Brian recently listed and sold my home in Oakland and he did a fantastic job. His role required him to perform in many dimensions - working through a challenging dry rot repair, working with me on the financials and coordinating multiple contractors. He handled everything extremely well, and put the house on the market exactly when he said he would, despite having to work through several of the above issues. What I appreciate most about Brian is his attention to detail and persistence. When something needed to get done by a certain time to stay on track, he made sure it happened. I recommend Brian to anyone buying or selling a home in the East Bay. read more

If you are looking for an extraordinary relator in the east bay, I highly recommend Brian Santilena. Brian recently helped me sell my home in Piedmont Pines CA and from the first consultation process through the closing paperwork, Brian was in it with me and proactively managing every part of the process. Two things that set Brian apart from the rest are: #1 He cares deeply about you (the customer) and helping you achieve your life goals. Selling a home in the bay area is a big deal and he gets that -- he understands how much work and stress is involved and he literally makes the process as easy and stress-free as possible. #2 He is a true expert in the east bay market and is deeply connected with the best contractors and partners. He provides expert advice to ensure your home will sell at the right time, for the best price. His partnerships with the stagers, contractors, gardeners etc. will ensure you get exceptional quality and the best pricing to ready your home for selling. And Brian leads all the project management (ensuring everything is on time and on budget) which frees you up to focus on your next move. I couldn't have dreamt up a better partner to help me with my transition to the east coast! read more

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We worked with Brian this Fall 2020 to purchase our first home. Brian was referred to us by friends, and we liked his experience in Berkeley/Oakland (where we were looking), as well as understanding of older homes. We really appreciated Brian's attentiveness, directness, and support in helping us understand and go through the process. Our search was wonderfully brief- we put an offer on the fourth house we toured, and it was accepted! Brian advised us with our strategy, and provided insight and resources that informed our offer and which I think really helped. We're excited to be in our new (Victorian) home, and grateful for Brian's help in getting us here. I'd highly recommend him to anyone looking in the East Bay. read more

If you are looking for a realtor in the East Bay, we highly recommend Brian Santilena. As first-time home buyers in a very competitive market, we had a steep learning curve. Brian patiently walked us through the entire home buying process and was always available to tour houses and answer our questions. We really value Brian's assessment of the homes we toured. Brian has great insight about the East Bay market and the true value of homes. He is very helpful in pointing out areas that need attention as well as offering insights on potential upgrades. He kept his focus on helping us get a house with good value that we could see ourselves living in for years to come. After about six months of looking, on our second offer, we were able to get our lovely house in North Berkeley. Brian was invaluable in helping us prepare our offer and walking us through the complicated (to us) closing process. We are getting some work done before moving in and Brian has helped us come up with a strategy and recommended some great contractors. We have already recommended Brian to several friends, and wouldn't think twice about working with him again! read more

Brian is an excellent realtor - astute, principled, patient, and extremely knowledgeable about the market and the home-buying process. For every house we were interested in, he helped us think through how and whether it matched our lifestyle, what the remodeling costs and time might be, and the best strategy for making a bid. He didn't hesitate to get in the crawl spaces and really assess the condition of the house. He was frank if there were any red flags but open-minded about our tendency towards quirky houses. He truly wanted us to have the best house for us and he made the effort to help us find it. And once we won our bid, he was also extremely helpful getting us off on the right foot as homeowners - navigating mortgage and insurance and giving valuable remodeling advice. Thanks so much Brian! read more

As first time home buyers, Brian walked us through every step of this complicated and confusing (and at times slightly traumatic) process. He is attentive, responsive, funny, and kind, and his knowledge of contracting and code was absolutely indispensable. I absolutely recommend Brian and would work with him again in a heartbeat. read more

My wife and I were introduced to Brian by mutual friends. Recently, we enlisted his help to find and purchase our first home. An Oakland native, Brian is intimately familiar with the East Bay market. Supremely patient, Brian walked us through the process and what to expect (particularly with COVID-19). He was incredibly flexible and provided just the right amount of information and input. As we began to view houses with Brian, my wife was impressed by his willingness to poke around basements and crawlspaces with his flashlight, assessing potential issues and identifying possible upgrades. Brian has a strong understanding of home construction, so he helped us assess which projects will be relatively easy versus those that will be more involved, and helped prioritize those that should be addressed sooner rather than later. With his input we were better able to understand the "true cost" of each house we considered. The characteristic that impressed us the most was Brian's thoughtfulness and thoroughness. We made an offer on a house that was declined in favor of another offer. Knowing that this house "checked many of our boxes," Brian continued to track it. A couple of weeks later, Brian alerted us that the house was back on the market because the other offer fell through; we renewed our offer and secured the house we now call home. Simply put, Brian is a trustworthy, knowledgeable, and effective realtor. We would recommend him to anyone looking to buy in the East Bay. read more

