SHELDON STIVELMAN

REVIEWS:

• Working with Sheldon to find our dream home has been a wonderful experience. He has many stellar qualities but what in particular sets him apart from other real estate agents is his honesty and trustworthiness. He is also extremely down to earth and realistic. He was very patient and never hurried or harried us along during our long search for a home. He always respected our opinions but also gave solid reliable advice based upon his vast experience and expert knowledge in the field and of the local area and markets. He is also just overall a very nice and fun guy. Sheldon, it was a pleasure working with you and we will definitely be coming back again whenever we need to sell/buy etc. Thank you very much for all your help and guidance during this arduous process of finding a home!


• My wife and I worked with Sheldon Stivelman on “both sides of the table” as he represented the seller when we purchased our place in Forest Hills and for us when we recently sold it. On both transactions he went “above and beyond” to keep us informed and to keep things moving, never resting or complacent about the status quo. More importantly, however, was that it was personal. That is, he understood the sensitivities for first time home buyers as well as a first time sellers on our sale. I would highly recommended using Sheldon (and I already have successfully!). His knowledge of the neighbourhood is unmatched and for him it goes beyond just the real estate transaction.


• We worked with Sheldon for over 3 years as we searched Forest Hills for the perfect house. As first time home buyers, we had so many questions. Sheldon was always patient and went to great lengths to help us through the daunting process. He would let us know when any new properties were coming on the market and worked around our busy schedules. I can't say enough good things about Sheldon. It was a pleasure working with him and I have already referred friends.


• We'd like to thank Sheldon Stivelman, the agent for the buyer of our Forest Hills home. Sheldon was a pleasure to work with. During the visits, appraisals and inspections, Sheldon was patient, informative and respectful of our time and of our privacy. He helped guide all concerned to a successful and stress-free closing. We value his friendliness and professionalism. Thanks, Sheldon!


• When my aunt passed away last year, my husband and I, who live in Suffolk County, had to sell her apartment in Gerard Towers. It was a very stressful and challenging time. We knew we needed an agent, and my son highly recommended Terrace Sotheby’s Realty, which he had just used to sell a Forest Hills apartment. We both worked with Sheldon Stivelman. I, in turn, without reservation, would like to pay it forward and recommend Mr. Stivelman. Because of his years of real estate experience, formidable financial background, and common sense expertise, we could always rely on him for sound strategic advice. Beyond his highly professional competence, moreover, Sheldon was always immediately responsive to our phone calls, patient with our endless questions, and sensitive to our needs. He made a very difficult time far less onerous. He was truly a pleasure to work with.


• Sheldon Stivelman's knowledge, immediate attention to every detail and negotiating skills are unsurpassed. He not only met all my individual needs throughout the buying process but went above and beyond the level of customer care I would expect from a Real Estate broker. Working with him was an absolute pleasure. To experience such professionalism and be left with such a sense of satisfaction on all levels is extremely rare, if not impossible to find. Anyone working with him can be totally confident they are in good hands.


• We always felt like we were in good hands with Sheldon as the broker on our deal. From the first day we met, his depth of knowledge about the real estate market in Forest Hills and the ins and outs of buying a home were apparent, especially when compared to other realtors we had previously encountered in our housing search. Moreover, Sheldon's effectiveness in getting our deal to closing was accompanied by professionalism, responsiveness and kindness. We would definitely use his services again if the occasion arose and would recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell a home.


• Although I thought it would be simple to sell the house, I never imagined the many details that needed to be resolved in selling a house in Forest Hills.
  I was lucky to have met Mr. Sheldon Stivelman at the beginning of the process, because without his calm, serious and sometimes humorous words, the house would probably still not have been sold.
  Sheldon visited the house every time I asked him to so that he could guide the process, literally from the beginning, from emptying the house, to the end, the actual closing.
  Sheldon Stivelman is kind and exceptionally capable. Whoever needs to purchase or sell a house in Forest Hills would be lucky to have Sheldon as their guide.


• We would like to thank the folks at Terrace Sotheby’s International Realty for helping to make the sale of our childhood home a stress-free experience. Sheldon’s expertise, as well as that of the other agents at Terrace Sotheby’s, helped guide us every step of the way. Sheldon was sensitive to the emotional aspect of selling the house, as our father had recently passed away. His warmth and compassion helped make the process much easier. Sheldon helped us navigate the process of repairing, cleaning out the house, selling the contents, and pricing our home fairly. His communication was always consistent. Sheldon handled issues swiftly, such as fixing the lock on the front door and even taking photographs of the electric meter monthly for us to send to ConEd.


