VIVIAN LEE

Curious what my past clients have to say about me??

“I had a fantastic experience working with Vivian as my real estate agent. She was very patient and knowledgeable about the neighborhood. Her negotiation skills were superb. She made the whole process super smooth and made both sellers and buyers happy. We had leaking problems post-sales, Vivian stepped in and helped us fix everything. I highly recommend Vivian when buying a home.” – Shirlene L.

“I am not typically one to write reviews but my experience with Vivian was next level! To start, she was quick to respond, which was so important to me because I needed a home immediately! She was flexible and accommodating with my work schedule when it came to a viewing appointment. Upon meeting her, she was kind, knowledgeable, approachable and had all the information about the place. I loved the place! As I stated previously, I needed a home asap! This was because of a black mold situation at my previous home. Vivian went above and beyond to represent me and my situation in the best way to the owner and move the process along quickly and with as little stress as possible! I can’t say enough great things about her. If you are looking to rent or sell or buy a home I would recommend her 100%. I looked at 23 homes in my hunt and met 23 different realtors and no one compared to her and her kindness, approachability, understanding, responsiveness, speed and professionalism! Thank you Vivian!!”  – Brooke H.

“Vivian helped us buy our first home in August 2023. She very patiently fielded all our questions about the house buying process and explained every step in as much depth as we needed. We also leaned on her for information about the various SF neighbourhoods which she knew a lot about as she’s a born and bred San Francisco. Right off the bat she picked out the neighborhoods that we should be looking at based on our criteria and budget which was very unlike some of the other realtors we have spoken to who discouraged by telling us there wouldn’t be anything in our budget. However Vivian knew how to accommodate our needs and find us houses that fit the bill. But most of all, we really appreciated her eye for a good house - she understood the kind of houses we liked and also evolved her recommendations based on feedback we gave her. She always picked out houses with great character, and she would tell us what makes a house valuable as she led us in the walk throughs, as well as what would affect the value or what parts of the house would need work in the future. She was very unbiased in her opinions on the houses and always pointed out both the good and the bad. She was very available throughout the process, and also gave us a great contact for a loan agent who turned out to be a reliable and honest resource during our escrow period. She was also a strong negotiator and helped us get a good deal on the house by developing a good rapport with the selling agent as well as helping us make a strong offer based on the current market. San Francisco market can be very competitive but Vivian knew precisely how to navigate it. We would highly recommend Vivian if you want someone who knows the ins and outs of the SF market, is very patient and not pushy through the process, and who can help you get a good deal on the house.” – Prakhar V.

“Vivian helped us navigate the journey to purchase our first home. We met Vivian through an open house she was hosting and had just begun our search for a home in the San Francisco/Pacifica area. She was a clear communicator throughout the process and coached us on what to look out for. She encouraged us to place bids on homes even though we weren't sure if our bid was going to be competitive enough. These were helpful learning experiences that we were eventually able to apply to the home we finally purchased! We appreciated that she asked frank questions to the selling party to help us get the information we needed to make informed decisions on such a big purchase. Recommend Vivian if you're looking for a patient realtor who is willing to go into the details with you and guide you through the process.” – Vivian and Marty

“I can’t thank or be happy enough.. Vivian is amazing. This whole process went so smooth and nothing was stressful about it at all. I highly recommend Vivian. She is so sweet, very responsible and communicates about every detail.” – Janessa A.

“Working with Vivian was absolutely amazing. It was the easiest possible path that we could have chosen. She made amazing recommendations and it paid off for us. The entire process was as smooth as we could have possibly imagined. Thank you Vivian. You’ve truly changed our lives with your commitment to excellence and work ethic. We are beyond happy, grateful, satisfied, etc.” – John A.

“As usual, Vivian was fantastic in representing us on our last home sale. She negotiated the highest sales price and the best terms for us. She also organized all of the minor repairs, painting and staging for us, as well as advocating for us in getting the best possible prices for the work that needed to be done. As always, the communication was great, everything was very smooth and we closed exactly on time. We are loyal clients and will never use anyone else.” – Josh R.