Brian is absolutely AMAZING. Despite all of our nervousness / overenthusiasm / nervousness / overenthusiasm, he was always professional, organized, patient, informative, communicative, encouraging, and responsive. (If that list of admiring adjectives seems long to you, you're wrong. I could go *on*.) Before we even met, Brian took to time to respond to a long list of "interview" questions we sent him via email. Our first meeting, I was expecting him to sell himself to us, but all he did was inform us about the process, provide us with some reference materials and contacts, and let us go. It was a good and informative meeting, though did I feel a little ripped off at first that we didn't get a whole horse and pony show from him. But sometimes, the facts speak for themselves. The fact is: this man is good. We didn't once feel pressure to buy, even though he could have gotten away with selling us that first house we ever saw the inside of. It was the almost right house in sooo the wrong neighborhood, but we were naively in lurve. Instead of a sale in the bag in a month, he let us drag him around for another five long months all over Oakland and beyond. But he didn't talk us *out* of buying that first house, either. He simply showed us other options in better neighborhoods, told us a little more about how the real estate market works... and the decision became clear to us. The man just lets the facts speak for themselves. His background as a contractor was endlessly helpful - he was able to tell us to an insane level of accuracy how much it would take to remodel this, and fix that, and how it related to the overall value of the house vs. the asking price. On the house we ended up buying, he estimated the costs of repairs within 2%. Just eyeballing it! I mean, who does that??? Apparently, Brian does. After we were in contract, the whole process got super nutty! Don't even get me started! But through that rollercoaster of a month, Brian just became, well, even more professional, organized, patient, informative, communicative, encouraging, and responsive. Despite inexplicably bizzare behavior from the seller and seller's agent and hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line, we didn't once feel vulnerable or powerless. In fact, because he was so incredibly *good*, we barely even got frustrated. Why bother? Brian was taking care of us! So why wasn't he interested in just selling us that first house we fell in love with? To risk sounding incredibly idealistic and naive, I would have to say I don't think he could have lived with himself if he did. He wouldn't have done his job to the best of his ability - helping us make an informed decision that we would be happy with in the long run, getting us the best value for our money. Even after the deal was closed, he stopped by / emailed a few times to make sure we were still happy with our purchase. Which in turn as made us very happy with him. Oh, and our house rocks pretty hard too. :) Thanks, Brian! read more

The first word that comes to mind when I think of Brian is Integrity. Probably the most important characteristic I'm looking for when dealing with any professional. I worked with Brian on and off for years, looking to buy a house. The "on and off" was due to my own changing life circumstances, and thus more or less desire to put energy into buying a house. Many real estate agents would have given up on me long ago. However, Brian was always professional and patient, and ready to help whenever I was ready to look. Most importantly, it was clear that he wouldn't be happy unless he helped me buy a house that was right for me. It's clear that it's more important to him that his clients are happy with what they've bought than getting them into a house quickly, when perhaps that's not really the right house for them. Through that process, I've also learned that I can really trust Brian - he's going to give me the straight story on anything I want to know about. If he sees a problem with a house, he will tell you - and not just focus on the positives. His background in construction has been a big plus for me. When going through a house, he can identify problems in houses, tell you how important they are, and usually give you an idea of what it would cost to fix/change something. I've been in the basement/crawl space of many a house with him. I finally bought a house a couple of months ago. He really went to bat for me, particularly when we found some undisclosed problems with the house while in escrow. He went above and beyond - looking up permits, talking to inspectors and contractors, and negotiating with the seller. Next time I buy or sell a house, I'll definitely stick with Brian, and I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending him to all of my friends - I know they will be well taken care of. read more

I am very happy to provide this review for Brian Santilena. Our situation was somewhat unique in that we decided to sell our property while living overseas, so we knew we would need someone who was capable of managing every aspect of the process, while actively communicating and helping us deal with the several logistical challenges of selling a property remotely. Additionally, the house needed a fair amount of work prior to being put on the market, and Brian's knowledge of local providers was invaluable in getting the necessary work done on time and within our budget. It felt like a minor miracle that we listed on the planned date even though California was under a deluge of rain for most of the winter, which impacted several outdoor work items. And by the time we listed, the house was sparkling. The process once we listed was handled exceptionally well. The open houses were well publicized and received a lot of visitors. Brian communicated aggressively with other agents and potential buyers before we began accepting offers, and kept us well informed of the activity and interest. Finally, and I believe this is a testament to Brian's savvy and years of experience in Bay Area real estate as much as it is a reflection of the current Bay Area real estate market, we received several offers well over asking. As anyone knows who has ever bought or sold a house, the time between accepting an offer and closing escrow can be fraught with stresses and unforeseen issues. In our case, there were several problems on the buyers' side which ultimately were overcome, but throughout that stressful period Brian was very much present and proactive in his recommendations and actions to help ensure we had a backup plan in case the deal fell through, and to keep our stress levels in check. All in all, we really couldn't have asked for a better realtor, and I would say that even if we had sold for our initial asking price. Brian was recommended to us by a friend who has worked with him on several occasions. I would recommend him in a heartbeat to anyone looking to buy or sell in the East Bay. Thank you, Brian! read more

