Colin helped us immensely as we navigated a very tough rental market immediately following the wildfires. He connected us with agents, advocated for our family and advised us on how to proceed when we had promising leads. He previously advised us extensively when we were considering selling our home and, finally, he is currently advising family members of ours with an upcoming home purchase. We have been fortunate to work with Colin in a number of situations.In all of these instances, Colin has proven to be a hard-working, knowledgeable and caring advocate. He has an in-depth understanding of the market and the current trends, particularly in the South Bay but not limited to it. He does a great job preparing data and dossiers and, importantly, he's able to translate the market to help his clients.Above all, Colin is honest and ethical. We have never felt pressured in any way - he creates space for his clients to make decisions while of course giving advice on how he recommends proceeding. He takes care to be transparent in all transactions. We would not hesitate come back to Colin for any real estate needs in the future - buying, selling or renting. He truly has always made us feel that he is looking out for our best interests.

Priya P

Colin was amazing! He is so friendly, professional and knowledgeable. As first time buyers we knew very little about buying a house and Colin was there to help at all times. He was contactable 24/7 and made the process so easy. Highly recommend Colin.

Tracy L

Colin is diligent, hardworking, and always available to help with any questions or requests!

Hadi M

Look no further, Colin is the agent you want to work with. I bought my first house using an online agent and thought that I would l never use a "real" agent again. Then I met Colin. Colin was amazing to work with: responsive, honest, and he worked harder to find us our home than anyone else. He showed us more off-market/non-listed properties than anyone else and really knew our target neighborhood well.Colin was with us every step of the way during escrow. Navigating through everything during Covid-19 was challenging, but he helped make it more manageable and we couldn't imagine doing it with anyone else.Now that we're settled into our new place, I actually miss talking with him on an almost daily basis :) I actually consider him a friend and wouldn't hesitate recommending him to any of my family and friends.

Channing C

Colin was amazing! He is so friendly, professional and knowledgeable. As first time buyers we knew very little about buying a house and Colin was there to help at all times. He was contactable 24/7 and made the process so easy. Highly recommend Colin.

lanigantracy81

Colin was wonderful to deal with from start to finish. He and his team effortlessly guided us through the entire process, and made it fun as well! More specifically, Colin patiently took in our families needs and concerns, never pressured us, and always negotiated on our behalf. Highly recommended!

jordan0438

Colin was superb in negotiating and closing the sale of my house. He will be diligent, responsive, calm and honest with you in managing your home sale or purchase in the South Bay. A great guy!

GL2131

11/10 best agent you could ask for! Colin goes above and beyond throughout the whole buying process. I was a first time homebuyer and had a ton of questions and concerns throughout my journey. Colin was patient, and always available to give unbiased advice. He’s the steady hand you need when navigating the quagmire of home buying. Even after closing, Colin has made himself available to answer any questions or concerns I had. Simply put, he’s a great agent and a great person.

tshamos

Legendary Service and helped close the highest per square foot ever in the history of the building! HIGHLY recommend! Colin helped every step of the way and ensured a successful transaction from start to finish. He was available 24/7. Legendary ??!!

VIPLA

Working with Colin was a dream! He was professional, kind, knowledgeable, patient and extremely personable. He worked so hard to negotiate the best terms for the sale of our home. Colin goes above and beyond! I would highly recommend him and the Strand Hill team. Mahalo Colin!

suzannemeganmarx

Colin did a fantastic job both selling our old home and negotiating the purchase of our new place! He helped create a comfortable experience in a very competitive market. He was extremely responsive throughout the process and was willing to tell us the hard truths to help manage our expectations. I’m so glad we trusted Colin with this process. Our agent for life!

darryl C

We had a fantastic experience with Colin. He navigated a challenging deal extremely well. We couldn’t be more happy with our purchase and the experience. I’d recommend Colin to anyone skeptical of typical real estate agents and misaligned motives. Colin will surprise!

