My Personal Mission Statement
I approach my profession from a place of Service, Passion and Commitment. Working hard for something you don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something you love is called Passion! I work hard with Passion and Commitment to not only fulfill your expectations, but to far exceed them.
The highest compliment I can get at the end of a transaction is “Thanks for your hard work & dedication, Kathy. We are so happy we chose YOU to help us!”
Kathy's Professional and Family History
Kathy Smiley brings to buyers and sellers a special professional expertise which has proven important to helping clients make sound decisions in their real estate choices. Whether first-time buyers, move-up, move-down or moving-sideways , experiencing relocation events or a myraid of other residential real estate needs, Kathy has the expertise to help her clients succeed. With over 16 years experience in the Conejo Valley, Ventura County and Los Angeles County Real Estate Market, Kathy ranks in the top echelon of Real Estate professionals. Among her accomplishments most recently Kathy achieved the President’s Circle Award for 2019 and 2020, a special honor within the Rodeo Realty family of disctinction.
Prior to her successful career in real estate, Kathy enjoyed an over 22-year career as a municipal bond trader, where she developed a well-grounded knowledge of investing and built a solid reputation for helping clients build strong “financial houses.” Kathy also loves staging and design and had a Decorating Den franchise for a number of years, which proved a huge benefit to her real estate clients who desired to update their decor to stage and sell their homes!
Originally natives of Kansas City, Missouri, Kathy and her husband Chet, and their three children moved to Westlake Village in 1990. After schooling in the Conejo Valley their two daughters obtained degrees at CSUN and Cal Lu, married and settled down in the Conejo Valley. Daughter #1 is an Environmental/Hazmat Specialist for LA County Fire Department, Daughter #2 is a Special Needs Program Director for Port Hueneme School District, and son Matthew, after locating back to the midwest for college and basketball, has settled down with a lovely family and is GM of an auto dealership in Wichita. Kathy and Chet are blessed to now have eight grandchildren: five boys & three girls!
With such a large family, Kathy is “absolutely invested in this community.” She lists among her activities : Board of Directors of the Thousand Oaks Chapter of Kiwanis International (a worldwide service organization focused on helping underserved children, adults, seniors and those with disabilities); TO/Westlake Chamber of Commerce’s “Leadership Conejo” graduate; a past Vice President and current fundraising leader with the Women’s Council of the Conejo Valley; and enthusiastic supporter and fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters; Meals on Wheels; Safe Passages; Safe Harbor; and many other philanthropic endeavors. "To serve is to truly be of purpose and live fully in every moment"
My Personal and Professional Commitment to my Family, Friends and Clients
I have one purpose in life and that’s to be of the highest service to everyone in my life that I possibly can be. I am so gratified when I am able to help you achieve your goals, and I give thanks and glory everyday to God for allowing me to do what I love!
My Professional Designations
ABR - Accredited Buyer’s Representative
ASP - Accredited Staging Partner
BPOR – Broker Price Opinion Resource Certification
CLRA - Certified Luxury Real Estate Specialist
CDE - Code of Ethics Graduat
E-Pro – NAR’s Online Accredited Expertise Designation
HAFA – NAR’s Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternative Certification
SRF – Short Sales & Foreclosure Resource Certification
SRES – Seniors Real Estate Specialist
SRS – Seller Representative Specialist
WWI - Working with Investors Graduate
Testimonials from Past Clients (See Zillow for more testimonials)
Jennifer & Bob Brooks, Newbury Park - (2 tansactions) Kathy is simply the best! Seven years ago, as relocation buyers, we chose Kathy to help us find our beautiful home in Thousand Oaks. So when we decided to move closer to our grandkids & sell our house it was a no-brainer who we would use! Kathy goes above & beyond to make sure your experience goes as smoothly as possible. It would be hard to find a realtor that works harder than Kathy & takes care of all the little things so you don't have to. Plus she's just an awesome person! You will never go wrong with Kathy on your side! When we moved to Arizona last year, we decided to start over with furnishings more fitting to our new rustic-style desert home. Rather than paying someone to haul away our previous and, by the way, high-end furnishings, Kathy arranged for an online Auction company to come in and conduct an E-Auction! We sold everything we didn't want and didn't have to lift a finger, and came away with some cash at the end of it all! Kathy has a solution for EVERY challenge and is willing to put in the extra effort and go the extra mile to make it happen! Everything ran smoothly, we got a great price and sturdy buyer for our home, all while we were enjoying our new place in AZ. THANK YOU KATHY! You truly made us Smile!
