About Charlie A. Cook

We worked with Charlie to prepare our family home of 30 years in Oakland for sale in the fall of 2024. He worked side by side with contractors, painters, stagers and inspectors. He always kept our best interest at heart. Recommendations on work to be done were always mindful of budget and esthetics. He monitored the progress of the listing preparation daily and reported accordingly. The home turned out beautifully and was well received by prospective buyers and agents touring the property. In the end, we received an over-asking offer that worked well for us. During the escrow period, Charlie kept us informed and offered timelines for us to understand this otherwise confusing and sometimes overwhelming process. Charlie has extensive knowledge of the East Bay market and excellent reputation amongst his peers. Even during a tricky holiday schedule and impending election, he got us the price we hoped for our home. We would happily recommend Charlie for the sale or purchase of a home in the Berkeley/Oakland area.

Charlie Cook is the best person to work with us on selling our house. Since we live about 2 hours away, Charlie took care of everything for us. He explained each step of the way to getting our house ready to sell. We did everything he suggested and the house sold in record time! Plus above our asking price! Everything went smoothly and if we had a question, he was just a phone call away! I'm so glad we spoke to Nicole Perez who was just as wonderful and she highly recommended Charlie Cook. I'm so glad we had him as our realtor. He was just fabulous!

We live outside of the East Bay area, and the traveling back and forth was just too much to continue renting our home in the City of Oakland. Charlie helped us to sell the property with minimum travel to the City of Oakland. Charlie held our hands each step of the way in preparing the house for sale, to answering the questionnaire regarding the house, to always being available whenever we called him. He negotiated a great price for the house and made everything go smoothly. If I have another house in the East Bay area that I want to sell, I, again, would reach out to Charlie to help us sell it!

I was in a tough situation because my brother passed away and lived in a house an hour away from me in an area of Oakland that I was unfamiliar with, Montclair. Knowing that I needed a realtor who knew how real estate worked in the East Bay, Oakland-Berkeley area in particular, I did an extensive investigation of realtors who were knowledgeable about Oakland-Berkeley real estate and found Charlie Cook. Charlie had many outstanding reviews, and he really lived up to those reviews. Charlie is an awesome realtor to work with. He created a plan for my brother's house that would attract many buyers from the East Bay. He was completely hands-on in removing the various stuff that my sibling had collected for 20 years. He then conducted extensive comps that would help position my sibling's house in the current Oakland and Berkeley market and helped to nail down the right price for the house. He also had chosen an excellent Title Company that worked with me remotely. As a result, selling and closing on the house was done very quickly with very little effort on my part, thanks to Charlie's great execution as a realtor. The last thing I want to mention is that Charlie was great at communication and explaining to me the details and timing of real estate transactions. This was important and really helped me out during this time.

We had such a good experience with Charlie as our realtor for our East Bay move. He really knows the Oakland/Berkeley areas well and was such a valuable resource for our home search. We were able to find a house that matched our wants in Berkeley, and he made the process smooth and painless. I would recommend him in a heartbeat as a real estate agent.

Charlie has gone above and beyond my expectations. He has handled the process extremely professionally and has eased any stress in my experience getting my property ready for the Market. He has a knowledge of the Oakland area and provides valuable information to assist in the real Estate process. He managed the details on getting the home prepared for the market. I highly recommend Charlie to anyone in the East Bay Area who is buying or selling a property. I have another property that I will entrust in Charlie to list.

Thank God for Charlie. (DISCLAIMER: I AM THE PRESIDENT OF HIS FAN CLUB). No seriously thank god for Charlie. My husband and I just bought our first house in North East Richmond. We originally were hoping to stay in NOBE, North Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville area but we couldn't afford it. *sigh* East Bay prices and all. Luckily we found Charlie Cook the most amazing realtor ever. Realistically when you hire Charlie you're not only hiring a realtor but also a therapist (both individual and couples therapy, trust me buying a house tests your coupleness). Charlie helped us put our first offer into a house and of course we didnt' get it but we did get our second house (we found it the same week as the first one). We never would have gotten the house if we didn't have Charlie. He not only hunted the listing agent down but also brow beat them into taking our pitifully small offer. (Or at least this is how I imagine he got them to accept our offer). No, but seriously he did hunt the guy down so I think it helped that the listing agent was non-responsive to others and that Charlie is like a bull dog when representing his clients. ANNNNDDD we didnt' offer some insane amount over asking. One of the best things about working with Charlie is his bagillion years of experience in the East Bay real estate market. As far as we can tell he pretty much knows every single person in the greater east Bay Area and that works to your benefit. He not only found us a home but also a great inspector, plumber, fix-it guy and mortgage broker. He's like a Wal-Mart of realtors but minus the low wage and bad working conditions of Wal-Mart (although he pretty much made nothing off of us and had to work with us so maybe it was kind of like Wal-Mart?)The other thing about Charlie is that he's HONEST. What?! An honest real estate agent in the East Bay not telling you offer 60 billion times the listing price? Yeah that was Charlie. He made sure to talk us down from the bidding war ledge, he made sure our feet were on sound financial ground when making offers. In some ways he's so honest we're not sure how he survives but we're guessing its because he's AWESOME SAUCE. Okay...sorry for our overly rambunctious review but we're still high off of getting a house and working with Charlie. If you need a real estate agent consider Charlie Cook you really can't do any better.