user94411657

I highly recommend Colin Aita for representation on both the buy side and the sell side of a home. I find Colin very unique in his profession in that he is always sincere and honest, he pays close attention to detail, and he always places my interests above his. I met Colin at an open house during my first day looking for a new home in Manhattan Beach. He was affable, courteous and sincere from the start, and he stood out that first day among all the agents whom I met in that I felt absolutely no pressure from Colin. When I found a home that I wanted, I reached out to Colin and I was impressed with his knowledge of the history of the home. When Colin and I met to discuss strategy for making an offer, I was once again impressed with the homework he had done in examining comps and justifying what he felt would be a fair offer price. While we curiously had the same figure in mind in terms of an initial offer price, I ended up months later paying closer to asking as I saw the house as a long-term investment. At several points throughout the buying process, Colin pressed me to make sure I was comfortable moving forward and I appreciated that very much as it was always about me and never him. I felt that I could have dropped out of escrow at any time and he would not have batted an eye. I also knew that I had found a Manhattan Beach agent for life, regardless of whether I made that first purchase, as he had gained my trust completely. After buying that first home as a long-term investment, life circumstances were such that I had to contemplate selling after living in the home for a few short months. In discussions with Colin throughout that next year, I never felt any pressure to sell, even though Colin spent a lot of time helping me to navigate the new landscape of potentially selling a home during COVID. When I did finally decide to sell, Colin was instrumental in drumming up enough interest for me to not only make my money back on a house for which I felt I had overpaid, but for me to make a profit. Colin worked tirelessly on my behalf to allow me to sell at asking, all the while also creating a competitive backup offer situation that allowed me to stand firm with my price. I think it is rare, in any profession, to find an individual such as Colin Aita who acts with such honesty, integrity, patience and sincere concern about his clients. I highly recommend Colin for both sides of your real estate transaction.

Michael A

Colin’s the best agent we’ve ever had. He helped us buy our home and make money on it just 3 years later. We had 3 offers in less than 24 hours and were able to accept an offer way over asking! He’s incredibly responsive, helpful, hardworking and knowledgeable. He guided us through every step of what can be a difficult process and had answers to our questions before we asked them. Can’t recommend him enough!

zuser20150818184031115

There are plenty of great agents in the South Bay, but Colin Aita takes greatness to a whole different level of great. He was beyond responsive, ethical and had the connections needed to help us formulate the winning bid in a very competitive South Bay real estate market. With such as massive investment, we required someone who would work as openly and honestly with us from start to finish and beyond. There was not a single moment that Colin wasn't there for my family to make the process purely seamless from the jump to finish. His guidance exceeded all expectations ... and our expectations are up there and then some. We *highly* recommend working with Colin for your buying and selling needs if you want the most out of your agent.

casey C

Colin is an exceptional professional. He is highly dedicated, and his help was invaluable in our home-buying process. He listened to our needs, and was highly proactive in our search with great market knowledge and insights. He started by filtering through the listings, presented only those that met our criteria, walked us through each home to understand the market alternatives and helped develop our offer/pricing strategy. In several competitive bidding situations, he kept us grounded to ensure that our excitement would not interfere with our pricing rationale. Once our offer was accepted, he efficiently navigated us through the diligence and closing process. He did an amazing job of finding our new home during a challenging time. I highly recommend Colin and would definitely retain him for my future real estate needs.

dariaz33

Colin Aita is an ideal realtor. I first contacted Colin a couple of years ago when I was casually contemplating a move. Even before I was ready to commit to relocating, Colin was responsive and cheerful--always eager to assist me in my "soft" search. When I was finally ready to take the plunge, Colin helped me purchase my new home from out of town, sight unseen. Thanks to Colin, we found a beautiful home within my limited budget that ticked all my must-have boxes. I am very grateful for Colin's attentive support throughout this entire process.