Rick & Eileen Lerner, Westlake Village - (2 transactions) This summer (2018) Kathy sold our Westlake Village home of over 30 years, and found us our new darling "down-sizer" home in Newbury Park. With Kathy's input, marketing, staging services and overall amazing skill, we ended up receiving one of the highest prices for our floorplan in Southshore Hills! We started working with Kathy a full year before we listed, as we were not in a big hurry but knew the time was right. She advised us perfectly as to what to do to our home to get it in tip top showing shape. Her wide array of dependable service providers was a huge benefit. The photos, video and overall marketing was exceptional. She created a lot of interest and anticipation with her "coming soon" stategy ~ and because of her early marketing and wide outreach, the home ended up selling to one of the very first families who viewed it. Kathy's expertise continued with the transition to our new, smaller home. We can't thank her enough for all she's done for us!
Jill & Paul Cavanagh, Thousad Oaks - (5 transactions) We worked with Kathy 5 years ago when we sold our first home and purchased another one better suited to our needs, so she was the first agent we called when we decided to sell and move out of state. Kathy showed us again that she is truly one of the best in her field. She used the latest technology to market our house and helped us to find a great buyer within a few days of listing. After being away from California for a year, things changed and we decided to move back to the Conejo Valley. AGAIN, we contacted Kathy to find us our "forever" home, and she did not disappoint! Kathy searched and previewed tirelessly, and contacted us the minute our dream home became available. Thanks to her close connections with the local broker community, we were the FIRST ones to see the home and Kathy helped us get our offer accepted even before the first Open House! We have worked with Kathy multiple times as both buyers and as sellers, she even sold my late father's little mobile home for us at a very minimum reward as a huge favor. Our families have become close friend and we socialize and attend church together! I would highly recommend Kathy Smiley due to her integrity, knowledge, her amazing HEART, and beyond excellent communication and customer service. She will surely "Make YOU Smile" !
Nancy Randak, Thousand Oaks - Wanting a fast sale on my house, I selected Kathy Smiley because of her totally "can do" attitude and her use of cutting edge marketing techniques which exposed my home to a very wide audience. Her use of 3D interactive virtual tours removed the need for having open houses which suited me just fine. I have pets and am a very private person, so I didn't want neighborhood LookyLoos and endless inconvenient drop-in shoppers. Kathy marketed the home via internet and her personal sphere widely. She made sure every agent & potential buyer looked at the online 360 degree tour so they wouldn't visit the house and say they didn't like the yard or floorplan, wasting everyone's time. So within a few days, I got an offer very close to list price from a high quality buyer and the transaction ran smoothly, thanks to her organization and negotiation skills. Kathy is truly a trustworthy and professional agent who pays attention to the smallest of details throughout the entire process. I cannot recommend her highly enough! She will definitely make you "smile"!
Jennifer Shaffer, Newbury Park - (2 transactions) Kathy Smiley recently assisted me with my home purchase. In a sellers market, I was so happy to have a realtor who was proactive and responsive. She took the time to answer my questions, tirelessly drove me around to open houses, advised me about neighborhood dynamics, and was very accessible by phone and email. I texted her one morning with a new listing I had seen online at midnight and she showed it to me that day on my lunch break and prepared the offer via Docusign by 5:00. When I entered into a purchase contract, Kathy was super proactive and stayed ahead of timelines. She has great relationships with different agencies and I was happy with her referrals for mortgage, escrow, etc. I'm thankful she had the knowledge and expertise to walk me through purchasing my first new home!
Cheri Cowen, Westlake Village - My bottom line to any perspective buyer/seller in the greater Conejo Valley is: SIMPLIFY YOUR REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION; TALK TO KATHY SMILEY! I was fortunate enough to reconnect with Kathy in the summer of 2016 when I was beginning to make plans to sell my home in WLV. Interestingly enough, 15 years prior Kathy was a new agent in our neighborhood and knocked on our door (when my late husband was still alive.) We were toying with the idea of downsizing back then, so Kathy volunteered to do a full Market Analysis and listing presentation for us, knowing we were probably not going to be selling soon. She said it would provide here with live experience and we would be doing her a favor! Fast forward 15 years, I immediately thought of Kathy to help me, as she was friendly, energetic, sincere and had a great sense of humor! I was a novice at selling, having lived in the home for over 30 years, and all alone in this process, a little bit terrified. Kathy stepped up to the plate and very quickly gained my trust and my confidence. She guided me every step of the way and dealt with my every concern - every detail - with promptness, patience and considerate understanding of my needs. Kathy made me feel like I was her ONLY client, although she is a busy successful agent, making herself available nearly 24/7. She was there for the initial plan-of-action strategy. She was there to help with my storage unit - which pieces stay, which pieces go. She was there for my staging needs. And she was there with her amazing marketing plan and her excellent marketing recommendations! Kathy also had a vast array of professional contacts to come to my aid with last minute "fix-ups" and general home improvements. She was very dedicated and tenacious and always did what I felt was in my best interest. I found her to have integrity, unsurpassed knowledge in her field, perseverance and very reliable communication skills. Maybe, best of all, Kathy LOVES her job and it shows! Turns out I wasn't terrified, even a little, with Kathy Smiley at my side!! Thank you Kathy and kudos to a great team! And to my extremely smooth and happy experience!
