Reviews of Holmes Realty (Real Estate Agency)

Marielle Desjardins

I have been working with Michelle Martin since April 2019. She has been very understanding since day one and has been a big support throughout this journey. I love working with Michelle, she is ethical beyond belief and I would recommend her to anyone.

Ben Dench-Gibson

Our realtor (Michelle) was incredible. As a first time home buyer, everything was a little bit overwhelming, but she did a fantastic job of making sure I had a firm understanding of what was going on. I couldn't be happier!

Christine Moore

My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Michelle Martin to find our new home. I am beyond happy that we were lucky to find such a wonderful individual to help us thorough our house hunting journey. She went above and beyond to make sure that we were taken care of. I would highly recommend Holmes Realty to anyone looking to purchase their new home.

Donna McNeely

Holmes Realty and in particular, Mariann Abrams, helped me find and buy my ideal new home in Sidney in just one week. Mariann was always very professional, but friendly as well. Her good advice and calm manner took the stress out of finding and buying a new home. I knew I could trust Mariann completely to guide me in the right direction.

Jarrod Ball

We have had the greatest experience working with Michelle, Debra and Erin on multiple occasions. This team is professional, personable and experts. They made our listing stand out in front. Got it sold for us above asking.

Jennifer Sergent

Terry at Holmes Realty helped my husband and I buy our first home. We recently had a baby and Terry made things so easy for us. She worked around our schedual and was very honest about every home we viewed on whether she thought it was the right fit for us. She is professional, friendly and so great to work with. It was like a close friend was helping us out.

Simon Goland

We were blessed to have Mariann as our agent as we were looking for a new home in the Saanich area. Absolutely everything about our experience with her was magical - a blend of personal, professional, informative, supportive, and kind. We really felt that Mariann was protecting our interests, while maintaining a very professional attitude of being objective and neutral. There were a LOT of details to finalize with the owner of the house we purchased, and she was totally on top of ALL of it, in the best possible way. Thank You for making it such an easy experience!

Cathy Matusicky

Michelle helped my family find a home in Victoria and I cannot say enough good things about the experience. Michelle is professional, personable, knowledgable, and always got back to us about all of our (sometimes ridiculous) questions, which was really important, especially since we didn't live on the island at the time. She was also a lot of fun - another important thing about someone you end up spending a lot of time with! I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Michelle for anyone buying or selling! She helped us find the perfect home and we couldn't be happier : )

Theresa Carey

My husband and I had the distinct pleasure to work with buyer specialist Mariann Abram from Holmes Realty in Sidney. From the moment she took our call about a listing, to the day we took possession of our new home a short three weeks later, we knew we could trust Mariann to look out for our best interest. She helped us navigate the complexity and intensity of the market, and made our search for a home a pleasurable experience instead of a stressful one. Her expertise, thoroughness and attention to detail were unparalleled, and all of this was underpinned by her indefatigable cheer and graciousness. We can’t recommend Mariann and Holmes Realty highly enough!

Martin Bodenham (Thriller Writer)

This is the third time my wife and I have used Michele's team at Holmes. Every time, they have come totally prepared and with an enthusiasm for the sale assignment that is genuine. Their marketing approach is second to none, and once an offer is made, they are professional and careful to make sure it is right for their client. We will be using them again and have no hesitation in recommending them to other sellers. Best on the island, in our view.

Richard Belanger

I was astounded by the the professionalism and coordination of the entire team at Holmes Realty, the agents, marketing including staging, photography and office support staff. They created a marketing brochure the equal of which I have seen nowhere else. The result, my condo sold for a price I could not have imagined and I had an accepted offer in less than 24 hours. Not only did they do a fantastic job with my property, they also pitched in to help sell my furniture. Time was important to me and their response to every need was immediate.

Trudy Pitcher

I recently put my house for sale with Michelle, Deb and Erin. They were super helpful, positive and detailed. Any concern I had was dealt with promptly and professionally. I highly recommend them to anyone who wants to sell their home with confidence. Thanks, Ladies!!

Dave McMullen

I haven't used them but when looking at homes, they have the best information available of any realtor. Very thorough and helpful when determining whether a particular home meets my needs.

Trish Morrison

Thank you to Mariann Abram who recently helped my Mother and I buy a home. She was very professional, kind and extremely helpful during the entire experience working with her. We had many questions and some concerns but she was immediately responsive with any follow up needed and we are very grateful.

