Doreen Zelma

         (512) 761-0567

Doreen Zelma

     
(512) 761-0567
TX REALTOR® #558200

Doreen Zelma has sold real estate in Austin for over fifteen years. She has earned her Brokers license, the Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) designation and is a Certified Luxury Real Estate Agent (CLREA). Doreen graduated with honors from Ramapo College of New Jersey, where she received a BA degree in Law & Society.

Prior to selling real estate professionally, Doreen was the Marketing Director for a global distribution and manufacturing company. She was responsible for overseeing the marketing, branding and product development for 20 years.

Doreen grew up in a family with 3 generations of real estate investors. Her personal experience made the transition to selling a natural fit. The diverse opportunities she has through re-sales, working with investors and custom home building have prepared her to be better informed through experience, which only provides an even greater service to clients.

In addition to her real estate designations, Doreen was awarded Best in Local Business Award for Gated Communities in 2011, was an Austin Business Journal Real Award nominee and has been featured in The Austin American-Statesman, The Week Magazine and Mod Austin Weekly.

Testimonials
This wasn’t my first journey through the home-buying process, but it was easily the best. I was completely lost when searching for a rental property until Doreen stepped in. She was an enormous help with navigating the current housing market and guided me through the entire process. Doreen understood my needs and immediately found two properties that fit all of my requirements. She even met with me during a rainstorm so I could tour a property. Not only did Doreen locate the perfect property for me, but she advised me through making an offer and signing the contract, providing her professionalism and knowledge throughout. I always felt like she was looking out for me and had my best interests in mind. In fact, the rental property she found for me was so perfect that I decided to make it my primary residence. I can’t imagine trying to buy a home without Doreen!

– Sheila S.


Having Doreen as my agent was a dream come true! She always let me know what needed to be done at every step and was so kind when I had questions. She was proactive and was always one step ahead. I appreciated her thoroughness during the sale of my house. I highly recommend Doreen for your real estate needs as she is such a pro!!

– Bridget Y.


Doreen was simply fantastic during all parts of the home-buying process. We have worked with several agents over the past few years, and she has been (hands down) the best. She represents exactly what an agent should be in all regards. She patiently and expertly guided us through the complex house-buying process in a competitive market, educated us, and always made sure we were up-to-date in routine text and email communications. She has an amazing fund of knowledge about all things real estate, and specifically about the nuances of the Austin market. Above all, she is honest, friendly, available, and everything else you would ever want/need in an agent. To say that she went “above and beyond” is an understatement. We cannot recommend her highly enough and know that we would go back to her in a heartbeat for any future purchases or sales.

– Harras Z. & Nida S.


As first-time buyers, Doreen’s expertise greatly helped us navigate the booming market. She prepared us with all the information needed to move quickly when our dream home came on the market. On numerous occasions, other parties involved in the buying process commented that Doreen was very professional and they also appreciated working with her. Her knowledge of the step-by-step process and her quick responsiveness always exceeded our expectations.

– Greg & Tanya H.


Having Doreen on our side was a dream in this stressful market. She is wonderful at explaining exactly what needs to be done at every step, and always made sure we understood what was happening. Buying a home right now is not for the faint of heart, but Doreen is such a seasoned professional that we were in great hands and had such a positive experience! We found our dream house with Doreen and for that, we are incredibly thankful!

– Lesley W.


Doreen was extremely professional, patient, and proactive (the 3 P’s of realty?). She took the time to understand our needs and made the selling process as smooth and simple as possible. She was always timely and easy to reach. I never got lost in the selling process because she explained what to look forward to every step of the way and translated jargon into understandable language. In terms of negotiating multiple offers and navigating the title process, it’s obvious that she knows her job inside and out. I feel confident putting my trust in her to help me make intelligent and considerate choices. She exceeded my expectations and if I need realty services in the future, she’s my go-to favorite person.

– Adam H.


We worked with Doreen ten years ago when we decided it was time to sell our house and move to a home that would fit our growing needs. Unlike our previous experiences with other Realtors, Doreen guided us through the process step by step, making it as stress-free as possible. When we decided it was time to look for our next home a few months ago, the first person we called was Doreen. She helped us weigh our options, and when we were ready to move forward, she once again helped us sell with ease while finding us our dream home. Moving is never easy, but Doreen’s patience and attention to detail make the process much easier. We trust her completely and would not hesitate to recommend her services to anybody looking to buy or sell a home in the area. She is absolutely the best!

– Erin & Chip A.


Doreen was knowledgeable about the home selling process and walked me through step-by-step. She was tireless and thorough. I appreciate having had her as my realtor!

