Kind Words From Our Clients…

When my wife and I decided to move-up to a nicer home in the beach cities, we were fortunate to be referred to Barry Host group by a longtime mutual friend. We wanted to find a special home and Barry was always patient as my wife and I saw properties and refined what we were looking for. With inventory low, the search lasted 18 months but Barry never pressured us, continually provided insights and stayed optimistic. When we finally reached a deal on a home with a panoramic view in the Hermosa hills, we were fortunate to have Barry’s numerous referrals for service providers including the mortgage specialist whose creativity allowed us to assemble the winning bid.

Barry and Kelly also then represented us in the sale of our previous home. Kelly brought numerous staging suggestions and spent considerable time herself arranging things and working with others involved in the preparation. Barry helped us price the property to maximize interest and we quickly received seven offers even as the market was starting to soften. We really appreciated Barry’s experience and calm demeanor as we hit a couple of bumps during escrow but kept moving forward and closed on schedule.

We very much enjoyed working with Barry and Kelly and benefited throughout the process from their diligence and experience.

The Gillespie Group really put it together for us. They were there at every turn and step of the way. We appreciated their professionalism and expertise during the fluid process of assessing, bidding, and closing on a property. They had the relationships built with local top tradesman (inspector, termite, chimney, window, plumber, roofer, sewer) which allowed timely assessment and responses of potential property issues during the process. They were an outstanding team to have on your side and are deserving of my highest possible recommendation.

Our experience working with the Gillespie Host Group was nothing short of amazing. They’re professional, responsive, transparent, and personable. I have no doubt in my mind that if it weren’t for the Gillespie Host Group’s diligence and determination, my wife and I would not have been able to close on what is now our “forever home”.

We are so very thankful to have had the guidance and support of Claire and her amazing team. We had to wade through some unexpected challenges before putting the house on the market but Claire was always positive, prepared and professional. Her problem solving abilities as well as her endearing humor were much appreciated. Did I mention the house was under contract within a week!! Thank you Claire!

The entire Gillespie Host Group rose above and beyond in representing our family in selling our special house in Manhattan Beach. They initially toured our house and then met with us to make recommendations on the best sales and pricing approach. The Gillespie Host Group came up with an amazing strategy which allowed us to sell our house without ever listing it and which minimized any inconveniences usually associated with the selling process (especially since two of us worked from the house). The house sold in one weekend per a pocket listing while we were out of town and we were able to achieve our full asking price. The entire Gillespie Host Group worked together seamlessly helping us achieve a dream result, starting with staging the property, showing the property, negotiating the sale, ushering us through the due diligence and closing processes and even helping us find a nearby rental to move into. Very enjoyable to work with a team that works so unselfishly as one unit!

We loved working again with the Gillespie Host Group to sell our south bay home! Claire absolutely knocked it out of the park. Not only is she an outstanding realtor, but she’s also become a trustworthy friend which is so important for us in a transaction of this size.

Claire advised us on what home projects would be worth the ROI prior to listing which was incredibly helpful. She organized 3 days of amazingly efficient open houses. Everything was scheduled and ran smoothly. Claire has exceptional communication skills and is very responsive. She not only kept us informed during the process but also made sure the counter party knew clear next steps as well. The only surprise was that Claire pulled off an impossible task: She delivered beyond our expectations even with an incredibly tight timeline to close within 2 weeks while our other escrow was open/contingent on our sale. We truly can’t recommend the Gillespie Host Group enough!

Claire worked with my husband and I for 6 months to find our dream home and we could not have asked for a better experience! She was a partner with us through the entire experience, always making sure we were updated, understood what was going on and when it came time for inspections she had things lined up before we could even ask! You will be in great hands choosing to work with her and her team at Gillespie Host Group.

