Updating for anyone who is still undecided about hiring Lota (pronounced: LOT-ta), undecided about hiring a realtor at all, or even on the fence about buying or selling. This pandemic has created full-on confusion about how to buy or sell a home in a market that is still by all reports very active and now might be the time. So full disclosure: Lota has transcended being our realtor. She is our friend now. Define a friend: someone who goes to bat for you, maybe puts your wants/needs before their own, and who always has your back and best interests in mind. THAT is Lota. She is tireless. She is dedicated. She cares about this process of buying and selling and pays attention to the details so you can focus on the impact-chaos to sell or buy. She is motivated to get you the best outcome, because she looks at all her clients the same way: she believes you are so much more than whatever you are on paper. She knows that people love in their homes, live in their homes, and realize their dreams in homes. She wants you to be where you want to be. She gets it. Now, let me be completely honest here...I am a control-things-kind-of woman. I like to be in charge (or at least feel like I am). Lota will let you do that, too. Like I said: she gets you...but then she is firm when you need some hard truth about that "fixer-upper" that is neither going to be fixed or upped. Look, just meet her and see for yourself and then call her what you want: dream builder, home-giver, home-seller, seller/buyer whisperer, shhh....there, there...it will be okay. Don't hesitate to realize your dream. Whether your dream is to live in or out of The City, North Bay, Oakland/East Bay, Lota can help. She can help you buy and will work tirelessly to make that dream realized. True story: she helped us buy a house in Georgia. Ask her about it. It's a good story and just our example of how far she is willing to go because she actually cares. She will sell your home for you and maximize the interest, potential, and profit your property deserves. Hit me up with any questions, please. read more

We met Lota at an Open House when we were "just looking" and not really feeling very serious about buying. A few days later she showed us a property that we ended up buying. As first-time buyers we were completely clueless and anxiety-prone but Lota was our fearless guide through the whole process. She kept us informed (she's NEVER away from her Blackberry), took the time to explain all the crazy legal stuff, met with us at all hours even on weekends, and handled many tough negotiations (competing offers, extending contracts, etc). She seems to be very well connected in the Real Estate world (including inspectors, mortgage brokers, etc) which helps make everything go smoothly and is completely INVALUABLE should some unexpected problem arise. When we had a last second crisis with our mortgage broker, she completely rescued the situation. She connected us with other mortgage brokers and lenders who were able to rush through the process. She kept cool and organized through all the chaos. And she placated the seller so that we didn't lose the whole deal. Talk about earning your commission! We truly couldn't have done it without her. read more

This review is a bit overdue but working with Lota was a pretty good experience overall. I had met with previous real estate agents in the past and even went through the process of making an offer on a condo in SF with one. The experience was completely horrible and I was so turned off that I went back through the last couple agents I met and remembered my conversation with Lota. She is honest, to the point, and really knows her stuff. She's also very encouraging for first time buyers which is really nice in this kind of market. She walked me through the entire process and as patient with a lot of my questions. As a first time buyer, especially this crazy market in SF, that was something I really appreciated and valued. She took countless hours to answer my e-mails, calls, texts, etc. She's extremely responsive and available to her clients. I was recommended to meet with her through a few other friends that have purchased condos through her as well and they couldn't say enough good things about her. Recs from friends carry a lot of weight so this experience didn't disappoint. I'd definitely recommend anyone looking to purchase in SF to work with Lota, she'll make it as seamless as buying a home can be and I'll definitely be keeping her in mind for any future needs I have in real estate! read more

Trying to buy a home in SF (or the Bay Area in general, for that matter) right now is like entering a war zone. You have to be equipped with the right tools. You have to have extensive knowledge about the battleground. You have to have a strategy that will give you the edge against the opponents. Lota will be your key wartime advisor, and will help you get the house you want. Lota was recommended very highly from my friend who just bought a home through her. I was clueless about the home buying process, but Lota was able to explain to me all that I needed to know, and I was able to get an awesome place! She's always responsive and answered my hundreds of questions immediately, and gave me great advice throughout the whole process. I could not be happier with the whole process, thanks to her! read more