DancerCoco

Colin is our trusted adviser for real estate. Having helped me buy my first home several years ago he more recently led and executed the sale of this home (as we had outgrown it quicker than anticipated!) and purchase a bigger property in the neighborhood. His hard work, guidance, flexibility and negotiation skills helped us successfully execute both the sale and purchase - both at fair prices for us which was tricky to achieve in the strong market of late 2019/early 2020 for both legs of a transaction. I've seen other reviews comment on his integrity and having known him for several years I strongly echo that sentiment. He's a great person to work with and will go above and beyond to deliver excellence for his clients.

donallong84

Look no further, Colin is the agent you want to work with. I bought my first house using an online agent and thought that I would l never use a "real" agent again. Then I met Colin. Colin was amazing to work with: responsive, honest, and he worked harder to find us our home than anyone else. He showed us more off-market/non-listed properties than anyone else and really knew our target neighborhood well. Colin was with us every step of the way during escrow. Navigating through everything during Covid-19 was challenging, but he helped make it more manageable and we couldn't imagine doing it with anyone else. Now that we're settled into our new place, I actually miss talking with him on an almost daily basis :) I actually consider him a friend and wouldn't hesitate recommending him to any of my family and friends.

Beyond2019

Colin's a great agent. Worked really hard, answered every question, was always available to help, and took the time to understand exactly what we wanted in a new house. He went above and beyond every time we needed a hand. Couldn't be happier with the experience.

Kevin H

Colin did a phenomenal job for me as a first time buyer in the South Bay Area. His expertise, guidance and counsel was invaluable throughout the transaction, including navigating a complicated sales process. He only had my best interests in mind throughout, raising issues as he saw them, even if it meant I might walk away from the transaction. I didn't know Colin beforehand but he was referred to me and I couldn't recommend him enough to anyone looking for a well-credentialed, honest, and experienced realtor.

Donal L

Colin was amazing! We were looking to find a buildable lot in Manhattan Beach, but also considering other options. Colin knows the local market well and was able to bring us lots of options, including off market properties. I was really impressed by his knowledge of the area, properties coming onto the market, and most of all his integrity. He went above and beyond what normal agents would do to make sure we found our perfect property. Colin is also super friendly and awesome to work with, thanks Colin!

Steve S

We cannot thank Colin enough for helping us find our new home in Sherman Oaks. We are undeniably grateful for his enthusiasm, knowledge, and professionalism. He was always available to answer any questions we had and kept us fully informed during the entire process. It was invaluable having him as our realtor. Thank you, Colin!

Mia H

Colin went way beyond my expectations on selecting a realtor in an area that he used to live in. He was very thorough in his research and was so responsive and knowledgeable in answering all of the many questions I asked of him. I would not hesitate to recommend him to everyone who is interested in purchasing a home.

J. V

I can't tell you enough how lucky my wife and I were to have Colin serve as our agent. Colin not only worked hard to find the home of our dreams, he went above and beyond throughout the entire process. He was with us step-by-step during the stressful process of purchasing our first home and it didn't stop there. Colin supported us with finding a team of professionals to complete our inspections, to move us, and to fix the necessary items in our home prior to us moving in. Everyone Colin suggested was top-notch. In Colin, we not only found a tremendous agent who truly cares about his clients, we found a friend.

Matt H

I interviewed several realtors to be my listing agent when selling my condo in Santa Monica. Many claimed to be "experts" in the area, and promised "world-class marketing" but when I asked them about their listing strategy, they lost me. Then I had the chance to sit down with Colin, and he approached things a bit differently. Rather than come in and tell me how great he was, he took the majority of time to ask me questions. Why was I selling, what do I need from a realtor, what are the priorities for the sale - top dollar, timing, getting the right buyer etc. He wanted to know what the best part about living there was, what I liked and disliked about the home if there were any downsides or challenges to the home. He took all of this information in, and then addressed each one specifically. Each item was given much thought and attention, and when we were done, I felt like someone really understood what I was looking for in a realtor, what was important to me during the sales process, and ultimately how it could all be achieved successfully. Not only did we get above asking on the home, but we were able to navigate through some disclosures to the buyers that had made me nervous. We closed within 30 days, and his negotiations through the inspection process were impeccable. Colin was attentive and communicated thoroughly each step of the way helping me to feel secure during each phase of the sale from listing to closing. If you're looking for a realtor that is interested in you and your motivation(s) to sell, rather than just getting the listing, I highly recommend Colin Aita.

