Brian & Teru Jones | 2024

Rachel, Charlotte, and Ron are easily the best real estate team my wife and I have encountered. Always available to answer questions, always able to work out a time to view properties, always prompt and responsive with getting you reports, info, and networking on your behalf. We had a bit of an uphill battle trying to get into the market and they stuck with us the whole time with the same level of service. When we finally did find "The One," they were exactly who we needed advocating for us, interfacing with the seller on our behalf, and negotiating for us. Whether your working with Rachel, Charlotte, or Ron, they really pay attention to what your looking for, get to know you and your needs, and will take the search on themselves to make sure your not missing any opportunities. They work as a seamless team so one can pick up for the other without missing a beat so you never lose momentum in the search. And like any long-standing and well-invested professionals in their field, they also have connections with some of the best loan offices, contractors, etc that all work just as hard as they do. Its like having a short list of Diamond-certified's on speed-dial.
We absolutely *would not* have been able to purchase the house we did without their efforts on our behalf. Who knows how much longer we'd have been looking, or what it would have cost us in the end had we not been working with the Birnbaums.

Donna & Greg M | 2024

Birnbaum realty is an extraordinarily effective and professional real estate office. Rachel Birnbaum is truly the most knowledgeable realtor we have ever encountered . She really “knows her stuff”. 

Charlotte Birnbaum was also incredibly helpful, especially with the complicated documentation that accompanies the sale of a home. Both of them communicated clearly and oh-so-patiently on an ongoing basis regarding paperwork, inspection/repair schedules and the open house process. They were diligent and savvy about marketing our listing and by the time our home went on MLS there was a stupendous response. Our home was under contract within a matter of days. HIGHLY RECOMMEND Birnbaum Realty. We simply cannot say enough good things about these hardworking experts. Much much appreciated.

Donna and Greg McCulloch

Kate D. | 2023

Rachel and her team are AMAZING. Both Rachel and Ron took the time to meet with us in person multiple times and also continue to follow through after closing to help us get physically settled in our home. The support, knowledge and enthusiasm that this business, especially Rachel, brings to the buying/selling/moving experience is phenomenal. We were guided, even from a long way away, through every step with patience and insight. We feel like we hit the lottery by finding Rachel and are so appreciative of her efforts. Choose Birnbaum Realty - working with Rachel and Ron have made us even more excited to move!

Cindy D. | 2022

I wanted to take a minute to thank you and everyone at Birnbaum Realty for the exceptional work done on my behalf in order to sell my father's house after his passing.

Rachel handled everything; minor construction and cosmetic work on the interior, inspections, landscaping, having some of the windows replaced due to broken seals, etc. All done at very reasonable prices and done well, which enabled us to get a good price for the house in spite of the fact that the house still had the original 1981 carpet, tile and cabinetry. It was so nice to work with someone so trustworthy. Great work ethic and integrity in every way.

This was a very difficult time for our family and the help that Birnbaum Realty provided was invaluable. I highly recommend Birnbaum Realty and will use them for all of my future real estate needs.

Cindi

Dan C. | 2022

When it came time to sell our Mom's home in Benicia, the housing market had begun to change due to rapidly rising interest rates. It was no longer so favorable to the seller, and time was of the essence. Under these rapidly changing conditions, we could not be more pleased with the work Rachel and the Birnbaum Realty team did for us.

From the first consultation we did with Rachel and Ronno to the closing sale of the home, everything was handled with consummate professionalism. Ronno's recommendations for general contracting work needed to prepare the home for sale were on point, swiftly completed, and the work done was of the highest quality.

Rachel put us in contact with an excellent staging consultant, Kim, who put together a modern beach-living interior design for the home which showed its many possibilities to great effect. The photography of the home was outstanding, and included drone photos of the house as well as of downtown Benicia, highlighting the many amenities it has to offer. We felt that the reach of Birnbaum Realty's advertising of the home was top-notch.

The open houses were well attended, and we felt that they would continue as long as it took to sell the home. We were fortunate to field several offers after only two weeks on the market, and when it came time to negotiate with buyers, we were highly impressed with Rachel's knowledge, experience, impartiality, attention to detail, and clear intention to make a deal that made sense for everyone. It is a testament to Rachel and Birnbaum Realty that we were able to close for more than asking price in such a turbulent market. We highly recommend Birnbaum Realty for anyone selling, particularly in Benicia.  

James & Nancy | 2022

With depth of gratitude, we want to thank you both for all the help and assistance you provided us during the preparation and sale of our beloved home, It was, at times, an astonishingly difficult process. But the two of you, working in eloquent unison, offered us guidance and support that made it much easier than it would’ve been without you. We are eternally grateful.

