"It is with pleasure and gratitude that I share my experience working
with Joelle Malec in the listing and sale of my late Mother's home at 34 Jennie Lane in Westport. Our experience working with her was completely outstanding. We interviewed several potential agents, and Joelle stood head and shoulders above the rest. Her confidence, competence and reassurance removed a significant amount of anxiety from the very start.
As we walked around the house that my Mother had lived in for over 30 years, Joelle's questions and comments revealed considerable attention to detail and knowledge of design, and it was clear that she saw and would be able to convey to prospective buyers the potential for the outdated house. More importantly, she listened very closely to my concerns about how the heck was I going to clear out the house and ready it for sale, mostly from a distance. She assured me that we would work together as a team and get it done.
Joelle had tremendous empathy and an innate sense about when to give me some space, and when to give me some encouragement as we maneuvered through the layers of dismantling a life. She navigated through each step of the process with kindness and humor, and to say that she went 'the extra mile' would be a massive understatement. I know that I could not have done it without her.
The experience at each phase of the sales effort was superior. The
suggested selling price and the reasons for it were based on her knowledge of the neighborhood and market. Her thorough research helped her identify some potential problems (for example, several open permits and a zoning violation), and she knew how to deftly address the issues with the potential buyer so that it was a non issue. She oversaw the removal of the underground oil tank, helped me with the estate sale and helped me expertly wrap up an antique table and paintings. (I suspect I just scratched the surface of her vast talents!)
Her efforts in developing prospects and proactive facilitation brought not one, not two, but THREE offers to the table. When the first offer unexpectedly fell through, I knew with confidence that all would be well, and it was barely a blip on the screen. Her negotiating skills are impressive, and I was glad to have her on my side, she is fearless and fair.
I could go on with accolades. Joelle stands out because she is intelligent, hardworking, kind, trustworthy, intuitive,
professional and effective and will be forever grateful to her. Raveis is very lucky to have her representing them.
Lori Frazer
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Lori Frazer (Westport)
"I am writing to express our profound satisfaction with the services of Joelle Harris Malec. I have worked with many realtors, my wife and I agree, Joelle is by far the best. We would use her again and recommend her to our friends without hesitation.
Here are the things that made Joelle stand out:
Market Knowledge - Joelle has an exceptional knowledge of the market and of the town: what houses are available in a given price range, how long they've been on the market, which neighborhoods have potential value, what benefits does each town have and other important information.
Pro-Active Research - Joelle was very quick to explore, analyze and catalog properties as they came on the market and inform us of interesting opportunities. We were able to purchase our new home only because Joelle was so quick to preview and then take us to the property.
House Evaluations - Joelle is excellent at evaluating both the current and potential worth of a property. My wife and I were able to discuss ideas and options for renovation with her and decide on a course of action efficiently.
Client Relationship - Joelle listened to our interests and needs and sought to find the best property for us, regardless of price. She was available for consulting about the property, the transaction process and about options for vendors that we needed in order to complete the move and renovation. We never doubted her judgment or integrity.
In short we enthusiastically endorse her capabilities!"
Rick Russell and Begonia Laga - Westport , CT
"In January, my husband Andrew and I closed on our home in Westport. As first time home buyers new to the Westport area, we were appreciative to have had the pleasure of working with Joelle. We met Joelle at an open house and immediately knew she was the agent we wanted to work with. She quickly understood the type of home we were looking for, and only showed us homes that met our criteria. We lived in Manhattan and I was pregnant during this process. Joelle was prepared prior to each appointment to ensure that our time was used productively. She was honest discussing the pros and cons of each property and we never felt she was trying to "sell" or pressure us. She helped us understand the Westport market and her car was full of water, snacks and an extra chair or two.
In October, she previewed a property in Greens Farms that was under construction. After seeing it Joelle knew we'd be interested and wanted to be sure we were in touch with the builder's agent before the house was shown that weekend - we saw the house the next day and fell in love. She helped us determine a fair offer and negotiated several points of high importance. By the next morning we had a binder and we couldn't have been happier. Prior to our closing, Joelle went above and beyond. Because of her negotiations, we were able to choose the lighting and paint colors. Using her design experience, Joelle spent hours helping us determine these selections. We knew she didn't have to do that, but she was more than happy to help us.
We ended up with the house of our dreams and it wouldn't have happened without Joelle. She provided incredible service to us, it really made our home search a happy one. She was always relaxed, patient and accommodating to us, as first time home buyers, we appreciated it more. She was thorough and paid attention to all the details. We will absolutely recommend Joelle to anyone we know looking for a home in this area in the future."
Joanna and Andrew Borner - Westport CT
"We cannot thank Joelle Malec enough for all she did to find our family the perfect home in Westport, Connecticut. Joelle was patient, she listened, and, she most definitely delivered! In fact, we credit Joelle with helping us find our way out of New York City.
As background, we first met Joelle when looking for a weekend rental in the community. She immediately understood our needs and pointed us in the right direction. First, towards a weekend and summer rental and then, our eventual home.
As a mother herself, who has raised two children in town, Joelle understood exactly what our family would need. She spent nearly every Saturday for a year and a half looking at homes with us. Nothing was quite right but, during all of those visits she asked questions, listened attentively to what we liked and didn't, and accumulated the knowledge needed to eventually find us the perfect spot.
Joelle is hardworking, motivated and highly creative. So creative, that once she understood what we really wanted, she actually found us a home that wasn't even on the market! We bought it immediately.
Joelle is assertive in the right kind of way. So many realtors develop a reputation for being pushy, Joelle never was. But she was professional and she did speak up when it was important to do so and we thank her for that. For example, when she located the eventual house we bought she tracked us down and had us looking at it within hours.
She was also extremely loyal to us as her clients. We were close to buying another house that was on the market and she easily could have allowed us to continue...But, she kept trying to find exactly what we wanted until we found it.
I'd also add that Joelle is a empathetic and sensitive person who understands the complexities of moving a family, including young children. She was very thoughtful and had tremendous perspective on how our children would assimilate into their new community.
So, thank you to Joelle for pointing us in the best direction! We're thrilled with our new home and would encourage everyone to work with her.
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"Joelle was amazing! Our house sold in 1 day for full price! She was our rock during the entire process. She got the house ready for sale, had an awesome photographer come in, had a timely open house - and we sold in 1 day! Even so, she took nothing for granted and stayed with us all the way to the closing - answering our questions, the buyer's questions, and doing everything she could to make this as easy for us as possible. We recommend Joelle as the best agent we've ever met!"
Nancy Omalley (Westport, CT)
