I cannot recommend our agent Amy Loughran and the whole team at Kate McCaffrey Group highly enough…read more As buyers in the notoriously tricky Alameda market, we found Amy's deep local experience and sharp instincts to be invaluable. She helped us navigate the common tactic of 'teaser' pricing (listing low to drive bidding wars) by providing clear, accurate data on where market rates actually sat. We ultimately purchased a Victorian home, and Amy was instrumental in helping us understand the special considerations and responsibilities that come with owning a historic resource. Her expertise in this area gave us a level of confidence we wouldn't have had otherwise. Once we were in escrow, Amy truly went above and beyond. Even through the holidays, she was incredibly responsive and never missed a beat. She provided us with excellent referrals for local contractors and was a wealth of knowledge regarding schools and neighborhood nuances. Even though we closed escrow just 2 days before New Year's Day, Amy and the others on the team kept us informed and moved the process along as quickly as possible. If you want a dedicated, well-connected team that truly understands the unique character of Alameda homes, work with these folks!

Jeanne did a wonderful job helping me find my forever home. She was responsive, patient, and easy…read moreto get along with. The process was easy to navigate and I cannot be happier with my purchase. Highly recommend!

Kellen was a pleasure to work with throughout our home search. He's responsive, patient, and deeply…read moreknowledgeable about his local market. He lined up showings quickly, explained nuances we wouldn't have caught on our own, and walked us through every offer and closing detail with care. His team is tight and well-coordinated. When tricky property issues came up, he had contractor quotes and context in hand within a day, going above and beyond. He never rushed our decisions and always made us feel like the priority. Five stars, no hesitation.

We met Kellen a few years ago and have been looking for houses on/off over the duration with him…read more Then, Kellen recently helped us decide and move forward to buy our first home. Over these open house visits, he has been very supportive and answering our questions patiently while providing various improvement ideas. During the purchase process he has been very prompt and detailed while guiding us. Kellen and his team has been supportive in closing our house in a record time and also guiding us through various conversations with loaner(s), contractor(s), title company, insurance company(ies) and so on.

If renting twice from the same company doesn't say enough, let me spell it out: Cerda-Zein Real…read moreEstate is top-tier. Professional, organized, and genuinely kind across the board. Maintenance was always timely, respectful, and easy to work with. CZRE has been my second home in more ways than one, and I couldn't recommend them more.

I viewed one of their properties earlier today and was very disappointed in how the unit was…read morepresented in the images on both their site and Zillow. I wanted to share them with you. In the attached images, you'll notice the really nice and colorful one (enhanced with AI), and then you'll see the reality of it. Take special attention to the tree's. There's a beautiful backyard with a tree on the left hand side as you go into the backyard. It isn't there. But there is a tree in the middle of the backyard, it just doesn't exist in the AI enhanced photo. Oh, and obviously everything else in the AI enhanced image that looks so enticing for any prospective renter doesn't exist. They called it a "private oasis," I'm not kidding. I attached that screenshot as well. I can kind of understand real estate companies using AI to slightly enhance a property's photos. I also understand that not everyone is a photographer and good photographers cost money. But this is just outright lying. This is such a waste of time for so many of us. On top of that, and this is one you'll want to pay special attention to, they're passing off a 30% fee to their tenants that's based off the rent. This should be paid by the owner of the property. With some deep dives it seems like it's an Alameda issue, but it's still so much money to put down for a rental that you'll never get back. This is outside of your deposit mind you. And what's crazy is, I would have considered this fee had I not been completely misled. And to add to being misled, the place was NOT in good shape. Vincent (the agent) told me it had already been "cleaned" but it very clearly had not. The kitchen specifically stood out. All I ask is for real estate companies to just be transparent with their listings. This involves everyone's time and money. This was a very icky first impression and now I know to avoid Cerda Zein. There's so many good, honest renters out there just trying to find a good roof over their heads. I'm one of them. Please consider this as you deal with this particular company. I've been looking for a few months and I've now come across 2 really shady real estate companies, which led me to being a Karen posting about it. One owns the majority of Berkeley (Premium Properties) and this one (Cerda Zein) owns a lot of Alameda. If you decide to rent with them, please don't eat that 30% fee. That's NOT normal. I know people can be desperate but this is a racket. And if you do decide to rent with them, please do some research on them before forking over that lost money. It's all online. I say this as someone who's been renting in the Bay Area for a few decades. UPDATE: I can't respond to Jose C's messages he sent me so here ya go. You're in for a wild ride. Hi G R. Jose C : Thank you for the feedback and for giving us the heads up. * I really appreciate your understanding. Jose C : We do have one correction: the property absolutely includes the private yard shown in the listing. * It does Jose, but it is NOT like the photos. This is the point of contention. Jose C : Calling it a "private oasis" simply refers to having your own secluded outdoor space. * Fair, but why the manipulated photos (old or new) it doesn't matter. New tenants are led to believe that's the current state of the unit, as advertised in the listing on your website here. - https://cerda-zein.com/property/rentals/1105-park-ave-b Jose C : As for the "AI-generated backyard", AI usually makes yards look better, not greener with weeds. * That's such an interesting take. Did you see the photos I posted from 5 hours ago compared to the listing photos? There's no way you're arguing that the photo on your listing was worse than what I posted. Weeds? Oh man. Your images are gorgeous. When I saw it, it had ZERO grass or plant life. The backyard looked like garbage. The photos I posted are backing that up. Jose C : The photo wasn't AI-generated, it was an older photo from a previous marketing period that inadvertently cycled back into the listing. * Jose, look at the photos you guys posted on your site and alternate rental sites. There's tree's misplaced. Jose C : Judging by the bare trees in the background, it was likely taken during the winter. The green ground you see appears to be seasonal weeds, not artificial landscaping. * Holy moly, so the photo was taken during winter? It had a tree on the left hand side back then and a lot of additional plants and grass? Again, please review the photos I posted. Jose C : Again, thank you for bringing it to our attention. * This doesn't feel sincere at all, you fought me on the obvious facts I provided. (Picture evidence) Jose C : We have updated the listing photos to better reflect the property's current condition. * I would certainly hope so, that was the point of my Karen post. But you're still asking for an $800 fee from a new tenant. That's insane. But good luck.

