I can't say enough about how great Steve is as a realtor and as a person. My wife and I met him at an open house for a home he was listing, had a brief conversation with him, and got a really good feeling from him. We got the feeling that he knew the market well, that we was very personable and easy to talk with, and that he was patient. All of these things (and much more) were proven to be true. A couple months after we met him, we enlisted Steve as our realtor. We were fairly anxious about the whole process, being first time home buyers, with a strict budget, and wanting to buy in Portland in a very competitive market. I couldn't imagine working with a better, more effective, friendly, and professional realtor than Steve. He guided us through the ins and outs of the home buying process, negotiations, and housing maintenance, and he did so with care and patience. We always felt that he was looking out for our best interests, working on our behalf to get us the "right" home that we wanted, and to not overpay for it either. I would highly recommend Steve to any of my close friends or family members looking for a realtor, and we look forward to working with him again in the future.
- anoop a mirpuri
11/02/2020 Zillow
Stephen was fantastic to work with throughout the home sales process. He provided a detailed market analysis and reviewed the market and our target list price with my wife and I prior to listing. He went the extra step to do some square footage mapping of our home and to get a staging consultant in our home in order to maximize our list price. He also put in a ton of marketing muscle in our home by creating brochures, videos and taking fantastic pictures of our home for all the reality sites - photos we still glance at today after we sold the home.
After we were on the market he fielded over 15 offers keeping us updated along the way. At the end, he presented them all in a professional way advising us on the pros/cons of each. After we accepted an offer, he did not stop there - he continued to see us through inspection, appraisal and closing keeping in close touch with us each step of the way.
When I shook his hand after closing, we were actually sad we were done working with him.
Steve is a true professional and you won't be disappointed bringing him along on your home sales or purchase journey!
- tylergassaway
09/21/2020 on Zillow
We are two newlyweds who just moved to Portland, and we loved working with Steve.
From just a quick chat with him at an open house, we saw he had the exact knowledge of Portland we needed and decided to work with him. He was the PERFECT fit for us. We are looking to start a family in the next few years, and were initially looking for a huge "forever home". Thanks to Steve's knowledge of the market, we realized we didn't need so much house right away and made a way more economical decision! Some other great things about Steve:
- He was a wise negotiator in the buying process.
- He has a keen eye for details while shopping for houses.
- He's a great sounding board for discussing pros and cons.
We're so glad we worked with him. He took SO much guesswork out of the process, and he's so patient and easy-going. We're now in a beautiful neighborhood, in an adorable house, and close to great schools if we choose to stay here for the long run. Win-win-win! Couldn't have done it without Steve!
- Jill Turner
04/23/20 on Zillow
Steve helped me beyond words. The home buying process can be extremely stressful and confusing and he made sure I understood every step along the way as well as gave me crucial advice. I would highly recommend Steve if you are buying or selling in the PDX area.
- Zach Carpenter
11/15/2019 on Zillow
We were in the market for our first home and a good friend referred us to Steve. I sent a email to Steve on a Friday night and he responded via text Saturday morning. He got right into it by getting a solid read on what we were looking for and what we were not looking for. We have a very hectic schedule but Steve made sure to get us viewings when we could including late evenings when necessary. Steve was knowledgable and honest through the whole experience. We were very lucky and found our dream home in only a few weeks. With multiple offers on the house in just the first days on the market Steve was quick and decisive in helping us decide how aggressively we would offer etc. We discovered later, from our new neighbors, that his recommendation to write a personal letter to the home owners ultimately won us the house. Inspections were done quickly and very competently by the folks Steve set up for us. And Steve was able to negotiate solid concessions on the few things that needed addressing. Steve and his team were quick and incredibly efficient when it came to the seemingly hundreds of documents that fly back and forth during closing and negotiations. We would HIGHLY recommend Steve to anyone looking to purchase a home.
- amcfall1981
11/12/2019 on Zillow
We were experienced buyers and sellers and really appreciated Stephen's balance of local knowledge, understanding our wants and needs, and his ability to navigate the competitive buying climate to get the house we wanted. Stephen was always responsive but never pushy or rushed in his approach. His team was professional and efficient once it was time to close the deal. We enjoyed the entire buying process and trusted Stephen every step of the way.
