The following testimonials were taken from reviews left on Zillow.com and Realtor.com, along with conversations with Gary Osbrey from WINY Radio and used in the Johnston & Associates Real Estate radio advertising.
We would like to sincerely thank our clients for their candid, unsolicited remarks.
“Rachael had sold our daughter's house to her so when we decided we were selling our house, our daughter Rachel suggested that we use Rachael Johnston. What impressed me the most was that she made us feel that we were her only client. We spent many, many hours together because our house sold within three weeks and we had nowhere to go. Rachael spent what seemed to us like all of her waking hours showing us houses. We must have looked at thirty or forty houses! She was very specific about what we would look at. She didn’t waste our time with things we wouldn’t like. It got to be like a real “friend thing” and we enjoyed spending time with her and she enjoyed us. When we finally found the right house we just knew it. Johnston and Associates made my dreams come true.”
Monica Boudreau
“I have looked for houses in the past but never felt like I could trust the people working with me to look out for my best interests rather than their own agenda. This was totally not my experience working with Ryan Lajoie. Right from the first day we met at the house I could tell I liked him and I felt like he was knowledgeable and trustworthy. I can’t begin to express how important those qualities are in someone who is helping another person to buy their first home. I am almost surprised at how smoothly the whole thing went and how little anxiety I experienced during the time.”
Rebecca Kritzer
We were selling our first home in Massachusetts and looking to purchase our second home in Connecticut. We decided to use Ryan to purchase our second home based on recommendations from family and friends. Not only does Ryan have a great presence in the community, but he has been recognized by the state as well. For us, he was the best choice. Throughout our partnership, Ryan was always professional from a simple e-mail or text to meeting up last minute to see a property. He always responded to our many questions with enthusiasm and if he was unsure of something or we had a question for the seller, he responded throughly and promptly. We found one property that we we almost put an offer on, but decided not to go through with it as it wasn't in our desired town. He was very patient and encouraging that we would find the right place- and we did! When we found our home we had several walk throughs and LOTS of questions. Again, he was very patient, encouraging and handled all of our concerns with care and importance. Once we decided to put an offer in on our house (which had 2 additional offers) he made some great suggestions and ultimately we were the offer the sellers accepted. Throughout the negotiations of our property, we felt very confident in Ryan that he put our family first and represented us in the best possible way. We received excellent service and a smooth closing. We couldn't have asked for anything more
Realtor.com User Review
“We wanted an older house with a lot of land and one day out of the clear blue, she called us and said, “Hey, I found this house. It’s not exactly what you had in mind, but I think it will fit you perfectly.” Then as soon as I pulled up the driveway I just knew that was our house. The next day I brought my husband Chuck out there, put a deposit on it, and two days later she sold our condo to a client she had in mind. She made it so easy for us - it was all done within 48 hours. Two months later, Vincent arrived. We had the closing in the hospital the day after he was born and then we moved in 5 days later. We love it! It’s absolutely beautiful. She didn’t miss a trick. She had everything coordinated and everything was taken care of. I didn’t think it would be possible for us to be in a house right now. Johnston and Associates made my dreams come true.”
Michelle Bourgeois
Ryan is excellent! Always available on short notice and is always honest with you about if you are getting a good deal! He is NOT the type of realtor that will just try to sell you the first home you see. He truly wants to find you the best home for YOU!
Zillow.com User Review
"In November 2021 we sold a historic property in the center of Eastford, CT. Due to the property's unique attributes, (riverfront and at the intersection's light), and lack of septic and proximity to Phoenixville falls the transaction required a special buyer. The realtor of record, Betsy Diquattro, very quickly assessed the opportunity, understood what was needed and professionally managed, in a comprehensive way, the details of the transaction. Due to Covid there were additional layers of complexity with scheduling of inspections, remote and automated documentation, that required a different level of detail and handling. Betsy made it much easier by assuming management and control over critical aspects of the transaction from the details of the phases of purchase and sale to closing, ensuring a predictable successful close. We were happy with our sale experience and would consider Betsy Diquattro from Johnston and Associates for future real estate transactions and would recommend other family members to her as a trusted service provider."
Arvind and Margherita Shaw
“Just want to express my satisfaction with Jane Austin. She went well beyond my expectations and really worked hard to find a buyer for my home, which I thank her for.”
