Jeff & Grace Safrin, Broker / Owners, SFR, CRS, Northwest Indiana

About F.C.Tucker 1st Team Real Estate

We invite you to Join us - Talk to Tucker for a Career in Real Estate! We make House calls in NW Indiana !

About The Broker/Owners and the Areas We Serve

Professional Credentials & Personal Vitae

Jeff & Grace Safrin are both Licensed Real Estate Brokers in the State of Indiana

-Members National Association of Realtors
-Members Indiana Association of Realtors
-Members Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors (GNIAR)
-Members MLS- Northwest Indiana!

-Past Corporate Recognitions:
Jeff and Grace
achieved both local and state honors as Top Sales Agents & Multi-Million Dollar producers finishing Number ONE sales associates in the Valparaiso office for the year 2000 and Top 10 in the State as Rookies of the year for a major Brand Name franchise.

(May 2001) they joined F.C. Tucker - Indiana's Largest Real Estate co. est. 1918 on the "Golden Rule" philosophy.
(May 2006) -
With over 46 offices state wide this third generation family owned business is ranked in the Top 10 regional Brands in the country, with over 2.1 BILLION Dollars sold in 2008!!!
and Jeff & Grace are Proud to affiliate with its newest NW Indiana Office!
F.C. Tucker's philosophy and core values of HOW they do business and treat clients & sales associates provides a strong foundation from which to build solid long term relationships for providing Real Estate services to the entire Indiana community.

On 7/8/9 Jeff & Grace Safrin were afforded the opportunity to become Broker / Owners of F.C.Tucker's newest franchise office in Northwest Indiana F.C. Tucker 1st Team Real Estate - serving Lake, Porter, La Porte, & Starke Counties in NW Indiana. Our Office is located centrally in downtown Valparaiso on the Courthouse Square @ 13 Lincolnway, Suite # 203 (zipcode) 46383.

Our Business Model is to attrack seasoned experienced Real estate professionals who work from home in a non traditional Virtual office Brokerage model. With today's mobile technology, internet and social media, the savvy agent does this already anyway. Saving Time and Increasing the REALTORS bottom line allows them to re-invest both back to their family and the community!

In our 1st full year in business 2010 F.C. Tucker 1st Team Real Estate in NW Indiana ranked in the Top 20% of all 288 real estate offices in Lake, Porter & La Porte counties based on Closed/Sold Transation $ Volume-this with only 5 Agents on board! Want productivity? Talk To Tucker -Indiana's Real Estate Leader.

Personal Stats:

2009 featured on ABC News Nightline 3/09 on the topic of Reverse Offers in Real Estate. Quoted in numerous newspapers: Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, San Francisco Chronicle, San Diego Gazette, Post- Tribune, The Times Newspaper, Indy Star, CRS Magazine - The Residential Specialist and many other web blogs on the same topic as well.

5 / 2008 Chosen by HGTV to feature home we listed on Hidden Potential ! ( show aired 8/08 )

2/2008 - Named among the TOP 10 Affiliate Office Producers in the Entire State of IN

Over $67 Million Dollars in Real Estate SOLD since 2000 - thats hundreds of successful transactions & clients represented!

2002 thru 2008-Realty Alliance Award-Ranked top 20 % of REALTORS (all companies combined) Nationwide!

2002 thru 2008 Executive Club Award !
TOP PRODUCER AWARD-VALPARAISO OFFICE 2002 thru 2005! Top Producer Award 2006 thru 2008 Rensselaer!

2002 thru 2007=Recipient of F.C. Tuckers Highest Award-PRESIDENT'S CLUB !

2/20/07 Inducted as PRESIDENTS CLUB LIFE MEMBER and earned the Title of

"First Vice President".

2002=Broker Agent News Platinum Producer Award-National Award reserved for only the finest real estate professionals!
2003 Broker Agent Magazine Cover Story for "Agents of the Month" Award
2003 Members Realtors Forum and MLS Committee (Multiple Listing Service).
2004-Named 2nd Vice President Residential Sales F.C. Tucker
2006 Member GNIAR Website Revison Committee
2006 Cerification from NAR/HUD "At Home With Diversity"

2008 Grace Safrin completed sales and coursework needed for the coveted Certified Residential Specialist Designation (CRS) which only 4 % or REALTORS nationwide have!

Other credentials:

Residents of Northwest Indiana for the past decade,
currently residing in Shorewood Forest, Valparaiso IN.
Members Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce
Members Sand Creek Country Club
Members Christ Lutheran Church and Temple Bethel
Bi-Lingual speaking - Movi Po Polsku

College Degrees-

Jeff has a Marketing and Business Major from Indiana University-Bloomington,
Grace has a Bachelors Degree in Nursing from Governors State University in Illinois.

