Laurel Sweeney

About Us:

Together with business partners Tim Sweeney and Tom Jackson, I am an integral part of the success of Prudential Nutshell Realty, which is #4 in residential sales in Ulster County for 2009. My professional career has taken many turns from critical care nursing, to medical sales and marketing, to real estate. There are some clear similarities in the industries in that it's all about helping people! I really enjoy working with sellers and buyers of real property. I take your goals and objectives very seriously, and will work diligently to help you achieve them.

I have been awarded the Ulster County Board of Realtors Top Producer award every year since 2004 and have earned the Accredited Buyers Representative Certification. In 2009, I was presented with the Ulster County Board of Realtor's Realtor Associate of the Year award, which is awarded by my peers. In addition, I was recently elected to the Ulster County Board of Realtors as the 2010 Realtor Associate. I have just under $5,000,000 in residential sales in Ulster County for 2009, which makes me the #3 top producing broker in the county.

In addition, I am very involved with the community. Currently, I serve on the boards of the Women's Studio Workshop, Rondout Valley Food Pantry and Rondout Valley Business Association, as well as the Public Relations Committee of the Ulster County Board of Realtors. This community service, coupled with support of Mohonk Preserve, Rondout Valley Growers Association, The Episcopal Church of Christ the King in Stone Ridge and Habitat for Humanity compliment the networking and marketing that has been a key factor in my real estate achievements.

Areas of Expertise

I really enjoy working with sellers and buyers of real property, take your goals and objectives very seriously and will work diligently to help you achieve them. As an Associate Broker with Prudential Nutshell Realty, ethical business practices and timely amicable transactions are key to my success. Extensive knowledge of the area, Acredited Buyer Representative certification and Top Producer status assure that you will get the service you deserve!

In addition, as an Eco-Certified Broker, the future of our planet is important to me. I offer opportunities for cost savings, energy savings, comfort and health benefits by delivering concrete ideas, solutions and information to like-minded buyers and sellers.

My credentials include:

- 2008 Realtor Associate of the Year

- Top Producer Ulster County Board of Realtors

- Broker Associate

- Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR)

-Eco-Broker Certified

- Chair, Ulster County Board of Realtors Public Relations Committee

Testimonials

David & Julie Schwartz

"We wanted to thank you for helping us find our new home on Ashokan Road. Your extensive knowledge of the area and tireless efforts showing us the type of homes that you thought would meet our needs was much appreciated. Thanks to your help, we found a wonderful home that we are very excited about living in for many years to come.

Your overall professionalism in conjunction with the support of your expert staff, helped make our purchase very smooth and trouble free. It is clear that your personal touch, warmth, and sense of humor made the house hunt a more enjoyable experience. We would gladly recommend you and your office to anyone seeking a home in the area of Ulster County."

Bill & Denise Martin

"Laurel Sweeney is a walking dynamo. She is realistic, focused and determined. We originally used another realtor when we first put our home on the market and after that retainer expired we immediately signed up with Laurel. Laurel and her team mobilized by immediately setting up a virtual tour on the Nutshell website, blasting the details of our home onto various sales tools and we had more potential buyers in the first month with Laurel than we had during the length of the retainer with the other realtor. Needless to say, we are very pleased that we sold our home through Nutshell and we can't say enough good things about Laurel."

Liz & Dan Kirkus

"My Husband and I would like to thank Laurel Sweeney and the Team at Nutshell Realty for making the purchase of our first home an enjoyable experience.

Laurel has been with us for a few years... since we first moved up from Brooklyn. Given our narrow criteria for a suitable home, she stuck with us, forwarding listings and showing houses until we landed on a perfect fit. If Laurel happened to be unavailable, other members of the Nutshell staff were happy to step in.

This team approach is what makes Nutshell Realty stand out from other agencies. They are modern, forward thinking individuals with the kindness and compassion needed to guide potential home owners to their goal."

Dave Monahan

"Laurel was extremely professional throughout the entire process of marketing and closing the house. Nutshell's marketing strategy was highly effective, given the significant number of offers received in just the first week of marketing, particularly in the soft housing market that we are currently in. I would definitely use Laurel and Nutshell if I were to sell a house in the Hudson Valley area again and would certainly recommend them to anyone looking to sell a home in the area."

Mike and Dawn Burdick

We chose Prudential Nutshell Realty, more specifically Laurel Sweeney, as our selling agent when we decided to sell our house. My wife and I weren't sure what we were getting ourselves into since the market was experiencing such a historic downturn and we chose the winter to list the house. We just knew we had to try since our family had grown and we needed a bigger house. Laurel met with us and showed us unmatched friendliness and professionalism. Laurel and her team made the sale of our house as smooth as possible from the first meeting before we actually listed the house, right up to and after the closing, always there to answer any questions and guide us through this tricky market. Using her extensive resources and contacts, she had our house sold in an amazingly short period of time. While using Laurel and her team to sell our house, we felt confident and secure enough to have Laurel assist us in buying our new house. Her experience was invaluable and key to the smooth transition we made selling one house and purchasing another simultaneously. Thank you to Laurel and Team Ulster.

