Dennis Smith

4/9/23Rachel White

Google Review

Dennis Smith is an amazing community resource. When I was shopping for a home, he went the extra mile to show me homes in San Diego and Riverside County. When I decided to stay put, he helped refer handyman services. Dennis' referral is a great and does quality home repairs. Dennis' wide network of business partners, helps him serve you.

12/27/22Barbara Nowak

Google Review

Real estate transactions are complicated. Helping an elderly relative with memory issues sell a house in California that she’s lived in for over 40 years when I live on the East coast adds additional layers of complexity. Dennis and Sunshine Smith have been there to assist us each step along the way to close of escrow. I’ve come to rely on Dennis as a trusted advisor who has helped us prepare a house filled with years of clutter and deferred maintenance and market it successfully. Not only did we sell during the holiday season, but also at a time when buyers were fleeing the market due to rising interest rates. His advice comes from years of experience with market fluctuations and time to develop relationships with capable contractors. Together we’ve faced structural issues, plumbing & sewer issues, electrical issues, termite and wood destroying fungus issues, a break-in from a homeless person, and skunks looking for a “honeymoon suite” under the house!

Throughout it all, Dennis has been professional and pragmatic. He suggested a marketing strategy that put the house in its best possible light through de-cluttering and staging. In addition, his marketing strategy helped us minimize buyers’ remorse and an erosion of equity that comes when buyers ask for price reductions or threaten to cancel the contract. He helped us sift through multiple offers on the property and negotiate with buyers’ agent to urge them for their “best and final offer”. I interviewed two other realtors who sent investors to look at the house prior to putting it up for sale. That may have been a quick sale, but I’m glad we ended up working with Dennis and Sunshine Smith because I believe they helped us get the most money out of the house.

Barbara N.
Burke, Virginia

12/9/22Ronald Zehr

Google Review

I have known Dennis and Sunshine Smith for 20 years and would have no one else handle my real estate transactions. They are a hard working team who know the market, and what makes real estate sell. They are the best!

5/18/22Silvia T

Google Review

We would like to recommend Dennis and Sunshine Smith. We recently bought a lovely property in Vista and we used them as our agents to help us through the buying process and in this difficult market I knew I had to resort to an agent I completely trusted and felt secure with. In 2016 I sold a condo in Carlsbad and at the time Dennis was the buyer's agent. I was so impressed with the knowledge, professionalism and integrity that they exhibited that I thought if I ever needed an agent again I will be sure to get him on my team next time. And we are glad I did. In this difficult market he was always there for us with an answer to any questions or concerns we had and always got back to us and explained the situation and eased our fears away. They did a great job for us and we couldn't be happier, we were able to buy the property we wanted and within our means and we even had a fast smooth close of escrow. They did not disappoint and we were glad to have used them as our agents and we highly recommend them.

2/15/22Annemarie Hopkins

Google Review

I contacted Dennis when looking to buy a house in the Carlsbad area. Dennis sent me emails with updates on homes that fit my criteria. It made it super easy to look at homes and give a thumbs up or down and what interested me. He is very knowledgeable in the real estate industry and I appreciated his expertise and always willing to talk and answer questions.

2/4/21Krista Zielinski

Google Review

I highly recommend Dennis and Sunshine Smith. After moving to Carlsbad, CA from Florida, and paying such a high rental rate, I realized it would be a smart decision to invest in purchasing a home. I wish I would have started with Dennis from the beginning, but I am extremely grateful I was referred to him through a friend. The first realtor I came in contact with (prior to Dennis) did not communicate well at all, and after going almost a week without hearing from him, I decided I needed to find a new one, especially with how hot the market is right now. To me communication is one of the biggest parts in the home buying process. Dennis had excellent communication from the very first interaction, and would be available most times late into the evenings when normally people shut their phones off after 7 pm. He was super flexible, and most times available for showings (on houses that didn’t require appointments) within hours of me asking to go see them. He was genuinely interested in my wish list for a house, and was able to create a profile with a list of houses that did not disappoint; the houses had many (or all) of the features I was looking for within budget. We had quite a few good conversations outside of sales talk that really allowed Dennis to understand which houses on the market would be best for me and my family. Although I spoke to Dennis mostly, he and Sunshine truly are an amazing team together. Dennis and Sunshine’s knowledge about the San Diego County area, and anything real estate were exceptional. They were always honest and upfront about everything I had questions about, even the random ones, both good and bad. They gave excellent advice to not only get competitive offers submitted, but ultimately closing on a home in just 26 days after acceptance. Dennis never pushed me to do anything I was uncomfortable with doing, and even gave input if he felt like my decisions weren’t the best ones. He always filled in the here’s why, so that I understood fully what was going on every step of the way. Working with them was a blessing, and far exceeded my expectations, as they made the entire process as stress free as possible. I previously bought a house in Florida, and this process was night and day compared to my last. It wasn’t “just another sales transaction” for them, it was all about me the buyer, and I appreciated that a lot. The previous realtor did offer cash back after closing for military, but I don’t regret walking away from that incentive one bit after working with Dennis and Sunshine. If you want good honest people to assist you in your home buying experience, being a first or previous home buyer, please contact Dennis and Sunshine Smith, they will not disappoint you!