“Vivian was just incredible!!! So amazing. We are first time homebuyers and know absolutely nothing about how to buy a house. Vivian first hopped on a call with me and told me so much about the world of home buying and answered the millions of questions that I had. After touring a few houses she helped us put a bid into a home and bam we were in escrow. 21 days later, we became homeowners. Through the entire process of escrow, she helped us in so many ways, explained everything in a detail fashion, answered my endless questions, and made the entire process so smooth. She is extremely knowledgeable and also knows a ton of great vendors. We asked her for referrals for everything and we used everyone she recommended. You will not go wrong choosing Vivian to represent you. Highly highly recommended!” – Linda Choy

“Vivian, I have really appreciated working with you. Zero drama all efficiency. Easy to see how you are such a successful agent.” – San Francisco Realtor® (listing agent on a recent transaction together)

“Vivian is the best! She was thorough and professional and great to work with. She kept us apprised about everything that was going on. She was honest and forthright - no games, plus very responsive. I would recommend Vivian to whoever is looking to buy or sell a home.” – Tony W.

“Working with Vivian was a great experience. She was knowledgeable, patient, transparent, and highly available for questions. Her attention to detail and natural drive helped things go smoothly, especially the offer and closing processes. She made sure that nothing was missed and that all parties were on the same page, no small feat with all of the details involved. Vivian is easy to work with and knows how to get things done, I recommend her highly!” – Karen B.

“I first worked with Vivian years ago to buy a starter home. We found a gem that went overlooked by other buyers -- but thanks to Vivian's extensive network and familiarity with the city, we were able to negotiate a great price. Five years later, Vivian helped us sell that same home. She is a visionary that transformed the space prior to selling, advising us on how to prepare it for a sale to maximize ROI. With her understanding of the market, she came up with a strategy and advised us on when to put the house on the market, and suggested a price to garner a lot of interest. We ended up getting multiple offers -- all of which exceeded our very high expectations... and this entire process took place after we had moved out of the Bay Area. We were totally remote while Vivian took care of our home and managed the entire project from start to finish. Maximizing the purchase or sale of your home is only part of the value she provides; the peace of mind she brings as she takes care of everything is something you can't put a price on.” – Tuan Huynh

"Realtor Extraordinaire! When I decided to finally purchase my first home since returning to the East Bay, the thought never crossed my mind to contact or even involve anyone, other than my good longtime friend and talented, resourceful, and experienced realtor Vivian Lee. I've always known her to care deeply about her family, friends and clients and treat them with respect and do whatever it takes to make anything happen. You can always count on Vivian to be available at a moments notice with answers and solutions as well as a vast referral network. You cannot ask for more. Within an hour of discovering a house that fit all my needs, in an area I spent so much time in as a kid growing up in the East Bay, I immediately called Vivian and announced ‘I have to have it’. Vivian took my wish and made everything happen smoothly, easily and stress free in world record time. Vivian's hardwork and dedication every step of the way in this process was not surprising in the least and with her representation I now own my forever house in my forever home. The East Bay Area." – Haji Dove

“Sad that I can't give Vivian more than five stars for each category. Vivian has been our agent since 2013 and we would not choose anyone else. She's handled several sales and purchases for us, including management of one of our rental properties. Our most recent transaction was the sale of my parents' house in San Francisco last summer, and the sale was effortless and transparent through and through, even with all of the Covid 19 restrictions regarding showings. I credit Vivian with making it all go so well and could not have done it without her. She's meticulous, patient, communicative, and provides excellent advice, in terms of pricing, as well as accepting the most competitive offer. Accept no one else. Accept the best: Vivian Lee!” – Josh Riskin and Susan Lee

“Vivian was an extreme pleasure to work with through the entire process. Her knowledge of the area and the market were so valuable and she took the time to find out what we wanted in the process. Personally we didn't want to invest a lot of effort in preparing our home for the market and Vivian understood and respected that from the very beginning. She gave us options on what we could do, told us the cost/benefit of each and worked with us closely every step of the way. During the offer review stage she provided fantastic advice and I am convinced she was the best person to sell our home. She knew what was important to me and honored that. I would recommend Vivian to anyone who wants to pursue selling or buying a home - she will not disappoint!” – Ana Newcomb