Both have over 10 years successful business experience.

Grace has been served as a past director of a local Chamber of Commerce. (St.John Indiana for several years approx 1993-1996)

We are actively involved in our children's school and sports activites & church functions - which include (last few years for brevity).

2009 to present, Grace facilitates a ladies Bible Study @ CLCValpo that meets Tuesday evenings - open to members and non-members - come join us!

2010 Evangelism Chair - using time and talents, Grace developed a Social Media Strategy for Christ Lutheran Church in Valpo on Twitter, Facebook, You Tube and BLOG

2008 & 2009 Church Council Member Christ Lutheran Church- Valparaiso, IN and Chair of STEWARDSHIP Committee.

2006-Evangelism Committee - Coordinator of the Welcome Center Table Hosts for all Church Services.

Public Law 221 committee membership(2001-2002)

Interview member of committee to select/recommend UTMS School Principal(2002)

Coaching Girl's Softball(2001)

Room Parents-Middle School (2000, 1999, 1998,)

Fund Raising for High School (Andrean Fashion show committee chairperson for raffle 4 consecutive years 1996-2000)

Areas Served

The Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service Areas include :Lake, Porter, La Porte, Newton & Jasper Counties in NW Indiana.

Including the cities and towns of Lake County which are : Whiting, Hammond, Hessville, Dyer, Highland, Munster, Schererville, Merrillville, Crown Point, Cedar Lake, Lowell, Hobart, Lake Station, Gary, East Chicago and Hebron.

Including the cities and towns in Poter County which are : Valparaiso, including the Community of Shorewood Forest, Portage, Chesterton, Beverly Shores, Ogden Dunes, Hebron, and Kouts.

Including the Cities & Towns of La Porte County which area: La Porte, Michigan City, Rolling Prairie, Wanatah, Westville, Union Mills, Hanna and La Crosse.

Including the Towns & Cities in Starke County which are: North Judson, San Pierre, Knox and Grovertown.

Why Do 9 out of 10 Sellers Choose a Real Estate Professional to Sell their Home???

REALTORS:

...get top dollar for a home through broad based exposure.

...know how to handle the complex paperwork and avoid legal issues that can prevent a sale from closing.

...have experience asking buyers essential qualifying questions about their finances.

...save sellers precious time by pre-qualifying buyers before taking them through their home.

...save sellers the uneasy experience of admitting strangers to their home for showings.

...It comes down to this: Real Estate Professionals consistently sell homes more quickly and for higher prices.
(National Association of Realtors, 2002).

...If you need to sell your home for top dollar in the least amount of time...Talk to Jeff & Grace Today @(219) 405-1232. Spring is around the corner and it takes time for our full marketing exposure - so NOW is the time to List your home with us !

Testimonials From Our Satisfied Northwest Indiana Buyers & Sell

Hear What Our Repeat Clients Have To Say...

Perhaps you can relate to some of these stories of Real People like yourself from all walks of life & various locations ...who had goals in their life that required a change in housing....We Respect those goals and work hard to help our clients and are humbled by their faith in us and grateful for their referrals !

Withstanding the Test of Time - Client testimonial from REPEAT Business a decade later!

Ten years ago Mark & I contacted Jeff & Grace to sell our home and find our dream home - and they did just that. We were so pleased with their professionalism and guidance that we contacted them this sumer to sell our homes and once again, find our dream home - and they did it again!! We wouldn't trust anyone else in the home buying and selling process.

Mr. & Mrs. Shaffer - Northwest Indiana

Move-Up Buyers- A Smooth Transition Selling Their Home + Buying a New One - Back to Back Closings!

Our First Home as a Married Couple!

Jeff and Grace were customers in my store one day and throughout conversation, we learned that I wanted to sell my house in order to get one more fitting to my family and they were real estate agents. I was really excited as they were so friendly and down to earth. I felt they truly wanted to assist me and did not look at me with a dollar sign.

Once we got my husband on board, which was easier than I had anticipated, there was a For Sale sign in front of my house and we began shopping for our new home. My husband had to go away and train for work and left me to make the decisions. As our house sold more quickly than anticipated, on came the inspectors. I did not know much about this process. I was getting quotes that were just unrealistic. I called Jeff and Grace in tears one day and they assured me everything was fine and gave me numbers and names of people to call and held my hand the rest of the way.

I now have my dream home that I plan to spend many years in and create great memories. Jeff and Grace are not just our real estate agents, they are now our friends. These people are truly amazing and are so dedicated to their clients. I am truly blessed to have met them!

Thank you Jeff and Grace!!

Tina and Erik

A Local Lender calls us to sell her home over hundreds of REALTORS she knows...

