Daniel is an amazing real estate agent. I mean that sincerely. In the two years that I was searching for a home I had many agents try to get me to work with them exclusively, I was open to that, but it needed to be the right agent. When I came across Daniel, I knew he would be the right agent. He was prompt to respond, extremely professional, totally knowledgeable, he was half real estate agent, health contractor, health, lawyer! That's how knowledgeable and confident he is. We used him to purchase are home and I will always use him and recommend him moving forward. In my life I bought my share of real estate and rarely have I come across to an agent as good as he. I completely recommend him, and I assure you you're getting the very best in the industry. Veronica read more

Daniel is the best in every way possible. We have dealt with many realtors in our 35 years of marriage in buying and selling homes but Daniel is the best in every aspect. He's kind, friendly & has your back. He is a hard working man that dedicates his time to make things clear to understand, time to answer all your questions and was present to every open house he had for our home. He's also very savvy with his marketing. I highly recommend him to everyone including my own friends & family. read more

I had the absolute pleasure of working with Daniel Oster of Coldwell Banker Realty recently for both the sale and the purchase of my homes. When my house was catastrophically damaged in the storms of early 2023, I turned to Daniel to help sell it. My PTSD from the storms was awful, and there were many sleepless nights and days filled with frustration and chaos. Daniel helped me navigate the real estate seas through storms, cloudy days, and pirates. From our very first meeting, Daniel impressed me with his people skills, professionalism, and genuine care. In my previous experience I had found that not every realtor has great listening skills, but Daniel was different: He took the time to understand what I was going through---not just on the surface, but emotionally. His high ethical standards were apparent at every turn. I really believe that Daniel is the type of person who would do the right thing even if no one was watching. Daniel genuinely cares about his clients' well-being and success. He sometimes seemed to care more about my success than I did! He spoke on my behalf to other agents and lenders, and he helped me find many service providers, such as a fantastic mortgage lender and electricians. Daniel's communication skills are flawless. I had requested a quote for some work on my new house, and the service provider was very pushy and aggressive with me. Daniel called him back, and I listened in while Daniel easily defused the situation. By the end of the conversation, the service provider was agreeable, and his tone changed from aggressive to pleasant. Daniel also kept me informed of new listings, which is how I was able to see the house I eventually bought within hours of its being on the market and even before the open house! Thanks to Daniel's quick thinking, I was able to land my ideal home in a very tight market. Within two hours of seeing the home, we'd made an offer, and the offer was accepted in less than one day. Daniel has many years of real estate experience, plus a memory like a steel trap, which together create a solid experience. He was able to pull information, such as old septic reports, from the county, which saved me countless hours of searching. He was also able to quickly distill the information I needed from reports and legal documents. Although many realtors depend on having multiple clients and spending very little time with any of them, I never felt rushed with Daniel. He patiently waited at appointments with me and sometimes no one even showed up! Daniel helped me before I became a client and has continued to help even after the close of escrow. I cannot recommend Daniel enough! read more

Daniel is the partner you want on your team. We met Daniel at an open house a couple years ago, and when our family's home was destroyed in the storms - we asked him to provide some insight on potential rebuild options and how our various paths could impact the ROI of renovations. From our conversation, he realized that as we were already considering different homes - a better strategy could be to sell the home in as-is condition, and combine the equity in our house with the insurance proceeds to purchase a new, more suitable home for our long term needs. Well. He was right. Because of Daniel's ability to listen to our family's individual needs and understand the complex equation in front of us, he was able to identify and execute on a non-obvious strategy that turned our misfortune in a windfall of housing equity that will set our family up for generational success. Though the entire process he maintained his professional demeanor and shifted our strategy through various curveballs: changing market conditions, losing to cash buyers, inadequate realtors we needed to partner with, etc. I'm so pleased with the way Daniel considers a long term view for his clients. I never felt pushed in any direction. He considers your success to be his success - and if that means he earns a commission - great, but that never felt like his motivator. Ever. Please consider adding Daniel to your interview panel, he'll deservedly earn your business. read more