– Laura O.


“Having Doreen as my realtor was such a relief! She stayed on top of the property as it was being completed, she got answers to questions I didn’t even know enough to ask, and she kept me updated and informed (yes, that means she explained everything to me!). I truly appreciated having her knowledge and experience by my side as we went through the process together. Thank you, Doreen!”

– Carol H.


“Doreen is extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and thorough. I bought my first house 2 years ago at the age of 25, as a single woman, and she made it seem so easy. She was always contacting me, advising me, and answering all of my questions. Doreen is patient, kind, and fun to work with when searching for a new home. I am so incredibly thankful that I had her along my side. If you are looking for an intelligent, professional, low stress Realtor, Doreen Zelma is the one!”

– Victoria H.


“We would like to offer our strongest recommendation for selecting Doreen Zelma as your real estate professional. We have used Doreen in the past for both purchasing and selling our home. In both cases she was professional, honest and extremely helpful as we worked our way through the process, whether buying or selling.

Doreen always had our best interest in mind. She was very responsive to our needs, always responding quickly and addressing our questions and concerns.

Doreen is a true professional and it has been our pleasure working with her.”

– Bill and Deb G.


When my wife and I first started looking for homes without Doreen, we stuck searching only when it was convenient to our old real state agency. Thank god we switched. Doreen made herself available to us night and day, any day of the week. She was knowledgeable and helpful, and we have already recommended her to our friends.

– Drew and Alex G.


“Buying a house is not an easy task. It can be more difficult if you are trying to buy one when you live 1300 miles away. We had to put our trust in Doreen to make it happen. Doreen is the hardest working realtor that I have had experience with. She is so knowledgeable about the real estate in Texas and she put that knowledge to good work in making sure that the house we bought would meet our needs and not have any unknown issues.

If the need arises again, Doreen will be our go to person for any future real estate transactions.”

– Gary and Carol H.


“Doreen Zelma is hands down the best real estate agent we’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. Doreen was indispensable to us while we went through the process of having a new home built in south Austin. Twice weekly she made trips to the site providing us with photos of the building process. These photos proved invaluable to us, noting construction errors that we could immediately have our builder correct. This was extremely important to us since we were living in Houston and only able to make it to Austin once every six weeks or so.

Her knowledge, patience and professionalism kept us grounded during the many months it took to have our home built and with the many construction issues we had to deal with during that time. She more than earned her commission and the builder should have given her a bonus since it was her diligence that nipped their errors in the bud allowing them to be quickly resolved.

We would highly recommend Doreen to anyone either looking to buy or sell a home. You will not find a better real estate agent anywhere and we’ve dealt with many.”

– Debbie & Bill G.


“My girlfriend and I are small fish compared to the other clients Doreen has but were treated no different. Doreen is hard working, on point, by the book, and above all she is considerate and thoughtful. Every time we were ready to see a place she was ready to show it.”

– Evan F.


“I really can’t say enough good things about working with Doreen when purchasing a new home this summer. For starters, I spent 8 years in the mortgage industry, and had occasion to work with a multitude of realtors. Doreen is heads above one of hardest working, ethical, and results-oriented realtors I have ever met in the industry.

I can truly say that Doreen went above and beyond to get me into a home this summer. I can’t say how many houses we looked at, all over Austin, before the summer was over. I was at a point of despair, but Doreen kept me focused, and never tired. The house that I finally bought was one of the “out of the box” solutions that she came up with when we just couldn’t find anything that worked. I love my home, it is so perfect for us! I would have never found this one without Doreen.

There are a lot of choices when it comes to choosing a realtor these days. If you want to work with the best, work with Doreen.”

– Mary K.


“My family always knew that when the time came to sell a family property we would choose Doreen Zelma. Her reputation stands on its own. We needed her services this year and we knew it was going to be a family affair. Doreen’s professionalism and honesty are as the ways of the past and rarely seen in today’s world. Her focus on details kept the sale of the house on course and eased minor issues not to become major glitches. Doreen’s communication and people skills are probably her biggest assets. We felt like we were in the best hands in the business and she gave all of us a sense of security which allowed us to let her do her job. She did her job with the highest of standards and we will always come back to Doreen Zelma.”

– Shirley H.