• It was a pleasure working with Sheldon on the sale of our co-op apartment. He was honest, forthright and upfront about the whole process and explained every step in detail. He was very patient with us and provided us with the guidance of a skilled professional. We were able to sell our apartment very quickly and for a great price because of Sheldon's hard work and great interpersonal skills. We were happy with the whole experience and would recommend Sheldon to anyone looking to buy or sell their home.


• I really appreciate Sheldon's professionalism in helping me navigate through a very detailed application process while purchasing my new apartment. He was very patient and ensured that I was always up to date throughout the journey. Because of this I was the least anxious I've been in buying a home!


• The best broker that I ever encountered. I have encountered so many real estate brokers with buying and selling apartments. I think, it is very important that you will find a broker that understands what you are looking for and willing to work for you.
  Sheldon excelled all my expectations, he did beyond, was there for me, when I needed someone to talk to regarding the property, he always returned my calls, no matter what time it was. He is not only a broker but he became a friend.
  I highly recommend, Sheldon to anyone who is buying or selling an apartment. Stick with him and in the end you will be happy with the results. You will have what you are looking for and develop a friendship on the process.


• After my mom died in 2015, I needed to sell her house in Forest Hills (I live in Suffolk County). I knew I would need a good realtor, and my wife’s friend (a Forest Hills resident) recommended Terrace Realty because she said “they get higher prices.” I interviewed three realtors and Terrace was the last one. Specifically, Sheldon Stivelman sat down with me. The price that he told me he could get for the house was significantly higher than the prices the first two realtors had quoted. I was skeptical and couldn’t help thinking, “He’s just telling me this to get my business.” But then I remembered what my wife’s friend had said.
  I decided to sign a contract with Sheldon, and it turned out to be an awesome and fruitful decision. We got a few offers that weren’t quite as high as we had hoped for. But Sheldon didn’t encourage me to settle. It wasn’t about a quick deal; it was about getting the right price within a reasonable time period. He kept insisting we could do better. I deferred to his judgment and patience because he had impressed me with his knowledge, intelligence and “feel for the market.” In the end, we DID get a much higher price than the initial offers would have fetched. Sheldon’s approach worked.
  I have nothing but high praise for the job Sheldon did in representing me to sell my mom’s house. He always treated me with respect and always explained his reasons for recommending the courses of action that we took. And he proved to be right. In addition, I found him to be honest and decent and easy to work with. I wholeheartedly and unequivocally recommend Sheldon as an intelligent, honest realtor who is also a cut above the rest. The proof was in the final sale.


• Would like to thank you, I mean Sothebys Realty, for all of your efforts in selling my house, trying to get me the best deal.Firstly, I thank you for all of your calls. They were very encouraging for me when going through the entire selling process. Renata: did a great job when organizing all around showing the house, dealing with my tenants = not easy. She was a great "mentor/adviser" for me what to do step by step. She significantly contributed to my success.
  Linda: found the best potential buyer and was working on him... so hard & tough so I could get a great selling price! You should see her in action! Sheldon: he had not easy job when trying to get me the better buyer. ALMOST!... He was trying so hard that to select his buyer became so close...In sum, you all are a magnificent team! It is a pleasure for me to sell/buy houses using your Realty!! I mean it! I have serious doubt if I could do better without help of Sheldon, Linda, Renate & You!!
  Elzbieta S.


• Sheldon, We are so grateful for everything you did to guide us through the sale of our home. This was a very important transaction for our family and one we really needed to get right. At the same time it was a very busy and stressful time for Laurie and me both in our jobs, and for the twins in trying to get into colleges, so your calm guidance was a huge help. From the early stages in helping us reach a decision to price the house aggressively, to firm but non-judgemental advice regarding de-cluttering and staging, to helping us navigate showings and mangage competing offers, you were always there when we needed to bounce ideas around, and you always provided sound guidance when we needed it.
  The wonderful outcome speaks for itself, but we never would have gotten there without your skill, professionalism, and sangfroid. It was a real pleasure and great learning experience working with you.
  


