Client Testimonials
Mike Kennedy

We met Mike when he was holding an open house for another property in the area. He was friendly and warm and invited connection with visitors without being pushy. Because we didn’t know too many other realtors in the area, and we liked his vibe and he had good reviews, we decided to ask him to be our buying agent for a house purchase in Newport Beach. In retrospect, we feel very lucky that we met him and asked him to be our agent. He was thoroughly professional from beginning to end. Always friendly but also effective, he has the perfect blend of can-do optimism with effective execution. Anytime we had questions about how to approach some aspect of the buying process, Mike was thoughtful in his response and helped to guide us effectively through what can often be a competitive, intimidating, and intense process. For example, on the house we wanted to buy, there were two other competing offers on the house within 2 days of the house being listed. We had to figure out how to set our offer apart and be the winning offer. Mike helped us to come up with a strategy that was nuanced yet effective and ultimately won the sellers over. But he also helped us to avoid buyer’s remorse due to overbidding. With his steady emotional guidance, he was able to get us through each phase of the purchase smoothly, from inspection to release of contingencies, to delay of loan approval, to clean up, and move-in. We view Mike as a friend now and will ask him to be our agent in any further transactions we do in the area.

We have known Mike Kennedy and his family for over 40 years. His father, Jack, and I worked together when he was the Principal at Edison High School and I was an assistant dean at Orange Coast College. When it came time to start looking for a house for our son, Andy, a Newport Beach Lifeguard Officer, we approached Mike to see if he could find us what we were looking for. The process took over six months and Mike’s approach to finding us the perfect house was purposeful, deliberate and thoughtful. We looked at over 30 homes in East Costa Mesa to determine what neighborhood we wanted to end up in. About a month ago Mike said he had a home (one of many he had searched out off-market) that he thought might be the one … and he couldn’t have been more right. Mike’s strategy for us getting the house over another aggressive bidder was sound. Mike came through with flying colors along every step of the way. When we finally closed on the house that wasn’t the end of Mike’s involvement with us. I can’t think of any agent who could be more professional, thoughtful, honest and committed. What really told me volumes about Mike was when he said about the house, we ended up buying when the seller was still deciding who to go with - “We are going to offer $X and not one penny more. If we don’t get it then we’ll continue to grind away until we find the next perfect house for you.” The sale was important to Mike - that’s his business. But what superseded the sale was doing what was right for us. We couldn’t be happier for having Mike as our agent and would recommend him to anyone looking to buy a home in this area.

"We recently engaged the services of Mike Kennedy to sell our Dover Shores home. We put our home on the market during a difficult period, encountered several challenges while in escrow, and yet came out of the process delighted with the level of service Mike provided us. We can highly recommend him without any reservations. Mike was very knowledgeable about our neighborhood and the state of the market. He never over-stated the price or the timeframe in which he thought he could sell our home. Throughout the process, he was generous with his time, as well as with the advertising and first-rate marketing materials he put together on our home. Furthermore, Mike provided a very calming and knowledgeable influence to us throughout a difficult process. Most importantly, we have always felt that there is a danger for a conflict of interest to develop between a realtor’s motivation to close a deal and whether the client is fully comfortable with that deal. Mike never made us feel there was any such conflict and he never pressured us. He allowed us to make our decisions with the benefit of his input and knowledge of the market, but without feeling he was dictating anything to us or scaring us into doing anything we weren’t fully comfortable with. In the end, with Mike’s help, we sold our home at a price and within a timeframe that met all of our goals. Finally, Mike is a pleasure to work with. He was always considerate of our schedule and the work that goes into making our home ready for a showing. He respected our rights to privacy in our home and to not be hit with a sudden unexpected showing. Plus, his upbeat demeanor and sense of humor made the whole process much more enjoyable. We had a great experience listing our home through Mike and are confident he can deliver the same level of services to others."

"Selling a home can be a stressful process. Mr. Kennedy has a knack in providing a level of comfort during this time. Mike provided an open and honest perspective on simple and cost effective approaches we could take make our home appealing to buyers. Additionally, professional photography and drone/aerial photos helped to create a nice buzz. In a very small window of time, we staged our home with minimal effort and money. Mike's engaging demeanor helped our family feel at ease every step of the way and after one open house, we entertained three offers all over asking."

