FIRST THINGS FIRST - Sue Brown is YOUR Agent

The purpose of this review is to provide a stellar review and recommendation for Realtor Sue Brown. In fact, to save you time, here is my conclusion - Sue Brown is well-beyond exceptionally competent and will represent you for all your needs, even those needs you don't know you require.

Now Down To Business

Scan all the other reviews and note how short most are - this is a long review. Nobody spends the time to lavish praise unless it is highly warranted. And, for the record, this review was unsolicited. I wrote this on my own volition.

Been There, Done That

Here is a brief frame of reference. My wife has been an attorney for over 30 years and a significant portion of her practice involved real estate. I have been a corporate officer and a business owner for 30+ years. For a brief period of time, I took a break from the corporate world, as my wife and I were buying properties for our own account. I was a very active income property agent involved in over 100 additional transactions for my clients. I achieved all those closings in just three years and as such I became well-versed in what constitutes a good agent versus a great agent versus an exceptional agent. I came to learn that most of the agents I interacted with only performed the minimum amount of work to just get the job done.  Not so with Ms. Brown - she exceeded all of our expectations.

How I Found Sue Brown

We decided to move to Kona and while we had a working understanding of the area, we were far from experts. We knew we needed representation from someone who not only active in Kona, but was exceptional. So I set out to find that person. I am one of those people that researches, then researches a bit more, then researches just one more time before proceeding. I researched and narrowed about 20 experienced agents down to two. Sue and another person. Sue easily was our clear choice.

It Ain't Bragging If It Is The Truth

Below are Sue's accomplishments.
Hawaii Business Top 100 Realtors 2011, 2014, 2016 & 2017
Most Real Estate Transactions For 2015 & 2016

I am always reminded when I see those type of statistics that 'Success leaves a trail.'

She typically has a dozen or more active listings bit.ly/KonaRealEstate which indicates many people trust her.

Sue Exceeded Our Expectations

Sue exceeded the normal services provided by a real estate agent in competence, thoroughness, and excellence. Since we are 2,500 miles away from Kona, we relied heavily upon her to perform property screening, property comps and the condition of the property. Furthermore, she provided additional data detailing other valid factors such as elevation (higher is cooler, but if you get to high you can get mildew), neighborhood assessment and ultimate resale value (should that ever occur).

Wait There Is More

Many agents believe that once an offer is submitted and accepted that their job is over. It isn't - the devil is in the details. Sue coordinated all of the routine visits, inspections, work and other human-involved interactions in a prompt, efficient and proactive manner. She clearly communicated with both escrow and us via email and telephonically at all times, without us ever having to call and ask, "What's up with our escrow."

Above And Beyond

Sue went way above what a typical Realtor would do: she fought on our behalf not only on price, but on the 'little things.' She noticed that their were issues with the screens, with how the pool pump was protected from the elements, with minor details in the kitchen and more. Most Realtors would just see and not say, or do, anything. In each case, Sue went back to the seller and negotiated additional concessions. Before escrow closed, Sue did a walk-through on the property, and even though it had just been professionally cleaned, Sue determined it wasn't good enough, including the windows. The seller then brought in additional personnel to finish the work.

What Makes Sue Different - Read This Carefully - She Cares

There are a lot of superlatives casually tossed around about people. In Sue's case, there aren't enough superlatives to describe her commitment to you as a buyer or seller. Sue's personality is a combination of a highly skilled negotiator, an outstanding emotional intelligence understanding of people, a methodical manager of transactions, a calm presence under all situations and true desire to do exactly, everything, that is the best interest of her client.

Sue Will Work For You

In short, whether you are buying a first home, a dream home or homes as an investment, you will be well-served to contact Sue Brown for all your real estate needs.  Sue went above and beyond all of our expectations. It is with that perspective that I proudly, and confidently, offer my highest recommendation for Sue.  