A friend highly recommended Brian to us, and after interviewing several brokers, we went with Brian. We felt he had the broadest and deepest understanding of real estate of the brokers we spoke to. We also felt that he had the right judgement and instincts about what it took to buy a house in today's market, where it is highly competitive and every house gets a ton of offers. We got a house that we love and were extremely impressed by Brian. For us, Brian's expertise is in three areas: - Ability to size up a property quickly - Guidance on what it takes to win a property - Sound advice during the close process When looking at houses Brian gave on-the-fly estimates about how much it would cost to make certain changes. Brian is a licensed contractor and we trusted his estimates, and I gather others on this page have a similar experience. That made a big difference to us. Often a house is pretty perfect except for a couple of small things. You have to make quick decisions in this market. Frequently you only get one viewing of a house before having to decide whether to make an offer. Being able to figure out how much it will cost to make certain structural changes is helpful. During the offer process Brian was helpful in providing guidance of what range of prices to offer. In this market every house goes for significantly above asking, and we relied on Brian's guidance in this area. We made two offers and we got our second one accepted. Throughout the process we got the sense that Brian's interests were that we got a house we loved. We had a transaction that took longer than expected. The reason for the delay was that it emerged that some permit applications for work done on the house had expired, and new permit applications had to be submitted to the City of Berkeley. At the time of signing the contract, the sellers were unaware that the permits had expired. For some time the transaction hung in the balance, because it wasn't clear how long it would take Berkeley to review the permit application. We felt that Brian provided sound counsel during this period of uncertainty, and clearly laid out what our options were. Another general point. Brian is one of those people who is passionate about the industry he works in. He develops an understanding of every area of real estate - the finance side (mortgages), permits and regulations, insurance, renovation, escrow. If it's to do with real estate, Brian has a strong understanding of it. We felt like we were in very good hands, and that is a comforting feeling. We felt that we could go to Brian and he would point us in the right direction. We ended up using his recommendations for a mortgage broker and an insurance broker, after interviewing a few others. Brian helped us get a house we love, and we are enormously grateful to him. He handled the majority of the complexity of the process, and brought the critical decisions to us with a clear head. He has a calm and attentive manner. If he says he will do something, it's taken care of. No need to chase up at all. That is a nice feeling for a client. We would recommend him highly to others, and we would use him again ourselves. read more

Brian is a real professional. He helped my husband and I purchase our first house and his knowledge and experience was invaluable from viewings to closing escrow. Brian was recommended to us by close friends and we immediately knew why they trusted him with such an important decision. Brian made himself available to answer every question we had (even answering via text at late hours) and not once did my husband or I feel like he was pushing us to make decisions. He took what can often be a stressful, complicated, and confusing process and turned it into something enjoyable (well, as enjoyable as buying a home in the Bay Area can be). Brian's background in construction was also very useful and he was not afraid to get into crawl spaces while wearing his nice clothes. Thank you, Brian! read more

I just bought my first house and I could not have done it without Brian's help. I cannot say enough about the service that Brian provided me as my agent. From the initial conversation to the delivery of the keys, Brian was amazing. It started with a simple question, "If I wanted to buy a house in the near future, what would I need to know?". From there, Brian guided, advised, warned, educated, and supported me through the entire process. He was always looking out for my best interest and never tried to influence me to go outside of my $$ range. If left to my own devices, I would have bought a ghetto fixer-upper in a sketchy part of oakland. Thats what I was comfortable with, but Brian insisted that he could find me something in my price range that I would like, and in a more sensible neighborhood. And boy did he ever! He found me the perfect house. It had my name written all over it. AND its in a fantastic area that I never thought that I would be able to afford. Brian introduced me to my awesome mortgage team and he helped me understand each and every part of the process. Every document, every inspection, every detail. When things in an inspection came back as questionable, Brian went back to the seller and got me more money back! Brian also has an extensive background in construction and he advised me on several areas of home improvement that have been invaluable. His advice has saved me lots of $$ as well as improved my living space. Brian recommended painters, a carpet company, locksmiths, etc... All of which have been fantastic to deal with as well. Buying a house was easily the biggest transaction I have ever done and Brian made it seem effortless. read more

