over 20 bids on the house... went above and beyond

"My wife and I hired Mark to assist us in purchasing our first home. After looking for several weeks we found a foreclosure that we loved in the Bouldin Creek area. There was over 20 bids on the house but with Mark's expertise and suggestions we were the winning bid! After months of lender issues and bank issues due to the foreclosure we finally closed on the house. Through it all Mark stuck by our side and was always positive and reassuring even when we wanted to give up. He went above and beyond what a normal Realtor does in a transaction and was continually calling the bank and lenders and doing everything in his power to ensure we closed. If you are looking for a professional and knowledgeable Realtor Mark Strub is it!"
- Corey Dulimba, Buyer

wouldn’t have this house if I didn’t have Mark as my Realtor

“I met Mark when I was a renter – he was my landlord’s agent when she decided to sell. I worked nights at that time and he went out of his way to be respectful of my weird sleeping hours. As disappointed as I was to have to move, Mark made it as painless for me as possible. When I mentioned being unsure about buying instead of renting again, he got my email address, did a personalized analysis of which would make the most sense for me and sent it the next day. Considerate, professional and an all-around nice guy. Fast forward a couple years when I was finally ready to buy for the first time. I made the HUGE mistake of using two other (lesser) agents over the course of a year trying to buy. This was not only a frustrating experience but also an abysmal failure. After making offers and missing out on several great properties, I called up Mark. What a difference it made to have Mark working for me. He helped me find a perfect house on a big, wooded lot in an area I never thought I’d be able afford (78704EVER!). The first day it went on the market I drove by. Cars were parked everywhere and lots of people walking around outside. The next afternoon, Mark and I went to look at it together even though I didn’t think I had a chance. I was sure it was already under contract. But when I told him “I want it”, he went to work immediately. He knew just how to structure an offer that would be accepted and like magic it was under contract for me that very night. Between contract and closing he did everything for me. He met me back there anytime I wanted to look around “one more time”. Arranged all the inspections, surveys and helped me counter-offer the seller when we found things that needed work. The process for me was essentially effortless. And a lot of fun for a change. I can say without a doubt that I wouldn’t have this house if I didn’t have Mark as my Realtor. He saved me money and got me a place I never thought I would find. I recommend him to everyone I know that is looking to buy or sell. Mark will be my Realtor if I ever decide to sell or buy anything else.”
— Heath Marr, Buyer  

Christy worked tirelessly for us in one of the most insane real estate markets out there

Christy Strüb of Strüb Residential could not have come at a better time in our lives.  Recently engaged, my fiancé and I were on the fence about whether or not we should buy property in Austin.  When we met with Christy for the first time as our realtor, she explained things in great detail for us, taking us step-by-step through the looking, lending and buying process, and really helping us figure out our wants and needs in relation to the current market.   Having Christy as our realtor immediately made us feel relaxed and confident as first-time homebuyers to take a bite out of Austin territory. 

Once we started the search, Christy worked tirelessly for us in one of the most insane real estate markets out there.  Christy would be out at 8 am looking at two or three houses with me, and then turn right back around at lunchtime to look with me again at a promising house that just came on the market.  We would call her late at night and on the weekends, and she always made us feel like a priority,  and that she truly wanted the best first house for us to call home.

With Christy by our side guiding us through one of the toughest buyers’ markets out there (bidding wars, houses pending within 24 hours, anemic inventory) we were able to find our first home within a month of searching!  By the time we closed on the house, it had only been two months from the time we had our first conversation with Christy about buying.  Some of my friends had horror stories of spending six months or more in an exhaustive and unfruitful home search, and I truly feel like I owe everything to our wonderful realtor with her smart strategy and keen eye.  She is so hardworking, dedicated and focused, and someone I consider a dear, dear friend.  Down the road when it’s time to start thinking about real estate again, she will be the first person I call!

Sophie Pearson, EH (Ecstatic Homeowner)

Mark is a one-of-a-kind realtor, the only one you should consider

I'm not generally a fan of realtors.  In the past, I've lumped them in the same bucket as the worst of the worst of used car salesmen.  I can genuinely say that Mark completely changed my opinion and showed my husband and I just how valuable an excellent real estate agent can be.  

Mark took the time to help us figure out exactly what we were looking for.  He was patient with us and provided helpful insight as we worked through our different ideas of our 'dream home.'  Beyond that, he was always available to show us new listings; and the few times that he wasn't, he found another colleague who was.  We always felt like we were a priority for him.  He was so accommodating to our many questions and went above and beyond to do analysis and pull reports of different areas.  After months of looking, he knew exactly what we wanted.  So, when the right house came on the market, he helped us jump on it and get our offer in first. Within 24 hours, there were seven other offers.  He came up with a great strategy to ensure our offer was chosen and thoroughly outlined all of our bargaining options. 

