About Orion Partners

Who are we and how are we different?

We are Andy and Lori Orion, two attorneys working as professional real estate brokers. Here are a few salient bits about us:

  • Andy’s education includes computer science degrees from Stanford and Princeton and a law degree from Harvard. Prior to founding Orion Partners, Andy was an attorney at Google, a partner at the national law firm Fish & Richardson, and a software engineer at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory.
  • Lori’s education includes a psychology degree from San Diego State University and a law degree from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Prior to founding Orion Partners, Lori ran her own family law practice in Palo Alto, focusing on collaborative divorce. During the course of her practice, Lori worked with pioneers in the field of collaborative law, helping clients design flexible financial and family support plans for the next chapter of their lives and come up with creative solutions for how to divide their assets (including their homes).

Our education and experience as attorneys put us in a different league than other real estate agents, but the real touchstones of our partnership are professionalism and service. As you browse through our site, we hope you get the sense that we’re not just applying the same old cookie-cutter template you see on other agents’ web sites. Rather, we provide valuable information and advice to help you get started on the path to your real estate goals. We strive hard to provide a higher caliber of service right out of the gate; when you work with us you’ll see that this attitude and service ethic permeate through everything we do.

Why do you want two attorneys to represent you?

The answer is simple: We provide a higher level of service, and you don’t have to pay more for it.

A higher level of service

Law is a client-focused and service-oriented profession: Attorneys must understand their clients’ goals and constraints, and help their clients reach those goals by applying their professional knowledge and tools. If you think about it for a moment, this very aptly describes the real estate profession as well. Here are a few skills we have honed throughout our education and experience as attorneys that are directly applicable to our work as real estate brokers:

  • Honest, actionable advice
    • Attorneys are called “counsellors” for a reason — they are expected to provide candid advice to their clients to help them choose a course of action. We provide you with accurate, timely data and unbiased advice that can help you make the right decisions for you and your family.
  • Negotiation and contract expertise
    • We have formal training in negotiation techniques, and extensive experience negotiating and drafting agreements. We pride ourselves on our ability to come up with creative solutions that fulfill your requirements as well as those of the party with whom you’re negotiating. We understand real estate contracts thoroughly and can modify them expertly to fit your needs.
  • Research skills
    • The best law schools don’t teach their students the law, because the law changes constantly. Instead, they teach their students how to research new questions and new areas of law. We understand that every real estate transaction is unique, as is every client. We apply our research skills to answer your questions, to gather data pertinent to your circumstances, and to help you make decisions that are right for you.
  • Polished and persuasive communication
    • To be effective advocates, attorneys must organize facts and arguments and present them clearly and persuasively. We work hard to make all our communication — from email to offer packages to disclosures and advertisements — clear, concise, and compelling.
  • Attention to detail
    • As attorneys, we are accustomed to tracking complex transactions and making sure details do not fall through the cracks. We pay close attention to the details of your transaction (completing necessary repairs, removing contract contingencies, etc.) so that there are no surprises and the closing proceeds on schedule. The work that we put in during the closing process acts like a catalyst, enabling you to complete your transaction quickly, smoothly, and with less effort.

Two for the price of one

We do not charge a higher commission despite the fact that we are two professional brokers. When you hire us to represent you, we both dedicate our full attention and resources to you — this really is a case of two-for-the-price-of-one. Moreover, our strengths are complementary and they enable us to represent you in a much more comprehensive and effective manner than a single agent could. Whether you like to crunch numbers or talk things through until you’re comfortable at an emotional level, we can address your needs and guide you through your real estate transaction in a way that works for you. You really do have two professionals in your corner.

We are the professionals’ choice.

As a doctor, engineer, accountant, attorney, or other professional, you have the level of education and sophistication to sort through issues quickly, to understand the implications of different alternatives, and to take decisive action. You also have a busy schedule with numerous commitments and intense demands on your time. As attorneys, we’re used to dealing with clients who want to know the important information but who don’t necessarily have time to delve into all the details. We can distill the important issues and present them to you with options for how to resolve them. Let us represent you on your next real estate transaction — work with professionals who can interact with you on your level.

We celebrate your culture.

One of the things we enjoy most about living in the bay area is its cultural diversity. Throughout our education at schools like Stanford, Harvard, and Princeton, and throughout our work experience at globally-focused law firms and companies like Google, we have had the privilege of working with talented clients and colleagues from China, India, and many other corners of the world. We appreciate the perspective, insight, and contributions our colleagues add to our work and to our personal lives. We also understand that people from diverse cultures have different preferences with respect to various aspects of their homes (e.g., the home’s physical layout and orientation, privacy needs, etc.), and the way they engage in real estate transactions (e.g., negotiation style). We respect such preferences and work hard to honor them. Your culture is a big part of who you are, and to us “getting it right” means finding both a result and a way of conducting business that works for you.

We are local experts in Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, and Menlo Park.

Real estate is a local phenomenon. Technically we can help you buy and sell real estate throughout California. In almost all circumstances, however, you will be better served by working with a someone who knows the local market intimately.

We are local experts in the cities of Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, and Menlo Park. We track data at the neighborhood level in these cities, looking specifically at metrics such as inventory (number of homes on the market) and sales performance (number of days homes stay on the market, how many offers homes get, and whether homes sell over or under list price). We are also members of Intero Real Estate, the brokerage with the large market share in Silicon Valley, where we collaborate closely with our colleagues to stay on top of the market.

Our continuous analysis of the local market enables us to spot trends and provide accurate and timely advice with respect to both pricing and positioning. Homes with nearly identical features and specifications can vary in price by hundreds of thousands of dollars based on their exact location and market trends in their neighborhood. Take advantage of this information — put our local expertise to work for you.

You work hard for your money. So do we.

Let’s get down to brass tacks. Click the links below to find out what we can do for you:

We look forward to helping you reach your real estate goals.

Andy & Lori Orion
650-539-5674
team@opartners.com