Gillespie-Host found us the impossible — a large lot in Manhattan Beach that was purchased off-market and at a reasonable price. We have no doubt that the dedication and relationships each of the Gillespie-Host brokers have in the South Bay are what set us apart and allowed us to purchase our dream home on our dream street. The process was anything but straight-forward (what is in today’s market), and they ensured we were strategic and forward thinking in negotiations to get the deal we wanted. We originally went into the house search with a specific “want” in mind. Thankfully we had Gillespie-Host on our team and they educated us on the benefits of looking at all options. This made tremendously more work on their part and there were more homes than we would like to admit that they vetted for us and walked us through so we would be better educated on the market. We are so grateful for their dedication, experience, hard-work and ability to think outside of the box to find the “deal” we had thought was impossible. We truly believe there is no better choice in the South Bay and are thankful to now think of Gillespie-Host as not only our real estate rockstars, but our friends!

Jack and Claire sold us our Hermosa home when we relocated to CA in 2013. They also sold the same home for us when we relocated to GA in 2021. They actually care about our family and Jack swayed us to a less expensive home because it would be the best house for US (we had a 6 yr old at the time) even though we were looking at a house that was more expensive because he was familiar with the area. Turns out he was RIGHT and we loved our home so much! Claire is very patient and a great listener. She also negotiated a great deal on our behalf during the sale of our house and she always responds in a professional and timely manner. They go the extra mile on small details and helped us in every way possible to make both of our relocations smooth and stress free. I will certainly use them as our realtors when we buy future property in CA.

Barry Host and his team are the go to realtors if you want to buy or sell your home in Manhattan Beach. My wife and I worked with Gillespie Host Group on the purchase and sale of two different properties in the past and are continually impressed by their market expertise and professionalism.

Barry is extremely diligent with the contractual elements of the transaction and their team manages the process from start to finish very smoothly. I highly recommend Barry Host and Gillespie Host Group if you are looking for the best real estate agents in the South Bay.

When we first moved to Manhattan Beach I was referred to Barry Host by a friend. Barry did an excellent job assessing our needs and showing us properties and neighborhoods that would work for our family. To say we were picky and over thinking our choices was an under statement and it took us a long time to find the right home. But Barry was patient and kept bringing us fresh listings, getting us in early and in a position to make competitive offers. The other great thing about Barry is his knowledge of every nook and cranny in Manhattan Beach. He knows which streets are too noisy, or see more traffic. He’s aware of who built a home 15 years ago and whether it was a quality builder. It’s the little nuances like that that are so important when trying to find the right home in a competitive market. I just bought my second home this summer (2021) with Barry in an incredibly competitive Manhattan Beach real estate market. Barry got us into the listing first, we made the right offer as soon as we walked out of the showing, and I got the home. If he hadn’t been on it then we would have never been in play for what turned out to be a very hot property. Barry’s da’ man! I’ve now been in MB since 2008 and still grab lunch with Barry every couple of months regardless if I am in the market for a home, he’s a wonderful human. Don’t look any further, he’s your guy.

We couldn’t be more excited to have found our ideal home that we will raise our family in and we couldn’t have done it without Claire and the support of the entire Gillespie team. This market is incredibly competitive and once this home came on the market we knew we needed to move quickly. Claire was able to guide us through the process, use her strong relationships in the area, connect us with a better mortgage broker than we were working with and get our bid accepted when there was multiple offers.

What really impressed us was the support she continued to provide after we closed. She helped us get our previous property rented out, helped organize contractors for the old and new property and made sure to check in on us multiple times after we moved in. Super appreciative of her and her team and if you are looking to buy or sell in the southbay, there is no better partner than Claire and the Gillespie team. Thanks Claire!!

The Gillespie’s have purchased and sold properties for me and my family for years. I recently worked with Claire to sell my current home and purchase a new home. We had very limited time to sell my property and remove contingencies on the purchase. Claire kept everything on track and was always pleasant to work with. She guided me through the process to close on both properties and in this very competitive sellers market I was able to get my forever home!

I highly recommend the whole Gillespie Host team!!