I hired Guy Blume to help me sell my two-family homes in Alameda, and I couldn't have asked for a…read morebetter experience. What really stood out was how hands-on he was. Guy didn't just give suggestions about preparing the properties for sale. He actually helped coordinate contractors and repairs to get the homes looking their best for buyers. That kind of support made the process much easier. He was always easy to reach, answered my questions clearly, and explained things in a way that helped me understand the process without ever talking down to me. When offers came in, he gave honest feedback and never pressured me to accept anything I wasn't comfortable with. If you're selling property in Alameda and want someone knowledgeable, responsive, and genuinely looking out for your best interests, I highly recommend Guy.

We selected Team Guy after meeting with seven other realtors to sell our house. Guy's extensive…read moremarket knowledge and advice played an incredibly instrumental role in the sale. He provided invaluable insights and saw things we otherwise would have missed. He has a lot of experience doing what he does! Guy and Ashley both worked tirelessly to get results. We couldn't be happier with how quickly the house sold. Guy comes with our highest recommendation, as we have been thoroughly impressed with his work.

Sophia has been my realtor for 11 years. She has helped me to buy two houses, and also helped many…read moreof my friends buy and sell homes over the years. Sophia is great at understanding your needs, finding a house that works for you, and helping to strategize how to get the home you want in a way that feels like true partnership. Both times that I have used Sophia, the transaction was incredibly smooth. She's a great communicator, moves quickly, and is extremely knowledgable and transparent. I cannot give a higher endorsement. If you are looking for a realtor in Alameda, choose Sophia.

Our family has had the pleasure of working with Sophia Niu twice, and we honestly couldn't…read morerecommend her more. She helped us buy our first home in Alameda, which came with plenty of complications given our unique situation. Years later, when it was time to find our family's forever home, we knew right away we wanted to work with her again. Sophia patiently spent months touring homes with us, always offering honest opinions and thoughtful advice. She brings such a warm, kind energy that makes the whole process feel enjoyable and low-stress (as can be). Both times, Sophia impressed us with her professionalism, transparency, and realistic approach--always keeping our priorities, concerns, and budget in mind. On top of being an amazing realtor, she's incredibly well-connected and has been a huge help with everything home-related. Her reputation truly speaks for itself, and we wouldn't hesitate to work with her again in a heartbeat.

Michele and Bradley made selling my Oakland home genuinely painless. They were communicative…read morethroughout, knew the market, and kept things moving even when escrow hit some snags with Alameda County recording. I always knew what was happening and why. If you're buying or selling in the East Bay, these two are the real deal.

