Here's what some clients had to say:
“Joe Violi is a highly competent, energetic, honest and effective real estate agent. I was fortunate enough to meet Joe while talking about real estate investing as I was standing in line to get a burrito in late 2009. Less than 9 months from that serendipitous encounter, Joe Violi and I wrote more than 50 offers and tallied fifteen (15) successful real estate acquisitions across several highly competitive markets in San Diego. I had worked with other agents in the past and even tried approaching the listing agents directly to acquire investment property, but neither strategy worked as well as teaming up with Joe Violi. I believe it was Joe's enthusiasm, persistence and ability to analyze the market and utilize the MLS tools that made the difference. But one of my favorite qualities was that Joe never let me pay too much for a property, nor let me walk away from a great investment over a couple thousand dollars. With Joe in your corner, you
can be sure that in those moments when emotion supersedes objectivity (which is never a good thing for an investor) you’ve got somebody looking after your best interest, who is more concerned with doing the right thing by his client, than making a quick commission. Or just look at the facts: 15 acquisitions in 9 months in a highly competitive market. Not bad.”
-Scott Rich 1/26/11
"When my wife and I decided it was time to put our home on the market, conditions for sellers were less than ideal. After listing the property, conditions worsened. Selling a home can be relatively simple in some markets, but getting your home sold under tough market conditions is a test of the quality of your agent. Joe Violi demonstrated to us his knowledge, experience and skill while getting our home sold quickly in a buyer's market. His enthusiasm, attention to detail and commitment are remarkable. Our experience with Joe was so positive that we chose him to represent us in the purchase of our next home, even though the communities we were looking at were outside of his area of expertise. Again, he rose above expectations by expertly negotiating a great deal for us on a beautiful home. An indication of Joe's commitment came when he offered up his personal funds to resolve an issue late in the transaction. Not only did Joe smoothly close the transaction, he did, in fact, use his own money to resolve the mentioned issue. Joe's service did not end at the close of escrow, however. After we moved into the new property, a home warranty claim was refused by the insurance company. Joe stepped in. Remarkably, he perusaded the insurer to reverse their position and pay for the work. Joe is completely trustworthy and puts his clients interests first. Joe Violi gets my highest recommendation for any seeking to buy or sell a home."
- Dr. Matthew R. Ritter
"We would like to commend Joe Violi of RE/MAX By-the-Sea for the superb job he did selling our condo. After trying to sell "For Sale By Owner", we listed with Joe, who's aggressive marketing techniques produced positive results. With his expertise and professionalism, a buyer was found after only 28 days on the market. Joe kept us informed every step of the way. It was a smooth transaction. What could have been a potential negative, turned into a positive for us, thanks to Joe Violi."
- Jack and Lorraine Evans, Angie Bisone
"Joe Violi, Realtor with RE/MAX By-the-Sea, has represented me as a selling agent on two seperate transactions. Joe exerted exemplary efforts throughout the real estate transactions. He continually went beyond reproach to satisfy all requirements in order to finalize the closings. He took care of many details that were beyond his scope of responsibilities as an agent. This includes making sure that the property was always at it's best for showing and also purchasing small items, from his own pocket, that added to buyer and seller satisfaction. He conducted constant follow-up invlovement by means of consistent oral and written communications with me, as the seller, the title and escrow company as well as the parties representing the buyer. Joe's positive attitude and work ethics are extraordinary."
- Richard Christensen
"...You understood exactly what we were looking for and did an outstanding job of locating properties that you knew would be approprate for us. You were always there when we had a question and were helpful with suggestions...
- David and Roxanne Fritsch
"...My home sold in 4 hours. It never made it to the MLS! WOW! After almost 2 months with another Broker, you were able to sell my home in that short amount of time..."
- Karon Hunter
Client Nomination for "Realtor of the year" award for North County Times Newspaper:
Nomination: Joe Violi
Office: Remax by the Sea (Carlsbad, CA)
Realtor or the Year Nomination
"I believe it is best to have some background information, in order for the judges to understand this nomination and the context of what this nominee did for my family and I. Like many of us, the economic downturn dramatically affected our lives back in the fall of 2008 by first causing a significant job loss and then ultimately the short sale of our home located in the Central Valley. During the same time period that I was seeking employment and while we were trying to short sale our house, my wife was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and underwent two surgeries and radiation treatment during the 2008 Christmas Season. Shortly after the successful treatment of her cancer the short sale went through, so we placed nearly all of our belongings in storage and sought temporary shelter at my wife’s parents who live out-of-state. Our young children resumed elementary school there, while I continued to look for employment nationwide.