Daniel is an experienced, savvy, hardworking ally who truly has your back! I have high standards, and Daniel exceeded them all! His market savvy, insight, judgment, work ethic, integrity, and attention to detail made him a fabulous partner in what is so often an emotionally, financially, and physically demanding process. In other experiences, I have found real estate agents on both sides of transactions to focus on a high-volume of transactions to rack up their commissions. I never once felt that way with Daniel. He truly cared that the house and the commercial aspects of the transaction were right for me. He was authentically invested in my long-term outcome and invested his time and mental energy into backing that up--from suggesting, scheduling, and attending appointments at the county to pull permits and understand property history, to tracking down obscure notes in the title report with me about the status of various nearby parcels, and to staying engaged to track down all the various elements of a house purchase/sale through to the bitter end and then some. Daniel is an advocate, a source of wisdom, an emotional bedrock, and a faunt of Santa Cruz County + real estate/community knowledge. And Santa Cruz is a very eclectic and variable community that requires deep local knowledge. I cannot imagine parsing this area without his experience and knowledge. Daniel gives a high-touch, personalized experience to his clients without being judge-y about your purchase price (mine changed dramatically over the course of my transaction and his dedication to my search remained steadfast). With Daniel you get a full package of support and he's a lovely human being to boot that makes the process as enjoyable as possible! With the high pressure, high stakes aspects of home selling/purchasing, having a true champion is invaluable and rare. Daniel is a true champion. read more

Daniel made selling my home easy and moving into my home easier. I needed some work done on my new home before I moved out and sold my home, Daniel was able to get me the help I TRIED to get in 2020 and it was done quickly - making it easy for me to move out and get my home on the market. My Fremont home sold quickly and everything was wrapped up nicely Thank you Daniel for your support read more

I agree with previous reviews wholeheartedly... Daniel is RAD! He was so supportive in my journey as a first time homebuyer. I ask a lot of questions and he answered all of them with ease, without it feeling condescending or overwhelming. He responds to clients' circumstances with empathy and that's really comforting in what could be an intimidating situation! I would hire him again in a heartbeat and refer him readily and enthusiastically to anyone looking! read more

Daniel has all of the qualities that you could hope to find in a realtor. He is confident, he knows the market, he is willing to go the extra mile, he is creative with marketing strategies, and he respects the needs and the challenges of the seller. The house we were trying to sell was tricky. The floor plan was unusual, and a portion of the house was converted to a very traditional Japanese living space. We knew it would not appeal to everyone. We needed to find the right buyer. We also needed to find the right agent. We spoke with several real estate agents before we found one who inspired confidence, and who could provide us with a reasonable plan to achieve our goals. That one was Daniel. Daniel communicated clearly with us every step of the way. It seems like a small thing, but he made sure to copy both my spouse and myself on every text message or email. I have worked with other agents who did not bother to take that extra step, and as a consequence the burden fell on me to keep my spouse informed and in the loop. Daniel shared our excitement when things were going well in the process, and he provided encouragement when things sometimes took longer than we hoped. We trusted Daniel to guide us through the process of preparing our house for sale. On each step of the way, he recommended vendors and contractors who did great work at reasonable prices. We never exceeded the budget that we established in the planning stage. We were not living in the house at the time, and Daniel supervised all aspects of the project. When we finally saw the professional photographs, we literally gasped in surprise and wonder at the final result. I mentioned the Japanese living space. Daniel bent over backwards to respect the cultural traditions that we practiced in this space, and did everything he could to encourage other agents and their clients to do so as well. Having to follow these "house rules" may have discouraged or turned off some prospective buyers, but the fact that Daniel insisted on it anyway says a lot about his character. Selling a house is never a fun project, but Daniel made it relatively painless, and we were very pleased with the outcome. For anyone buying or selling, I highly recommend that they talk to Daniel. read more

Daniel sold my home for me in Ben Lomond a year ago and helped me find a condo in Santa Cruz. I was thrilled with his work. He took care of every little detail involved with selling a 70 year old home on a huge lot- he made it look like a magical place! It sold with many bids and he made getting into a condo a breeze for me! Thanks, Daniel, you're truly the best! read more

Daniel came to us after we had a very bad and disappointing meeting with another local realtor. My husband and I decided to sell our house and the first realtor was just awful. On a recommendation from my sister who is also a realtor (up north) we called Daniel. She had met him at an open house the week before. Fast forward to Daniel coming to our house totally prepared with all the stats and data as well as a list of what he suggested we do prior to selling our house. He was professional every step of the way. Even though this wasn't our first house sale he walked us through it like we were newbies. He even went above and beyond what any other (including our previous one who we loved) agent would ever do. If you are looking for a HONEST and hardworking agent who will keep your best interest front and center then Daniel is your man. read more