8/2/20Charlotte Nares

Google Review

My name is Pete Nares and I live in Tucson, AZ. I was the executor in my father's probate case, and I needed to sell his house. I called Dennis Smith and he took care of literally everything. Aside from his expertise in probate sales, he is an excellent real estate agent to boot. I was unable to get to Oceanside because of my work, and with Dennis and Sunshine taking care of the sale for me, I never had to worry about anything. They kept me informed regarding the appraisal, listing, negotiations, and sale. I felt like I was his only client. His integrity and honesty are second to none. I highly recommend Dennis and Sunshine for your real estate needs.

4/10/20Scot Olson

Google Review

I must take a break from enjoying our new home in north San Diego County and tell you how we found it. We are from San Jose and were looking for a home in a more rural setting after we retired. A realtor acquaintance told us to get in touch with Dennis and Sunshine Smith. What a God send. We told Dennis what we were looking for about 4 months beforehand. We started receiving email leads on properties. We made the trip south to look at them and before too long we found the one that “Wowed” us. Dennis knew it too. His and his wife’s communication between us and the seller’s agent was almost flawless. His negotiating skills were amazing. My wife and I would not hesitate to use Dennis and Sunshine Smith again.

4/9/20Cheuk Pang

Google Review

Dennis and Sunshine are the best! They were so patient and understanding of all my questions and concerns. They made sure I found the right place by going the extra mile. I definitely recommend them!

11/14/18Anna Evers

Google Review

Dennis and Sunshine Smith are very knowledgeable and courteous, great to work with! Highly recommend.

1/20/18Jeff Weinberger

Google Review

My connection to Dennis and Sunshine came by way of a recommendation from a super friend who bought a house in the past year from Dennis and sang the praises of Dennis and Sunshine loudly. My friend has bought 14 properties over the years and said that Dennis was easily the best realtor that he had ever worked with.

I, on the other hand, had never owned a house in the US before, having lived outside the US most of my life. My fiancée with whom I was looking for a house, had not been in the market for almost 30 years i.e., we were not experienced property buyers.

I quickly want to acknowledge, now from direct experience, what so many others have already testified. Dennis and Sunshine's character attributes include integrity, and a relentless commitment to excellence and service which translates to always being available. These attributes are more than just professionalism because they are value led.

On the experiential side, we could not have asked for more. This is a good time to note that Dennis and Sunshine are a team, not just two people who sell houses. We benefitted from their exceptional real estate knowledge, both generally and locally. We had very location specific objectives within Carlsbad with a modest budget, a formidable challenge which they enabled us to successfully achieve.

The process which involved a great deal of learning for us was helped enormously by the superb communication skills with us which facilitated learning and understanding (for us) underpinned by the team's limitless willingness to be available to us. Their skills were no less in play during the negotiation process.

I think that the experience that we had with Dennis and Sunshine translates to potential benefits for new to the state/ area buyers, first-time buyers, "long time since we have been in the market" buyers and anyone who enjoys working with professional's who get the job done and are delightful people to work with.

PS: The party doesn't end after the sale. The commitment to service continues. If you haven't guessed by now, I highly recommend Dennis and Sunshine.

Jeff

9/29/17Well HelloThere

Google Review

Dennis and Sunshine were a pleasure to work with. I had called them all the time and they were easy to communicate with and help me throughout my home buying process. I would give them 6 stars for going above a perfect rating if possible.

5/12/17Michele Barak

Google Review

Dennis and Sunshine did a superb job for the buying and selling of our homes. They are top notch. 5 stars all the way.

