Casey Sternsmith

Buying a home in San Mateo County isn’t a casual errand — it’s a high-stakes financial move in one of the most competitive markets in the country. The biggest mistake buyers make is treating it like a DIY project or relying on whoever answers the phone first. You don’t need a team; you need the strongest team. Start by aligning yourself with a proven realtor, a lender who can actually deliver, and a title team that doesn’t miss details. When these three pieces are in sync, everything else becomes more predictable: your strategy, your negotiation power, your timeline, and ultimately whether you win the home you want or lose it to someone better prepared. I’ve seen buyers succeed — and fail — for the same reasons over and over. The winning buyers are the ones who surround themselves with people who understand the local market at a granular level. That means understanding off-market opportunities, reading micro-trends in San Mateo county neighborhoods, navigating complex offer environments, and anticipating issues before they appear. This isn’t just guidance; it’s protection. This is the largest investment most people ever make, and you deserve a team with years of hands-on experience, data-driven insight, and a track record of dominating in competitive situations. Since 2018, my team and I have sold more homes than any other realtor or team in San Mateo, every single year — and that experience is exactly what buyers need on their side. We are in the top 5 in San Mateo County year after year. When you align with the right professionals, the process stops feeling overwhelming and starts feeling strategic. That’s the difference between hoping you’ll get a home and actually getting one.

Selling a home in San Mateo County means navigating one of the most dynamic, competitive, and detail-sensitive markets in California. Every city — from Burlingame to Redwood City, from San Carlos to San Mateo — has its own rhythm, buyer pool, architectural expectations, and pricing micro-trends. A successful sale depends on understanding those shifts at a street-by-street level. Your most important decision is choosing an agent who truly reads those nuances: who knows when the market is softening in one pocket and heating up in another, who understands which improvements actually move the needle in your specific neighborhood, and who can position your home to attract the broadest and strongest pool of countywide buyers. This isn’t guesswork. The right agent treats marketing, pricing, and presentation as a tailored strategy — not a template. They know how to maximize your home’s appeal, avoid costly pre-sale over-improvements, and craft a launch plan that captures attention across the entire county. And once buyers are at the table, negotiation becomes everything. You want a professional who negotiates with discipline — someone focused squarely on your bottom line, not merely getting the home sold. In San Mateo County’s competitive environment, great negotiation can mean tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in your favor. My team and I have sell more homes year after year in San Mateo County. That countywide dominance gives us unmatched data, insight, and leverage — and sellers benefit from all of it. The formula for a top-dollar sale is simple: A strategist who knows San Mateo County inside and out, paired with a negotiator fiercely committed to protecting your equity.

We work with first-time buyers who need clarity, move-up buyers navigating a growing family, downsizers looking for simplicity, and seasoned investors who value sharp analysis and strong returns. San Mateo County is diverse in both people and property, and our client base reflects that. But the real story is the life moments behind each purchase or sale. We’ve helped clients through: the joy (and stress) of welcoming a new baby, the logistics and emotional weight of a divorce, the responsibility of managing a family estate after a death, relocations, career changes, retirements — you name it. Real estate isn’t just a transaction; it’s the backdrop to some of life’s biggest turning points. Our role is to bring expertise, steadiness, and strategy to moments that often feel overwhelming. Since 2006, we’ve been the top-selling realtors in San Mateo County because families trust us not just with a property, but with the decisions that shape their future.

A recent sale in San Mateo stands out because it captured what great representation actually looks like. The sellers were past clients who had just relocated to San Diego. With two young children adjusting to new schools, they needed someone who could run the entire process end-to-end so they could focus on their family. I handled everything: preparation, contractor coordination, staging, marketing, and the market launch. Within the first seven days we received three strong offers over asking — the kind that most sellers would gladly accept. But these clients had a gut feeling we hadn’t yet reached the true top of the market. Most agents would push hard to get the deal done. Instead, we went the other direction: we doubled down on exposure, expanded marketing, increased private showings, and held firm for another week. By day fourteen, three more compelling offers came in. While the prices were similar, the terms were far stronger — cleaner contingencies, smoother timelines, and more certainty. The win wasn’t just the contract; it was the client’s confidence. They knew, without question, that we had captured the best possible result. That matters more than any sales metric. To me, that’s the core of this business: advocating for your clients’ interests even when it means more work, more time, and more strategy. That’s the job. Every time.

With more than 20 years in the real estate industry, I’ve built my career on continuous education and specialty training that directly improves client outcomes. Experience matters, but so does sharpening the tools behind that experience. I’ve completed advanced training in luxury home marketing, which is essential in San Mateo County where high-value properties require nuanced positioning, elevated presentation, and a deep understanding of affluent buyer behavior. I’ve also invested heavily in negotiation coursework — not the feel-good kind, but strategic, data-driven negotiation training that helps protect client equity in competitive and complex situations. Strong negotiation isn’t optional in this market; it’s the difference between a good result and a great one. Beyond that, I’ve taken specialized classes focused on working with a wide range of client needs — first-time buyers, investors, downsizers, and clients navigating major life transitions. Real estate isn’t one-size-fits-all, and having the training to adapt quickly and thoughtfully is critical. Two decades in the industry paired with ongoing education means clients get someone who’s not only seasoned, but continually leveling up. That combination is rare — and it shows in the results.