My wife and I hold to a very high standard people with whom we come into contact ~ especially professionals. So it was our expectation that Brian be more interested in being our advocate than selling us a house. His performance and demeanor met and exceeded our expectations. Brian provided us with great guidance at every juncture of this home buying effort ~ (i.e., locations, home requirements, general insight, contract advice, and changes to all of the above.). He also openly conveyed any trouble spots we failed to identify and wasn't afraid to say no if we began to compromise our position ~ we value that ~ thank you! Mostly, Brian understood our needs and delivered. Consistently. Brian gracefully worked with our personalities ~ not to make us out to be unreasonable, but we do like to be exacting and well informed ~ and that requires time and attention to detail. Brian always kept us updated so we never felt the need to hound him for information ~ Thank you, we really value that... For other folks with whom we come into contact, interested in getting into this real estate market, we will certainly refer Brian Santilena as an accomplished, thorough and professional agent who got us exactly the deal and property of which we dreamed. read more

As first time homebuyers, my girlfriend and I were nervous about the whole process. Who wouldn't be? In the Bay Area, you always hear the housing market being extremely competitive and one would expect to have to make offers on multiple houses. And while the market can't be helped, Brian made the process all the more manageable, if not (dare I say it) enjoyable. Perhaps luck of the first time buyer, but coupled with Brian's diligence and knowledge, it was one house, one bid, done and done. From the introductory meeting with Brian at his office to open house visits on Sundays, then to writing up an offer to negotiations and escrow, Brian was efficient and kept the whole process as stress-free as possible. We couldn't be more excited with our first home. Thank you Brian! read more

We are so lucky to have met Brian at an open house one day. Although we were not far along in our home buying process, he was patient and didn't pressure us but provided useful information when we asked Once we were ready, he recommended a fabulous mortgage team, and we were off to find our dream home. He was very up front about the Oakland market and what to expect when looking at homes and potential offers. He was responsive to every question, email, text and request. He was also very accommodating to our schedule (with 2 young children) when we requested to see homes with him. Once we found our home, he was fabulous at scoping out what was really going on with the home. His background in construction is invaluable! We purchased a home that needed foundation work, sewer work, and major remodeling. He was able to negotiate that into the price, work through every question we had, recommend contractors, and work through the process with us. On top of that, it was a short sale, so that extra layer of paperwork was seamless with Brian. I cannot recommend a more professional, honest and all around knowledgeable realtor for the Oakland, Piedmont market. If you are considering a realtor, you won't have to look further than Brian! read more

Referrals are always the best way to go, but with any new project, there's a given uncertainty. Brian was referred to my family for the sale of our home, and he DID NOT DISAPPOINT. He was the perfect partner from start to finish. 1. He responded positively and in a timely manner to the initial email I sent. 2. He was prompt to our first meeting, as well as subsequent mtgs. He quickly assessed the property, asked pertinent questions (took notes and actually LISTENED to our needs), and in an organized and concise manner, explained his background, discussed particulars of the house, explained how the project would unfold and what the timeline would be, and then allowed time for all questions. 3. An added bonus to his repertoire of knowledge, skills and industry experience is the fact that he is a licensed contractor. The guidance he gave us was spot-on, economical, sensible and realistic. He understands the business in its entirety...a huge plus! 4. What you see is what you get. You won't hear a flamboyant speech filled with sales-pitch rhetoric and then no-delivery. His approach is direct, sincere and focused. He lays out a project timeline and adheres to it. He keeps you informed at all stages and is actually present on-site when he needs to be. 5. Brian was professional throughout the entire process. He maintained a calm demeanor (which is critical and was much appreciated) and he nullified the tension associated with completing massive amounts of time-sensitive legal documentation. For those who prefer a paperless transaction, Brian is tech savvy and quick, but he's also flexible depending on your needs. 6. Brian also demonstrated solid strategy and negotiation skills. HIs choice of Title/Escrow company was fantastic...organized, pleasant, quick and thorough. Given the very positive outcome my family experienced, I would not hesitate to recommend Brian one bit! read more

