Geri Stern, Real Estate Agent

Social Media

geriandcarla.com

LinkedIn

Facebook

Geri’s Concierge Page

Specialties

Certified Residential Specialist

Senior Real Estate Specialist

Member of TOP AGENT NETWORK

Delaware Statutory Trust Specialist

YouTube Video Q & A

Guide for 1031 Exchanges and Other Investors

Selling an Estate or Living Trust Property?

Education

California State University Long Beach
Long Beach, California
B.S.N., Nursing, January 1975

Texas Women's University
Houston, Texas
M.S.N., Psychiatrc Nursing, August 1978

Mental Health Commissioner, District 1
Contra Costa County

Chair Justice Subcommittee

Member Soroptimist International, El Cerrito since 1988

Member in good standing

National Association for REALTORS® since 1988

California Association of REALTORS® since 1988

Charity

Amnesty International

Doctors without Borders

The Fistula Foundation

About Geri

Geri Stern is a distinguished real estate professional with over three decades of experience, bringing a unique blend of expertise as both a seasoned REALTOR® and a former Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Specializing in Residential, Luxury, Condominium, and Investment properties throughout the East Bay, Geri is known for her principled, insightful, and highly personalized approach to real estate.

Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Geri’s career in healthcare spanned 15 years and several states—including California, Nevada, Colorado, and Texas—before she transitioned into real estate in 1988. Drawn back to California, Geri redirected her passion for helping people into the real estate industry, where she has since built a stellar reputation for excellence and integrity.

Geri’s background in mental health care gives her a profound understanding of human behavior, family dynamics, and the emotional nuances involved in buying and selling property. She is adept at guiding clients through the complexities and emotional highs and lows of the real estate process, providing steady, empathetic, and expert support from start to finish.

Geri has been a dynamic force in the community supporting causes related to improving the lives of women and girls for over 36 years. As a member of Soroptimist International of El Cerrito and as a member of the Mental Health Commision, Geri has tirelessly worked to improve and fundraise for those most deserving of assistance in our Community, nationally, and the world. Geri's most recent endeavor has been to support the Fistual Foundation to assist in raising money to provide life changing surgeries for women affected by this injury at childbirth.

In 1996, Geri partnered with Carla Della Zoppa to form one of the most dynamic and respected teams in the East Bay: “The Hardest Working Women in Real Estate.” Together, they have managed the successful renovation of hundreds of homes, collaborating with a trusted network of designers, contractors, and stagers who uphold the highest ethical and professional standards. Geri has a particular talent for transforming distressed and neglected properties into beautifully reimagined homes.

Outside of her professional life, Geri is an avid sports enthusiast, with interests ranging from skiing and tennis to horseback riding and golf.

Known for her meticulous attention to detail, deep market knowledge, and unwavering dedication, Geri provides a comprehensive and client-centered real estate experience. Her responsiveness, authenticity, and strategic guidance ensure that each client’s journey is not only successful but also elevated, seamless, and rewarding.

With Geri Stern, clients don’t just meet their real estate goals—they surpass them.

Click here to visit Geri's website.

Contact Geri to serve you and your personal real estate interests.

Client Testmonials

★★★★★
"I want to offer my greatest, warmest thanks to Geri Stern, a true hero! I was asked to be the Trustee for my Uncle's estate. I felt overwhelmed and I had no idea where to start, or what to do. I don't reside in California, which made things complicated. Geri saved me. From the first time I met her she was compassionate, and reassuring. She kind to me, and patient, and helped me form a plan and team. And a winning team! She had contacts for attorneys and estate sales... there was nothing I asked her about that she didn't have knowledge about, or good direction. I called her relentlessly for help and with questions and she was always encouraging and wonderful. She was never aggressive with me, but FOR me when I was getting pushed around. FOR me. That's important- she went to bat for me many times dealing with loan companies, etc. she is very organized and stays on task. That estate was managed beautifully, and I owe it all to her. I'm eternally grateful. I appreciate deeply that she kept in close contact with me every step of the way. I relied on Geri 100% and she seemed fine with that. Ha! I felt like I must be driving her nuts at times, but she said it was no bother, and I believe her. Dare I say she became my friend. I mean that. Geri will help you. She has experience, and she can handle anything! She's amazing! I am so grateful to her for picking me up and helping me through selling this estate, I cannot express that enough. It's lucky to have a great realtor, but it's the best when you have a great realtor as wonderful Geri. Forever grateful to you, Geri. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Amber B.

★★★★★
"Geri helped me sell my house from a different state and did a great job making the process as painless as possible. The people she recommended fixed up the house very nicely and found a perfect person to buy the house. Highly recommend!"
James H.

