Best Realtors in Alameda, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Alameda is an island city of about 79,000 people in Alameda County, including the main island, Bay Farm Island and Harbor Bay, with Victorian-era neighborhoods near Park Street and the former Naval Air Station at Alameda Point. Alameda adds its own transfer tax and runs a local rent program, so the agent you hire should be able to explain both, along with what decades of limits on apartment building mean for the housing stock.
This guide is published by Diamond Real Estate Group, one of the brokerages listed. Our broker is listed first; other agents are in alphabetical order. The order is not a ranking, and inclusion is not an endorsement.
How we chose the agents in this guide
Each agent below met three checks in October 2026:
- A current California license. We opened each agent’s record on the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) public lookup and confirmed the name, license type (salesperson or broker) and "Licensed" status.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the responsible broker they work under, and it matches the brokerage on their profile.
- A public profile that names Alameda. We opened each agent’s brokerage profile and confirmed it presents Alameda as a market or area served.
We did not rank agents, and we did not consider sales volume, reviews or awards. Licenses and affiliations change, so verify the license yourself before you sign anything, and interview more than one agent.
Alameda housing in numbers
| Census measure | Alameda |
|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2024 1-year) | 78,807 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes (ACS 2024 1-year) | $1,160,500 |
| Median household income (ACS 2024 1-year) | $151,346 |
| Mean travel time to work (ACS 2024 1-year) | 33 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. QuickFacts did not load when we checked. Figures are estimates with margins of error.
The median owner-occupied value of about $1.16 million is a survey figure, not a current sale price. A Victorian near Park Street, a Bay Farm Island tract home and a newer Alameda Point townhome should be priced from different sales.
Alameda settings: the main island, Bay Farm and Alameda Point
Thousands of Victorian and early-1900s houses on the main island were split into flats before 1973. The city’s Measure A evaluation explains that voters added Article 26 to the City Charter that year, barring new buildings of three or more units, and a 1991 measure capped density; later state laws opened exceptions. The result is a large stock of converted older buildings, especially near Park Street and the Gold Coast.
Bay Farm Island and Harbor Bay hold newer planned neighborhoods, and Alameda Point, the former Naval Air Station on the west end, has its own zoning districts. The city’s zoning regulations page links to a parcel viewer. For more, see our Alameda real estate guide.
Costs and rules specific to an Alameda purchase
- City and county transfer tax. The Alameda County Clerk-Recorder collects the county documentary transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 and Alameda’s city tax of $12.00 per $1,000 of full value (Ordinance No. 2987 AMC). On a $1,200,000 sale, that is about $14,400 in city tax plus about $1,320 in county tax. Confirm on your escrow estimate; our Alameda County city transfer taxes page compares cities.
- Rent program. Alameda runs its own rent stabilization program under Article XV of Chapter VI of the Municipal Code, with just cause, relocation and registration rules. A buyer of a home with a tenant takes on disclosure duties and must report the change of ownership.
- Short stays. Rentals of 30 days or less pay the city’s 14% transient occupancy tax under Section 3-61.
- Soft-story buildings. Alameda’s soft-story ordinance covers certain older wood-frame buildings of five or more units.
- Flood and hazard maps. Check the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and the natural hazard disclosure report, which shows liquefaction and other mapped zones.
Alameda agents with verified licenses
Matthew Martinez, Diamond Real Estate Group (publisher of this guide)
Matthew Martinez is the Founder, CEO and Managing Broker of Diamond Real Estate Group. He is based in Sonoma County; contact him to discuss a purchase or sale in Alameda. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Angel | Coldwell Banker Realty, Berkeley office | Salesperson #02115053 | Alameda, Oakland, Berkeley, Albany, El Cerrito |
| Jeff Goodman (licensed as Jeffery Scott Goodman) | Compass | Salesperson #01338912 | Alameda office; East Bay and San Francisco |
| Susan Kaney | Compass | Salesperson #00775579 | Alameda |
| Jeanne Lam | Compass | Salesperson #02054979 | Alameda, Oakland, Berkeley, Walnut Creek |
| Kate McCaffrey | Compass | Salesperson #01355206 | Alameda (main island and Bay Farm ZIP codes) |
| Mark Playsted | Compass | Salesperson #01228614 | Alameda, Oakland, Berkeley, Albany, San Leandro, Castro Valley |
| David Valva | Coldwell Banker Realty, Oakland-Piedmont office | Broker #00811437 | Alameda, Oakland, Berkeley, San Leandro, Albany, Emeryville |
| Amy Weston | Compass | Salesperson #02079952 | Alameda |
Compass agents above are licensed under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235). Coldwell Banker Realty agents are licensed under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304); David Valva holds a broker license and works as a broker associate. Amy Weston’s license comes up for renewal in December 2026; check the DRE record before hiring anyone.
How to vet an Alameda agent
- Ask for a net sheet with the city tax. Alameda’s $12 per $1,000 city tax is a large closing cost that buyers and sellers often split by negotiation.
- For a home with a tenant or a second unit, ask about the rent program. The agent should explain registration, just cause and the new owner’s reporting duty.
- For an older Victorian or converted flat, ask about permits. Unit conversions and additions from decades ago may lack records.
- Ask about flood and liquefaction maps. Much of the island is low-lying fill; get insurance quotes early.
- Ask for comparables from the same setting. Main-island Victorians, Bay Farm homes and Alameda Point townhomes should not share comparables.
- Verify the license yourself. Look up the agent on the DRE site and confirm the responsible broker matches the brokerage they name.
Alameda questions we hear
Does Alameda have its own transfer tax?
Yes. The Alameda County Clerk-Recorder lists Alameda’s city tax at $12.00 per $1,000 of full value, collected along with the county tax of $0.55 per $500.
Does Alameda have rent control?
Yes. Alameda’s program under Article XV of Chapter VI sets annual increase limits for many older multi-unit properties and just cause and relocation rules more broadly. Confirm a unit’s status with the city’s rent program.
What was Measure A?
A 1973 charter amendment, described in the city’s Measure A evaluation, that barred new buildings of three or more units. State laws have since created exceptions.
Is Bay Farm Island part of the City of Alameda?
Yes. Bay Farm Island and Harbor Bay are within the City of Alameda, which sets zoning there.
Should I interview more than one Alameda agent?
Yes. Interview at least two or three, ask each for recent sales nearby, and compare how they explain the transfer tax, rent program and flood questions for the address.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter: Alameda, CA (ACS 2024 1-year estimates)
- Compass and Coldwell Banker Realty agent profiles, linked in the table
- Alameda County Clerk-Recorder: real property transfer tax
- City of Alameda: Measure A evaluation (2019) · zoning regulations
- Alameda Municipal Code: rent program (Article XV) · Section 3-61, transient occupancy tax · soft-story ordinance
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center
- License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Related: Alameda real estate guide · Alameda home valuation · Alameda County agents guide · 20 tips for choosing a real estate agent
License-status update: the linked California DRE public records were checked November 2, 2026 and showed "Licensed." Public profile research retains the dates stated above. Names on DRE records may differ from public profile names; verify status and brokerage before selecting an agent.
