Based on some of the reviews that say Catalina is really in this business to help people, I forwarded her information to my son. He has a signed agreement to purchase a townhouse and the seller backed out the next day and since then has been making up stories ranging from sudden health issues to the property flooding. My son called Catalina only to be basically told she had no interest in the case and offered no other helpful consultation. So much for helping people... read more

This is my quick love letter to Catalina, I came to her with a heavy heart in a very dire situation. Her ability to be brutally honest about our situation and thoroughly navigate our difficult circumstance, has displayed not only her work ethic, her no bs approach to the law, but the compassion and empathy she reserves for her clients. She is fierce. And we thank God we have found her. She is the person you want fighting for you. She reminded be despite feeling crushed in the last 24-48 hours, that we have rights, and if we have any hope of surviving this mess, she is the person we are blessed with to weather this storm. Thank you and God bless you! read more

Great customer service, quick t answer the phone and provide me with all the info i needed. They were great to follow up after as well to ensure i was good. read more

Ms. Catalina offered me such an outstanding/awesome advice that I truly, truly appreciate. She assisted me when I was in a highly stressful situation and provided such a valuable insight on how to navigate it through a real estate transaction. Talking to her for 30 minutes clarified so much things, more than I could ask for. I am forever thankful for her generosity, kindness, and her willingness to help those in need. Thank you So much, Ms. Catalina! read more

Collins law was professional and super kind. They were extremely honest and walked me through every single step. I never felt alone and knew I could count on them. They spent over an hour during the consultation. I recommend and will be using Collins law for any law needs. Thank you!!! read more

Prompt and straight forward and nice person guided me in the right direction. She don't do family law but now I know what to do

Extremely knowledgeable and a breathe of fresh air when navigating difficult situations regarding real estate / trust issues. I have worked with many different lawyers in the past, the service knowledge I received at Collins law is not comparable. Thank you for being amazing and helping in such a difficult time! read more

Catalina gave me the best advice and guidance. She got back to me ASAP. We were trying to figure out what to do with my parents rental property to avoid capital gains. She knows the ins and outs of the law. She is very knowledgeable. I highly recommend Catalina. read more

Catalina was so generous with her time, explaining and guiding us through a very stressful situation. All 5 star reviews are well deserved. Thank you read more

Catalina was compassionate and knowledgeable in giving us advice that allowed to us resolve our situation in an amicable way. She is the best and has your interests in mind. read more

Catalina was exceptional! She is an extremely kind hearted person and has a genuine desire to help others. She is also incredibly knowledgeable in both Real Estate law and in so many aspects of the real estate profession. She was prompt to respond, transparent, personable, and knew all the answers to everything I asked about plus so much more. Would highly recommend to anyone in need of Real Estate Law Advice! read more

I haven't yet worked with her, but I received a call from her. She gave me lots of valuable advices, for free. I'd like to choose her as my attorney if I really need one! read more

I sent in a request for consultation with Catalina, and she promptly responded the next day and provided me with clear advice and helpful guidance. In particular, she addressed several of my questions around a challenging situation concerning a potential real estate acquisition my mother was considering, and was incredibly transparent regarding the process which would need to be followed, as well as the financial risks of the purchase - not just for my mother but also with regards to how her estate would need to be settled in the future. She also pointed me in the right direction regarding a separate, but related, legal matter which was not her specialty. At the end of the day, she advised a course of action which would not require her services. I found Catalina's integrity, candor, and expertise to be incredibly valuable, and would not hesitate to contact her again should I actually need her help in the future. read more

When an unscrupulous seller and their agent refused to return my earnest money deposit despite them being 100% at fault, I reached out to Catalina to hire her as an attorney. During the initial consultation, she patiently listened to my issue and provided me with free legal advice that ultimately helped me resolve the matter satisfactorily. She actually recommended that I didn't hire her because she's confident that I'd be able to resolve the matter on my own. She truly had my best interest in mind. Thank you Catalina! read more

I felt lucky that I found Catalina. I reached out to Catalina wondering if I should proceed with legal route related to a recent real estate transaction. Catalina talked to us over an hour, analyzed our situation and pointed out a few other tools we could use instead of taking legal route. I really appreciated her kindly helping us out, free of charge ! But I know, who to call, whenever I have any questions on the real estate. I'll happily send Catalina to my friends whoever is in needs of legal service on the real estate. read more

