Handyman
Min
Speaks:Korean · English
"Min has fixed three things in my own apartment over the years — including a door I thought was broken beyond repair. He shows up on time, charges fair, and explains what he's doing as he goes."
Section 03 · Vendors
Trusted service providers
A directory of vetted service providers active in the LA Korean-American real estate market. The notes on each vendor reflect my own working experience with them. Contact information is shared one-to-one after a short call about what you actually need.
Featured partners
Home services & trades
Services you'll most often need before listing a home, after moving in, or anywhere in between.
Painter
Carlos
Speaks:Spanish · English
"My go-to for pre-listing paint work. Can turn around a full interior in 48-72 hours, leaves the site cleaner than he found it, and Korean-American mothers love working with him for some reason I've stopped questioning."
Plumber
Joon
Speaks:Korean · English
"Licensed. Took a slab-leak emergency call from me on a Saturday night and was at the house Sunday morning. Honest about estimates, and will tell you when something doesn't actually need to be done."
Electrician
David
Speaks:English
"Specialty: panel upgrades and EV charger installs. Genuinely understands the wiring quirks of 1960s LA homes — the finish isn't new-construction-clean, but the safety and code compliance is solid."
Interior designer
Hye-Jin
Speaks:Korean · English
"The designer I refer most often for pre-listing edits. Seoul background, so she reads Korean-family spatial sensibilities fluently and naturally blends 'Seoul apartment' aesthetics with LA living."
Stager
Sarah
Speaks:English
"My most-used stager for vacant listings. Fast turnaround (usually 3-5 days), fair pricing, and her furniture choices play well alongside the paintings I bring in. Easy to work with."
Roofer
Miguel
Speaks:Spanish · English
"Strong insurance-claim experience — writes estimates in the format insurance carriers want, which saves clients weeks. Handles asphalt, tile, and flat roofs. Pricing trends lower than competitors."
HVAC
Tony
Speaks:Spanish · English
"Knows old-LA-home ductwork better than most. Mini-split installs are clean. The spring tune-up package gets you priority on emergency calls in summer when everyone else is booked out three weeks."
Personal recommendations
Transaction professionals
The categories below are settlement-service providers — people directly involved in your real estate transaction. Under federal law (RESPA), I do not and cannot accept any compensation for these referrals. These are simply professionals I trust from working alongside them.
Mortgage broker
Jenny
Speaks:Korean · English
"Most of my first-generation Korean clients end up working with Jenny. Handles ITIN loans, foreign-national loans, jumbos — and knows exactly what documentation is needed when family in Korea is helping with the down payment."
Escrow & title
Sue
Speaks:Korean · English
"The calmest closer I've worked with. Rigorous wire-fraud protocols. Walks Korean clients through international wire procedures step by step. Doesn't lose composure when a deal gets complicated."
Home inspector
Sung-Ho
Speaks:Korean · English
"Thorough without being alarmist. Reports are long, but always end with a 'top three concerns' summary. Will re-explain reports in Korean when first-generation parents need a second pass."
1031 / CPA
Paul
Speaks:Korean · English
"My referral for clients with investment property. Handles 1031 exchange timelines, K-1 filings, and U.S./Korea cross-border tax reporting. Explains tax law clearly and will tell you when something is outside his expertise."
Need someone outside these categories? (Landscaping, cleaning, movers, furniture haulers, etc.) Send me the project type and neighborhood:
Disclosure. Some vendors in the "Home services & trades" section pay a directory placement fee. Whether or not a vendor pays for placement, the notes reflect my actual working experience with them, and I don't list anyone I haven't personally worked with. The "Transaction professionals" section consists of unpaid personal recommendations only — as required by the federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), no compensation is exchanged for those referrals.