CA