Desantis Realty Group · Coldwell Banker Realty

Every home has a story. We tell it properly.

We are a white-glove boutique team with real organic marketing results, not just ads, led by Mario Desantis at Coldwell Banker Realty in Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and Monterey Counties.

Sell

Know what your home is worth.

A written valuation from the team, built on the sales buyers will compare yours to.

Buy

Find the home the portals miss.

All three counties, including off-market and pre-market homes, with a negotiator on your side.

200+

Transactions closed

Zillow profile

413

Five-star reviews

Reviews

#1

Santa Cruz team by sides, RealTrends Verified

RealTrends

Recent sales and listings

Every home gets its own film.

Recent sales and active listings, with the films our marketing team makes for each one.

This $2.77M Home Feels Like a Private Resort?! 🌴 | Soquel Home Tour
4 Bedrooms in Santa Cruz for UNDER $1M?! 👀 | Pleasure Point Fixer Upper

Where we work

Choose your county

Each county has its own page with its towns, what we do there and a search for homes.

Santa Cruz County, Desantis Realty Group

Santa Cruz County

Our home market, from the beaches of Aptos and Capitola to the redwoods of the San Lorenzo Valley.

Explore Santa Cruz County

Santa Clara County, Desantis Realty Group

Santa Clara County

Los Gatos to Palo Alto, San Jose to Gilroy: the Silicon Valley corridor and the south county.

Explore Santa Clara County

Monterey County, Desantis Realty Group

Monterey County

Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Carmel, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Seaside and Marina.

Explore Monterey County

Mario Desantis, founder of Desantis Realty Group

Mario Desantis · Founder

Luxury, to us, is never having to wonder what happens next.

Mario came to the United States from Italy at nineteen with a hundred dollars and a work ethic he never set down. Six years and more than two hundred closed transactions later, the standard is the same: a written plan from the first meeting, every vendor coordinated for you, and an update before you think to ask, in English, Spanish or Italian.

CA DRE #02119587 · English · Spanish · Italian

About Mario

Award and press

Tom Ferry 30 Under 30

Mario was named to Tom Ferry 30 Under 30 by Tom Ferry International, and his story, from arriving in the United States at nineteen with a hundred dollars to leading Desantis Realty Group, was featured in Tom Ferry's Outliers series: “How One Agent Turned $100 into $1.25M | Outliers”.

RealTrends Verified Top Team by Volume & Sides. Ranked #1 team in Santa Cruz by sides and #2 by volume in RealTrends' verified rankings (Coldwell Banker Realty, based on 2025 sales data). See the RealTrends profile.

The team and the process

A full staff behind every sale.

Every client works with the whole of Desantis Realty Group: a founder who negotiates every offer himself, agents who lead day to day, and operations, marketing and a transaction coordinator behind them.

Mario Desantis, Founder · Andrea Loporcaro, Agent · Jose Salas, Agent · Stone Castro, Chief Operating Officer · Hunter Corbin, Director of Marketing · Lauren Mundell, Transaction Coordinator

Meet the team

Client portal

Every date, document and next step in one place.

Each client gets a private portal, updated as things happen, so you never have to ask where your sale or purchase stands.

The first meeting

We walk the home with you, listen to your timing and goals, and talk through the market honestly.

The written plan

Within days you receive a written plan: pricing for the buyer your home will actually attract, preparation, timeline and marketing.

Preparation

Staging, repairs, cleaning and inspections are coordinated by the team. You approve; we manage the vendors.

Marketing, in phases

Pre-market: film, photography and the story of the home are produced in-house. Launch: the home goes live on the MLS, the major portals and our social channels at once. Momentum: we track showings and engagement and adjust every week.

Weekly updates

Every week you hear from us with showings, feedback and what we are changing, before you think to ask.

Offers and negotiation

Mario negotiates every offer himself and walks you through the terms that matter beyond the price.

Transaction coordinator to close

Once you accept an offer, our transaction coordinator manages every date, disclosure and document through closing.

