Chris Trapani is Founder & CEO of Sereno Group. He co-founded Sereno
Group with his father, Marko Trapani, Sr.and his lifetime best friend,
Ryan Iwanaga. Chris and Ryan had the vision for Sereno Group and were
financially backed by Marko who wholeheartedly believed in them.
Sereno Group has blossomed to six offices and over 200 experienced Realtors in less than six years. The company has established itself as a proven market leader and consistent community supporter. The formula for success has been to attract and hire only seasoned professionals who share a common thread of professionalism, care and creativity and to maintain an incredibly supportive staff and infrastructure.
The Sereno Group brand is already in a class by itself. It has come to be signified with quality and accountability in the world of Residential Real Estate. Chris and Ryan’s plan was to move away from the impersonal mega-firms and corporate brands into an environment that is rich in spirit and support of its people and keeping their best interests at the forefront of the priority system.
Sereno Group eclipsed the $500 million annual sales mark in their first full year in business. In 2009, Sereno Group was ranked the #4th most productive residential real estate company in Silicon Valley with in excess of $600 million in sales. Company sales have consistently climbed each year with $800 million in 2010 and in excess of $1 billion in sales for 2011. Projections for 2012 show a probable increase of more than 25% in year over year sales. Sereno Group was also named by Bay Area News Group as the Best Place to Work in the entire bay area for 2010 and 2011. The firm was recently recognized as a top performing company nationally by RIS Media including top 101 for overall production, top 10 for per agent productivity and top 5 in highest average sales price in the US for 2011.
Prior to launching Sereno Group, Chris was the President & COO of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Silicon Valley overseeing 17 offices and more than 1400 Realtors. His metro was responsible for $8 billion in annual sales and in excess of $250 million in annual gross revenues. In addition to overseeing the day to day brokerage operation, Chris was responsible for growth in the area including recruiting and acquisitions where he successfully led the purchase of a notable real estate company in Santa Cruz County in 2004 integrating 100+ additional agents and $511 million in additional sales volume into his region.
Chris grew up in Saratoga, graduating from Saratoga High School in 1985 and Cal Poly SLO in 1990. He also attended the Wharton School of Business’ CEO Leadership course in 2004. He began his real estate sales career in 1990 at the age of 24 and became an office manager leading one of the top ranked real estate offices in the country at the age of 33. At 35 he became Executive Vice President of Coldwell Banker and in 2004 at the age of 37 became Coldwell Banker/NRT’s youngest President in the nation. He resigned from his position at Coldwell Banker in 2006 to fulfill his dream and vision to create Sereno Group. Chris’s family has a long history in Silicon Valley. His Grandfather was a real estate broker in the Willow Glen area of San Jose from the late 1940’s until his passing in the early 1980’s. His father, Marko, was a worldwide leader in insurance sales and was a pioneer in the card room industry owning several card rooms beginning in the early 1970’s in Palo Alto, Santa Clara, San Jose and eventually creating, developing and co-owning the successful Bay 101 card room in San Jose.
Chris resides in Monte Sereno with his wife Kirsten and their three children. He is a member of Los Gatos Rotary and Saratoga Federated Church.
Sereno Group has blossomed to six offices and over 200 experienced Realtors in less than six years. The company has established itself as a proven market leader and consistent community supporter. The formula for success has been to attract and hire only seasoned professionals who share a common thread of professionalism, care and creativity and to maintain an incredibly supportive staff and infrastructure.
The Sereno Group brand is already in a class by itself. It has come to be signified with quality and accountability in the world of Residential Real Estate. Chris and Ryan’s plan was to move away from the impersonal mega-firms and corporate brands into an environment that is rich in spirit and support of its people and keeping their best interests at the forefront of the priority system.
Sereno Group eclipsed the $500 million annual sales mark in their first full year in business. In 2009, Sereno Group was ranked the #4th most productive residential real estate company in Silicon Valley with in excess of $600 million in sales. Company sales have consistently climbed each year with $800 million in 2010 and in excess of $1 billion in sales for 2011. Projections for 2012 show a probable increase of more than 25% in year over year sales. Sereno Group was also named by Bay Area News Group as the Best Place to Work in the entire bay area for 2010 and 2011. The firm was recently recognized as a top performing company nationally by RIS Media including top 101 for overall production, top 10 for per agent productivity and top 5 in highest average sales price in the US for 2011.
Prior to launching Sereno Group, Chris was the President & COO of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Silicon Valley overseeing 17 offices and more than 1400 Realtors. His metro was responsible for $8 billion in annual sales and in excess of $250 million in annual gross revenues. In addition to overseeing the day to day brokerage operation, Chris was responsible for growth in the area including recruiting and acquisitions where he successfully led the purchase of a notable real estate company in Santa Cruz County in 2004 integrating 100+ additional agents and $511 million in additional sales volume into his region.
Chris grew up in Saratoga, graduating from Saratoga High School in 1985 and Cal Poly SLO in 1990. He also attended the Wharton School of Business’ CEO Leadership course in 2004. He began his real estate sales career in 1990 at the age of 24 and became an office manager leading one of the top ranked real estate offices in the country at the age of 33. At 35 he became Executive Vice President of Coldwell Banker and in 2004 at the age of 37 became Coldwell Banker/NRT’s youngest President in the nation. He resigned from his position at Coldwell Banker in 2006 to fulfill his dream and vision to create Sereno Group. Chris’s family has a long history in Silicon Valley. His Grandfather was a real estate broker in the Willow Glen area of San Jose from the late 1940’s until his passing in the early 1980’s. His father, Marko, was a worldwide leader in insurance sales and was a pioneer in the card room industry owning several card rooms beginning in the early 1970’s in Palo Alto, Santa Clara, San Jose and eventually creating, developing and co-owning the successful Bay 101 card room in San Jose.
Chris resides in Monte Sereno with his wife Kirsten and their three children. He is a member of Los Gatos Rotary and Saratoga Federated Church.