If there is a better real estate agent in the whole county, I'd be REALLY surprised. We had a challenging situation: a great house in a rare sunny and good location up in the mountains, with a big 2 acre well-maintained lot (meaning huge amounts of stubborn undergrowth pulled out), and a private detached studio. A previous agent we had was like a car salesperson, advising us to list WAY too low for what the place had to offer. She just wanted a quick sale. We didn't. We knew it would take awhile for the place to find the right buyer, as it had taken the previous owner to find me 20 years earlier. During our process, we'd taken to looking around at open houses getting a feel for the "comps", and that's where we met Daniel, dilligently working for a client. We just flat told him we weren't buyers but just scoping out comps, and he was totally fine with that. We got to talking & told him about our situation way up in the mountains. We instantly felt that he "got it". So he came to see the property the next day, and his instinct for pricing was right in line with ours. His entire approach fit our situation, he'd even sold a house recently right in the neighborhood. Long story short, indeed it DID take awhile to find the right buyer. There was so much excitement about the place, and Daniel did so much great work advertising and doing open houses etc. The problem was, before Covid, people from over the hill who loved the place were squeamish about all the steep windy mountain roads. After a year with lots of bites but no reel-ins, we took the house off market with the intent to re-list. Then Covid hit. When we re-listed there was zero pressure from Daniel to lower the price. Quite the contrary. Think about that a minute... And wouldn't you know it, when we re-listed there was a flood of serious offers. From among those many offers we felt we knew who the right buyer was, and Daniel agreed strongly. He saw the deal through with great valor, and even helped us when we were realtor-shopping in our new area after the sale. I can say without hesitation that we became friends over the year process, and now, months after, Daniel remains a good friend to us. We were so saddened and freaked out by the fires that went through the area (plus all of our stuff was still in storage up there). Thankfully the house we sold and neighborhood was untouched. As for Daniel, ok, surely the market will be affected in many unforeseeable ways. Santa Cruz Mountains are so weird, though. The years living there definitely taught me that you can't bet against something bad turning out to be good in the end -- and that goes the other way too, with a lot of supposedly good things turning out to be, er, less than that... (I can hear Daniel's voice advising "well, it's not great"). He'll tell you the truth about whatever weird situation you find yourself in in your selling or buying process. And believe me, if there's a guy who can take an apparent negative and turn it into a positive, it's Daniel. He absolutely did that for us, and has a real gift for "seeing the path" in those moments when everything seems to be inexplicably darkened over with obstacles. Take it from our supremely complex experience; whatever happens, Daniel will stick by you & get you through the process to the highest possible ground. read more

Daniel did such an amazing job helping us sell our house as well as help us buy another one. He was professional, knowledgable and most importantly SUPER RESPONSIVE! He would literally respond to every text, email or phone call within minutes and at most, a couple of hours. Responsiveness is something I definitely look for in everybody I work with and Daniel definitely satisfied that qualification. I highly recommend him to anybody looking to sell or buy a home. read more

Daniel Oster helped us to buy our first home. It was a complicated short sale with lots of challenges and deadlines. To add to the difficulty of the transaction, my wife and I were expecting a baby at the time when the sale was finalized. Daniel expertly navigated the entire process and stayed on top of communications with the various lenders, the title company, and the seller over a period of 9 months. Daniel also helped us to negotiate a very good deal on the property. Daniel went above and beyond at every step of the process and helped us to feel confident about the purchase and well informed about each detail. He visited the property several times when we could not be present, spoke with the neighbors, conducted research on the surrounding area, and connected us with a bank which could meet our specific needs. While my wife and I were in the hospital after the birth of our son, Daniel hired an inspector, and arranged for a mobile notary to visit our hospital room so we could sign the final papers before the hard deadline. Daniel is an outstanding agent with great communication skills, extensive local knowledge, and strong attention to detail. I would especially recommend him to any first-time home buyer. read more

Daniel was not my realtor for a recent transaction, but worked for the buyers. I was quite impressed with his integrity knowledge and helpfulness to them throughout the process. And I've worked with over 20 Realtors the course of my career; it's hard to impress me. read more

I can't say enough positive about Daniel Oster. His level of professionalism was top notch. He worked with us very closely throughout the entire sales process, showing an exceptional attention to the smallest detail, augmented by a warm personal touch. We had worked with realtors in the past where we quickly felt that we were lost in the shuffle, or even worse got bumped down a priorities list because there were bigger deals pending for them. This never happened with Daniel. He would stay in touch, holding our hands as it were, throughout the entire process. We were thrilled with his efforts and would enthusiastically recommend him to anyone in the market. read more

Daniel just helped my husband and I purchase our second home and I can't say enough about him. He is experienced, professional, always 15 minutes early and just a very nice person to work with. We were looking for an investment property and Daniel's experience was invaluable to us. He knew the right questions to ask and tirelessly took the time to explain every detail to us. I can't recommend him enough and if we ever purchase another home, we're definitely calling Daniel. read more

We met Daniel through our friends who had recently sold their property in the Mountain House area, and not much after I embarked on the same mission to sell mine. Daniel was the referral, and my wife and I are glad we met him! He has an astonishing wealth of knowledge in the real estate industry and I will definitely recommend him to friends and family looking to buy or sell a property. He was with us every step of the way. His code of conduct, honesty, availability, tips and strategies make him great to work with and simply amazing. If you haven't met him yet I suggest you do before diving into property endeavors. read more

Daniel is an amazing real estate agent. When we were first looking for a home, he helped us hone in on what was really important to us. He never pressured us, and really felt like a friend along the journey. Then, again, when it was time to sell, he was with us every step of the way, helping us weigh each decision and giving excellent advice. He's an excellent communicator, and always returns our calls expediently. He has our highest recommendations. We wish we could bring him with us, now that we're out of town! read more

absolutely outstanding - from start to finish! Detail oriented, intelligent, funny, professional, reliable and insanely helpful.

