The Sell Group Start a conversation
Home Buy Sell About Selected Sales Contact

Real estate guidance on both sides of the bridge.

James and Devon Sell help buyers and sellers navigate Marin County and San Francisco with a thoughtful, strategic approach tailored to each property, market, and client.

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150+Properties sold
$250M+Volume sold
Top 1%Of Realtors nationwide
Who we are

A thoughtful, hands-on approach to real estate.

James and Devon Sell bring complementary backgrounds in real estate, marketing, and transaction management to every client they represent. Together, they combine market knowledge, strong negotiation, thoughtful marketing, and close attention to the details that can make a meaningful difference in a transaction.

Their approach is highly personalized because no two homes, clients, or situations are exactly alike. Rather than relying on the same playbook for every deal, James and Devon look closely at the property, the market, the competition, and their client's priorities before developing a strategy.

For sellers, that can mean determining which improvements are worth making, positioning the home to stand out, and creating a marketing plan designed around how today's buyers are actually searching and making decisions. For buyers, it means identifying opportunities, understanding the tradeoffs of a property, reviewing the details carefully, and finding the strongest way to compete and negotiate.

Real estate often comes with a lot of moving pieces. James and Devon's role is to make those decisions easier to understand, provide clear and candid advice along the way, and stay closely involved from the first conversation through closing.

The partnership

Two agents, complementary strengths.

You work directly with both of us throughout the process.

James brings a strong focus on market analysis, pricing, negotiation, and deal strategy, while Devon combines transaction experience with a sharp eye for design, presentation, and the details that keep a transaction moving.

Those strengths overlap by design. We stay closely involved in every deal, challenge each other's thinking, and develop the strategy together rather than passing clients from one person to another.

James Sell

James Sell

Founder, REALTOR® · DRE# 02032462

James leads much of The Sell Group's market analysis, pricing, negotiation, and deal strategy. He takes a research-driven approach to real estate, looking beyond headline numbers to understand the details that can materially affect value and leverage, from recent buyer behavior and competing inventory to property condition, disclosures, renovation potential, and the specific dynamics of a neighborhood.

Whether representing a buyer or seller, James is focused on helping clients understand their options, think through the tradeoffs, and make decisions based on the full picture rather than simply following the conventional playbook.

415-342-0302  /  [email protected]
Devon Sell

Devon Sell

REALTOR® · DRE# 02139932

Before joining The Sell Group, Devon worked in the title and escrow industry at Old Republic, giving her a strong understanding of the transaction process and the many details that have to come together between contract and closing.

She also brings a natural eye for design and presentation, which plays an important role in how the team prepares and positions homes for market. Devon's combination of transaction experience, organization, and visual perspective makes her especially valuable when coordinating listing preparation, marketing, buyer strategy, and the day-to-day details of a transaction.

925-588-4014  /  [email protected]
Buying with The Sell Group

A more thoughtful way to buy.

Buying a home in Marin or San Francisco often means weighing far more than price and square footage. Property condition, location, insurance, disclosures, future renovation potential, competition, and resale all play a role.

Our job is to help you understand those tradeoffs and make a smart decision, not simply get you into contract.

01

Define the search

We start by understanding what matters beyond the basic criteria: lifestyle, commute, location, condition, future plans, budget, and the compromises you are willing to make. That gives us a much clearer picture of what actually constitutes the right home.

02

Understand the market

As properties come up, we help you put them in context. We look at recent sales, current competition, neighborhood dynamics, and how buyers are responding in the market right now. We also point out the things that are not always obvious in the listing photos.

03

Evaluate the property

When a home looks promising, we dig deeper. That may include reviewing disclosures and inspections, evaluating condition and future projects, researching permits or insurance concerns, analyzing comparable sales, and bringing in trusted professionals when additional expertise is helpful.

04

Build the offer strategy

There is rarely one right way to write an offer. We evaluate the competition, seller priorities, price, terms, contingencies, and risk before recommending a strategy designed around that particular situation.

05

Navigate the closing

Once you are under contract, we stay closely involved through financing, inspections, appraisal, title, escrow, and closing. The goal is to keep the process organized, anticipate issues early, and make sure you understand what is happening at every stage.

Start a buyer conversation
Selling with The Sell Group

Every property deserves its own strategy.

The best way to sell one home may be completely different from the best way to sell another.

We look at the property, the likely buyer, current competition, market conditions, and your priorities before recommending how to prepare, price, and launch the home.

01

Understand your goals

We start at the property and talk through timing, priorities, condition, and what you are hoping to accomplish. From there, we begin evaluating the home's positioning and the buyer we believe is most likely to respond to it.

