About Michelle

When I moved to Moraga in 1978, there was a bowling alley, a Jack in the Box, and not much else. I grew up swimming at Campolindo Cabana Club and attending the local schools. Some things have changed in Lamorinda since then, but so much hasn’t, which is what makes it such a magical place to live and why I wanted to raise my own kids here. The great public schools, tree-lined streets, and tight-knit community.

My real estate career began in 2003 and I have always focused solely on Lamorinda (Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda), Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill and Alamo, allowing me to be hyper local and up-to-date on what is happening in the markets I serve. My goal is to bring to every transaction an exceptional level of local area knowledge, marketing expertise, well-honed negotiating skills, attention to detail, and care and compassion for my clients. From an efficient staff, to use of leading-edge technology, and an established reputation with other agents, I work hard to ensure smooth transactions and handle all the details big and small.

I live in Orinda with my husband, two sons, and our Lakeland Terrier Teddy. I have been actively involved in the local schools, serving as co-chair of Glorietta Elementary School Diverse Ability Awareness Week and as a lunchroom volunteer at OIS. In 2020 I created the Local Giving Project to donate money from each transaction to charitable organizations. Since then I have donated more than $35,000 on behalf of my clients.

When not at work I enjoy tennis, traveling with my family and walking my feisty dog around the neighborhood.

Michelle Holcenberg family portrait

Education

BA, Communication Studies, UCLA
MSJ, Journalism, Northwestern University Medill School

Professional Affiliations

  • Northern California Connection — Member of a group of top agents from throughout Northern California who share marketing ideas.

  • Lamorinda Real Estate Networking Group — Part of a group of agents from various local real estate brokerages who share market information.

  • Top Agent Network

  • Contra Costa Association of Realtors

  • California Association of Realtors

Awards

  • Top 20 Coldwell Banker East Bay, 2022

  • Winner of Coldwell Banker's President's Circle 2019, President's Premier 2020, and President's Elite 2021 and 2022.

Michelle is proud to support the following local organizations:

One Orinda Silver Sponsor, Lafayette Partners in Education, Moraga Education Foundation, Food Bank of Contra Costa and Sonoma Counties, CASA of Contra Costa, HOPE Solutions and others listed at: https://www.holcenberg.com/giving-back.