Dear Steve:

Steve, I wanted to express my sincere thanks to you for finding us our home. I still find it amazing that you were able to find a place that met our desires so completely. Your diligence and professionalism impressed us greatly. You can be sure I will give your name to anyone who is looking for property in the mid-coast region.

All the best,
John

Dear Sharon:

This letter is long overdue, and I can only plead "incredibly busy" as an excuse, even though it is a poor one. Chuck Frohmiller and his crew have begun clearing the land for our new home at Goose Cove, and we will be starting "Maine runs" from Harvard on a regular basis from now through next spring. We are still astonished by our ownership of the property, and "thank you" just doesn't say enough.

You, and everyone who works for you, are amazing! Ken and I have had many dealings with many realtors in our lifetimes, and I can say with respect and admiration that Sharon Drake Real Estate is the best! When we had the good fortune to walk into your office that Sunday in July two years ago, we could not imagine that after 20 minutes of conversation, you would send us off to find our dream.

You and your staff have been attentive, highly (and unusually) ethical, and always responsive. Your enthusiasm is catching -- like laughter that begins low and bubbles up. And introducing us to many of our soon-to-be neighbors, even before the lot was cleared, has made us feel welcome and comfortable. This is a two-year project for us, and I already want to move!

Thank you, Sharon --for your hospitality, your warmth, your personal interest, and your standards. Sharon Drake Real Estate is a lovely surprise in this computerized and voice-mail world. And every time I hear that someone is interested in moving to Maine, I give them your name -- even if they do want to live in Acadia.

Thank you. We will be at home in Maine soon.

Gratefully,

Dear Sharon:

I am writing to commend you and your firm for the professional way you handled our recent real estate transaction.

As you know, Barbara and I both grew up in New Canaan, CT, raised our family there and also in Avon, CT. We bought and sold homes several times, often through major national real estate firms. We experienced a wide range of professional service during those years.

Thus, when we came to your firm, we were what your might call, "experienced home buyers." We did not, however, have a specific set of requirements in mind. In fact, we were not even convinced that we should buy in Maine, which had always been our summer place but not our full time home.

Your entire staff, and specifically your agent Lisa Holley, were most professional in accepting where we were in our thinking, not merely trying to sell us something from your inventory of fine homes. Lisa took the time to get to know us and our true interest.

With Lisa's help, we bought a Victorian home on the water. It needed major rejuvenation and Lisa was most supportive of my wife as she began planning its restoration.

So, thanks to you, Lisa, and all the fine people at Sharon Drake Real Estate, we now have a lovely home on the Kennebec River in Bath.

To Whom It May Concern,

As homeowners - or prospective homeowners, as was our particular case before we strode through the doors of Sharon Drake Real Estate -- it's not unusual to compare notes with others who have either bought, sold, or considered looking into real estate from one side or the other. Experiences with realtors vary. Many are pleasant, some less so, others fall midway between the two. In other words, buying a home is, on average, not quite as stressful as having a limb amputated, but no expenses-paid trip to Rio either. It is most often a transaction, a rather overlong bridge that must necessarily be crossed toward one's desire to own (or sell) the roof over one's head and the yard underfoot.

Rarely is it the sort of experience that becomes one of the most important, fondly remembered of your life.

As New York City residents seeking a quieter, easier place to set down new roots, we were drawn to Maine's natural beauty but strangers to its people and communities. The City of Bath was a lovely place through which we'd driven on the way to other lovely places. However we knew it only in passing, as outsiders. We might have thought of becoming a part of it, but did not know how that might be done -- or where to start.

Well, to our great good fortune it started like this: We took a ride into town, made a chance sighting of Sharon Drake Real Estate's Front Street offices, pulled up in front, and stepped inside. I was hesitant and curious. My wife was unhesitant and curious (that is our way). Both of us were wary, having approached other agencies before and found ourselves subject to a certain coolness and inattentiveness.

What we found was nothing but warmth and attentiveness in Sharon Drake and her staff. So much of it that we were very honestly taken aback.

I still don't know how Sharon seemed to understand our lifestyle preferences as a couple so fully. But she did in a flash. And let me assure you, given our shared and individual quirks, that's no small feat. Fifteen minutes after our introduction, she suggested we take a look at a particular house that she thought would be ideal for us. We loved it. A week later, we returned to have a second look, as well as to see several others -- one wants to be prudent, and not rush into things, after all.