Brian was a pleasure to work with. My wife and I can't say enough about the support and guidance we received as we worked with Brian to find our first home. In this competitive (and overwhelming) market Brian patiently walked us through the process of purchasing the right home for our family. Reasons why I'd recommend Brian: - He took the time to get to know our family, our unique needs, and helped us clarify the type of home we were looking for. - As many reviewers mentioned, Brian's background as a licensed contractor gave him the knowledge and perspective necessary to help us asses the hidden possibilities of a home and quickly scope out the size and cost of projects - Brian knows the East Bay well and helped navigate the nuances of individual neighborhoods - Brian was always quick to respond, let us drive the pace of the search, and gave us the tools and guidance necessary to win a property We saw it all with Brian from fixer to polished home- he gave sound advice on it all. In the end we found the perfect place for our family of four. We strongly recommend Brian to anyone in the East Bay, he's helped us and a number of our friends find the right home. Thanks Brian, we're deeply grateful for your partnership in this process! read more

My partner and I were first time home buyers who were relatively new to the Oakland housing market. Brian was a great in making sure we knew the process as things went on and also keeping us ahead of the competitive market. He knows Oakland very well and can serve all prices of homes. He's very professional and is able to break things down in simple terms for new buyers. If you're buying a home in Oakland, we couldn't recommend him more highly. read more

We worked with Brian to find our home in Berkeley. He's absolutely awesome. He's a former contractor, and so he's got a great eye for telling good from bad houses. He crawled around on his hands and knees in the crawl space of a house while wearing his suit on more than one occasion. He's also on more than one occasion told us that a house was no good. We learned so much about houses working with him. During the actual buying phase, he patiently explained everything and walked us through what could easily have been a very stressful process. read more

Brian helped my wife and I purchase our first home in Castro Valley. We were in a pinch and had found a home and were ready to put a bid in but didn't have the slightest clue as to where to start or what was entailed by the processes. Brain came to us from a recommendation from my brother in-laws realtor in Long Beach. Brian was extremely patient and knowledgeable for my neurotic-self. He was extremely responsive and communicated effectively the entire process and held our hand all the way through. He comes highly recommended! If you are looking for a home and have no clue where to start he is your man! read more

If you are looking for a knowledgeable agent to help you and your family make a would be stressful transaction feel easy then I strongly suggest calling Brian. I first made contact with Brian well over a year before my wife and I actually decided to sell our place. From the very first call I was impressed at his willingness to help. He made the sale of our first home a complete breeze, helping me during the process from A to Z. Throughout the entire transaction he was always responsive and available. He laid out our strategy and executed well above my expectations. Needless to say I plan to work with Brian again in the future and I highly recommend him without reservation. read more

(TLDR: his yelp rating and reviews are well deserved.) Brian Santilena helped me with the purchase of my first house in Montclair. And I say without exaggeration that he was a real asset. I don't think there is anything else I could have asked for: he's honest, communicative and experienced. He knows the housing market he focuses on. Not only the inventory but, because of his (15+ years) experience, the trends and cycles too. This helped me during my search because I could ask with confidence when questions came up during my research of the area, and its offerings. This also helped keep my pricing expectations reasonable as a buyer (particularly in the Bay Area seller's market of 2015) He knows what to look at when assessing a building. (He does have a contractor's license) When we went together to check out potential purchases he could tell me what we were looking at. And point out potential structural issues. Without his guidance I'm sure I would have spent or lost a lot more money down the line. If you have the opportunity to work with him, you will find that he is diligent and easy to reach whether through phone, email or text message. ***Plus, you will not only be talking to a real estate expert, but also a homeowner and a local native that loves his town.*** (Dealing with personable sincere people is always welcome in major purchases like this.) With the market as wound up as it is right now (in 2015) I'm sure there are a lot of agents available of varying competence and quality. I am really fortunate to have partnered up with Brian as I did. read more

We recently purchased our first home with Brian Santilena and would highly recommend him. He was highly available and worked around our schedules to help us find the perfect property. Brian is very knowledgeable about all stages of the home-buying process and was quick to provide helpful answers to all of our questions. If you're looking for a real estate agent to work with for buying a home in the East Bay, look no further. read more

This was the third home I have bought, and the second I have purchased in the Bay. I have worked with many other Realtors in the past, and Brian is by far the best. What other realtor will would crawl under a potential house to get a look at the foundation for you? No one, trust me. He made the process as painless as possible. Would recommend Brian to anyone looking to buy a house in the Bay. read more