A few months later I was offered a position in Carlsbad, California and so I moved down to begin working while my wife and children stayed out-of-state to finish the school year. My friends introduced me to Joe and he tried to help me find a small rental property to lease. He showed us around the area and as the relationship progressed he explained that we would not be able to qualify for a new mortgage for at least 2 to 3 years due to the short sale. I only had a few weeks to find a rental and he really worked hard to help me find a rental house, but in the end I rented an apartment on a temporary 6-month lease just to get started in rebuilding our lives. The family followed in the summer after the school year in Washington State concluded. In the fall of 2009 we rented a house in Oceanside and Joe kept in touch to see how we were doing. Although my wife was hesitant after the emotional devastation of losing our last home, I had told Joe that we wanted to buy a house again and that I was worried that I would miss the cycle and be forced to buy after interest rates and housing values rebounded. While we were on vacation during the summer of 2010, and as we approached the end of our lease, we received a call from Joe who referred us to someone who could help us obtain financing - as our credit scores had been exceptional prior to the short sale. After submitting the loan documentation, we were surprised to discover that we were approved – only 18 months after the short sale of our house! Thanks to Joe’s referral, we did not have to wait the full 2 to 3 years, as we had previously expected, to purchase a new home for my family!
As my wife and children were out-of-state finishing up an RV vacation with her parents, I began preparations for us to move and began looking for a short-term rental for us to live in while we looked for a house to purchase. One day I met Joe at his office to review some properties and then we planned on going out to see some immediately afterwards. While at his office I began to not feel very well, maybe it was the stress of everything going on, the result of lack of sleep, or maybe it was an allergic reaction to something I had eaten prior to going to his office, I did not know at the time - but I suggested that we just leave his office and begin looking at houses. I decided to drive separately so I followed Joe out of the parking lot. That is when things went from bad-to-worse and the symptoms I had been experiencing became stronger, so strong that I had to pull off the road, park and get out of my vehicle, and lay down on the sidewalk. My head was spinning and I felt like I was going to pass out at any moment. Joe noticed what was happening and pulled over and parked immediately. He then came over and started asking what was going on and whether he should call an ambulance. I told him no, that I wanted to wait to see if the symptoms would subside. So he stayed with me to make sure I was going to be alright. After a brief time period we decided that it would be best if he took me to the emergency room so he helped me into his vehicle and drove me to the ER. I continued to feel very bad and he stayed with me in the waiting room of the ER and called my wife who was out-of-state, on the road heading back home. He gave her the play-by-play related to what had happened and that we were at the ER. We waited in the waiting room for what seemed like hours and finally they called my name. Joe came back with me to make sure I was going to be alright and to continue to update my wife via cell phone of my condition as it stabilized and then slowly got better. He was there until I was released and then he offered to follow me home to make sure that I would get home OK, but I declined the offer, because I felt much better. So what was supposed to be an enjoyable afternoon looking at houses in sunny Southern California turned out to be a 5-hour ordeal that included a 4-hour ER visit. He stayed by my side the entire time and kept in constant communication with my family on how things were progressing. He also kept me in good spirits while the doctors worked to get my vitals back to normal. I had no one else here in North County to help me but Joe, my Realtor.
But the story does not end there. We had several challenges from that point forward such as finding a short-term place to lease while we looked at homes to buy. Joe was able to secure a short-term rental for us that could be used while we shopped for our new home. This is very difficult to do without being charged excessively for a special short-term lease option. From that point forward Joe worked relentlessly to find us a home, but again, the story does not stop there.
We began looking at houses after my wife and family returned from their summer RV trip. This may sound like an exaggeration but Joe must have taken my wife and I to at least 80 houses over a 2 to 3 month period. This was due, in part, to our need to be educated on the market as well as us changing our criteria mid-stream. We also needed time to work through the psychological fears that we were dealing with from losing our last house. We were probably the most difficult clients he had ever worked with in regards to how picky we were on house layouts, neighborhoods, and pricing. While most Realtors would have given up in frustration, Joe continued to work tirelessly to locate “the right” home for us. He always had a very positive and upbeat attitude and demeanor even though my wife had almost gotten to the point of giving up.
As we quickly approached the deadline before big changes were being made to the FHA program - effectively doubling the amount paid monthly for the required mortgage insurance - we became discouraged and felt we were going to miss our opportunity to purchase a home because doubling of the insurance would dramatically affect our purchasing power related to the price of home we could afford.