"What a wonderful experience working with Mike Kennedy. I’m not the type of person that writes reviews for people, and that’s because people rarely ever exceed my expectations. I’m happy that I finally have this opportunity to write this review because Mike surpassed all of my expectations. Back in 2012, we walked into what must have been our 50th open house. We expected a quick look trying to dodge another average real estate agent that was not going to be a good fit. What we found in Mike Kennedy was anything, but average. Mike didn’t immediately ask us what we thought about the house, do we have a house to sell or are we renting, or any other of the questions we had been asked so many times before. Mike simply asked, “how our day was going?” He could tell we were frustrated with the house search process and tried to simply offer some things for us to think about when looking for our first home. He told us a funny story about one of his kids and made us feel at ease. From then it just got better. Mike knows how to treat people and how to fully respond to the needs of you and your property. Whether it was picking up documents from my house or work. Meeting me during the only 5 minute window I had on a given day, Mike was there whenever we needed him every time. Within a few months he found us our perfect home in Corona Del Mar. A few years later our family grew and we wanted more room. We liked Mike so much we asked him to help sell our first house and buy our second. He was able to make the transition of leaving our first home and into our larger second home seamless. Bottom line is Mike is a good guy that looks you in the eye when he talks, shakes your hand when he greets you and has your best interest at heart. As a seller or buyer you deserve the best and Mike is without a doubt the best agent in Newport Beach. We can't recommend a professional more highly!"

"Mike helped us find the perfect home in a challenging market. He understood our needs and was able to match us with an overlooked property in a desirable neighborhood. Without Mike, we would not be living where we are now. He has become a family friend and has helped us out in ways that have nothing to do with real estate. He is also an excellent negotiator and helped us to purchase our home at a below-market price."

"Mike helped my husband and I find our first home and the process went flawlessly. Nobody I would trust more to help us find our next home. He's the best!"

"Mike is our go-to realtor for all our real estate transactions. We have used Mike in a number of purchase and sale transactions over the years. He is extremely knowledgable in the local market and always a pleasure to work with. We wouldn't use anyone else!"

"After listing our house with an agent that was supposed to be an expert in our area, we ended up dropping the price 3 times (she listed it too high to begin with), sitting on it for months, and ultimately taking it off the market with her. A friend recommended Mike to us and so we gave him a call. Mike is an honest, down to earth guy who really does know the local market and how to sell our home. He researched the current sales trends in our neighborhood and came up with a realistic listing price. He walked us through our home and gave us suggestions on how to get the home in selling condition. Then he scheduled a professional photographer with a drone to come out and take photos, not just inside our home, but from the air as well... what a difference this made! Needless to say, our home was listed with Mike and we received an offer. The entire process with Mike has been great and I can't say enough good things. So many realtors make promises and don't deliver... not Mike. We are so happy to have chosen him to be our realtor. I highly recommend him."

"When it was time for us to consider selling we contacted Mike Kennedy as we see his name often in the neighborhood, and the natural go to person. We were comfortable right away when we met with Mike and we were relieved to have found the perfect person to help us sell our home. Mike puts the "P" in "professional. He walked us through every step of the process. He kept the lines of communication open, and made sure we understood what to expect each step of the way. When delays or potential issues arose, he provided various scenarios so we understood potential outcomes. I definitely saw the value of having a seasoned real estate agent due to the complexities involved in the sale of a property - and Mike's expertise definitely made all of the difference. If you are looking for a real estate agent with experience, is responsive to your needs, has great negotiation skills, and a positive attitude, we highly recommend Mike Kennedy."

"We had a chance to work with Mike Kennedy at the beginning of this year when we put in an offer on our first home. We asked Mike to take on the precarious position of representing both the buyer and seller. Throughout the negotiations, Mike was fair, honest, and incredibly reliable. As first-time buyers, Mike helped us understand the process and feel comfortable with each step. Without Mike, we’re sure our deal would not have gone through. We couldn’t be more thrilled with our new home and really could not rave enough about Mike’s professionalism and expertise. Now that we’re homeowners, we’re enjoying keeping up with his new listings and market trend updates, thanks to his understanding of our neighborhood and the Newport Beach market."

"I can’t say enough good things about Mike Kennedy. I have used Mike on several real estate transactions and his service is second to none. On our most recent sale Mike walked us through his strategy and marketing program, explained in detail what we needed to do to have a successful transaction, and he was there at the property whenever anyone came through (other agents and inspections) to protect our interests. We were buying another property out of state, and Mike got on the phone with the agent on that acquisition and kept them informed of every step in our sale process which really made that contingent transaction become a reality. Mike’s strategy and marketing worked beautifully, and we couldn’t be happier with the outcome with 3 offers to choose from and an eventual sales price above the listing price. Mike was also able to negotiate us a 60 day lease-back after the sale which was critical! If you are engaging a real estate professional to provide you a very specialized service when selling or buying a home, I would urge you to call Mike. You won’t regret it."