Three weeks later, we realized it was time to admit that Sharon knew -- truly knew -- the house in which we belonged. Right off.

Two years and more later, we are living in that house and loving it. And Sharon's generosity and dedication to us continue...long, long after closing day. Sharon has welcomed us to Bath, introduced us to friends, taught us much of the town's rich history. And more than once offered to watch our kitty while were away, despite her own eternally full and hectic schedule. Without her, ours would still be a wonderful house. Because of her, it is much more of a home.

As I said, I'm not sure how Sharon Drake knew what she did, when she did. I think she's only mortal while continuing to look for evidence to the contrary. But maybe she's so good at what she does because selling a home isn't just a transaction to her. Maybe it's because there is a deep personal and professional gratification that she receives form knowing she has positively changed people's lives. Maybe it's because her company motto, "Commitment to the Community" isn't simply a zippy catch phrase to her. It means something. No, let me retract the statement.

For Sharon Drake community seems to mean everything.

Does it sound like we think the Sharon Drake Agency can't be beat?

Here's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth:

It can't.

Yours Truly,

Sharon,

We have known Sharon Drake for almost two years. We first met Sharon when we decided to purchase a second home in Mid Coast Maine. She was the listing broker for the home we purchased in Bath.

We found Sharon to be extraordinarily knowledgeable and professional from our first contact with her. Since our purchase, we have maintained a relationship with Sharon and her husband and continue to be impressed with her commanding presence in the market.

Our business in Chicago is purchasing, rehabilitating and re-selling single family residences. We sell approximately 30 properties per year, and we have been engaged in that business for over 13 years. Therefore, when we are in Maine, we are attentive to the local market, and we find that Sharon regularly has the most desirable listings in the region.

In conclusion, we highly recommend Sharon Drake's becoming an affiliate of Sotheby's and we believe her office will be an excellent addition to your organization.

Dear Sharon:

Joanne and I would like to thank you and your organization for helping us complete a seamless relocation to our new home in Brunswick. I doubt we could have accomplished such a task without the tireless and knowledgeable guidance of our realtor, Vicki Sprague.

We were fortunate to be able to make our home in Maine after many years of vacationing here. Having spent 23 years in our Pennsylvania home, we were far from being familiar with the thousands of details facing us. After selecting your office and Vicki from the many represented on the internet, we received volumes of pertinent information on the area, the buying process, as well as details on prospective homes to view on our first home buying trip. Finding a home that filled our needs on that trip, we went form lookers to homeowners within 6 weeks.

Throughout the negotiations, financing, inspection, and absentee settlement for our home, Vicki kept us totally informed and up to date on all details and our purchase was completed hassle free.

Your office provided us with a truly professional and positive buying experience for which we remain grateful.

Yours Truly,

Dear Sharon Drake,

I would like to thank you for the wonderful personal and professional service Sharon Drake Real Estate provided to my husband and me. Your staff pleasantly and confidently guided us through what we had initially thought would be an arduous, drawn-out process of finding just the right home to our new family and careers. Our agent helped us to define our needs and lead us through a wonderful collection of impressive yet affordable properties suitable to our criteria. Within a month from our decision to look for a new house, our agent and the Sharon Drake RE staff found for us the perfect home.

We now live in a beautiful and friendly neighborhood in the small coastal town of Woolwich, Maine. My work is only a few minutes drive to the Old Customs House in the City of Bath. The view form our home is of a pasture with grazing horses and beyond is Nequasset Lake glimmering in the distance. Our house is a charming old New England Cape surrounded by grounds dappled with perennial gardens. An abundant raspberry patch stretches to the far end of a spacious rolling yard bordered by grand Oaks. My two children will soon attend the best school in the Mid Coast region, only a convenient stroll down our road. We truly have everything we wished for and more.

My husband and I feel our interests were taken to heart and that we received personalized attention by the entire staff a Sharon Drake Real Estate. We were impressed by the pure dedication and excellence in the quality of standards and service by the company. I wish to extend our gratitude to Sharon Drake for her many years of personal commitment, tireless effort, and respected leadership and support of our community as a whole. Best wishes for continued success.

Sincerely,