Buying and selling houses are tasks that one does not carry out regularly. The nature of buying and selling houses change often in the bay area especially in east bay. Charlie Cook is a remarkable real estate agent with a great deal of up-to-date knowledge on selling and buying houses. I have worked with him several times and he impressed me every single time. He knows the market in Berkeley and Oakland well and he was able to navigate the sale with clarity and highest level of integrity. I trust Charlie Cook very much and I would go back to him for any real estate matter in Oakland, Berkeley or any place in East Bay. What impresses me the most is that Charlie has a great deal of patience and is able to work with all kinds of clients effectively. He is smart and well-liked by his fellow workers, clients and friends. He is a great Realtor.

Charlie is a rock star. Knowledgeable, patient, flexible. Charlie gets how stressful and perplexing it is to be a novice dealing with the circus of Bay Area real estate. He walks you through every step and comes to you with paperwork, keys, and other items needed along the way. He's super quick to get back to you in every possible medium (email, text, calls) and maintains great relations with all sorts of folks you need along the way -- contractors, electricians, surveyors, inspectors. This means you get good prices, great work and quick turn around -- all key when you can't be on the hook for a mortgage for a long time for a house you don't live in. Added bonus -- he speaks great Spanish (useful for our family) and deals beautifully with little kids who intrude every 2 minutes while you're trying to talk.

If you want a TOP NOTCH realtor, look no further. Charlie is as good as it gets! After five minutes with him, you'll know why. Charlie is as warm and caring as he is skilled and savvy in this crazy Bay Area market. Every question/request I ever made was met with great sweetness and 'can-do' attitude. AND he definitely steered us in the right direction (and away from a few 'rough' houses) on more than one occasion. Charlie keeps it real and went way out of his way to meet with painters, floor guys, and even pick up the keys to our first home when we were out of town on closing day. We wouldn't have got such a lovely home or such a GREAT deal in this market without him! SIX STARS!

If you want a bad ass realtor, look no further. Charlie is as good as it gets! After five minutes with him, you'll know why.Charlie is as warm and caring as he is skilled and savvy in this crazy Bay Area market. Every question/request I ever made was met with great sweetness and 'can-do' attitude. AND he definitely steered us in the right direction (and away from a few 'rough' houses) on more than one occasion. Charlie keeps it real and went way out of his way to meet with painters, floor guys, and even pick up the keys to our first home when we were out of town on closing day.We wouldn't have got such a lovely home or such a GREAT deal in this market without him!SIX STARS!

Our experience with Charlie resides on both sides of the coin. He represented us when buying a home several years ago; we appreciated his efforts so much that we brought him on board to help us sell our house. When purchasing, Charlie negotiated the best deal possible, saving us from closing costs and spending over budget. Upon selling the same home years later, he again worked his magic to get the highest price available amongst a large number of bids. His negotiation skills are by far the best as he will get you the best deal on both sides of the coin. If you are looking for representation look no further, Charlie is highly recommended.

He helped rapidly find me a buyer for the AS-IS sale of my old condo in the Jack London Square area of Oakland; in an older development; very good at listening and understanding my priorities; offered creative suggestions in terms of pricing and marketing the place which turned out to be helpful; would definitely utilize his services again.

How fortunate I am to have found Charlie Cook at Red Oak Realty.<br/><br/>I just became a first-time mortgage owner after years of watching the market and finally being able to get in. During my 'research' phase for the past 4-5 years, I met with at least 6 realtors in order to find the right match for me. I sought someone with integrity, knowledge of the local market, and most importantly who would keep my interests and needs priority without being too presuming or smug. Charlie is that realtor. Charlie listens to you. He makes you feel like you are his only client-incredibly responsive, patient, efficient, and practical (ie, countless times he'd steer me away from homes that he knew were out of my price range.)<br/><br/>Throughout the process, Charlie explained everything to me, and eased my anxiety by providing any information, resources, or services I requested. And, believe me, I requested a lot. He came to the signing with me and made sure I understood each time I signed my name...and I lost count after 70 signatures. After we closed and I got the keys, I discovered that the garage wasn't cleared out- there was truckload of debris piled in the crawlspace and garage. I wasn't sure what to do so I called Charlie and he had made some calls and had the garage emptied out and hauled away within a day.<br/><br/>And, keep in mind that as a single educator on a fixed income, Charlie wasn't making a huge commission. He treats all of his clients this way-whether you buy a $400K or a 1.5 million- trust me, I know because I've already referred a friend and she had the same positive experience working with Charlie.

