Aki T.

Sara is wonderful. She's a fantastic real estate agent, who is supremely passionate about her job, and about helping people through what can be a brutal process, of finding a home for themselves. She's patient, thorough, well-connected, fearless and on another level, she's also really fun and warm -- which helps a lot when you're navigating the purchase of a home!  We bought a home through Sara -- with a big assist from Franck, her husband and partner in their realty business -- and we've since rented it out through them, with help from their team. They're all pros, super well versed in a tricky market, and we've always felt like Sara was more of a partner and friend, than a "realtor", if that makes sense. I'd recommend her without reservation.

David W.

Sara and Franck are really as good as they come. My wife and I were picky, finicky, first time home buyers who barely knew what we wanted. We were demanding and Sara & Franck never once flinched at a request or question of ours. Through their  research and thoroughness, they gave us the confidence that what we were purchasing was the right decision at the right time. Because of their diligence and hard work, we are proud owners of a beautiful, spacious, Edwardian single-family-home in desirable north-slope Bernal Heights with a backyard garden full of trees and a hot tub. Without Sara and Franck, it's doubtful we would've been able to make such a fine purchase at an excellent price. We will be calling The Costa Group when it's time for us to buy our second home. Thank you Sara and Franck!

Jie S.

Sara and The Costa Group are the real estate agents you have to go with no matter if you are a first time homebuyer or not, because they are a phenomenon! They are not only knowledgeable about the real estate market in the San Francisco Bay Area, but also really care about their client's needs! My dad and I were first time homebuyer's, and we are foreigners with limited knowledge in how to purchase a home in SF. Sara explained every single point of what we have to be aware of, the location of the property and price comparisons in the same area etc. Also, she is so warm hearted that on the day of closing escrow, she gave us a big basket full of home essentials as a welcoming gift. Choosing Sara and The Costa Group to be your agent, is something you will never regret!

Natalia M.

Sara and her team are nothing short of amazing! They held our hands through the entire process as first time buyers. They both respond to emails/calls immediately, are extremely knowledgeable and very well networked/connected in SF (which can be the most important part to set yourself apart in a city where most homes get Many offers!) 

They made us feel like we were truly their only clients (which is hardly the case:) we had so much fun working with them and we couldn't recommend them more!

Amazing, efficient, hard working, super kind professionals!

Leah W.

My husband and I met with Sara and her team in June of this year to begin what we thought would be a long and difficult journey toward homeownership. We were apprehensive first-time buyers who'd heard our share of horror stories about buying in San Francisco. 

Much of what we'd heard was true - prices here are high, inventory is low, and things sell fast. In a market that's intimidating for first-time buyers, Sara and Gretchen provided us with the perfect balance of comfort and realism which put our fears to rest. They were honest about what we could afford and steered us toward properties and neighborhoods that worked for our budget and family. 

After we found the perfect house, it became clear that our out-of-area lender wasn't going to be able to close quickly enough. With less than 24 hours before offers were due, they put us in touch with a local lender who was familiar with the market and was able to push our loan through, and at a much better rate. During the escrow period Sara and Gretchen worked hard to keep us calm, informed, and to assuage our anxieties.

Less than four months after our first meeting, me and my husband are in our new home. We're both amazed at how quickly it happened, and how painless it was compared to our expectations. We're so happy to be home owners and are grateful for the team that helped us get here.

Randall F.

If you live in SF and are looking to buy in this competitive housing market, then contact Sara and Franck Costa.  That's what we did after they came highly recommended by a close friend and we have absolutely no regrets. 

As first time homebuyers, we were intimidated.  Inventory is limited and there are too many foreign buyers with way too much cash laying around.  But with Sara and Franck's help, we now own a beautiful condo in one of the most sought after buildings in San Francisco.  

Both Sara and Franck are so personable and it's clear from going to all the open houses and broker tours that they are well liked by their peers.  They have an extensive network of connections which always helps in a market with little to no inventory.  Both of them are extremely hard working but they always make time for their clients and when they are with you, they have your undivided attention.  

Not only are Franck and Sara good realtors, they are good people who have your best interest in mind.

Mike H.

She gets 10 stars!  I've never met someone as dedicated to their work as Sara.  As first time home buyers, she shepherded my wife and I through everything, not just finding us a killer home, but finding us a loan for our tricky 10% down, after we failed to get financing from several other banks.  She really went to battle for us, coordinating last minute discrepancies between the seller and our bank, allowing us to close so fast, that our offer beat out other offers higher than ours.  She can really crack the proactive whip to get deals done, which seemed to give us an advantage over other competing buyers.  Even real estate agents from other companies we met admitted that Sara goes above and beyond.

Dorian K.

