James Santiago

Director of Operations | REALTOR®

License # 777644

James, a true Texan at heart, decided to pursue a career as a full-time residential real estate agent after retiring from the United States Marine Corps in 2022. With a background deeply rooted in service to his country, James brings a unique set of skills honed through deployments in various regions, including Afghanistan, Japan and many states across the country.

James seamlessly integrates the values of persistence, mission-focus, and servant leadership acquired during his military service into his real estate profession. His commitment to his clients goes beyond transactions, as he employs a creative problem-solving approach to navigate complex deals and guide clients through unfamiliar real estate processes, establishing relationships built on trust, honesty and integrity.

He excels in assisting fellow veterans and their families on their real estate journeys, drawing from his firsthand experience with military relocations and transitions. Outside of his client-focused work, he collaborates with his wife Maria to expand their real estate business while providing mentorship to aspiring agents looking to grow in the industry.

Beyond his professional endeavors, James cherishes his role as a devoted family man, finding joy in spending quality time with Maria and their daughters, Emily and Skye. In his leisure time, he enjoys cold plunges, go-kart racing, gardening and fishing. This allows him to embody a balanced lifestyle that complements his passion for both work and family.

Real Clients. Real Results.

"Being first time home buyers, my husband and I were really uncertain and overwhelmed as to the home buying process. However, working with Maria was such an amazing experience. After our first phone call she was ready to help us find our dream home. Maria sent us a list of homes that were specific to our needs that were truly options that might work for us. Maria was always available to show us new homes, no matter the time or place and made the experience enjoyable and easy going. Immediately upon meeting Maria we knew we were in good hands! After getting to know each other and getting a better understanding of what we were looking for, she was able to provide us with guidance and reassurance throughout the entire purchase process. Maria was very friendly, responsive, organized, & knowledgeable with years of professional experience. As we began to visit homes we were interested in, it was incredible to see how knowledgeable she was when it came to the home buying market. When walking into a house, she sat back and let us observe the property but at the same time gave us her honest and thoughtful opinion when asked. Overall, from the beginning to closing, Maria exceeded our expectations. We were able to find our perfect home that matches all our wants/needs and couldn’t be happier with our experience. We cannot thank Maria enough for making this process for us seamless and incredibly enjoyable. We will not hesitate to reach out to Maria in the future and we will certainly be referring her to friends and family! "

Ajla and Sharod D. Cedar Hill, TX

"Buying a house is exciting, but the process can be VERY stressful especially to those who are first time buyers. I genuinely appreciate Maria for making the process for buying my SECOND house and selling my FIRST house seamless and stress free. On the selling side, she was fully invested to make sure the house is ready for the next homeowner. She was able to close it in 2 wks compared to the average wait time of months! On the buying side, she was able to negotiate with the builder to include add-ons to the house that I bought. As far as the process went, she did all the work for me and even worked with my loan officer so that all I need to worry about is signing the documents. Basically, if you are looking for nothing less than an A+ realtor, you are in the right place. Maria will take care of you throughout the process!"

Rodrigo & Madona L

"If you are looking for a realtor who will listen to your wants but understand your needs in looking for a home Maria Santiago is who you need! As an Air Force Veteran, I have relocated a few times, and I can say Maria is by far the BEST in the business. She is always professional, timely and diligent as she advocates for you to ensure you get your dream home! She has an amazing team behind her to ensure your homebuying process is seamless from start to finish. If you get the chance to have Maria as your realtor, it will be the best decision you make in purchasing a new home. Maria Santiago = Dedicated, hardworking, exemplary, committed, reliable, consistent, proactive"