3/21/17Michael Sacora

Google Review

I have worked with Dennis on multiple projects over the years. He knows his profession and is very customer service orientated. Dennis knows the process in and out and is very good at communicating what is needed at each stage. I would recommend him

11/5/16paula BEYER

Google Review

Dennis Smith went the extra mile in helping us relocate our elderly mom from So. CA. to WA. state after 34 years in the same home. He took charge of locating and supervising all the contractors as well as arranged donations to local charities for left furniture. His knowledge, negotiation abilities and advice in selling moms home was invaluable as we were 1600 miles away. His pleasant communication, understanding the pulse of the local market and efficient office help made this an easy transaction. Thanks Dennis and Sunshine. Paula and Glen Beyer Sammamish, WA.

9/13/15Marjorie Love

Google Review

I hired Dennis Smith to sell my 85 year old mother's mobile home as he was referred to have experience in working with seniors. The situation was complex because my mom was involved, her husband wanted a say, his son was involved in assisting with a contractor needed to make repairs, I had the overall responsibility and my significant other was assisting me. Dennis was great in communicating with us all. He is honest and trustworthy. There were just a few hic-ups and Dennis went the extra mile in resolving these. The mobile home sold at above the asking price which was a added bonus.

9/1/15Corinne Helena

Google Review

Just this year I decided it was time to sell my home and downsize. Dennis came highly recommended and at no time was I disappointed in that recommendation. Dennis's extensive experience and knowledge of the local market were evident from the beginning. His contacts and marketing skills resulted in my home selling the first weekend it was on the market. Closing two escrows at the same time can be extremely stressful, but the support was phenomenal. Dennis has something that I think is hard to come by these days -- integrity and expertise.

10/8/14John H

Google Review

Dennis Smith was my agent for a recent investment home purchase. I am an out of town investor who required an experienced, honest and trustworthy real estate professional. Dennis delivered. During my short trip to North County, we evaluated several houses that fit my criteria and I submitted an offer. We reached agreement and the deal closed while I was out of town, which required that I rely on Dennis to take care of many of the details I could not personally take care of. In every instance, Dennis followed through on his word. I never once felt like he left a detail unattended to. In addition, he reminded and prompted me of upcoming actions I would need to take and explained the process thoroughly. If I were to buy another property in North County San Diego, I would use Dennis as my agent and will recommend him to friends and family.

12/4/12Rebecca Monet

Google Review

I have known Dennis Smith for over 20 years. His listening skills and extensive knowledge of North County San Diego made him the perfect real estate professional to help me find, negotiate and purchase a home in Rancho Santa Fe. Although it was a complicated transaction everything went smoothly thanks to Dennis' people skills and attention to detail. Later, when it came time to sell the home the listing decision was easy, because Dennis Smith gets the job done! You will find Dennis Smith honorable, thorough and results-oriented. I have and will continue to recommend him to anyone wishing to buy or sell a home.

6/30/12Niels Lund

Google Review

My wife and I live in Encinitas, a small coastal city in San Diego County. In December of 2010 we decided to investigate the possibility of purchasing a second home as a rental property investment. Although we own almost outright the home we live in, we had not been in the market as a buyer for some time, and were totally unfamiliar with the difficulties in dealing with short sales, bank owned properties and foreclosures, which have been dominating the market in recent years. We could see that to travel through this mine field of detail and come out with a property that would give us a good investment and a bottom line monthly profit was going to be very difficult. We needed someone with experience and expertise who could be our pilot in this new endeavor; someone with a solid reputation and full knowledge of the local and general real estate market. Luckily we knew Dennis and Sunshine Smith at RE/MAX By The Sea, who have been doing real estate in the North San Diego County area for 18 years. From beginning to end they were a trustworthy and dependable source of guidance and support without which we never would have succeeded. To say that their customer service was outstanding is an understatement. They gave us such a high degree of attention that we truly felt part of amazingly solid team. From their clearly superior skill in effectively communicating and negotiating with other real estate professionals to best serve our interests, to their personal loyalty and honesty, we were impressed beyond words. We ended up successful with an offer on a short sale property, and went through all the complicated intricacies involved with the transaction. Dennis and Sunshine held our hand every step of the way. We can't thank them enough for steering us so thoughtfully through a process that at times was stressful, but in which we learned so much about this new venture we were entering. We now own a great rental property in Oceanside CA, which is giving us a positive cash flow. Now that we look back, we can honestly say that bringing in Dennis and Sunshine was one of the best decisions we've made. But above all else, what we appreciate the most, is the atmosphere of friendship that was always so evident, one that we will always cherish.

