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It starts with change.

You might be tired of paying rent. Maybe it's time for more space. Or you're thinking about a second home.

Change is exciting. But change means decisions. Some are straightforward. Other are layered with timing, taxes, or family dynamics. All come with consequences.

I'll guide you through those decisions while protecting your time, energy, and money - so you spend more time living your life.

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My Story


I know how important these decisions are because
I've lived them.

I relocated from Connecticut to San Francisco for a career in tech. I've rented. I've bought. I've sold. I've been a landlord. I've upgraded.

I know the excitement. I know the uncertainty. I know the weight of getting it right.

That journey led me into real estate.

I started my career in one of the toughest Bay Area markets on record, solving problems when the easy answer didn't exist and spotting opportunities others missed. Since then, my approach has evolved into a high-touch, strategic advisory service designed for people who want more than just a transaction.

For more than 15 years, I've helped professionals and families through some of life's biggest transitions - relocating across the country and the globe, buying a first home, upgrading as families grow, downsizing with intention, settling an estate, and helping parents support their kids as they get started.

Homes change. Markets shift. What stays constant is the need to focus on what truly matters.

We'll move at your pace. But when it counts, I move fast, think creatively, and help you make decisions you won't regret.

Cynthia P.
Sharon S.
Christopher B.
Valerie D.
Mike S.
Lorraine S.
Amy R.
Devin K.
Hm S.
Brian G.
What My Clients Say

After I mentioned to one of my clients that we wanted to sell our house, she said, "We just sold ours and you need to meet Karen McCarthy. We loved her. She's no nonsense and a real go-getter!" My interest was piqued and we called Karen. After one meeting, it was obvious that Karen was a good fit for us. Selling your house can be a real emotional roller coaster ride at times and physically exhausting at ...

— Cynthia P.

What My Clients Say

Karen McCarthy is the best real estate agent I've worked with. My roommates and I had a hard time finding a place to live in San Francisco, until we stumbled upon Karen's listing online. Karen was extremely punctual during our first meet. She was extremely thorough with the apartment walk through and provided us detailed information about the unit. We showed high interest in the apartment the same day of...

— Sharon S.

What My Clients Say

Amazing personal service. Karen not took care of details for me, she coordinated the perfect team to make selling my apartment a huge success. When it came to strategy, Karen really showed why she is a top producer. We struggled over the price and in the end, Karen priced it perfectly to create a bidding war, which is no small thing for a TIC apartment. I couldn't be more pleased and I'd highly recommend...

— Christopher B.

What My Clients Say

Karen helped me search for almost two years! She always gave me a 110% and as many of us know, buying a home in SF can be challenging and frustrating and I am glad I had this experience with Karen. Our family only had 10% to put down and our budget was for a home no higher than $1.25M - the most competitive price bracket and she always stuck with us. Ultimately, we found a three bedroom and two bath SFH ...

— Valerie D.

What My Clients Say

My family had an elder member move into assisted living facility and was forced to sell his Eureka Valley home of 40 years to pay for expenses. Karen was faced with a challenging situation as the home also had a long term protected tenant living in an unwarranted in-law. Most buyers were not willing to take on the tenant so the home had to be priced perfectly and also marketed to right buyer. Karen could...

— Mike S.

What My Clients Say

Karen is an amazing agent: she's a straightforward, no nonsense personality who will bend over backwards to help her clients find what they're looking for. She knows the City inside and out and went out of her way to help my husband and I navigate the current real estate market to find a home we're thrilled to be living in. She's very good at interacting with sellers' agents to find out important details...

— Lorraine S.

What My Clients Say

Karen was a pleasure to work with when buying our first San Francisco Home. We found her by luck online and could not believe how great of a fit she was for us and our personalities. We had a difficult transaction because it was a short sale, and she would anticipate problems before they would occur and have a solution ready to go. She was on the ball, great at keeping us informed, and we really felt lik...

— Amy R.

What My Clients Say

The sale of my San Francisco property was going to be challenging and I needed someone who could think out of the box and really dedicate some effort to it, especially since I was planning to be out of the country during much of the time the property was listed. Let me say again, there was nothing easy about the sale of my property. Karen's persistence, creativity, availability, intensity and ability to ...

— Devin K.

What My Clients Say

Karen McCarthy is an exemplary real estate professional. From the minute we got in touch to closing, Karen has been unfailingly efficient, thorough, and responsive. As we are currently based largely abroad, we were initially not sure we would be able to garner enough perspective to feel comfortable moving forward. Karen surpassed all expectations, and was able to coordinate logistics for viewing and clos...

— Hm S.

What My Clients Say

Karen helped my wife and I purchase our home in May of 2012. She tirelessly worked with us for eight solid months before we found our home. She spent so much time with us that it is very possible she had a better window into our marriage than anybody else we know! Her feedback and advice was invaluable and we couldn't be happier with where we landed. Beyond the work in helping us get our home, Karen has ...

— Brian G.

Ready for What's Next?

You bring the questions.
We explore what's possible.
You choose the next step.

The Market Update You Won't Delete

One email. Once a month. Clarity for smarter moves in real estate and life.

Let's Work Together

Get assistance in determining current property value, crafting a competitive offer, writing and negotiating a contract, and much more. Contact Karen today.