My wife and I have recently had the pleasure of working with Matt on a real estate purchase on the coast. I'm a long time coastside local and grew up there since the mid 70s. We know lots of realtors and had lots of great choices for who could represent us. We ultimately decided on Matt after sitting down with him for a cup of coffee to see how we all gelled. My wife is very easy going and I am very structured, need a lot of contant attention and like to be kept in the loop, in other words I'm high maintenance. We explained what we were looking for in a property and set Matt to the task. We looked at a few places on our own and had Matt show us a few others. The property we ultimately purchased was a "for sale by owner" which many realtors might shy away from for fear of having to work too hard. Matt was stellar and exceeded our expectations every step of the way and did a great job of keeping us in the loop at all times. He team was on top of all the details and worked well with our finance team behind the scenes to make sure the transaction proceeded smoothly. We would highly recommend Matt Haugen to anyone purchasing a home on the coastside. read more

I did a one star review before and would like to amend my reasoning. We and Mathew did have a miscommunication about the appointment day. I misread what he said about the date in question. However, I stand by the one star based and the poor communication from Mathew. We were able to talk to him once on the phone, he did send us some listings. We gave him our thoughts and a long while later he sent us the same listing again with some added. Keep in mind, these were long breaks between each email. We started talking in August. There was a gap of nearly three weeks before we even got the first list. We wrote that we would be in town 10/27-11/6. I had written on the 23rd that we were dealing with a family matter. We then wrote to tell you we were in town and looking forward to meeting with you. We did not hear from you until after the (misunderstood) date we were supposed to meet. You did not cc me on any emails, even after I wrote about the family matter from my email address. So, as far as my rating, I think I will keep it. read more

Would highly recommend Matthew Haugen at Ocean Element Realty ! A++++. Transaction closed at a fair price for prevailing market conditions. Thank you. read more

We worked with Mark Weisbarth and he is fantastic! He is super knowledgable about the coastside market- from Pacifica to Half Moon Bay, Mark knew not only all the individual neighborhoods but down to specific communities and streets. He was able to find information about specific condo developments and give us detailed background on every property we looked at. Not only is Mark incredibly well-informed but he is super nice and all-around an honest and hardworking person. He was very patient as we had a million questions and he provided clear, well-researched answered to all of them. The listings he suggested for us were right on the money and felt tailor-made for our wish-list. Mark's knowledge of the market is outstanding, especially when it comes to the unique quirks of the Bay Area coastside. He understood the potential of each property we looked at and he really took time with us. We never felt rushed or pressured or "just another client." If you're looking for a good buyer or selling agent, can highly recommend Mark for your needs! read more

Gabe Weisbarth was incredible to work with! He sold us our first home and made the process fun, had excellent communication and we really felt supported throughout the entire process. I would highly recommend Gabe as your realtor! read more

David Oliphant is truly the master at getting his clients the highest price for their home! He has a long track record of doing extensive renovations for his clients that always turn out beautifully! At our house in Half Moon Bay, David managed a renovation project that touched every part of the house: Patched and painted walls and ceilings, laid new carpeting, repaired damaged wood floors, installed new appliances, and replaced plumbing fixtures. The works! Once the project was completed, David sold the house for $300,000 more than expected netting $225,000 in additional profit. Wow! Thank you David! read more

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We worked with David Oliphant and Ocean Blue to help sell our El Granada home in May 2025. we LOVED working with David and his whole team. They were personable and professional. They made the process extremely easy, were great with communication, and made our house sparkle. They really go above and beyond to make you feel welcomed, appreciated, and part of a family. Would highly recommend to anyone looking to buy or sell a house! Alexis & Mike read more

