TESTIMONIALS

Finding a house in Ottawa can be challenging for international students. After several days of futile searching, a friend introduced us to her landlord who also happened to be a real estate agent willing to assist others. Howard treated us like friends. He drove us around to view different properties, and along the way, he would share insights from documentaries and books he'd encountered, explain the community dynamics, analyze the structure of each house, and listen to our stories. Even with our limited English proficiency, he was patient in expressing himself and attentive in listening, adjusting his communication style as needed. This meant a lot to us; it didn't feel like a cold, impersonal transaction but more like a warm and friendly guide helping us find our way in a foreign country. It was never about the money for Howard. He knew he wouldn't receive much before our contract began, but he never displayed any frustration with our selective approach or the numerous rejections we faced from landlords. His patience and kindness reinforced our belief that we could find a suitable place to start our life in Canada.

Yuanlong & Fei

"You won't come across a more honest real-estate agent! Howard's knowledge, frank honesty, wit and great sense of humor certainly made our first home buying experience a pleasant one. We really appreciated the time and attention to detail that he provided during our search and would highly recommend his services to future clients. Thanks, Howard, for all the great work and we both look forward to working with you again!"


Jenna & Justin

"As first-time home buyers, we felt choosing the right agent was especially important. We were very fortunate to find an agent as knowledgeable and efficient as Howard. However, ethics are without a doubt his number one quality, so we knew we were in good hands from day one. Although we weren't sure what we wanted, and our search process was quite lengthy, we knew we could always count on Howard for his no-nonsense opinions and helpful suggestions. Most importantly, Howard took the time to get to know us and understand our specific needs and wants -- he was always willing go above and beyond. We highly recommend Howard Marling for buying or selling your home! "

Andy & Andrea

"If you are looking for honesty and someone you can receive no-nonsense answers and opinions from – Howard is the person that you are looking for. This is the first of many qualities of Howard’s, that I noticed and appreciated right from the start. I knew the area that I wanted to look in, and the style of what I wanted, and Howard stayed on target and delivered. There were many re-sale aspects that I wasn’t aware of. Howard brought this information to my attention and allowed me to make the best choice for my immediate needs, and the needs of future buyers, that would result in my best re-sale options as well. Throughout the process of my purchase, Howard stayed in constant contact with me. It seemed at times, as though I was his only client. This is the type of service that everyone should receive from their agent, when considering such a huge commitment as purchasing a home. I wouldn’t have felt at ease, had I settled for less than this level of dedication. Not only is Howard appreciated by his clients, but his co-workers as well. During one of our meetings at the Kanata office, Howard was pleasantly received by another agent that hadn’t crossed paths with him in a while, due to their busy schedules. This agent was very happy to see Howard and this reaction made a good impression on me as well. I would highly recommend Howard to anyone looking to buy or sell their home. Howard is not an agent that is looking for what he will profit – because he clearly profits by looking out for you."

Natashia

"We would like to thank Howard for helping us to buy our first house - he put up with our constant questions and indecisiveness and found us a place we can really call our own. His knowledge of home renovations really helped when we were looking, as he could point out potential trouble spots and recommend solutions. We really appreciate his patience and the work he did on our behalf; we would recommend him to anyone wanting to buy a house."


Kristy & Thomas

"We would like to thank Howard for his help in purchasing our first home. Howard was highly recommended to us through a friend, who also used his services to purchase a first home. He is someone you can trust that will work in your best interest; he respected our decisions and we never felt like there was any pressure to make decisions just to close a sale. Thanks again for helping us find a home that we love."

Janisa and Ryan

"I just want to say thanks so much for everything you have done for us. You have made purchasing a home (especially for first-time home buyers such as us) make it seem so flawless. You have so much passion not only in your job but to your clients and it shows when you give your time not only as an agent to show the homes but the best interest that you have for the client. As well the involvement and dedication that you put yourself into to making a buyer feel that they are in good hands. So, with many many thanks and appreciation! Talk to you soon."

Shelly & Louis

"It's been such a pleasure to working with you, Howard. No doubt that you change the course of my decisions towards my first purchase. As I always believed, when professionalism combined with great attitude, no better business can be performed!"