- Aimee Foster
11/10/2019 on Zillow
My husband and I met Steve at an open house. We were struck by his knowledge of houses and renovation, and his candor.
Steve guided us through every aspect of the home buying process, helping us to steer clear of homes he thought had deferred maintenance issues, or renovations that were not done well and/or up to code. He gave us his honest assessments and never pressured us in any way. As a result, we probably dragged him to look at at least 50 homes, and he showed up at each one with a positive attitude and a discerning eye.
When we decided to make an offer on a home, he helped us negotiate below list price. He expertly managed the back and forth with the sellers, as well as our expectations. The inspection went well, but any 115 -year-old house will have a few issues. Steve advocated for things that we didn’t even realize were important, as well as for the things we prioritized. We got everything we asked for.
Buying a house can be a stressful process, but Steve really took the stress off of our shoulders with his careful attention to every detail, and his diligent negotiation on our behalf. Though the process, he treated us like old friends, and brought a sense of humor, as well as the highest level of professionalism, to every interaction.
- Casey Dinkin
11/09/2019 on Zillow
We met Steve at an Open House a few years back and instantly knew he was the Agent for Us. Steve’s friendly nature, genuine interest in Us and what we were looking for along with his through knowledge of the market had us switch from the Agent we were currently using. Steve went above and beyond in showing us places we were interested in and accommodated us via FaceTime as I was in NY. Steve’s easy going personality and flexibility made us so comfortable with every step in our house search and buying process. Attention to detail and honest opinions helped is find our dream home. Dealing with Steve gave us peace of mind and we would highly recommend him!
- user13560972
11/05/2019 on Zillow
Through the whole buying process from looking to closing day, Steve made us feel like our home purchase was his top priority. It was like having a close friend or family member who really had our best interest in mind as our realtor. He was never pushy. He was honest if he thought a home was priced right. He made sure we did a thorough inspection of each home we were considering buying and didn't get swept in by superficial aesthetics. He was knowledgeable about all aspects of home purchasing and was never afraid to ask for a second opinion to make sure he got it right. Steve was patient and let us take the time we needed to find the right home.
- eveparshall
11/01/2019 on Zillow
Steve was an amazing resource for us and did such a great job finding us a home and has become a great friend in the process. Moving from out of town was stressful but he was on it from the beginning, sending us video tours of houses and giving us really honest opinions on every aspect of the places. It was so clear he just wanted us to find the right place for us. I’d recommend Steve to anyone looking for a place to call home. He’s a true professional!
- zuser20140914152626123
10/30/2018 on Zillow
I heard Steve interacting with other potential clients at an open house earlier this year, and was impressed with his apparent knowledge and down-to-earth manner. He seemed to really have his ear to the rail in our desired neighborhood. When it was time to buy our home, I tracked down his business card and asked him to represent us, and I was certainly glad I did! We couldn’t have asked for a better person to help us find a perfect fit. Steve scanned every home we entered and explained the pros and cons of the home’s construction and potential costs we could possibly incur in the future, while at the same time remaining very respectful of the current owners. He was honest and helped us to be honest with ourselves about what our priorities were. When we found a home we loved, Steve helped us negotiate every last detail, until we were completely satisfied. He was a great advocate. Steve was very professional, fun to house hunt with, and easy to work with, always responding quickly to questions and changes. I would not hesitate to recommend Steve Backer to anyone looking to buy or sell a home in the Portland area.
- marilynepps
10/17/2018 on ZIllow
Steve is an highly professional broker and a wonderful person. Steve was very attentive to our needs and new exactly what we are looking for. He was very approachable and made himself available for us . Steve knows the neighborhoods well, the schools and their ratings , which was something important to us as a family with 3 kids. Steve handled the negotiations along the way with lots of wisdom , proffetional experience and sensitivity. As we were new in the USA and in Portland, Steve went above and beyond with helping us, advising us and introducing us to Portland. I feel very blessed for meeting Steve and for having him as our Relastate agent. I would highly recommend all my friends and acquaintances to contact Steve if they need a broker.