We just sold our Miramar home with David Oliphant, we were on the market less than a week prior to accepting an offer over asking price. From the get go, I sought out David to work with as I had seen the great marketing work he had done with a neighbor's home. His video marketing their home was what sold me on David! A huge part of a successful home sale is all the prep work involved- new carpet, paint, cleaning, repair jobs- the list is endless. David's team is A-List only. Stephanie Duncan, his listing coordinator, is fabulous. From getting carpet bids to hardwood floor bids to following up and coordinating with the painter, the power washer, the handyman- I could not have accomplished what I did without her help. David stayed very involved, and was totally accessible for our multitude of questions. He gave very good guidance on choosing a stager and great advice on pricing our home to sell- I trust him completely. He walked us through the new laws regarding buyer's agent commissions and advised on what he is seeing commonly on the Coast. And his marketing video of our home did not disappoint! He could have a second career on television if he chose. I am so glad we chose to work with David Oliphant- he's smart, ethical, a great advisor, very experienced, and has chosen a great team to support him. read more

David Oliphant went above and beyond in helping us get our house ready to put on the market. David is incredibly knowledgeable and made the process very stress-free. He was always there when we had a question. I highly recommend David Oliphant to be your realtor. read more

Well, this review is way overdue but Ocean Blue deserves it...we were in a competitive bidding situation for a house in Half Moon Bay and Karina from Ocean Blue made it happen for us. She guided us through how to position our offer, a letter to include, what carrots we could offer the seller - and to our shock and joy our offer was accepted. Part of the deal was that we gave the existing owners several months to move out, and they left the house not so clean. In stepped Ocean Blue again - they covered a thorough professional cleaning, and then David (the owner) showed up and spent hours helping me empty the house of all the items left behind. Truly a personal touch which went a long way. In addition, OB are huge proponents for HMB, and have a great presence in downtown. They're awesome. THANK YOU OCEAN BLUE! read more

Highly recommend Lucy, the best service on the coast...... highly recommend . She goes above and beyond to make sure the transaction is successful. read more

We highly recommend David!! He exceeded our expectations. He was very professional and very helpful with contacts fir us to help make our move go smoothly. David is very knowledgeable about the real estate and are very happy that we chose him to represent us in our successful sale of our home. Thank you David Steve and Beth Bo read more

Ocean Blue Real Estate is the best there is! David Oliphant was a pleasure to work with. His negotiation skills and calm manner was so helpful. Selling your parents home is never easy, and there are always a few bumps in the road. David was an advocate for me and a true partner every step of the way. He responded quickly to the million questions I asked and I always felt he was looking out for me. A big shout out to Ocean Blue Real Estate!!!!! read more

David was very professional and knowledgeable about the market and put together a successful strategy to get our house sold in record time! He was very responsive to all of our needs during the entire process . read more

David was my agent for my first ever home sale and not only did a fantastic job and got my house sold but also supported me throughout the process with his wonderful positive and calm demeanor. He truly loves what he does and understands the emotional side of the process so is a tremendous resource of strength and support! He also is very knowledgeable about the Half Moon Bay market so was a great guide in making all decisions. read more

We were on vacation in Portugal when our Ocean Blue agent Karina Ballantyne alerted us to the perfect house for us. Because of her care and diligence, her attention to detail and her excellent negotiating skills, we purchased the house of our dreams! But that wasn't enough because, of course, Karina also took care of selling our former house, helping us through the process and obtaining the best possible price. We appreciated Karina Ballantyne's commitment and dedication. She truly enjoys finding the right house and making her clients' dreams come true. read more

There are no words to explain the level of professionalism David and his team provide to their clients. Five years ago we found David at an open house on the coast. He was able to work with us and found our coast house in a matter of weeks....over the years he has become a friend and neighbor. When we were ready to sell our home in October, we made a call to David once again. He and his team of agents and photographers went to work to ensure we were prepared for the open market. In a matter days with competing offers we sold over asking. From the time of P&S to closing we never worried about a thing. My only regret is he is not our agent as we search for our next home outside of the area, any interest in Palm Springs...? Thank you David for always being there, you are the best in the business. Bob and Charles read more

It is no surprise David has been awarded the top agent on the coast for multiple years (in the top 1% of his peers). David is the consummate professional ... likely the best agent/team I have worked with the past 20 years. Not only does he approach the process as a calm and collected partner in the process, he has an entire network of professionals he calls on when it comes to specialized inspections/assessments and in our case when we needed electricians, carpenters, flooring people after we bought our home. All of which work with him on both homes he sells and buys for his clients. Each of them have been as professional, considerate, and reasonable as David. David brings years of experience and insight and was really a valued partner and guide in our home buying process. I would work with him again 100%, no hesitation. read more