Catalina is not only the most knowledgeable real estate lawyer ( or broker!) I've ever worked with, but she is also compassionate, diligent, and thorough--exceeding our expectations. When she mentioned that she became a lawyer to help people, it might have sounded a bit idealistic, but I truly believe it was genuine based on her professionalism and care for her clients. I will definitely use her services again and recommend her to anyone in need of a real estate lawyer. A rare find! read more

Catalina is hands down one of the best attorneys I've ever spoken with. She made understanding the issue and what steps to take incredibly easy for me. I was in a bit of a bind with a home under contract and ran into some HOA-related trouble that could cost us our earnest money. After my initial call with her, I'm absolutely convinced that continuing to work with Catalina is the right move. We feel incredibly fortunate to have found her, and her expertise has given us the confidence that we'll be able to recover our money. read more

Catalina is absolutely awesome. She is both a real estate agent and a lawyer that will absolutely take care of you! We were so lucky to have randomly stumbled upon her while attending an open house. She took the time to explain to us the quirks of the house, gave us a tour, answered the questions we had in detail, overall very patient with us. Seeing how we didn't have an agent at the time we decided to research Catalina and based on her stellar reviews spanning over 20 years we decided to give Catalina a shot. Boy did we make the right decision, she helped us quickly make an offer and we went into contract on our first attempt. Now if this is where the story ends then it would be a short review. After offer acceptance it felt like what could've gone wrong did go wrong, Absolutely nerve racking as a buyer, our loan was going side ways for all the wrong reasons, we were at risk prematurely removing our loan contingencies and potentially backing out of offer but some how Catalina was able to salvage the situation. With her lawyer/Realtor combo she was able to absolutely dismantle the mortgage broker and lender and sniffed out all their "BS" and in the mist of all that even managing to extend our contingencies despite the seller having back up options well above our offer price. Plus put together a contingency plan incase first loan didn't go through. All said and done we miraculously manage to close 2 days early and it felt like Catalina moved heaven and earth to make it happen. Catalina will be my go to for Real estate needs and would gladly refer her to all my friends and family! read more

We were so lucky to find you and thank you for the great professional service. We feel so relieved now.

Catalina is everything you want in a lawyer: assertive without being overbearing, extremely knowledgeable without being dismissive of your own opinions and experiences, straight to the point and highly results-oriented. I've been struggling with mortgage issues for weeks, talked to at least a dozen other people, and after one 30 minute phone call with Catalina I finally feel like I know what to do to sort things out. Cannot recommend her highly enough. read more

This review is long overdue. Catalina's connections and helpfulness helped me save my house! I was in a tricky situation of needing to buy my ex out of the house, self-employed and not knowing how to proceed. Didn't think there was any way to make it work. Catalina referred me to her mortgage broker who did it! She was able to keep me in my house! For this I'm forever grateful. Thank you Catalina. read more

I talked to Catalina because I had some questions related to a real estate purchase. Catalina knows not only her trade but also is very familiar with many other non law related aspects of real estate - financing, title, inspections. She is knowledgeable, straight to the point and helps you understand the law in plain English. She will be the person I work with on any future real estate related issues. read more

Catalina is one of the best attorneys in the Bay Area and I absolutely enjoy working with her. She is knowledge to know almost all clauses in the purchase agreement contract to fight against the sellers. She really think on our side, empathetic and approachable to fight for us using all her resources. She spent hours to discuss each details of our case to get a holistic view before she put together an argument. She is meticulous attention to detail in every words she wrote. Strong recommend her! She now becomes a trusting friend of mine. read more

Quick response. Made great efforts to understand my situation and assist accordingly. Very fast talker, but fortunately put all in writing upon request, with clarity and completeness. Definitely recommended for any personal real estate purchase concerns. read more

Catalina is an amazing attorney. She did me a huge favor by taking me as a client and I am very grateful to her. She took care of my legal issues very quickly and was an absolute pleasure to work with. I've already recommended her to friends and family and would definitely use her services again. 10/10. Thank you Catalina! read more