Claire de Grasse

Selling with Michelle's team was easy.

Amanda Farmer

Michelle is, hands down, the greatest realtor that Victoria has to offer. We were in a unique situation – we were living in the USA and looking for our new home in Victoria. Michelle came highly recommended by an old friend, and after our initial phone call, we knew that Michelle belonged in our lives. Michelle met with my husband’s parents regularly (they were our local connection), did FaceTime walk through tours with us, made us think and consider outside of our comfort zone, and was our very own personal cheerleader when it came to looking for our home. All without actually meeting Michelle in person! Michelle was always available – email, phone, text, you name it. Heck, I probably could have sent a smoke signal from our place in Colorado and she would have responded immediately. As first time homeowners, Michelle walked us through every step of the process, went above and beyond to help, and even connected us with an incredible mortgage broker after a few (potentially costly) hiccups with our initial broker. We are grateful to have connected with Michelle - she will be our realtor for every home sale or purchase in our future, and we cannot recommend her enough. If you haven’t already, reach out to Michelle Martin and let her help you find your new home!

Regina Gardner

I had a great experience with Erin, Deb and Michelle. In a time of a fair bit of stress on my end, I felt incredibly taken care of in the sale of my condo. They were responsive to all my questions, and incredibly strategic in how they listed our place. The services they bring like staging and photography were top notch. I have already referred others to this team!

Jennifer Fraser

I know that Holmes Realty must be an extremely honest and caring real-estate office because it is where realtor, Terry Stockus, has chosen to work. I know from personal and professional experiences that Terry has the highest level of ethics and therefore anyone who works with her and with Holmes Realty can be sure that they are being treated with absolute integrity. In this troubled province, with a previous government that somehow allowed money-laundering to infiltrate our real-estate industry, it is critical to know that you are dealing with honest professionals who actually care about the sale of your house and the purchase of your house. We've bought and sold multiple houses in Toronto and here in Victoria and my best experiences have been with Terry Stockus. She is knowledgeable, but more importantly, she actually wants her clients to get a fair deal and she will do everything in her power, work far and beyond the call of duty, to make it happen.

Robin Saunders

Stopped in to look at listings. Agent ignored us. Not very impressed. Walked up the street to DFH. Much more hospitalble.

Danielle Sweeney

Mariann Abram of Holmes Realty was an absolute dream to work with. As first time home buyers Mariann made us feel comfortable and held our hands every step of the way. Her contact with us was consistent and professional, always keeping us up to date with every move and making sure we had all our ducks in a row. We are so pleased with our purchase and can't thank Mariann and the Holmes Realty team enough for helping us make our home ownership dreams come true. We would highly recommend working with them on your next purchase or sale!

John Berlinsky

We worked closely with Mariann Abram of Holmes Realty for nearly two years to find and buy our dream home in Victoria, B.C. Mariann was always responsive, helpful and gracious, watched out for our interests and gave us good advice. I would recommend her without reservation for anyone who needs a good agent in Victoria. She is truly a pleasure to work with.

Alison Lee

We worked with Mariann Abram of Holmes Realty and I have never had such a positive experience with a realtor. Mariann really got to know us, understood what we wanted and only sent potential homes that she felt was a fit (which saved us time). Then, when it came to the purchase of our house, she was so supportive and helped us through every detail. She keeps track of everything, referred a wonderful house inspector and ensured we had all the information we needed before our subjects were removed. I felt like I had a true partner throughout the process. She is kind, honest, professional, responsive and very, very good at what she does. I highly recommend her to represent anyone looking to buy a home! We are so grateful to her!

Sarah Fryling

Shelley and Michelle are excellent, supportive, and proficient real estate professionals. My home purchase was complicated and lengthy because I am moving from a different country, but they handled all of the documents as well as my often random and odd questions with ease. I worked the closest with Michelle, and not only did she provide all professional answers needed, she was also extremely supportive and honest in all of our conversations. She put my mind at ease about learning a new country's real estate structure and transitioning my life into Victoria. I would absolutely recommend Holmes Realty to anyone looking for a Vancouver Island realtor - just ask for Michelle and Shelley.