Ocean Element Real Estate - Real Estate Agents Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

After talkig to friends that had bought and sold house in the area we met with a few agents and choose David. We were selling our house of 27years. Selling.houses today is not the same as it was 10 years ago. It keeps evolving. While talking to other agents we found most were stuck in the past and had not. adapted to the new world of selling using online media as a primary tool. It seemed like a lot of "post and pray". David understands how online media works and how to use it to your advantage. We got to market in 2 weeks and the house sold in a week at a very good price after a few rounds of negotiating. The buyer had to close in 3 weeks. Right in the middle of our planned vacation. David helped us arrange our move and was onsite on move day since we had already left on our trip. It was a grreat experience. Thank you David?! read more

David is the absolute best. This was our first time selling a home and we aren't exactly the most prepared & diligent people in the world. David met us at our level and made everything super simple and efficient. It was an entirely smooth process and he got us a great offer in a down market. Plus, he's probably the coolest guy in Half Moon Bay. Can't recommend any stronger! read more

Buying our first home was a complex and at times emotional process, and choosing the right person to guide you makes all the difference. David is a fantastic realtor and we loved his calm and confident optimism. By placing our trust in him, and following his expert advice, we were able to navigate to a home we truly love and enjoy ourselves in the process. Words cannot really describe David's awesome energy, but his negotiation skills and local expertise are undeniable. We highly recommend working with him! read more

David and his team are beyond excellent and are leagues above the competition. David gave us great counsel along the way, was responsive and knew the market inside and out. He is honest and trustworthy. After 5 days on the market, he was able to get us 4 offers with the house with two over asking. I can't recommend Ocean Blue highly enough. read more

We selected Ocean Blue after spending a significant amount of time scouring the internet for realtors in the Half Moon Bay area. This was followed by a selective interview process. The audio-visual presentation from David was particularly impressive, imparting a sense of ownership for the company, as opposed to an agent from a larger organization. Our meeting only served to solidify our initial impressions. The entire selling experience was flawless, from responsiveness, through sage advice complemented by a genuine desire for the optimal outcome with realistic expectations. I could not recommend David Oliphant highly enough. The staging caused quite a stir amongst other agents....Outstanding! read more

Ocean Blue was a true partner in selling our house, and made the transaction, extremely simple and seamless. On display was their hyper local understanding of the market, neighborhood-to-neighborhood, and how it would affect various decisions in the process of selling the house. Couldn't recommend Ocean Blue enough for those looking for a full service real estate agent for the coast! read more

David is an expert realtor with extensive knowledge of the industry and the local area. The kicker is, he genuinely cares about you in the process and is never more than a text or phone call away. We were first time home buyers and didn't have a clue! In our first meeting, David spent 2 hours just telling us about the process and what to expect. We didn't pay anything or feel obliged to stick with him as our agent - he just genuinely cared and took the time to teach us. During our closing process, David was always immediately available for anything we needed. He worked with everyone involved: the listing agent, the lender, title company, and us to make sure everything went smoothly - even when a few curve balls came our way. We couldn't have asked for anyone better. read more

David and his team was a no brainer for me to pick as my agent! He literally does everything from the day you sign with Ocean Blue! He is a great listener and advocate for you as the seller and knows the market very well. He had my back the whole time and sometimes had to hold my hand as this was a first time I sold a house! He always made me feel like he was on my side, explaining every step to me along the way. I highly recommend David and his team at Ocean Blue! He knows what he is doing and does an amazing job! I never would pick another realtor, go with David and Ocean Blue Realty! read more