My wife and I feel extremely lucky to have worked with Brian on our recent home purchase. A few things really stood out for us: Interest in the physical structure - Brian toured many a crawl space or basement with me to check out the house's structural integrity, look for signs of water, pest or seismic damage or anything else we should be concerned about. Being newcomers to the West coast, this was invaluable to me as I was not familiar with what to look for and Brian was extremely patient and instructive with me in this area. Knowledge of the value - On many occasions Brian was able to provide a realistic assessment of the houses value in his professional opinion VS the asking price and this was very helpful in setting our expectations correctly. Punctual - Brian respected our time and was always on time for house viewings or meetings and this was very important to us. The process - We had to make our purchase and sale while we were on the other side of the country and Brian had all the documents scanned and set up for electronic signature and approval which helped us not miss our opportunity to purchase our home due to travel or other logistical issues. Referrals - Brian made numerous referrals for tradespeople that we ended up using and have been happy with all of them, this saved time and gave us peace of mind that we were working with tradespeople we could trust. Perspective - Even when things were stressful and looking like things were heading south, Brian kept calm and kept us calm reassuring us that sometimes things happen that are not expected and provided us with options on how to handle things. This really helped keep us in the right frame of mind to make the right decision. I could go on but hopefully you get the point that Brian will have you covered and is is truly professional and helpful in many ways that will ensure a smooth (as possible) purchase experience. read more

It's always tricky to pick the right realtor. Based on my recent experience, I highly recommend Brian Santilena at Pacific Union. Here's my story: I had been renting-out my house in North Berkeley for two years when I decided to sell it. My house was in OK shape, but was not ready for Primetime. After one walk through, Brian developed a list of all cost effective things we could do to improve my house's sales appeal. He had a ready set of reliable and well priced tradesmen to call-on to get the work done. He managed the whole project, like a general contractor-- from painting, to plumbing, to landscaping. He also contributed a fine eye to making all the color choices for the paint and hardware. All along the way, Brian gave wise council on what was worth doing and what was best left to the future buyer's imagination. When we moved from preparing the house to putting it on the market, Brian demonstrated equal mastery. His advise on pricing was impeccable. Brian worked with a professional stager to make my house look fantastic. Then he promoted my now picture perfect house on-line, by mail, and through his robust professional network. Hundreds of people came to the two week-ends of open houses. Brian's efforts yielded 16 offers, with the top six all well over asking price. The winning offer was 25% over asking. Then, during escrow, Brian stayed focused, setting up all appointments, and handling all the final details. On every front, from house prep, to marketing, to negotiating the sale, to the final closing Brian's professionalism and integrity shone through. I really could not be happier and based on my personal experience, if my own mother needed a realtor, I'd refer her to Brian. read more

Brian helped us to buy our first home and he was great to work with. He is very helpful and very straightforward. He did not dance around issues with potential properties and had lots of suggestions on what to think about at each place we visited. He was also very patient with us, a must since it took nearly 15 months to get the place we wanted. At no point did we ever feel pressured. Brian understands the business and he was able to articulate every minute detail intelligently. He was also very good at answering dumb questions without being patronizing. He understood what we were looking for and was able to provide insight throughout. I have recommended Brian to friends and colleagues, and he has received rave reviews from them as well. If you're considering a home purchase in Oakland or Berkeley, call Brian first. He is good enough that I made a yelp account to post this review. read more

My husband and I just bought a house in July 2013. We first found Brian as he was highly recommended to us. When we started the house hunt, we knew absolutely nothing. When we first met Brian, he gave a brief outline of how the home buying process works which was extremely helpful. He always returned emails, phone calls, and text messages in a timely manner. He always maintained his professionalism even when we felt overwhelmed and discouraged. We really came to trust his insight and judgement. We are very lucky to have had him guide us through this process and we love our new house! Thanks Brian. read more

Working with Brian was one of the best parts of our home buying process. He not only made us feel comfortable and well-informed about the process but was also very proactive about everything. As first time home buyers, we never got nervous because he managed the communication well and never overwhelmed us with too many details at once. We were very impressed with how he looked at the everything from our perspective and understood our needs. He has a Real Estate 101 seminar which was very helpful to us. No matter where he was, he was always just a text message away=peace of mind! He has a good network of references and was able to point us to the right people for getting estimates for repair etc. He also assissted us with things beyond his call of duty like going the Oakland building dept. for checking out building permits etc. Bottomline is, if you are looking for someone who is nice as well as efficient (which is a very hard combination to find by the way), you want Brian. We highly recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell a house in the area. read more

This review is overdue. Brian helped my husband and I find a home in Oakland this past spring during what seems to be a very crazy housing market. Not only was he patient and understanding (we were also looking in San Francisco) he did not pressure us or rush us through this stressful process. We lucked out on a house in Rockridge and his connections within the Oakland broker community is what I think helped us get our house. We couldn't be more happy with Brian and plan on using him for future home purchases. Thank you Brian!! read more