We’ve lived in the Santa Monica area of LA for years and recently were ready to make a change to the South Bay (El Segundo specifically.) We used Barry Host as our realtor to help educate us on the area and find our house, as well as list our prior house. And that was the best decision we made! Barry made the entire process seamless. In fact the very first house he showed us was the house we ended up purchasing. We just fell in love with the charm and it checked all the boxes. Throughout the process, Barry was so knowledgeable about the area, constantly available for questions or to talk things through and felt like a partner ever step of the way. Kelly Host was also a delight and took such immaculate care to help us list and market are prior home. For anyone reading this, do yourself a favor and just use Barry as your realtor. He is simply the best. Thank you Barry and team!

Our relationship with the Gillespie-Host Group started almost two decades ago, and they have expertly guided us though handful of transactions. Jack, Barry, Claire and Maggie are extremely amiable and accessible. They are trustworthy professionals who act with integrity and honesty. Each member of the team have a profound knowledge of the community, a strong network of connections, and an accurate pulse on the market. Jack, Barry, Claire and Maggie demonstrated authentic compassion for what we wanted, and intuitively provided us with exactly what we needed. They genuinely looked out for us and wanted the best for us… just like family. We will forever be grateful to GHG for helping us make each house a home (or a rental). They are the absolute BEST real estate professionals in the business – and that is an understatement.

We had Claire as our realtor looking for a house in Redondo Beach. She had helped our son and daughter-in-law find a house in Hermosa, and they were so happy that we thought we would give her a try. We couldn’t have been more pleased! She was so knowledgeable and really listened to what we wanted and were interested in. To begin with, we lived out of town. She never forgot us and would send properties she thought we might like. When we finally got to the South Bay, she really ramped it up and found us a property that was as perfect for us as perfect gets. She and her team walked us through every step, contacting agencies as needed. She was always available to answer questions and always more than willing to help out in any way. But, probably the best testimonial is that she is now the listing agent for a property we are selling in Redondo Beach. We would not have chosen her to list this property if she hadn’t been so outstanding in representing us as a buyer! We don’t hesitate to recommend her and her team for any buying or selling needs anyone might have!

We have known Barry Host for more than ten years. During that time he has found and sold for us
properties in Manhattan Beach and Venice Beach. My wife and I were always impressed with his work ethic and honesty
when it came time to purchase and sell properties for us. As a result he has become a dear friend we can always count on.

Philippe & Gail Fortis

I have known Barry Host for many years and have used his services whenever we have bought or sold homes.
We are in the building business and have collaborated on projects with his extensive experience. He is extremely
knowledgeable about South Bay real estate and we would not make any decisions without his input.
More importantly for me is the fact that he is a man of complete integrity and moral character, Barry is a wonderful
human being.

Olivier Fortis

I cannot say enough good things about working with Barry. Since we relocated from the UK to the South Bay 2.5 years ago, Barry has literally carried us through all stages of our housing needs. He supported us when finding a rental was stressful and complicated and he patiently took us to an innumerable number of houses and listened to us as we voiced our very unrealistic wishes. When we finally found the house that was exactly right for us, he worked his magic and somehow managed to secure us such an incredible price, he had his agent buddies calling to ask how he did it 😊

My husband and I are not the easiest clients and yet that never shook Barry. He was always his sweet and charming self, no matter how crazy our needs and asks were. Barry is quite simply the best agent in the South Bay and after working with him for so long, we are very pleased to also be able to call him a dear friend.

We are so happy with our first home purchase! The entire process was as painless as could be. Claire knows the South Bay market extremely well and explained everything very clearly to us as first time home buyers. Claire was highly responsive, very involved, and just an all around wonderful, friendly person. We were in the most capable hands from the very beginning to the very end. I cannot recommend Claire and team highly enough!

A special thanks to Team Gillespie (and Host) who captured a dream home for our family again. The whole team leans in, listens, and is fearless in the pursuit of making a dream come true. We love you and are forever grateful (again) to all of you!!!

Simply put, the Gillespie-Host Group made the purchase of our new home and the selling of our previous home as easy as we could ever have hoped. As lifelong residents of the South Bay, their knowledge of the area, vendors and process is unmatched. I recommend then again and again.
Manhattan Beach, CA

Maggie and her team have been helping me search for a home in the beach cities. She always finds the time to respond promptly to my questions, and has made this process stress free!

My fiancé and I decided after 15 years in Arizona to make our way back to beach living. In doing so, a friend of mine who resides in Manhattan Beach, Ca recommended Barry Host of The Gillespie-Host Group. Barry provided us with a wealth of knowledge. He was very in tune to our needs and on top of the current real estate market. We once heard a quote “You’re only as good as your word,” and it was obvious to us Barry had nothing but our best interests in mind and we were in good hands! What we appreciated most about working with Barry was his strong sense of integrity and instinctual feel for the market. It left a huge impression on us that he was willing to direct us away from a purchase which would have been easy to get, but not the right home for us. Our concerns were his concerns, and when we found the home we really wanted, Barry exceeded our expectations and then some! He was accessible during the entire time in working with him. Our emails, texts and phone calls were answered quickly and thoroughly- we were never left wondering what was happening. Barry Host is a phenomenal broker/agent, no wonder he is considered the best of the best in the South Bay and consistently ranks as a top producer. In the end… Barry just didn’t sell us a house, he sold us our home! We would most definitely refer Barry Host to anyone looking to buy or sell their home, without a doubt his connections and negotiating skills made our dream a reality!

Barry was recommended to us to list our home for sale. As newcomers to the area, friends informed us that Barry Host – who is a lifelong resident of the South Bay – and the Gillespie Host Group had more than 60 years of combined experience. The Gillespie-Host Group has done an outstanding job preparing our home for sale to gain us top dollar. The Group is also assisting us in finding our new home. They have shown us some beautiful properties in the Beach cities. We are enjoying the process and trust that they will find us the perfect place to call home

Claire has represented has brokered 3 transactions, 2 as a buying agent and 1 as a listing agent, in the past 6 years. She does an excellent job, is extremely knowledgeable, and brings a robust network of inspectors and others who will make a stressful process a lot of fun. Claire is quick-witted, smart and funny which really helps keep the real estate transactions fun and very competent. I strongly endorse Claire and will definitely work with her again.

Claire knows the South Bay market and nuances better than anyone around. She’s coordinated multiple deals for us know and we trust her with everything.

Claire Gillespie-Waldron was a pleasure to work with during our two home purchases and one sale. Claire is conscientious, knowledgeable and experienced. While we were looking for a home, she tirelessly previewed homes with us and her enthusiasm and market knowledge were impressive. When it came time to sell one property, she worked cooperatively with our buyer’s agent and made sure our transaction went smoothly. We would highly recommend her!

I hired the Gillespie Host Group after interviewing 2 other prominent real estate firms specializing in Manhattan Beach properties. Their presentation revealed a broad knowledge of the high end “Strand” market, as well as current and historic asking and sale prices. Equally important was their realistic overview of our property including the site opportunities and challenges.  During the listing period, Jack and Barry were in constant communication with myself and my brothers. We received weekly email updates which included updates on any Strand property activity, broker comments, suggestions for staging the property and a list of all the media that our property was advertised in. I was continually impressed with their respect of our needs and ideas, their personal integrity in all they said and did to assist us, and the high level of personal service they provided us. The selling strategy included professional brochures, a custom website which included a beautiful video and stunning architectural renderings which illustrated the natural beauty of the beach, the ocean and the wonderful charms of the City of Manhattan Beach and finally, what an architect could imagine for the site. The property was on the market for only 270 days. The escrow was flawless. I highly recommend the Gillespie Host Group for any high end residential real estate transaction

I had the opportunity to work with Jack Gillespie late in 2016 on the sale of a piece of real estate for a client. He exceeded every expectation. He was very knowledgeable of the market. Jack was responsive to both my client and me no matter the date, time or issue. The property was listed, price negotiated and quickly sold for a favorable price. Jack and his staff resolved every issue without a hiccup. I would not hesitate to recommend Jack Gillespie to anyone

Simply put, the Gillespie Host Group made the purchase of our new home and the selling of our old home as easy and painless of a process as we could ever have hoped. Their knowledge of the area, of vendors, and of the process is unmatched. I recommend them again and again.

Barry is fabulous! We used him to sell our current house and purchase a new home. His experience and understanding of the market allowed him to set an asking price that led to multiple offers that were above asking price and a quick sale. At the same time, he made good recommendations on a highly competitive new home purchase and we got the home we were looking for! Barry is extremely knowledgeable and he kept us well informed throughout the buying and selling process. He took time to fully understand our situation and always had our best interests in mind.

The members of the Gillespie Host Group could not have been more positive, knowledgeable, and supportive. As a retiree, I was concerned that I might have trouble qualifying for funding, but, with the help of the Gillespie Host Group, I was easily approved. I was especially grateful for the combined experience of the group when faced with multiple offers on the property I eventually bought.

I can’t say enough good things about Barry. He’s an A+ Realtor and man. He really knows the market better than anyone else. He researches and finds the diamond in the rough. He found us an incredible place that was off the market and exactly what we were looking for. We were thrilled. Then, he went above and beyond in every way to help us get exactly what we wanted in the deal. He is kind, trustworthy, KNOWLEDGEABLE and patient. Honestly, he is the BEST! Highly recommend Barry!!

Maggie was recommended to us from a family member. Although the areas that we were looking for not her expertise she was more than willing to explore all the options for us. We had a very difficult seller, who was unpredictable and a little wearing at times. If she was unsure of an answer she was able to go to her team and they were willing to talk with us at any time to ease our worries. I would highly recommend Maggie to anyone and feel as though we have gain a friend in the process.

Claire is very knowledgeable about the area and super helpful and responsive. She was able to help us find a home as well as sell that house many years later. She and her team were fantastic at staging it and presenting it in the best light. We got our list price after the first showing.

My husband and I used Barry to buy our first home in Manhattan Beach. Barry is a local and is extremely knowledgeable about the area and the history. Three words to describe Barry include humble, honest and hard-working. He knows how to get the job done! He set reasonable expectations and did not tire in showing us many unique homes in a tough and expensive real estate market. Most of all, Barry found us our amazing home by helping us secure an offer on a house that went up for sale and already had two other offers before listing! He is very well-respected in the Manhattan Beach community and we now consider him a close friend.

Barry Host and the Gillespie-Host Group helped us with their honesty, expertise, and experience to sell our townhome fast while simultaneously navigating the purchase of our new family home that works for us, our kids, and aging parents. Barry and the team had great communication to get us through both deals. I highly recommend them if you are looking to buy or sell a home in the Beach Cities/South Bay area.

Claire was incredibly responsive, thorough and detail oriented throughout the entire process. She held our hand when it was needed and I always felt very much in the loop with everything that was going on. Overall she was an absolute pleasure to work with!

Working with Claire and her team at Sotheby’s was a wonderful experience! We would enjoy working with Claire and her team again in the future for our real estate needs and would highly recommend them to our friends. Purchasing or selling a home can be a stressful process and it’s great to have a good team working on all levels to help you achieve your goals and dreams. Claire and her business partners are that team. They are very knowledgable in the beach cities and vicinity on the local market, are very accessible and responsive with information and help to ensure a very smooth escrow for all parties involved. We can’t thank Claire and her whole team enough for helping us to realize our dream of a home near the beach to raise our family!

Claire and her team have so much experience and knowledge about the local market. They steered us in the right direction and helped us find our dream home. Claire was responsive and by our side every step of the way! Highly recommend Claire and the Gillespie Host Group!