As a financial professional for many years, I have worked with Jeff & Grace Safrin on numerous occasions. I have always found them to be people of integrity and they have always displayed the utmost professionalism as well. I would not hesitate to recommend them to potential buyers or sellers because I have worked with them from both sides. They are excellent with follow up as well - a compliment to the REALTOR community.

Susan Toadvine

We help clients relocate - sometimes even as often as once a year!

Jeff and Grace were an absolute pleasure to work with while selling our home. We decided to use them because they had been so wonderful to work with as our buying agent only 1 year prior. Knowing that we had just bought the home we were very nervous about putting it back on the market due to the unstable economic times that we are in. Despite being concerned I was being relocated and needed to sell the home. Jeff and Grace did a great job of working with me and my family to ensure that our house was listed fast and at a competitive rate based on the market. Throughout the first several weeks we received a bit of activity, but as it slowed Jeff was very proactive to ensure that we were staying competitive with the price. Sure enough, by following Jeff's advice we were able to sell our house on the 90th day of listing, which was remarkable!! Thank you Jeff and Grace for your attention and focus to help us not only buy our dream home, but help us to sell it just one year later!!!!!

Matt Burtch
General Manager Allen,TX
Cabela's World's Foremost Outfitter

Northwest Indiana Attorney who knows many REALTORS trusted the sale of his family home to us.

We can't thank Jeff and Grace enough! We had already found the house we wanted to move to before calling them to put our house on the market. They gave us some staging suggestions to get our home ready to sell. We followed their expert advice and thanks to that, plus their excellent marketing, we had two offers in a week!

The Safrin's used their experience and expertise to help sell our home in no time. We highly recommend them to anyone looking for REALTORS that work for you and with you to make buying or selling your home a great experience.

Chris & Erin Schmidgall

Valparaiso, IN

Move Up Buyers -> smooth transition/transactions...

We decided that we would take a look at moving within the area and see if we were able to find a newer home. We loved the home we were in and would move only if we could find a good deal that allowed us to not spend the money required to update our 22 year old home. We had several constraints that would make the overall success of the move very difficult. Any offer we made would need to be contingent on the closing of our home, we needed to remain in the same school district, and we needed to be under contract within 5 weeks and the sale of our home and closing on a new home must be at the same time. We had many requirements of a new home including a certain kitchen style, four bedrooms, private backyard, 3 car garage, pool, etc. Basically we loved the home we were in and would move only if the stars aligned and we could find a great deal.

Jeff and Grace went to work and through their determination they aligned the stars. After diving deep into what we wanted, they took us to several homes to refine both our expectations and better understand what we considered important. We had two offers on our home within the first two weeks and this was after the housing bubble burst, where credit was tough and the number of buyer's limited. In addition, the move included several small children and Jeff and Grace structured the contracts and entire transaction (sale of our home and purchase of the new home) to minimize the risk to our family.

If you have a complex situation with a short timeline and need a first class team that is able to apply tremendous energy to push a deal through while helping you manage the risk to you and your family, then you need the husband & wife team of Jeff and Grace Safrin.

Best Regards,

Chris & Kelly Aiken

Valparaiso, IN

Blogging REALTORS Do Make a difference in helping to market your property to sell...

Jeff and Grace Safrin of FC Tucker 1st Team was the best part of our home selling experience.

The use of the internet and the blogging to generate interest in the home we were selling is what decided it for us. No other realtor or realty team offered that as part of their service.

In today's market and economy we were thrilled to see a realty team go beyond the traditional way to market the house.

Communication between Jeff and Grace and us was constant. We were always in the know either via phone or email. Some days even by text!

Jeff and Grace went above and beyond when our buyer's lender started making waves at the last minute. Jeff was all over it! We were familiar with Jeff's go to attitude, but our buyer hadn't experienced his focus and determination. Our buyer was extremely grateful for his actions and advice. We are all pretty sure had it not been for his involvement our buyer's loan would have fallen through.

The old, traditional way of selling a home isn't very effective in today's market. Jeff and Grace have reached beyond the traditional to make selling your home a successful event.

We highly recommend Jeff and Grace Safrin of FC Tucker 1st Team. Rest assured working with them is the best decision you will make when choosing a realtor to market and sell your home.

Kurt and Laura Boyle
Rolling Prairie, IN

2010 - Our 1st Video Client's testimonial :) my how times have changed!

xx xx

Shorewood Forest Residents Were Happy With Our Service :)

Dear Grace and Jeff,
It has been a pleasure working with both of you these past several months. Your professionalism, knowledge and unique method of marketing my home was exquisite. I can't thank you enough and would like to say that your energy and kindness through this was both refreshing and appreciated.
Sincerely,
Rachel and Jim

Short Sales are Here to Stay a Few Years-Our Experience with These is Told........