We shared the experience of Ann N. when it came to buying our first house with Brian 6 yrs ago, but had quite a difficult time when we used him to sell it last summer. To his credit, he found us the hidden gem (fixer upper) bungalow in a neighborhood that we liked and dealt with the wacky seller's realtor. We only had one dust up when he got aggitated over our demand to have our own pest inspection (which found serious foundation issues & about 5x more pest damage than the mickey mouse report from the sellers). Too bad though our home selling experience w him was kind of a nightmare. He offered a very slick marketing pitch but the minute we signed a contract offering a generous 3% commission, he thanked us and then it all went south. Yeah, he gave good advice about what to fix and actually delivered & helped install a new sink. But when it came to what counted, he muffed it. First our house was way underpriced (yeah, it's not in the hills and not his style, but apparently from the many bids that came in, people liked it & offered signif over asking). Ok, we sold it at a good price, so we should be grateful. Here's the problem. A wk before our first open house, brian suggested postponing (knowing that we had a tight window to sell given the twins that we were expecting); we insisted on sticking to the timeline and from that point on he was bitter, kind of vindictive and could not bring himself to speak to me, only my husband. He got a friend to do the open house and that was all good, but mysteriously went "off-grid" a few days before that leaving the wrong number to reach us for showings (previous home phone that was no longer in service. Doh.). Long story short, there were a whole string of things that were supposed to happen that didn't; the communication was terrible and we felt trapped by our contract. Totally taken advantage of. Good thing our charming little house sold itself! read more

My fiancee and I decided it made sense to buy a house rather than rent. Though I had owned a home before I was not at all familiar with the real estate process or even the terminology. I can't recall exactly how I got Brian's name. I think I was web surfing and found his site. I found it helpful because it discussed the different neighborhoods in Oakland. At that point I wasn't sure where to look - what the neighborhoods were like and where we coul find a house we would love as well as afford. On his site he mentioned that he offered a complimentary intro to real estate discussion -- real estate 101 he called it. This was something i needed. I didn't have a broker yet. Wasn't sure I needed one or what a broker actually did. Brian's presentation covered a lot of information and clarified terms I was unfamiliar with him. He was very familiar with the East Bay (grew up in Alameda) and also with the current real estate market. He was able to answer my questions and I liked him. He was knowledgable and savvy. He is a former contractor and knows about home construction. I decided that Brian would be my broker and we began our home search. We weren't limited to any particular list. Yes, Brian sent us listings based on a discussion of our needs and how much we could afford, but we told him about homes we found ourselves. Going out to look at homes with Brian was very informative. He could make assessments about work that might be needed and why a 'bargain' price or fixer-upper might lead to problems down the road We found a house we liked and just when we decided to make an offer we had to leave town. Brian was fantastic in coordinating inspections in our absence and getting us all the information. We were pressed for time but I never felt pressured. I was a novice but I knew I was in good hands. He also helped us with referrals to a loan agent and home insurance. Brian was also able to negotiate for us with the seller and save us thousands of dollars. I recommend Brian as a trustworthy and knowledgeable real estate agent. He won't try to sell you a house. He'll present you with the facts that will enable you to make that decision for yourself. I am very pleased that he was my agent. read more

We have used Brian to assist in both purchasing and selling a home. Both transactions went terrific and I can't recommend Brian's services more. The purchase was back in 2005 and the sale was 2013. The purchase: Brian was very helpful with every step of the way. This was my first purchase, so knew nothing of the process. Brian was never pushy, but always available to explain things, offer advice, or just to open up the place for another visit. When the pre-approved loan fell through toward the end of escrow, he connected me with a stellar mortgage consultant that helped get a new loan within a week. The sale: My wife and I met with him in January to informal discuss selling options. Two months later we were ready to start the process and mapped out a schedule. Within a week he got the house painted, yard landscaped, windows and house cleaned and entire home professionally staged. The photography and website were quite impressive. In under two weeks we received 7 solid offers and we chose one that was more than 20% over asking and had no contingencies. 20 days later the escrow closed without a hitch. Brian always picked up the phone when we called and responded quickly to emails. He also kept us in the loop on everything as it progressed, so we always knew where things stood. Looking back, I'm amazed that he was spot on with the calendar, there was not a single delay or negative surprise in the entire process. We were very happy with Brian's work for both the buying and selling of our homes and highly recommend him to anyone looking for a quality real estate agent. Sincerely, Tony and Julie V read more