Donna Stewart
“Rachael is so easy to work with. When I started looking at houses with her I had a very difficult schedule because I have two young children so I had to work in between. It was just like going to see houses with somebody I knew my entire life. She was very comfortable to deal with. You never had a problem asking her a question. You always felt very at ease with her. She always had everything well organized and she makes the whole process from the first visit to the house to the closing very, very comfortable. It always seems like the woman never stops working. She called me at 8 o’clock at night and said, “by the way, I found this I think you might want to look at it” and that wound up being our home that we’re living in now. Johnston and Associates made my dreams come true.”
Heidi Ferraro
“I had the pleasure of working with Betsy DiQuattro on my recent purchase of my home in Woodstock. I have worked with many realtors over the years - I've bought 5 homes and sold 4 - and also worked closely with realtors in Hartford and Block Island renting my properties for over twenty years. I have never encountered a realtor with more knowledge of houses and the area, with more integrity, or with more genuine caring for her clients. Betsy is professional, responsive, resourceful & creative. My home is older and there were many issues to resolve. Betsy was with me every step of the way. I trust & respect her.”
G.L.
“I’ve known Rachael for about 20 years. She helped us to sell a home in Woodstock and after we sold the home in Woodstock to purchase a brand new home in Dudley. Rachael helped us to find a new home to move into and found us buyers for the home we were selling. On our closing day, the people that were purchasing the home from us decided that they did not want to purchase the home and backed out. At that time, Rachael stuck by us and started going out and trying to find new clients to come in. Finally, she found a buyer; we sold the home, and moved into our new home. She kept us right up to date and let us know what was happening. She’s upright and honest and she’ll do the best she can to try to help you. Johnston and Associates made our dreams come true.”
Paul Andrezweski
Dianne was our realtor for our house last year. She did an amazing job throughout the entire process. We even sold our house for more than the asking price! I would definitely recommend Dianne to anyone selling their house. She was professional, knowledgeable, and very helpful during a stressful time.
Zillow.com User Review
“It was great working with Johnston & Associates and Betsy for the home purchase. It made the transaction easy because they were there for me at all steps of the sale. I highly suggest working with this agency to buy a home. I believe this was a pleasant experience for all involved certainly was for me. Our agent Betsy went above and beyond."
Jacob Knoll
"After 3 years in our house, we still talk fondly about our experience with Rachael. There were none of the hassles I hear friends complaining about, no fast minute changes, and no delays. It really helped that Rachael knew our town and its various villages. She was able to pinpoint locations that we would like. When we decide to downsize we’ll definitely go with the agency. Johnston and Associates made our dreams come true.”
Gary and Dianne Bessette
“Over the past year she has sold one speculation house for us, a piece of land that closed recently, and she has another speculation house that’s up for sale right now. It’s been like a good working partnership; she returns phone calls, which is something I like a lot. She’s very quick to answer stuff and if she doesn’t know it she’ll go and figure it out and get back to me right away. She won’t disappear for a week at a time. I recommend Rachael almost on a daily basis. Johnston and Associates has become a valuable business partner in our speculation ventures.”
Jasen Cusson-Malone
Owner, Coastal Construction LLC
I have worked with Diane both as a buyer (two times) and a seller, and I have not one complaint to make. She consistently made sure I was always comfortable with everything that was going on and that I felt confident in every decision I was making. She was always available for my 1000 questions and went above and beyond to find answers to all my questions. I will never use another agent. She is great at her job and you can tell that she loves finding people their optimal homes and making their dreams a reality.
Zillow.com User Review
“Last year we hired Rachael to sell our property in Woodstock. It was a unique property so I knew it was going to be a little difficult. She stepped up to the plate and got us someone in within 3 weeks after we had signed the contract with her. A day and a half before the sale, the person backed out for personal reasons and then again Rachael came in and got us another buyer and sold our house. Now we are able to build our retirement home in Woodstock. She was very accommodating, very understandable, diligent, even the associates she has are very prompt in returning their calls. I mean she’s “Johnny on the Spot”- when you have a question, she gets the answer for you and calls you back as soon as possible. I would say Rachael is the best person for the job. Rachael and her associates are exceptional in the field. Johnston and Associates made my dreams come true.”
Linda Duffy
Todd: “We were looking to relocate from the Worcester area to Northeast Connecticut. and had seen a listing that we were interested in.”