02

Build the strategy

Pricing is only one part of the equation. We review recent sales, current inventory, buyer behavior, property condition, and the competitive landscape before recommending a pricing and launch strategy. We also walk through estimated costs and proceeds so you understand the financial side of the decision.

03

Prepare the property

Not every improvement is worth making. We identify the work we believe will have the greatest impact, whether that is paint and staging or more substantial preparation, and help coordinate the process from start to finish. Devon's eye for presentation is especially valuable here, helping make sure improvements feel cohesive and appropriate for the home rather than simply checking boxes.

04

Create the marketing

Marketing should reflect the property and the buyer we are trying to reach. We combine professional photography, video, property storytelling, social media, digital exposure, agent outreach, open houses, and targeted marketing to position the home as effectively as possible. The goal is not simply to get the property online. It is to create the strongest possible first impression and build meaningful buyer interest.

05

Evaluate offers and negotiate

The highest offer is not always the strongest offer. We help you compare price, financing, contingencies, timing, and execution risk before deciding how to respond. Once an offer is accepted, we continue managing the transaction closely through escrow and closing.

Request a home value review
Beyond the public market

More ways to find, and sell, a home.

Not every real estate opportunity starts on the public market.

Through Compass, Top Agent Network, and our relationships with agents throughout Marin and San Francisco, we regularly hear about Private Exclusives, Coming Soon listings, and other off-market opportunities before, or instead of, they appear on the MLS.

For buyers, that means a broader view of what may be available. In a market where the right property does not always show up at the right time, having access to agent networks and pre-market opportunities can create additional options and occasionally the chance to pursue a home with less competition.

For sellers, these channels create flexibility. Depending on the property and your goals, we can explore private or pre-market exposure, gather early feedback, connect directly with qualified buyers and agents, or build interest before a broader public launch.

Not every home should be sold off-market, and not every buyer will find the right property that way. We look at these tools as part of a broader strategy, giving our clients more information, more options, and more ways to approach the market.

Private Exclusives

Listings marketed quietly within the Compass network before any public launch.

Top Agent Network

Early word on properties circulating among the region's most active agents.

Pre-market feedback

Real buyer and agent response gathered before pricing is set in public.

Selected sales

Experience across two very different markets.

From single-family homes in Marin to condos, Victorians, and multi-unit properties in San Francisco, our work spans a range of property types, price points, and transaction complexities.

38-40 7th Avenue
38-40 7th Avenue
San Francisco, CA
7 BD · 3 BA · 4,000 SFSold $5,550,000
38 Spring Road
38 Spring Road
Kentfield, CA
4 BD · 4 BA · 3,602 SFSold $3,200,000
525 West Fairview Avenue
525 West Fairview Avenue
Mill Valley, CA
4 BD · 4 BA · 2,300 SFSold $2,400,000
120 Fairway Drive
120 Fairway Drive
Novato, CA
3 BD · 4 BA · 2,023 SFSold $2,400,000
130 Fairway Drive
130 Fairway Drive
Novato, CA
3 BD · 2 BA · 2,230 SFSold $2,400,000
1146 Keeler Avenue
1146 Keeler Avenue
Berkeley, CA
4 BD · 4 BA · 2,500 SFSold $2,370,000
3730 Fillmore Street
3730 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA
2 BD · 2 BA · 1,722 SFSold $2,200,000
309 Wilson Street
309 Wilson Street
Petaluma, CA
9 BD · 6 BA · 4,774 SFSold $2,170,000
270 Eldridge Avenue
270 Eldridge Avenue
Mill Valley, CA
4 BD · 3 BA · 2,009 SFSold $2,150,000
123 Miraluna Way
123 Miraluna Way
San Bruno, CA
5 BD · 3 BA · 2,695 SFSold $2,025,000
138 Buena Vista Avenue
138 Buena Vista Avenue
Corte Madera, CA
3 BD · 2 BA · 1,522 SFSold $2,010,000
80 Santa Rita Avenue
80 Santa Rita Avenue
San Francisco, CA
4 BD · 2 BA · 2,150 SFSold $2,000,000
532 Pine Crest Road
532 Pine Crest Road
Mill Valley, CA
4 BD · 3 BA · 2,221 SFSold $1,950,000
17 Bahama Reef
17 Bahama Reef
Novato, CA
3 BD · 3 BA · 1,962 SFSold $1,950,000
500 Canyon Road
500 Canyon Road
Novato, CA
4 BD · 2 BA · 2,326 SFSold $1,950,000
3248 Clay Street
3248 Clay Street
San Francisco, CA
2 BD · 2 BA · 1,375 SFSold $1,850,000
301 Chapman Drive
301 Chapman Drive
Corte Madera, CA
3 BD · 1 BA · 1,614 SFSold $1,850,000
679 Sanchez Street
679 Sanchez Street
San Francisco, CA
3 BD · 4 BA · 2,160 SFSold $2,900,000
189 Warren Drive
189 Warren Drive
San Francisco, CA
5 BD · 4 BA · 2,857 SFSold $2,800,000
3928 Cesar Chavez
3928 Cesar Chavez
San Francisco, CA
2 BD · 2 BA · 1,302 SFSold $1,860,000
74 Beaumont Avenue
74 Beaumont Avenue
San Francisco, CA
3 BD · 2 BA · 1,673 SFSold $1,825,000
457 Wilson Avenue
457 Wilson Avenue
Novato, CA
3 BD · 3 BA · 3,400 SFSold $1,823,000
480 Blackstone Drive
480 Blackstone Drive
San Rafael, CA
3 BD · 3 BA · 1,894 SFSold $1,775,000
1587 11th Avenue
1587 11th Avenue
San Francisco, CA
2 BD · 2 BA · 1,788 SFSold $1,750,000
Where we work

