I recently worked with Gabe Santellano, Rental Estate Agent @ Renter's Warehouse, when an unusual situation required me to be in an urgent need of a rental property. Some people are just really good at their job and I feel its important to acknowledge when you are blessed enough to encounter such an individual. Accordingly, I'm going to share the positive experience I had with Gabe.

Our paths crossed when I discovered a beautiful house for rent on Zillow. Gabe got in touch with me within a hour of making an inquiry through the Zillow app. I had attempted to make contact with several other agents in regards to various rental properties and none of them were as quick to respond. Therefore, I feel that I have an accurate point of reference to compare his response time to.

The thing about Gabe is that he is direct, which I like, and will stay on top of you when things need to get done, which I don't necessary LIKE but NEED, Lol! Gabe was particularly detailed when writing up the leasing contact between myself and the seller. It's reassuring to know that that the specifics of a binding arrangement is clarified in writing. I also feel that he advocated for my needs by working around the clock to help me facilitate a quick move.

So you know what it's like to work with Gabe, here's a summary of the true timeframe that occurred:

-Gabe contacted me Saturday around 1:30 PM (less than an hour after I requested a showing). I explained that time was of the essence as I needed to move ASAP. Once he understood why I needed to move so quickly, he took it upon himself to act fast.

-On that same afternoon, he met me at the property at 4:30 PM. Upon viewing it, I instantly knew that it was an extraordinary house, far from a typical rental, and I knew it wouldn't stay available for long.

-On Saturday evening, Gabe emailed me the information necessary to apply for tenancy before 6PM. I completed it by 11PM that night.

-On Sunday, Gabe informed me that he would have an answer from his company by the end of the day Monday. He even responded promptly to my (probably annoying) questions I texted him that day.

-By Monday, late morning, he informed me that I passed the criminal background check and that the results of the credit check were almost ready for the owner to review. He stated that he would have an answer from the owner soon, probably by the next day. He let me know that my chances of getting the house were "looking pretty good."

-On Monday afternoon, he let me know that the owner had provided a preliminary approval of my credit but had asked to meet in person at the house the next day as he wanted to be introduced to my dog, a large German Shepard. He set a meeting for the three of us (+ my dog) for 12:15 the next day.

-On Monday early evening, Gabe allowed me to provide him with a deposit to hold the house. This kept it reserved while the owner's final approval was still pending. When I became delayed in obtaining a money order, he let me meet him at his chiropractor's office across the street from my current residence. It was super cool of him to be flexible and accommodating of my needs.

-On Tuesday afternoon, Gabe facilitated the meeting between the owner, myself and my dog at the property. Once the owner met my dog and felt comfortable knowing that he was properly house trained and was not a "digger," he consented to the move in. We arranged to meet the following afternoon after I got out of work.

-On Wednesday afternoon, Gabe worked out the final details of the leasing agreement. When a slight hiccup occurred between the owner's request for an extended lease, he communicated my negotiation terms. Once this was resolved and we came to a mutual agreement, he wrote up the lease and emailed it to me. I signed it electronically and met him at the property for the final walk-through at 5:30 PM. He conducted a video recording in order to document the condition of the house. The house was almost perfect but he allowed me to point out minor flaws (eg: Slight paint scuff in a closet) and documented them diligently. In the rush, I had left the cashiers check for the first month's rent and the pet deposit at home so he followed me to my house and picked it up.

-On Wednesday at 7PM, Gabe handed me the key, which signified my "official occupancy" of the home.

In summary, I contacted Gabe Saturday afternoon and had an amazing, beautiful place to move into by Wednesday evening. In hindsight, I am able to better appreciate how quickly he was able to act. Yes, I have many attributes that make me a desirable tenant, but the property is also very desirable and I know that it would have rented fast to another person. Gabe treated me like a VIP from the first moment we spoke. Dealing with an unexpected move could have been a major life crisis, but it ended up being a positive transition. It was an overall incredible experience and I will always be grateful to Gabe for helping me through such a crazy week. If you ever have the opportunity to work with him, jump on it!