“We worked with Vivian since Fall 2019 for the search of our home and feel we have really gotten to know her personally and professionally. She is very thoughtful, hard-working, professional yet personable and has great communication skills. Whenever we reached out she responded very quickly and always stayed in touch, even during the shutdown. She earned our trust and helped us to find and ultimately buy our home which had multiple offers in a very competitive neighborhood in the Spring of 2021. Vivian is very knowledgable and went above and beyond to make us happy and we are very thankful to her for everything she did for us!” – Yoshi and Yeonu Nagai

“It’s our immense pleasure to recommend Vivian Lee to anyone persons looking to purchase a home in the bay area. We’ve rented in San Francisco for 20+ years and when considering buying our first home, in this very competitive real estate market, we needed an expert. Vivian was very patient and thorough while we toured homes. When COVID-19 started she was very gracious when we decided to put our search on hold and was ready to start back up again as soon as we were. Vivian is a highly attentive agent. She made us feel like we were her only clients, although we knew that was not the case. As first-time homebuyers, we relied on Vivian’s impeccable knowledge of the bay area market. We followed her lead and was able to purchase the first condominium on which we made an offer. As a master negotiator, Vivian came up with a deal that was good for us as well as the seller. She also managed to negotiate some perks like minor fixes and a home warranty on all of the appliances. Vivian is one of the best realtors in our opinion and when we plan to sell our place and buy a new home, Vivian will be the first person we call.” – Hillary and Luke Talltree

“Vivian is the real deal. She's hardworking, communicative, and gets the job done. I had the chance to work with Vivian on a recent home purchase with a mutual client. I was blown away by how much Vivian went above and beyond to ensure everything went smoothly. From negotiating a good price to the little things - such as making sure the seller installed new HVAC for her client at closing. Vivian does it all and it was a pleasure to work with her.” – Aran Nafisi (AVP Mortgage Lending, Guaranteed Rate Affinity)

“After discovering a very stressful problem with a rental property I owned in San Francisco, living out of the city, I turned to the best resource I knew, a realtor, and luckily I found a knowledgeable professional, Vivian Lee.  She was able to provide me with referrals to the professionals I needed to deal with the problem. Over six months and through my heart surgery Vivian periodically would check in to see if there was anything else she could do to assist me.  It was a "God send".  Unfortunately, the problem could not be resolved and I finally decided to sell the house.  Yes, I listed it with the best agent I knew, Vivian Lee.  She walked me through the mound of papers surrounding a real estate transaction and a 1031 exchange.  She was always available for questions and able to provide quick responses.  She is a five star agent.” – Lori Costa Paumer

“Vivian was such a great help throughout the process of finding a place to rent. She knew everything about the rental, was very responsive and had a great connection with the landlord that helped make the rental process so smooth. She was so friendly and made the site visits so enjoyable, I would recommend her to any renter looking for their new home.” – Adam Rey

”Vivian Lee, Realtor, was enthusiastic about leasing the property as speedily as possible. She was throrough in checking prospective tenants’ financial statuses. She facilitated the entire rental process and did a wonderful job.” – Shirley Dere

“My wife and I couldn’t have had a better realtor than Vivian.  She helped us find a lender, and guided us through the process in a very friendly and professional manner.  Vivian worked very hard for us and kept us informed every step of the way.  She pays close attention to details and her expansive knowledge was indispensable to us as first time home buyers.  Vivian was available to us 24-7 and was very prompt in responding to any questions we had.  Thanks Vivian, you are awesome!!” – Matthew Brinck

“As first-time home buyers, my husband and I had no idea how to even get started. But working with Vivian was probably the best decision we made! Vivian helped us navigate the entire process, from connecting us with the right people to get preapproved, to helping us with submitting an offer, explaining all the different paperwork that was involved, and being just a super supportive person when we were finalizing escrow. She was quick to respond when we had questions and super helpful in just everything around the sometimes stressful home buying process in Northern California! I would highly recommend working with Vivian!” – Katja Brinck

"An agent that cares, always kept you updated, and very professional! Would love to do another transaction with her!” – William Tran (Realtor, Sequoia Real Estate)

“Vivian is very knowledgable, easy to work with and is very personable! It was our first time buying a home so she took us step-by-step through the whole home buying process. She also helped us find a lender that would work with our specific needs. Vivian was very responsive and was always available when we needed her. She helped us find our dream home and we would highly recommend working with her.” – Linda Vo and Stanley Hua

