East Bay Roots
By: Kevin Daniel Dwyer
Anthony Cassel - Berkeley, CA
The East Bay has been one of the hottest markets in the San Francisco Bay Area for several years, attracting buyers from the City, Silicon Valley and the Peninsula to the cross bridge, enjoy the sunshine and enter the housing market at a more affordable price point. Its gentrification – a phenomenon that has its benefits as well as its share of critics – has also fueled a renaissance of culture; from cuisine to the arts to city parks. Attractive, thriving communities and rising home values are at the heart of the movement attracting newcomers to the area. So is Anthony Cassel, a top agent who’s an expert in East Bay real estate thanks to his deep connections to clients and unyielding commitment to the communities he serves.
“This business is about relationships - building them, supporting them and fostering others to connect.”
A top producer at Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty, Cassel works with his wife and business partner, Maria and their passion for their work – and subsequent success – is all about trust. “This is a relationship business, and clients trust us to do what’s best for them. My goal is to treat every situation as if it were my own. I want to do what feels right, whether that means closing a deal or not. Life is too short to choose money over people or our reputations and integrity,” says Cassel.
Cassel’s first brush with real estate came as early as age 18 while working with a business partner in Philadelphia, renting a historic brick warehouse where Cassel began to rent out extra space and the grounds around the building. “Pretty soon the rental funds began to cover all our costs and we began generating strong cash flow without the income of our main business,” recalls Cassel. “I took this business and real estate experience with me to California at the age of 23 to help build multiple businesses with my wife Maria, some of which revolved around real estate investment, construction and building materials.”
After having significant success, Cassel notes that many people who got to know him and Maria started looking to the pair for advice on residential homes and real estate investments. “It didn’t take long before I realized I wanted to move my career into real estate. I was thoroughly enjoying the process of helping people achieve their home and financial goals, while at the same time applying all the business tools I learned over several years of running various companies.”
In his first ‘official’ year in real estate, Cassel was named in the ranks of a top producer based on closed sales volume. He also had a multi-million dollar sale in Piedmont, while at the same time helping a desperate family get into a home for under $500,000. These and other significant moments reaffirmed his decision to get into real estate: “It felt like everything I had been doing in my career had led up to that moment.” With this momentum, Cassel continued on and has remained at the top of his game, an achievement he attributes to a strong focus on his clients’ goals.
“Most of the time, people want to sell their property for the most amount of money or buy something for the best overall value. I truly believe that I am a part of a small percentage of real estate consultants that know how to maximize exposure and net profit while protecting my clients as much as I possibly can,” says Cassel. “My wide array of business and personal real estate experience plays a crucial part to creating the best plan for maximizing my clients’ goals. Just like with building businesses and investing, I am always looking for advantages or to be creative. Many times you have to think on your feet, especially during negotiations.”
After just three years in business, Cassel was honored by The California Association of Realtors® (C.A.R.) as a “Champion of Home” during the California Realtor® EXPO 2015, an award given to an individual that has changed their clients’ lives for the better, raised the standards for others, and led by example. The recognition was a major point of gratitude for Cassel, and was selected by his peers for going to great lengths on behalf of his clients and practicing business with the highest ethics and morals.
Since then, Cassel’s growing clientele are mostly referral-based and are looking for someone that has a proven track record with residential homes, luxury estates, and investment properties. The price points he serves are “all over the board” in the East Bay, but some extend outside this area. Core markets he focuses on include Alameda up to Richmond and out to Lamorinda, including Oakland, Berkeley, Kensington, Lafayette, Orinda and Piedmont. “The diversity, beautiful architecture, lifestyle, and friendly people drew me to these areas. Despite a lot of new development there still is not enough supply, which has led to several straight years of appreciation,” says Cassel, noting that many listings attract bidding wars due to the lack of quality supply.
“My goal is to treat every situation as if it were my own.”
A lack of housing supply also strikes another underlying mission for Cassel. Passionate about making a difference, Cassel is a proud supporter of Home for a Home—a San Francisco-based charity funding the construction of safe, secure homes in the poorest areas of highland Guatemala. Cassel donates a portion of his real estate commission and travels to Guatemala to help build homes for families, having made multiple trips to the region over the years.
Locally, Cassel’s roots and charitable efforts—and effects—run deep: he’s worked on an initiative to provide a men’s homeless shelter in Berkeley; he and Maria are active in animal rescue groups, and they are supporters and advocates for Creative Growth, a non-profit art studio founded in 1974 for artists with disabilities in downtown Oakland. When he isn’t working with home buyers or sellers, Cassel is known to be mentoring new agents, taking them on showings, and offering support and advice. “This business is about relationships - building them, supporting them and fostering others to connect. When you immerse yourself with clients and the communities you serve, the rewards are endless. Referrals are the heartbeat of our business.” G
Anthony Cassel
415.310.0066 | AnthonyECassel.com | a.cassel@ggsir.com | Lic.# 01475854
Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty