Testimonials

Steven Girvin, our real estate agent from Fall 2024 until the 52 S Swan Street condo sold on February 26, 2025, provided superb professional service: advice on the listing, presentation and selling of the unit. Additionally, his support throughout the process engendered both Dr Elisabeth Ruthman and my enthusiastic respect and admiration. Despite numerous challenges during these months, Steven remained quietly authoritative and graciously effective. I could not have had a better agent than Steven Girvin nor Howard Hanna Real Estate Services a better representative. Bravo!

Sandra R.

Working with Steven Girvin was a pleasure from start to finish! He is The Capital District’s best real estate agent.

Eva C.

We are more than happy to provide a testimonial for Steven Girvin! We can’t say enough about how great he was as our realtor. Feel free to use the below anywhere to help spread the good word. There is no doubt that we made the right decision in hiring Steven Girvin as our realtor. He had OUR best interest in mind throughout the entire process. He was proactive, professional and gave sound advice. His tips to prepare our home for sale and assistance with staging were key. The video he created made our home look incredibly inviting. Steven provided service above and beyond a typical agent to make sure the sale was quick and without any issues. Don’t waste your time interviewing any other local realtors - they won’t compare to Steven.

Ellen & Bill M.

Steven Girvin is a rockstar real estate broker/agent! He handled the sale of my childhood home of 60 years, and treated it as exactly that, rather than as just the sale of another house. I can’t praise him enough for the immeasurable guidance, expertise and help that he provided my family throughout the process. Not only is he deeply versed in the local and luxury real estate market, but he also has a deep appreciation of architectural detail and home history as well as significant knowledge of construction and building matters. With a keen eye and attention to detail, Steven was able to identify and very effectively feature the special qualities of our home. He is an excellent marketing differentiator, and a passionate advocate for his clients. He has great relationships with the broker community, as well as with people who are helpful in emptying, selling and moving the contents of a home. Steven provided concierge-level service, and did so with kindness, skill, and integrity. We have deep affection for Steven — though we have sold a home, we have gained a dear friend in the process!

Bonnie B.

My experience with Steven Girvin has been excellent. He not only stuck with me through a failed house inspection (that I bailed on), he found a better house (that I purchased), recommended services, and has continued to check back with me regularly to make sure everything is fine. Steven is a keeper, and I have already highly recommended him to at least 6 people... one of whom bought two homes working with Steven. Great job!

Rebecca D.

I was selling an older Albany house that had seen better days. Steve reassured my family that our house would sell. He had great knowledge about the house structures, history, and current values. We liked how he has a seasoned team that includes people who can assess and take possible valuables to auction as well as a contact who is an outstanding removal and hauling service. We sold our house in a vey quick turnaround time with over asking. I’d recommend Steve and his calm demeanor to anyone.

Jennifer R.

Steve Girvin is the nicest person who has helped us with a real estate transaction over the past 45 years. He has provided valued guidance, listened to our concerns, and is very patient. As a person, he is gracious, pleasant and honest. We have noted that other professionals (ex. realtors, attorneys) have a high regard for Steve. If we were living in the New York State Capital District, we would not hesitate to work with him again. We wish him the very best!

Bill & Madeline J.

Steven is a gem. His attention to detail and professionalism were evident from the day we first talked about selling the house, until after the closing. He walked us through the process of preparing the property for the optimal sale price, and counseled us on choices to be made and what to prioritize. He connected us with the professionals needed to get the jobs done right, on time and within budget so that the house looked its best. Once it was listed, he kept us apprised of scheduled showings, shared buyer/agent feedback, and helped us navigate the pros and cons of multiple offers. Steven was creative, positive, responsive, pro-active and a delight to work with. This was the second home he has sold for me, and I wouldn't think of trusting anyone else for my next. I have referred him to colleagues, friends and neighbors, and he has consistently exceeded the expectations of each.

Allison N.

Steven was amazing! I can’t recommend him enough. My home went on the market after I had fully moved out of the area, so it was important to have a local agent who I could trust to take care of my house. He helped provide and arrange several services requested by the buyers and ensured that everything went smoothly. He checked on the house regularly to ensure all was well. The listing and photos were of the highest quality and truly made the house shine. Real estate transactions can be a stressful process, but Steven made the whole process as painless as possible. I am very thankful to him for his dedication and commitment.

Chris K.

We met Steven Girvin two years ago. He was representing the seller of a house we were looking at. We had been looking for our “forever home” for several years and were having no luck. Steven offered the option of renting from another home owner he represented. We took him up on it and began seeking out our home with Steven, which was not only a pleasure, but the start of a friendship. From day one working with Steven, we felt that he had our best interest and that of our family’s as his top priority. He offered us his expertise, as well as the time and space to be certain we were not rushing into just any house, but one that met our criteria. In this incredibly challenging market for buyers, after two years, we finally found “the one” with Steven’s help. Steven was attentive and patient, but persistent throughout the entire buying process. From showings to walk throughs with contractors to the inspection and closing, he was by our side every step of the way. He kept everyone on track for the purchase while also managing our relationship and lease agreement with our landlord. We look forward to the privilege of working again with Steven on some investment properties and would absolutely recommend him (as we already have) to friends and family, especially those seeking a home in the Loudonville area, for which Steven’s passion and knowledge is unmatched.

Ashley R.

Steven Girvin was a pleasure to work with. A true professional he is completely knowledgeable in real estate and listens to his client. The entire process, ending in a successful sale of my home, was made measurably easier because of Steven. If faced with a real estate matter in the future, I would hire Steven in a flash. Personally and professionally he is the best.

Robert K.

Can’t say enough good things about Steven. He’s the best! Very attentive to all our needs and questions. My wife and I would and will heartily recommend him to any of our acquaintances seeking to buy or sell their homes. He rates 5 Stars!

Cornelius M.

Working with Steven Girvin was an amazingly positive experience throughout what was otherwise a trying time... Albany was not familiar to us. And we knew we would have to find a trustworth realtor to help. Luckily, I have a cousin in the area, Jaime, who has her own interior decorating business, and when I contacted her, she immediately recommended Steven, having worked with him previously. All I can say is from the first moment that he came to the house, I felt that we were in the best of hands! His professional demeanor was immediately evident, and when we saw problems, he provided solutions. He knew who to contact in order to clean the house and to make it shine so that it would be marketable in short order. We just felt confident that he knew the market and believed that the house would sell quickly. He was always available by phone or text and always so positive. We felt we had been friends for years. We agreed with his recommendations regarding the asking price and he was right - because the house sold for more than the asking price, and within a few days after it was first listed. Our experience with Steven was totally positive and we are very happy to recommend his services to anyone looking to sell or buy property in the Albany Area.

Michael & Marilyn

Quite simply, there are many real estate agents, and some are excellent. Then there is Steven Girvin, in a class of his own and simple superb in every way. The sale of my parents' home in Loudonville was the second time I have had the pleasure of working with Steven. First, in 2020 for the sale of my husband and my home in Loudonville, I met Steven after he was highly recommended by a neighbor. My husband and I had arranged to interview 3 agents -- Steven was second and after meeting Steven, we signed on and never regretted it. Our home went on the market and into contract just before the COVID shutdown. Through the process, Steven kept us informed and handled the bumps we encountered so professionally and efficiently. He always went above and beyond, kept updated and had excellent advice/solutions for whatever happened. That sale was closed fairly quickly despite COVID and other unforeseen circumstances that complicated the sale (no fault of Steven's). Steven's wisdom, professionalism and positive attitude got us through. That is why when my parent's longtime home had to be sold, I as the executor confidently told my family that I had the perfect agent for our estate sale. Again, Steven went above and beyond, had the perfect suggestions/solutions for anything that arose and helped with things that were outside of what other agents would do to make sure all went well. My husband and I (and now the rest of my family) have the highest regard for Steven Girvin. He is one of a kind and I am so fortunate to have found him. I should add that Steven Girvin is also a wonderful, kind person, which means a lot to my family and me.

Susan V.

It is very easy to see why Steven Girvin is a valued associate within Howard Hanna. From the beginning, Steven was thoughtful, kind, understanding, and extremely helpful. Steven was professional, patient, timely and easy to work with. Living out of town made it more difficult to do what had to be done, but Steven always had suggestions and referrals to help us get the house ready to sell. Steven always carried a smile with him and a positive attitude. My sisters and I would like to thank Steven for his enthusiasm and dedication. I would highly recommend Steven Girvin.

Beatriz S.

We found Steven to be an exceptional agent. He was clearly an expert in the market and set the price of the home correctly, leading to a quick sale. He was easy to work with, always kept in contact and responsive to any questions we had. We had purchased a home in another state and moved out of the area prior to the sale. He kept an eye on the house and went above and beyond to give us a sense of peace knowing the house was being taken care of. We have sold many homes over the years and I would recommend him to anyone selling a home in NY.

Tim M.

Steven Girvin was by far the most outstanding real estate agent I have encountered over the 50 years I have been buying and selling houses. I probably have bought or sold 12 houses over my business career. His knowledge of the market , effectiveness of his marketing plans for our home and his attention to detail are outstanding. His personality and dedication to successfully completing a transaction were instrumental in completing my transaction in a very difficult market. His reputation in Loudonville has been significantly enhanced by the manner in which he marketed the sale of my residence.

Ed S.

Steven Girvin is 100% professional . It was a pleasure working with him during what could have been much more difficult circumstances, avoided primarily due to Steven’s judgment, experience, knowledge and sense of what is the right thing to do. We had multiple parties involved on both sides with conflicting interests and the closing could have easily not happened, but for Steven. I have been a real estate attorney for 42 years and Steven is one of the best realtors I have had the pleasure to work with that entire time.

Paul E.

We had an excellent experience with Steven Girvin and cannot say enough about him. We would highly recommend him to anyone.

John M.

We can’t say enough good things about our experience with Steven. Professional and personable, Steven consistently went above and beyond our expectations to facilitate a sale that got us a fair price for our home. In fact, Steven allowed us to finalize the sale for significantly more than the proposed asking price of another realtor looking to do a quick sale. Had we gone that route, we would have left a lot of money on the table. We benefited from Steven’s many contacts who helped us get the home ready to sell and make the minor adjustments requested by our buyer. Because we lived far from the house and had very small children at home, Steven actually attended to many of these details on our behalf. He worked hard to ensure we were treated fairly and had odd jobs done at the best possible rate, making the process nearly stress-free. Our family is extremely grateful for Steven and recommend him without reservation.

J Smith

I knew Steven personally and liked his way of interacting with people. I felt this would be a plus and it was. I also had neighbors land other local acquaintances who gave him high ratings as a broker.

Any “bump in the road” Steven handled it quickly and efficiently. He was on top of things from start to finish.

Would recommend Steven Girvin without any hesitation and would work with him again, if the situation presents itself.

Mary Ellen O’Brien, Loudonville (Seller)

Steven Girvin is a true professional who helped me through the process of purchasing my new property. I appreciated his guidance in helping me with my purchase. His advice about looking at comparable properties, submitting multiple offers on the property and drawing up a contract for the purchase of the property were right on. Steven’s communication skills were excellent, he was prompt with his responses and always found out the answers to my questions. He was there for me, even at the walk through and the closing. I have already mentioned to my family and friends that Steven did an outstanding job as my real estate agent and I would highly recommend him to them. Steven has become a friend who made my dream come true! Working with Steven Girvin was a pleasure and a lot of fun.

Joan Pebbles, Niskayuna (Buyer)

Steven Girvin has been there for us throughout the whole process, and even after closing. He is very knowledgeable and has guided us when we needed direction. He is a nice person and also very thorough and trustful in work. I admire his dedication.

I will highly recommend Steven for anyone who wants to find the right home for them.

Sukwon Hong (Buyer)

Steven made the entire process seamless. He made recommendations to assist him in the staging of an empty property, added door wreaths, an American flag to the front of the property. When showing the property made suggestions for updating the kitchen and enlarging baths and promoted the wooded property.

His enthusiasm for the profession is evident as is his professionalism, character and engaging personality. His dealings with prospective buyers was professional and knowledgeable. He guided us through the selling and closing process seamlessly.

I most certainly would recommend Steven to others!

Carol Criscione, 74 Cheshire Way, Loudonville (Seller)

Steven is the consummate professional and hardworking real estate agent. Of the agents we interviewed to sell our house, he was the only one that volunteered upfront to both stage our house with quite a lot of furnishings and run an open house (himself, not run by a rookie agent) the first week it was on the market. He gave great guidance on some repairs we could we could do to make our house more attractive to buyers, as well as taking it upon himself to do some of the simpler repairs that we weren’t in town to do ourselves. We wanted to make we had a contract to sell our house quickly (within a month) so Steven was more than happy to list the house at a competitive price we suggested, which was lower than his initial market analysis. All told, Steven’s thorough marketing, great suggestions, and beautiful staging brought us two offers within three weeks. In the end we wound up closing at a higher price than we thought we would! (As a side note – our final sales price was higher that what other agents wanted to initially list our property at - so Steven definitely wasn’t interested in making a quick sale at our expense.) Thanks Steven!

Steven listed and sold the home that my parents had lived in for 40+ years. He made great suggestions about how to stage the home, helped us set a price and managed expectations throughout the process. He worked closely with prospective buyers and their agents - and kept us informed throughout the negotiating process. Within less than six weeks we had accepted an offer that met expectations. Steven was incredibly helpful with the estate resolution process, referring consummate professionals to assist with preparing the home for the new owners. I would recommend Steven to anyone considering buying or selling a property.

We listed a "dated" 50 year old house with Steve in an upscale neighborhood. He established an asking price and made some low cost suggestions regarding how to prepare the house for sale. After hosting several open houses, he secured a legitimate offer within several months for exactly the amount we expected. Communications were always great and exceptionally professional. We were basically "hands-off" and left the negotiations up Steve. He handled all the details and fought for us when, given it's age, some of the expectations of the eventual buyers exceeded the condition of the house. His service was worth every penny and then some.