6/26/12Marianne Holt

Google Review

Dennis was fantastic. This was a military move for us from another
state so we were unfamiliar with the neighborhoods here in San Diego.
Being out of state also meant we could not view potential homes in
person. Dennis went to each house we liked that was in our price range
and took videos and pictures for us to view from our home in
Washington. We found our perfect home in Otay Ranch this way. Dennis
is truly an amazing agent and we will use him again when we move. He
even followed up with us 3 months later to make sure everything was
still going well.

6/4/12Walter Giannetti

Google Review

DECIDED IN 2011 THAT CALIFORNIA WAS THE BEST PLACE TO RETIRE,ESPECIALLY NORTH COUNTY SAN DIEGO. I FOUND DENNIS SMITH VIA HIS WEBSITE. HE IMMEDIATLEY MADE ME FEEL AT EASE IN SEARCHING FOR A HOME IN OCEAN HILLS COUNTRY CLUB.HIS UNDERSTANDING AND HELPFUL ATTITUDE WAS WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR IN A REAL ESTATE AGENT. HE SHOWED ME NUMEROUS PROPERTIES AND FINALLY FOUND THE RIGHT ONE FOR ME. DENNIS GUIDED ME THROUGH THE ESCROW PROCESS AND I WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE THE HOME ONLINE WITHOUT LEAVING NEW YORK.HE ALSO PROVIDED A QUALITY HOME INSPECTOR TO CHECK OUT THE PROPERTY BEFORE SIGNING ON THE DOTTED.LINE HE TRULY MADE THIS WHOLE PROCESS A BREEZE WITH HIS PROFESSIONALISM AND EXCELLENT STAFF. FOR THIS I AM TRULY GRATEFUL. WHEN LOOKING IN THE SAN DIEGO AREA FOR A PROPERTY DO NOT GO FURTHER THAN DENNIS SMITH

9/18/12Esther Tung

Homes.com Review

In the past 8 years my husband and I have purchased 3 homes in Oceanside, California with the help of Dennis Smith, California Licensed Realtor. We highly recommend him and have been very satisfied in the quality of his service. Obviously, turning to Dennis Smith for help with 3 home purchases meant we must have liked something about his professionalism. The first word that comes to mind in describing Dennis’s style is patient. He spent a lot of time with us researching properties and showing them to us. He is honest and knowledgeable. He would narrow the scope of the listings he would send us through the Internet based on our preferences and would come prepared when we met to view the listings we were interested in. If we had any concerns he would go the extra mile and check things out for us. His priority was always in our interests and took his ethical responsibilities seriously. We have now known Dennis for over 8 years and are so grateful for his assistance we plan to continue our relationship with him and have him represent us as our selling agent when that time comes.

8/7/20Pete Nares

Homes.com Review

My name is Pete Nares and I live in Tucson, AZ. I was the executor in my father's probate case, and I needed to sell his house. I called Dennis Smith and he took care of literally everything. Aside from his expertise in probate sales, he is an excellent real estate agent to boot. I was unable to get to Oceanside because of my work, and with Dennis and Sunshine taking care of the sale for me, I never had to worry about anything. They kept me informed regarding the appraisal, listing, negotiations, and sale. Due to his attentiveness, I felt like I was his only client. His integrity and honesty are second to none. I highly recommend Dennis and Sunshine for your real estate needs.

9/3/12Jason P

Homes.com Review

Dennis and Sunshine Smith are the best real estate agents I have ever had the pleasure working with. Dennis has a lot of resources at his finger tips to get you the best price weather you are buying or selling. In my book they are top negotiators and the service is second to none. They keep you up to date every step of the way. They are not just agents. You will find that you will build a relationship with then and become friends. I have known Dennis and Sunshine for about 12 years now and I would never consider using anybody but then for any of my real estate needs.

5/28/16Diane Goodspeed

Homes.com Review

awesome realtor. Helpful' friendly, knowledgeable and caring. I have known Dennis for the past 7 years and highly recommend him for any of your real estate needs.