Well with only a few short days before the FHA policy changes, Joe was able to locate the home of our dreams, with the layout that my wife really was looking for and wanted, at a price point that was within our budget. It was a miracle or at least seemed like one.
This is not the first house I have purchased and I have worked with many Realtors before from different areas of the country and I would have to say that Joe is by far and away the best-in-class. I am nominating him not just for his skills and technical capabilities as a Realtor, but also for the following attributes:
1. Remembering our personal situation over the 18-month period and connecting us with the right people who could open financial doors for us - so that we could once again achieve home ownership and truly begin rebuilding our lives at a time when both interest rates and housing prices are at an all time low.
2. Going well above and beyond the call of duty for a Realtor by cancelling his prior engagements and staying with me in the ER for several hours. He was there when I needed someone to call my family to let them know how I was doing and he stayed until I was discharged.
3. His dedication and tireless pursuit of customer satisfaction - to make sure we not only found a home for our family, but that we found the “right” home for our family.
4. Being able to pull off a victory when the chips were down with only one week left before the impending FHA deadline that would have doubled our mortgage insurance payment…and significantly reduced our purchasing power….he made sure we beat the deadline by not only finding the house for us but also getting the offers going in time to lock in our FHA loan under the old mortgage insurance requirements.
5. Remembering the little details and actively participating with us in evaluating the different houses that we looked at. He was always “engaged” in the process.
6. For being more than just a transactional Realtor. For being a person that we would consider as a friend for life. There is much more than just a Realtor/client relationship when you work with Joe. He is a fantastic person who really cares about doing a great job for his clients and sincerely cares about their satisfaction before, during, and after the sale.
It has been 2 long years since my wife and I were facing extended unemployment, losing our home, and her cancer diagnosis – all during the Christmas Holiday season. Fast-forward to the present and we just recently finished decorating our tree and hanging lots of lights outside the house that Joe helped us find and finance and we reflect back at how much we really have to be thankful for - and we are so thankful that Joe not only helped us find this place, but also connected us with the right people that would finance it for us at an unbelievable interest rate. All the work and effort he put into helping us find this place that we now call home - a place that will allow us to rebuild and move forward.
Thank you for your consideration and I apologize for the late entry. It has been a little hectic moving into the new house over the past several weeks. "
- Steve Citron & Family.
“Joe Violi is a highly competent, energetic, honest and effective real estate agent. I was fortunate enough to meet Joe while talking about real estate investing as I was standing in line to get a burrito in late 2009. Less than 9 months from that serendipitous encounter, Joe Violi and I wrote more than 50 offers and tallied fifteen (15) successful real estate acquisitions across several highly competitive markets in San Diego. I had worked with other agents in the past and even tried approaching the listing agents directly to acquire investment property, but neither strategy worked as well as teaming up with Joe Violi. I believe it was Joe's enthusiasm, persistence and ability to analyze the market and utilize the MLS tools that made the difference. But one of my favorite qualities was that Joe never let me pay too much for a property, nor let me walk away from a great investment over a couple thousand dollars. With Joe in your corner, you
can be sure that in those moments when emotion supersedes objectivity (which is never a good thing for an investor) you’ve got somebody looking after your best interest, who is more concerned with doing the right thing by his client, than making a quick commission. Or just look at the facts: 15 acquisitions in 9 months in a highly competitive market. Not bad.”
-Scott Rich 1/26/11
"When my wife and I decided it was time to put our home on the market, conditions for sellers were less than ideal. After listing the property, conditions worsened. Selling a home can be relatively simple in some markets, but getting your home sold under tough market conditions is a test of the quality of your agent. Joe Violi demonstrated to us his knowledge, experience and skill while getting our home sold quickly in a buyer's market. His enthusiasm, attention to detail and commitment are remarkable. Our experience with Joe was so positive that we chose him to represent us in the purchase of our next home, even though the communities we were looking at were outside of his area of expertise. Again, he rose above expectations by expertly negotiating a great deal for us on a beautiful home. An indication of Joe's commitment came when he offered up his personal funds to resolve an issue late in the transaction. Not only did Joe smoothly close the transaction, he did, in fact, use his own money to resolve the mentioned issue. Joe's service did not end at the close of escrow, however. After we moved into the new property, a home warranty claim was refused by the insurance company. Joe stepped in. Remarkably, he perusaded the insurer to reverse their position and pay for the work. Joe is completely trustworthy and puts his clients interests first. Joe Violi gets my highest recommendation for any seeking to buy or sell a home."