My husband and I had been looking for our dream home since 2013 and had worked with different realtors but when we started working with Charlie Cook in 2015, he was the one that made our dream come true and we were finally able to find a house in Berkeley where we always wanted to live! My husband and I immediately connected with Charlie when we met him for the first time. As we started working with him, we discovered how experienced and knowledgable he was of the Oakland and East Bay Real Estate market. He new the detailed ins and out of the local neighborhoods and gave us amazing advises that helped us make the right decisions when choosing homes to make offers. He never pushed us to where we were uncomfortable and always advised us to ultimately trust our gut feelings when choosing the homes. We thought we would never find a home in this crazy market but with Charlie's guidance and help, we found a home that we absolutely love!!! As a first time homebuyer, every process was a new experience to us. After the offer was accepted, Charlie made sure to keep us on the right track until the escrow closed! We were so happy with Charlie and we absolutely recommend him as a realtor. Thank you for everything, Charlie!!! Erika and Jozsef

Great knowledge of the area, honest, reliable and a fun person to view homes with! He pointed out things we didn’t know to look out for as we were viewing homes and always shared as much as he could so we could make the best decision for us. He has great energy and will have your back, even in the rough seas of real estate. He’s punctual, great/fast reliable communication, and set Our expectations along the way. Don’t wait, Charlie is your guy :)

Adding another 5-star rating to Charlie is the very least I could do for him. He has guided me through my first home purchase with skill, an infectiously positive attitude, and a deftness that belies just how difficult his job is.<br/><br/>After screening a few realtors, we decided to go with Charlie. Here's why: * He was honest and upfront. He made it clear that housing inventory was low and we should be prepared for a longer search. * He told us his business incentive. He succeeds in his job through positive referrals from past customers. It is not in his interest to be pessimistic about the market. It is not in his interest to push us into a home that is not right for us. His singular goal is to get us into a home that we love.<br/><br/>Note how these two first points are complementary. He made us comfortable with him and his process in about thirty seconds. <br/><br/>* He is optimistic and ridiculously friendly. He was so excited about our home search that I half-expect a moving truck of his stuff to show up next week. You can stay as long as you want, Charlie. * He has an extremely thorough knowledge of Oakland and Berkeley neighborhoods, from street to street. For every house we seriously considered, he had great advice about the schools, restaurants, bars, and social scene in the area. He enjoys going out and exploring the East Bay himself so a lot of his information is first-hand. * His real estate advice was impeccable. He got to know us as buyers and tailored the homes and neighborhoods over time. Our search radius started large, shrunk as he adapted to our interests, then expanded intelligently to accommodate practicalities like housing inventory. * He had expert insights into each home, both positive and negative. We avoided a few lemons thanks to him. * He gave us a seamless home purchase experience. We were able to do almost everything electronically and all of the forms, inspections, etc were managed by him. We lived in SF at the time, meaning we weren't losing ground to buyers in the East Bay and our visits were always efficient. * His contacts (such as loan officers and inspectors) were complete professionals. He keeps good company.<br/><br/>I should mention that we made several offers on homes that were ultimately not accepted. This is the nature of the Bay Area housing market. Don't get discouraged by it. In cases where a counteroffer was made, Charlie gave us exceptional advice, never pressured us, and supported our decision every time. <br/><br/>In all, our search took about seven months. I grew up in the woods and have found myself in heaven in the hills near Montclair. We have an amazing new home and Charlie to thank for it. The only bummer is that we don't see him every weekend anymore.<br/><br/>I wish you luck with your home search and hope you'll choose Charlie.

We highly recommend Charlie. He has a deep knowledge of the Bay Area real estate market, and literally knows everyone! He helped us buy a new home and sell our old home. Charlie was warm, friendly and accommodating. He was great at helping us spot things we loved in a home, and things we wouldn't love that we may not have recognized right away on our own. He personally knows just about every mortgage broker and agent, and once we moved in--he had recommendations for painters, flooring, you name it-- it all came in handy for us. Charlie went above and beyond for us, that's just who he is.