Lota helped me sell my condo and worked tirelessly to find the perfect house in San Francisco especially in such a crazy market! Met Lota through a referral from a friend who is also a repeat client of Lota's which is also a testament to her service. She was able to suggest ways to tidy, stage and present my condo for sale as well as coordinate with the photographer and create very professional brochures for the open house. She hosted all the open houses personally as well as met potential buyers by request and even helped with small things during a chaotic time such as deliver boxes so we could move things into storage. After a quick sale with great results she worked all hours to find a great house and prepared and presented numerous offers since it is such a hard market for buyers right now. She was able to offer great advice and was very responsive through all forms of communication during this time. Great realtor and would definitely use again in the future! read more

I met Lota when she was selling the unit next to mine in a condo building near AT&T park. I had already half decided to sell my place and downsize my life a bit. She did a great job on getting multiple offers on the property and eventually closing one of them. Meanwhile, she'd found a place for me to live temporarily in a short-sale property that was tied up in bank decision making. A one bedroom apartment in San Francisco for $1000/month is a steal. Next we found a place I wanted to buy, another short sale with multiple offers, and came up with the winning strategy. So I ended up buying the first place I put an offer in on. I would recommend her unqualifiedly. read more

Lota helped us buying our first home which my wife and I still live in today. We were working with an agent outside the city when we met in an open house at the BEACON. Lota graciously shared a lot of useful information for buying a home in the city and clearly showed us how she could make the process different. Hence we started working with Lota for house hunting in SF. In the hunting process, Lota gave us a lot of suggestions while we also visited many open houses from Redfin and ask Lota for opinions. Lota impressed us by her wide knowledge for many properties. For example, she was able to find out if the property was in any doubtful condition (e.g. noise, litigation, neighbor) and gave us a fair guidance of the property valuation. Lota help was very appreciated given that we had no experience at all. On the other hand, Lota clearly knew the difference of buying a home in the city and helped us accordingly. One good example is that Lota tried really, really hard to shorten the close date by accelerating the loan process, removing some contingency and working very long hours to handle all the documents. All in short, we are very thankful for the Lota's help and very appreciate her profession. read more

We had been looking at real estate on and off for about two years near AT&T park, but weren't ready to commit. We would frequently run into Lota at open houses. Even though we were in the beginning phases of looking, she always gave us extra attention. She is very knowledgeable and educated us on the SF market. She consistently kept us updated on new condos hitting the market that were potential fits. When the time came to get serious about buying a place, there was no doubt we wanted to work with Lota. And we made the right choice! You always hear what a nightmare it is to buy in SF, but our process was incredibly smooth. The first condo we put an offer on was accepted - no counter offer or anything. We have no doubt that Lota's relationship with the other agent greatly contributed to this. Throughout the process Lota was extremely attentive and always available to walk us through the disclosures when we needed her. She was very patient dealing with all of our questions. And we had a lot as first time home buyers! Lota is fantastic person to work with and a great agent. We would highly recommend her to anyone. We don't plan on moving anytime soon, but when that time comes, we will be working with Lota! read more

I was really unsure of what I was doing when I started looking at condos to purchase as it was my first time buying a home. The process intimidated me and I had no idea what steps to follow. I started browsing homes through Zillow and found Lota there. The moment I spoke to her for the first time, she told me that she was going to help me find the exact home I was looking for. She was very calming, assuring and pleasant and I somehow, felt that she would take care of me: she would take care of all of the legalities associated with the process and guide me perfectly in what I was looking for. She is one of the best and nicest people I have met with in my life and is a genuine pleasure to work with. She was cognizant throughout the process of the listings I sent her as well as showing me really great listings I had missed in my search. Her repertoire with the sell-side agents is an immense advantage in the process. She also arranged our viewing schedules perfectly and was extremely accommodating in everything. As we went through negotiating, she was extremely persistent in fighting for what we asked for but at the same time, setting expectations realistically so that I didn't get my hopes up. She made by home buying process extremely smooth and took most of my stress away. Whenever I upgrade my condo (hopefully I do), I am definitely going back to Lota. I highly recommend her to everyone who is looking for a charming and steady realtor to guide you through the process. read more