HI Grace / Jeff,

Don't have a scanner here, so just put my testimonial below. Hope that works ok for you. You may use my name if you wish.

Have a great weekend and

"GO Saints" !!!!!

Lynn

I had my house listed with a large well known real estate agent for 6 months. The house didn’t sell and it sat empty costing me a fortune with each passing month, paying for mortgage, utilities, insurance etc. I came across Jeff and Grace Safrin’s name on a website. I talked with Jeff and decided on a short sale, based on the information I had obtained from my mortgage company. The house was listed on a Monday and by Saturday of the same week we were signing papers. A Couple of weeks later, we closed on the sale.

Jeff is extremely knowledgeable in real estate, selling, short sales and handling and dealing with all aspects of this business. He worked quickly and efficiently to get the sale closed, with liens, and several other road blocks. Jeff and his wife are very friendly and personable and a pleasure to work with. The Safrin’s know their business and I would recommend them to ANYONE looking to buy or sell a home.

Experience in Problem Solving and a having a Close Network of Professional Experts pays off for our clients:)

We have sold several homes and this was the first time we ever felt
that the Realtors involved actually earned every dollar.

We were impressed by Jeff and Grace's 'tecno' knowledge that was heads above
anyone else we talked with for selling homes.

They had great suggestions for staging our home which we followed.

The previous Realtor was not successful in even getting a bid in 6 months but Jeff
and Grace got us one in a month even in this tough market!

The buyer ran into a few problems, but with Jeff's many contacts and knowledge of
the new lending rules he was able to plow through for a successful ending.

Jeff and Grace are very personable, knowledgeable and persistent for
their sellers.

If we ever return to the area they are the ONLY
Realtors we will call.

Jerry and Cathy Baldwin

No gate keeper's - What you see is what you get :)

We found out we were relocating to another state. We had our house listed with who was suppose to be the "best Realtor in Porter County". We must admit we weren't impressed with the way the house was listed or marketed. We also weren't impressed with the relationship between us and the listing agent. We felt we had to get through "the gate keeper" first just to talk to them.Well we decided to stay with the agent because after-all, the house was on the MLS. We were hoping that maybe another agent would show it and possibly sell it.

After six months and no offers our contract was over, what do we do now? We couldn't stomach extending and our time was getting short. The market was getting bad and we were told houses simply weren't moving. So we decided to rent. We had listed our house on Craigslist to rent and lo and beholdwe saw Jeff and Grace Safrin listings. We thought, gosh, what Realtor uses Craigslist? We immediately went to their website and were quite impressed.

The next day we called Jeff and told him our story. He was able to look up the listing from six months ago. He told us he was confident that he could sell our house if we just give him a chance. He's very knowledgeable and to the point. Well at this point what do we have to lose? Within hours, we were emailing and faxing documents to get our house listed.

We were so impressed with the listing and marketing. They go above and beyond. They use every avenue to list your home. Also when we call... we get Jeff. Hardly ever an answering machine! Well, needless to say our house sold in 2 months and we can move on with our lives.

Thanks so much Jeff and Grace. We will recommend you to everyone we know.

Jay and Shaun Phifer

A Satisfied Client who knows Thousands of REALTORS...

Dear Jeff and Grace - CLOSED! In today's tough real estate arena, my property was hard to market due to many circumstances beyond my control, but you did it! As a mortgage loan officer in the business for over 15 years, you were my choice when I needed to sell my home. Your professionalism and marketing expertise were appreciated and I will recommend your services to all of my customers. Your reputation as an expert in real estate is well deserved. Thank you! Debbie Grigonis

A Note of Double Thanks During The Holiday Season

Dear Jeff and Grace,
We appreciate so much your professional expertise and diligence pertaining to selling our 2 homes totalling well over $ 1 million dollars in what some say was a slow market.
And you sold them quickly and at the "asking price", always keeping us fully informed.
It truly was a pleasure working with you.
Sincerely,
Jackie & Al Gomez

Forget "Location, location, location..." It's "MARKETING, MARKETING, MARKETING!"

We decided to relocate about 100 miles from our home in Starke County, IN. We listed our property (a home that we designed and had built, a pole barn, a large stocked pond on ten acres) with a local real estate agency, sure it would sell quickly because it seemed like a very desirable property to us. We found and made an offer on a place in our new neighborhood through an F.C. Tucker agent. We closed on our new home in early August '06, still certain the place in Starke Co. would sell soon and not leave us with two mortgage payments.

We were disappointed with the original listing, but had faith in our realtor. The listing displayed a single unflattering photograph and had a generic blurb; we would've skipped over our own beloved property if we'd been a potential buyer! Evidently others in the market felt the same way, because it sat quietly unseen for months at a time. We blamed the weather, then the holidays, then a slow market period. Even a drop in price made little difference. Things were looking grim.