Charlie Review My wife & I had the pleasure of working with Charlie, our real estate agent, for the second time, and once again, he exceeded our expectations. Charlie's commitment and dedication to finding us the perfect home in the East Bay were truly exceptional. He listened attentively to our needs and preferences, and tirelessly worked with us until we found a house that we were genuinely excited about. Even though we ended purchasing in the South Bay the first time we worked with Charlie, he was more than willing to help us again when we were ready to come back and look in both Oakland and Berkeley. Charlie's expertise and knowledge of the local real estate market were evident throughout the entire process. He guided us with valuable insights, provided honest and transparent advice, and navigated the complexities of the market with professionalism. Charlie's patience, responsiveness, and excellent communication skills made us feel supported and well-informed every step of the way. Red Oak is lucky to have him! We are incredibly grateful for Charlie's commitment and effort in helping us find our dream home. If you're looking for a dedicated and reliable real estate agent in the East Bay, I highly recommend Charlie. He goes above and beyond to ensure his clients' satisfaction, and we couldn't be happier with our experience. Thank you, Charlie!

My wife & I had the pleasure of working with Charlie, our real estate agent, for the second time, and once again, he exceeded our expectations. Charlie's commitment and dedication to finding us the perfect home in the East Bay were truly exceptional. He listened attentively to our needs and preferences, and tirelessly worked with us until we found a house that we were genuinely excited about. Even though we ended purchasing in the South Bay the first time we worked with Charlie, he was more than willing to help us again when we were ready to come back and look in both Oakland and Berkeley. Charlie's expertise and knowledge of the local real estate market were evident throughout the entire process. He guided us with valuable insights, provided honest and transparent advice, and navigated the complexities of the market with professionalism. Charlie's patience, responsiveness, and excellent communication skills made us feel supported and well-informed every step of the way. Red Oak is lucky to have him! We are incredibly grateful for Charlie's commitment and effort in helping us find our dream home. If you're looking for a dedicated and reliable real estate agent in the East Bay, I highly recommend Charlie. He goes above and beyond to ensure his clients' satisfaction, and we couldn't be happier with our experience. Thank you, Charlie!

Charlie was amazing. We were difficult clients because we didn't live in the area so we had to fly out for jam-packed viewings, sometimes without each other. We were also first-time home buyers. Charlie was there every step of the way. He walked us through each step from financing to disclosures to offers to closing. He also offered candid advice on each house we viewed, discussing pros and cons, suggesting possible projects, and noting potential problems. In the end, we bought a house without one of us having even seen it! But it turns out Charlie got us the house of both our dreams. We were referred to him by a good friend who also bought her house with him. We will be sure to pay it forward and recommend him to any of our other friends who decide to move to/within the Bay Area.

Charlie recently helped us close on our first house purchase in Oakland.  Being first time buyers, he was extremely informative and more than willing to hold our hands through the whole process.  We lucked out and were able to find our perfect starter house after a month of starting our search.  Charlie was great in negotiating the seller within our price range.  Coming from a person that is extremely organized, I also found Charlie to be an organized and responsive Realtor to all of our questions.  5 stars all the way.Thanks Charlie!  I'll keep you keep in my contacts for all future Real Estate needs.

Our need was to sell a home in the Oakland/East Bay area expediently and to buyers we had a positive feel for, given the sale was an emotional one for us. Complicating the process was Covid 19, wildfires in the area and the fact that we reside in Washington State. Charlie Cook was recommended to us by a friend who had been in the business in the Berkley area , as being one of the very best Realtors . He was THE best. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable about the area and the market, he is competent ,reliable and more than personable putting us immediately at ease. He has focused on building relationships ,not just with those who hire him to buy or sell, but with others in the business such as painters ( who did a superb job for a good value ),stagers (who worked magic), and an escrow agency who made a potentially challenging paperwork process ,easy and safe. .The house sold within a few weeks with our goals more than met in regard to price and people, thanks to Charlie . We are forever grateful for his kindness ,humor, experience, commitment, honesty and business savvy. Were it possible, we would rate him more than than 5 stars

Charlie is an OUTSTANDING realtor. I can't recommend him highly enough. You will not find anyone more knowledgable, shrewd, responsive, or genuinely caring.My wife and I called Charlie because a bunch of our friends had glowing things to say after buying houses with him. We were totally new to the world of house buying. But we wanted to move quickly, and so we asked Charlie for a lot--to educate us about the process, connect us with lenders, help us hone our search, and move fast in making offers.Charlie delivered in every respect. He knows the market up and down, and within weeks we felt like we did too. He has a keen eye for home construction and was candid about all the issues he saw; even our professional-home-inspector friend was impressed. Charlie also knows most everyone in the Berkeley and Oakland real estate scenes--realtors, lenders, insurers, inspectors--and so it felt like we had a whole team working for us. Maybe most important of all, Charlie is a fun and perceptive person who really got to know us personally, which meant that he could help us navigate our own preferences, manage our emotions, and make decisions that were right for us.Six weeks after my first call to Charlie, we found an amazing house and got a great deal. We feel very lucky we were directed to Charlie at the beginning of our search. If you're buying or selling a house in the East Bay, call this man.

