ABOUT US

You dream your house, we make it real

Derek’s love of real estate goes far beyond his profession. His extensive knowledge of construction and his distinct, meticulous eye help him to identify the most potential-packed homes for his clients. From first-time homeowners to buyers looking for their forever home, Derek is committed to each client’s unique needs and circumstances, advocating for clients’ interests and educating about the process every step of the way.

BEST PROPERTIES @ SPECIAL PRICE

Meet the Team

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Meet Our Team

Derek Jackson

Derek Jackson

Real Estate Professional

Michael Podesta

Michael Podesta

Transaction Coordinator

Paige Goldsmith

Paige Goldsmith

Real Estate Professional

Testimonials

What Our Clients Say

Outstanding buyer representation and support If you’re looking for a real estate agent to represent you, Derek Jackson from Vanguard receives our highest recommendation. He is very professional, responsive and always follows up in a timely fashion. My wife and I needed assistance in buying small apartment building. He meticulously went through a 604 page disclosure to help us understand the risks and the rewards. Based on his pricing advice, we did prevail in buying the building. Derek was always available via text and voice whenever we needed him. Also impressive was the fact that after the sale he was available to recommend contractors and various construction professionals, such as plumbing, electricians and structural engineers to complete needed improvements. We are very happy with our purchase and we are extremely grateful with Derek’s representation. My wife and I highly recommend Derek Jackson with Vanguard.

Tim W.

I bought my first house a year ago and the whole process started more than two years ago. I worked with a couple of agents before meeting Derek and working with him. Derek’s support has been way beyond what any other real estate agent would offer and not just during the process of finding the right house and closing the transaction but also during my first year of ownership: for anyone unsure of what a type of difference a great agent can make, please keep reading! First, Derek has the unique ability to understand what someone is looking for and even if what they are looking for is not yet concrete in their mind, he will work with them to figure it out and come up with suggestions that the buyer hasn’t even considered: the whole search experience is smooth, without any pressure or stress, and looking at houses with Derek is always a fun activity! Moreover, Derek has a very deep understanding on competition and how to optimize bidding and run negotiations for a successful outcome. Second, Derek was able to navigate a very complicated process when closing the transaction, since the house I bought had some very uncommon liens and title ownership structure: he was very patient with all the obstacles we faced until closing the transaction and making sure I’m covered from a legal point of view; the way Derek handled this whole process and his determination and step-by-step approach were admirable; I believe most agents would have given up at some point, but Derek was committed and that’s how I was able to get my dream house. Third, Derek works with a very large network of professionals that can help with various issues: improving/renovating a house can be quite complicated, especially in the Bay Area, and Derek can work with you to figure out how the house can be improved (based on your taste) and find trustworthy people to work on those improvements. In my case, I also had to deal with a major incident caused by the 2024 Feb thunderstorm in SF: Derek came on a Sunday night to help us with that incident, found a crew that was able to mitigate the situation in the first 24 hours ( large water leak), and has been a real friend for us, supporting us at many levels with that incident! In general, Derek has a lot of experience and knowledge and has helped me in various different ways, from learning important details on the SF AirBnB legislation to finding the right security system for my needs. I cannot imagine how my overall house search and ownership experience would have been without Derek’s support!

Bill V

When considering a real estate professional to help me with my recent home purchase I was looking for someone that would be more than an agent who would show me houses, I wanted someone who was more like a trusted advisor. Derek came highly recommended and was exactly what I was looking for. His knowledge of the market conditions was invaluable and he helped get me a price that was lower than I expected. His assistance didn’t end there. Even after closing he promptly helped with any issues with my new purchase. I highly recommend Derek for your next home purchase or sale, he truly is a trusted advisor

G.H

Derek and his colleague Scott Morton represented me in the sale of a condo and the subsequent purchase of a single-family home, both in San Francisco. I was extremely satisfied with the services they provided on both transactions. Derek and Scott are great communicators, always responding rapidly to emails and texts, and diligent in reaching out every few days to provide updates. They are adept at leveraging technology to bring in potential buyers and provide easy access to listings, and have an extensive network of professionals such as bankers, escrow officers, and other agents to provide comprehensive services throughout the transaction, where you really feel like a part of the family. Our sale was particularly difficult due to market conditions in the area, and Scott and Derek maintained focus, never gave up, and consistently worked to bring new tactics to bear, resulting in a successful sale. Being long-time San Francisco residents, they have a depth of local knowledge and neighborhood awareness that were invaluable on both the buying and selling ends. And to top it all off, they are both really amazing guys! Highly recommended.

-Scott H.

Derek was amazing to work with! He kept on top of everything and had a great attention to detail. Everything went smoothly and we couldn’t have been happier with the service he provided. He really took the time to understand what we were looking for and was super proactive in helping us find an amazing property.

Juliette W.

Derek is a proactive, highly knowledgeable agent who successfully represented my husband and I in navigating the complexities of buying our first house in San Francisco. With Derek’s guidance, we went from having zero knowledge of how property purchases in SF worked, to buying a property in a very short closing window. He was also incredibly helpful to adapt to our very specific needs as non-US citizens in this market. I would gladly recommend Derek to anyone looking to buy and sell property in SF.

-Alexandra G.

After we had nearly given up our search, we started working with Derek. He found us an off-market listing, and negotiated a sale price substantially under market! A perfect unicorn for San Francisco real estate. I cannot say enough good things about him.

M.E.