For some, it probably doesn't feel necessary to be picky with an agent, especially when you're buying. After all, you do the majority of the searching online and then just need someone to draw up the paperwork when you're ready to make an offer at a price you're comfortable paying right? Wrong! Having a great agent is the difference between getting your dream home at the price you want and settling for something that's meh for the same price (or not even getting said meh). You want someone that: * Answers the multitude of questions you'll have when going through the buying process at anytime of the day. * Works tirelessly practically 24/7 for you during the search and through the buying process. * Thinks of the things to ask that you don't know to ask. There are a lot of these and having a good agent means you're not going to overlook or miss anything. * Has your best interests in mind. * Will not pressure you to make a buying decision or raise your budget. I can't begin to emphasize how important this point is. * Has a strong network and can learn about listings and information that you can't find online. * Extremely knowledgable about the market. * Continues to be a resource and friend after the sale. Oh wait, that's Lota! Two of my friends referred her to me - they both bought and sold their homes with Lota. When I worked with her, she was everything I said above and more! When I buy or sell my next home, I'm going to Lota. read more

Lota De Castro is a real estate warrior. As soon as you sign with her, she puts on the gloves and gets right to work, fighting to not only get your place sold, but sold for the best price. And she doesn't stop until that happens. We had two buyers fall through for our condo in the Beacon, but she was never deterred. She recommended we wait until the market was right. And when she said it was right, well, it was really right. The third buyer she found no only closed, but closed for our asking price plus some to cover all the other costs. Beyond her incredible work ethic, she is also a wonderful human being. Always friendly and always patient, which is a great quality when you're dealing with someone like me who has very limited knowledge of real estate and is always asking questions. She immediately returns texts and emails and we'll talk you through something for as long as it takes until you feel comfortable. And lastly, my favorite quality of Lota is her honesty. She is the first agent that gave it to me straight. Even when the news wasn't great. And in those times, she always had a solution. And most of the time, that solution was to work even harder until she got what I was looking for. I couldn't be happier with the experience. If the rating system had another star to give, I'd give it. read more

Lota was a joy to work with! She always kept us well informed about opportunities and was never pushy about making a bid. While many real estate agents push you to close on a house, her belief is that if she matches you with the best home then you will be a return customer for life. She was always very honest about her opinions on houses; if something looked like a poor investment then she would tell us straight out. Lota also made herself available for us to reach her 24/7. She spent several hours chatting with us late into the night and worked with us for ten months until we found the perfect home. We would highly recommend working with her! read more

I have known Lota for five years now. As a certified Home Inspector, there's nothing more enjoyable than working with a professional Realtor. Lota is good at what she does, and understands the inspection world just as equal. Lota has a wondering personality; great smile and smooth delivery no matter the out come. You're in good hands with Lota as your Realtor. Felix Pena Home Savvy Inspections hsi-ca.com read more

We met Lota in an open house six months before we want to sell our condo in San Francisco near AT&T park. Key reason we chose Lota was the fact she follows up and stay in touch with us offering her advice and about the housing and rental market. When we decided to sell in 2012, she was our representative and the place was sold within 30 days in a very competitive price. We just bought another investment property with the help of Lota, who had been helping us to find the right property in the right place, and of course, the right price. She is diligent, fast and responsive, and most important of all, genuine. She has consistently helped us in all aspects including helping us to secure a new tenant to our investment property, and identifying reliable contractors. In summary, she is our agent of choice, and we are working with her for another opportunity. We recommend Lota with our action: keep working with her repeatedly!! read more