We think of your assistance like the two outriggers stabilizing a sea-bound canoe, keeping us steady and on-track through the sometimes rough and unanticipated swells. And in the end, landing us safe and dry.

We also would like to thank the super staff of Charlotte, Kelly and of course the “cast of contractors” that made all the house improvements possible.

What is often remembered most are the personal connections that were made, it was wonderful knowing you both. Hope to see you sometimes on one of our many excursions to Benicia.

Eric F. | 2020

Rachel was absolutely amazing as we searched for a home in Benicia. She was warm, friendly, knowledgeable, and most importantly to us, no pressure as we navigated house tours during COVID-19. We ended up with a home that is perfect for us in a new city we never knew we'd love so much! Can't recommend her and her team enough!

Richard C. | 2020

We had found a house we wanted to buy and needed to move quickly on the sale of our existing home, we also needed top dollar on our home to make it work. We had been watching all the realtors in town for a long time (30 years) and knew many of them through several transactions over the years. Rachael was clearly the only choice. There is so much that is important in choosing a realtor that you can't even think of it that Rachel does.

Because of her fantastic photography and marketing, we had a great offer while it was still "coming soon". WOW! No stress and worth every penny of the commission. I don't easily recommend anyone but for myself and my wife Laura I can tell you that you can't make a better decision than Rachel Birnbaum!

Madeline I. | 2020

Rachel Birnbaum is wonderfully warm and energetic. My home sold quickly because the listing was presented in a most polished professional way. She handled the sales transaction competently and smoothly. If I ever move back to Benicia, I will happily call on her for her expertise.

Kelly B. | 2019

We have used Rachel and her team for the sale of 1 home and the purchasing of 2 homes. As repeat customers, we couldn't recommend Birnbaum Realty more! Rachel is a fantastic realtor and is well connected in Benicia. Her husband, Ron, is a contractor and they are a dynamic duo. Ron had some great recommendations and did some work for us before we put our house on the market. Rachel's team is knowledgable, personable, and responsive. They take great care of their clients and were a pleasure to work with!

Nikki O. | 2019

I read everyone else's 5-star reviews and we'll agree to all the accolades for Rachel and her team. We've bought and sold a lot of homes and have been fortunate in our choices of professionals to help us along the way. Rachel's knowledge of the real estate market, her connections, her willingness to listen and respond, and her ability to make the process as easy as possible for her clients, all come together to create a successful outcome for everyone involved. We sold our Benicia home in a day and if that doesn't say Birnbaum Realty knows what they're doing, nothing does.

John T. | 2019

After reading her great reviews, I decided to work with Rachel to find a home in Benicia, and I was not disappointed. Not only was she extremely knowledgeable and well-connected in Benicia, she diligently worked on developing an understanding of my interests and what I was looking for, even when I wasn't entirely sure myself. She answered all of my many calls, texts, and emails in rapid fashion including after hours and on weekends. When a great house suddenly came on the market, she had the connections (knowing the realtor) to have me there first, and I was able to obtain it despite multiple other offers. Rachel was very understanding and caring, and she made the process a fun experience while smoothly handling all of the paperwork. Rachel is a true gem and someone I was lucky to have guiding my search for a new home. Thanks Rachel!

Sam S. | 2018

Through the whole process of buying a house, Rachel was prepared for everything.  It wasn't just that she had a reference/recommendation for every type of inspection we needed but knew how to carefully analyze our situation and helped us work out what was best for us.  Rachel always made time for us and was great about the progression of each part of moving the process along from getting move in dates to scheduling opening doors for inspectors to getting the physical keys in our hand.

One of the best perks of working with Rachel was having her husband Ron help us through the process as well.  Ron is a contractor and came along with Rachel when we did our general inspection and I didn't know he was a part of the deal but this is a great part of the package of going with Rachel.  So when we got our general inspection we got a loooooong list of things that our inspector found wrong with the house and Ron was there to provide context and cost to each of the itemized issues to further help us in prioritizing issues that would make it so we either would or would not purchase the home.  

Another thing I would like to mention is my wife and I are worriers!  And as first-time home buyers Rachel was great at getting us to take deep breaths throughout the process and focus on the important stuff.  I could go on about Rachel all day but I am pretty sure this review, her 5-star rating, and other reviews speak for themselves.  This woman is experienced and prepared and there to WORK FOR YOU!  WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!!

