About CSSE

The Certified Short Sale Expert (CSSE) program is a comprehensive and consumer-focused training platform designed for real estate professionals who work with distressed homeowners. Its mission is to help families avoid foreclosure and equip agents with the tools and knowledge needed to guide them through challenging situations.

Key points about CSSE:

• CSSE is recognized as the nation’s most practical training program for short sales, focusing on real-world solutions for agents, brokers, and lenders.
• The program provides step-by-step guidance for homeowners struggling with their mortgage, offering alternatives to foreclosure such as short sales and coordinated sales.
• Short sales allow homeowners to sell their property with lender approval, protect their credit, and move forward, making it easier to own a home again in the future.
• Coordinated sales involve lender-initiated or lender-approved transactions that streamline the process and minimize losses for all parties involved.
• The CSSE course is delivered through a modern online platform, offering certification upon completion and inclusion in a professional directory for certified agents.
• The training is updated for current market realities, addressing rising delinquencies, tighter lending rules, and complex financing scenarios to ensure agents are prepared for today’s challenges.

About Colin Hill

Colin Hill holds the following certifications:

• Certified Short Sale Expert (CSSE)
• Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource (SFR)
• Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Specialist (HAFA)
• Residential Property Management Certificate (PMC)
• Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE)
• Probate Process Certificate (PPC)

Born in San Francisco, Colin has been a licensed CA realtor since 2002. During the “Great Recession” he was the East Bay’s go-to agent for short sales; developing systems and practices now considered routine in the distressed home industry.

After managing 64 agents in Oakland, CA for a large franchise brokerage, Colin founded Advantage Real Estate Group in 2022 during the height of the COVID era when big companies were unwilling to address the unique customer service challenges of the times.

As a Broker Price Opinion Vendor, he has completed more than1,850 BPO reports (Sep 2026) for Banks, Asset Management Companies, and private parties.

With decades of experience through both good times and bad, Colin’s patience and knowledge have helped his clients calmly succeed in the oft-times stressful homebuying process.

About Advantage Real Estate Group

With 24+ years of local experience, Advantage Real Estate Group is uniquely designed to fulfill your real estate needs. Our clients include first-time buyers, move-up buyers and sellers, relocation clients, short sales, investors, banked owned homes, and distressed properties.

We are Short Sale experts who understand FHA, VA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Investor guidelines. We negotiate with HOA’s lien holders, and lenders to successfully resolve a difficult situation to everyone’s satisfaction.

Additionally, we have completed hundreds of transactions for traditional buyers and sellers in the San Francisco Bay area and surrounding counties.

We work with investors and understand renovation costs, holding costs, entrepreneurial incentive, and how to find the right property that fits each client’s investing style and criteria.

As problem solvers, we provide local knowledge and expertise to all our clients; and bring dignity and control back to homeowners facing foreclosure. Contact us today so we can help you.