It has been a pleasure working with the DC Group as they are both seasoned professionals in the real estate industry. Renovations were needed before listing and were coordinated and inspected by Ellen & Lisa. The lines of communications were kept open, and we knew exactly what was happening and when. We did not live locally, so this was critical, and they delivered. This attention to detail took a lot of stress off. We were referred to Ellen & Lisa by a Compass agent we used to sell another property in the peninsula a couple of years back during the height of the Covid lockdown. That agent took care of all the details and because of that experience, we didn’t bother interviewing any other agents in the East Bay. We highly recommend the DC Group as they are first class agents!

They really take the time to make a really stressful life event much less taxing. Very detail oriented and always working to make sure their clients are taken care of.

Lisa and Ellen are fantastic and can't recommend them highly enough. We spent a few months during Covid and were out to Oakland what seemed like everyday. So it feels like we really got to know them both! Besides being knowledgeable and patient, they are very warm and enjoyable people.

Lisa and Ellen guided us through our home search and purchase in Oakland this summer. They helped us get to know the market and were patient and responsive when we needed to move quickly. As a first time home buyer I had many questions and they were always there to help build my confidence. Ellen and Lisa are absolutely professionals and a pleasure to work with. Highly recommend!

We were referred to Lisa and Ellen by a friend from work who used them to find their new home in Oakland. We were told that they would be just right to help us navigate this crazy market when buying our first home here, and that was exactly right. Lisa and Ellen are both incredibly professional and knowledgeable. They have forgotten more about Oakland neighborhoods than most people even know. They are extremely familiar with all the ins and outs of the market, requirements specific to Oakland, and everything you might want to know about real estate. On top of that they are both kind, beautiful people. Easy to work with, patient, and fun! We had so many great conversations while looking at homes. The ladies were always punctual for our viewings and we never went to one open house once we hired them, only private showings. One bonus of having such a great tag team helping you is that when one is unavailable, the other almost certainly is. We never felt like we were being ignored. They made us feel like their only client and that is definitely not the case. They were quick to respond to all our musings and questions about the process and even laughed at some of my jokes. One of the best things about Compass generally, and the Diamond-Cartalano group particularly, is their use of modern technology. We had a portal setup where they could present new potential listings within parameters we set. We could make comments on the homes, schedule viewings, totally remove homes from consideration, etc. We were so pleased that they took the time to get to know us and our wants, needs, and requirements. The homes they suggested we check out got increasingly closer to our bullseye the more they got to know us. Another great benefit was that Lisa and Ellen know the area so well, that they were able to recommend features of each neighborhood we toured like good local restaurants, whether or not there was a reasonably located grocery store in the area, etc. They helped us find a beautiful home in Oakland that was in our acceptable price range. They were open and honest, gave us great advice, and did I mention they're both kind, genuine, lovely people? They are. They even saw fit to give us a bottle of champagne and a lovely housewarming gift when we moved in. If you are looking to enter the shark-infested waters of the Bay Area housing market, you should look no further than Lisa Cartolano and Ellen Diamond.

Ellen and Lisa were were recommended to us by our old neighbors. They were fantastic in every way: they were very responsive and willing to answer my many questions about the whole process, they were kind and easy to work with, they gave us the information we needed to make necessary decisions, they connected us with awesome stagers who gave us a consult so I could do the staging myself (which was a lot of work but I would've been lost without that consult) and they were such a pleasure to work with! I would use them again in a heartbeat.

We were referred to Lisa and Ellen, and my goodness, we are so thankful that we were! As first time home-buyers in an insane market, Ellen and Lisa's in-depth market knowledge fully equipped us to confidently navigate our way through. They were extremely open and honest and ensured we had everything we needed to make informed decisions throughout the process. In addition to being completely on-top-of-it professionals, they were such a joy to work with. They took the time to genuinely get to know us and it made it easy to trust their expertise. There is no better team out there to help you navigate the market and make the right decisions for you and your family!

We had a wonderful experience working with Ellen and Lisa to buy our first home. They walked us through every stage of the home-buying process -- from how to read disclosure packets efficiently to making competitive offers. They were incredibly patient and caring with our process, which included multiple pivots and changes. Ellen and Lisa were very knowledgeable - helping us gauge realistic prices in a wild market - yet never put any pressure on us to stretch beyond our limits. They were fantastic coaches (and occasionally therapists), and were available whenever we needed them for questions. Ellen and Lisa landed us in a beautiful home well-below our maximum budget -- we couldn't be happier!

I can’t thank Tricia enough for the wisdom and effort she put into helping us sell our home. She had her fingers on the pulse of the local market, and that proved invaluable in pricing our home correctly so that it sold with multiple offers in less than two weeks. But all the work she did  leading up to that moment was where we benefited most from her assistance. It took the better part of two months to get the house ready to sell, but the guidance and vendor relationships she brought to the process made it as painless as possible for a task so daunting. She was always available to us, and went above and beyond to help out on many occasions. We are very grateful for her help

Cammy is the type of real estate agent that immediately puts you at ease. She listened to me, as I discussed my needs and budget, and helped me understand my options. She patiently drove up and down the Berkeley Hills with me for months. Her legal background was truly a boon during the offer process as she kept things moving while keeping me calm. Her advice during negotiations was impeccable, and I now live in my dream home. Cammy understands that this is the largest single purchase most people make in their lives and that it is a special milestone for every single client, every single time. I would recommend Cammy to anyone, and several of my friends have already used her services successfully.

“Lisa and Ellen were extremely patient with us since we were first time buyers and didn't know much about the process. They always made themselves available and were super responsive. They were thorough and made sure we understood the contracts and what to watch for when putting in an offer. Also, their knowledge of the East Bay neighborhoods is impeccable.”

“I would highly recommend Lisa and Ellen. They are a proactive, hard-working duo that does what it takes to make it all happen. They also have great personalities that make you feel comfortable and open to asking questions or advice.”