David Costello is a principal and co-founder of the Ardila Costello Team (ACT) and oversees one of the largest and fastest-growing luxury residential real estate teams at Compass’s flagship office located at 891 Beach Street in San Francisco.
With over 40 years of executive, sales and marketing experience, David has an unparalleled understanding of the SF Bay Area’s diverse communities, having grown up in San Francisco, as well as previously residing in Marin (Tiburon), the East Bay (Danville/Blackhawk), and also the Peninsula (Los Altos).
A 4th-generation San Franciscan, David attended St. Ignatius College Prep. Upon graduating from High School, he went on to attend Pepperdine University in Malibu. Having a passion for travel, in his senior year, he enrolled in Pepperdine’s Study Abroad Program in Heidelberg, Germany, where he graduated with a BA degree in Psychology.
Upon returning from Germany, David joined his family’s well-established insurance business, Costello and Sons Insurance Brokers, where he focused on personal lines insurance sales. In 1997, David joined NorthStar Risk Management and Insurance Services in Walnut Creek, CA, serving as President of the Brokerage. During his 15-year tenure at NorthStar, David co-founded The Sterling Programme, a bespoke homeowner’s insurance program serving UHNW individuals and Family Offices, underwritten by Lloyds of London with $1 billion of capacity to write insurance policies. The success of the Lloyd’s Sterling Program later caught the attention of AIG Private Client Group, which at the time expressed an interest in wanting to compete in the affluent homeowner’s market in the US. David subsequently transitioned his Lloyd’s book of business over to AIG, forming a close relationship with AIG’s executive team nationally. From 2003-2005, he served on AIG Private Client Group’s Advisory Board in New York, as well as representing AIG as Brand Ambassador in the Napa Valley, and internationally in Europe (Monaco/Italy/France).
Always having a passion for real estate, in 2012 joined Sotheby’s International Realty, working tandem in both the real estate and insurance fields. In 2021, David was recruited by Compass in San Francisco, along with his now business partner Andy Ardila, who together founded the Ardila Costello Team (ACT) at Compass, with a primary focus on luxury homes, estates, and new home developments, both throughout the Bay Area as well as internationally in Costa Rica and Mexico. The ACT team quickly grew to include 15 seasoned agents. Since the team’s founding, ACT has generated a sales volume exceeding $500 million and is ranked by Real Trends as one of the top teams at Compass in Northern California.
David/ACT’s recent successes include overseeing the Sales and Marketing for the following large-scale residential developments:
- Waldorf Astoria Punta Cacique Resort Costa Rica Branded Residences, consisting of 96 luxury condominiums and 22 ultra-luxury estate homes
- Hillcrest Residences, a 144-unit new residential townhome development in Watsonville, CA
- Union House, a 41-unit luxury condominium development in San Francisco and Pacific Heights
David attributes his sales success to being passionate, competitive, and goal-oriented, as well as always striving to exceed his clients’ expectations. Recreationally, David enjoys spending time with friends and family in the Napa Valley, and has a passion for fine wines, gourmet dining, and traveling the world.