Responsive, professional, strategic, and THE Coastside real estate expert If you're buying a house on the Coastside, it's important to have an agent with Coastside expertise (i.e., not a Pacifica-based agent or someone from over the hill). David is that expert, and an excellent teammate in the home buying process. He is ultra responsive to all texts, calls and emails. He is proactive and will help you set up a roadmap for your home buying journey. He is very well connected to all the key persons who are critical to the home buying process -- e.g., sellers' agents, title company managers, home inspectors, insurance brokers, contractors, roofers, painters, handymen, etc. He will leverage his comprehensive rolodex to get you what you need on short timelines. He was VERY generous of his time and always made himself available even on short notice. Although my wife and I connected with David after we already identified our dream house, David helped us negotiate during what was turning into a bidding war. It was a stressful period, but David helped us every step of the way and we are blessed by how everything turned out. Ever after the purchase, David has promptly assisted us in taking care of various odds and ends that are inherit when moving to a new home. read more

David Olifant was an absolute pleasure to work with. His extreme high energy, self described OCD and attention to detail makes him our favorite realtor ever. He tirelessly led us from installing the lock box to a successful sale in just under 60 days in an extremely competitive market. He was uber responsive, pleasant, upbeat and an all around pleasure to work with. We learned a lot from David and will forever be appreciative of his care and attention. read more

My partner and I worked with Karina, who helped us buy a home in our dream neighborhood in El Granada. We knew going into our home search that we wanted to work with a firm that was based in the coast and staffed by folks who call the area home. And we think this made all the difference in terms of having someone who was familiar with the pros and cons of various neighborhood and the peculiarities of smaller town living. Karina provided us with all the guidance (and moral support!) we needed as first-time homebuyers and we couldn't be happier with how knowledgeable, responsive and upbeat she is! Highly recommended. read more

We closed escrow about 10 days ago on a lot in El Granada with wonderful help and advice from David. We had decided just after the end of year holidays to look into building a place somewhere on the coast, and reached out to David because his group clearly does the most business on the coast. In the middle of the pandemic, and from halfway across the country (we were living in Memphis, TN), David walked us through (during a 90 min zoom call) the neighborhoods (Pescadero to Montara) and the process (permits, water rights, architects, etc). A lot that matched our interests (lower El Granada, corner, walkable to shopping) had been on the market about a week; we asked a local architect to look at it as well, and ended up making an offer sight unseen, contingent on visiting in person later that month. David was appropriately cautious about making an offer before visiting in person, but supportive once we decided to move forward. A week or two later we met David on the lot together with our architect, and it was clear that we had made the right decision on all fronts (lot, architect, realtor). In person, David is low-key but attentive, responsive, and responsible. He helped us through a couple minor hiccups during escrow and we're very much looking forward to having him as a neighbor on the coast. Best real estate experience ever! read more

Mishelle and Lucy worked with us when we sold our home at the beach in Miramar. They were an amazing team. Everything happened with lightning speed from start to finish, and even amidst the craziness of the pandemic, everything was handled with expertise, efficiency, patience and understanding. We have bought, built, and sold many houses in our lives, and can truly say that we have never had a better experience with real estate, thanks to these two awesome ladies. We cannot praise Mishelle and Lucy enough, and wish them much continued success. Forever grateful, Evelyn and Mike Mann Newport, Oregon read more

The best of the best! If you want locals and experienced realtors with the know how to negotiate the best deals with compassion and precision, Element is the place. Matt takes the time to listen to your needs and offer solutions and ideas catered to each person individually. Purchasing or selling in a high demand market requires you to have industry professionals who not only know the area, but work with the locals to negotiate the best possible deals. I would never trust an out of area realtor with the sale or purchase of a lifetime. The staff at Element are all super friendly and trustworthy. They are area locals who love living on the coast-side. By choosing Element for your real estate needs; you will not be disappointed, not only will you get top notch service and quality, but you will have a friend in your new community. read more

Karina Ballantyne at Ocean Blue real-estate recently sold my home in Half Moon bay and also found me my dream home in Pleasant Hill. Absolutely the best real estate experience I have ever had. She kept me informed on every detail from beginning to end. Her knowledge and expertise made everything seem effortless. Most importantly, she sincerely cared about my concerns and treated me with the utmost respect. I couldn't ask for a better experience. Thank you Karina Ballantyne. read more