Nataliya

"I'm delighted to offer a testimonial on behalf of a very special real estate agent. Howard helped me and my children when we needed a home in a hurry on repatriation from abroad. He has a great sense of both people and humor yet is professional in every way and will always work for his client. His knowledge of technology made the search easy (even though we found our eventual home on a fluke, I appreciated his technical skills and research techniques). I never felt pushed in any way and he was always extremely respectful. Even when my near bidding war offer was accepted, he gave me more than adequate space to question the purchase decision. He also made sure I knew about every possible flaw in any house we visited.

Two things stand out for me in Howard's service to my family as being above and beyond the call of duty, both best told anecdotally.

1. We had gone to see for the second time the house that would become our home. We were staying at my sister's house in Stittsville, and the house we were looking at is in Ottawa South (i.e., a bit of a hike). My daughters had seen the place and loved it, but before I put in an offer, Howard insisted that we go back to Stittsville, pick up my boys to let them also give their approval. I was truly touched at his sensitivity. In fact, his respectful treatment of my children still leads to questions from them about his well-being. When we received his Christmas card last year, my daughter said: "How is Howard? I miss him."

2. Late one Saturday afternoon, some three+ weeks after we'd moved in, Howard showed up unannounced, wearing a pair of shorts and carrying a chainsaw. He handed me a jar of tree pruning tar and a paintbrush and proceeded to chop off an ugly branch stump from a tree beside my driveway. My new neighbors across the road complimented me on how much better my yard looked and were stunned when I told them Howard was my real estate agent. "Wow," said the woman, clearly surprised. "That's unusual. They usually disappear never to be seen again."

Honesty in an agent is a rare find, and kindness even more so."

Penny

"Mr. Marling's service is professional, efficient and patient. His ability of identifying the target market and filtering information with computer programs helped me a lot for finding what I want. I would certainly buy my next house from him again and recommend him to my friends."

Zhuo

"I went to Howard when I needed to find a condominium apartment from a distance (I currently live in London in the United Kingdom and wanted a flat in Ottawa for my return). I chose him because he looked honest on the website. In our e-mail and telephone discussions, I discovered he was, indeed honest, not pushy, but always responsive to my requests and queries. Howard worked hard for me, and I felt and continue to feel that he is trustworthy and honest. He is now managing the property I bought, and I have no hesitation in recommending Howard as a great real estate agent and property manager! Thanks Howard."

Virginia

"We were extremely happy with our service from Howie, in purchasing our first home. He provided us with honest and well-informed advice on a wide variety of things that we would not have expected from a realtor. We also really appreciated how realistic Howie was in his advice on purchasing a home that was within our means, but that we would be happy with - you could tell that he really did care about his clients."


Jennifer & JP

"We had the pleasure of dealing with Howard in one of the most important stages in our lives, buying our first home. What a nerve-racking experience!! Howard was very patient and did a great job answering our many questions. Due to his previous experience in renovations and construction of homes, Howard was able to provide us with insight and advice many others would not have had access to. Howard spent endless hours attending numerous houses in many neighborhoods. Howard assisted us in picking a beautiful home in a wonderful location. Thanks Howard,"

Charlene & Gerry

"Recently we had occasion to use a sales representative from Royal LePage Team Real Estate to look into the sale of our cottage. We were fortunate to obtain the services of Sales Rep Howard Marling. He was terrific with help concerning many things we would not have known about or how to go about correcting certain situations. Thanks to Howard, who helped us get through a traumatic time. He was the best and we highly recommend him for your sale purposes. "


Marion & Bob

"I would like to say thank you very much to Howard Marling for helping me to sell my home. It was a bit of a fixer upper when Howard arrived on the scene, and his experience and expertise were much appreciated in helping me to know what work would add the most value to my home, as my budget was limited. Howard's photography skills came in very handy in making my home look the best it could. Most of all, Howard's honesty and sincerity were most appreciated. You can trust his word, and that means a lot. If you appreciate an agent who will go the extra mile and give you the advice and guidance you need along the way, Howard is your man."


Susan