You should expect to, and will receive the same level of service and professionalism as we did. - Rod A

HONESTY & INTEGRITY
My husband and I just bought a house with Sue Brown Realty. We worked primarily with Sue's son Tim and his wife Ally, and we absolutely loved working with them to find the perfect home. Sue Brown Realty is a wonderfully run family owned business, and you can tell right away that each one of them works with honesty and integrity. It was a breath of fresh air to find them, and we highly recommend them to anyone searching for a home! - Janet & Jonathan Mitchell

OHANA
Sue has personally guided my husband and I through eight very successful real estate transactions over the last decade. She's also safely navigated a half dozen family/friends with purchases as well. I've had a variety of realtors in two separate states, and hands down- Sue is the best realtor/broker we've EVER worked with, and is the only realtor we will EVER work with.

Why? In a nutshell:
1. Sue is HIGHLY detail-focused and tenacious, she doesn't let a single deadline/form slip through the cracks. She's a rare breed that thrives on the details on contracts (which make or break the deal), and will ensure her clients are never the reason for a delay.

2. Sue comes with excellent, reliable resources/vendors that help ensure smooth transactions- we have faithfully used her recommended escrow team, mortgage broker, inspectors, cleaners, etc. All are top notch/tested/Sue-approved for timeliness, accuracy and cost. Sue will not use an incompetent vendor, and dumps unethical ones.

3. Sue is NOT motivated by commission/sales. Her wisdom and compassion have formed her ethical values, and she will never try to push a sale though that she does not believe is in her client's best interests. I have seen her relinquish a sale commission in a number of situations that she was under NO obligation to do, because she felt it was the right thing to do.

4. Sue is creative at finding solutions in tense, challenging situations that will satisfy her clients and ensure their happiness. Sue recently accomplished the impossible for us- she sold two units for us, both were tenant occupied (never ideal), at above our initial expectations...and then turned those fund proceeds around (we did a 1031 exchange) to hep us purchase another property by convincing the seller to grant us a 90-day close to do so (again, not ideal for sellers). It was a challenging situation at best, and Sue sailed through it with flying colors, exceeding our expectations.

5. Sue is an expert at reading the market trends, the opposition's moves, and has predicted with great accuracy many 'unknown' outcomes that have benefited us, her client. I cannot overstate how important this is...her advice has allowed us to get signed contracts where we may not have been the highest bidder, as she negotiates with great intelligence/strategy. Don't mistake her sweet, non-aggressive and bubbly personality as being a pushover...Sue is a wildcat when it comes to fighting for her clients. She has saved us thousands on a number of transactions with her advice, even when it did not benefit her to do so (i.e.- getting us a lower sales price, advising us to not give away the store when we thought we should negotiate more, advising us to not increase an offer and calling other's bluffs, etc.). I cannot say she will be 100% successful in all negotiations, but she certainly has been for us.

6. Because Sue is a known, proven entity in the field, I have witnessed other agents clamber just to work with her because Sue has a reputation for seeing deals through to completion. Having her as your agent ensures a smoother, more pleasant transaction from start to finish. I have seen other agents basically 'drop the ball' when engaging with Sue once the ink has dried on a sales contract, as they tend to take advantage of Sue's ability to stay on top of deadlines, paperwork, extensions, etc. Everyone knows Sue Brown in Kona, and everyone wants to work with her. She has no client turnover that I've ever witnessed. Any client we know that has ever used Sue, does not appear to leave.

7. And last but not least...when you become Sue's client, you become her ohana. She is in regular contact with us from beginning to end, she calls, texts, emails any relevant updates around the clock (so you feel like her only client), she is highly responsive to any inquiries you may have, and even after the transaction years later, I'll get updates from Sue on comps for purchases we've made, letting us know if we have earned equity, how much, etc.