We contacted David Oliphant from Ocean Blue Realty before the holidays in search of a unique piece of land in the Half Moon Bay. My wife and I are both designers and engineers, so we have a strong opinion on what is workable, and on what is beautiful, and we are pretty hard to please. David was great, assessing our needs and talking about what might work for us. Over the next few months David was able to surface several possibilities that for one reason or another didn't work out. Then, when the property on Dehoff Canyon Road came on the market, David arranged an immediate site visit. After walking the land, and coming back several times with David, we decided to make an offer. David was on it, strategizing the offer with us and determining what the contingencies were that we needed to clear before closing. Because David was so efficient in the process, our offer was the first on the property and we went into escrow without any competition. While in escrow, David walked us through the process of clearing our water, geological, and title contingencies. He was on top of all the details and pushed the seller to complete their paperwork (they were always late) and to clear the property of an ancient porta-potty that was an environmental hazard. David stuck with us to the end and we celebrated our acquisition a few weeks ago. We have our dream property, and it wouldn't have happened without Ocean Blue Realty and David Oliphant. He gets our highest recommendation. read more

Ocean Element Real Estate - Real Estate Agents Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

As we initiated a search for our primary residence on the Coast our priority was to team up with a real estate team that was not only knowledgeable about the area from the real estate perspective but also immersed in the Coastal lifestyle. After speaking to number of realtors from various organizations and getting the standard "here are the autogenerated search results" without any additional feedback for weeks, we came across Ocean Blue Real Estate. Instantly, we were teamed up with Karina Ballantyne who took the time to get to know us not only for what we are looking for in a property but also our family dynamic, our interests, our lifestyle, and our long term plans. As you can imagine, being first time home buyers and living away from the coast we had 100's of questions on every topic one can imagine. Karina educated us every step of the way and more importantly shared all there is about the coast. From the best beaches for our dog and family, to restaurant recommendations for our weekend trips while we explore the area, to schools, to recommendations on resources we can tap into for various home improvements. Karina not only guided us through the feedback she provided but more importantly through real-time, in person exploration that we could experience for ourselves. With Karina's guidance and local expertise, in a matter of a week, we were able to go from a search region that included multiple cities to an area that checked off all our needs / wants that span only a few blocks. With the super focused search area that we fell in love with, one can imagine that we may be waiting for months before the right property comes along. This was not the case. Karina tapped into her local connections and used her networking skills to find our property in record time (days). We were able to walk through the property, get our offer accepted before the property even went on the market. Karina always welcomed questions / comments throughout the early morning, day, and evening. She responded promptly which allowed us to move through the process swiftly. We were very impressed with Karina and the Ocean Blue team. Give them a chance. You will not be disappointed. read more

Mathew Haugen helped my husband and I purchase our first home. As first time home buyers, we asked a lot of questions and needed a lot of guidance. It was so nice having Matt and Melanie assist us. We felt like we were in great hands as they were both very responsive, supportive, educational, yet had a relaxed energy which comforted us throughout the process. They worked diligently to ensure all of our needs were met, no matter the hour. It was such a success working with Mathew Haugen, we highly recommend him and his team! read more

We could not recommend David or Ocean Blue any more highly. He was phenomenal from the very first interaction we had with him. He helped us to sell our house in Daly City and to purchase our dream home in Montara. During this Covid-19 time of crisis, both selling and buying was made more difficult and complicated, but David navigated it all smoothly for us. He was constantly working to handle things on his own and take the stress off of us as much as he could while still getting our input and explaining things every step of the way. David is more knowable about the coast area than anyone I have ever met- and it made a HUGE difference. His knowledge and connections were crucial in getting the house we wanted. His excellent business sense helped us to get significantly over asking for our Daly City house and his well laid out plan was what convinced the sellers to accept a contingent offer on our new home. Most importantly to me - David is a phenomenal communicator and was always incredibly fast in responding. I am a highly anxious person and David's calm, professional, and responsive manner was able to put me at ease (pretty much needed on a daily basis). He always took the time to explain things in detail so my husband and I understood everything we were doing/reading/signing and why. He also connected us with a wonderful mortgage broker who got us a rate I didn't know was possible as well as contractors, electrician, handy man, cleaner etc. all of whom are excellent. HE IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS!!! read more