M.T.

Colin was amazing! We were somewhat difficult clients in that we were looking long distance, and we kept going back and forth on buying new, renovating, or building a house. Colin was totally patient with us, and a lot of fun to work with! We eventually found our perfect property, and Colin really helped us to know what we needed to do to get it, since the market is so competitive. He is professional but fun, so he made the stressful process a lot more enjoyable! Thank you Colin!

Emilie S

Colin was our agent for the sale of our condo in Santa Monica. Our experience with him was ideal. Due to a new work opportunity we moved out of our home to a new state before even putting the property on the market. Colin made getting the home sold remotely a breeze. He guided us in sizing up the property and market and provided some very astute pricing advice. He also played a big role in coordinating local help to get the property ready to show. Thanks in no small part to Colin's expert guidance we had a number of competitive offers after a single weekend's showing and were able to sell the home for a good price and under favorable terms. Throughout this whole process Colin was accessible, communicative, patient, and positive. We couldn't have asked for a better agent!

Dan P

The first time I spoke on the phone with Colin I immediately felt comfortable with him. He was extremely easy to talk to, he listened, and he gave me an honest assessment of why the property I was interested in might or might not suit my family which told me that he cared about more than just the commissions involved. Throughout this process, Colin has continued to go above and beyond to make sure that we were comfortable at every step and to smooth out the inevitable kinks that occur during any home purchase. We appreciated the great relationship he enjoys with other agents which facilitated communication, and the fact that he lives as well as works in Manhattan Beach was a great asset in locating reliable contractors and getting firsthand insight into the school district. Even after our purchase closed Colin kept in touch and was still available to answer questions and offer advice. Thank you, Colin, for a wonderful introduction to Manhattan Beach!

Erin M

Colin worked tirelessly showing us listings that matched our requirements including a few off-market homes we would otherwise have never known about. He helped us submit offers, referred us to a top notch lender and ultimately guided us successfully through the purchase of our new home. When negotiations became a challenge, Colin skillfully represented our interests assuring we received the best deal possible. After the close, Colin remains in frequent contact to assist with references for repairs and preparations for moving. This is quite a bit different than prior agents we've worked with which were quick to disappear after closing. With so many agents around it can be difficult to find one that truly differentiates themself. What sets Colin apart is that he cares. Part agent, part businessman, part therapist, a friend for life ... If you've been unhappy with prior agents interactions, let Colin broker your next real estate transaction.

Darin O

We originally met Colin at an open house we attended while just casually looking for a new home. We were in no particular rush to buy, but met with Colin to lay out our wish list for our next house. He was very patient and helpful, sending us listings he thought we might be interested in without being pushy. After several months, we ultimately we found a house we really liked that ended up being a fairly tough negotiation to say the least. I am entirely convinced that Colin's persistence on our behalf during the whole process is why we got the house, for what we feel is a good and fair price. Colin is extremely responsive (be it day, night, or on the weekend), enthusiastic, and a pleasure to work with! Can't wait to move into our new home!

Jacqueline M

Colin helped me with a very challenging sale transaction and went way above and beyond to get it done. He was extremely helpful in negotiating a deal with the buyer and remained flexible and creative to get the transaction closed. He is very knowledgeable on the local area (South Bay) and was able to bring a buyer to the table through his personal relationships. I would highly recommend Colin!!!