Your client portal

From the first meeting to close, every date, document and next step lives in one private place, updated as it happens.

What clients say

413

★★★★★

five-star reviews across Experience.com, Google, Zillow, Realtor.com and Yelp.

Read the reviews

Read them where they were written.

Every review is in the client's own words, on the platform they chose.

Leave a Google review

Quick answers

The questions we hear most.

Short, direct answers. The full list is on the FAQ page.

Who is Mario Desantis?

Mario Desantis is a REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker Realty (CA DRE #02119587) and the founder of Desantis Realty Group, a team based in Scotts Valley serving Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and Monterey Counties. He has closed more than 200 transactions in six years, holds 413 five-star reviews, and was named to Tom Ferry's 30 Under 30.

Is Desantis Realty Group the same as Coldwell Banker Realty?

Desantis Realty Group is Mario Desantis's team. The team is licensed under Coldwell Banker Realty, the brokerage of record, and works from 5435 Scotts Valley Dr, Ste B, Scotts Valley, CA 95066.

What is Mario Desantis's DRE license number?

Mario Desantis is licensed by the California Department of Real Estate, license #02119587.

Which areas does Desantis Realty Group serve?

Three counties. Santa Cruz County: Santa Cruz, Capitola, Soquel, Aptos, Seacliff, Rio Del Mar, La Selva Beach, Watsonville, Scotts Valley, Felton, Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek and Bonny Doon. Santa Clara County: Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Campbell, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, San Jose, Milpitas, Morgan Hill and Gilroy. Monterey County: Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Seaside and Marina.

Where is the Desantis Realty Group office?

The office is at 5435 Scotts Valley Dr, Ste B, Scotts Valley, CA 95066, a few minutes from every town in Santa Cruz County and a short drive over Highway 17 from Santa Clara County.

How do I contact Mario Desantis?

Call or text (831) 291-0511, email mario@desantisrealty.com, use the contact form on this site, or book a meeting directly at book.desantisrealty.com.

All 32 questions
How do I choose the best realtor in Santa Cruz County?

Look for a written plan, verified reviews and a local track record. Mario Desantis (Coldwell Banker Realty, CA DRE #02119587) offers all three: a written pricing and marketing plan from the first meeting, 413 five-star reviews across Experience.com, Google, Zillow, Realtor.com and Yelp, and more than 200 transactions closed across Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and Monterey Counties.

What makes a top real estate agent in Santa Cruz different?

A top real estate agent in Santa Cruz prices for the buyer a home will actually attract, including Silicon Valley buyers, coordinates every vendor, and keeps you updated before you ask. That is the standard Desantis Realty Group works to on every sale, in English, Spanish or Italian.

What languages does Mario Desantis speak?

Mario works with clients in English, Spanish and Italian.

Who is on the Desantis Realty Group team?

Mario Desantis is the founder (CA DRE #02119587). The agents are Andrea Loporcaro (CA DRE #02440881) and Jose Salas (CA DRE #02052088). The staff are Stone Castro, Chief Operating Officer; Hunter Corbin, Director of Marketing (CA DRE #02216746); and Lauren Mundell, Transaction Coordinator (CA DRE #02028998).

How many homes has Mario Desantis sold?

Mario has closed more than 200 transactions in six years in real estate across Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and Monterey Counties.

How many reviews does Mario Desantis have?

Mario has 413 five-star reviews across Experience.com, Google, Zillow, Realtor.com and Yelp.

What awards has Mario Desantis received?

Mario was named to Tom Ferry's 30 Under 30 and his story was featured on the Tom Ferry channel. Desantis Realty Group is a RealTrends Verified Top Team by volume and by sides, ranked #1 in Santa Cruz by sides and #2 by volume in RealTrends' verified rankings.

What price range does Desantis Realty Group work in?

The team focuses on homes above $2,000,000 and represents clients at every price point: first homes, family homes, investment property and estates.

