Education
• Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Kansas
• Master of Fine Arts from San Jose State University
Professional Affiliations
• Member of the National Association of Realtors
• Member of the California Association of Realtors
• Member of the San Mateo County Association of Realtors
Visit My Website
• Master of Fine Arts from San Jose State University
Professional Affiliations
• Member of the National Association of Realtors
• Member of the California Association of Realtors
• Member of the San Mateo County Association of Realtors
Visit My Website About Stella
Professional Experience
Stella has been specializing San Mateo Coast real estate since 1978 as a Sales Associate, has had her Broker's License since 1986, and has earned numerous achievement awards throughout her career. She has been affiliated and was part owner of Re/Max Half Moon Bay, and a broker/owner of Coast Associates, which she sold to Coldwell Banker. She joined Alain Pinel Realtors in 2008, which has recently transitioned to Compass.Professional Philosophy
Quality, not Quantity; Relationships not Salesmanship; Excellence not Mediocrity are Stella’s professional mottos. Together with her innate analytical and creative problem solving skills, ability to communicate clearly, and her belief that each real estate transactions are her client’s most critical financial decisions, she takes care of her fiduciary duties with the highest standards, dedication, tough negotiation, and hard work. She studies the market trends, stays in tune with the legal, technical and financial changes affecting the local market, and makes sure that her clients are also kept up to date, all in pursuit of making the best possible decision to fit their real estate needs.Personal Background
She was married to her late husband and "high school sweetheart" for over 35 years, and has a son who graduated from NYU Tisch and works in the film industry. Stella’s “love affair” with the Bay Area and San Mateo Coast started in 1977, and she still lives in a home she and her husband helped design and build in Montara. Stella’s idea of “down time” includes hiking, biking, swimming, playing tennis, Pickleball, reading and traveling.Testimonials
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"Working with Stella was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. When I inherited my family’s home I was beyond overwhelmed due to years of deferred maintenance. After interviewing several agents, Stella was the only person who saw major potential despite many complications and priced the home appropriately with confidence. The moment we agreed to work together she began her check list and worked day and night to ensure my home was listed by the time requested. She handled every task efficiently and in a timely manner. I especially appreciated her thoughtfulness and professionalism through this difficult process. This was an emotional decision and Stella handled my personal situation with great care. In the end, she found the perfect buyers for my property, sold the home in 11 days, and fought to close escrow on time when an extension was requested. She made an intimidating process easy and seamless. I would highly recommend Stella to anyone looking to buy or sell real estate.”
- ASHLEY SUHR
“My wife and I first met Stella when we purchased our new home in Half Moon Bay. Having bought and sold several properties over the past several years, we had certainly worked with our fair share of realtors. Shortly after meeting Stella, my wife and I came to the realization that she is not only extremely good at what she does, but she leaves her competition far behind with respect to professionalism and attentiveness. Stella's attention to detail would make even the most meticulous accountant proud, and her personality was a calming influence during the inevitable hiccups that plague almost any transaction. We liked Stella so much, in fact, that we hired her to help us sell our former home. True to form, Stella guided us through the process efficiently, calmly, and with a remarkable eye for detail. I've found that realtors are typically very responsive to phone calls and emails -- perhaps a necessity for professional survival. That being said, Stella sets a new standard in that regard. We exchanged dozens (if not hundreds) of messages during our two transactions, and I can't recall waiting more than few minutes for a response, even late in the evening. To say that Stella is "on top of it" would be an understatement. I should also note that Stella highlighted a potentially problematic legal issue with the home we purchased. Acting on her advice, we were able to work through it, but the fact that this potentially hugely significant issue slipped past all of many realtors who had previously bought and sold the home (and neighboring properties) is telling. Nothing gets past her! Stella was also quick to offer recommendations for remodeling our new house. When we needed a painter, she connected us with the most professional contractor with whom I have ever worked. When we needed a handyman, she came through with a good referral. When we need someone to haul away the remnants of our remodel for a modest price, she had us covered. The list goes on. In summary, you can't go wrong with Stella. We highly recommend her to anyone in need of a realtor.”
- DAVID MAGNUSON AND JANELLE TAMM MAGNUSON
“Stella is an excellent Realtor who is dedicated to serving her clients and protecting their interests. We recently sold our house and purchased a new home. Stella's experience, expertise, and astute negotiating skills were instrumental in making our move a financial success as well as a pleasurable experience. When people talk to us about moving, we highly recommend they contact Stella!”
- BOB AND JAYNE KENYON
“Recently, my husband and I met with several realtors in and around the Bay Area to help us find a home for the next stage in our lives, and we worked with this group for several weeks before finding our perfect house! It was Stella Johnson in Half Moon Bay who not only made us happy with a beautiful coast side home, but really stood out among all the realtors with whom we were working for her unerring professionalism. Once we found the house, which already had multiple offers, Stella sat with us for several hours to create a winning offer which didn’t over-expose us financially, yet met the sellers’ unique needs. Her experience in this community and unmatched real estate savvy kept impressing, all throughout the pre-close negotiations, inspections and details. She was able to help us close within record time, supervising every communication and transaction with tenacity, energy and grace. And once we approached our move-in date, Stella continued to stand by us for everything we needed: she’s very well connected in the community - and we were totally new - so Stella was able recommend a host of excellent professionals for everything from repairs and cleaning, to painting and decorating. We are grateful we came to Stella - her skilled, detailed and persistent approach made for a 100% positive experience. In Stella we found an intelligent and caring business partner, and we will surely remain close to her in the future.”