I didn't expect my condo purchase to be an enjoyable experience. But, thanks to Brian, it was. Beforehand (and at every step of the way), Brian gave me a clear, and totally accurate, picture of what to expect. He explained to me thoroughly everything I needed to know, and (thoughtfully) left out what I didn't. He recommended a mortgage broker and title specialists who were consummate professionals. Brian handled the inspections, and stepped in to do a bit extra when I had to leave town to take care of my father. He took great care through the whole process. I recommend him wholeheartedly! Addendum: Five years after I wrote the above review, Brian handled the sale of my condo. He recommended workers who painted and made repairs; a stager who transformed my condo into a showplace; and movers who did a terrific job at a fair price. The sale of my condo went as smoothly as the purchase. Brian knows his business. He really listens, and he delivers. read more

Over the past 35 years, we have bought or sold more than a dozen properties. Brian Santilena, the Pacific Union realtor who represented us in the sale of our Oakland townhouse, is at the top of the list of realtors that we have worked with. He was personable, responsive, responsible, and effective - we obtained the desired price for our property. The process of preparing our home for sale was complicated because we had moved into a new home in San Jose before we started preparing our Oakland home for sale. Brian worked with us to make the sale process as efficient as possible. We were in constant communication by telephone and email. He always let us know exactly where we were in the process. He was sensitive to details of the transaction and helped us to understand what our options were. Because we were out of the city most of the time, Brian became responsible for much of the work to prepare the house for sale. He provided access to skilled workers in multiple fields and took an active role in supervising their work. The stager that he recommended was superb. Both he and Brian approached improvements strategically, helping us balance the cost of improvements against the probable gain in sale price (and they were right on target!). He consistently attended to small details that helped make our house as attractive as possible. When it came time to list and show the property, he was strategic in managing the listing, effectively putting the property in front of potential buyers. The property drew an impressive number of attractive offers. With his knowledge of the market, real estate and financing practices, the sale was concluded successfully. Selling a house can be tense and scary. Brian's thoughtful, attentive, personalized service eased those feelings significantly for us. We ended up getting top dollar for our property and couldn't have been more pleased. We are grateful for his professionalism, judgment, and knowledge, and recommend him most highly to those who have need for a realtor in the East Bay. read more

In August, 2013, we decided to sell our home in the Oakland Hills. Fortunately we were able to get Brian Santilena as our agent. Brian visited our home very soon after we contacted him. He did a walk through of our home and discussed with us our expectations from the sale. A few days later he provided a formal presentation on home values in the area, comps, and how long it took to sell homes in our area. Additionally he discussed the marketing plan for the home. He also had recommended list of repairs to ensure we got top dollar for the sale. Within the next few weeks Brian provided contacts for professionals to complete repairs in our home--from the gardener to the stager to the painters. It was clear Brian had great relationships with these professionals. All did an outstanding job, completed their work on time and within budget. This relieved us of the task of finding qualified, affordable professionals. When it was time to list the house, Brian explained a more detailed marketing plan and Brian used his knowledge of that market to determine the best list price for the home. After necessary repairs were completed, Brian held open houses over the next two weeks. Shortly after the second open house, Brian had several offers for our review. Brian provided guidance on choosing the most appropriate offer for us. The home sold for well over asking price. Brian is the best real estate agent we have ever encountered. His professionalism, knowledge of the real estate markets, appropriate guidance on completing needed repairs, great marketing skills and his connections to many affordable professionals, made us realize our dream price for our home. Our overall experience with Brian was very positive. We very highly recommend Brian to help you get the best price possible for your home. read more

Brian patiently helped us through the harrowing process of becoming first-time homeowners in Berkeley with professionalism, calm, and so much expertise. He was always direct, sincere and committed to doing an excellent job at every stage in the multi-year process. His keen knowledge of the market combined with his understanding of how houses are put together (he is a former contractor) gave us the confidence and understanding we needed to be able to select and purchase a home that truly meets our needs. His negotiation skills in the final stage were incredible and saved us so much money. And at every stage he was sure to check in with us to be sure that our needs were being met, that we understood what was happening, and that we were walking away satisfied. I could not recommend him more highly. We found a fantastic house (and knew what we were walking into) thanks to him. If we ever need to sell, he is definitely the person we're going to call to help us with that, too. read more

Brian is not your typical agent. And, after having worked with several agents in the east bay, I can say with confidence that he's the best. He was so helpful and patient with us. He has a real understanding of the market and his background as a contractor made his insights so valuable. He was able to point out pros and cons about all the homes we looked at -- things we would have never noticed but were pivotal in helping us find the right home. We are so happy in Rockridge. Thanks, Brian! read more

Being first time home buyers we were very nervous about purchasing a home. Brian was very patient with all of our questions and helped us evaluate each and every home we were interested in. His background as a contractor was very helpful when evaluating a home. Once we decided on a home he did everything in his power to make sure the sale was as smooth as possible. read more