Ken P and Sean M

We had a lot moving at once. We were selling our primary home, buying a new condo closer to Ken’s work, and looking for a second home in Chapel Hill so we could spend more time with family and friends back in our native North Carolina. Tiki Gwynne handled the Chapel Hill piece from 250 miles away, and she made it work. She walked units for us, FaceTimed us through showings, and told us honestly what she thought of each one. When we found the unit, we fell for it fast. Tiki would not let us fall for it carelessly. She kept asking the next question and pushing for the next document, and that turned out to matter enormously. Partway through due diligence, our lender turned up a major building repair issue that nobody had told us about. Our financing was suddenly in question. Our due diligence clock was running out. We had no idea what the repair would cost or who would pay for it. Tiki went to work. Within days she had our closing attorney, our lender, the seller’s agent, the property manager, and the HOA board president all talking to each other. She worked directly with our mortgage broker on financing alternatives when the conventional path closed. She negotiated an escrow with the sellers so we would not be left holding the bill for a problem we did not create. Most important, she got us two extensions on due diligence. That time did more than let us chase down answers. It let our primary home sale close, and the equity from that sale is what allowed us to buy the condo. Without those extensions, this purchase simply would not have happened. She also taught us North Carolina. Buying here works very differently from buying in Virginia. Tiki explained each step so we always knew what we were agreeing to and what was at stake if we walked away. We texted and called constantly, and she always picked up or wrote back. She told us plainly when something looked concerning, and just as plainly when she thought we were fine. She never once nudged us toward closing for her own sake. We closed in April. Tiki met the painter before we even had keys, swapped the lockbox, and lined up the cleaners. Months later she still forwards us things we ought to know about the building. If you are buying in Chapel Hill, and especially if you are buying from out of state, hire Tiki.