Dale & Sascha Lanier, Agoura Hills - I’m a single parent of a busy teen and I have a demanding career with a long daily commute. I needed an agent knowledgeable in the market who would be aggressive in finding my a home for me and my daughter in a fast-moving market with few listings. Kathy listened to what we needed and previewed dozens of homes through our “eyes”, saving me precious time. Being well connected in the community, she was able to locate several “off market” homes so I could have a first look and get a head start on the competition, which proved to be invaluable. Kathy located the perfect home for us being listed by one of her co-workers, BEFORE it went on the MLS! This great agent exhibits precise attention to detail and quick follow up. With her personable charm, she is both friendly with other agents, yet firm in negotiating on my behalf. She provided me with valuable information, clear explanations regarding contract and closing procedures and recommended a great lender, good inspectors and skilled service people. Kathy Smiley truly enjoys going above and beyond and with her cheerful attitude it’s evident she truly cares about her clients. We are SMILING in our new home - Thank You Kathy!
Hope & Hessam Nadji, Lake Sherwood - We had a short window to relocate our family to Southern California. Despite dwindling options for us in the area we wished to live as well as our time pressure, Kathy Smiley’s unmatched professionalism, tenacity and proactive approach to finding us our home never wavered. Kathy made herself available nearly 24/7, happily accommodating our often last minute trips into town to look at homes. She searched different areas of town in depth to find the right fit for us, all the while mindful of our son’s school location and travel times around town to get him to his activities. With the clock ticking toward the start of school and having exhausted all active listings, Kathy unearthed a beautiful, off-market home perfect for our needs in Lake Sherwood, successfully negotiating with the sellers to allow for the completed sale of our previous home, managing all the inspections and reports since we were away, and keeping in daily communication. i think we wore out FaceTime on our Iphones! She stayed on top of escrow throughout the entire process. Kathy’s resourcefulness, patience, and attention to detail were outstanding and a significant reason for such a successful transaction for everyone involved. Kathy is by far one of the most outstanding, hardworking real estate professionals we have encountered and we would not hesitate to hire her again or refer her to a friend.
Sevet & Myron Johnson, Moorpark - WOW!!! There are not enough wonderful things to say about Kathy and the service she provided to us. From the first phone call she was friendly, engaging, and showed her desire to meet us and really understand what we needed for our family. She always had time for us and her follow-up was amazing. She was able to find a hidden gem in a fast-moving market; Positioned our offer strategically to be accepted among multiple offers; Researched the property to make sure we were aware of the condition and price tag of upcoming work all while working closely with our lender to ensure a smooth transaction. Having been through this process unsuccessfully before we know just how blessed we were to have found her and had her on our side EVERY step of the way. Her wide net of professionals she knows in the field made a HUGE difference and allowed us to close ON TIME and obtain our home. We are BEYOND thankful and appreciative of all that she has done for us. What a gem Kathy Smiley is!!!
Fabrizio & Kate De Luca, Thousand Oaks - (2 transactions) Kathy was a dream to work with. Not only was she honest and knowledgeable about everything there was to know, she was also so warm and caring. We bought a starter home, so our budget was difficult to work with in Southern California and she never gave the impression that she should be elsewhere or with someone more important or who could make her more money. She deals with both millionaires and beginners, like us! Just a few months after we got settled in, Fabrizio accepted a new job in Florida. We didn't hesitate at all calling our good friend and great agent, Kathy Smiley, to market and sell our new home quickly. We had multiple offers within a few days and closed less than 30 days after the first showing. I highly highly recommend using her. Highly!
Barbara & John Adamczyk, Agoura Hills - (4 transactions) Kathy is amazing! She had already helped my husband sell the smaller home he lived in when we married, which she had initially helped him purchase years before he met me. When we decided to move to Agoura Hills/Westlake Village, she was the only expert we would trust...and she didn't let us down! She is extremely knowledgeable about the area and it's values and neighborhoods, and is a good, decent person, on top of it all. She has now helped us with the purchase & sale of THREE properties, and we wouldn't trust anyone else if we are ever in the market again.