After seven months of struggling with two mortgage payments, we knew something had to change. We credit nothing short of Divine intervention with leading us to the Safrin's Spouses Selling Houses. Jeff immediately inspired us with confidence in his business manner, and when he and Grace quizzed us about what we thought would be desirable marketing points and took multiple photos of the property, we felt a re-newed optimism. Upon viewing their web-site version of the listing with Grace's storybook description, we were sad to have to leave such an inviting place! We knew it would sound perfect to the kind of home-owners that would take good care of "our" house and land, too.

After only 35 days on the market with the Safrins, we found ourselves sitting in a closing office, signing sale paperwork! Jeff and Grace had more showings in two weeks than the previous agency had in over half a year, resulting in FOUR separate offers. We've never felt safer doing a major transaction with anyone. Jeff lead us fearlessly through every detail, and offered us options and ideas that might not occur to an average homeowner. We are forever grateful, as all this happened literally days before depleting our savings and retirement funds to manage dual mortgage payments. Jeff and Grace truly saved the day!


May they have many more years of helping others as they did us,
Joe and Janneane Veger

Moving Up From One Home To Another ..... Smoothly....

Buying a home can be a frightening process, even for David who has been through it all once before; but for me, a first time buyer, it was near terrifying. Going into it all blind, I had no idea what to expect. However, with the help and expertise of Jeff and Grace, they really eased my mind and alleviated some of the stress that can sometimes result from working with an unexperienced agent. We were lucky to have worked with such knowledgeable, motivated, and genuine people. They were on top of the game at all times and answered our questions even before we had thought to ask them. They went above and beyond any expectations we could have ever had in not only selling our home, but also buying our new house, bestowing the responsibility of the hunt to Linda Robison who was also extremely helpful, motivated, and above all, patient in our search.


I was very impressed with how quickly Jeff and Grace were able to sell our home, but was not surprised, considering how diligent and focused they were on getting the property on the MLS so quickly and using every marketing tool at their disposal. I personally never knew how involved it could be going from one house to another. I thought that's all it was. You see people moving all the time, but I realize now that there is so much more to it. For everything that Jeff and Grace had done for us, I could not imagine trying to do it on our own. Even still, with all the time they put in to helping, not only us throughout the whole process, but all of their other clients as well, they were still available at a moments notice, always called back, always on time, and were genuinely concerned in our lives and making sure that, above all, we were informed and happy with all decisions we had to make. I really cannot begin to express our gratitude for all of the time and effort they put into making our transition a pleasant one and for not just being our agents, but also our friends as the weeks progressed. For that we thank you!!

Melissa Fiscus and David Bank, Jr.

Recommendation!

After 2 realtors and a stint trying a creative FSBO, I met with Jeff and Grace Safrin. My house was 6+ months on the market with not one offer. This was a market priced home built in 2001. No reason to be sitting this long, right? Well, it only took me a week after signing on with Jeff and Grace to learn that when they said my home needed to be marketed, they weren't kidding! In four weeks my home was flooded onto multiple websites, mailers and local media were employed (makes me wonder what the other two realtors were doing) and we were getting steady showings. We got a solid offer and closed the deal 4 weeks later. All in all: 96 days from hello Jeff and Grace to my second mortgage burden being gone!

Thanks Jeff and Thanks Grace for all your hard work and caring. I know it made a difference for us!

John and Kathie Young

Even in a changing market with many homes for sale...mutiple offers are possible!

We really appreciate the hard work that Jeff and Grace Safrin did with selling our home on 2849 Eleanor Street in Portage, Indiana. We previously listed our home and had a difficult time trying to sell it. Through their marketing efforts we were able to sell the home in a short amount of time and actually had THREE SOLID OFFERS IN ONE DAY. We are pleased to not only call them our Realtors, but also our friends. Thank you, Jeff and Grace.

Brent and Angela Fielder
Porter, Indiana

Even Former REALTORS Notice the difference in Our Level of Care.....

Jeff, Grace and Linda,


Thank you Thank you Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Being a single woman who has tried hard for the last 8 years to try and stay afloat is now a home owner again. This a dream that I did not think would ever come again on my own. Linda was very understanding to what my needs were and did not give up looking for a home in the price range I could afford. The choices were not many, and I knew that I would have to "settle" for what was out there, and possibly have to put some elbow grease into a house to make it a home for me and my 2 sons. Well Linda, with Jeff's approval found me a house to look at. It was a nice house, but needed a lot of work. I made a bid anyway and was excited that I found something the same day we started looking. Well, I got beat out of the house and we had to start all over again. There was nothing else out there at the time. Jeff and Grace new I was upset and started calling people in Salt Creek Commons that they had sold houses to in the past to see if they or anyone they knew might be interested in selling their home. Well they found a couple that were willing, and I looked at, made an offer, and it got it accepted all in the same day. WOW.....Things moved quickly after that and 30 days later I was in MY new home. God works in funny ways. The house I bought is 2 houses down from the one I originally put a bid on, and needed NO work to be able to move in.

