How Doorifi Helped Bernie Lake Fulfill a Promise to a Friend

When Bernie Lake’s best friend Don passed away, he was left with an important responsibility. Don had known his upcoming heart surgery carried serious risks, so he had put his affairs in order in advance. Part of that plan was asking Bernie to be the executor of his will — which included selling his home in Little Silver, NJ 07739.

Bernie took that last promise very seriously. “It’s a very sacred obligation,” he said. His goal was to sell the home for as much as possible for Don’s two sons, who lived out of state. But he knew it wouldn’t be an easy sale.

A House in Need of Repairs

Don had bought the home about 40 years earlier, and it needed work before going on the market. Bernie didn’t want to spend his own money on repairs and upgrades, so he began exploring ways to sell the house as-is.

One day, while cleaning out the property, Bernie received a letter from Doorifi describing a new way to sell a home. The idea of going online, entering property details, and receiving an offer within 48 hours caught his attention. He thought it might be the ideal solution for Don’s house.

Bernie requested an offer and was pleasantly surprised when Doorifi’s valuation matched his own research. Still, he wasn’t ready to take the first good offer. Feeling responsible to get the very best deal for Don’s sons, he decided to shop around — contacting several realtors and investors to compare against Doorifi’s offer.

The Search for the Best Deal

Bernie spoke with three realtors and five investors. “The realtors recommended listing the house for less than Doorifi was offering — and then they wanted their 6% commission on top of it,” Bernie said. Listing also meant paying the mortgage until the home sold. The investors he contacted offered even less. “None of them matched Doorifi’s offer. They didn’t even come close — not within $20,000.”

He presented all the offers to Don’s sons and recommended going with Doorifi. “Without a doubt, it was the best deal,” he told them.

Peace of Mind Through the Process

Bernie admitted he was nervous about the home assessment. He knew the house needed work and didn’t want to feel locked into the sale if the repair credit request was too high. His Doorifi home advisor, Emma, reassured him there was no obligation — he could walk away at any time if the terms weren’t fair. “It made me feel so comfortable,” he said.

The assessment went more smoothly than he expected. The repair costs came back lower than he had anticipated, and Doorifi only requested fixes for essential issues — nothing cosmetic. “I was very pleased. I thought it was extremely fair. They found three or four things that had to be fixed.”

A Promise Kept

Soon after, Bernie closed the sale and sent the proceeds to Don’s sons. The transaction was quick, straightforward, and — most importantly — allowed him to fulfill his friend’s last wish.

Since then, Bernie has recommended Doorifi to many others. “I’ll always have a warm spot for Doorifi because it really made my difficult situation easy,” he said.