Elaine: “Well, we first called and made an appointment with Rachael to see a Salt Box. She met us there and I really liked her because you know what? She laughed with us.”
Todd: “She was very attentive to us, got back to us. When we were looking on the listing system we would come back to our house everyday and have 15 or 20 listings sitting there that we could look over.”
Elaine: “She had the patience to listen to us, and she came to our house one time just so she could see where we were coming from which we thought would help her.
Todd: “She found out exactly what we were looking for after seeing our house.”
Elaine: “We loved her, we really did, I mean she gives a 100%”
Todd & Elaine: “Johnston and Associates made our dreams come true.”
Todd & Elaine Lind
“My wife and I owned a couple pieces of land here in Putnam and Rachael helped us out. Rachael gave us some good advice and told me what she thought. She listed the lots for us and the first lot sold within 2 weeks. We ended up selling the second lot and we got full price for it 2 days later. What Rachael did that impressed me was she didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear, she told me the truth. We got what she told us we could get for the land. Rachael did a good job for us and she was very honest. You have to deal with a professional that knows what they are doing. We were very proud to have her as our real estate agent. Johnston and Associates made our dreams come true.”
Jim Mahoney
“We decided to go ahead and sell our house and she came over so we could sign the papers that we needed to sign. At 4:30 that afternoon, I think it was a Wednesday, we put the sign up in front of the house and by 10:30 the following morning we had our buyer! Working with Rachael was like working with an old friend. She just makes you feel real comfortable. She was always, always available to us anytime I called her and she was willing to answer questions that I had. There were a lot of things that I had questions about and I was calling on a daily basis. She never would get frustrated, she never avoided my phone calls, she was just there for us all the time. If you’re looking at Rachael Johnston, without a doubt, don’t even hesitate; don’t question whether you should do it or not because she is that good. Johnston and Associates made our home dreams come true.”
Bob Savary
“Rachael is extremely unique because cause she is considerably patient. She explained every detail from the beginning of the sale to the end of the sale. She paid attention to all the little things that most people would probably overlook in order to sell it quickly and she was calling and checking on me, letting me know where things we at. She was detailed, there was an issue with my house since it was older there had to be some insulation added in the attic and in the basement. Rachael and her husband, and I all went over and we insulated the attic. She always does the extras to make it more comfortable and to help you out and get things done on time. Johnston and Associates certainly made my dreams come true.”
Heather LaFleur
“I have lived in Thompson for a little over 5 years, I rented before and then I decided to buy my own home. I saw this house and even though I thought it was beyond my own reach, financially, I saw the sign Johnston and Associates and called Rachael and she suggested I come see the house and I fell in love with the house. The more I saw, the more I thought it was not what I could afford and I told her I apologize for taking up her time but I really couldn’t afford something like this but it is wonderful. She said ‘Well; let’s see what we can do.’ It’s a simple as that she made it happen. Within hours she said we could work something out and it happened. Through it all she was gracious, she was professional, and yet I felt that personal touch. She was just wonderful. Johnston and Associates made my dream come true.”
Asiah Sorlin
Dianne was a great resource while my wife and I were looking for our first home. She is very knowledgeable about the market and realistic about prices/offers to make. She was very patient with us as we looked at house...after house...after house... Until she found us the perfect home that checked off every feature we were looking for. If I buy or sell in the future I will definately use Dianne again as my agent. I recommend Dianne to friends and family. I am confident Dianne will help you find the perfect home,or help you market your house to get the true value of your property.
Zillow.com User Review
“My sister sold her home, and because she had such a great experience with my sister that’s why I decided to go with Rachael. It was an urgency situation for me because the new owners that bought my sister’s home were pressuring me to move out so I pretty much put the pressure on Rachael to say I need to get into this place in 30 days and we did it. Rachael just goes the extra mile; she’s just one of those type of people that follows up on all of what your concerns are. She’s been a great, great friend and that’s what it is, she makes a friendship out of this whole relationship with buying or selling a place. It didn’t matter what time of day, if I made a phone call to Rachael and left a message for her she would call me right back. It’s like a 24:7 career for her. Johnston and Associates made my dream come true.”
Valerie Strunk
Tom: “I talked with Rachael, I had my mom’s house to sell and Rachael just did a nice job.”
Mary Alice: “She helped us every step of the way, I’d really never sold a house before and she gave me hints on how to make the house look good and what we could do to make it more sellable.”