“Vivian is truly a great real estate professional. She is always available, extremely knowledgable and consistently goes above and beyond. She is honest, hard working and capable. When things got a little stressful with the sale of my home she was there to reassure me and calm my nerves. She also helped find good contractors that were able to complete work on a very tight timeline. This is the second transaction I've been represented by Vivian and I am totally satisfied. I highly recommend her for any real estate needs you have in the Bay Area.” – Philip Astrachan

“Vivian helped with renting my mother's house. When the first tenant departed early, she assisted with finding another tenant. When the first tenant filed in small claims court, Vivian came to court to testify which helped tremendously. This was above and beyond the call of duty.” – Janet Lee Tse

“I was referred to Vivian by one of our friends and I really enjoyed working with her. She had good knowledge of the market in the town where my apartment was located. She was thorough in her evaluation of what rental rates were around the area and was able to help us find good tenants very quickly. I would recommend her to a friend or family.” – Richa Rastogi

“Vivian was the leasing agent on my new home. She was great! My questions were always answered quickly and she provided clear information. Thank you Vivian!” – Katherine Kwan

“Vivian was extremely knowledgeable and fun to work with! She's a go getter and will go out of her way to view houses on the buyer's behalf. She was very effective - bay area house hunters, hit her up! Thanks!” – James Tang

”I just want to say how great it's been to work with Vivian on my first SF transaction. She is representing the buyer for my listing and has been an absolute pleasure to work with. She gave me such great support in helping recommend local inspectors since I was unfamiliar with SF rules and regulations and was always there when I had a question. Her communication was always clear and concise. She always answered texts and emails within minutes regardless of time of day. Being new to real estate with it being such a competitive business it was just so refreshing to have met an agent that is willing to support, be patient, and kind to another colleague. Our transaction wasn't the smoothest but we have communicated through it and are looking to close in a week! If I could describe her in a few words I would say she is truly a remarkable person that was fair, caring, and human.” – Mary Kassis

”Vivian is easy to work with, honest, well organized, fast to respond and everything you would expect from a professional but rarely come across. I have worked with her for 3+ Years and from initial application application to the final walk-through she was all of the above.” – Avi Saranga 

“Vivian Lee is a dream to work with. She is awesome, razor sharp, she knows what to do, she knows how to make things happen with ease and amazing grace. I work insane hours and she made it easy—offering to help in many ways. She is knowledgeable, educated, experienced, sweet, fun and a real gem. The other thing is she is genuine, down-to-earth. You definitely want her on your team. She is a stellar agent and a wonderful human being.” – Janell Umemoto 

“Vivian was extremely helpful throughout the entire rental search and application process! This was the first time I had searched for an apartment by myself, so I had a lot of questions. Vivian was always able to provide a quick and thorough response, whether it was 7 in the morning or 7 at night. She was able to make the apartment search as easy as possible. I would highly recommend working with Vivian. She was extremely knowledgeable, very friendly and went well above what was required! I am now happily settled in an apartment that I love!” – Taylor Boldt 

“As a first time home buyer I cannot say enough about Vivian. She was responsive, knowledgable and was basically there for every step of the process . One of her greatest attributes is her experience which allowed her to explain in detail and give reassurances when there was hiccups with the entire home buying process. She was in constant communication with not only us but also working with the lender to make sure everything could go as smoothly as possible. In the end there will always be little issues that pop up but Vivian was there is smooth out those bumps and help us get the home we’ve been searching for.” – Alvin Ho

"This message is in reference to Vivian Lee of Barbagelata Real Estate.  My sister and I were recently in need of assistance to prepare our mother’s house to rent.  As our busy schedules and lack of experience in this area created some anxiety in taking on this endeavor, we were quite relieved and most satisfied with the support that Vivian provided. She assisted us with much needed suggestions on preparing the home for potential renters and listed it in a timely fashion to meet our limited timeline.  Vivian listed and presented the house, secured a renter, and handled all of the mundane and necessary tedious paperwork involved. She was always very pleasant, thorough, punctual, and efficient in all of the tasks that she assisted us with.  Her knowledge and expertise in the real estate business were of great benefit to our needs.  I would highly recommend Vivian to assist in any real estate needs as she would be a tremendous asset." – Kenny Lee