Nathan C

As a first time home buyers, we were so thankful to have Colin as our agent to help guide us through the process. He was an excellent resource and offered helpful suggestions with everything from our mortgage, a handyman, floor repair, inspections and simplified everything for us along the way through the offer to escrow and after we closed. I can't say enough great things about working with Colin - it was a true pleasure. I highly recommend getting in touch with Colin for your real estate needs!

Danielle S

As first time home buyers, we were so thankful to have Colin as our agent to help guide us through the process. He was an excellent resource and offered helpful suggestions with everything from our mortgage, a handyman, floor repair, inspections and simplified everything for us along the way through the offer to escrow and after we closed. I can’t say enough great things about working with Colin - it was a true pleasure. I highly recommend getting in touch with Colin for your real estate needs!

user46123646

Colin helped me with a very challenging sale transaction and went way above and beyond to get it done. He was extremely helpful in negotiating a deal with the buyer and remained flexible and creative to get the transaction closed. He is very knowledgeable on the local area (South Bay) and was able to bring a buyer to the table through his personal relationships. I would highly recommend Colin!!!

nathan_cook

Colin worked tirelessly showing us listings that matched our requirements including a few off-market homes we would otherwise have never known about. He helped us submit offers, referred us to a top notch lender and ultimately guided us successfully through the purchase of our new home. When  negotiations became a challenge, Colin skillfully represented our interests assuring we received the best deal possible. After the close, Colin remains in frequent contact to assist with references for repairs and preparations for moving. This is quite a bit different than prior agents we've worked with which were quick to disappear after closing. With so many agents around it can be difficult to find one that truly differentiates them self. What sets Colin apart is that he cares. Part agent, part businessman, part therapist, a friend for life ... If you've been unhappy with prior agents interactions, let Colin broker your next purchase.

dporand

Colin worked tirelessly showing us listings that matched our requirements including a few off-market homes we would otherwise have never known about. He helped us submit offers, referred us to a top notch lender and ultimately guided us successfully through the purchase of our new home. When negotiations became a challenge, Colin skillfully represented our interests assuring we received the best deal possible. After the close, Colin remains in frequent contact to assist with references for repairs and preparations for moving. This is quite a bit different than prior agents we've worked with which were quick to disappear after closing. With so many agents around it can be difficult to find one that truly differentiates them self. What sets Colin apart is that he cares. Part agent, part businessman, part therapist, a friend for life ... If you've been unhappy with prior agents interactions, let Colin broker your next purchase.

dporand

We originally met Colin at an open house we attended while just casually looking for a new home. We were in no particular rush to buy, but met with Colin to lay out our wish list for our next house. He was very patient and helpful, sending us listings he thought we might be interested in without  being pushy. After several months, we ultimately we found a house we really liked that ended up being a fairly tough negotiation to say the least. I am entirely convinced that Colin's persistence on our behalf during the whole process is why we got the house, for what we feel is a good and fair price. Colin is extremely responsive (be it day, night, or on the weekend), enthusiastic, and a pleasure to work with! Can't wait to move into our new home!

jmcmillen

We originally met Colin at an open house we attended while just casually looking for a new home. We were in no particular rush to buy, but met with Colin to lay out our wish list for our next house. He was very patient and helpful, sending us listings he thought we might be interested in without being pushy. After several months, we ultimately we found a house we really liked that ended up being a fairly tough negotiation to say the least. I am entirely convinced that Colin's persistence on our behalf during the whole process is why we got the house, for what we feel is a good and fair price. Colin is extremely responsive (be it day, night, or on the weekend), enthusiastic, and a pleasure to work with! Can't wait to move into our new home!

jmcmillen

I can't tell you enough how lucky my wife and I were to have Colin serve as our agent. Colin not only worked hard to find the home of our dreams, he went above and beyond throughout the entire process. He was with us step-by-step during the stressful process of purchasing our first home and it didn't stop there. Colin supported us with finding a team of professionals to complete our inspections, to move us, and to fix the necessary items in our home prior to us moving in. Everyone Colin suggested was top-notch. In Colin, we not only found a tremendous agent who truly cares about his clients, we found a friend.