It is hard to express in mere words the appreciation I have for Sara Werner Costa. It is as a direct result of her persistence and dedication to excellence that I am able to call myself a home owner. It was during the height of the downturn that I was looking to purchase a property in San Francisco. Always considerate of my time, Sara worked hard to understand my needs and wants. She then spent tireless hours scouring listings, making sure that she only sent me to view properties that met my criteria. It turned out to be a long process, but Sara never wavered.

When the right property came onto the market and my bid was accepted, Sara went into overdrive. It was a terrible time to ask the banks for money, and my work as a small business owner made securing a loan that much more difficult. Instead of allowing me to get frustrated, Sara became my advocate. She managed each step of the close, and when miraculously my loan was funded, Sara met me at my new home and handed me my set of keys. It was truly one of the greatest moments in my life, and I give all of my thanks to her. While many might say these words without conviction, I say these with true meaning- I could not have done this without Sara Werner Costa.

I so enjoyed working with Sara, that once I was settled in my home, I became HER advocate. In the last few years I have tried to refer her business wherever I can, and I always speak up about my experience when I hear someone talking about buying a home. In all of my years, and for all of the people I have worked with, Sara's level of service far exceeded anything I could have ever expected. She is truly a one in a million

Yardley P.

I must admit, as a first time homebuyer, I was fairly cynical about the need for a real estate agent; especially as a buyer. I even flirted with using some company that doesn't pay by commission and gives you 1% of it back. I am humble enough to admit I was wrong, and am VERY grateful to the friend who introduced me and my wife to Sara. I firmly believe we would not have gotten our house without her. We have since referred her to 2 of our friends; and both of them have successfully purchased houses in San Fran. The bottom line is that Sara closes deals!

Sara knows the home buying process inside and out and is happy to explain every step. She is VERY responsive and responds to phone calls and emails immediately. We were able to meet with her when it suited our schedule; and not hers. She is very personable and a pleasure to work with! She gives insights when it comes time to propose that very important number of how much you're willing to bid. She uses comparables from the area, and can caution against too high a bid in certain situations. She also has the patience required for the SF market. My wife and I probably looked for about a year, interrupted for a few months for our wedding and honeymoon, before we closed on our house.

Sara understands that as soon as an initial offer is accepted, the clock starts ticking and there are a number of things that need to happen ASAP in order to fit them in before a deal can close. As a first time homebuyer, I did not fully appreciate this until I experienced it myself. If your agent can not execute, then you miss the deadlines and contingencies and lose the deal. Sara is on top of it! She has contacts she can refer you who are like minded and are meticulous on details. We used her referral for our mortgage and were able to get things processed in lightning speed at the rate we wanted.

Let's face it, San Fran is a very competitive market. If you get an initial offer accepted, you don't want to lose the deal because you couldn't get your paperwork done in time. Because Sara has a reputation for closing deals, other agents know they can count on her when she is on the other side of a deal. This is just my perception, but one of the reasons why I now appreciate the value that a GREAT agent like Sara makes all the difference in a competitive market like San Fran. She made several suggestions during the process that I would not have thought to do myself; and they turned out to be critical in the end to us winning.

If you are going to buy in a competitive market like San Fran, you need a competitive agent. Sara plays to win, and I'm glad she's on my team. Whenever it comes time to dip my toes back into the real-estate market here, I would be foolish not to call Sara.

Ruth C.

I bought my second home with Sara, and the difference between my first real estate agent and her was night and day. My first agent was basically there to arrange the signing of documents and to get her commission, so when Sara actually took an active interest in knowing what I wanted/needed in my second home, took me around to actually see homes during open houses, and gave honest feedback when saying a certain home wouldn't meet my criteria for X and Y reasons, she really earned by trust and I knew that she wasn't just interested in earning a commission, but that she really wanted to find me a home that she knew that met my needs and that I would love.

At the time, I was so ready to move out of my former condo with so much construction going on around me that I think it might have been easy for any other real estate agent to find me any ol' place to move into. And although there were some decent options there, she would point out little things that she knew wouldn't make the home ideal for me. For instance, Sara knew I have elderly parents (because she actually took my parents and me out for an Open House tour!), and in an observant way, she asked whether my parents would have trouble climbing the stairs of a place I really liked (there were about 30 to the entrance). She was right! It meant a lot to me that she kept my interests (and those of my family) in mind.

Even though we were in a competitive buyer's market, and even though I was desperate to move out, Sara was so patient so thoughtful, and knew it was important to get me into the right place rather than any place. In the end, I found a place that I love love love. And when we went through the bidding process, she gave me great advice, and I didn't once feel I had over bid. When we got the huge packet of seller's documents, we sat through and talked about what they all meant, and she was great in answering all of my questions.

In short, Sara's awesome, and her positive warm energy is infectious. I couldn't recommend her more!