“I highly recommend Vivian for any of your real estate needs. Vivian assisted me in the purchase of my residence in San Francisco. She was incredibly responsive, knowledgable and helpful during the transaction. She always offered to assist in any way possible and made me feel that no concern or detail was too small to overlook. She also provided great resources outside of her area of expertise. From mortgage broker to appraiser, everyone she recommended was top notch. Vivian loves what she does and it really shows. She works extremely hard for her clients to make sure they are completely satisfied, and that the buying process goes smooth from start to finish.” – Phil Astrachan

“My husband and I have lived in San Francisco for over 2 years. We have had a lot of experiences with Realtors and brokers while looking for apartments and homes to rent, many of which have left us angry/jaded about the housing market in the city. However, Vivian totally changed our opinion about working with a Realtor. She was by far the best and easiest to work with. She was quick to respond to our questions, available to show us the property multiple times, and very friendly throughout the whole process. She made renting our new home quick and easy. We would recommend her to a friend or loved one in a heartbeat.” – Kristina Gonzales

“Just wanted to thank Vivian for another stellar job. She found a property in the only location I really ever wanted to live. Couple highlights that I want to share include the offer letter she sent, and the discussions we had on the loan piece. The offer letter was probably what got the property awarded to me. I believe the smallest details there, broke any ties that I had with other bidders. From there I needed to show them the money. So on the loan piece we had to go through quite a few different options, but the communication line stayed open and we made it happen. If there was any breakdown in communication in this phase, I would have lost the property. But everything worked out! Thanks again Vivian! Not only have you sold a property for me in the past, you have found me a place as well. Keep up the great work!!” – Chad Cook

“My wife and I have put Vivian through the ringer these last three years, having looked at over a hundred houses in San Francisco before finding the perfect house for us which we recently purchased in the Lakeshore District, with her representing us. And that’s in addition to having her list, show, and choose tenants for the rental properties we also own. Through it all, Vivian has been reliable, dependable, and very accurate in her market analysis and conditions in the unpredictable world of San Francisco real estate. She is easy to approach, flexible, knowledgeable and promptly returns phone calls, emails and texts and always goes to bat for us. I can’t say enough good things about Vivian and she will be our real estate agent of choice for as long as we are here and a good friend for life. Plus, our kid loves her--an added bonus. Thanks Vivian!” – Josh Riskin and Susan Lee

“We were skeptical when we started the search for our first home. Linda and I were expecting our first child in May, but Vivian assured us we'd be able to find a home before the baby arrives. Vivian was very flexible when working with our schedules, was considerate of our needs, and always made herself available. On top of her admirable work ethic, she brings a keen eye when evaluating homes, a strong grasp of real estate market dynamics, and diligently kept communication channels clear between all parties involved throughout the transaction. Buying a home can be a daunting process, but we're glad we had Vivian in our corner and look forward to working with her again.” – Tuan Huynh

“My husband and I purchased our first home in March 2016 with Vivian's help. We were so glad to have her assistance. Vivian answered all our questions promptly, thoughtfully, and thoroughly. She made sure we had all the information we needed to make a decision and helped guide us on our offer. She was knowledgeable about the market and the neighborhood. After our offer was accepted, she pretty much held our hands through the nerve-wracking 21 days before the transaction closed--answering our questions, working with our lender to make sure everything was going smoothly, giving us updates on anything that was going on behind the scenes. We are so happy to have had Vivian help us through this process and we would recommend her to our friends and family.” – Kathlyn Querubin

“Vivian helped my wife and I purchase our first home, and we had a wonderful experience with her.  As first time home buyers, we had a lot of questions, and Vivian was always available to answer them.  She provided great advice, was totally patient, and made us feel confident and secure in the decisions we were making.  Vivian was an asset to us throughout the entire process, and we would recommend her highly to anyone looking for professional, effective and friendly representation.” – Daniel Portman

“As a mortgage broker. I get the opportunity to work with a wide variety of agents in San Francisco. Both good and bad. Vivian has proven to be a great agent. She is a wonderful communicator and an excellent negotiator for her clients. I know that I can always rely on her to be available and present when it matters the most. She is an A+ in my book!!!” – Sergei Andruha