“I have both sold and purchased properties with Doreen Zelma, and simply put, she is the bee’s knees. Completely professional, knows the Austin market better than any other Realtor I’ve spoken with, and is the queen of negotiation. Her brutal honesty and intuition with the market makes her a keen professional for both home sales and purchases. If buying, she’ll show you only the properties that are a good match to your wants list, find properties you didn’t even think would be an option, and ultimately be the best matchmaker for you and your new home. If selling your home, she’s strategic with marketing and timing, coordinates only high-quality professional photography to showcase your home in its best light, and works the open houses like a boss. In either scenario, Doreen is simply amazing. I’ll be working with Doreen exclusively for all of my Austin real estate dealings.”

– Elissa M.


“Doreen made the process of buying a house so seamless and pain-free. I really liked her honest nature and her ability to ask me the right questions to ensure I knew what I was getting into.

She was available to answer all of my questions at a moment’s notice and always made herself available as a resource. I would recommend Doreen to anyone looking for a knowledgeable realtor that puts her clients first. Thanks, Doreen!”

– Lindsay H.


“This was my second time to purchase a home through Doreen. This time around, my husband and I looked for almost two years for a home for our growing family. We changed our minds several times on what we wanted. We went from this zip code to that zip code and from wanting a piece of property to build on to wanting an existing home. Doreen was always patient and helpful. She also understood when we had our first child that we had to take a step back from the process for a few months. She is a fantastic person, friend, and realtor. She is professional, prompt, aggressive, patient, and understanding all at the same time. Doreen listened to what we wanted and helped us find the best home possible for our budget and lifestyle. Doreen is fantastic!”

– Daniel and Julie M.


“I had my heart set on finding a home in the ’04 zip code that came with all of the “essential” amenities (gym, pool, personal washer/dryer, etc.). Another request of mine that was a little “strange”: being in an area that was surrounded by nature. I knew this was going to be a challenge and just when I was about to give up the nature aspect, Doreen miraculously found me the PERFECT place that fit ALL of this criteria plus extra bonuses (not only do I have direct access to the greenbelt, but I also have a big oak tree right outside of my patio!).

She did a lot of footwork for me and she was very fast. Dealing with people can be tricky, but she asked all of the right questions and used her “New York aggressiveness” to make sure I was really going to be happy. She sure knows how to do business with people because I got a great deal in a “hot spot”. I was extremely impressed with Doreen’s services. She is the kind of person that will not give up until the client is 100% satisfied. Some agents only care about making money and they don’t have the client’s best interest in mind, but Doreen is the complete opposite of that. I highly recommend her services! You will not be disappointed!”

– Andrea C.


There is no realtor in Texas like Doreen Zelma and there never will be. My wife and I started our quest to find the perfect homestead in the Driftwood or west Dripping Springs area; some two years ago. All the realtors we had contacted acted like they did not want to work with us until we got lucky and found Ms. Zelma. Doreen spent nearly 9 months working with us to find the perfect home. When we changed our mind on a house or two she did not abandon us. She wanted us to have the perfect home for our needs as badly as we did. Her professionalism is beyond exemplary. I encourage anyone looking for a home to hire Doreen as their realtor. In the age of horrible service, Doreen stands out as the benchmark! Today we own Wyatt Ranch because Doreen works so hard for us.

– Ames T.


My husband and I moved to Austin from Rapid City, SD and we were used to open space and the convenience of short commutes. My office is in downtown Austin. Doreen really listened to what we liked and what we didn’t like. She asked lots of questions to get to know us. She identified properties based on our needs and wants and helped us find a place that met our expectations very quickly. Doreen was not pushy and helped us look at various alternatives so we were sure we wanted to move ahead with an offer on the home we ended up purchasing.

Doreen was also helpful in getting us in touch with a lender who made the process very smooth. We would highly recommend Doreen. She is truly a professional, she understands the market and best of all she is fun!

– Don and Jackie S.


Doreen is the hardest-working realtor I’ve worked with in any city. Wouldn’t consider going to anyone else.

– David. O.


“Working with Doreen was a great! She was able to sell our house in 11 days, even in a down economy. We didn’t expect the house to move so quickly, but she was able to help us regroup and find our dream home in record time. She was very understanding of your needs and helped point us in the right direction. She held our hand through the whole process and we are forever grateful – she really had our best interest at heart!”

– Christine T.


Doreen Zelma was absolutely exceptional in professionally representing us in the sell of our home, which can be quite a stressful experience. However, she also showed us that it can be a great learning experience. Her sincerity and negotiating skills were very critical throughout the whole process. This is the third home we have sold and this was by far our best experience. We found Doreen to be very knowledgeable, helpful, accessible and prompt, resulting in a viable offer on our home in 4 days – in a down economy! We would not hesitate to recommend her.

– Phillip and Tina G.


