Every home has a story. We tell it properly.
Representing sellers, buyers and investors across Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and Monterey Counties. Led by Mario Desantis, under Coldwell Banker Realty.
The Italian Way
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.
200+
Transactions closed
413
Five-star reviews
EN · ES · IT
Languages spoken
Where we work
Choose your county
Each county has its own page with its towns, what we do there and how to reach the team.
Santa Cruz County
Our home market, from the beaches of Aptos and Capitola to the redwoods of the San Lorenzo Valley.
Santa Clara County
Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino, Campbell, Sunnyvale and Mountain View — the Silicon Valley corridor.
Monterey County
Monterey, Carmel, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Seaside and Marina.
What we do
One standard of service, whatever brings you to us.
Choose the situation that fits. Each leads to a full page with what to expect and the specialist on our team for it.
Luxury
Luxury homes and estates: concierge preparation, cinematic production and buyer reach well beyond the county line.
Trust & Estate
For successor trustees, executors and heirs, including those settling a family home from another state.
First Home
For first-time home buyers: a clear plan, a trusted lender and every step explained, from pre-approval to keys.
Investment
Multi-unit and income property, underwritten honestly before you tour or list.
Commercial
Mixed-use, retail and owner-user property for buyers and sellers across the region.
Our Team
The people behind every sale.
Every client works with the whole of Desantis Realty Group: an agent who leads, a coordinator who keeps every date, and marketing and operations behind both.
For our clients
Your next step, on your calendar. Book a call or a meeting with the team at a time that suits you.
Award & press
Tom Ferry 30 Under 30
Mario received the Tom Ferry 30 Under 30 award from 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”.
Listing walkthroughs and neighborhood tour videos from the team are on the DRG YouTube channel.
What clients say
413
★★★★★
five-star reviews across Experience.com, Google, Zillow, Realtor.com and Yelp.
Read them where they were written.
We would rather you read every review in the client's own words, on the platform they chose, than a hand-picked three here.
Quick answers
The questions we hear most.
Short, direct answers first. The full list is below and 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 operates from 5435 Scotts Valley Dr, 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, Scotts Valley, Aptos, Seacliff, Rio Del Mar, La Selva Beach, Felton, Bonny Doon, Ben Lomond and Watsonville), Santa Clara County (Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino, Campbell, Sunnyvale and Mountain View) and Monterey County (Monterey, Carmel, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Seaside and Marina).
Where is the Desantis Realty Group office?
The office is at 5435 Scotts Valley Dr, 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.
More questions, answered.
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 leads the team as founder and lead agent. Stone Castro is Chief Operating Officer, Hunter Corbin is Marketing Manager and Lauren Mundell is the Transaction Coordinator.
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 by Tom Ferry on YouTube.
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 — 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, professional photography and film produced by the team's own marketing manager, and exposure beyond the local listing pool.
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: an agent who leads, a transaction coordinator who keeps every date, and marketing and operations behind both.
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.
Journal
Notes from the three counties.
Begin a conversation
Thinking about a move?
Tell us what you are planning and we will tell you honestly how we would approach it. Or skip the form and book a time that suits you.
Scotts Valley, CA 95066(831) 291-0511mario@desantisrealty.comCA DRE #02119587Get directions