Lota was highly recommended by a friend and co-worker. He bought his condo in SF with Lota, which is well situated in location and price. I engaged with her in 2016 when I was first looking for a place in San Francisco. She was chill, non-pushy, "let me be" person whom I felt very comfortable working with. Fast forward a few months I shifted my focus on the Mountain View or the Peninsula areas closer to work and she was there for me, as responsive and engaging as she was the first time I met her. I ended up not buying there but fast forward another year I called on her again when I decided to buy in the city. When I started being serious, it didn't take too much to land the property I want and ended up getting. We looked in Pacific Heights, South of Market, Yerba Buena, Lake District and ended up getting a loft on a quaint street in South Beach that I really love. Working with Lota was fantastic! The best thing about Lota is, I felt she puts your preference as the top priority. She is always honest about the pros and cons of each unit. I never felt pushed in making a decision and even when there is a downtime of not looking I felt I can count on her to be there when I needed her for any questions. She knew when to lead with strategy and would be one or two steps ahead from everyone else. She worked on my timeline. And, she delivered with flying colors. I would highly recommend her to anyone who is looking to buy or sell. To me, she is a dedicated and committed realtor, and more so a dear friend. read more

If you work with Lota you are one of the lucky ones. I have had the privilege of working with her as a lender. She is part of a team. We work very diligently to accomplish the goals of a buyer. Plus she is friendly and down to earth. A real gem. read more

Lota walked us through every step and answered all of our questions. She was always available by phone or email. She made sure everything was done in the correct time frame and helped us through all the hills and valleys of buying a condo. She would be good for buying or selling a home. This was our first home to buy and we couldn't have done it without her! read more

In Jan-Feb of 2017, I had the pleasure to close my first condo in San Francisco by working with Lota. I must say that I would not have been able to buy this condo without her involvement and experience. I was truly impressed with her knowledge about the home buying process, her perseverance to bring buyer and seller on the same page; and not to forget; her desire to look after the needs of the overall procedure in a timely fashion while being patient to allow new home buyers to learn/deal with the 'oopsies' that come along the way. She is a friend and a mentor to me now given our business relationship. I would highly recommend Lota to anyone who is looking to buy a property in San Francisco, Bay Area or other cities in USA given her flexible style of working, hunger to make clients meet their real estate goals, negotiation skills, relationships in the industry and attention to detail while navigating through the critical stages of a contract. read more

I met Lota at a First-Time Homebuyer's workshop at the end of 2007. There were few other Realtors there, but she stood out as the most professional and knowledgeable in the group. I had no idea where or how to begin the homebuying process, but Lota helped me each step of the way. I never felt pressured into making any decisions and she was very patient with throughout the entire process. She took the time to answer all of my questions and made sure that I truly understand the answers. Like her previous client, I continue to refer friends and family to Lota and would call her to represent me again in a heartbeat. read more

We met Lota at an open house in the city and she was very personable, making us feel at home. Later on she showed us several properties, one we ended up buying as part of a short-sale which is a notoriously tricky process. Her knowledge really shone throughout the whole process and we always felt like she was available for even the most basic questions. A first time buyer couldn't do any better! read more

So, I finally got over my laziness to write my first yelp review! Yelp virgin no more, voo-hoo! My wife and I first met Lota when were looking to rent a condo for which she was the listing agent. While, we didn't choose to rent that specific condo, our 30 minute interaction with Lota made quite an impression. She patiently understood what we were looking for and made alternate suggestions to help us. An year and a half later, when we were ready to buy, we short listed a few agents and Lota of course was one of them. After a round of meet-and-greet with each of the agents it was clear that Lota was the best fit. Her past experience working as a Civil engineer for the city, extensive knowledge of the city neighborhoods, her ability to listen and understand what we wanted, and her all-round affable personality made her an ideal choice. During the course of finding and closing on our home, which was a harrowing experience (does anyone have a good experience buying in the city?), mostly because we were dealing with a half-mental sellers agent, we obviously got to know Lota much more and were extremely happy to have her on our team. You will need a mature and stable hand at the wheel to safely navigate the SF real estate scene which is just as bad as traffic in downtown Bangalore. You will need someone who knows how to deal with a crisis situation and can constantly think of possible solutions. You will need someone who has the right connections/contacts/friends within the industry (be it lenders, escrow office, other agents, inspection agents etc). Lota was all of that and much more. She understands the psyche of a first time buyer and knows exactly what to say and do at the right time. She spent endless hours explaining every last detail about the home buying process to us. No matter where she was and what was going on in her life (like holidays and such), she always got back to our email/text/call within 30 mins. We bought our home in december, and though Lota was away overseas holidaying with her family, she was always available. Lota went above and beyond what we asked of her. Due to some mis-communication by the sellers agent, we were in a situation of being homeless! We had given up our rental condo (we gave notice and it was re-rented to new tenants) and wouldn't get the new place for another couple weeks. Lota offered to put us up in an temporary condo at no cost to us. It didn't come to this, but her offer meant a great deal and it was one less thing for us to worry about. She stepped up and did several other things - picking/delivering keys/documents to us, working with the pervious tenants of the new place to get the mailbox key (which the sellers agent failed to do), working directly with the HoA of the new place to setup a move-in slot over the holidays, scheduling movers etc - all of this so that we could focus on the most important pieces while she dealt with all the other chores. Have no hesitation in working with Lota...you will be in good hands. read more