As second time home owners and first time sellers, Doreen made the entire process so much easier than we could have possibly imagined. There was never a moment where we were in the dark, as she kept us up to date and informed every step of the way. She told us exactly what needed to be done prior to our house going on the market and helped find us the perfect new home. Although we aren’t going to be in a hurry to leave our new home, whenever that day does come, I can guarantee that we’ll be giving Doreen a call. We would definitely recommend her to anybody looking to sell and/or purchase a home!

– Chip & Erin A.


“My wife and I had no experience in real estate, and needed all the help we could get, especially when the unforeseen challenges started falling out of the sky like hailstones. Doreen’s tireless work, perseverance, advice, experience, and knowledge were just what was needed to get the job done. We are very happy Doreen was our real estate agent and represented us according to our wishes.

– Ben and Suz”


‘Doreen helped us immensely with our house search here in Austin. We were unfamiliar with the real estate market here and Doreen worked with us to fully understand our needs and was fully engaged in getting us our ideal home. We are now settled in our new home and Doreen has been extremely helpful and responsive the whole way through this process. I would recommend her to anyone that is looking to buy or sell a house in Austin.’

– Ben & Sue H.


“We just wanted to thank you for all your hard work. My wife and I couldn’t have been able to find this home without your expertise of the local market and guidance throughout the process. Knowing we were in such good hands made us a lot more comfortable buying a house before we moved into the area. We appreciate the fact that you really took the time to get to know us and our needs so that when we were able to look at houses, you only showed us the ‘good’ ones. Your diligence and attention to detail was invaluable during the closing process and we can’t imagine ever using another agent besides you.”

– Thanks a Million,
Michael and Andie H.


“Doreen was a good realtor to work with. My husband and I don’t have much experience with realtors (only have used 2 in our life).

Doreen made buying our investment property much easier than if my husband and I had done it on our own.

She was prompt on getting information to us and returning our phone calls. Doreen was available to us at all hours. During “crunch time” she met with us at our workplaces (which is completely out of the way for her).

There were a couple of items she noticed during closing that our lenders had made mistakes on and we where able to correct before all the paperwork was finalized.

Our overall experience with Doreen was a good one. And we would recommend using Doreen as a realtor to anyone.”

– Clint and Aaron B.


“Buying a home was such an amazing experience thanks to the expertise of Doreen. She was so helpful and knowledgeable about everything. In the process of buying a house, with all the going back and forth, it’s nice to know that you have someone speaking for you who wants the best for you and wants to do it in a timely manner as though she is buying her own home. I would definitely recommend Doreen to anyone who wants to find their dream home within their budget and with everything they are looking for. The experience I had in buying a home was unforgettable and will be appreciated for years to come.”

– Rachel F.


“Where do I begin? You have done so much for me in the last few months. I know my ‘first time home buying experience would not have been as enjoyable with anybody else. Thank you for always being available to me whenever I had questions or needed reassurance. I appreciate your tact and ability to give me thoughtful advice. I have enjoyed getting to know you & wish you the best!”

– Julie B.


“Hi Doreen,We would like to thank you for all you’re hard work in locating our new investment properties.Being in Calif. and able to view all the properties that met our criteria on the Gateway was great, just sit in front of our computer and let you know what to look at. I know you did a lot of driving around and it’s greatly appreciated. The properties are in a perfect area and just around the corner from each other. How you came up with two having the same street number is beyond me but it’s easy to remember. Seriously, the work you did was excellent. So much so that you are now our Texas agent. It was a pleasure meeting you and we’ll be in touch soon.”

– Roy and Barbara D.

Featured Listings

 