Megan and Reece

Working with Michelle Martin from Holmes Realty has been an absolute dream! My husband and I are so incredibly grateful that we had Michelle beside us when purchasing our first home. With such a large purchase, it was wonderful to have someone we trusted so much guiding us every step of the way. From day one, Michelle was accommodating, attentive, and extremely knowledgeable. She was always available to provide support and eager to answer any question we might have had. While searching for a house and during viewings, Michelle helped us consider things that we hadn’t thought of and highlight potential positives/negatives about a prospective purchase. She genuinely cared that we found the perfect home and helped us consider everything before moving forward. We were never pressured towards or away from anything; she was our guide but ultimately left the decisions up to us. When we found our home, Michelle was key in securing us an accepted offer. Without a doubt, we were able to purchase our home because of Michelle. Michelle has a true passion for what she does and it shows with the dedicated and exemplary care she gives her clients. She has so many insights into the profession and is a master of her field who goes above and beyond on a daily basis. We have nothing but monumental praise to give to Michelle. We would not hesitate to recommend Michelle to everyone and would absolutely work with her again in an instant!

Deborah Abbott

Michele’s Team was wonderful to work with. They are professional, knowledgeable, and very responsive. Phone calls and emails always answered promptly. They know the local market, and we were always confident in their advice. Highly recommend!

Linda Moran

Our experience with Holmes Realty was exceptional. They know the local market and their team of experts make the whole experience very positive. They supplied a team of expert people to stage our home, as well as an expert photographer to catch the details of every room. We were amazed by the professional brochures that were created for us to have for our showings, giving all the details of each room in our home. Their team is always keeping up to date with the latest technology, which is used to keep their website, and us, up to date about the market and sales in our area. Use Holmes Realty for selling your home. You won't be disappointed!!

SM Carey

Edited to reply to response: Hi Michele and Debra, Thank you for taking the time to respond. While I can appreciate the challenges you identify in working with a large family and now understand from your comment that it is not your strength to represent a group of buyers or sellers, you seem to have missed the key disappointment identified in my initial review which was the lack of follow up or thank you - something that no members of the group heard from you on. I appreciate your offer of a follow up call but the intention of this review was just that, to review for others our experience - and also now add, as you have stated, that representing a group of buyers or sellers is not an area you have expertise in. Thank you again for your response and best wishes. Original review: We were extremely disappointed with our experience working with Holmes Realty. Prior to engaging the services of Michele Holmes and Debra Bartlett, they visited the property and were well informed of the sentimentality in selling it and the significant emotional aspect. The property was listed with them as the selling agents and sold within one week for over asking. Not only were the agents well informed of what a significant decision the listing and sale was for us as owners, but it was also a $2 million property that sold almost immediately upon listing and with no subject to’s. To get absolutely zero follow up or thank you for the business was in contrast to every other realtor we’ve worked with in the past or that we’ve heard from others. We only decided to work with Holmes Realty because of a recommendation from an out of town realtor who noted that they were familiar with the area. Now after having this experience we thought it disappointing enough to take the time to write a review. We would not recommend to colleagues, friends, or family (or anyone reading this review!) - and will definitely not use again.

Thonger

We would highly recommend Michelle Martin at Holmes Realty. We were looking for an acreage and were able to see what we wanted very quickly from Shawnigan Lake to Metchosin but Michelle ultimately found us a great property in North Saanich. Prompt professional service throughout the selling of our home( well over asking after only 4 days on market) and through the purchase of our new home. What can be a stressful endeavor, was actually fun well working with Michelle!

Mark Freitag

Mariann Abram was excellent. Very professional and most thorough agent we have ever used. We will use her again without hesitation. Can’t recommend her enough

Karen Johnson

When selling our home, Michelle was very professional and never lost sight of the fact that it is also an emotional and stressful time. She patiently answered all of our questions, day and night. Never did we feel that our questions were too small, or too complicated. She is an excellent mix of down to earth and professional!

Ann White

Mariann Abram worked very hard for me and managed to snag the perfect property despite some other offers. She was very professional, responded to phone calls and emails promptly and was really focused until we were successful. As well, she is a charming and personable woman, very easy to work with. Thank you!

Lorne Klipper

Wow, couldn't ask for any better!