We met Catalina through a friend and we are so grateful to have known her for all these years! She is one of a kind, from all perspectives, as a person, as a friend, as a professional, realtor and attorney at real estate law! When the time came to sell our house in BayArea to retire overseas, Catalina was absolutely on the point with everything, from staging to closing, she did not miss one step in the process!! Prompt, very patient, and extremely considerate to our needs and concerns, we could not have asked for anything else. Catalina delivered above our expectations and she even helped us selling all house furniture! She is goal oriented and fearful when it comes to negotiation, and she is one step ahead of everyone involved in the process, making sure every document and disclosure is done right! WE highly recommend working with Catalina! read more

We were not interested in having an agent, but when we met Catalina, our expectations changed. Facts: - We purchased a our dream lot in Truckee, CA. - We would not have successfully closed, if not for Catalina. A bit about Catalina: - Catalina is not like any other agent out there. - Catalina is serious, bold, focused, and results driven. - Catalina possesses a rare work ethic that isn't based around commission, but rather a deep deep pride in her own work and her client's success. - Catalina's Juris Doctorate works for you (keep reading). - Catalina is absurdly responsive and on her game. - We will never use any agent other than Catalina. Opinion: - You will likely, at least once, thank yourself in a huge sigh of relief, for going with Catalina, as we did several times. - Perhaps because of Catalina's licensure as an attorney and corresponding legal knowledge, the seller, lender, developer, and title company all showed far greater professionalism and responsiveness to us whenever we included Catalina in our emails and phone calls. Story: With all the internet resources out there, we did not see a need or have a desire to work with an agent in finding our dream lot. Frankly speaking, the agents we had met and were referred to by friends, often had that 'salesman' personality, they operated in a domain of loose facts, and were not very serious. My wife had incidentally seen Catalina online and decided to call because of her perfect ratings. We had a Zoom call, where Catalina walked us through the entire process and her contract. We immediately liked how she was realistic and never glossed over anything... ever. In the beginning, we met at a few properties that I had identified; I was honestly rather put off by how negative Catalina was about these, as I had already had my heart somewhat invested. But I quickly realized how terrible those lots were, and I instead grew fond of how superbly blunt Catalina is. This focused and blunt personality of her's proved to save us so much time later in the process as we began to form our standards and hone in on what we really wanted. Then we found it... the perfect lot! We loved it, and I began the task of applying for the lot loan with what turned out to be a less than professional lender. That lender sooo so nearly nearly cost us our dream land . We called up Catalina, she stepped in and drove from there. We ended up going with the lending bank Catalina recommended. Catalina then continued to check in with us and the lender, and the title company, and the seller constantly to make sure that we were doing our own parts and keeping to our deadlines. Occasionally, the seller, or the lender, or the title company would overlook my questions, in a rather dismissive way, as I often was ignorant about the process; I hated this. Catalina would continually step in and basically brute force these other parties to be thorough and responsive to us. In the end, we are overwhelmed with gratefulness. We had a very real risk of losing our highly sought after piece of land due to my poor choice of a lender. My wife and I have had many private toasts and high fives each time Catalina came in and pulled some strings for us. In summary: - If you go with any other agent, you are unnecessarily disabling yourself. - There are inevitably times of confusion and doubt about the process and the legal aspects, Catalina has both the legal and market knowledge to push you through to the finish line. read more

Catalina is an absolute miracle worker!! I was on my home search for 6 months & she was right by my side the entire time. She was available day & night for any questions I had. This was my first home & she made this possible. Please, please, please go with Catalina as your realtor you will not regret it, she will make your dreams come true!!! read more

Catalina is a true professional, she is extremely knowledgeable because she works hard! She was punctual and came prepared, she gave us an honest opinion of the current market and how we can list and market our house for maximum return. She has a good game plan and explains clearly what needed to be done and when, she has a competent team working with her to make the process smooth and effortless. Aside from guiding us through the sale of our house, she is super responsive and is always there if we had any questions. We feel she has become part of our family because I know she truly cares about what happens to us and not just the sale. Catalina negotiated terms in the contract that were beneficial for us, and we sold our house way over asking price. I would recommend Catalina in a heartbeat and with her having a law degree is a definite plus because we know we have an extra layer of protection should any issues arise. read more

I had messaged Catalina to understand a landlord litigation on a property I was interested to buy. She promptly reached out and helped answer all my questions without any charge/consultations. She also referred me to her colleague (Martin), who also gave me some great suggestions. Again, no hidden charges :) My offer didn't go through :( But I would like to *highly* recommend Catalina (as well as Martin) to whoever is reading this review. These guys are just great!! read more