★★★★★
"We had owned a single-family house for 33 years and in the last 22 years, it was a rental. The house was in the original condition and needed some work. We wanted to do a 1031 Exchange to buy a house in a different city. We talked to a few agents and decided to go with Geri, based on her experience and her knowledge in 1031 Exchange. It was the best decision we could have made. She convinced us to spend the time to get the house renovated. During the renovation, she acted as a designer and a project coordinator. She knew the market trend and what the current buyers like and suggested many excellent ideas for renovating the house. She kept a tight schedule and worked closely with the contractors to finish the renovation in a short period of time. The result was a beautiful and functioning house with a modern kitchen and bathrooms. The house was sold for $250K over the asking price. We were quite happy with the result. She is an excellent project coordinator. I was able to trust Geri completely to oversee the renovation after spending a few days with her at the beginning of the project. Geri is very knowledgeable about the housing market and knows how to renovate a house to achieve a better sale price. She is always available for questions and is very pleasant to work with. We highly recommend Geri for selling your property."
R.C. Lee

★★★★★
"We’ve worked with Geri for decades. She initially helped us find a house in Albany in 1994 which we were able to procure with her sage advice for less than asking. Working with Geri was so easy we called on her again to find another Albany property as an investment and rental. No matter how many times we called her or asked her to show up at properties, she always accommodated us. Her personal list of contractors, mortgage brokers and others are great. I have recommended Geri to others and give her my highest grades."
Ron and Arlene F.

★★★★★
"Raving Review for Geri Stern – The Best in the Business! I cannot recommend Geri Stern highly enough! She recently sold my rental property, and I couldn't have asked for a better real estate agent. Geri went above and beyond in every way, handling even the smallest details with care and professionalism. The sale came with its fair share of hurdles, but Geri tackled every challenge head-on with expertise, determination, and a problem-solving mindset that made all the difference. She made the entire process smooth and minimized my stress level, always keeping me informed and ensuring that every aspect was handled flawlessly. If you're looking for a real estate agent who genuinely cares and will go the extra mile to get results, Geri Stern is the one to call. Thank you, Geri, for your outstanding service—I couldn't have done it without you!"
Tina Hayes

★★★★★
"This is the second time I worked with Geri Stern and Compass Realty to sell a house. And each time, I’m so glad I did! Besides her extensive real estate experience and knowledge of local markets, Geri took the time and care to get to know my needs and goals, and to walk me through the entire selling process. She has a knack for making each client feel like her only client. The result for my townhouse was multiple bids over the asking price…and I couldn’t be more pleased."
Juli G

★★★★★
"Geri is knowledgeable, honest, connected, and skilled in the art of reality. We were on a tight timeline and budget. She helped us find the right house, in the right location, and at the right price - in less than one week in Berkeley. Thank you again for your help!"
Stas and David

★★★★★
"We can never thank you enough for helping us navigate the selling of our home that we built, raised our children in, and lived in for 45 years. We never dreamed we would be able to sell at such a premium in today's market. Because of your marketing strategies, support, and expertise, we were able to find the perfect buyer and close within a short timeline. You met and exceeded our expectations. Thank you for your attention to detail and guidance during this major milestone. Our family is grateful that we chose you to sell our beloved home."
Dan and Teresa P.

★★★★★
"Geri was a lifesaver on the sale of my family home in the El Cerrito Hills. We needed repairs, but also to make sure all stakeholders felt involved. Geri was able to navigate our family dynamics and bring in multiple bids. She made the process easy, even for the member who doesn’t use technology! Her professionalism and experience were much appreciated."
Lynne and Mike D.

★★★★★
"If I could leave 100 stars I would! Geri is amazing! She's professional, dedicated, prompt, compassionate and hardworking. We couldn't ask for a better realtor to sale our house! She made it quick and painless. May God bless her richly."
Tammi C.

★★★★★
"Geri is top notch. My family worked with Geri Stern at Compass Reality to sell my mother's house, which was part of her trust. There are many decision points when selling real estate, each one may have a cost. With Geri's 30 years experience we could navigate the best time to place the house on the market, and the decision points regarding areas to improve or which to leave. Once she contracted to work with our trust we had her full attention. She became the project manager of all aspects including coordination of repair, upgrades, and inspections and was on site overseeing the work was completed timely and properly and kept our trust administrator updated with work status. Once Geri is on the job, her energy is 100% focused, she has a clear vision and experience of what makes a successful outcome, ensures all areas of action are completed timely and accurately and she follows through to the end."
JSB (Franklin, Tenn)

★★★★★
"I would like to express my sincere appreciation of your help in selling this property. I am in a difficult time of my life. Without your help, this property would not have sold. I will remember all the things you have done for me."
Pao C. (El Cerrito)