Christine Healy

"Laurel Sweeney gets the job done. Having moved out of the area, we needed someone we could trust, who could work with us long distance, deal with any issues as they arose, and keep us focused as well.

Laurel did all these things with sensitivity and intelligence, and creative problem-solving when required. She is good-humored and diligent, and she understands the uniqueness of every property. She was always optimistic, and never stopped selling our house until it was sold, which happened much faster than we had imagined it might.

We would recommend Laurel unhesitatingly, and in fact, already have."

Tim McIntosh

"Laurel Sweeny was very professional and a big help selling my property in a tough market. From our first encounter to after closing, Laurel stayed focused and devoted to taking care of even the smallest details. Thank you Laurel for your hard work and efforts!"

Brian Kelley (as buyer)

"Laurel was a tremendous resource in helping us find our home. Laurel and her team stuck with us through an exhaustive search process and countless home tours over many months. Resourceful, sophisticated, and organized, Laurel brings a businesslike approach to the homebuying process yet somehow always remains bright, friendly, and supportive through what, in the end, is a very personal exercise for any family. We recommend Laurel and her team without reservation."

Brian Kelley (as seller, three years earlier)

"Laurel and her colleagues at Prudential Nutshell have been consistently sophisticated, knowledgeable, and responsive. With the sale of our home, Laurel was careful to craft a sales strategy that matched our specific needs, and she was diligent and successful in meeting our timing and pricing objectives. Very much a part of the local community, Laurel and her team related well to potential buyers and their agents while advancing our interests as sellers. We enjoyed an entirely pleasant sales process and ultimately a very successful transaction for all parties involved, due in large part to Laurel's professionalism and care."

Harris Mehos

"In a very difficult market, Laurel's professionalism and knowledge of the market was always evident. She was able to quickly negotiate a sale of my property even though the market for this type of home was extremely slow. She gave good guidance throughout the process and I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking to sell property in Ulster County."

Louise Kuhn and Mark Sanders

"Laurel Sweeney helped us buy the weekend home of our dreams in our favorite place in the Hudson Valley. She quickly identified our likes and dislikes. And with her extensive knowledge of the area, she took us to many properties, all of which met our specifications. During the buying process, Laurel's good judgment and experience were invaluable. She
kept our interests at the forefront of her mind and gave us plenty of good advice. Throughout Laurel was professional but friendly, and a pleasure to work with."

Ellen and Nathan Hart

"Laurel was a pleasure to work with. Throughout our home search process, she was quick to respond to any questions we had or to set up appointments to view houses. She was always prepared with information on the home we were viewing and willing to make numerous phone calls to obtain additional information. She was also patient and never pressured us as we searched for a home. She offered us great advice and guidance as we navigated the home purchasing process for the first time and she provided us with excellent referrals for other real estate professionals with which we had to work."

Gary Osland

"At the advice of a highly respected and successful New York City real estate agent, who is a business colleague, I approached Laurel about her interest in selling my home in High Falls. As part of the interview process I looked for the basics in making my selection of a listing broker. Of importance to me was an informed agent, a strong supportive team, community connections, intelligence, patience, professionalism, strong sales history, knowledge of technological sales tools, realistic appraisal of property's value, dedication, love of craft, and strong constitution. It was a tough decision as the list of brokers was extensive. After a dynamic PowerPoint presentation on her team's capabilities, I was near signing the contract with Nutshell. However, the factor that pushed me to make the commitment, a decision I have never regretted, was a personal connection that she was able to establish with me.

As the home sales landscape continued to flatten during our working together, Laurel was steadfast in her support and encouragement. At every turning point she provided assistance without reservation along with professional resources that were both responsive and knowledgeable. With a can do attitude and a smile that never quits, she provided a steady course to a sale that was seemingly effortless. With team member Tom Edwards' insight and Ben Shor's offer-inducing website for the property, it doesn't surprise me that we succeeded not only in finding a buyer for the property, but a couple who promise to be excellent stewards for years to come.

Sarah and Michael Killick

"Thank you so much for doing such a great job in selling the house. We are grateful to you, Tim and your team.

It is nice to be free of the house, being so far away and we hope the the owner is happy there."

Nik & Nelda Gerner

"Working with Laurel Sweeney at Nutshell Realty has been a great experience. Laurel's personality combined with her expertise in understanding what we were looking for, were essential factors which enabled us to ultimately find the right house. Despite the obstacles we and Laurel faced, due to the fact that we were living overseas and looking to buy a house here in America, her perseverance and positive attitude made our house-hunting a success. We would highly recommend working with Laurel. She is a dedicated realtor and works very hard for her clients."

Anne Miller

"Thank you so much, Laurel. We love our house. You were great at understanding our needs and working through the details of what was a difficult situation. I am happy to recommend you, plus you were fun to work with!"