Courtney W. | 2018

“Rachel is a one of a kind person, agent, and, now, friend.  Long story short, you should absolutely call Rachel for your local real estate needs. Longer story: My husband and I are newlyweds who were looking to purchase our first home a few months ago. We had talked to a few agents and none of them seemed to fit our style. We were looking for someone who would have a serious interest in finding us a little starter home that fit within our small budget. We also wanted an agent that we knew would have our best interest in mind and look out for us through the scary first time buying process. Rachel was (and is) all of that and more. After looking at innumerable houses (due to our fairly specific requirements), we finally found the one we wanted. Unfortunately, the seller agent was the most unresponsive and difficult guy to work with ever and we despaired of ever getting this home. Rachel never, never stopped fighting for us to first win the house, then to get through the negotiation process. She was %150 committed to making this home ours. Her endless patience with our questions, worries, and frustrations was amazing. End result: we got our house keys yesterday!!!  

Bonus: Rachel's husband, Ronno, is a general contractor and when we ran into some appraisal conditions that needed to be met and weren't being completed by the seller agent, he jumped in and made the fixes in one morning so we could move forward with our purchase. They are seriously some of the nicest, most caring people we have ever met.
As new homeowners (thanks to Rachel), we are recommending her to everybody we know. We are so, so thankful we met Rachel and her husband and we look forward to calling them friends for a long time to come.”

Rey & Nanz | 2017

“Thinking of selling or buying a house, Rachel of Birnbaum Realty is second to none! Rachel  sold our house in one week!  Sold our house at 100k over comps!  She's very knowledgeable, detail oriented and always has clients best interest!  I would recommend Rachel to anyone without hesitation!”

Carol S. | 2017

“Rachel has handled several real estate transactions for our family over several years.  She is always very professional and considerate of our needs.  I can whole heartedly recommend her as a Realtor and an all around good person.  She is the best!"

Akiyama & Travis Z. | 2017

“Rachel is amazing! I contacted her about being our Realtor and she got back to me the same day and set up and appointment to go see a home I had been eyeing online. She didn't waste a second and if it weren't for her promptness, I do not believe I would be living in my current home. My boyfriend and I are a young couple and this was our first time buying a home. Everyone warned us what a headache the entire process is, however with Rachel it was a breeze. We went into the process knowing little to nothing about the small details of home buying and Rachel managed to speak to us in a way that made us feel so comfortable and confident; she never once made it feel as if we should know more than we did. Rachel was always a text away, she always answered any question incredibly fast and she was always more than willing to help us with anything we needed. We even needed to set up internet installation and she went out of her way to contact the owner of the home to make it possible for us to have internet the first day we moved in, which was very important to us.
On top of how professional and truly intelligent Rachel is in the real estate business, she is also unbelievably personable and truly a kind person. She is the kind of person that can talk to anybody and make them feel like they have known her for years, and I really believe this is so important to have when you are doing something important as buying a home. Rachel never once attempted to pressure us into anything or benefit herself in any way, it is so easy to tell that she is a Realtor because she WANTS to help people.
So, if you want a Realtor that you can trust, who is always on top of things, who is a good person and will have your best interest at heart, I strongly recommend you call Rachel, you will NOT be disappointed!
Also, my boyfriend and I are from Benicia and know the surrounding area very well, however if you are not from the area I know Rachel knows everything about Benicia and the surrounding areas, so she is an excellent choice for someone who is looking to move here with less knowledge about the area!”

Mark D. | 2016

“I have worked with Rachel and she is a fantastic realtor. She is super knowledgeable and takes great care of her clients. She negotiated a great deal for our clients and was instrumental in coordinating a smooth transaction which is so helpful to people when purchasing a home.  She is very pleasant to deal with and professional in every sense of the word. I highly recommend her and you'll be super happy that you worked with her.”

Nancy R. & Brandon F. | 2016

“We enjoyed working with Rachel and appreciated her knowledge of the area, insights into construction possibilities, access to local contractors, and her ability to help us through the process to get our offer accepted.  We got our first offer accepted, which seems to be a bit of a miracle these days!  At that stressful moment of putting in the offer, Rachel was very responsive and helped move things along swiftly (at all hours!)  Rachel and her husband (a contractor who also helped offer some insights; bonus!) are really nice people and great to work with.  We are now happy in our new home.”

William & Cory N. | 2016

“We switched to Rachel while looking to buy our first home and we were SO happy we did!! She was always available, happy to answer all our first-time home buyer questions, and she's very well versed in Benicia real estate. Rachel was a true advocate... Guiding us patiently and knowledgeably through each step of the home-buying process.  It's hard to find truly great customer service... Rachel does just at that naturally.  Can't recommend her enough!”