Anastasia S

" I started working with Maria Santiago in February 2024, while looking for a home in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. I was relocating for a new job working at Ft Worth NAS, from out of state. To say Maria went above and beyond in the 2 months of house hunting would be an understatement. I had only ever visited the DFW area once or twice before. So, I was unsure of where to even look for a home. I discussed with Maria about areas to live and settled on Weatherford/Azle/Springtown/or maybe Grandbury for my new home search. Maria took many home tours sending me videos with commentary about the things that she could see that might not necessarily be noticeable via a video. The photographs on websites online were very good at highlighting the good, and hiding the undesirables, like a very busy street. She was very knowledgeable about the VA home loan process and items that would be a problem in a VA inspection. She recommended areas to search for homes based on my budget, desired commute, and needs for me and my two dogs (i.e. a fenced yard). My Mother was a mortgage loan officer for over 30 years in Iowa, and she was also so impressed with the extra time Maria took to ensure I was happy with the home buying process. Maria was very respectful of all my wants and non-negotiables when it came to my house hunt, never felt like I was being pushed to go over budget or outside my desired daily commute area. Ultimately, we ended up finding the perfect home for me and my family the fenced yard is huge! The dogs couldn’t be happier. I would highly recommend Maria to anyone who is searching for a home in the DFW area. Thanks again!"

Lori, Miken and Wrigley

"Maria wanted the business and we talked. She told me what she could do. I said if you can get X for my house you have a deal. She did what she said and I was very pleased. She will be my choice again! Thank you Maria!"

Allen B. North Richland Hills, TX

"My wife and I had the opportunity to move to be closer to our children and grandchildren in the DFW area. After an initial search for a realtor, we received a great recommendation from our selling agent, to work with Maria Santagio. We wouldn’t be the proud owners of our beautiful home if it wasn’t for Maria’s pro-active efforts, extensive realty wisdom, and attention to detail. Maria did a phenomenal job! We were amazed with her quality of service, commitment, and heart-felt effort. She went above and beyond any agent we’ve ever worked with in the past. From our very first meeting, she went out of her way to answer questions, do extensive research before, during and after the purchase of our home. When our initial offer was turned down, and our dreams were crushed, Maria didn’t give up. She encouraged us, offered her wise counsel and “played the mediator” between us and the seller. Her tenacious efforts convinced the seller to compromise, so we were able to purchase our dream home. With Maria’s seemingly unlimited network, she connected us with a fantastic mortgage broker who worked to get us the VA loan we were looking for. She also pointed us to a roof contractor that was efficient, honest and professional. To top things off, Maria highly recommended an outstanding, re-modeling contractor that far exceeded our expectations. Words cannot even express how thankful we are to Maria. If you’re looking to purchase a home in the DFW area, she is our number one, go-to, five-star recommendation. You will not be disappointed!"

Mark & Laura E

"Working with Maria Santiago is like a breath of fresh air. She is very upfront and honest with you and definitely exceeded our expectations as a realtor. She showed my husband and I numerous houses, worked long hours for us and was very kind and patient. She made us feel as though we were her one and only customer. She walked us through every step of the house buying process and let us know what we could expect. We will definitely be recommending her to friends and family and we will be reaching out to her when we buy our forever home. She is the best!!!"

Victor and Jennifer M. Haslet, TX

"James is a complete professional and an extremely knowledgeable agent. Both my wife and I are blessed to have met James and Maria and have experienced seamless property purchases and other investment real estate transactions. From beginning to end they stuck with us the entire way, communicating every step of the process. I definitely recommend James to anyone looking into buying or selling real estate in the DFW metroplex."

Alfonso and Norma A. Millsap, TX

"James, I wanted to extend my gratitude for your superior service, in helping me to find a home, in one of the toughest markets that I have ever seen. People don't realize what an emotional toll looking for a house can bring. I appreciate your expert guidance EVERY step of the way. I can honestly say that I feel like you handled my home-buying process, like you would if I was family. I'm so happy my sister recommended you and I have already recommended you to others that I know are looking. James Santiago, you are the BEST realtor out there & I pray you a lifetime of success!"

Shana S. Lake Whitney, TX

"Selling a house can be a stressful experience but Maria helped make it a smooth process. This was our first time selling a house and we were so grateful that Maria brought her kind, professional presence as well as her expertise. She walked us through every step and went above and beyond to make sure she helped us find the perfect buyers. She even included our young daughters in the process which helped turn an emotional experience into a great memory. I would recommend Maria to anyone!"

Cameron & Jamie N