Best Realtors in Atherton, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Atherton is a small, almost entirely residential town of about 7,000 people between Menlo Park and Redwood City in southern San Mateo County. Large lots, tree-lined private lanes and estate homes define the market, and most agents who name Atherton on their profiles work out of Menlo Park and Palo Alto offices.
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 a "Licensed" status, with a responsible broker that matches the brokerage on the agent’s profile.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the brokerage they work under.
- A public page that names Atherton. We opened each agent’s brokerage profile and confirmed it names Atherton as an area served or a place where the agent works.
We did not rank agents, and we did not consider sales volume, reviews or awards. Licenses and affiliations change, so check the license yourself before you sign anything, and interview more than one agent.
Atherton housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | Atherton town |
|---|---|
| Population | 6,993 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $2,000,000+ (top of the Census reporting range) |
| Median household income | $250,000+ (top of the Census reporting range) |
| Median age | 49.1 |
| Persons per household | 2.9 |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.2 minutes |
| Housing units | 2,667 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. The Census caps reported medians at $2,000,000 for home value and $250,000 for income, so Atherton’s true medians are above those figures and the table cannot show by how much.
Because the Census tops out below most Atherton prices, these figures say little about what a home here sells for. Ask agents for recent closed sales on comparable lots; our estate comparable sales notes explain what to compare.
Estate lots, private lanes and a residential-only town
Atherton is zoned almost entirely for single-family homes on large parcels, with schools, places of worship and the Town Center making up most other uses. Many properties sit on lanes off El Camino Real, Middlefield Road and Alameda de las Pulgas, and buyers often weigh lot size, mature trees, gated access and the condition of pools, guest houses and outbuildings. See our Atherton real estate guide, existing estate infrastructure checklist and annual estate ownership budget.
Costs and rules specific to an Atherton purchase
- Transfer tax. The San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder levies the documentary transfer tax at 55 cents per $500, or $1.10 per $1,000 of value. The Recorder’s page names only the City of San Mateo as adding a city conveyance tax, so an Atherton sale pays the county tax alone. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Floor area and height limits. The Town’s R-1A development standards cap floor area at 18% of lot size on parcels of an acre or more, use a sliding formula on smaller lots, limit space above the first floor to 7.5% of the lot, and set a standard 30-foot height limit for the main building. If you plan to expand or rebuild, have the allowable floor area calculated before you remove contingencies.
- Lot splits. New lots must meet the Town’s subdivision lot size rules, which the zoning code cross-references rather than restates, so ask Atherton Planning before assuming a large parcel can be divided.
- Fire hazard and insurance. Look up the address on the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps. If the home is in a High or Very High zone, see our AB 38 defensible space guide, and get an insurance quote early.
- Hazard disclosures. Read the natural hazard disclosure report for flood, earthquake and other mapped hazards.
Atherton 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 Atherton. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brett Caviness | Compass, Menlo Park | Broker #01935984 | Atherton, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Redwood City, Los Altos, San Carlos, Belmont |
| Sandy Comaroto (licensed as Sandra D. Comaroto) | Compass, Burlingame | Salesperson #01791546 | Atherton, Burlingame, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, the Peninsula |
| Hugh Cornish | Coldwell Banker Realty, Menlo Park | Salesperson #00912143 | Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Woodside |
| Janet Dore | Coldwell Banker Realty, Menlo Park | Broker #00621176 | Atherton, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Woodside |
| Mary Gullixson | Compass, Menlo Park | Salesperson #00373961 | Atherton, Woodside, Los Altos Hills, Portola Valley, Palo Alto, Menlo Park |
| Karin Klint Riley | Compass, Menlo Park | Salesperson #01725481 | Menlo Park; past sales in Atherton, Woodside, Redwood City, Burlingame |
| DiPali Shah | Compass, Menlo Park | Broker #01249165 | Atherton, Palo Alto, Los Altos Hills, Portola Valley, Woodside, Menlo Park, Emerald Hills |
| Michelle Taser | Compass, Palo Alto | Salesperson #01775122 | Atherton, Palo Alto, San Francisco, the Peninsula |
| Cecily Zhang (licensed as Haijing Zhang) | Compass, Menlo Park | Broker #01701665 | Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Atherton |
On the DRE record, Coldwell Banker Realty agents are licensed under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304) and Compass agents under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235). For more Peninsula agents, see our San Mateo County agents guide.
How to vet an Atherton agent
- Ask about estate sales on comparable lots. Lot size and site improvements drive value here; ask for recent closed sales of similar acreage and age.
- Ask how they handle off-market and quiet listings. Ask how the agent markets or finds those properties and what disclosures they provide.
- Get the floor area calculated early. If you plan to remodel or rebuild, ask the agent to connect you with an architect who knows the Town’s R-1A standards.
- Inspect the whole site. Ask for inspections of pools, guest houses, gates, drainage, trees and any private lane maintenance agreement.
- Get insurance quotes before removing contingencies. High-value homes can face limited carrier options; build the premium into your budget.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Atherton questions we hear
Is there a city transfer tax in Atherton?
No. The San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder lists only the City of San Mateo as adding a city tax, so an Atherton sale pays the county tax of $1.10 per $1,000.
What is the median home value in Atherton?
The Census reports it only as above $2,000,000, the top of its reporting range, for 2020–2024. Ask an agent for recent sales of comparable lots.
How large can I build on an Atherton lot?
Under the Town’s R-1A standards, floor area on a lot of an acre or more is capped at 18% of lot size, with a separate formula for smaller lots and a cap on upper-floor area. Confirm the numbers for your parcel with Atherton Planning.
Why do so many Atherton agents work from Menlo Park?
Atherton is almost entirely residential, and the agent profiles we checked are based in brokerage offices in neighboring Menlo Park and Palo Alto.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, Atherton town profile (ACS 2024 5-year)
- San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder, documentary transfer tax
- Town of Atherton Municipal Code, Section 17.32.040 (R-1A development standards)
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Agent profiles on coldwellbankerhomes.com and compass.com, linked in the table
- License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Nearby agent guides: Emerald Hills · East Palo Alto
Related: Atherton real estate guide · Atherton home valuation · San Mateo 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.