- Noa Harari
10/17/2018 on Zillow
We were moving from out of state and sent Steve multiple emails a day with houses we liked and wanted to visit when in town. This went on for months before we were able to visit and Steve was always very responsive and nice. When we finally met him in person he was amazing and spent the entire long weekend with us, driving us all over basically every corner of Portland. Steve knows the city very well and we valued his opinion on schools, safe neighborhoods, good restaurants, good bike routes, etc. When we moved into our house my husband got there the night before our moving truck and Steve had set up a camping mat, pillow, sleeping bag, lots of snacks and some essentials like TP and paper towels-how thoughtful!!! We couldn't have asked for a better realtor and became friends with him in the process.
- user7541656
10/17/2018 on Zillow
Steve is very knowledgeable about every step in the home buying process. I felt like I was in very good hands the entire time, and I appreciate how hard he negotiated on my behalf.
- Sarah Eastman
10/16/2018 on Zillow
Steve has been our agent, and he helped us a lot on our search for a home in north east of Portland. His advise and guidance was so important and vital in order for us to eventually get our offer to be accepted. Steve has a lot of knowledge and he is willing to share it with his customers. His patience with us and his sharp business instincts were the key success factors for us to buy a home that we love in the budget that we could afford.
- Eliav Harari
10/16/2018 on Zillow
I'd recommend Steve to anyone looking for a trusted realtor in Portland. My wife and I knew nothing about buying a home and all that goes into the journey but Steve expertly guided us through the experience. He answered all kinds of questions we had with clarity, providing insights into the market, crafting a strategy for our offer and also managing our own expectations when we started to worry.
- Chad Reed
05/29/2018 on Zillow
Stephen is exactly who you want helping you find a home. He is warm and supportive while also being sharp and assertive when handling real estate details. I trusted him to find me a home that was perfectly aligned with my vision and reality. I would recommend him to anyone and consider him my real estate agent for life.
- zuser20140909131412171
05/11/2018 on Zillow
My fiance and I were first time home buyers and we really got lucky when we reached out about a property on Zillow and met Steve. He was so helpful in the buying process, not only in showing us homes but also in walking us through all of the steps, from lending to the closing process and everything in between. He was also very honest whenever we visited homes, which was much appreciated. He was always willing to go show us homes and he consistently sent us listings which really helped us to find our first home. All in all, I would definitely recommend Steve to anyone as I could not have imagined an easier or more fun home buying process with him as our realtor!
- Christine Lutz
01/25/2018 on Zillow
Steve helped us sell our house and buy another this spring. He was great to work with: very knowledge about the market and about resources for prepping a house to sell and renovate. He was responsive always ready to show us properties. He is affable, and we never felt pressured. I am so glad we used him and highly recommend him if uuu are buying and/or selling a house.
- newtons2
10/04/2017 on Zillow
When it came time to hire a realtor we met with a few different realtors to see who would be the best fit. While many realtors were great and had the credentials to back up their claims, Stephen stood out because he has all that...but was genuinely caring and interested in not just finding us A house, but THE HOME for us. Throughout our long touring process Stephen took the time to show us everything and anything that we were thinking about. Being new to the area, Stephen relied on his local knowledge show us a wide spectrum of choices and went a step further to take us out and around the neighborhoods near our targeted homes and explained the city landscape/dynamics relative to that area. When it came time to put in an offer, Stephen did great internally to make sure we were prepared and put our best foot forward. Externally, working with the other listing agent he negotiated on our behalf and presented our POV and worked us to get us the best deal. After a signed contract, Stephen continued to deliver, even setting us up with some local contractors in his network to do small updates to our property. He reached out, followed up, and kept them on a timeline so when we received the keys from Stephen on closing day--everything was done and we could move in stress free. When you hire Stephen, you're hiring a true partner, not a "transactional specialist". If/when our family grows and we're ready to move on to another home, we know who to call.
- Gassaways
10/04/2017 on Zillow