Charlie is hands-down the best partner anyone could have in navigating the complicated maze that is buying a home in the East Bay. He made my wife and me feel incredibly at ease throughout the entire process, and was very responsive to our innumerable questions. He truly invested in educating us about the different trade-offs in a home, spent a lot of time with us both on the phone and in-person, and clearly cared about us as people. We ultimately got an amazing deal on a house because of Charlie's expertise and intimate knowledge of the market, and the various players involved. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

Our need was to sell home in the Oakland/  East Bay area expediently and to buyers we had a positive feel for ,given the sale was an emotional one for us. Complicating the process was Covid 19 ,wildfires in the area and the fact that we reside in Washington State. Charlie Cook of Red Oak Realty was recommended to us by a friend who had been in the business in the Berkeley area as being one of the best .He was THE best. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable about the area and the market ,he is competent, reliable and more than personable, putting us immediately at ease. He has focused on building relationships ,not just with those who hire him to buy or sell but with others in the business, such as painters (who did a superb job for a good value), stagers( who worked magic )and Semiko of the Chicago title company whom he engaged for escrow and who personally made the process easier and safer for us, even sending a notary to our remote home to complete the necessary paperwork. The house sold within a few weeks and our goals were more than met in regards to price and people ,thanks to Charlie .We are forever grateful for his kindness ,humor, experience commitment, honesty and business savvy .Were it possible we would rate him even higher than 5 stars

Charlie Cook was and is the absolute right choice in a realtor! We love our house, had a great experience, and never would have survived! the East Bay real estate process without him. Charlie patiently took care of us all the way. We enjoyed looking at houses with him. He helped us understand the whole process and he was an all star during escrow. We can’t thank him enough! All we can say is, if you want to jump into the crazy world of bay area real estate do it with Charlie Cook, and you’ll be much better for it.We were 1st time home buyers and Charlie was there for us every step of the way! We chose him because he came highly recommended by friends (who had bought homes with him) and who had gone through a variety of the trials that is real estate in the bay area. We felt like he would go to bat for us when we need it, and patient with first time buyer jitters. Plus if your search is going to take a while… it might as well be with a realtor you actually enjoy spending time with! Through seven tough months of looking for a house all over the East Bay (from NOBE to Laurel), Charlie was positive, honest, encouraging and supportive. He knows Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley and Piedmont exceptionally well. We had our best experiences when we were looking at houses with him. He’s happy to give his opinion, to share his experience, but in the end it was always our call. While Charlie was no pressure, laid back and supportive through house hunting, and he was on top of the escrow schedule! He made sure everyone was communicating and getting the documents they needed. We felt well educated and sure of what we were getting into. He’s well known and regarded in the East Bay real estate market, which is a crazy small world. And his recommendations were always the best!

We were nervous when we started our home search in Berkeley and in Oakland. Charlie took all of the stress of buying our first home away, he was there to answer all of our questions ( and some were pretty dumb ). The house that we thought was ' the house' we lost to a cash deal, and Charlie kept on saying 'that wasn't the house for you, we will find YOUR house' . We have been in OUR home in the Oakland Hills for over a year now, and I simply love it! Charlie is funny,kind and full of knowledge. Stop looking for a realtor, just give him a call and leave it all to him.

Charlie, we would highly recommend you to anyone looking for a real estate agent. As first time home buyers we were unfamiliar with the process and had many questions. You guided us through the complicated experience with straightforward answers, as well as a great sense of humor. You made an otherwise stressful time much more rewarding. We would recommend you to anyone and would definitely work with you again. Thanks!

Charlie is great. As a first time buyer, he patiently walked me through the maze towards home ownership. He was honest, frank, and hard working. He always found answers to my many questions or reached out to someone who could help. He was fast to reply and made things happen quickly (we even closed early!). I trusted his recommendations for every step of the process (loan broker, inspectors, title company, etc) and they all were great. Charlie's well connected and in my experience that was crucial. Thank you!

