We are excited to share the news that Sereno has joined Christie’s International Real Estate, the world’s premier luxury real estate brand. The company will now be known as Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno, and our clients will begin to enjoy a number of elevated benefits including:

– Access to a global luxury network of more than 100 affiliate firms in nearly 50 countries and territories

– Maximum exposure for luxury listings through exclusive advertising partnerships, as well as international PR and social media campaigns

– Enhanced luxury marketing materials and online exposure

– Special access to auction, private sale and appraisal services through Christie’s, the world-leading art and luxury business

While our name may have changed, what will never change are the guiding principles that have made us the No. 1 independent real estate firm in Northern California: local, hands-on ownership; unmatched market knowledge; a culture of service; and most of all our commitment to our clients and communities.

Click HERE for the official press release.

Introducing Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno

Sereno, the San Francisco Bay Area’s most productive, locally owned, and led real estate firm, announced on Friday, October 15, 2021, that San Carlos based Dwell Realtors officially became Sereno and will be operating under the Sereno brokerage exclusively.

Although the two firms merged earlier this year, the brand transition from Dwell to Sereno has been thoughtfully managed and became official this week. The existing Dwell team of agents and Sereno leadership gathered to celebrate their enthusiasm at WaterDog Tavern in Belmont this past Wednesday evening.

Dwell Realtors has had a commanding presence and market share in the mid-peninsula marketplace since its founding in 2015 and has maintained the top market share position in San Carlos and Redwood City since. The Dwell team is known for its elite level market knowledge, professionalism, and client representation and service.

“Similar to Sereno’s experience and story, Dwell has built an incredible legacy of quality real estate practice, market influence, and success while competing with larger corporate brokerages in a very competitive marketplace,” said Ryan Iwanaga, Sereno’s Chief Experience Officer. “The Dwell team has accomplished this through attention to quality, professionalism, and a high standard of practice.”

The Dwell transition coincides with Sereno’s opening of their new Burlingame downtown office. Earlier this year, Sereno welcomed top producers Philip Watson and Stephan Marshall along with a group of 25 high-level Realtors from Compass.

Both the San Carlos and Burlingame offices are part of Sereno’s strategic plan to become the most productive, professional, and community-minded real estate firm in the Bay Area. Successful Realtors are very closely immersed in the values and nuances of the local culture and communities and Sereno believes a real estate firm rooted in this philosophy best serves the interests of its Realtors and clients alike.

Dwell opened its doors in January 2015 as a completely independent brokerage. Built from scratch by a group of high-producing agents, they ranked as the #1 firm in San Carlos every year since 2015 in total listings sold, total buyer transactions, and total gross sales volume.

In 2019, Dwell also became the #1 office for gross sales volume for Redwood City properties.

While the Dwell name is changing to Sereno, the founding partners and agents will continue to provide the same hyper-local, community-based real estate services that clients have come to know since the brokerage was created.

This expansion reflects Sereno’s commitment to advancing the spirit of the independent brokerage to best serve agents, clients, and communities. By bringing like-minded individuals together, Sereno’s vision and ability to best support our clients and give back to our local communities is amplified.

While most sizable real estate firms are now owned by out-of-area corporate conglomerates, Sereno has remained true to its roots of local ownership, leadership and sensibility.

Sereno will close in excess of $6 Billion in residential sales in 2021 and has donated over $4M to hyper-local non-profit organizations since the inception of it’s 1% for Good Program in 2012. The firm was just recognized as the #1 Top Workplace for Large Companies in the entire Bay Area by the Bay Area News Group. Sereno has also been among the top 30 corporate givers as recognized by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.

The firm is actively meeting with other quality Realtors on the Peninsula and surrounding areas about joining its real estate movement. Stay tuned for additional news about Sereno’s growing success in this remarkable area of our bay area community.

Click HERE for the official press release.

Sereno is honored to be ranked #1 in the prestigious Bay Area Top Workplaces rankings for the Large Company Category. Sereno is part of an exclusive group named to the list each of the 12 years since the Bay Area News Group began recognizing Bay Area companies.