- VICKI AND KLAUS JULKOWSKI
"Working with Stella was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. When I inherited my family’s home I was beyond overwhelmed due to years of deferred maintenance. After interviewing several agents, Stella was the only person who saw major potential despite many complications and priced the home appropriately with confidence. The moment we agreed to work together she began her check list and worked day and night to ensure my home was listed by the time requested. She handled every task efficiently and in a timely manner. I especially appreciated her thoughtfulness and professionalism through this difficult process. This was an emotional decision and Stella handled my personal situation with great care. In the end, she found the perfect buyers for my property, sold the home in 11 days, and fought to close escrow on time when an extension was requested. She made an intimidating process easy and seamless. I would highly recommend Stella to anyone looking to buy or sell real estate.”
- ASHLEY SUHR
- ASHLEY SUHR
“My wife and I first met Stella when we purchased our new home in Half Moon Bay. Having bought and sold several properties over the past several years, we had certainly worked with our fair share of realtors. Shortly after meeting Stella, my wife and I came to the realization that she is not only extremely good at what she does, but she leaves her competition far behind with respect to professionalism and attentiveness. Stella's attention to detail would make even the most meticulous accountant proud, and her personality was a calming influence during the inevitable hiccups that plague almost any transaction. We liked Stella so much, in fact, that we hired her to help us sell our former home. True to form, Stella guided us through the process efficiently, calmly, and with a remarkable eye for detail. I've found that realtors are typically very responsive to phone calls and emails -- perhaps a necessity for professional survival. That being said, Stella sets a new standard in that regard. We exchanged dozens (if not hundreds) of messages during our two transactions, and I can't recall waiting more than few minutes for a response, even late in the evening. To say that Stella is "on top of it" would be an understatement. I should also note that Stella highlighted a potentially problematic legal issue with the home we purchased. Acting on her advice, we were able to work through it, but the fact that this potentially hugely significant issue slipped past all of many realtors who had previously bought and sold the home (and neighboring properties) is telling. Nothing gets past her! Stella was also quick to offer recommendations for remodeling our new house. When we needed a painter, she connected us with the most professional contractor with whom I have ever worked. When we needed a handyman, she came through with a good referral. When we need someone to haul away the remnants of our remodel for a modest price, she had us covered. The list goes on. In summary, you can't go wrong with Stella. We highly recommend her to anyone in need of a realtor.”
- DAVID MAGNUSON AND JANELLE TAMM MAGNUSON
“Stella is an excellent Realtor who is dedicated to serving her clients and protecting their interests. We recently sold our house and purchased a new home. Stella's experience, expertise, and astute negotiating skills were instrumental in making our move a financial success as well as a pleasurable experience. When people talk to us about moving, we highly recommend they contact Stella!”
- BOB AND JAYNE KENYON
“Recently, my husband and I met with several realtors in and around the Bay Area to help us find a home for the next stage in our lives, and we worked with this group for several weeks before finding our perfect house! It was Stella Johnson in Half Moon Bay who not only made us happy with a beautiful coast side home, but really stood out among all the realtors with whom we were working for her unerring professionalism. Once we found the house, which already had multiple offers, Stella sat with us for several hours to create a winning offer which didn’t over-expose us financially, yet met the sellers’ unique needs. Her experience in this community and unmatched real estate savvy kept impressing, all throughout the pre-close negotiations, inspections and details. She was able to help us close within record time, supervising every communication and transaction with tenacity, energy and grace. And once we approached our move-in date, Stella continued to stand by us for everything we needed: she’s very well connected in the community - and we were totally new - so Stella was able recommend a host of excellent professionals for everything from repairs and cleaning, to painting and decorating. We are grateful we came to Stella - her skilled, detailed and persistent approach made for a 100% positive experience. In Stella we found an intelligent and caring business partner, and we will surely remain close to her in the future.”
- VICKI AND KLAUS JULKOWSKI
"Working with Stella was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. When I inherited my family’s home I was beyond overwhelmed due to years of deferred maintenance. After interviewing several agents, Stella was the only person who saw major potential despite many complications and priced the home appropriately with confidence. The moment we agreed to work together she began her check list and worked day and night to ensure my home was listed by the time requested. She handled every task efficiently and in a timely manner. I especially appreciated her thoughtfulness and professionalism through this difficult process. This was an emotional decision and Stella handled my personal situation with great care. In the end, she found the perfect buyers for my property, sold the home in 11 days, and fought to close escrow on time when an extension was requested. She made an intimidating process easy and seamless. I would highly recommend Stella to anyone looking to buy or sell real estate.”
- ASHLEY SUHR