“Vivian was a pleasure to work with.  She was always accessible and provided frequent updates on relevant properties during my search.  Once I found "the one," she gave excellent advice on making a competitive offer and provided strategies for making my offer stand out.  She fought hard for me and I beat out multiple offers​.  I closed on the 1st offer I made with a smooth escrow which is unheard of in the current real estate climate. Thank you Vivian for all of your help!!”  – Melissa Dickey 

“We've worked with a number of agents in the Bay Area and have a select few that we continue to work with, including Vivian. One of the key qualities (of many) that stands out in working with Vivian is her attentiveness to her client's needs. In working with Vivian from the onset, she has built a trusting rapport with us that involves listening carefully to our needs and having a greater understanding of our goals. Whether its transaction related, or leasing a rental property, she provides a clear and organized framework and executes above expectations. She's an outstanding real estate professional and a pleasure to work with. We look forward to continuing our work with her.”  – Jason Lok

"Vivian is excellent across the board. She is very responsive, resourceful, caring, smart, and has forged a great relationship with each of my clients. Her knowledge of the San Francisco multi-unit market was invaluable in helping us step by step through the marketing process. She was always professional and compassionate, especially when dealing with challenging tenants. Unlike some realtors I've dealt with, Vivian is more personable. She was always accessible, and answers and returns all phone calls promptly. As we went through the listing process, she gave us great advice on how to strategically list under the market price. She guided us in what needed to be done to showcase the flats for sale in the best light, and at the same time minimizing the costs of cosmetic renovations. She sold the flats for more than $500,000 above the expected asking price. My clients congratulated me, but the real credit is due to Vivian's extraordinary performance. I would refer my clients to Vivian Lee again for buying and selling, and recommend her to anyone who wants to have the right visionary who will help guide you through the demanding purchase/sales process."  – Michael Mutalipassi

"I was impressed with Vivian and Stephen's vision in embracing diverse personalities of a large group of sellers, challenging because it is hard to keep everyone happy all at the same time. These two realtors are the best in effectively assisting all of the sellers to get engaged and cooperating in the sales process. Vivian and Stephen did an excellent job in every respect. They displayed tremendous enthusiasm to complete the staging, renovations and repair projects. Vivian and Stephen exceeded our expectations. I would not hesitate to recommend or refer Vivian and Stephen to my clients, several of whom are actively engaged in investment properties. Great job and many thanks to Vivian and Stephen for helping us get through all of this." – Wong & Hung, Attorneys At Law

"Vivian recently sold our 6 units income property in the Nob Hill/Russian Hill area, as you can see on her website. She did a very good job in all aspects of the sale, communication to the main sellers, very prompt with answering my questions and concerns, very patient especially with so many individuals involved in this transaction and in negotiating and making sure everything ran smoothly. I would highly recommend her services." – Regina Loo

"Vivian Lee of the Barbagelata Group, was chosen from a group of 6 agents/agencies we were considering. Our seller's group could have not been more pleased about our choice. Vivian was always accessible, on top of every detail, and unfailingly patient and friendly with every phone and personal encounter. Our large multi-family property needed work to be market ready. Vivian was in charge of the entire process, from staging, to marketing, to closing, always working in a timely and diligent manner. The number of offers we received speak for themselves. We accepted well above ask and successfully closed. I wholeheartedly recommend Vivian Lee to be your next realtor." – Elaine Wong

"Thanks for all your hard work to get us such a nice condo in SF!" – Arnold Gutierrez

"I'm writing to let you know that I had a very great experience working with you. I was very impressed with your professionalism and attention to detail. I feel that you are very smart, organized and professional. I'll refer my friends to you. Thanks a lot for your help!" – Michelle Yeung

"Vivian handled every service for our transaction in a professional way. She was pleasant with clients and well liked. I highly recommend her for services of any kind. I was so happy with the way she took care of business that I’m going to let her manage the property on repair calls and any other problems that may occur. If you are thinking of selling, buying or leasing real estate, you should definitely have her as your agent. You will be very pleased like me. She is a very sweet girl and is very good at her job." – Diane Benitez