I had a great experience working with Michele and her team…read more Due to a health issue, I was anxious to both buy a condo, and sell my house, at the same time. Michele made it happen. I'm now living in a wonderful condo, in a beautiful building, and my house sold for over asking. I feel that their marketing of my house was fantastic. If you're looking for a realtor that truly cares, is diligent and detail oriented, and will go the extra mile, I highly recommend Michele.

When I first reached out to the McCaffrey Group regarding one of their listings one late afternoon,…read moreJeanne who is a part of that group promptly contacted me within minutes and scheduled a call the very next morning to go over all my questions. I just recently closed on a house with her and have been consistently amazed by her professionalism, expertise and speed. In a fast-moving housing market like the Bay Area, it is crucial to have an agent who takes the time to understand what you are looking for, and works fast and tirelessly to present your offer attractively to the seller. After closing on my house, I ran into the listing agent at the house and she had raving reviews about Jeanne. She was impressed with her exceptional communication throughout the offer bidding process. It is the little things that you may never hear about but rest assured, Jeanne will always go the extra mile for you. I would highly recommend Jeanne to anyone looking for a realtor!

Buying property is difficult, especially in the Bay Area. That is why it is super important to…read morework with a great realtor that suits your needs. Jeanne was the perfect agent for my wife and I: she was professional, friendly, knowledgeable, and just a wonderful human being. Jeanne listens to our opinions and concerns, then gives us advice, allowing us to decide what to do with that advice. Not once did she pressure us into bidding higher than what we were comfortable with, and she even advised us to not skip on certain properties after looking at the disclosures with us - saving us from acquiring a potential money pit. Jeanne would always recommend properties for us to go see, get us any disclosures that we asked for (even before we even went to the open house, and for any that we were going to bid on, she would run the comps, go over the disclosures with us - all in a very, very thorough and timely manner. She was incredibly responsive through e-mail, texts, phone calls, and messages through the Compass app - even when she was on vacation! At the end of the day, Jeanne is the best real estate agent that I have worked with. Jeanne was so organized that when we finally had our offer accepted, the transaction could not have been any smoother. It all went without a hitch, and my wife and I could not be happier. Best of all, my wife and I really felt that Jeanne was extremely genuine, and she had our best interest at heart. TL; DR version: Do yourself a favor and work with Jeanne: great real estate agent, genuine, awesome person.

If you are not satisfied with good and want the best, then Phillip is your man whether buying or…read moreselling. After doing business with him I would not give him a 5-star rating. I would give him 10 Overall, a great guy, extremely knowledgeable and helpful. He simplified the buying process and was able to answer all questions. If you are looking for the best realtor then read this review because this man is amazing and if i would ever move again he will be my go to.

I wrote this review to express my gratitude for Philip Strause. He has set the bar extremely high…read morefor real estate agents and I couldn't have picked a better person as my agent for my first home purchase! Phil's personable and caring attitude made this process much easier especially as we navigated multiple home tours and offers. I never felt pressured to get a pre-approval before viewing homes or pressure to buy. Phil reassured me as we put offers in and always checked in to make sure I was not overwhelmed or felt pressured to move forward with an offer if I wasn't 100% satisfied with the property. Phil exhibited a keen knowledge about the market and a great eye for details as he was able to note any issue or areas of concern with the homes we toured. As a first time home buyer, i had many questions and concerns at every step. Phil always provided a thorough explanation or investigated further if he did not know the answer. I really appreciate his commitment and willingness to find me the best home for me! I recommend him to anyone searching for a home that wants a caring real estate agent who takes the time to find the perfect fit for your individual needs! Thank you again Phil!

Maureen Shandobil just sold a house for us. She has been in the real estate field in Alameda for…read moredecades and knew exactly how to price the house to get us the best price. She recommended that we do some cosmetic fixes to the garden, paint the interior, carpet the floors, and "stage" the home with nice rental furniture and wall coverings to get us the best price possible. She arranged all of this for us and it seemed to be worth the money. In two weeks with two weekend open houses, we got multiple offers - with most of them above listing price! With multiple offers, we were able to make sure that we picked a buyer that could buy the house with little of no hassles. Escrow closed just a few weeks later and the notary sent by the title company got the necessary signatures and that was it. Super easy sale process and quick too! Maureen Shandobil of Harbor Bay Realty gets the coveted five stars!!

A really ethical person, very nice, very effective and not pushy. Listens to you and does not push…read moreunnecessary work or remodel. I highly recommend her.