When Helen and Graham called me last December, they were hoping to make a move they’d been considering for years. As their family grew, they felt an undeniable pull toward a new home, where their children could truly flourish. But there were a few hurdles standing in the way…

“We knew it was time for a major change,” Helen said. “Our two-bedroom house just wasn’t big enough anymore, and we wanted to find the right school system for our boys. It wasn’t an easy decision. We really loved living in Los Feliz. We could walk everywhere: to work, to shops, to restaurants. The energy was incredible.”

“It was great when we were young and wild and free,” Graham agreed. “But now with kids, we were genuinely excited to settle down in a nice, quiet place. We had this picture in our heads of a safe street with a cul-de-sac for our kids to play. South Pasadena was perfect. Close enough to our work and the excitement of LA, but with that small town feel we were looking for.”

“We went to one of Eva’s open houses in South Pas back in 2022,” Helen added. “That’s how we first met her. But George, our youngest, had just been born and it was too chaotic to move at the time. When we reconnected with Eva almost three years later, we were ready.” Helen said. “Not that we didn’t have concerns about the move.”

“…three years later, we were ready.”

.

“The timing of everything really worried us, you know, selling and buying at the same time,” Graham explained. “We had no idea how to do this, but Eva reassured us that she had helped dozens of families through the same situation and would get us where we needed to be. She laid out a great strategy and her confidence was contagious.”

“First, we started working with Eva’s partner, Angel Chao, who specializes in the buying side. She was fantastic,” Helen said. “With her guidance and strategies, we found and made an offer on the perfect home in almost no time. Angel told us exactly what we needed to do, and we followed her advice to a tee. We got the house, and now our boys each have their own bedroom and get to play on the cul-de-sac. Just like we’d dreamed of!”

“It was kind of a nightmare.”

“The selling process was significantly more complicated because, to our surprise, the next door lot began major construction as we were selling!” Helen exclaimed. “It was a major problem for potential buyers. We fell out of escrow twice because of it.”

“It was kind of a nightmare,” Graham said. “They were potentially building a 30-unit structure right next to us, with no parking.”

.

“But Eva never seemed flustered,” Helen continued. “She treated it like it wasn’t this big catastrophe, and immediately pivoted and strategized new approaches to the sale.”

“And she would always listen to our fears,” Graham added.

“With Eva’s help, we found buyers who understood the neighborhood and weren’t deterred by the construction,” Helen explained. “They got a great home, and we were thrilled with the outcome.”

“Now that we’re here in South Pasadena, our kids absolutely love it,” Helen beamed. “They keep saying, ‘Mommy and Daddy, can we stay in the new house forever?’ They love riding bikes in the cul-de-sac and playing in the garden in our backyard.”

“We’re just excited to watch our kids grow up here,” Graham said. “Our neighbors came over with gifts for the kids, which was so lovely. The boys finally have their own rooms, which they’re thrilled about.”

“The schools here are exactly what we hoped for,” Helen added. “We couldn’t be happier with how everything worked out. This is exactly where we’re meant to be.”

Helping Helen and Graham settle into their new community has been incredibly rewarding. I’m so glad they found the home and environment they were looking for, a place where they feel their boys can really thrive.