There are times in life when you heave a HUGE sigh of relief because a massive weight has just been lifted from your shoulders. That's how my partner and I felt after meeting David. Back story: We had tried out a handful of other Coastside realtors and none of them were particularly proactive. Example 1: Houses we expressed interest in went on the market and they didn't notify us. Example 2: We asked about pocket listings and were told there weren't any, only to have them list one two days later. Example 3: We had to ask to have an alert set up versus it just being done for us. I had just about given up. I figured the coast was just really laid back and none of the realtors had any hustle in them whatsoever. Then I decided just to go on one last Google expedition and see what I came up with. Enter David. To be honest I almost didn't reach out to him because I had never heard of Alain Pinel (his real estate company) and I don't like the word Alain OR the word Pinel. That said, he looked nice, donates to senior rescue dog organizations, and seemed like he was hipper than the other people we had worked with and would have a better idea of what we were looking for. DAVID IS SO FRICKING GREAT! I AM SO GLAD I EMAILED HIM. Here is what you need to know...David knows EVERYBODY on the coast. When you're rolling deep with him it's like you have celebrity status. As a result of his coast connections he knows about EVERY SINGLE HOUSE about to come onto the market and he also knows ALL OF THE SECRETS about the houses he took us to. He's basically a goddamn magician. We would visit a house and not only would he know if there was deferred maintenance or hidden mold or something like that, but he would also know if there were other houses on the street about to be listed for sale. Sometimes he even knew about houses that were going to be listed THE FOLLOWING YEAR. I told you...He is a magician. He also could intuit what my partner and I needed even when we gave him misinformation. In other words, we told him the only place we wanted to live was on the water side of The 1 Highway in Half Moon Bay. But he showed us a neighborhood in Pacifica we ended up really liking and he taught us that El Granada is sunny and a REALLY COOL community that would be a great fit for us. We ended up buying a house there and WE ARE OBSESSED WITH OUR HOUSE! And our street. And our neighborhood. It's not on the water side of Highway 1, but it's walkable to bars, breakfast places, etc. AND it has an ocean view, so in some respects we get the best of both worlds. I feel like David was really strong through the negotiation phase, knew the right offer to put on the table, and was extremely proactive through the closing period, including nagging us constantly when we were dragging our feet because we were so busy with work and travel. Not only was David our realtor, but now he is our friend, and has promised to introduce us to all some of his previous clients who live in our town and who he thinks we would be friends with. So basically he's a realtor AND a match-maker. And a yogi! And when he's having a bad moment he likes to send clown emojis, which I fully appreciate. To summarize: Friendly, super-responsive, mad hustle, provided an interesting perspective on neighborhoods we hadn't considered, and WE CAN'T RECOMMEND HIM HIGHLY ENOUGH! read more

When me and my wife decided to get serious about buying a home, I discovered David by searching for well reviewed local agents online and am so glad I did! From the first email it was clear that David knew the market extremely well and was going to be a pleasure to work with. He was incredibly responsive at all times which was very appreciated and reduced our stress along the way. During our search for homes we never felt pressured and were able to take things at our own pace. When it came down to it though, because of David we were able to find a home we loved, in an area we would not have considered without his guidance. Me and my wife would not be in the house we are in now if not for him. I highly recommend David to anyone who is looking for a great agent and have gladly been referring him to anyone who asks :) read more

My wife and I could not be happier with Karina and Ocean Blue! If you are looking to move to the Coastside, you will be in amazing hands with Karina and her team. She was super communicative, knowledgable, and just a pleasant person to guide us through the home buying process. We were a bit hesitant about the whole process going into the COVID-19 SIP but Karina took it upon herself to provide Facetime walk-throughs of houses we were interested in. Through her local network, she was able to find us a home that wasn't formally going to be on the market until late August and worked with the sellers' agent to allow us to tour the outside of the home and peak into the windows. Once our offer was accepted, her team was extremely attentive to detail and on top of the entire process through closing. Overall, we loved working with Karina and if we ever have to go through this process again, we wouldn't hesitate to contact her. read more