6/30/12Niels Lund

Homes.com Review

My wife and I live in Encinitas, a small coastal city in San Diego County. In December of 2010 we decided to investigate the possibility of purchasing a second home as a rental property investment. Although we own almost outright the home we live in, we had not been in the market as a buyer for some time, and were totally unfamiliar with the difficulties in dealing with short sales, bank owned properties and foreclosures, which have been dominating the market in recent years. We could see that to travel through this mine field of detail and come out with a property that would give us a good investment and a bottom line monthly profit was going to be very difficult. We needed someone with experience and expertise who could be our pilot in this new endeavor; someone with a solid reputation and full knowledge of the local and general real estate market. Luckily we knew Dennis and Sunshine Smith at RE/MAX By The Sea, who have been doing real estate in the North San Diego County area for 18 years. From beginning to end they were a trustworthy and dependable source of guidance and support without which we never would have succeeded. To say that their customer service was outstanding is an understatement. They gave us such a high degree of attention that we truly felt part of amazingly solid team. From their clearly superior skill in effectively communicating and negotiating with other real estate professionals to best serve our interests, to their personal loyalty and honesty, we were impressed beyond words. We ended up successful with an offer on a short sale property, and went through all the complicated intricacies involved with the transaction. Dennis and Sunshine held our hand every step of the way. We can't thank them enough for steering us so thoughtfully through a process that at times was stressful, but in which we learned so much about this new venture we were entering. We now own a great rental property in Oceanside CA, which is giving us a positive cash flow. Now that we look back, we can honestly say that bringing in Dennis and Sunshine was one of the best decisions we've made. But above all else, what we appreciate the most, is the atmosphere of friendship that was always so evident, one that we will always cherish.

12/15/12Bob Osborne

Homes.com Review

My wife and I would like to thank Dennis Smith and his company for the honest, professional and personal way they conducted the sale of our condo. We were from out of town and not familiar with the resources in the area. Dennis was a man of great resources. He set us up with people for cleaning and plumbing. He gave us suggestions on how to stage the condo and what we needed to do to meet the inspection requirements. We found him to be very knowledgeable in the local area and about real estate in general. He was always available to reach on the phone for any questions we might have. He gave us suggestions on how to list the property, but let us make the decisions. In the final outcome, we received $8500 more than we had asked for and we accepted an offer in 6 days and finished escrow in 19 days. This was an informative and pleasurable experience. Bob and Margaret Osborne

11/21/12Rebecca Monet

Homes.com Review

I have known Dennis Smith for over 20 years. His listening skills and extensive knowledge of North County San Diego made him the perfect real estate professional to help me find, negotiate and purchase a home in North County. Although it was a complicated transaction everything went smoothly thanks to Dennis' people skills and attention to detail. Later, when it came time to sell the home the listing decision was easy, because Dennis Smith gets the job done! You will find Dennis Smith honorable, thorough and results-oriented. I have and will continue to recommend him to anyone wishing to buy or sell a home. R. Monet

9/27/10Dennis Smith

Homes.com Review

It was a wonderful experience working with you to find our new home & sell our previous one. We were not looking forward to the selling ordeal and you certainly put us at ease with your understanding & willingness to work within our parameters. It was practically stress-free. We loved your honesty and practical input. Further, your knowledge of the housing market helped immensely as we would have under-priced our house. We'll definitely refer you to our friends, knowing you'll listen to them as you listened to us, and help them with their home buying & selling. Thank you again for an excellent job! ~ Bob and Sue Lutz

11/6/16Glen Beyer

Homes.com Review

Dennis Smith went the extra mile in helping us relocate our elderly mom from So. CA. to WA. state after 34 years in the same home. He took charge of locating and supervising all the contractors as well as arranged donations to local charities for left furniture. His knowledge, negotiation abilities and advice in selling moms home was invaluable as we were 1600 miles away. His pleasant communication, understanding the pulse of the local market and efficient office help made this an easy transaction. Thanks Dennis and Sunshine. Paula and Glen Beyer Sammamish, WA.

9/27/10Dennis Smith

Homes.com Review

Dennis and Sunshine, I have been thinking a lot about you and all the things I wanted to say. So I thought it was the perfect time to thank you for all your superb work during the season of gratitude, Thanksgiving! Tim and I found working with you and your team both in your office and at Craig's (CalPacific Mortgage Consultants) office to be very comforting. Throughout our entire home buying process we felt secure in knowing that every base was covered and that more than one pair of eyes were on the ball at all times. Our phone calls were returned promptly and you were always available to us within minutes! We never once felt like we were floundering or left out to dry. Your consistent professionalism never wavered, even during the course of our ten hour day! In addition to that, you and your team went over and above to provide us with helpful information like the items to do check list with specific dates and all the necessary phone numbers to call for new services in our area, even how to register to vote. You provided us with absolutely all the information we needed. No detail was too small and re really appreciated it! During the course of selling and buying a home, even the most organized people could lose their mind! Tim and I will highly recommend you to our family and friends without any reservation whatsoever! It is evident that you love what you do and have taken the time to hone your skills to become one of the best! With much gratitude, ~ Tim and Tamara Hassler