5 stars doesn't even do justice to the level of service and complete awesomeness we got from Charlie in our 5 month home search process. To begin with, he is a wonderful person with a tremendous amount of integrity, which is becomes very important in real estate. Not only are you spending your precious weekends with this person, but when it comes down to making offers and getting things done, people (realtors, owners) genuinely like him and want to work with him and his clients. That can make or break if you get the place.Then there is his professionalism and total competency and knowledge of the business, and the east bay. He took the time to initially educate us about the neighborhoods and pros and cons, then really listened to (and always respected) what we said we wanted and our price range. Often he knew us better than we knew ourselves, and expertly navigated when as a couple we disagreed on what we wanted, ultimately helping us to get exactly what we wanted.We spent so many days on consecutive weekends with Charlie and I always felt like we were his #1 priority with his undivided attention. I can't tell you how many times I told my husband 'I LOVE WORKING WITH CHARLIE! HE IS SO GREAT!' throughout the process. I can't recommend him highly enough. You won't regret working with him.

Adding another 5-star rating to Charlie is the very least I could do for him. He has guided me through my first home purchase with skill, an infectiously positive attitude, and a deftness that belies just how difficult his job is.After screening a few realtors, we decided to go with Charlie. Here's why:* He was honest and upfront. He made it clear that housing inventory was low and we should be prepared for a longer search.* He told us his business incentive. He succeeds in his job through positive referrals from past customers. It is not in his interest to be pessimistic about the market. It is not in his interest to push us into a home that is not right for us. His singular goal is to get us into a home that we love.Note how these two first points are complementary. He made us comfortable with him and his process in about thirty seconds. * He is optimistic and ridiculously friendly. He was so excited about our home search that I half-expect a moving truck of his stuff to show up next week. You can stay as long as you want, Charlie.* He has an extremely thorough knowledge of Oakland and Berkeley neighborhoods, from street to street. For every house we seriously considered, he had great advice about the schools, restaurants, bars, and social scene in the area. He enjoys going out and exploring the East Bay himself so a lot of his information is first-hand.* His real estate advice was impeccable. He got to know us as buyers and tailored the homes and neighborhoods over time. Our search radius started large, shrunk as he adapted to our interests, then expanded intelligently to accommodate practicalities like housing inventory. * He had expert insights into each home, both positive and negative. We avoided a few lemons thanks to him.* He gave us a seamless home purchase experience. We were able to do almost everything electronically and all of the forms, inspections, etc were managed by him. We lived in SF at the time, meaning we weren't losing ground to buyers in the East Bay and our visits were always efficient.* His contacts (such as loan officers and inspectors) were complete professionals. He keeps good company.I should mention that we made several offers on homes that were ultimately not accepted. This is the nature of the Bay Area housing market. Don't get discouraged by it. In cases where a counteroffer was made, Charlie gave us exceptional advice, never pressured us, and supported our decision every time. In all, our search took about seven months. I grew up in the woods and have found myself in heaven in the hills near Montclair. We have an amazing new home and Charlie to thank for it. The only bummer is that we don't see him every weekend anymore.I wish you luck with your home search and hope you'll choose Charlie.

Charlie is the best in Oakland/East Bay! I truly believe as a Realtor he guided me to make the best decisions possible as a first time homebuyer, he truly had my best interests at heart! He was super patient and really gave a good balance of guidance of market and real estate knowledge, and when I needed it, encouragement. He had great intuition about what I needed and was hoping for, and I couldn't have ended up in a better place for me. During bidding processes he was super responsive and always had smooth communication with other agents. I can't recommend him enough!

Charlie Cook was referred to us by another agent in the same office as she was leaving to pursue other work-and it was a great choice! Charlie has represented us in multiple transactions with more to come. He covers all the bases and does it with a light perspective and great sense of humor. He takes the necessary time to review issues so that we always feel he has our best interest as his highest priority. We recommend his services without reservation.

We would like to recommend Charlie Cook, as your real estate agent, due to his professionalism and dedication to working with and for his clients. Charlie is knowledgable, competent and dedicated. Charlie goes the extra mile for the people he works for and is a pleasure to deal with even when the stress level is high. We not only purchased our triplex home in Oakland with Charlie, we decided to use him to sell our home as well. It gives us great pleasure to highly recommend Charlie Cook.

We wanted to take a moment to let you know how much we deeply appreciate all your help in buying our first house. Now that we are getting settled in we are enjoying having our own place more and more. It al seems like a blur now, but I do remember looking at endless houses and condos until we felt absolutely overwhelmed. You were always upbeat,patient, and supportive with us. You helped us put the search into perspective by helping us analyze the pros and cons of each place with honesty and humor. When we found our house you took the time to break down each step and explain what was happening and why. I am still amazed that you managed to work around our varied schedules and deadlines with a professional attitude and a smile on your face. thank you, thank you, thank you for all your help. We would (and will)recommend you in a heartbeat to anyone who needed a realtor.