The company believes the result is a testament to its core values and company vision that prioritizes workplace culture and the continued well-being of its agents, employees and local communities. During the past 12 years, Sereno has been recognized as a Top Workplace in the small, medium, and now large company categories and has been named in the top three, regardless of category, every single year.

“For Sereno to be recognized as a top workplace each of the last 12 years is incredibly humbling, but to be named as the #1 top workplace for the large company after our first year qualifying for that category is a tremendous honor,” said Ryan Iwanaga, Sereno Co-Founder and Chief Experience Officer. “We have always placed the highest importance on company culture and have been fortunate to maintain that throughout our growth from a small company to large. The recognition says so much about each team member’s contribution to the whole.”

Sereno’s internal focus on culture extends to the larger community, as well. The company’s belief system is founded in community-mindedness and connection, which starts internally and translates to responsible real estate practice and good citizenship.

“We think this award is a reflection of our internal culture and values and also the opportunity the larger community of the Bay Area has brought to us,” Iwanaga concluded.

Click HERE for the full press release.

Sereno is pleased to acknowledge its 15th year of business as a successful residential real estate brokerage serving Northern California.

Started in 2006 by a group of dedicated professionals committed to serving their clients and community in a new way, Sereno has transformed from a single office with 27 founding agents into a still hyper-locally focused organization with 16 offices that now serve communities throughout Northern California.

“Over these past 15 years, Sereno held firmly to the belief that a small group of people can change the world and that a for profit company can do good things and not lose its soul. This spirit is held in the hearts and minds of our people and we have great faith in what the next 15 years will bring,” Chris Trapani, Co-Founder.

Among the many notable accomplishments, Sereno is now home to 600 agents and closed over 25,000 transactions, been a Top Silicon Valley Giver since 2013 and Top Bay Area Workplace since 2010. In 2020, the firm closed over $4.7B in sales and was ranked Number 3 in the nation by RealTrends for average sales price.

“I have always maintained that Sereno’s greatest strength is its people and for the past 15 years, that belief has held true and allowed us to create a real estate practice with meaning. The fact we are here and thriving 15 years later speaks to the success of our brokerage. Today we honor the individuals, both inside and outside Sereno, who have supported our vision along the way,” Ryan Iwanaga, Co-Founder.

Sereno is pleased to announce that Realty World Castlerock has joined its growing union of quality, independent firms throughout Northern California.

Don Sabatini, Barbara Sauer, Sheila Santwani, Augustine Martinez, and Jason Weeks are now part of Sereno’s real estate agent team serving clients and the local community from a base on The Avenue in the heart of Willow Glen.

“To our friends, neighbors, and clients, we may be changing our Willow Glen address but we are still your lifelong resource and partner in real estate,” said Don Sabatini of the move to Sereno.

Realty World Castlerock was founded in January 2010 by Don Sabatini. Over the past 11 years, they have been involved with the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association and support community events such as the Wine Walks and Trick-or-Treat in The Glen. Together, they built a formidable and productive, boutique firm founded on integrity and strong relational bonds with their agents, clients, and the local community.

“We are super excited to welcome Don and his agents into the Sereno Willow Glen office. Being neighbors on The Avenue, I would often see Don and Barbara supporting our local community and have great respect for the office they built. With their sense of community mindedness, they are a great fit for our office and I look forward to working with each one of them,” said Jason Noriega, VP of Experience, Willow Glen.

This addition follows Sereno’s recent merger with Dwell Realtors in San Carlos, the acquisition of J. Rockcliff Realtors in the East Bay as well as multiple organic growth offices founded in partnership with independent and locally minded teams throughout the Bay Area and beyond. As a result, Sereno has seen its presence expand and related production increase by over 40% on a year over year basis. Along with this increase in production, Sereno is determined and destined to advance it’s annual charitable giving as well.

Click HERE for the full Press Release.

Since 1949, National Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in May to increase awareness surrounding the importance of mental health and wellness. Mental health is defined as emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.

