The 5 Star Reviews That Started It All

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Real Estate

Note from Steve: Back in 2015, Katrina and I were just getting started in our new careers as Realtor and Home Stager. Although we had received several nice reviews that year, this one truly showed the appreciation for our efforts like no other. Nothing motivates us more than being appreciated for our efforts and Rich and Kitty communicated through words and actions that they cared about us, as we cared about them. They have remained dear friends since that time and this review still holds the trophy for longest review received by Steve Martin Homes Group. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy a good read.


When we began our search for a Real Estate agent my wife & I knew we would need to interview several to find a great one – not just a good one. We met – or didn’t meet – one who didn’t show up for the very first meeting; one who couldn’t provide any comparable prices for our home to be sold and in fact had done very little work in our area; one who, at an Open House, was unable to explain the features of the home she was showing; one who was showing a home with several neighbors & friends sitting around, and finally, one whose photographs and handouts at an Open House appeared to have been created by a student for a third grade project – informational but not professional.


Fortunately we met Steve Martin Smith at an Open House. We both were first impressed by his very professional appearance (first impressions are important) and then delighted by his presentation. Our goal at that time was to find a great real estate agent, not buy that particular home. His brochure was professionally designed and made an excellent impression. A day or so after meeting Mr. Smith we went to his office in downtown Venice. It turns out that Steve Martin Smith was EXACTLY what we had been searching for in every way.

Steve Martin Smith worked very hard for us for over two months looking for our new home. It was apparent from his very first visit to our home with his wife Katrina that his interest was first and foremost our satisfaction. Katrina Smith has the training, experience, knowledge, and design sense and she served as our property stager. We couldn’t have been happier receiving the “two for one” complete package! It is amazing to see how well they work together to deliver complete customer satisfaction.

We did find the perfect home and Mr. Smith acted as our Agent for that purchase. We then signed a contract with him for the sale of our home of 20 years. That’s when he really went to work. First we got a professional appraisal, the cost of which was later reimbursed by him. Then Katrina Smith assisted us in making our home show to its best potential. She has a terrific ability to know exactly “what goes where” and was a very good source for other ideas. Steve Martin Smith paid for a professional photographer to spend an hour or so at our home taking photos of outstanding quality, which were used to display the many fine attributes of our home. No other Real Estate agent ever even suggested using a professional photographer much less paying for it himself!   Our home was NOT one of those multi-million dollar homes in a gated community but it is above average (we think) and we sure received the million-dollar treatment!

In any event our home was sold in eight days. The amount of effort put in by Steve Martin Smith and Katrina Smith was phenomenal. Their attention to detail and their professionalism were instrumental in a very rapid sale at a price we were happy with.

There are dozens of Realtors anxious to “sign you up”, list your most valued possession, and hope for the best, but few will work as hard for you as they will. I know of people who have tried to save money by selling their home by themselves but I believe that dollar for dollar, Steve and Katrina Smith can’t be beat. I really can’t say enough good things about the team that worked with us this summer to make a stressful and sometimes scary procedure go so well.  Thanks Steve and Katrina
– Richard from Venice