He didn't stop there, though.  Mark was a great asset throughout the buying process and even after.  He has continued to provide support even after we moved in and got settled -- from finding a painter to plumbers to electricians, he has a network of solid people with excellent references to call on.

In my opinion, Mark is a one-of-a-kind realtor and the only one you should consider working with if you're buying in the Austin area.

Kara Norwood - Buyer

you need a realtor you can trust

Woo-hoo! We're all moved in! I found Mark through a close friend who had also used him to relocate back to Austin. I live in Austin, but was ready for a change and a new address. I give Mark props because he met with us back in September/October and stuck with us through all the trials of getting my former house ready to sell, driving me all around town looking for the right neighborhood that would be just as good as my old one and finally when it was time, helping me to make an offer and find the right buyer for my house as well. It is not easy to sell your house, while living in it, and find a new one all at the same time, but somehow we made it all work. Mark was so encouraging, honest, and knowledgeable about the market. Buying and selling your home can be one of the most stressful things you'll ever do, and that's why you need a realtor you can trust. Mark definitely fit the bill! I highly recommend working with him, whether you're moving to Austin, or just moving across town. 
- Sarah Clark, Seller - Buyer [move-up]

more knowledge, passion and confidence

I hired Christy Strub as my real estate agent to sell a home in the Central Austin area. Her responsibilities included assessment of the home, sales and marketing strategy, pricing guidance, staging recommendations, and marketing and overall management of the entire real estate selling process.  Hiring Christy Strub to be my real estate agent was an easy decision. While Christy had not yet sold hundreds of homes in Austin, she had more knowledge, passion and confidence than dozens I had interviewed and encountered when preparing for this decision. The Strub group had previously advised me against a sale less than two years prior, recommending that I wait for a pending market change. What great advice, because when they did proactively call me with market insight, the overall experience was very positive (I believe) for both the buyer and seller. Christy's professional manner and organizational skills make her an excellent real estate agent. She was able to assess the home and make recommendations (coordinating actually - since I am a busy business traveler) the efforts to get the home sales ready. She definitely went above and beyond what is common for an agent. The marketing materials, reporting and pricing guidance were above my expectations. The process she managed, leaving me out of all the nitty gritty details, was exceptional. At the end of the day the seller's real estate agent was also very pleased to work with Christy. Closing went perfectly, and I was a happy home seller. I highly recommend Christy, the team she brings behind her and their experience and wish I had more homes for her to sell. Christy will be my realtor for life! 

— Erin Hindman - Seller

went WAY above and beyond

Unfortunately, Yelp doesn't allow 6-star reviews. 

My wife and I are relocating in Austin so I can attend the business school at UT. Mark spent several days with us in the competitive central Austin housing market and we found a wonderful house. 

We had an absolutely awful time with our lender, but Mark was with us every step of the way and went WAY above and beyond the call of duty to get us into our house. 

If you're looking for an agent who is kind, courteous, professional, unbelievably helpful, tenacious, and willing to do whatever it takes to make your deal work for you, Mark Strub is your man. Honestly, I can't recommend him highly enough. He is a WONDERFUL agent and he, no doubt, will be our agent for any deal we ever make in Austin.

— Ryan Talbot, Buyer

amazing to partner with

If you have had the pleasure of working with Mark, then you won't need any details to back up the fact that he is amazing to partner with. Mark took a calculated, but cool approach to helping my wife acquire our first home together. There were tons of factors at play and he helped us navigate the great abyss with ease and confidence. The support doesn't stop at the closing table either, he left us with materials custom made for us and our purchase that I have referenced many times. I now turn to Mark for any and all real estate questions. For me, there is no better approach to dealing with the market here in Austin.

— Tyler Woodall, Buyer

he stuck with us and found us a great house

Wohoo is right. I've dealt with other Realtors and he is the best. He is extremely professional and goes the extra mile. Even through a failed house search the first time, he stuck with us and found us a great house. He was patient and we never felt pressured through our decision making process.

— Jen Sims, Buyer

attentive, knowledgeable, and helped us snag a highly sought-after house

I can't imagine a better experience.  Mark was very attentive, knowledgeable, and helped us snag a highly sought-after house (7 offers in 48 hours!) in SW Austin. When I screened realtors at the outset of our (first) house-hunting, I asked Mark why I should choose him rather than representing myself in the process (I'm an attorney, but don't practice RE law). He responded by explaining how he'd add value in excess of the commission-split I'd theoretically earn. Looking back after several months, I know he was 100% correct.