Charlie was a fantastic asset in buying our new East Bay home. He came highly recommended by friends, and for good reason. As a realtor, he was very knowledgeable both about the market and about the process (it was our first home). He was immediately responsive, which ended up being especially significant, as our first offer was accepted, and closing time was a very fast whirlwind. We also appreciated having his advice and perspective on the Berkeley/Oakland real estate market, and found his assessments to be generally spot-on. In addition, Charlie is a completely enjoyable and friendly person to be around—a must given the potential stress (and time) involved with buying a house. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a new home in the East Bay.

Charlie came highly recommended by a coworker--Not only is he incredibly friendly and easy to work with, he brings deep local knowledge, so many helpful connections, and impressive market expertise to the table. He helped us get into a house in the neighborhood we wanted that was perfect for our needs and budget! And in under a month!! Unheard of in most places, but in the Bay Area seems like nothing short of a miracle. Couldn't be happier!!! Would absolutely work with him again.

Charlie is a top-notch realtor with in-depth local knowledge. When Charlie first helped us buy our home in 2015, we were coming from a situation of having not so great agents. Charlie sat us down to help us develop a game plan of how to shop for a home and how to make the most of our time. He made sure to remind us to tell him every little detail of things we were thinking about so he know what we liked and didn't like. He was honest, transparent, and he wanted to make sure we got what we wanted. A couple of years later when we were in a distressed situation where the house was being vandalized by a mentally ill neighbor, Charlie was there for us when we needed him. He would show up to talk to the cops when we weren't there, talk to the other neighbors, and so much more. He goes above and beyond and genuinely cares about people and his clients. We finally sold the house!

My husband and I have been long-time renters, but knew nothing about buying a home when we first walked into Charlie's office. Although we had often heard just how tough it is to buy a house in the bay area, from minute one Charlie made it as fun, painless, and efficient as possible. We had endless questions and Charlie patiently listened and gave us the answers in a clear, uncomplicated and thorough manner. Charlie's professionalism, compassion, and straightforward style made it easy to trust him and his advice. It was clear that Charlie wanted us to get the best deal and the best house that suited OUR style, so I never felt that he wasted our time looking at properties we wouldn't like or ones that were out of our price range. He clearly worked hard to get us into a great home, but was never pushy and allowed us to go at our own pace. As proof, Charlie found the home we bought before hardly any other prospective buyers saw it, and that really made a significant difference for us. We got a wonderful first house in a great neighborhood for a great price. We couldn't be happier. I would highly recommend Charlie to anyone buying or selling a home, and already have. He's a real find.

Charlie did not disappoint when it came to service. The property had unusual zoning, and was in worn shape. While all Agents will promise fantastic crews that will come out and work weekends to get the property to market. Charlie actually coordinated full interior paint, refinish floors, new fixtures, and darned if that property didn't look 100% better! As we were coming to the holidays, I wanted a rapid sales. The whole process was like turbo real estate, and boom, I was sold. Fantastically, the fix-up costs were only $10K. But Charlie even went over the top, responding quickly to a police situation at the property, then taking care of a second emergency while I slept in.

Charlie was a pleasure to work with, despite our being very finicky buyers. He tirelessly showed us house after house, never losing his objectivity or sense of humor. When it came time to buy, his house knowledge and negotiation techniques were invaluable. We've recommended him to friends and would use him again without reservation.

My wife and I really enjoyed working with Charlie. He is kind and personable. We found it very easy to convey our home ownership aspirations when speaking with him. Charlie was very attentive to our needs and budget. He provided honest and concise insight on properties that we were interested in. He provided thoughtful recommendations for properties, while always being mindful of our goals. He is very familiar with the region and real estate precedents. Charlie was invaluable throughout the entire purchasing process. He helped bring transparency to the unfamiliar process of procurement. At every step, I felt confident that we had a strong advocate on our side that had our best interests in mind. I feel lucky to have had Charlie Cook guide us through this milestone.