Although they could not service my issue, they were very helpful in getting me to an attorney that have a specialty I can use. I think that's great service. read more

Catalina really helped us out with our real estate financial predicament. She was so generous with her time and we could tell she was really concerned about helping us get the outcome that was just. We really like collaborating with her. It all worked out for us. Thanks so much! read more

I can begin to say that Catalina is a bull dog when it comes to fighting for you!! Catalina helped me with a case that I was totally lost in not to mention I had no idea where to start. The minute I called her for legal advise I felt a weight was taken off my shoulders!! Truly I can't thank her enough for negotiating and defending me in this case. I am so grateful and at complete peace now. Thank you Catalina for all you did!!! I know now I have the best lawyer ever. read more

Catalina is an amazing realtor! I met Catalina approximately a year and a half ago through a mutual contact and colleague. We worked together briefly as attorneys, which was when I initially got to know her. When we first started looking for a home, my husband found a realtor through online inquiries. I was extremely disappointed when that realtor would tell me I wouldn't like properties I wanted to see, while instead, pushing us to see other properties she had chosen for us. She even pushed us to make offers on houses we ultimately felt were not home to us, as if she just wanted us to close a transaction as soon as possible and move on to the next clients. We didn't last more than a couple weeks with her before I decided to call Catalina and see if she could help us. Right off the bat, Catalina was a much better fit for us. She was extremely responsive and got us in to see properties the same day, which was important considering the hot market, low inventory, and the speed at which houses were flying off the shelves. Catalina made herself available at all times of the day, whether it was for showings, advice, or to just help us calm our nerves. There were a couple times she even dropped what she was doing at the last minute to get us in to see properties. Catalina is also very honest about her opinions on properties as far as the pros and the cons and potential issues with resale in the future, which we really appreciated. We spent approximately 9 months working with her, until we ultimately closed on our home. I was also extremely difficult and picky when it came to houses, but she never once made me feel like I was wasting her time or taking too long to find "the one". When it came to negotiating with other agents and pushing for our best interest, Catalina also came through for us. She is very knowledgable about real estate transactions and was always on top of things. She really put in the time and effort for us and made us feel like family! We really appreciate Catalina and would recommend her in a heartbeat! read more

I have known and worked with Catalina for close to 15 years. As a real estate investor, i understand value of good real estate attorney. Catalina is responsive, intelligent and very caring. She was realtor before becoming a real estate attorney so she is very knowledgeable about real estate transactions and how to negotiate the best outcome. If you are looking for a great real estate attorney, I Highly recommend you work with Catalina. read more

Greetings, Catalina Collins, where do i begin. I will start by saying how I met her. Coming from the East Coast, New York laws are different when buying property. States like New York, a lawyer is involved in the purchase process. Coming to California, the fact that there is no lawyer involved concerned me. I started to do an abundance of research. I yelped real estate lawyers in San Jose. I came across the top reviewed real estate lawyer, Damian R. Castaneda from Castaneda & Company Attorneys at Law. He explained to me the appropriateness of real estate lawyers in California. He explained that lawyers in California only intervene when a transaction has been mishandled. However, as a realtor he recommended CATALINA COLLINS. What better recommendation for a realtor than from the top real estate lawyer in San Jose. He explained to me that Catalina is an excellent realtor and she also has her law degree. From that moment on, I was sold. I gave Catalina a phone call and told her I was referred by Damian Castaneda. She picked up my phone call after just a few rings. She asked all the right questions and quickly assessed my situation. Being new to this market she knew just what I needed. She knew I needed to be coached up on the California market and documents. I emailed her my pre-approval letter and she already had a few suggestions on how I can stand out as a better prospect. She recommended a DU (Desktop Underwriter) approval. This approval runs you through the entire loan process and gives the seller no doubt that you are a bonafide buyer. She also coached me on shorter contingency days and how it looks better for prospective sellers. Catalina quickly shaped up my paperwork to stand out from the crowd. One of my favorite parts of Catalina's operation is her explanation of documents. She has you come into her office and explains a purchase agreement line by line. She wants to ensure you understand every piece of document you are signing. This ensures when you are in the middle of bidding and negotiating with a seller, the paperwork is understood, exchanged, signed, and returned in an efficient manner. This reduces any undue delay. Sellers like when buyers understand contracts and are able to process documents in an punctual manner. Catalina will ensure you are kept abreast on what every document means and are 100% comfortable with these forms. When I found properties, Catalina was expeditious in scheduling a time to see the properties. Her goal was to quickly see the property and start talking about a plan of attack. We would discuss pros, cons, and most importantly price. We would also assess convenience of commute and plans on how the property would be a resource for me in the future. She does not want you to just buy one property. She wants you to be well-informed, well versed in the real estate market, and learn how you can make more purchases in the future! Catalina wants to ensure you get the best property and at the best price. She will work hard to save you money and ensure you do not overpay for the property. In this market it is easy to get absorbed by the overbidding. She likes to ensure you do not make a bad decision that you will regret in the future. Catalina is also what she calls "Momma Bear". In this real estate market, you may find certain realtors who play games. Momma Bear Catalina ensures you do not fall into these traps legally and financially. Overall, I really enjoyed working with Catalina. She is very sweet, knowledgeable, and aggressive when she needs to be. She understands the laws and the games of the real estate world. She always picked up the phone, readily available, and always made me feel like I was her only client. Most importantly I made a long time friend. If there is one person I want by my side during one of the biggest purchases of my life, It is Catalina Collins!! I hope this review helps you make the right decision in picking her to represent you in your next purchase. Best Regards, Jonathan read more