— Marc Druck, Buyer

understands your lifestyle and passions

Having a realtor is kind of like having a therapist. House shopping can make you pretty neurotic and sometimes even depressed but Mark Strüb was always calm and collected as he listened to me voice all my concerns and "rationalizations". He was always there to answer questions or if I just needed a sounding board - even when I would email or text him in the middle of the night... um, but don't do that. And most importantly, he was enthusiastic throughout the entire home buying process. He never broke his charisma or let his passion for helping me find my home die.

Strub also "gets" the homeowner that wants to live in central Austin for different amenities and lifestyle reasons. This may be the most important quality you'll want to find in a realtor. You want a realtor that understands your lifestyle and passions which in many cases is much more important than just understanding your budget or real estate policies and procedures.

I started off not really knowing what I wanted. I can't count the number of houses we saw or how many times I changed my mind or expanded my budget (or how many phone calls that ended in "let's go see it just ONE LAST TIME"), yet he was very patient and let me find my way on my own time. His knowledge of Austin culture, businesses and neighborhoods helped me quickly identify which houses to check out and which to not bother with which helped tremendously as I finally narrowed down what I was looking for (which we usually will all learn is that it's really location) He also has a lot of connections and was really great at finding the right broker for me after the first one didn't work out too well. I also really loved the home inspector he paired me up with.

I've happily recommended Mark Strub and his team to a handful of house-shopping friends and everyone has been delighted with his enthusiasm and dedication!

— Yi May Yang, Buyer

I highly recommend him!!!

I would give Mark 10 stars if it were an option. I was completely new to the home buying process and had no idea what I was doing. Luckily with Mark, I didn't have to. He walked me through the entire process and made it SO much easier than I ever thought it would be. He's very no-pressure and totally understands the emotions behind finding the home that's right for you. I highly recommend him!!!

— Anne Pratt, Buyer

skip the 'interviewing a bunch of agents' ...Just hire Mark

If you're like me and a little uncertain about how this whole house-buying thing works, let alone how to survive this insane market, let me save you a step. You can skip the 'interviewing a bunch of agents to be sure you're finding the best representative' part. You can probably also skip the 'home buying for dummies' books, unless you're the curious sort. Just hire Mark and know you've made a genius decision. We had a very specific dream house - one that's extremely hard to find in Austin in our budget range (Craftsman bungalow, original built-ins, great lot, great neighborhood, etc.). So when our house came on the market, Mark had us in to view it in, like, an hour. He submitted an offer for us within the next ~3 hours. Over the fraught bidding war days, he built a good relationship with the seller's agent. So while our best and final offer was pretty awesome, it is Mark's work with the sellers that set us up as the obvious choice. BTW, there were ten offers. 10! Madness! This is why you hire Mark - he not only helps you navigate a really intense process, he helps the sellers *know* that selecting your offer is right for them. We actually met the seller's agent a few weeks after buying our home, and he specifically mentioned how impressed he had been with Mark!

So it's probably enough to know that Mark is the guy to find and get you that one-and-only dream house despite a crazy housing market. But I also need to mention that Mark has great contacts and recommendations across all remodeling trades, advice when you ask for it, an unflappable and friendly demeanor, deep knowledge about Central Austin neighborhoods, a stellar reputation, and in general is just a great person.

If we ever get the bar unpacked, we're going to invent a cocktail called the "überSTRUB" in his honor. It will taste like triumph.

— Penelope Hyslop, Buyer

Impressive customer service and great communication

Worked with Mark on too many transactions to count. He's really organized and dedicated to his clients. Makes for a smooth real estate process every time. Impressive customer service and great communication. Doesn't leave anyone hanging. Highly recommended.

— Dana Price-Leaman, Mortgage Professional

competent, fair, respectful, and did a great job

Mark represented a buyer when I sold my house FSBO. He was competent, fair, respectful, and did a great job for his client. He stood out among the floods of bad realtors that a FSBO tends to attract. Since then I have consulted with Mark several times on real estate questions and he has always courteously and promptly responded every time. I have recommended him to several people and they have always been satisfied with his services and professionalism.