Chris

I purchased my home through Holmes Realty, and Mariann Abram was my agent. I knew I wanted to be on the peninsula, and Mariann helped me to find the perfect home in Deep Cove. Throughout the entire process she answered all of my questions and explained every piece of paperwork. I was relatively new to the area, so when I needed a mortgage broker, home inspector and attorney she provided me with multiple recommendations. I was happy with all of my choices, and Mariann helped to make the largest purchase of my life a relatively stress-free experience. She is extremely professional, knowledgeable, patient, affable, diligent, competent and accommodating with her time. Above all, she sincerely cares about her clients. Mariann has been in the real estate business for over 15 years, and she is the recipient of multiple MLS awards. I highly recommend Holmes Realty and specifically Mariann Abram without reservation..

Hansi Singh

The Victoria real estate market is ridiculous, which is why you need an excellent realtor to help you navigate it. Terry Stockus, our Holmes Realty realtor, was just that -- excellent in all ways. We had exactly 3 days to find a house to purchase in Victoria for our family, and Terry helped us through all the minutiae of the process. There are so many decisions to make when buying a house in a new city -- neighborhoods, schools, walkability, transit options, bicycling infrastructure, commuting time, etc -- and Terry helped us make the best decision possible, taking all these factors into account. We've worked with many real estate agents in the past, and Terry is easily the best for home purchases. Following negotiating an offer, she helped us coordinate all contract details, including inspections, legal logistics, banking, etc. She's astute, warm, personable, keeps track of tons of things at the same time, and is completely tireless. And she's funny! We seriously had fun on our whirlwind house hunting tour of Victoria, and in the aftermath. We highly recommend Terry.

Linda Hunt

Very pleased with the team who helped me sell my Mum's place. Professional, good at problem solving the challenges that arose, accessible and pleasant to deal with. Thanks for your assistance.

Nicole

Fantastic experience with Holmes Realty and Michelle Martin. She never pressured us, was honest and patient while we looked for our perfect home. We also sold our house with Michelle and the whole process has been smooth (photos, floor plans, staging, great booklet). Michelle went above and beyond for us and always made us feel comfortable and in good hands. I think the biggest thing is that she really truly wanted us to be happy and worked hard to make our lives easier. Thank you for everything!!

Cecilia Rose

My partner and I bought our first home with Mariann from Holmes Realty! She was a delight to work with, is incredibly responsive and helpful, and it is clear how experienced and knowledgeable she is in this field. Always professional, she supported us in navigating the steep learning curve of buying our first home and diligently ensured that each i was dotted and t was crossed along the way. Beyond the warmth that she brings to every interaction, Mariann also brings a wealth of professional connections and strategic knowledge in this field. We would highly recommend Mariann's services.

Gillian Epp

We had an excellent experience working with Michelle Martin! She was professional, knowledgeable, and kind. Her positivity and reassuring nature, were especially appreciated as first time home buyers. We would highly recommend working with Michelle!

Sharon Vieira

Mariann Abram has been a fabulous realtor to work with from the Holmes Realty Team. I have greatly appreciated her support in the recent purchase of a beautiful property in Victoria West. She took the time to answer all my questions and guide me through the purchase process. I would definitely recommend her expertise and knowledge in local real estate.

Catherine Samson

It is an ongoing pleasure to recommend Mariann Abram and Holmes Reality to my family and friends who are looking for a home to purchase in the Greater Victoria Area. Mariann showed great commitment in helping my family find a home. Her honesty, patience, perseverance and lovely nature made the experience a positive one. Michelle Holmes was most helpful as well.

Nicholas Parker

My girlfriend and I worked along side Michelle Martin for about 3 months while looking for our first home together as a couple. She could have not made the process more smooth or enjoyable. She was such a pleasure and was always available whenever we needed her. She made us feel so comfortable with the decisions we had to make, and was very knowable about everything we needed to know. I would highly recommend homes realty and Michelle Martin if you are going to be purchasing a new home!

Alan Jackson

The Holmes Realty team were a pleasure to work with. They put together a very thorough market review, we required, as part of the probate process in settling our parent's estate and then an eye capturing on-line MLS Listing wonderfully enhanced by their staging team. The property was listed, an offer received within a day and a half, a deal finalized within ten days and the property transferred to the new owners within a month. We couldn't have been more pleased with their service. Highly recommended!