Charlie Cook is a Rock Star!!! An incredible choice in a realtor if you are looking for a home in the East Bay! What an excellent experience! Charlie not only made the process of buying our home bearable, but actually fun! My wife and I were 1st time home buyers- We had looked in the past on our own and with another realtor (who just wasn't on top of her game), but got overwhelmed with all the things we didn't know....This is where Charlie shines - He puts you at ease the second you meet and becomes your teacher, coach, cheerleader, advocate and friend - taking you through the whole process and giving you the info you need to make the important decisions.Charlie helped us learn the whole process and was able to point the pros and cons of different houses and different areas. He puts no pressure on you and wants you to be happy and confident with your decision, after all this is probably going to be the most money you spend ever!! He makes sure that you are being realistic, and doesn't try to put you in a home that you aren't going to be able to afford or aren't going to love. Definitely a truly honest guy! You have a question? Call him! He gets back to you right away!Once it was time to place our bid and work out all the details Charlie was the man!!! He does his research and makes sure that as a buyer that you get all the information that you need, and works super hard to negotiate to get you the things you want/need! He makes sure everyone is communicating and keeps the process flowing as smoothly as possible. He made sure we knew what to expect during the escrow process, and it couldn't have gone smoother!We've met other people in the business who have worked with him in the past that hold him in high regard. In fact we found Charlie through our friends that recommended him after buying their first home. I can't recommend Charlie enough if you are looking to buy a home in Berkeley, Oakland or the East Bay in general.

Charlie sold our house December 2010 in a slumpy sales market. This was our home of 30 years, a large house full of a huge accumulation of belongings. Charlie was right there for us at every step of the way. His wide network afforded us all the help we needed for repairs, clearing out, hauling, etc. He assured us that our house would sell at our carefully selected asking price, probably above. We had three solid offers (above asking) after three weeks on the market! Charlie advised us on the best offer and we closed in thirty days. Charlie is thoroughly professional, knowledgeable, friendly, intelligent, wise... I recommend Charlie's services with complete confidence because he the absolute best!

Five shiny gold stars for realtor Charlie Cook! Charlie was our realtor when we sold our North Oakland house in the summer of 2016. (Our house is in North Oakland on the Berkeley/ Emeryville border.) This was a particularly stressful period for us because we were moving cross country with infant twins and selling our house at the same time. Under other circumstances, we might have had a breakdown, but working with Charlie made the house sale much less stressful, even enjoyable. (He has a great sense of humor and a strong streak of kindness, which helps during high stress times.)Thanks to Charlie's hard work getting the house prepared, pricing it right, and publicizing it through various channels, we had multiple offers that were all well over the asking price. Charlie's integrity, diligence, knowledge of the market, clear communication, and good humor shone through from the moment I told him we were going to put the house on the market to the day of the closing. Charlie did an amazing job helping us make hard decisions about work to do on the house and gave us excellent referrals of people to do the work. When we were no longer in town, he oversaw work on the house and made sure we stayed on our tight schedule. To say that he went above and beyond for us as clients would be the understatement of the year. Another fantastic aspect of working with Charlie is that he has deep roots in the neighborhood. He's lived in North Oakland for over sixteen years and fully gets and respects the integrity of the community. If you want to work with an experienced realtor with incredible results who has roots in the Bay Area, Charlie Cook is your guy.

Charlie Cook was the consummate professional in our extremely challenging and complicated (thanks to the seller) purchase. As a long-time NYC-based real estate professional (attorney, investor and manager) I had never previously used a buyer's broker, but was encouraged to reach out to Charlie to serve as our Virgil through the various circles of the Bay Area real estate world. Charlie was incredibly knowledgeable, always available (especially considering the time difference), and unfailingly pleasant. Further, all of his recommendations for fellow professionals (attorneys, insurers and lenders) were spot on. Charlie's tenacity in dealing with a difficult regional investor yielded phenomenal results. I strongly and unhesitatingly recommend Charlie Cook of Red Oak Realty for your Bay Area real estate needs.

Charlie, was great in helping us deliberate on a sale strategy and provided us outside help to make the preparing for listing more manageable. He was empathetic to the emotional needs of me and my siblings helping us deal with the loss of such a big part of our lives. He communicated frequently to keep us up to date on process and to check in about questions we might have.

Charlie really helped me through the sell of my house in the Alameda/East Bay Area, it needed upgrades and I wanted to stage my house with my own furniture. All this can be very time consuming and energy draining especially when doing it on your own while working. Charlie helped me every step of the way and for my house it was a long draining process in which Charlie worked with me the entire time. With Charlie's help my house was presented in the best way possible. He understood what I wanted and in the end when it came time to accept offers Charlie walked me through and explained everything which made it an easy process. Thank you Charlie for holding me up through the toughest time of my life. In my opinion Charlie is a realtor that really goes the extra mile from start to finish. Good Luck to you in the future.

Charlie is great. He's sold two houses for me. The first house was not the greatest house. The second house was pretty good though. He put just as much time and care into selling both. He helped me prioritize work to be done before putting the houses on the market which was really helpful. Both houses sold quickly and I got great bids. He made sure everything went smoothly and it was very easy on me. Since I've had bad experiences with listing agents in the past...he made sure I was protected, as much as possible, legally and financially. Also, he's fun and interesting too.