James Steele

Growing up in Palo Alto, I was always enamored of houses, whether the mid-century modern home I grew up in or the gracious historic properties in Old Palo Alto I'd walk by. I went to USC and got my degree in Business Administration with the express goal of selling real estate, and while there I interned as an assistant for a prominent agent in West Los Angeles during my summers.

Hitting the market in 2009, however, was a challenge indeed. I saw that many in the real estate community were unfamiliar with short sales, which were a growing phenomenon in the wake of the financial crisis. I got certified to both list and represent buyers on short sales, and I carved out a niche for myself in the market as many agents referred their short sale clients to me. I am proud to say that I did not see a single client of mine go to foreclosure and I got every single short sale approved by the lenders, which more than made up for the late nights and 500+ pages of lender paperwork compiled for each client.

Entering the market in this way helped me develop a passion for getting people out of tough situations, and it led me to realize the enormous importance of having a relentless and thorough advocate in your corner during any type of real estate transaction. It framed the way I work with my clients to this day and cemented my belief that any client I work with is owed honesty, relentless negotiation, rapid and thorough communication, and innovative marketing.

Before joining Carol, Nicole, and James in 2020, I was ranked amongst the top half of the top 1% of agents in both California and the nation by sales volume by Real Trends. While I am proud of this, what I consider most important to me is the relationships, many over a decade strong, with long-term clients and the way they’ve welcomed me into their families and friend groups.