As we continue to adjust to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Sereno thought it would be helpful to share resources to support you, and your loved ones, if you are feeling alone, or in need of ways to reach out for healthy conversation during this challenging time.

The pandemic has radically shaken our world. Please do not underestimate this fact. With so much uncertainty swirling around our communities, now is the time to be gentle, reach out to anyone you think might need help, and even make the vulnerable call to ask for help for yourself.

Everyone here at Sereno is committed to supporting our communities during this extraordinary time. Here are some resources and organizations that might spark ideas and offer assistance:

Momentum for Health offers adults, adolescents, and families a vast array of high-quality programs and services that promote a healthier, independent future. The organization focuses on the delivery of comprehensive behavioral health services that are accessible, integrated, effective, and engaging.

Seize the Awkward has some wonderful ideas for beginning those somewhat awkward conversations.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health) has all kinds of resources for reaching out to help those around you. A global threat, like this pandemic, touches all of us. Now, more than ever, we are being called upon to make a difference and together we can show people that they are not alone.

The TREVOR Project is full of ideas to support LGBTQ communities and provides valuable resources to young people nationwide who may not have anywhere else to turn to for help. Thanks to Trevor’s programs, LGBTQ youth are not alone.

The National Council for Behavioral Health is full of resources and ideas to support yourself and your community.

If you or someone you know is in need of immediate assistance, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting BC2M to 741741.

#MentalHealthMonth

Sereno expands into the East Bay, Tahoe, and reveals an evolved brand image to better serve Bay Area agents and their buyers and sellers, throughout the region.

“We remain dedicated to leveraging the advantages of being an independently branded, locally-owned business and continue to do our part to support our agents and local communities.” Chris Trapani, Co-Founder, and CEO of Sereno.

The Bay Area’s leading independent real estate firm with over 500 agents serving Silicon Valley, the SF Peninsula, Santa Cruz, the East Bay, and Lake Tahoe, has significantly evolved its brand image to mark the beginning of a new era for the nearly 15-year-old company and reignite the spirit of independent real estate at scale throughout the region.

Sereno’s latest expansion with the recent acquisition of J. Rockcliff Realtors makes it the largest independent and locally-owned real estate company in the Bay Area. The company’s dedication to local communities through its Sereno 1% For Good Charitable Foundation, will now benefit more residents.

“In a time when many Bay Area real estate companies have either consolidated under a national company’s umbrella or become franchisees for corporate brands, we’ve doubled down on promoting and advancing the independent real estate brokerage and agent,” said Chris Trapani, Co-Founder and CEO of Sereno.

“To us, a locally-operated business means leaders who are present and involved, agents who are supported and connected to their communities and their company, as well as consumers who are served by people who are driven by contributing to the community overall,” said Ryan Iwanaga, Co-Founder and Chief Experience Officer.

Trapani and Iwanaga, together with a group of a few dozen founding agents, launched Sereno in 2006 with the vision of creating a real estate company that is truly connected to its communities, holding true to a responsibility not only to serve those communities but to build them and give back as much as possible. Their goal was to hire and support the most experienced, respected, and productive Realtors and make meaning along the way with a socially responsible approach.

Sereno’s founding team believes that preserving a more independent, locally-operated real estate brokerage option for agents and consumers ensures the long term integrity of the business. It provides an authentic connection to the company and the communities it serves while allowing Sereno to remain hyper-local in its service platform and offerings while reinvesting resources locally. Sereno believes this philosophy and approach best serve agents and their client’s long-term interests.

The Sereno 1% For Good Charitable Foundation, an agent-driven initiative, was recently ranked #21 in corporate philanthropy among Silicon Valley companies. To date, the Foundation has generated over $3.4 million in charitable donations. The brokerage, as well as many of its agents, commit to donating a portion of their commissions which is then distributed to local nonprofit organizations.

“Sereno agents are very involved in our 1% For Good program,” said Kirsty Duncan, Director of Social Impact. “For so many of us, it has become an incredible way to really connect with the people around us on a human level, and to fuel a passion for helping, which is so incredibly needed right now.”

The Sereno 1% For Good Charitable Foundation has contributed to over 246 local nonprofit organizations.