Claire was first recommended by a good friend of ours years ago and we became friends ever since. She helped us successfully buy two properties. We are amazed by her extensive local knowledge, responsiveness, and excellent negotiation and networking skills. She is not only an excellent agent, but also a responsible, trustworthy and wonderful friend with great taste. Her personality reminds me of sunny day in California, and I enjoy every conversation with her. She not only helped us find the right property, but also provide great advice/contact on renovation – this go-above-and-beyond service is rarely found from other agents that we have worked with. Whenever you have questions or need help, she is always there. Even if there are schedule conflict, she will make it happen. We appreciate the friendship and all the help from Claire, and would love to highly recommend her to any clients.

I needed to sell my home in a timely manner and overcome some tricky obstacles. To maximize my return it was crucial to choose an experienced sales team with deep South Bay market experience. Simply put, The Gillespie Host Group over-delivered. All aspects of the transactions were expertly and timely managed by an attentive team who offered the ideal solution to all issues. In addition to receiving an attractive price, I saved tons of time and truly enjoyed my interactions with the team. Based on this experience I can highly recommend the The Gillespie Host Group and look forward to working with them again on future transactions.

Claire Gillespie-Waldron is an awesome Realtor. She’s assisted us with finding 2 perfect purchases and done a very thorough, professional job. Actually, she did an even better job of convincing us to walk away from a few properties which in retrospect would have been a nightmare… Great folks and extremely knowledgeable

We recommend the Gillespie Host Group without reservation to anyone who is considering buying or selling a house in the South Bay. When we had to sell our house we had a lot of questions and concerns about the process and, in particular, how to make sure we were getting the absolute best deal the market would bear. The Gillespie Host Group provided a comprehensive analysis of our particular part of the South Bay market. Their advice and analysis was current, detailed, and localized right down to our particular neighborhood. We were astounded by the depth and detail of their marketing plan. The entire operation was planned and executed with clockwork-like precision, from the magazine-quality photos, to the expert staging advice, to the timing and coordination of the print and internet listings, the broker’s open house, and the public open house. As for pricing the house and engaging in direct negotiations with buyers, Jack’s advice demonstrated a degree of shrewdness and tenacity that I truly believe was the difference between getting a fair deal and getting an amazing deal. We particularly appreciated the “bedside manner” of the Gillespie Host Group team. The Gillespie Host Group exuded the quiet, mellow confidence of people who know what they are doing and can deliver the results you need, coupled with a genuine, friendly, accessible, enthusiastic attitude. When all is said and done, we could not be more pleased with the experience of working with the Gillespie Host Group.

We had the pleasure of working with Maggie Gillespie & the Gillespie Host Group, who helped us find our rental property in Redondo beach. They were a great help, and worked hard to find us the perfect place in what would have otherwise been a very over whelming situation

Barry has assisted us in buying and selling several homes over the past 4 years. Over those years We have encountered many complications that arise during complex real estate transactions and everything has been handled with creative solutions and professionalism.We know that the Gillespie Host Group understands all of the nuances of the South Bay market and has the contacts and resources to help us in any capacity. We fully trust Barry and the entire GHG team and would highly recommend them to all of our network.

Jack, Barry, Claire & Maggie: I can’t say enough good things about you as individuals and about you as a group. Darla & I came to you and needed to close a deal ASAP on a 1031 exchange matter. It was not a particularly good time for Jack but to his credit he worked diligently with us and when the time came he eased us over to Barry & Maggie. The transition was seamless and we lost no time with Maggie & Barry. We were well advised all along the way and were on the cutting edge of knowing what properties were on the market and those coming onto the market. In the end we closed long before our time to buy expired and are very happy with the property we purchased. You compete with your colleagues in the industry on a very professional way and at the same time afford your clients the best representation possible. Delighted to have used you and would recommend you to anyone.

After 24 years of raising our family in the same Manhattan Beach home, the thought of selling brought more than its share of emotional moments. The Gillespie-Host team gave us the kind support we needed and the calm business counsel we craved. We really can’t recommend them enough. We really can’t recommend them enough.