Designations & Education
Associated Broker
Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI)
Certified Luxury Real Estate Agent (CLREA)
Course Date Course Number Course Name Provider Name Hours
06/02/22 42040 Legal Update II (2022-2023) Texas REALTORS 4
03/03/22 42039 Legal Update I (2022-2023) Texas REALTORS 4
12/07/21 42364 Get LinkedIn Schmooze Networking 1
11/24/21 751 Real Estate Brokerage The CE Shop LLC 30
07/07/21 351 Promulgated Contract Forms The CE Shop LLC 30
03/16/21 39962 Broker Responsibility Course (2021-2022) Texas REALTORS 6
02/24/21 39045 Social Media Content & Strategy Schmooze Networking 2
01/13/21 38974 You Mean Real Estate Contracts Must be Written Texas REALTORS 3
01/07/21 39914 Be Vocal, Be Visual, Be Vital Schmooze Networking 2
11/10/20 37612 Introduction to 1031 Exchange & Strategies Kim Ray 2
09/30/20 39045 Social Media Content & Strategy Schmooze Networking 2
05/01/20 36339 Cover Your Assets: Managing Personal and Professional Risk AceableAgent 5
04/22/20 37797 Legal Update II (2020-2021) AceableAgent 4
04/21/20 36207 Lose That Paper Weight: Moving to Paperless Transactions AceableAgent 2
04/08/20 37796 Legal Update I (2020-2021) AceableAgent 4
04/01/20 33262 Be the Neighborhood Expert: A Video Course with Jason Edwards AceableAgent 3
11/04/19 37080 Matrix Analytics and Reporting Austin Board of Realtors 2
06/18/18 33980 Certified Luxury Real Estate Agent 360training.com, Inc. 10
06/08/18 33198 Legal Update II 360training.com, Inc. 4
06/06/18 33197 Legal Update I 360training.com, Inc. 4
06/19/16 29890 Valuation, Marketing and Listings RealEstateCE.com 4
06/14/16 30442 Building Green RealEstateCE.com 3
06/10/16 30440 Floods and other Natural Hazards RealEstateCE.com 3
05/30/16 29623 Legal Update II RealEstateCE.com 4
05/21/16 29622 Legal Update I RealEstateCE.com 4
09/17/15 27924 CFPB–INTEGRATED MORTGAGE DISCLOSURE FINAL RULE Old Republic National Title Insurance Company 1
07/08/14 24228 BROKER RESPONSIBILITY COURSE (CCR) Lamar Institute of Technology 6
06/30/14 26697 Closing & Settlement Cost Lamar Institute of Technology 3
06/27/14 26448 TREC Legal Update MCE Lamar Institute of Technology 3
06/23/14 26447 TREC Ethics MCE Lamar Institute of Technology 3
03/11/13 25059 MATRIX QUICK START Austin Board of Realtors 2
06/15/12 22717 HOW TO AVOID PITFALLS AND PROBLEMS WITH THE RESIDENTIAL CONTRACT St Edward’s University Professional Education 9
06/13/12 23558 TREC Legal Update MCE St Edward’s University Professional Education 3
06/12/12 23559 TREC Ethics MCE St Edward’s University Professional Education 3
06/17/11 19225 CMA/ADJUSTMENTS AND THEORY Real Property Counselors, Inc 3
03/16/10 18676 SHORT SALES AND FORECLOSURES: WHAT REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS NEE Texas Association of Realtors 8
12/21/09 16497 TREC ETHICS MCE (E) Stewart Title of Austin, LLC 3
11/09/09 16496 TREC LEGAL UPDATE MCE (L) Stewart Title of Austin, LLC 3
10/22/09 17967 BROKER PRICE OPINION TRAINING AUSTIN TEXAS HOMES, LLC 2
06/25/08 16496 TREC LEGAL UPDATE MCE (L) Stewart Title of Austin, LLC 3
04/17/08 16497 TREC ETHICS MCE (E) Stewart Title of Austin, LLC 3
04/07/08 16807 ARRANGE YOUR LISTING FOR SUCCESS WITH FENG SHUI Austin Board of Realtors 8
10/19/07 16172 REPRESENTING AFFLUENT CLIENTS AUSTIN TITLE COMPANY 2
09/17/07 16028 MLXCHANGE INTRO Austin Board of Realtors 2
08/22/07 16028 MLXCHANGE INTRO AUSTIN TITLE COMPANY 2
07/12/07 888 GRI III(PROPERTY MGMT) Texas Association of Realtors 30
06/07/07 555 GRI II(MARKETING) Texas Association of Realtors 30
05/10/07 444 GRI I(FINANCE) Texas Association of Realtors 30
01/05/07 14229 THE REALTOR CODE OF ETHICS: YOUR PROMISE OF PROFESSIONALISM Austin Board of Realtors 3
11/15/06 15460 RISK MANAGEMENT 901: REAL ESTATE SHORT SALES HENSLEE, FOWLER, HEPWORTH & 1
06/15/06 6100 ALL RELATED (EXCEPT R.E.) SCHOOLS FROM WHICH RELATED CREDIT IS ACCEPTED 60
06/03/06 512 REAL ESTATE MARKETING II The University of Texas at Arlington 30
04/22/06 1200 LAW OF CONTRACTS The University of Texas at Arlington 30
03/30/06 1111 LAW OF AGENCY The University of Texas at Arlington 30
03/24/06 112 PRINCIPLES OF REAL ESTATE II The University of Texas at Arlington 30
03/09/06 111 PRINCIPLES OF REAL ESTATE I The University of Texas at Arlington 30