Tom: “She’s very confident, she knows the market, she knows the area, and the house sold within two months.”
Mary Alice: “Her friendliness and her warmth really came through and her ability to do what she does is wonderful too.”
Tom: “The advertising was very good, she used print material plus she uses the radio and it works very well”.
Mary Alice: “Selling a house is not a big ordeal with Rachael, it’s easy. One thing that really impressed me about Rachael is she’s so trustworthy. She’s good at what she does, she will never steer you wrong, she’s excellent.”
Tom & Mary Alice: “Johnston and Associates made our dreams come true.”
Tom & Mary Alice Ray
“He was always very professional but never made us feel pressured to buy anything. I really liked that about him. He was very attentive to detail. He would always do all the leg work for us especially during the closing to make sure all of the pieces were in place, to make sure that the closing was on time. He really makes you feel comfortable with asking questions and being very honest, very professional. I would say that they genuinely care about what is best for you. Johnston & Associates made my dream come true.”
Michelle Reis
Ryan helped us both buy this house in 2014 and sell it in 2016. Both transactions were wonderful; in fact, the house sold less than 24 hours after being listed! We couldn't have asked for a better realtor!
Realtor.com User Review
“First of all, Rachael came very highly recommended. We came to meet with her and spent the day looking at houses on the internet. We had given her specific things that we wanted in a new home and she spent a lot of time with us. We came back the next day and she spent the whole day with us taking us all around the area in the homes that we had picked out. She was dedicated to us for two solid days right from the start. After us not having much luck with what was already there on the market for sale, she decided that it would probably be wise for us to meet with Doug Porter (Woodstock Building Associates) to build a house. From that moment on, everything just sort of fell into place for us to be able to do this. She cares about her clients and that she certainly is looking out for their best interest. Johnston & Associates made my dream come true.”
Dee Carnahan
“I put my house on the market about 2 weeks before the big real estate market crash last summer and Rachael really stuck with me through what was a harrowing time. She kept me informed all along the way and did a great job of keeping me informed of all the choices I could make so I felt supported and empowered. She was very creative with different marketing tools and changing her technique based on my feedback. She just went over and above with helping me work with contractors and having someone there when they came to do the work and really filling in gaps that I don’t think of as just being a Realtor. I was going through a big transition and she was always there to help me, she wasn’t just a Realtor. I do not think she could have done a better job. Johnston and Associates made my dreams come true.”
Tracy Harrison
Dianne was in every way professional. From helping us sell our home to closing on our new home, she was there every step of the way. For selling our home, she made sure to take pictures that really gave prospective buyers a feel for our home. Correct angles, lighting, and order. All of these are truly important since most showings come from competent listings. We live in an online world and having pictures, write-ups and focus perfect will make or break a potential showing. Dianne nailed it. For buying our new home, Dianne really lined up showings for us perfectly. While we were looking at homes she helped us keep in mind what we were really after and made sure to point out the positives and the negatives for that perspective all while allowing us to take our time, talk it out and ask any questions we might have. She would find the answers and in excellent timing. Great communication with us, easy to work with, knowledgeable and responsive.
Zillow.com User Review
“My experience was from a seller’s point of view. Rachael has done a couple of sales for some properties that I had on this little subdivision. She marketed them fully, had all the ads and she got results. We sold everything right away. I would think in this day and age with what I do with my business, professionalism really has to ring out. She did everything she ever said she would do. She called when she said she was going to, certainly met people, and sold everything I needed sold. She’s just an honest real estate broker. She’s somebody that you would want to deal with who’s going to deal in your better interest and very professional. Johnston & Associates made all of my dreams come true.”
Fran Knapik
I think the thing that has amazed me so much about the way she handles her job is that she just takes each person that she is working with and it is almost like that is her only client that she is working with that is her only customer. You know I think the thing that I hear the most is that they are so comfortable with her. Almost to the point to where people that have dealt with her, when the transaction is over they didn’t deal with a real estate agent they created a new friendship and Rachael created a new friendship. I can’t tell you how many people I run into and that’s kind of their reaction and I just love your wife, I just love the people at your wives office and their always so friendly and accommodating so there’s a real relationship I think that’s almost born by each and every person that she works with. I’ve seen it over and over again; Rachael goes out of her way to make people’s dreams come true.
Former State Representative, Shawn Johnston