Amy L. | 2016

“Rachel Birnbaum's tag line is "expertise with heart" which is truly how she runs her business and interacts with everyone she encounters. We picked Rachel Birnbaum as our realtor because she had excellent reviews on yelp, friends spoke highly of her, and we met her casually while looking at an open house and thought she was great!
Rachel handled the sale of our old home and purchase of our new home smoothly and it was a complicated transaction, with multiple contingencies. In the end all parties came out with what they wanted which was no easy task. Rachel was creative about how she approached finding us a new home by mailing a personal postcard and she did a fabulous job advertising our home with beautiful pictures and a video. Rachel provides excellent service to her clients and guides them to ensure they are making good decisions that they are comfortable with. She was always available to answer our questions multiple times and at all hours. She pays attention to the small details to consider what is in your best interest and was extremely helpful in coordinating all the parties during the appraisals, repairs, loan funding, etc. 
We are so happy in our new home thanks to Rachel for making this possible. I would highly recommend using Birnbaum Realty for the sale and/or purchase of your home.”

Sara & Bob B. | 2016

“From the first moment Rachel walked through our front door, it was obvious she was a professional person of compassion, expressing her desire that the experience of selling our home was to be the smoothest and most satisfying one possible. From that moment on, that is just what is was – compassionate, efficient, knowledgeable, and professional with a dash of humor and a good hug put into the mix often. Her confidence in the positive outcome of the process was encouraging to my husband and me.  Rachel was in communication all the way through as she found a buyer, negotiated a good selling price, arranged for us to meet the buyers, attending the inspections, and presenting the mounds of paperwork with full explanations. All of this was accomplished in record time.  Rachel had contacts with appropriate professionals, including her assistant, Kelly, who took photographs along with a professional who produced a virtual tour that presented our beautiful home in an even more beautiful light!  Rachel was always available via phone and email.  Her constant communication, even about the smallest details was helpful.  We never felt we were bothering her.  She was truly
"there for us"!”

Valerie & Ted J. | 2016

“We were recommended to use Rachel as our realtor by my future employer who had used her as their Realtor previously and had nothing but wonderful things to say about her.  Since this was our first home purchase, I did my research and had several Realtors to choose from, but she definitely seemed to have her finger on the pulse of Benicia, where we were wanting to move. From the moment we were in contact with Rachel, she was eager to help us find exactly what we were looking for in our new home.  She listened to our needs and wants, and she always made time to show us houses when we wanted to, based on our busy schedules. We had heard that she had the reputation of being “the closer,” and after meeting with her, I could tell that she would deliver. She knows this area intimately and knows the realtors and people in this community very well.  After we met her, we felt a genuine connection and trust that she would really be responsive and do everything she could to help us find our dream home.  We were certainly impressed with her knowledge and experience.  Once we found the house that we wanted to make the offer on, she walked us through the process, answering each and every one of our questions in an effortless and helpful way.  She is always just a phone call or text away, and is ready to help each step of the journey.  She was instrumental in helping us form an offer that was accepted amongst multiple offers, and we will always be grateful for that. We really didn’t know what to expect, but this entire process really just went so smoothly, that everyone was so impressed that we were able to get the house we wanted to so quickly.  Bottom line is, Rachel is smart, honest, and has the expertise, caring, and connection to get you the house you have been dreaming of!  We highly recommend her!!”

Susan M. | 2016

“We just closed on a house in Martinez and Rachel was with us every step of the way.  She was always available, returning texts, calls and emails day and night and weekends.   She knows the process inside out, she knows a lot of local people, she knows a lot about construction and what to look for.   I totally depended on her and I am thrilled with the house and with the process of buying it.   When we found the house we wanted, they were taking bids the next day, so she stayed at the computer all evening getting documents for us to Docusign and submit.  She guided us through getting appraisals and getting credits back toward closing. She is really easy to work with, friendly and very competent without being intimidating, just supportive and easy to talk to."

Fayaz & Durrana R. | 2016

“We used Rachel as our agent to purchase a short-sale home in San Ramon.  Though we were experienced home buyers (this was our 3rd time purchasing a home), it was our first time purchasing a short-sale and we honestly didn't know what to expect.  She was incredibly informative and patient, explained the process to us thoroughly, provided us with weekly and even daily updates, and was super responsive.  She made the process so easy, and all with a great and positive attitude. We recommend her to all of our family and friends!”

Arlo Z. | 2016

“As a loan agent in the Bay Area for the past 13-14 years I can tell you that Rachel Birnbaum is a cut above the typical agent in the market place!
I have had the opportunity to work with her on escrows where she was helping the buyer, as well as escrows where she is the listing agent and helping the seller. Regardless of which side of the transaction she is on her skills are phenomenal. She has great command in the market place, strong technical skills around real estate, and very good people skills with clients as well as negotiating skills with the other agents involved...
If you are looking to buy or sell in Benicia or the County of Solano make sure to meet Rachel and see if she will be a good fit to help you through the process, you will be happy that you did!”