Tampa Bay Home Team — Local services in Wesley Chapel

My experience with Julio Torres, Christina Kipping, and Joseph Kipping was marked by perceived bias, poor communication, and insufficient guidance.

When I asked if we had a mortgage contingency, an inspection contingency, and an appraisal contingency, Julio texted me, ‘We just have the appraisal contingency. Dont need an inspection contingency. Dont need a mortgage contingency… you are already pre-approved. That's more or less for people that had an offer accepted without a pre-approval letter. You are still very much protected’, which is not necessarily true as pre-approval is not a guarantee. Later, he said we had a mortgage contingency and an inspection contingency for 7 days. He provided conflicting information regarding the contingency, which raised concerns about his understanding of the contract.

About the home inspection, Julio texted me, "You will not need wind mitigation or 4Pt." I can't fathom purchasing a house without a home inspection. Once more, he was not acting in our best interests, but later we found out that the advice was actually from Joseph Kipping, a broker. Julio Torres informed us that his home inspectors were unavailable for an extended period, causing me to hire inspectors independently. Right after the inspection, Julio Torres rushed us to sign the inspection contingency release before we even received the inspection report. When I asked for a $1,000 seller credit for miscellaneous repairs, Julio said they wouldn’t accept it, representing the seller, instead of us. However, the seller did accept it.

Joseph Kipping's involvement was equally disappointing, as he offered questionable advice regarding inspection requirements, indicating a lack of consideration for our best interests.

Christina Kipping's handling of our real estate transaction was characterized by a lack of competence, unfulfilled promises, and a disregard for client satisfaction. Christina assured me that a seller-provided survey was sufficient, but this assurance turned out to be inaccurate, leading to confusion and delays when the title company could not provide insurance coverage due to the survey's certification issues.

The final walk-through of the property was a disaster. Christina didn't ensure that the property was clean and empty. The house had furniture, junk, clutter, and even leftovers in the refrigerator. She said she would arrange for cleaning and junk removal in the afternoon to get us to close, stating she is a person of her word, adding unnecessary stress to the closing process and breaching professionalism standards. Even after closing, Christina failed to provide the garbage collection schedule, despite stating that she would find out and let me know. Moreover, my specific requests for the cleaning of the oven and dishwasher were left incomplete. I hope this helps them improve their services for...

If I could give negative stars I would. Our dealings with David Ferrara, Amy Sias, and later in the whole debacle- Joe Kipping- was nothing but a nightmare! Absolutely egregious the way the sale of our home was handled. I'm astounded in the absolute incompetence (or evil) that happened here. Don't hire these people if you know what's good for you. Especially David Ferrara. He will not represent you like he says he is and he will bend to the other side when the going gets tough, and then make YOU bend to the other side so that he and his people can get the deal done and get their money and then leave you in the cold. EVERYONE in this transaction has been made whole except for us, the sellers, that HIRED David. After the closing on 12.15.23, we had to fight with the Great American Title Company to get our stuff over to the title company here so we can close next week! And did David stand up for us? Nah. Amy Sias the transaction coordinator wasn’t any better. Big thank you to her for ASSUMING everything was good (on the FIRST transaction) because she wasn't hearing back from the other side... MAKE THAT MAKE SENSE. And Joe Kipping- the broker isn’t any better. We were pursuing the escrow payment from the first buyer that fell through (which was rightfully ours), then that buyer and his lender basically blackmailed us into giving it back so they would release the FHA number to the new and APPROVED buyer SO WE COULD CLOSE ON TIME; these two (David and Joe) basically backed us into a corner and we signed the release under DURESS. Pretty sure he’s the most incompetent (or evilest) one of them all- that Joe. MULTITUDES of empty promises and lackluster follow up with the other side. Don't be excited about their low fees, because in this case, you truly get what you pay for, and you will work your tail off, telling them what they need to do. Their IGNORANCE has cost us THOUSANDS. I hope they can sleep good at night, because...

Since I have worked with several real estate firms as a 35-year Tampa resident and former realtor myself, I must say my decision to retain Tampa Bay Home Team as my listing agent has been an enlightening experience. Not all brokers are the same. TBHT leaves others in the dust.They set the bar at a whole new level of excellence. While other outfits only pursue securing the listing contract for your home, this company actually pursues GETTING YOUR HOUSE SOLD! They have been THE ABSOLUTE BEST group of professionals I could have entrusted the sale of my home to. They have all truly treated me like family from the start. From direct assistance in getting my home ready for viewing to aerial drone photos for the home portfolio to gifting me delicious top-drawer pies for the holidays, TBHT has made me feel I am their VIP client at all times. They are an army of dedicated realtors ALL sharing the tasks of coordinating efforts while using an arsenal of marketing tools to get the necessary exposure for a successful sale. I have not only met and worked with a great bunch of real estate pros, I have made new friends. If you need 110% focus, expertise and resources to make the successful sale of your property a reality, TBHT is definitely the team you need in your corner for the job! My situation required me to put my place up for sale A WEEK BEFORE Thanksgiving, right in the middle of the holidays! (not the best timing in my opinion) But with the constant efforts and hard work of my agents through on-line resources, accurate pricing, open houses, lock box services, etc., we are already fielding our first offer LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER Thanksgiving! The secret to their success is simple - THEY PUT IN THE WORK! They have EARNED a 6-star review in my book!...