Marin and San Francisco, connected.

Marin County and San Francisco sit just across the Golden Gate from one another, but the housing markets operate very differently.

Our experience in both gives us a useful perspective for clients buying or selling within either market, and especially for those making a move between the two.

Marin County

Marin can change significantly from one town, neighborhood, or even street to the next.

We help clients understand the details that do not always show up in an online search: different housing types, sun and exposure, commute patterns, hillside access, insurance considerations, flood and fire zones, renovation potential, and the nuances that influence value from one micro-market to another.

Mill Valley · Kentfield · Corte Madera · San Rafael · Novato · Petaluma

San Francisco

San Francisco requires a different understanding of property type, pricing, disclosure practices, competition, and negotiation.

From single-family homes and condos to duplexes and other multi-unit properties, we help clients evaluate both the property itself and the broader dynamics that can affect value and strategy. Our work in both San Francisco and Marin is particularly useful for clients who are selling in the city while considering a move north.

Noe Valley · Pacific Heights · Inner Richmond · Cole Valley · Sunset · Marina
Client testimonials

In their words.

“James is an incredible Real Estate Agent. He is extremely knowledgeable about the market, patient when we were searching for the perfect home, and always responsive. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I highly recommend using him and will definitely use him in the future.”

Buyer client

“James helped my wife and I buy our first house recently. He worked with us at length, as we had a number of specific criteria that was important to us. Throughout the process James was incredibly thoughtful, helpful, and professional. He helped to make the process fun and we truly enjoyed working with him.”

First-time buyers

“James is the best. He was super helpful, knowledgeable and responsive. We were so happy for his expertise and he made the process that much easier. You cannot go wrong with James.”

Seller client
Home value

What could your home sell for?

Online estimates can provide a rough starting point, but they rarely account for the details that can meaningfully change a home's value in Marin or San Francisco.

Condition, location, improvements, lot, architecture, views, buyer demand, and even differences from one street to the next can all matter.

Send us your address and we will prepare a more thoughtful assessment based on recent sales, current competition, and the specifics of your property.

FAQ

Questions we hear often.

Do we work with both of you?

Yes. You work directly with both James and Devon throughout the process. We bring different strengths to the team, but stay closely involved in the strategy, communication, and execution of every transaction.

How do you determine what a home is worth?

We start with comparable sales, but we do not stop there. We also look at current competition, property condition, location, lot, buyer behavior, days on market, improvements, and the direction of the market to understand how buyers are likely to compare the property against its alternatives. Ultimately, pricing is both an analysis and a strategy.

How do you decide what work a seller should do before listing?

We look at each improvement through the lens of presentation, buyer expectations, timing, and likely return. Some properties benefit from significant preparation. Others need very little. Our goal is to focus your time and money where we believe it will make the greatest difference rather than recommending work simply because it is traditionally done before a sale.

Can you help with contractors, inspectors, and other professionals?

Yes. Over the course of a transaction we regularly coordinate with contractors, inspectors, designers, stagers, lenders, insurance professionals, architects, engineers, and other specialists. When something falls outside our expertise, we help bring in the right professional rather than pretending to have every answer ourselves.

Do you work with investors and multi-unit properties?

Yes. In addition to traditional residential sales, we have experience with investment and multi-unit properties and can help clients evaluate both the real estate itself and the broader investment considerations involved.

What does it cost to get an opinion of value?

Nothing. If you are considering selling, or simply want a better understanding of your home's current value, we are happy to take a closer look and talk through what we are seeing in the market.

Contact

Tell us what you're thinking.

Whether you're actively planning a move or still trying to understand your options, we're always happy to talk through the market, a particular property, or what the next few years could look like.