Does Mario Desantis work with first-time buyers?

Yes. First-time buyers get a plain-language plan, a lender introduction and a real pre-approval before touring, and honest guidance on where a first purchase is realistic in each county.

Does Desantis Realty Group handle trust and estate sales?

Yes. The team represents successor trustees, executors and heirs, including families settling a parent's home from another state, and handles clean-out, preparation, attorney coordination and remote signing locally.

Does Mario Desantis work with investors and commercial property?

Yes. The team underwrites multi-unit and income property honestly before you tour or list, and represents buyers and sellers of mixed-use, retail and owner-user commercial property across the three counties.

Can Desantis Realty Group help me relocate to the Central Coast or Silicon Valley?

Yes. For relocating buyers the team tours on your behalf, sends film of every home, arranges remote signing and handles local details in English, Spanish or Italian.

Does Mario Desantis represent buyers of new construction?

Yes. On a new build the builder's sales office works for the builder; Mario represents you, reviewing the contract, negotiating upgrades and credits, and walking every inspection.

How do I find out what my home is worth?

Request a home valuation on this site. The team prepares a personalized comparative market analysis (CMA) based on recent sales in your neighborhood and walks you through it, with no obligation.

Why do Silicon Valley buyers matter when selling in Santa Cruz County?

Much of the coastal demand in Santa Cruz County comes from buyers over Highway 17. Desantis Realty Group markets Santa Cruz County homes to that audience directly and represents sellers and buyers on both sides of the hill.

What makes Santa Cruz County's markets different from each other?

A beach house in Aptos, a family home in Scotts Valley and a cabin in Felton sell to different buyers, at different speeds, for different reasons. The team prices and markets each home for the buyer it will actually attract.

How does Desantis Realty Group market a listing?

With a written plan before anything goes live: pricing for the right buyer, preparation and staging coordinated by the team, film, photography and social campaigns produced by our own marketing team, and organic reach on the channels buyers already watch, not just ads.

What are Desantis Realty Group's top communities?

Soquel, Scotts Valley and Capitola in Santa Cruz County are the team's top three communities, with the team's office in Scotts Valley.

Can I book a meeting with Mario Desantis online?

Yes. Visit book.desantisrealty.com to schedule a call or meeting; the booking page routes you to the right calendar for the type and length of meeting.

Does Mario Desantis have a YouTube channel?

Yes. Desantis Realty Group publishes listing walkthroughs and neighborhood videos on YouTube, and Mario's story was featured on Tom Ferry's channel.

Which MLS does Desantis Realty Group use?

The team is a member of MLSListings, the multiple listing service covering Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and Monterey Counties.

What is Mario Desantis's background?

Mario came to the United States from Italy at nineteen with a hundred dollars. He built Desantis Realty Group on the way he was raised to work: take care of the people in front of you, and do the job properly or not at all.

Is Mario Desantis a solo agent or a team?

Mario leads a team, Desantis Realty Group, so no part of your sale depends on one person's inbox: a founder who negotiates every offer himself, agents, a transaction coordinator who keeps every date, and operations and marketing behind them.

Where can I read reviews of Mario Desantis?

On Google, Zillow, Realtor.com, Yelp and Experience.com. Links to each profile are in the footer of this site and on the Reviews page.

Does Mario Desantis negotiate offers himself?

Yes. Mario negotiates every offer himself, for sellers and for buyers, with a strategy written for that specific home.

Is there a client portal?

Yes. Clients get a private portal with every date, document and next step in one place, updated as it happens. Existing clients can sign in from the Client login link at the top of every page.

Blog

Notes from the three counties.

Book a call

Your next step, on your calendar.

Pick a time that suits you and talk it through with the team: selling, buying, or simply what your home would sell for today.

Desantis Realty GroupMario Desantis · Coldwell Banker Realty5435 Scotts Valley Dr, Ste B
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
(831) 291-0511mario@desantisrealty.comCA DRE #02119587Get directions