As first time buyers, San Francisco market can be pretty daunting. With Derek’s guidance, my husband and I always felt very educated and confident in our search. Derek has in-depth knowledge of the San Francisco market which helped us tremendously. Not only did we go for multiple twilight and weekend tours, but Derek was always very flexible with our schedule. He made sure that we always had multiple properties to consider and compare when we made offers. Also, Derek is very analytical and practical – whenever we got too excited about a property, he always reminded us to look at all factors at hand. As we moved into our new house, Derek remained a person we always turned to for any guidance or recommendations. We are extremely happy with our purchase and highly recommend Derek!

-Isha B.

We had serendipitously met Derek at an open house he was showing and quickly developed a good rapport. We explained what were we’re looking for and Derek followed up with us the following day providing us with listings that fit our criteria. Over the next month or so Derek and his colleague Scott Morton helped us find the perfect property for us. He is honest, hard working, professional, and took his time to answer all of our questions. He was truly there every step of the way and made sure we were comfortable with our decisions. I highly recommend Derek to anyone looking to purchase a property in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Brian Y.

Derek is a great realtor! From the start we could tell he was different. His energetic, passionate and hard working approach helped us find and close on a place quickly. As first time home buyers, we felt in good hands with someone who truly cared to find us the right fit and ‘fight’ for what we wanted. In this competitive SF market you need someone who knows the landscape, provides guidance, digs deep, and acts quickly. With another realtor we probably would still be looking!

-Rebecca S.

We could not have been more pleased! Derek’s knowledge of the Bay Area real estate market and San Francisco in particular, optimized the property’s value and it’s financial yield to us. The process from listing to closing was less than 3 months. Through it all, Derek and his partner Scott Morton aggressively pursued every aspect to insure our best interests. Derek kept us timely informed; was always honest and straight forward in his recommendations for showing the property; was energetic and enthusiastic in his every aspect of the sale process; and most of delivered as promised. The very best we could have had

-Arnold R.

From the moment I met Derek, I instantly felt comfortable working with him. He was always prepared, professional, honest and did exactly what he said he was going to do. Because of his passion, expertise and knowledge of the San Francisco market he sold my condo in 2 short weeks while maximizing the value and meeting all my needs. I have bought and sold 4 homes over the past 20 years and Derek is by far the best agent I have ever worked with and would highly recommend him!

-Jen Y.

I really enjoyed working with Derek and his partner Scott who are both highly experienced and plugged in realtors. I recently worked with Derek for the sale of my condo and the purchase of a new condo. He did an excellent job walking me through the selling and buying process, was highly professional at all times, and was always willing to go the extra mile for me. He is highly knowledgable about the San Francisco market and helped me successfully sell my condo and upgrade to a bigger and better home at a reasonable price (quite a feat in San Francisco!), which I love. I highly recommend working with him!

-Dan G.

I have bought and sold property in different areas of the United States and Derek Jackson was the best realtor I ever had hands down. Dealing with a major renovation during COVID is hard enough, but to handle it all with me on the east coast takes a special kind of person… and Derek is that person. The man went above and beyond in pulling together a great team of construction crews and designers and a stager extraordinaire to make my condo a work of art. It sold for top dollar. He was always on top of the work and kept me completely informed of the progress.. his advice was very considerate and spot on. I couldn’t be happier with how he looked out for my best interests…. wish I had another piece of property for him to sell.. You will not go wrong using Derek as your realtor!

-Laurie B.

Derek handled the sale of my home, while I was away starting on a non profit in the Caribbean. Despite me having horrible reception and having to move all my possessions by phone, Derek was smart, competent and PATIENT with me. I highly recommend using Derek if you want someone that takes in your needs, and still strives to get you the very best price when selling.

-Jen K.

Derek did an incredible job with our house hunt. My wife and I purchased in San Francisco’s Marina district and looked for nearly 6 or 7 months before we found the one we wanted. Derek made time to show us options, explore neighborhoods, and ultimately facilitated our process of deduction to land in a home we are beyond pleased with. He was more of a confidant than a realtor to us, and we felt we had someone truly on our team the entire journey as we looked at homes, explored possible value add plays, and discussed potential pitfalls or risks I never would have considered otherwise. He was unhurried and we ultimately received the seasoned advice that can only come from someone who has dedicated a lifetime to the craft. I confidently recommend Derek to anyone looking to buy in SF/Bay Area, especially those who may not be familiar with the unique attributes of the SF neighborhoods and homes that reside here.

-Neil W.

Outstanding buyer representation and support If you’re looking for a real estate agent to represent you, Derek Jackson from Vanguard receives our highest recommendation. He is very professional, responsive and always follows up in a timely fashion. My wife and I needed assistance in buying small apartment building. He meticulously went through a 604 page disclosure to help us understand the risks and the rewards. Based on his pricing advice, we did prevail in buying the building. Derek was always available via text and voice whenever we needed him. Also impressive was the fact that after the sale he was available to recommend contractors and various construction professionals, such as plumbing, electricians and structural engineers to complete needed improvements. We are very happy with our purchase and we are extremely grateful with Derek’s representation. My wife and I highly recommend Derek Jackson with Vanguard.

-Tim W.

We had a great experience working with Derek. He was very responsive when we reached out with questions and was incredibly helpful in keeping us on track with preparing our house for sale. We were fortunate to sell our house before actually going to market, and Derek was instrumental in negotiating a selling price that we were very happy with. He also made the closing process so easy and even followed up to make sure we were comfortable in our new home.

-Jay G.

When considering a real estate professional to help me with my recent home purchase I was looking for someone that would be more than an agent who would show me houses, I wanted someone who was more like a trusted advisor.  Derek came highly recommended and was exactly what I was looking for.  His knowledge of the market conditions was invaluable and he helped get me a price that was lower than I expected.  His assistance didn’t end there.  Even after closing he promptly helped with any issues with my new purchase.  I highly recommend Derek for your next home purchase or sale, he truly is a trusted advisor.

-G.H.