• Sheldon, I was quite pleased about the way my property in Forest Hills was presented for sale by you and Sotheby's, so let me write you about it. I choose Sotheby's last year to handle the sale after interviewing two other realtors in Queens. Since I am a resident of Connecticut, I was not familiar with any realtor in Forest Hills. I had to take time to choose carefully because I wanted the sale to go smoothly and quickly as possible. Pam Silver had recommended Chris O'Malley to do the legal work for me and I was very pleased with his work and diligence. However, as for a realtor, she only listed Sotheby's and some other agencies for possible choice, but kept neutral about recommending anyone.
  I was quite lucky to get you as a salesperson to do the job. You were very knowledgeable about the area and the problems and issues involved in selling co-operative apartments. You priced my property very accurately for the market. You presented yourself very professionally to me and the buyers who appeared to look at the property. I was quite anxious about the complexity of selling co-ops and the long process of moving a sale along to completion through all that paperwork. You were thoroughly familiar with this process and helped move it along. You and Chris also worked well together and gave me excellent advice and support in my decisions. I could not have asked for a better salesperson helping me and promoting the sale of the property.
  These are not empty words or hyperbole I write here to you. As an out-of-towner who does not live in New York and was selling my late mom's property there, I was very nervous about how to proceed with putting her apartment on the market and what the process entailed. You carefully explained things to me. You communicated very often with me via e-mail and mobile phone. You encouraged me when I felt very vulnerable being so far away in Connecticut, away from point of sale, and you did a lot to keep me informed to keep things moving.
  It was a real pleasure meeting you and getting to know you. You are a real professional on the job. Sotheby's is quite lucky to have you as a salesperson, working in such an affluent, up-scale area. Your competence was obvious doing the job and getting the property sold really worked for me. I am very pleased.


• We write on behalf of Mr. Sheldon Stivelman and our experience with Terrace Sotheby’s International Realty. We first met Sheldon when my wife had just given birth to our daughter who is now 2 years old. We were living on the Upper West Side and were interested in moving to Forest Hills Gardens. We arranged to meet Sheldon at Station Square and to learn more about the neighborhood. This meeting changed my family forever. Our relationship grew over the next 2 years involving multiple visits to Forest Hills, first renting and eventually purchasing our dream 2 bed/2bath co-op. To date we have made many friends and truly feel involved in our community.


• Sheldon is a very diligent, thoughtful, generous and compassionate person. Throughout all of our conversations, meetings and open houses I feel Sheldon always had our best interests first. He is extremely patient and flexible and provides terrific insight with respect to financial and future endeavors. Sheldon is a spectacular listener who I wholeheartedly feel is concerned to bring his clients the best possible outcome. In short, Sheldon cares. We would never have found this home let alone been able to navigate the real estate world without Sheldon’s help and professional experience. I wish to thank Terrace Sotheby’s Realty and especially Mr. Sheldon Stivelman for helping my family enjoy our dream home come true!.


• My husband and I worked with Sheldon Stivelman to purchase our first cooperative apartment. As anyone can imagine, making such a big investment can be very daunting. It is a transaction that requires guidance and trust. We were very grateful for Sheldon's patience, insight and professionalism. He was a definite asset in our journey to find the perfect home for our family. Sheldon found us a lovely property that we now enjoy and know is a solid investment. The entire experience of working with Sheldon can be described as seamless and gracious. His attention to detail and insight is one of the many reasons we truly enjoyed working with him. We are very pleased with his services!.


• Thank you Sheldon Stivelman for always being there throughout and always being available to lend your assistance in any and all circumstances. Thank you for your high standard of professionalism and tremendous amount of caring. You made what was an emotional and at times nerve wracking phase of our lives flow smoothly and painlessly. We put our trust in you and always felt that we were protected represented by the best. And we managed to laugh - what better testimony to what a great job you did than to say that we often shared side splitting laughs? Thank you again - enjoy the holidays!.


• When we decided to look for a coop apartment for our daughter, we were not sure how to find a real estate agent and did not know what challenges to expect.
  We walked into Terrace Sotheby's International Realty Office for the first time and Sheldon Stivelman was the person who greeted us. We did not know what price range was within our reach and were somewhat uninformed when it came to logistics of purchasing a coop.
  Our daughter was “distraught” and disappointed when one deal fell apart and Sheldon quickly put on his “consoling and counseling” hat. We eventually made an offer on another coop which the seller accepted and we entered the complicated maze of coop buying: letters of reference, financial profile, application package, in-person interview, etc. All along, Mr. Stivelman walked us carefully and patiently through the process.
  Sheldon Stivelman is a consummate professional, consistent but not pushy, motivated but not hovering, attentive to detail but not intrusive, friendly but not chummy, supportive but not patronizing.
  We would not hesitate to work with Sheldon again or recommend his services to others when and if another real estate transaction came about.