zuser20170603162250403

I interviewed several realtors to be my listing agent when selling my condo in Santa Monica. Many claimed to be "experts" in the area, and promised "world-class marketing" but when I asked them about their listing strategy, they lost me. Then I had the chance to sit down with Colin, and he approached things a bit differently. Rather than come in and tell me how great he was, he took the majority of time to ask me questions. Why was I selling, what do I need from a realtor, what are the priorities for the sale - top dollar, timing, getting the right buyer etc. He wanted to know what the best part about living there was, what I liked and disliked about the home if there were any downsides or challenges to the home. He took all of this information in, and then addressed each one specifically. Each item was given much thought and attention, and when we were done, I felt like someone really understood what I was looking for in a realtor, what was important to me during the sales process, and ultimately how it could all be achieved successfully. Not only did we get above asking on the home, but we were able to navigate through some disclosures to the buyers that had made me nervous. We closed within 30 days, and his negotiations through the inspection process were impeccable. Colin was attentive and communicated thoroughly each step of the way helping me to feel secure during each phase of the sale from listing to closing. If you're looking for a realtor that is interested in you and your motivation(s) to sell, rather than just getting the listing, I highly recommend Colin Aita. Thanks

michaelt080

Colin was amazing! We were looking to find a buildable lot in Manhattan Beach, but also considering other options. Colin knows the local market well and was able to bring us lots of options, including off market properties. I was really impressed by his knowledge of the area, properties coming onto the market, and most of all his integrity. He went above and beyond what normal agents would do to make sure we found our perfect property. Colin is also super friendly and awesome to work with, thanks Colin!

zuser20170316064123644

Colin was our agent for the sale of our condo in Santa Monica. Our experience with him was ideal. Due to a new work opportunity we moved out of our home to a new state before even putting the property on the market. Colin made getting the home sold remotely a breeze. He guided us in sizing up the property and market and provided some very astute pricing advice. He also played a big role in coordinating local help to get the property ready to show. Thanks in no small part to Colin's expert guidance we had a number of competitive offers after a single weekend's showing and were able to sell the home for a good price and under favorable terms. Throughout this whole process Colin was accessible, communicative, patient, and positive. We couldn't have asked for a better agent!

danpat812

Colin Aita was our realtor for the sale of our condo in Santa Monica. From the beginning, we found him to be knowledgeable about the market we were in. He was always prompt in responding to our questions and kept us informed as to what was going on. Although we are from out of state, we felt we were in good hands with Colin and are happy with the process and results of the sale of our property.

user88166

Colin went way beyond my expectations on selecting a realtor in an area that he used to live in. He was very thorough in his research and was so responsive and knowledgeable in answering all of the many questions I asked of him. I would not hesitate to recommend him to everyone who is interested in purchasing a home.

j V

Colin's a great agent. Worked really hard, answered every question, was always available to help, and took the time to understand exactly what we wanted in a new house. He went above and beyond every time we needed a hand. Couldn't be happier with the experience.

zuser20150818184031115

Colin did a phenomenal job for me as a first time buyer in the South Bay Area. His expertise, guidance and counsel was invaluable throughout the transaction, including navigating a complicated sales process. He only had my best interests in mind throughout, raising issues as he saw them, even if it meant I might walk away from the transaction. I didn't know Colin beforehand but he was referred to me and I couldn't recommend him enough to anyone looking for a well-credentialed, honest, and experienced realtor.

donallong031284

We cannot thank Colin enough for helping us find our new home in Sherman Oaks. We are undeniably grateful for his enthusiasm, knowledge, and professionalism. He was always available to answer any questions we had and kept us fully informed during the entire process. It was invaluable having him as our realtor. Thank you, Colin!

mia H