Bottom line, Sue's job doesn't end when escrow closes. Over the years, she has become family to us, and I am confident you will wish she was your family once you're through a transaction with her. - Jolene Mears

CARING & PATIENT
Sue will not disappoint you and goes above and beyond to ensure everything goes smoothly for her clients.  Our experience with Sue was as mainland buyers moving to Hawaii.
We first contacted her about buying a property on the Big Island almost three years ago and at that time she found some great properties and did several showings with us.  It didn't work out at that time so we had to leave things.  We then started the process again 6 months ago and she was thrilled to reengage with us and try to help us find the right property again.  She was able to set up a showing with a very difficult landlord/owner and tenant.  She answers any and all questions we had about almost anything related to the property, the island of Hawaii, and everything in between.  We just closed on our property and she continues to answer our questions and help after closing.  
She is knowledgeable, patient, and straightforward.  You will never feel like you're bothering her when you call or email and she'll give you the respect and you deserve as a customer.  Most of all, we felt like she did truly care about our family and wanted to do whatever was in her power to make our big move to Hawaii as easy as possible. 
We would highly recommend Sue to anyone looking for a realtor on the Big Island! -
David B.
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POSITIVITY, KNOWLEDGABLE & THOROUGH
Sue Brown Realty has done an excellent job in helping us sell and purchase several of our properties here on the Big Island of Hawaii. Sue Brown’s positive approach to real estate and attention to detail made each of the transactions run smoothly from start to close. Both Sue and Hilary were friendly, professional, even tempered, extremely efficient, ethical and a true delight to work with.
If you’re looking for real estate professionals that have a tremendous knowledge of Big Island real estate and a network of ready buyers and sellers, then our recommendation is to call Sue Brown Realty. - OJ McCaskill

HIGHLY RESPECTED
Sue Brown is a first class realtor! I have utilized her expertise on two separate transactions and she is the ultimate in customer service and satisfaction. She is highly respected among her colleagues and is a professional through and through. If you want a personal, thorough, knowledgeable top notch real estate agent, Sue Brown is the one to choose. -  Catherine Theriault

OPEN, HONEST & EASY GOING
I contacted Sue Brown Realty and Associates from California regarding one of their listings I was very interested in. The listing of my interest had an offer already, so when my daughter and I went to the Big Island to look at other homes, I met with Tim Brown, his wife Ally and their adorable little girl to tour several other homes of interest. I loved the fact Tim included the family, it made the tour way less awkward then it could have been. He even took me to see the home of my original interest, the home I ended up purchasing was way more designed for my needs. Tim is a great communicator and was open and honest about everything. These are two qualities a good realtor needs to possess in my book. Tim is easy to talk to and get answers from. Thank you so much for making my Hawaiian Paradise dream come true, even if Tim is a Bronco fan. Go Raiders! - CJ Johnson

GRATITUDE
Hi Sue, I woke up this morning with profound gratitude for how greatly God used you in our life through our time in Hawaii. You did all you could do to help us achieve our dreams there and then to leave there so we could go on to the next thing in our life. Your help in selling the condo made this new chapter possible. You do so much more than buy and sell real estate. You help people achieve their dreams and secure what's best for that season of their life whether it be coming or going. You were an absolute joy to work with and you have set the bar for excellence in business. I will continue to recommend you for your five star service but you are truly a wonderful person that has deeply blessed our lives and my heart is filled with gratitude for you. I know that is also how Anne and Catherine feel too. Thank you for your outstanding care and service over and over again. May God grant you many more years of vitality with great joy! - Kim Ryan

PROFESSIONALISM & FRIENDLINESS
We cannot speak highly enough of Sue Brown. The field of realtors is crowded in Kailua-Kona. We had many to choose from and are so glad we chose Sue. At our first meeting we were struck with her professionalism and her friendliness -- two critical qualities. We were impressed with her integrity, her knowledge of the market, her honesty and her patience. She offered us advice without being pushy, and listened to our points of view with respect. In the face of some challenges involving an uncooperative tenant she remained calm and helped us take the steps we needed to take. We sold the house quickly, smoothly and with confidence that we were in the best possible hands. Thank you, Sue! You are a great realtor and a fine human being. - Lucy Moore

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