- Dr. Matthew R. Ritter
"We would like to commend Joe Violi of RE/MAX By-the-Sea for the superb job he did selling our condo. After trying to sell "For Sale By Owner", we listed with Joe, who's aggressive marketing techniques produced positive results. With his expertise and professionalism, a buyer was found after only 28 days on the market. Joe kept us informed every step of the way. It was a smooth transaction. What could have been a potential negative, turned into a positive for us, thanks to Joe Violi."
- Jack and Lorraine Evans, Angie Bisone
"Joe Violi, Realtor with RE/MAX By-the-Sea, has represented me as a selling agent on two seperate transactions. Joe exerted exemplary efforts throughout the real estate transactions. He continually went beyond reproach to satisfy all requirements in order to finalize the closings. He took care of many details that were beyond his scope of responsibilities as an agent. This includes making sure that the property was always at it's best for showing and also purchasing small items, from his own pocket, that added to buyer and seller satisfaction. He conducted constant follow-up invlovement by means of consistent oral and written communications with me, as the seller, the title and escrow company as well as the parties representing the buyer. Joe's positive attitude and work ethics are extraordinary."
- Richard Christensen
"...You understood exactly what we were looking for and did an outstanding job of locating properties that you knew would be approprate for us. You were always there when we had a question and were helpful with suggestions...
- David and Roxanne Fritsch
"...My home sold in 4 hours. It never made it to the MLS! WOW! After almost 2 months with another Broker, you were able to sell my home in that short amount of time..."
- Karon Hunter
Client Nomination for "Realtor of the year" award for North County Times Newspaper:
Nomination: Joe Violi
Office: Remax by the Sea (Carlsbad, CA)
Realtor or the Year Nomination
"I believe it is best to have some background information, in order for the judges to understand this nomination and the context of what this nominee did for my family and I. Like many of us, the economic downturn dramatically affected our lives back in the fall of 2008 by first causing a significant job loss and then ultimately the short sale of our home located in the Central Valley. During the same time period that I was seeking employment and while we were trying to short sale our house, my wife was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and underwent two surgeries and radiation treatment during the 2008 Christmas Season. Shortly after the successful treatment of her cancer the short sale went through, so we placed nearly all of our belongings in storage and sought temporary shelter at my wife’s parents who live out-of-state. Our young children resumed elementary school there, while I continued to look for employment nationwide.
A few months later I was offered a position in Carlsbad, California and so I moved down to begin working while my wife and children stayed out-of-state to finish the school year. My friends introduced me to Joe and he tried to help me find a small rental property to lease. He showed us around the area and as the relationship progressed he explained that we would not be able to qualify for a new mortgage for at least 2 to 3 years due to the short sale. I only had a few weeks to find a rental and he really worked hard to help me find a rental house, but in the end I rented an apartment on a temporary 6-month lease just to get started in rebuilding our lives. The family followed in the summer after the school year in Washington State concluded. In the fall of 2009 we rented a house in Oceanside and Joe kept in touch to see how we were doing. Although my wife was hesitant after the emotional devastation of losing our last home, I had told Joe that we wanted to buy a house again and that I was worried that I would miss the cycle and be forced to buy after interest rates and housing values rebounded. While we were on vacation during the summer of 2010, and as we approached the end of our lease, we received a call from Joe who referred us to someone who could help us obtain financing - as our credit scores had been exceptional prior to the short sale. After submitting the loan documentation, we were surprised to discover that we were approved – only 18 months after the short sale of our house! Thanks to Joe’s referral, we did not have to wait the full 2 to 3 years, as we had previously expected, to purchase a new home for my family!