Being an ex realtor, I know the hard work and dedication it takes to find the right home for the people you are helping. Jeff, Grace and Linda, you all went over and beyond what I ever expected to have happen. When I tell my family and friends how I got the home I'm in, they are all amazed at what you all did.

I will be forever grateful to all of you for what you did for me.

In Gods Love

Julie Greenfield

Local Business Owners Endorsement...

To whom it may concern:

I'd like to commend Jeff and Grace Safrin for their
outstanding professionalism concerning the purchase of
my condominium.

As a local business owner and employee of Valparaiso
University, I had very little time to assist in the
search process for my condo. Jeff and Grace were able
to locate an ideal home on the same day of first
contact. The price and location was exactly what I was
seeking.

Thanks to the great work of the Safrin's, the purchase
was finalized in just two weeks. I was moved in less
than a month later.

The process could not have gone any smoother. I've
already recommended Jeff and Grace to many of my
friends and associates.

Sincerely,

Todd Ickow
Owner of BuffaLouie's Restaurants

1st Time Home Buyer

Jeff & Grace Safrin

I just wanted to send you a letter thanking you for making the purchase of my first home such a great experience. It was a very intimidating process and a huge step for me, but you both were so helpful and patient that it took away all my fears. You took the time to answer all my questions and explain the entire home buying experience step by step. I especially loved the letter Grace wrote me with the contact numbers and things to bring to the closing. Your services went above and beyond what I expected.

Jennifer Scheidel
Manager - Starbucks

We work hard to help people achieve their homeownership dreams...

Elaine and Eugene
Rolling Prairie, Indiana



This is our story - long but has a sweet ending.
Eugene and I had a dream - to buy my mother's house (100 year old farm house) and fix
it up. We had a nice two story house that we had built but were ready for a challenge.

We first tried to sell the house "by owners" but all we got were "lookers". We then
proceeded to list with a variety of realtors. We never got any positive or negative feed
back. Our house was on the market for about three years when we found Grace and Jeff
Safrmn. They had mailed us information continuously throughout the years but we kept
with the "local" guys.

Eugene works weird shifts and I am a traveling nurse with even weirder shifts. It is
sometimes hard for anyone to reach us but they kept trying. Grace and Jeff said that they
would "take us on" and said that they market "differently". We were desperate so we
signed. Now, a note of interest - over the last three years - we had never had an offer -
NOT ONE!!! We had probably showed our house at least a hundred times and that is no
exaggeration!

Well, as the story goes - it ends happily! We had an offer and accepted it fourteen days
alter signing with Grace and Jeff. They worked through all our questions and even our
unique scheduling from signing on with Grace and Jeff to signing off on our house
they were with us all the way.

Three years long but as J said - a sweet ending. We are now living in the old farm house
and enjoying every minute of it.

Thank you Jeff and Grace


Elaine

Valparaiso Police Officer

To whom it may concern,


My name is Ryan Miller I am a police officer with the Valparaiso, IN Police Department. I just recently sold my condo in Valparaiso and purchased a new home. I used Jeff Safrin as my realtor. I was very pleased with the services that Jeff did for me. He sold my condo very fast and found me a new home that I am very happy with, Jeff had all the information that I needed for selling and buying my new home. I highly recommend Jeff as a realtor and would use him again when I am ready to sell this house to upgrade. Jeff was easy to get a hold of and spent a lot of time searching for our new home. Through the process Jeff and I have become very good friends. He has a great personality. He is very easy to get along with. I know that he has helped several officers that I work with purchase and sell their homes. I know that Jeff will work with anyone to help him or her out whether it is selling their home or purchasing one, no matter what price range they are looking in. Jeff knew that I wanted to be able to get in a house that I could afford with out struggling on making the payment and he never tried to get me to look at houses outside of my range.
Thank you for your time and I hope that by me writing this letter everyone who reads it knows how much I appreciate the help and assistance that Jeff Safrin provided me with.


Thank you,
Ryan Miller

Former FSBO Become Repeat Clients...

FC Tucker
Broker/Owner

Dear Sir/Madame:


We met Jeff and Grace Safrin after 3 years of trying to sell our home in Crown Point. We honestly had given up on anyone actually closing a sale so, at that time we had nothing to lose and signed with Jeff and Grace. We immediately saw in them a professional yet relaxed way about them that made us feel comfortable and confident in the way they did business.