★★★★★
"Our family was thrilled with the job that Geri Stern did in listing and selling our home in El Cerrito. Our home sold for nearly 12% more than our asking price, and it closed escrow just 35 days after it was first listed. With all of those years of memories, it was an overwhelming task for our family. Geri recommended an estate sale expert who managed to make us money in the process and worked seamlessly with Geri and with us. Following the estate sale, Geri expertly guided us through just the right renovations and touches, assisted us in getting a line of credit paid back out of escrow, and supervised all workers on the premises. We were so pleased with how connected she is and how expertly she handled open houses, offers, and last-minute details. We highly recommend her to you."
The Schaefer Family

★★★★★
"We can enthusiastically recommend Geri Stern as a Real Estate agent. She just sold our California house and we were really happy with the results. (We live out of the country). In her agent role, she played many other ones as well: Project manager, interior decorator, vendor-whisperer, psychologist, and pragmatist. She talked us down from the ledge a couple of times—dispelling our anxiety with clear quick-thinking and stellar problem-solving. Because we do not live in the area, Geri managed the entire project for us and did so beautifully. If you want to sell a house in Northern California, you would definitely want Geri by your side!"
Emily and Brad

★★★★★
"We moved to Berkeley, California from New York City knowing almost nothing about the real estate market except that it was very competitive. Geri knows this landscape like the back of her hand. She guided us toward a very satisfying conclusion. The house needed work and required expert construction and repair people, but we had to return to work on the east coast. Geri found all the right people, scheduled them, oversaw the whole production, and made sure the house was in great shape when we moved in. If you want a no-nonsense professional who will help you realize your landed dreams, don't hesitate!"
Katherine N.

★★★★★
"The plan was to put the house on the market in Albany on March 18, probably the worst time in the last decade. Two days earlier the governor declared shelter in place. And yet thanks to Geri's calm guidance and almost daily updates on what's allowed and isn't, by April 15 we had 6 interested buyers and 3 solid offers. We closed on May 8! From the very beginning, I was impressed with her organizational skills and sensitivity to our needs. She helped us navigate needed changes, connected us to her vast networks, and stayed on top of timelines. Overall, we happily recommend Geri."
Dror Matalon and Monica Frame

★★★★★
"Geri Stern has my highest praise and gratitude for helping me at a very sad episode in my life. A dear friend died unexpectedly and as the administrator of her estate, I was tasked with selling her home. Geri is a splendid mix of professionalism and kindness. I was able to relax knowing that Geri would take care of everything, and she did - right down to the smallest of details! My friend’s house sold very quickly and well above the asking price. She also helped me with complex probate issues and works closely with a team of contractors, gardeners, stagers, and cleaners. Geri is without exaggeration a brilliant and talented realtor. She has my deepest admiration and respect."
Angela M.

★★★★★
"I'd owned a 4-plex in Berkeley for 33 years; it was time to sell, but I didn't know how to begin. Geri guided me gently but firmly through the prep process, listed the property for the amount I hoped for, and quickly got 21 offers, one of which was $300k over my asking price. Wow! She's extremely knowledgeable, very smart, always pleasant and cheerful, always available and reliable. Post-sale, she guided me through the 1031 exchange process and helped me buy a replacement property. Highest recommendation."
Peter Fisher

★★★★★
"Geri helped our family through some tough times in Spring 2022 when it was time to sell the family home where our parents had lived for almost 60 years. Since interest rates were increasing quickly, she brought in contractors to fix up the house in less than one month and had it ready to sell one week later. Her upgrades, pricing and showing brought in an all-cash offer way above the listing price in less than 2 weeks and the sale closed 10 days after the offer was accepted. She also managed significant improvements—flooring, refinishing, lighting, appliances, paint, deck, garden—and created great listings with a Matterport tour, floor plan, and excellent photos. We would use Geri again."
Jim Dycus

★★★★★
"We highly recommend Geri! She assisted us in selling our home and buying another in Berkeley. She was very professional, knowledgeable, personable, and attentive. We were also impressed with her availability and the timelines of her responses."
Terry Kotsatos (Buyer + Seller)

★★★★★
"Thank you for taking care of us thru this process. You do a spectacular job. We think you are amazing. Carl is already more relaxed and feels like he can move forward now. We have valued your friendship since we first used your services for Trese’s family home in Everett. Looking forward to our next project in the coming months."
Carl and Lynn Gogna

★★★★★
"Five years ago Geri Stern earned my gratitude for the way she handled the sale of my favorite aunt's house in El Cerrito... Two home sales and one home purchase later, I can reflect with hindsight on what worked so successfully each time. Geri's extensive experience in the east bay real estate market and her strong work ethic are a winning combination, but what really sets her apart is her enormous heart and her empathy for each client's particular situation and life stage. If life is not a rehearsal, neither is a home sale or purchase. Many of us will only have one opportunity to get it right and Geri makes sure that we do."
Carol Y.