Best Realtors in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Carmel-by-the-Sea is a one-square-mile city of about 3,200 residents on the Monterey Peninsula, known for cottages on small wooded lots, a walkable village and a beach at the foot of Ocean Avenue. Several brokerages keep offices in the village itself, and the agents below come from three of them.
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), a "Licensed" status, and a responsible broker or broker-associate affiliation 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea. We opened each agent’s profile and confirmed it names Carmel-by-the-Sea, as a service area or the agent’s office.
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.
Carmel-by-the-Sea housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | Carmel-by-the-Sea city |
|---|---|
| Population | 3,162 |
| Housing units | 3,442 (±354) |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $2,000,000 or more (Census top code) |
| Median household income | $129,250 (±$46,886) |
| Persons per household | 1.9 |
| Mean travel time to work | 10.9 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter.
The Census caps reported home values at $2 million, and Carmel’s median sits at that cap, so the true median is higher; Monterey County’s median owner-occupied value is $781,000 according to QuickFacts. With more housing units than residents and fewer than two people per household, a large share of Carmel homes are second homes or part-time residences. Ask an agent for recent closed sales on comparable lots.
The village, Carmel Point and the surrounding neighborhoods
Carmel-by-the-Sea has its own city government, so the City handles planning, design review and building permits inside its limits. Many buyers searching "Carmel" are also looking at areas outside the city, such as Carmel Point, Hatton Fields, Mission Fields, Carmel Highlands and Carmel Valley, which are unincorporated and follow County rules. Confirm the jurisdiction for any address with a Carmel mailing address. Our Carmel-by-the-Sea real estate guide covers coastal home pricing, coastal home inspections and the ownership budget.
Costs and rules specific to a Carmel-by-the-Sea purchase
- Transfer tax. Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32 sets Monterey County’s documentary transfer tax at 55 cents per $500 ($1.10 per $1,000), often paid by the seller by local custom (your contract decides): about $2,200 on a $2 million sale. The County code credits a qualifying city tax against the county’s. We did not find a separate Carmel-by-the-Sea transfer tax, and we did not verify the City’s position on a City source, so confirm the total on your escrow estimate. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Water permits. The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District requires a water permit to set a new meter or intensify use on an existing connection. An added bathroom, a guest unit or a rebuild can depend on available water, so ask before you buy a house to expand.
- Coastal Zone. Parts of the city and nearby unincorporated areas are in the Coastal Zone, where some projects need coastal development review; ask the City or County what applies to the address.
- Short-term rentals. Rules differ between the City and the unincorporated county. For County areas, the short-term rental page says stays of 30 days or less need a discretionary permit. Confirm the City’s rules directly before you count on rental income.
- Fire hazard and disclosures. Look up the address on the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, read the natural hazard disclosure report, and get an insurance quote early.
Carmel-by-the-Sea 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courtney Adamski | Carmel Realty Company | Broker #01444609 | Carmel-by-the-Sea office; Carmel and Carmel Valley listings |
| Tim Allen (licensed as Timothy Keller Allen) | Coldwell Banker Realty | Salesperson #00891159 | Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Point and Hatton Fields, Carmel Highlands, Pebble Beach |
| Geoff Arnold (licensed as Geoffrey S Arnold) | Carmel Realty Company | Salesperson #02036451 | Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Highlands, Monterey, Pacific Grove |
| Peter Butler | Carmel Realty Company | Broker #01222453 | Carmel, Carmel Valley, Pebble Beach (bio); Carmel-by-the-Sea office |
| Daniel Cardenas | Coldwell Banker Realty | Salesperson #01964336 | Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Valley, Carmel Highlands, Pebble Beach |
| Kim DiBenedetto (licensed as Kimberly Di Benedetto) | Coldwell Banker Realty | Salesperson #01278679 | Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pebble Beach |
| Mark Duchesne (licensed as Mark A Duchesne) | Carmel Realty Company | Broker #01046446 | Carmel (bio); Carmel-by-the-Sea office |
| Tamara Hadley | Coldwell Banker Realty | Salesperson #01210374 | Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Big Sur |
| Ben Heinrich | Carmel Realty Company | Broker #00584641 | Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Valley, Big Sur, Pebble Beach |
| Yvonne Hubbard | Coldwell Banker Realty | Salesperson #01239431 | Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Pebble Beach |
| Karen Katz (licensed as Karen Kiefer Katz) | Carmel Realty Company | Broker #01921747 | Monterey Peninsula (bio); Carmel-by-the-Sea office |
| Darcy Maciel | Coldwell Banker Realty | Salesperson #01466368 | Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pebble Beach |
| Jonathan Spencer (licensed as Jonathan Charles Spencer) | Compass | Salesperson #01916757 | Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley Village, Pebble Beach |
On the DRE record, Coldwell Banker Realty agents are licensed under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304); Carmel Realty Company agents are licensed under or are broker associates for Carmel Realty Brokerage Services (DRE #01871627, the number Carmel Realty Company publishes); and Jonathan Spencer is licensed under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235). Coldwell Banker’s Carmel-by-the-Sea office roster lists its office on Junipero, and Carmel Realty Company lists its office on Dolores Street between 7th and 8th.
How to vet a Carmel-by-the-Sea agent
- Ask whether the home is in the city. City and County parcels follow different design review, permit and rental rules.
- Ask about water before you plan changes. Ask how they confirm a home’s water permit history with the Water Management District.
- Ask for sales on similar lots. Lot size, ocean proximity and views drive price more than square footage; ask which sales they would use and why.
- Ask how they handle second-home buyers. Many Carmel buyers are part-time residents; ask about property management, insurance and remote closings.
- Ask for a net sheet. It should show the transfer tax from escrow, the supplemental property tax bill and any assessments.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Carmel-by-the-Sea questions we hear
Is there a city transfer tax in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32 sets the county tax at $1.10 per $1,000, and we did not find a separate Carmel-by-the-Sea tax. We did not verify the City’s position on an official source, so confirm on your escrow estimate.
What is the median home value in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
The Census reports it only as $2 million or more, its top category. Recent closed sales are a better guide; ask an agent for comparables.
Can I add a bathroom or guest unit?
Possibly, but water is often the limit. The Water Management District requires a permit before you intensify water use on an existing connection.
Do Carmel agents also cover Carmel Valley, Carmel Highlands and Big Sur?
Many of the agents above name those areas on their profiles. See our Carmel Valley, Carmel Highlands and Big Sur guides.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, Carmel-by-the-Sea city profile (ACS 2024 5-year)
- U.S. Census QuickFacts, Monterey County
- Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32, Documentary Transfer Tax (county rate of $0.55 per $500, with credit for a qualifying city tax)
- Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, water permits
- Monterey County HCD, short-term rentals
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Coldwell Banker Realty, Carmel-by-the-Sea office roster; Carmel Realty Company agents; agent profiles 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: Carmel Highlands · Carmel Valley · Big Sur
Related: Carmel-by-the-Sea real estate guide · Carmel-by-the-Sea home valuation · Monterey 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.