Jeff is very goal-oriented and upbeat. His enthusiasm and offbeat sense of humor is contagious and we hit it off right from the start. Jeff and Grace refused to buy into our defeatist attitude about selling our house and for the first time in a long time we felt like maybe these folks were the answer to our prayers. And, they were. Our home finally sold.

It was time to look for a new home. Of course, we wanted Jeff and Grace to find our new home for us. They listened to our needs very carefully and found us the perfect home. Believe me we ran them through the ringer. We weren't as aware of what we wanted as Jeff and Grace. We made some questionable choices on our own and Jeff was extremely careful and ethical to help thread our way through the real estate maze. Grace was very intuitive about reading our body language as we walked through the different homes we were interested in.

When Michael lost his job in January and accepted another job in Kansas, Grace and Jeff were the first people we called. If it was possible we would have had them find our new home in Kansas as well. Once again, our home sold. Not only did it sell within 30 days, but we had 2 offers on the same day!

Jeff and Grace are without a doubt the best real estate agents we have ever had the absolute pleasure of knowing and working with. We could go on and on about what they have done for us and what they mean to us. As a matter of fact, Michael has handed out their business cards to complete strangers letting them know that if they want to sell their home and have a great experience doing it, to contact Jeff and Grace Safrin.

We could go on and on with more detail on how the Safrin's have touched our lives but it would take many pages to do so. In closing we want you to know that you have a team of the most professional, ethical, and talented agents in Northwest Indiana. If we ever need any real estate advice in the future we will call Jeff and Grace.

Sincerely,
Michael and Debbie Mitchell
2501 Inverness Drive
Valparaiso, IN 46383

Not all REALTORS are the same.....

F.C. Tucker
Jeff & Grace Safrin

Dear Jeff & Grace,

What a great team you are!

We were very unhappy with our present agent. After having him for 1 year, we decided to look for another realtor. Fortunately, we found you. Our first meeting, we discussed everything we had disliked about our first listing agent and the problems we had. You told us that we did not have to worry and that you would handle things differently. We believed you, and signed a contrac. You both did everything you said you would. Showings, the results, your thoughts and ideas on every issue concerning our home were discussed with us as needed. Much to our surprise, in a few months we accepted an offer from a buyer and closed on the house two weeks later.

This letter is to thank you for the excellent job of selling our home in such a short time frame. We were both very unhappy with our previous experiences with realtors in Indiana, You both turned our feelings around and made us realize that all the agents out here were not totally irresponsible, and unscrupulous. We enjoyed working with both of you. We now believe that the two of you are the most ethical, honest and talented agents that are available in Northwest Indiana. From now on, we can honestly refer our family and friends to the best agents in Indiana. Thanks again, we appreciate all your hard work.

Sincerely,
Dan and Diana Strezo
Wheatfield, IN

Busy Professionals Read on....

Dear Jeff & Grace,



It's taken me a while, I know!! But I did not forget and I do want the two of you to know how fabulous you are!



I am a single young woman who works long hours. This was my first home bought and first home sold at 207 Parkwood Drive, Valparaiso, IN. When I decided to sell my house I did not know what to expect. From the first day I talked to you I had not a worry in the world about selling my house. After the first time I met the two of you, when you came to take pictures of the house, I felt like I'd known you for years. The minute it was in your hands you treated me and my house like it was your top priority to get sold! Not only that, you are fun, kind, joyful and hardworking people that I really enjoyed working with. Your conduct of honesty and loyalty are a wonderful attribute in your business! And I apologize and thank you at the same time for those times I forgot to unlock the screen door!!



Thank you for all of your hard work and continuing friendship!



Warm regards and best wishes,



Heather Jaroszewski

Not all Home Sales are the same.....

Jeff and Grace Safrin helped me out tremendously when I needed to sell my house. I was going through a divorce at the time and I really needed to get my house sold quickly. Unfortunately, I lived in North Judson and real estate was not exactly booming in this area. My heart wanted me to list it with the local real estate man to keep the business local, but my head told me to get an agent from Porter county and hope to get a buyer from the Region.

I put all of my confidence in Jeff and Grace and they didn't let me down. I was very new to selling homes as this was my first home that I owned. They talked me step by step through the process, took my listing and my house was on the market. Jeff and Grace worked hard to get my listing noticed. I saw it in all of the print magazines they advertised in and on their website. I didn't get tons of inquiries because of the area I lived in. But each time someone was interested, they quickly responded and made the 40 minute drive to show my property. The bottom line was my house sold for a good price within 3 months of Jeff and Grace taking the listing. In fact, we closed within weeks of me having to go through foreclosure.

I would highly recommend Jeff and Grace Safrin in you are interested in selling your home or in the market to buy a home. They are professional, sincere, hard working and everything else you will need in a realtor. They really came through for me when I needed it the most. They helped me and I am confident they can help you also.