Emma Thomson

We worked with Michelle Martin from Holmes Realty - she was everything you could ask for in a realtor and more! We are first time homebuyers are were very inexperience and nervous about getting into the housing market. Michelle was referred to us by a friends realtor and we couldn't have been happier. She held our hand through the entire process, explaining everything to us clearly, answering all our questions and providing answers to questions we didn't even know we should ask. She never pushed us to do anything we weren't comfortable doing and always gave her honest opinion. To anyone thinking about buying a house, I would 100% recommend Michelle!

stefani paine

Holmes Realty provided outstanding service to us both on buying and selling. property. It was a pleasure to work with these professionals.

jackie scott

I find everyone at this company to be beyond professional and wonderful. From the selling of my property to the purchase of my new home, it has been a very positive experience. I would especially like to point out the exceptional qualities of Mariann Abraham, who helped us immensely and was with us every step of the way. We felt cared about and protected, and that she truly had our best interests at heart. Mariann and this company have our huge recommendation!

Evelyn Maybin

Michelle was very helpful, more than she needed to be. We were first time home buyers and she was very good about holding our hand through the process and explain everything in laymens terms for us. No question was too small or unimportant to her, and very prompt in finding the answer for us. She was personable and very kind. We will deffinalty be coming back if we need help with Realty in the future. 10/10

Hugh Wakeham

Debra sold my Mom’s condo in Sidney for us. It was a seamless process with a great result. Debra was a pleasure to deal with! She is professional and really knows her business. She has subsequently found a renter for me at my VRBO condo in Sidney. Once again, Debra was so helpful and wonderful to work with. I really appreciate her!

Holly Roy

My husband and I have just bought a beautiful home through Holmes Realty . I just had to write and express our sincerest thanks and gratitude to the most amazing Mariann Abram, for her help in guiding us through the intense and stressful process of house buying. With her expert help we were able to buy our dream home. She was so thoughtful, caring and capable and she anticipated our worries and concerns and put us at ease. She was always there for us at all hours to answer our questions and replied so promptly to our emails and phone calls. I cannot praise her highly enough to do her justice, except to say that she is brilliant ! Thank you so much Mariann.

Dave Rogers

Got us started with a real bang-- staging, photos, web presence. Michele was very personable too!

Marian Gillett

Michelle Martin, from Holmes Realty, came highly recommended to us and was our realtor when we sold our current home and purchased another. As we were inexperienced in these processes, we appreciated having someone in our court who was knowledgeable, professional and who patiently answered all of our questions. Anyone who has bought and sold a home knows how stressful it can be, but Michelle was there every step of the way to make things as easy as possible. She stayed in contact with us constantly, gave sage advice, and was accessible at all times. We feel very fortunate to have such a trustworthy professional look after us and have no reservation in highly recommending Michelle to anyone who is looking for a realtor.

Judy Byron

Holmes realty - Michele's Team is, in my opinion, the best agency in Greater Victoria. Michele's Team represented me in two sales within the past 5 years. The personal attention to the specific needs of each sale was greatly appreciated. I highly recommend 'Holmes Realty'.

Grow Copywriting RPM

It is with great pleasure to write a recommendation for Mariann Abram. Mariann worked with me in finding a home, and through this process she was right beside me in helping me with making the best decision. She treated me like family and looked after all the areas of the sale with great detail and diligence. She further researched areas to ensure that I was comfortable with the specifics of the property and worked for my best interest. I have never worked with anyone who has better communication skills. She listens carefully, takes her time and is very patient; she makes you feel like you are her only client. I have bought and sold many homes, and my experience working with Mariann has exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to purchase a home.

Trish Rutherford

Out of my many real estate moves, Mariann Abram provided the best support. She simply listened and understood what my needs were and what I was ultimately looking for in my next home. This past year has not been easy, between the pandemic and a highly competitive market- she supported and continues to provide support. I highly recommend Mariann of Holmes Realty.

Charlotte Hol

Michelle Martin was honestly amazing, from day one right to the end when she even helped us unpack boxes out of the truck into the garage! Honestly it’s hard to find a realtor that is genuine, honest and in it for you!! Someone that’s caring and really listens to your needs, concerns and wants to make it as easy as possible for you. Michelle responded anytime or any day, always there when a house popped up and you need to see it, especially in this quick market! Her attention to detail and quickness when it came to putting an offer in was something that really stood out to us. She was ready to go!! Literally at the side of the road! The only reason we ended up with our new home! There was never any pressure from Michelle it was all at our speed, what we wanted but with the best advice on how to proceed next. We can’t thank you enough Michelle!!