Jim, Betty, Kate, James & Heather Noon

"Yes, it has been a little over a year since we closed on our house. We wanted to let you know that we are so happy that you helped us find our new home. We let you know the approximately cost we wanted to spend and could afford, and you helped us find a home within our budget. You had information to increase our knowledge about the process, and you stood by us during the whole process, from seeing the home to dealing with the bank, all the way through to the closing. At any turn, I could call you, and you were there to answer any questions I had. Thanks for helping our family achieve our goal of becoming homeowners. It truly is our dream come true."

Bonnie Markle

"Now that my family is finally settled in our new home, I just wanted to compliment you and your staff on the excellent, high quality, professional care I received. I did not realize how much work selling a home could be. I am so thankful to you for all your support. The details for setting up the sale, contact with the buyers, realtors, lawyers, corresponding with banks, etc. and carrying on my own day-to-day work and family schedule would have been overwhelming for me to handle on my own. I relied on your expertise in these areas and was very satisfied. I could not have done it without you. Not only did you organize the sale of my home, at the same time you helped me find a new home. Your step-by-step advice made the transition for my family as smooth as could be expected during a stressful yet exciting time.

Your office staff was also very knowledgeable and helpful. Someone always returned my call quickly with answers to my questions. My house was listed previously with other realty companies, and I did not receive the high quality care I received from Prudential Nutshell. I cannot thank you enough for being there for me every step of the way. We couldn't be happier with the end result of our sale and purchase."

Mike & Alice Haller

"Laurel Sweeney has been a big help, both before and after the purchase of our house in Stone Ridge. She listened carefully, was candid and complete with information about the houses we saw, and has continued to help us with quality referrals after the sale. We recommend Laurel and Nutshell Realty."

Nancy Drexler

"As a city girl, on my own, looking for a country house was a bit indimidating. Laurel Sweeney was patient and supportive, and I found the perfect house. I love my log cabin and my five acres, I love the area, and I love Laurel and Nutshell."

Alexa Latimore

"My experience working with you Laurel was absolutely an incredible one. You were very patient with me, since I was extremely picky in what I was looking for, and it was such a long process. You never got frustrated with me when I asked you to look at more and more houses. You made it painless for us even though I was fighting and kicking the whole way. You got to know exactly what I was looking for and knew I was not going to settle for less. I know I was at times hard to work with, yet you never showed it. You are great at what you do, and Roger and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for finding us the home of our dreams. Bless you!"

Tim Hefele

"Due to fallout from the current economic climate, I found myself in a situation where it was absolutely necessary to liquidate and sell my beloved home. I choose Laurel since I knew she had the experience and connections to make the sale happen and in a timely way. I am delighted on how well things turned out.. "Exceeded my expectations!"

Mary Workman and Ed Smit

"Laurel made buying our first home easier than we could have imagined. She had the ability to understand exactly what we were looking for, and took us straight to the perfect property on our first meeting! I can't thank her enough for her insight, knowledge and skill. Our home exceeds our wildest dreams."

Russell Bliss

"You may remember the observation I made about halfway through the first day we spent looking at houses together, which was that I was beginning to see that you have a very hard job. That was one year and dozens of houses ago.

In a conversation we were having recently about this process, Natalie added some nuance. She said the real estate agent's job is less about getting to the sale, and more about keeping it from falling apart.

Natalie and I want to thank you for your patience, endless hours of hard work, and attention to detail, all those details. Whatever you're making on this transaction, it isn't enough. We're looking forward to being your neighbors."

Fred Morefield

"Just a note to say many, many thanks for your very good work selling our home. You provided us with excellent advice; you very efficiently managed the showing of our home, and you coordinated all of the closing matters very effectively. And, of particular importance, you kept us very well informed at all times - even with telephone calls to Europe!"

Haynes Llewellyn

"Gary and I thank you again for your efforts. Gary and I feel confident Michelle has guided us to the correct Realtor. Today's Kingston home tour was informative, amusing and eye opening. As we move forward toward our goal of purchasing our Kingston home your guidance, advice, honesty and the occasional blow to the head would be most appreciated."

Mitchell & Maryellen Link

"It was a pleasure to have Laurel with us as we searched for our first home. She is open and honest and we could tell she actually cared about us. She was never pushy and always gave an open assessment of each home. Also, her schedule was flexible, and she always had plenty of patience! Overall, an excellent experience all around!"

Amy Tuscanes

"I first met Laurel when my husband and I were looking for a new home. We loved working with Laurel, and recommend her to our friends for a few reasons. Laurel was easily available. Whether it was by phone, email, or texting, we were always able to get our questions answered. As well, she knew what we were looking for, and did a great job showing us homes we would be interested in. Finally, Laurel emailed us all the MLS listings in our price range. Each week, we were aware of the new houses on the market. Jon, myself, and our two daughters are very happy with our new home and look forward to working with Laurel again."