Cindy Zieminski, Simi Valley - (2 transactions) Kathy is a terrific woman and a great real estate agent. She is well-connected and knows virtually all the other real estate agents in the area, which played a vital role in the negotiation process on my home. Kathy's persistent and relentless personality were crucial in sealing the deal on my new home, as I was in a bidding war against other buyers. I am so grateful to Kathy for helping me find and tirelessly negotiate for my new home--which I absolutely love! To be able to buy my new home, however, Kathy had to first sell my former home I owned with my ex. She accomplished this after another agent was unsuccessful at selling it. Kathy worked well with our family dynamics and I trusted her 110% throughout the entire process of juggling two concurrent transactions. Once again, her persistence and relentlessness paid off. I can't recommend Kathy highly enough!
Brenda Small, Newbury Park - (3 transactions) If you are looking to buy or sell a house, Kathy Smiley is the person to call. She is knowledgeable, patient, kind, understanding and really knows her business. Kathy was patient and helped me through this process following a divorce and found us the best house on a wonderful street that we absolutely love. Also, I don't think anyone could have done a better job of selling my previous home. She knew when to list, showed me how to showcase my home and sold it for way above list price. Kathy is one of the nicest people I know and is honest and helpful. You can tell that she loves what she does and works hard to ensure her clients are happy. The next time I need to make a move, the first person I will call is Kathy Smiley.
Renee & Bob Nunn, Westlake Village - (2 transactions) Kathy was a godsend for us -- she was such a professional every step of the way. She did an extremely thorough and detailed job selling our house, and she was very persistent in helping us find just the right home for us to buy. She negotiated expertly with all parties and honestly kept everyone grounded. This is now our "forever-house" and we have Kathy to thank for helping us achieve this dream! We will be forever Smiley people!
J.K., Agoura Hills - Kathy was brillant - she negotated the short escrow which I was looking for. I would be happy to work with her again. Kathy was professional and a pleasure to work with.
Beverly & Dr. Philip Shindler, Westlake Village - (5 transactions) Kathy works hard to find and finalize sales and purchases for her clients. She's caring and doesn't leave anything to chance. Shes's amazing. She sold our large home in Westlake and found us our downsizer, successfully closing both on the same day. She also worked with our daughter to find her her first home, negotiated a great price and quite a few repairs. Daughter is happy in her new townhome, and my husband and I love our new home. Kathy and her husband have become close friends, too! For any further purchases, Kathy is our Smiley Realtor!
Barney Alm, Westlake Village - (3 transactions) Kathy helped me sell one home and buy another. Both went through very quickly and at fair value. This summer Kathy helped me once again, selling my Westlake home for top dollar so I could relocate to the mid west to be closer to my kids. She provided a lot of helpful guidance through the whole process, including references to contractors for a few fix-ups. We discussed many options, including pros and cons of renting out the old home. I was impressed with her knowledge of the whole process and the area. I really enjoyed working with Kathy, trust her advice, and would work only with her in the future.
Shelley & Fred Gaskin, Westlake Village - Kathy helped us find a condo for my Mom and it is perfect. She looks after every detail and seems to work 24/7. She knows the community around Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village because she is "of" the community and serves it in many ways through volunteer work and helping local businesses. Kathy is the most professional realtor I have ever encountered. And she is cheerful and delightful to be with!
Bob Lee, Moorpark - Kathy did everything right, and right on time! I was looking for a single story home close to my daughter and son-in-law, and I was relocating from the Bay area. Kathy was relentless in scouring every available listing and searching out ones not on the market. She came up with THE perfect house the day before it went public. I had the opportunity to hop on a plane and be the first person to see it, thanks to Kathy's wonderful contacts in the real estate industry and her laser focus on my needs! We put in the offer, had it accepted and were in escrow before it even had an open house! I'm now close to my daughter and loving my new home. Thank you for your professionalism and attention, Kathy, you have truly made me SMILE!
Rick & Hilary Wade, Westlake Village - (2 transactions) Kathy did an amazing job helping us prepare our home for sale and navigating the entire marketing and selling process. We used Kathy 11 years prior to help us find and buy this home, so we knew her ethics and methods to be exempliary. She really knows what she's doing and does it with not only flair but an ease with which I'm sure most agents cannot and do not express. Kathy made everything make sense. She is resonable yet estremely analytical in her approach. She breaks down every detail to where the layman can understand all aspects and make an informed decision. I would recommend her services to ANYONE thinking of buying or selling who really wants an aggressive, capable and personable agent on their team!