I met Catalina through my lawyer, and asked her to help me purchase the home I'm currently renting. She did an extensive market analysis for my home with respect to the neighborhood. This is rather difficult because my home is a very unique 1895 Victorian and these types of homes don't sell often. I like Catalina because: she's smart! she's a serious business woman (she responds to phone calls & emails promptly) she's a straight shooter (she will tell you the truth) well-connected (she referred a contractor to me to help with renovations) We also discussed the fact that my home needs a new foundation, which might make it difficult to get a bank loan. She was very knowledgeable about all this, to my surprise. I would highly recommend Catalina if you want selling or buying a home to be a smooth, pleasant experience. read more

Catalina is the kind of realtor that you want in your court. She is extremely knowledgeable about various neighborhoods in the South Bay. She was very thorough with answering all our questions as new home buyers. She also went to bat for us several times trying to negotiate great deals for us. I would recommend 100% read more

Catalina is rather rude and unhappy with her job. I walked in with my family at one of her open houses today, and was greeted with, "I'm tired, hungry and want to go home." We looked around, I then tried to make small talk with her about anyone submitting offers, the market, etc. and I get, "You have to understand, this is an investment property, blah blah blah, whine whine..." Um, no lady, I do not. That's why I am extracting info from you through friendly chatter. Seek another line of work that doesn't require interacting with the public. I did managed to get from Catalina that she's been in real estate since 2003. Yup, time to switch careers. There's no room for tired, bitchy people in real estate. (How can you be tired and hungry after a two hour open house, well into the afternoon? Avoid the club the night before, next time! Hangovers are not fun.) read more

Catalina was a listing agent 3 years ago when I purchased my property in San Jose, CA, and I chose her when my employer relocated me to Dallas TX because I was impressed by her negotiation skill and professionalism as a buyer and thought she knows my home better than other agents since she already sold it to me once. I was so correct. Although the relocation company that my employer hired required lots of documents and commissions for Catalina, she did not complain but happily took this opportunity while another agent at Coldwell banker dropped.. From listing to closing, it took only about a month. She hired professional cleaning service, photographers, and stagers for me, and all of their outcomes were unbelievably amazing although I doubted a little before they started. She gave me all the possible options within my conditions and great advices for selling my home not only quickly but also at the best price. She is a real expert at selling homes, I believe. After thorough market analysis, she knows how to get my property get exposed before open house, increase competition between potential buyers, negotiate with buyers for their offers, and so on. On the top of that, her response is extremely quick when my communication with her was mostly by texts and emails (I was out of country and out of state for the most of time). She kept saying she would be available 24/7, and I did not want to keep bugging her during non-prime time so told her "no rush", but she was always available and responded very promptly. I have talked with a few realtors but she would be the best person in bay area, if there is any others. I would highly recommend to any one I know and would definitely come back to her when I need to buy an investment property in Bay area. read more