• We are very happy with the services that Sheldon provided during our search for our home in Forrest Hills and its vicinity. He dealt with us very professionally, honestly, and in a straightforward manner. We would also like to thank him for spending so many weekends showing us homes. He was always available and trustworthy. Finally, because of his efforts we found a home and are very happy with it. It’s been a pleasure to have Sheldon as our agent. We appreciate the help that he continues to provide, without any hesitation.


• Just wanted to give a shout out for Sheldon Stivelman. He showed my Fiance and I a number of apartments to rent and buy in the neighborhood over a matter of months. He was kind, patient, good humored and a lot of fun to work with! If you are serious about living in Forest Hills and need a good realtor, I highly recommend Sheldon.


• Now that I'm all settled in to my new apartment, I wanted to let you know how wonderful it was working with your agency to find my new home. Sheldon who worked with me listened to my wish-list, took into consideration my very limited resources and found the perfect place. He knew the neighborhood thoroughly, and was encouraging while being practical about what might be available. He went out of his way to help in any way he could as we went about jumping through what seemed like endless hoops to get the lawyers, the bank and the board on the same page. He introduced me to the perfect contractor. And at the signing, when the board's representatives insisted they were missing some vital paperwork, he insisted that they had it, and he was right. Everyone in your office was warm and helpful. But I not only came away with a new home, I have a new friend. And I'm very grateful.


• Sheldon, Thank you for all your hard work and dedication during the recent purchase of our apartment. Your knowledge and guidance was invaluable in helping us negotiate the deal and navigate the process with the realtor, owner, the management company and the co-op board. You were persistent, yet professional and always represented our interest. We would have no hesitation in working with you again and would definitely recommend you and Terrace Realty to our friends and colleagues.


• I write in connection with Sheldon Stivelman’s help last year when my wife and I were looking to buy a house in FHG. Sheldon tirelessly showed us properties in the neighborhood and gave us candid and useful views on the pros and cons of each property we were considering. Eventually we settled on a house on Fleet Street that we ended up buying.
  We have bought several properties in the last few years and I cannot think of any other transaction when things moved along as “glitchless-ly” as they did here.
  Sheldon acted as sole broker in the transaction and was always around when we needed him.
  We are not considering any other real estate transactions in the immediate future, but if the opportunity came up, we would enjoy working with Sheldon again.


• We have nothing but good things to say about our experience with Sheldon Stivelman and cannot say enough about his level of professionalism. It was our very first time buying property and we were definitely a little nervous. Sheldon took us under his wing -- he advised us on what real estate in Forest Hills was all about, the differences between co-ops and condos, and he had in-depth knowledge of all the different buildings in the neighborhood, and their pros and cons. Sheldon is incredibly responsive, ALWAYS returning phone calls and answering emails right away. Sheldon really made the whole experience as stress-free as something like this can be. He was very knowledgeable about the financial aspects of buying a co-op, which, in turn, helped us correctly do our math and figure out what we could afford. Once we found a co-op apartment we loved (there was already another offer on it), he advised us exceptionally well on the procedures. He helped us fill out a multitude of forms. Thanks to his advice and absolute punctuality and diligence in submitting every single form, we got our apartment. And we really couldn't be happier.


• I am writing to strongly recommend Sheldon Stivelman of Terrace Sotheby’s International Realty. I have been working with Sheldon for five years to find the right house, the description of which changed as my own circumstances changed. Sheldon listened and worked with me patiently. He asked me about my lifestyle, what home features were important to me and most importantly what it was about the house that attracted me to it. Throughout the process, with no pressure, Sheldon showed me homes as I fine-tuned my needs and really helped me think through the pros and cons of what was my biggest and most important investment. Sheldon continues to stay in touch with me even after I purchased my home. My daughter is delighted to get his annual e-mails alerting us about Children’s Day and we often stop by his office to say hello. One of the best parts about working with Terrace is that by knowing Sheldon, I get access to an entire team of dedicated individuals who are happy to share their insight and advice. I cannot imagine working with anyone else.


• The process of selling and/or purchasing a home is often daunting and stressful. Thus, I was happy to be able to work with such a trustful and knowledgeable real estate broker. Sheldon Stivelman of Terrace Realty was a reliable source of information throughout the entire process - assisting my family navigate the process of selling our home. Sheldon and his associates at Terrace Realty were always available and responsive whenever we had questions of any kind. Should we ever look to move back into the area, we would certainly use Terrace Realty. Sheldon and his team are highly recommended.
  
• Hi Sheldon. We had a very good experience with you as listing agent on the sale of our condominium. We felt looked after and cared for. I like it that you are on top of the market and provided straight-forward advice. I put a lot of trust in what you said and felt confident in following your suggestions! I hope we can work together again.