— Ross Henderson, Seller - Investor

he was willing to give us the time we needed

“I've worked with many realtors and often felt who's interest is this person after? Not so with Mark. I always felt like he was willing to give us the time we needed to make the right decision and though I am sure we tested his patience, it NEVER showed. He always found time for us. Even after we bought our house, we still feel we can call with related questions and we hope to see him out on the town.”
- Jen Sims, Buyer

calm and laid back, balancing out our stress and worry

"Mark was a great fit for my husband and me as we were learning and experiencing the process of buying our first house. He was calm and laid back, balancing out our stress and worry, and he made us feel comfortable asking our many questions--even now that we're all moved in. He guided us through the offer/inspection/­negotiation process and got us to closing in only about two and a half weeks. You'll be in good hands with Mark--he really knows his stuff and he's great to work with."
- Killian Pirarro, Buyer

always just a phone call, text, and/or email away

"My husband and I closed on our new home a couple of months ago.  Mark was so fantastic to work with, that writing this review and letting other home purchasers know about Strub Residential was an absolute must (can finally cross this off my to-do list!). Mark was knowledgeable, efficient, an excellent communicator and the only reason we were able to buy the house that we did. The house was under-priced and in an extremely hot market, like Austin, within 24 hours of being on the market, there were literally over 10 offers on the home. Because of Mark's experience, knowledge, reputation, and just being an overall bad ass, we won the bidding war. This was our first home purchase and he was incredible with walking us through the process. Despite his super busy schedule, he was always just a phone call, text, and/or email away.  I honestly cannot say enough.  If/when we ever buy again, there is only one person we are working with."
— Eyse Druck, Buyer

amazing how he knew exactly what we wanted in a home

"Mark Strub helped my wife and I purchase our first home. He was extremely helpful throughout the process and we highly recommend him to others, especially first-time homebuyers. From the outset, when we were in the process of interviewing real estate agents, he was the only one to meet my wife and me in person to discuss our interests. Instead of telling us what we should want, he listened to our likes and dislikes and very quickly was able to playback neighborhoods and types of homes we might be interested in.

After selecting him as our agent, he quickly set us up on his own online portal with home listings that he thought we might like where we could view the homes and rate our interest. After looking at homes for 3-4 weeks, none of the homes quite fit our preferences and budget simultaneously. However, one weekend morning, Mark suggested we take a look at a home he had found that was just on the market that he thought we might like. We fell in love with the house immediately and put down an offer; it was amazing how he knew exactly what we wanted in a home.

It turned out that even though we were in the first weekend, we were in a multiple bid situation. Mark’s advice was essential in winning the bid. He knew what to offer and even wrote a personal letter to the seller describing my wife and me. Through the closing period, Mark was by my side. As it was my first house, I was somewhat obsessive about all the particulars coming out of inspection and Mark was present when I had multiple roofers and stucco specialists come out to the house to assess. There turned out to be no major problems, but Mark was patient throughout the whole process. Mark also helped us negotiate during the closing period to a get a discount off closing costs and the sale price.

After purchase, I still use Mark as a resource. He is always willing to answer house questions and recently helped me in selecting an attic insulation contractor. Mark is exactly what I think one should look for in a real estate agent. He is patient, attentive, creative, insightful, and committed. I highly recommend Mark for anyone looking to buy or sell a home in the Central Austin area." 
— Josh Stillman, Buyer

always there for us, even from across the country

"My family moved across country this summer, from Wisconsin to Austin. We were in the market for our first home and were fortunate enough to land Mark as our Realtor. In short, Mark was the brightest ray of light in our entire--rather stressful--moving experience. Here is a list of why we believe he is so great at what he does, and why we would recommend him to anyone in the market for a home:

* We felt like we could completely trust him from the first time we corresponded.
* He really listened to what we wanted in a home and did everything he could to get it for us. He was always completely non-judgmental about our preferences.
* He was both honest and comforting at the same time. He made us feel like everything would be okay no matter how stressed out we were during the process.
* He made an effort to teach us about things.
* He was always there for us, even from across the country--constantly asking if there was anything he could do for us.
* He was friendly, warm, and yet always professional.
* He was dedicated to us and spent the better part of a week chauffeuring us around Austin to look at close to 30 homes over the course of 4 days during our one and only house hunting trip.
* He was efficient and responsive.
* He guided us through every house we saw, but seemed to know when to step back to let us look and think.
* After we had decided on a home, and particularly after we closed, he made us feel really good about our decision, which is important when you have just made the biggest purchase of your life and may be feeling a little overwhelmed!
* He worked really hard to get us the house we fell in love with, which received three offers in its first 12 hours on the market."

— Megan Dudo, Buyer