Lota was wonderful! She walked us through every step and all of our questions(and we had a lot). She demystified the entire buying process and made us feel comfortable going forward. She also steered us toward a lot of different options until we found our perfect home. She helped us buy our home and we definitely enjoyed working with her. read more

Lota is a true professional and definitely the person to call if you are looking in the SOMA/South Beach area! She is very knowledgeable and plugged in to the market, what's on it and what's coming on it, just the kind of guide you need. She was always easy to reach and deal with, extremely patient and upbeat, and managed to keep us on a steady course in a market that feels out of control in terms of both price and process. She is someone you can trust and will enjoy working with. read more

Frankly I don't remember how I found Lota (online but forget where) but I knew I had my realtor the minute we met for coffee. As first time home buyers, we really needed an experienced advisor and Lota was that and more. She worked patiently with us as we looked for about 1 year with a baby halfway through. Besides her knowledge of the local market, the best thing about Lota is that she really wanted the best place for us as a family - she even told us that certain properties weren't right for us due to location or other external factors (crime, commute). How many other realtors will tell you NOT to bid a on place? In the end we found a great condo and Lota helped facilitate the loan and closing so that the process was a stress-free as possible. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND Lota and her skils. Besides that she is a really nice person read more

I met Lota at an open house at the Beacon near the Giants stadium in early 2008. Through her help, I bought an investment condo at the same building a few months later. Lota's service did not end after she handed me the keys. Up to this date, she keeps a watchful eye at my investment and remains in contact with me about local market trends. When real estate values took a dive a few years back, Lota helped me with negotiating a reduction on my property taxes. She also helps in making sure that my investment continues to generate the most income and alerts me to potential issues that may affect my property. She is genuine in her ways and one can count on her sincerity and integrity. I definitely recommend her service to anyone that need a true partner that cares. read more

A colleague of mine referred me to Lota, and I'm so glad he did!! I was looking for an apartment in San Francisco with a very specific set of requirements. Lota was able to very quickly find a set of awesome properties that matched my needs, and I ended up signing for a gorgeous apartment (my first choice within the set) only about a month after meeting her. Talk about efficiency!! Especially with the current state of the market here. She's extremely responsive, super friendly, and she knows all the strings in this very competitive environment. I will *absolutely* get in touch with her again for anything real estate related in the area. read more

We have bought and sold a couple of houses in the past but working with Lota was by far the most pleasant experience we have ever had. She is extremely flexible, sincere and had our best interests in mind at all times. Buying and selling real estate is generally a stressful experience and lot of work so working with Lota, someone we could trust and rely on, was a very satisfying experience. Even after she helped us buy the property, we have been in constant touch and she has been extremely helpful in some of the follow ups; it felt more like a relationship versus a one-off agent-buyer transaction, where we would definitely like to use her for any future needs and would recommend her strongly to our friends and acquaintances. read more

We first met Lota at an open house in SOMA, and we were so impressed with her professionalism that we asked her to be our realtor when we decided to purchase a unit in the area. She was always available to answer any questions that we had and helped us through the complicated process of buying a home. With her guidance, we felt confident that everything was done correctly. We are so happy with our new home. read more