Tim Brown

North Judson, IN 46366

Relocating Here From Out of State?? Maybe You Can Relate...

If you are reading this, then you are potentially in the same place my family and I were in a few months ago. Maybe moving out of state, buying a home for the first time. Not to sure where to start looking. You've been to some websites, looked at a few homes, played with the mortgage calculator. STOP NOW! I can save you all the hassles, I was there. I must have looked at over 800 listings in 6 counties, no kidding. I narrowed down my list to about 15 homes, and then I started to call and email the listing realtors. Much to my surprise, no one seemed really interested in helping us and some never even bothered to respond. I could not understand this. My family and I are relocating from out of state and we needed a home in less than 3 months. Our lease was up and my husband had just purchased the CiCi's Pizza in Portage some 300 miles away.

We called the Safrins from F.C. Tucker about a home we saw on a website that they were listing. They were friendly and informative about the listing, a complete 180° turn from what we had been experiencing. More important, they were not pushy or desperate for our business. Just helpful and informative. We talked about setting a time to go and view the home, and they referred us to an excellent mortgage company for our more in depth financing questions. They also offered to email us some more listings that they thought we might be interested in. Now here are two personable people going out of their way for us and we had only just begun talking. Unfortunately their listing sold before we even had a chance to look at it. I was a little bummed out. They offered to set up times for us to look at our other choices; none of them were even their listings. Both Jeff and Grace really listened to our needs, and were honest about our choices. They had a vast knowledge of the area and the schools, all our questions were answered right away. Jeff was very up front about some of our listing choices, helping us to look for a sound investment. We narrowed down to three and they set everything up. The ease of working with the two of them was great so far.

We met face to face the first time the morning of our showing. Grace and Jeff were just as likable in person as they had been over the phone. They informed us that our #2 pick had pulled off the market that morning. However Grace had found another home ½ mile away and had already set up an appointment for us that day. Knowing they knew exactly what we were looking for, we weren't at all worried about the substitution. We looked at our original two homes and found they wouldn't really work for us. Despite our disappointment with the homes, Jeff seemed to know every little detail about the homes. Grace was an even bigger help, occupying our kids so that we could really look at the homes. Dismayed at how our search was heading, we set off to look at the "fill in". All we can really about the replacement is we can't thank them enough for the beautiful home we live in. We absolutely fell in love with it. They had known what we were looking for all along.

From the showing to the closing, the Safrins were there making the whole process easy for a first time home buyer. Not to mention, they provided us peace of mind about our future.

Sincerely,

The Burricks
Kouts, IN

Years later, we stay in touch with our clients....

It was 2001 when my wife and I decided it was time to purchase our first home in preparation for having a family. We were aware that our money was merely being thrown away by continuing to rent. Nevertheless, our greatest concern was whether or not we would be able to afford a home. In addition to our financial concerns, our ignorance of the realestate world was even more concerning. Our families provided some relief with their experiences however; it had been many years since they purchased a home. The general consensus was to find a realtor we could trust. My wife and I painstakingly searched for homes in the LaPorte County, IN area. This would be the first time we would make contact with Jeff and Grace Safrin. It was the best phone call we would ever make.

With that, I would like to take this moment to share my sincere appreciation for Jeff and Grace Safrin. All of our fears were alleviated by their professional and caring demeanor. Both Jeff and Grace Safrin willingly took the time to sit down and answer questions. We were even provided with their home telephone number for any further concerns. In regards to my concern about the price of the property, they acted as negotiators with the bank to reduce the property's price in our favor. Being a Law Enforcement Officer, there were occasions I was not able to be present during every phase of the process. Regardless of these obstacles, Jeff and Grace took care of it. In all, our first home buying experience was rewarding and welcomed. We can't thank Jeff and Grace enough for all their hard work, shared concerns, and most of all friendship. To this day, Jeff and/or Grace will either call or stop by just to say hello. Not only will they be our realtors for life, they will also be our friends.

As a Law Enforcement Officer, I question everything. As a home buyer, there is no question that Jeff and Grace Safrin are extremely competent, professional, and trustworthy realtors.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter of appreciation.

Sincerely,

Detective Patrick G. Cicero
Crime Scene Investigator
LaPorte County Sheriff's Office

From DR. & Mrs. Anton Thompkins Children...

Jeff & Grace Safrin
Helped Mom & Dad Find
Our Home Sweet Home


Talk To Jeff & Grace Safrin Broker/Owners

F.C. Tucker 1st Team Real Estate
219-405-1232
serving
Lake, Porter, La Porte, Counties in NW Indiana
http://www.safrin.net/

and last, but not least, .....An Independant "LAB" has determined Jeff & Grace Safrin are the Best :)