As my wife and children were out-of-state finishing up an RV vacation with her parents, I began preparations for us to move and began looking for a short-term rental for us to live in while we looked for a house to purchase. One day I met Joe at his office to review some properties and then we planned on going out to see some immediately afterwards. While at his office I began to not feel very well, maybe it was the stress of everything going on, the result of lack of sleep, or maybe it was an allergic reaction to something I had eaten prior to going to his office, I did not know at the time - but I suggested that we just leave his office and begin looking at houses. I decided to drive separately so I followed Joe out of the parking lot. That is when things went from bad-to-worse and the symptoms I had been experiencing became stronger, so strong that I had to pull off the road, park and get out of my vehicle, and lay down on the sidewalk. My head was spinning and I felt like I was going to pass out at any moment. Joe noticed what was happening and pulled over and parked immediately. He then came over and started asking what was going on and whether he should call an ambulance. I told him no, that I wanted to wait to see if the symptoms would subside. So he stayed with me to make sure I was going to be alright. After a brief time period we decided that it would be best if he took me to the emergency room so he helped me into his vehicle and drove me to the ER. I continued to feel very bad and he stayed with me in the waiting room of the ER and called my wife who was out-of-state, on the road heading back home. He gave her the play-by-play related to what had happened and that we were at the ER. We waited in the waiting room for what seemed like hours and finally they called my name. Joe came back with me to make sure I was going to be alright and to continue to update my wife via cell phone of my condition as it stabilized and then slowly got better. He was there until I was released and then he offered to follow me home to make sure that I would get home OK, but I declined the offer, because I felt much better. So what was supposed to be an enjoyable afternoon looking at houses in sunny Southern California turned out to be a 5-hour ordeal that included a 4-hour ER visit. He stayed by my side the entire time and kept in constant communication with my family on how things were progressing. He also kept me in good spirits while the doctors worked to get my vitals back to normal. I had no one else here in North County to help me but Joe, my Realtor.
But the story does not end there. We had several challenges from that point forward such as finding a short-term place to lease while we looked at homes to buy. Joe was able to secure a short-term rental for us that could be used while we shopped for our new home. This is very difficult to do without being charged excessively for a special short-term lease option. From that point forward Joe worked relentlessly to find us a home, but again, the story does not stop there.
We began looking at houses after my wife and family returned from their summer RV trip. This may sound like an exaggeration but Joe must have taken my wife and I to at least 80 houses over a 2 to 3 month period. This was due, in part, to our need to be educated on the market as well as us changing our criteria mid-stream. We also needed time to work through the psychological fears that we were dealing with from losing our last house. We were probably the most difficult clients he had ever worked with in regards to how picky we were on house layouts, neighborhoods, and pricing. While most Realtors would have given up in frustration, Joe continued to work tirelessly to locate “the right” home for us. He always had a very positive and upbeat attitude and demeanor even though my wife had almost gotten to the point of giving up.
As we quickly approached the deadline before big changes were being made to the FHA program - effectively doubling the amount paid monthly for the required mortgage insurance - we became discouraged and felt we were going to miss our opportunity to purchase a home because doubling of the insurance would dramatically affect our purchasing power related to the price of home we could afford.
Well with only a few short days before the FHA policy changes, Joe was able to locate the home of our dreams, with the layout that my wife really was looking for and wanted, at a price point that was within our budget. It was a miracle or at least seemed like one.
This is not the first house I have purchased and I have worked with many Realtors before from different areas of the country and I would have to say that Joe is by far and away the best-in-class. I am nominating him not just for his skills and technical capabilities as a Realtor, but also for the following attributes:
1. Remembering our personal situation over the 18-month period and connecting us with the right people who could open financial doors for us - so that we could once again achieve home ownership and truly begin rebuilding our lives at a time when both interest rates and housing prices are at an all time low.
2. Going well above and beyond the call of duty for a Realtor by cancelling his prior engagements and staying with me in the ER for several hours. He was there when I needed someone to call my family to let them know how I was doing and he stayed until I was discharged.
3. His dedication and tireless pursuit of customer satisfaction - to make sure we not only found a home for our family, but that we found the “right” home for our family.
4. Being able to pull off a victory when the chips were down with only one week left before the impending FHA deadline that would have doubled our mortgage insurance payment…and significantly reduced our purchasing power….he made sure we beat the deadline by not only finding the house for us but also getting the offers going in time to lock in our FHA loan under the old mortgage insurance requirements.
5. Remembering the little details and actively participating with us in evaluating the different houses that we looked at. He was always “engaged” in the process.
6. For being more than just a transactional Realtor. For being a person that we would consider as a friend for life. There is much more than just a Realtor/client relationship when you work with Joe. He is a fantastic person who really cares about doing a great job for his clients and sincerely cares about their satisfaction before, during, and after the sale.
It has been 2 long years since my wife and I were facing extended unemployment, losing our home, and her cancer diagnosis – all during the Christmas Holiday season. Fast-forward to the present and we just recently finished decorating our tree and hanging lots of lights outside the house that Joe helped us find and finance and we reflect back at how much we really have to be thankful for - and we are so thankful that Joe not only helped us find this place, but also connected us with the right people that would finance it for us at an unbelievable interest rate. All the work and effort he put into helping us find this place that we now call home - a place that will allow us to rebuild and move forward.
Thank you for your consideration and I apologize for the late entry. It has been a little hectic moving into the new house over the past several weeks. "
- Steve Citron & Family.