For more information and to see the new Sereno brand launch, visit https://www.sereno.com/

Click HERE for the official press release.

The Joanne Knapp Community Service Award is given each year to an associate who exemplifies Sereno Group’s spirit of proactive community connectedness and involvement through thought, spirit, and action. The award is in honor of Joanne Knapp, one of Sereno Group’s original associates who had a long history as a well respected and beloved Realtor in Santa Clara. Joanne was instrumental in the early phases of Sereno Group’s community-minded, values driven business model and acted as a trusted advisor to the founders.

Joanne Knapp Community Service Award Winners:

The Sereno Group Spirit Award is given each year to an associate who embodies Sereno Group’s ideals of high integrity and responsible real estate practice, selflessness, and a commitment to the communities we serve. The award was inspired by Sallie Morgan, a legendary and admired Realtor in the Silicon Valley who made significant contributions to Sereno Group’s growth and success.

Sereno Group Spirit Award Winners:

This year we introduced the J. Rockcliff Courage Award. This award will be presented annually to individuals who exhibit courage, inspiration, and leadership in the face of both personal and professional adversity. The award is named in recognition and honor of J. Rockcliff Realtors’ legacy as one of the Bay Area’s premiere independent brokerages.

J. Rockcliff Courage Award Winners:

In honor of Giving Tuesday, the Sereno Group 1% For Good Charitable Foundation is donating $20,000 to 10 trusted Bay Area nonprofits to address the local challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are the 10 non-profits we have chosen and what they are doing for our local communities. We hope you will join us on this #GIVINGTUESDAY and make a donation directly to one or more of these worthy organizations.

CITY TEAM
https://cityteam.org/

With your support, neighbors in need will find real help …

Sereno Group is pleased to announce that the company has risen to #21 (up from #26 last year) in the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s Top Corporate Philanthropists. Social impact has always been a part of the company mission and the Sereno Group 1% For Good Charitable Foundation is an extension of the belief that businesses have a responsibility to contribute to the people and communities where they operate.

Sereno Group’s recent partnerships with both the Community Foundation Santa Cruz and Los Altos Community Foundation has increased its community impact and ability to network with other nonprofit organizations.

The company’s contributions to organizations during the fiscal year 2019 totaled $844k and benefitted Mountains 2 Sea, Downtown Streets Team, Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, Monterey Bay Trout & Salmon Project, Santa Cruz Animal Shelter Foundation – Extra Mile, Vista Center for the Blind & visually Impaired, Felton Library Friends O’Neill Sea Odyssey, Mariano Castro Elementary School, New Creation Home Ministries, Hope’s Corner, Magical Bridge Foundation, Child Advocates of Silicon Valley, Destination Home, Hearts & Minds Activity Center, Parisi House on the Hill, Build-A-Box, Gilroy Foundation – Gilroy Garlic Festival Victim Relief Fund, Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley, LaRaza Lawyers SCC Charitable Foundation, Los Gatos & Monte Sereno Disaster Aid Response Team, Stroke Awareness, Canopy, Bay Area Cancer Connection, The Beat Within, East Palo Alto Kids Foundation, Cristo Rey High School, Renaissance Entrepreneur Center, Homework Central, Support Saratoga Elementary Teachers, Family Supportive Housing, Saratoga Senior Center, Shop With a Cop, Veggielution, National Alliance on Mental Illness Santa Clara County, and Elevate Tutoring.

The largest grant made in 2019 was $30,000 to the Los Gatos Monte Sereno Disaster Aid Response Team which helped to replace their command center trailer which is vital for local disasters like the recent catastrophic wildfires that devastated local communities.

Since 2012, this agent-driven initiative has been able to contribute to 248 philanthropic organizations throughout Silicon Valley and the Santa Cruz coastal communities and donate over $3.4 million.

“Our priority from the beginning was to discover how to leverage our business for the greatest good and I continue to be humbled and inspired by the benevolence of our group.” Chris Trapani, CEO + Founder, Sereno Group

Read the full press release HERE.