Daniel helped us in a search to purchase a home and sold 2 homes for us over the past decade so I can really attest to what a top notch agent he is. When I try to think of how to convey the skill sets he has, its hard to do-- it's that special something he has (Je ne sais quoi) that just sets him apart. Besides the obvious of attending to every aspect of contract and great communication and accessibility, Daniel exhibits logical thinking, has sound advice for pretty much anything that can come up with a property, and goes in with a strategy to buy/sell (not leaving things to chance). You benefit from the knowledge Daniel has learned from hundreds and hundreds of sales he's transacted ( not just a few transactions a year like other agents). He made great recommendations of what we needed to do to get a house for sale recently and I believe that his real estate wisdom really helped us get an offer well over list AND 2 backup offers within the first few days of listing. There are so many agents out there, but not the caliber of Daniel Oster! read more

We recently purchased a home with Daniel Oster, of zip realty. I can't say enough good things about him - he is experienced, friendly and professional, and he has your best interests at heart. He worked so hard to help us find a home, and once we did find a home he worked equally hard to help us find out as much as we could about the property. He truly goes above and beyond to help you find, research, and purchase a home. I highly recommend him, and would happily do business with him again. If you are looking for a realtor, look no more! you won't find one better than Daniel. read more

My husband and I met Daniel at one of his open houses. We immediately fell in love with the house.. and of course Daniel! Lol... we had spoken with another Realtor previously but felt Daniel was a better fit for us. From the very beginning, we found Daniel to be very knowledgeable and he took the time to explain every detail of the process along the way. He went above and beyond when he took us down to the county offices to find out any possible information they may have regarding the home we were purchasing. I have never heard of a realtor taking the time to do so. Daniel is very professional, easy to talk to and will go out of his way for his clients to make sure all is fair and everyone is happy! He takes pride in his work and definitely loves his job and his clients! We have raved about "our" Realtor to everyone we know and will definitely use him again if we ever decide buy another home. At the very least, we will keep sending out positive reviews for this awesome realtor!!! read more

Selecting a realtor can be difficult, but the first time I met Daniel I knew he was the right one for us. We wanted a realtor who was honest and approachable, someone with excellent problem solving and negotiating skills, and keen real estate knowledge. After all, we were entrusting this person with our most important investment, our home. Daniel gave us sound advice and made himself readily available throughout the entire process. Daniel Oster is a thoughtful and creative person who truly sees his work as a collaborative process. We appreciate his eagerness and ability to provide excellent service. Thanks, Daniel! read more

Daniel just helped me sell my house and he made the experience as easy and painless as it could be. He provided helpful and sound advice at every step of the way and was super knowledgable and trustworthy. He had all the right contacts to insure that the whole process went smoothly and made sure every last detail was taken care of throughout the entire process. He even went as far as to give me a hand with items that were way outside of what his job called for I highly recommend Daniel and would definitely work with him again in the future. read more

We cannot recommend Daniel highly enough. He is a very dedicated, responsive, communicative and professional realtor. He represented us in the sale of our townhouse, and the purchase of a new home in Bonny Doon. Aspects of these transactions were tricky, including a quick timeline to find buyers for our townhouse, and difficulties in the purchase of our new home. But Daniel skillfully navigated us through each and every normal and not-so-normal aspect of the sale and purchasing process. He had a very pragmatic approach to helping us get our townhouse ready for sale, and knew where we could best apply our resources to showcase our home for potential buyers. He was very familiar with the market, and was dedicated to getting our home in contract quickly (which he did!). But perhaps more importantly, Daniel helped us through a difficult purchase (at least in our very limited experience). In addition to all the skills I've already talked about, Daniel brought two very important things to our lives during this time: calm and optimism. He listened to our concerns at all times, when we thought the purchase was in threat to fall through, but always helped us see the light at the end of the tunnel. And now we have our forever home. We also ended up using a number of people that Daniel recommended we work with, from painters, to handymen, to loan agents, and had quality experiences across the board. After we were through escrow, I asked Daniel how many clients he was juggling along with us and he told us it had been a really busy period. However, we never felt like we were not getting 100% of his attention. Finally, on top of being an awesome realtor, Daniel is very friendly and kind person. read more