Best Realtors in Chula Vista, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Chula Vista is San Diego County’s second-largest city, with about 276,000 people, older western neighborhoods and eastern master-planned communities such as Otay Ranch and Eastlake. A Chula Vista agent should know how a parcel’s location changes its special taxes, water and sewer setup and rental rules, because two similar homes a few miles apart can carry very different costs.
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 brokerage they work under, and their profile names the brokerage brand.
- A public profile that names Chula Vista. We opened each agent’s brokerage profile page and confirmed it lists Chula Vista or a Chula Vista office.
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.
Chula Vista housing in numbers
| Census measure | Chula Vista |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 275,533 |
| Owner-occupied housing unit rate (2020–2024) | 59.8% |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020–2024) | $758,700 |
| Median gross rent (2020–2024) | $2,229 |
| Median household income (2020–2024, 2024 dollars) | $108,032 |
| Mean travel time to work (2020–2024) | 28.6 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Chula Vista city, California.
According to the Census Bureau, about six in ten Chula Vista homes are owner-occupied, and the median owner-occupied home value over 2020–2024 was about $759,000. These are five-year survey figures, not current sale prices. Because CFD taxes and HOA dues vary between villages, an agent should compare total monthly cost, not just price, when weighing homes in different parts of the city.
Chula Vista settings: planned villages, older grids and the bayfront
The city’s eastern areas include master-planned communities such as Otay Ranch and Eastlake, where the city has formed Community Facilities Districts such as CFD 97-1 for Otay Ranch Villages One and Five and CFD 07M for Eastlake III. The city’s Otay Ranch page notes that parts of Otay Ranch are in unincorporated county territory, so the community name alone does not confirm jurisdiction.
Western neighborhoods are generally older and served by a different water provider. The Otay Water District serves only the eastern part of the city, and the city’s sewer billing page describes three different billing setups depending on the water provider and location. MTS’s Blue Line serves Bayfront/E Street and H Street stations. For more detail, see our Chula Vista real estate guide.
Costs and rules specific to a Chula Vista purchase
- Transfer tax. The San Diego County Recorder collects documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500 of value ($1.10 per $1,000), about $825 on a $750,000 sale. We did not find a separate Chula Vista city rate on an official source, so confirm with escrow. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- CFD special taxes (Mello-Roos). Each CFD has its own rate and method. The city’s rate and method for CFD 12M, for example, allows annual increases tied to the local Consumer Price Index. Sellers must make a good-faith effort to provide special tax notices under Civil Code section 1102.6b.
- Tenant protections. The city’s Residential Tenant Protection Ordinance requires just cause to end a tenancy and, according to the city’s landlord-tenant page, an Owner Notice to City. Read it alongside our AB 1482 guide for landlords.
- Short-term rentals. The city’s short-term rental page limits STRs to the operator’s primary residence plus one non-primary residence.
- Fire zones. The city’s fire hazard severity zones page links to its zone map. In high and very high zones, sellers may need to provide AB 38 defensible space documentation.
Chula Vista 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 Chula Vista. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amina Abdulai | CENTURY 21 Affiliated (Award-Superstars) | Salesperson #02157840 | Chula Vista, San Diego |
| Jhoana Alvarado | CENTURY 21 Affiliated, Chula Vista office | Salesperson #01895125 DRE record name: Alvarado-Gonzalez, Jhoana Lizeth. | Chula Vista |
| Ismael Betancourt Jr | CENTURY 21 Affiliated, Chula Vista office | Broker #01454137 | Chula Vista, San Diego |
| Ismael Betancourt Sr | CENTURY 21 Affiliated, Chula Vista office | Salesperson #01128139 | Chula Vista; San Diego, Riverside and Imperial counties |
| Maria Blanco | CENTURY 21 Affiliated, Chula Vista office | Salesperson #01298268 | Chula Vista |
| Giovanna Castro | CENTURY 21 Affiliated, Chula Vista office | Salesperson #02137915 | Chula Vista |
| Ana Celedon | CENTURY 21 Affiliated, Chula Vista office | Salesperson #02038189 | Chula Vista |
| Qian Chen | CENTURY 21 Affiliated, Chula Vista office | Salesperson #01928172 | Chula Vista |
| Caren Connolly | Coldwell Banker Realty, La Mesa office | Broker #01148354 | Chula Vista, Bonita, Spring Valley, La Mesa, El Cajon |
| Diana Cortes | CENTURY 21 Affiliated (Award-Superstars) | Salesperson #01379699 | Chula Vista |
| Kay LeMenager | Coldwell Banker Realty, La Mesa office | Broker #01015821 | Otay Ranch, Chula Vista, La Mesa, El Cajon |
CENTURY 21 Affiliated is a DBA of Award-Superstars, a licensed corporation (DRE #01897784); its CENTURY 21 Affiliated office at 860 Kuhn Dr. is in Chula Vista. Ana Celedon’s DRE record lists the corporation’s designated officer as her responsible broker. Broker-licensed agents work as broker associates, as shown on their DRE records. DRE names may differ slightly from profile names (for example, Jhoana Lizeth Alvarado-Gonzalez, and Paula Kay Le Menager).
How to vet a Chula Vista agent
- Ask which CFDs apply to the parcel. A good Chula Vista agent should pull the tax bill and the CFD rate documents, not just quote a typical Mello-Roos figure for the village.
- Ask about water and sewer billing. Expect the agent to explain whether the home is on Otay Water District or Sweetwater Authority water and how sewer is billed.
- Confirm jurisdiction. For Otay Ranch and edge areas, ask the agent to confirm city versus unincorporated county territory.
- For income property, ask about the tenant ordinance. Ask how the city’s just-cause and Owner Notice rules affect an existing tenancy.
- Ask for comparables from the same village or neighborhood. An Eastlake home with CFD taxes and HOA dues should not be priced from western Chula Vista sales.
- Verify the license yourself. Look up the agent on the DRE site and confirm the brokerage matches what they tell you.
Chula Vista questions we hear
Do Chula Vista homes have Mello-Roos taxes?
Many homes in the eastern master-planned areas are in Community Facilities Districts, such as CFD 97-1 in Otay Ranch. It depends on the parcel, so review the tax bill and the seller’s special tax disclosure.
Does Chula Vista have a city transfer tax?
We did not find one on an official source. The San Diego County Recorder collects the county tax at $0.55 per $500 and collects any city tax as well. Ask escrow to confirm.
Does Chula Vista have rent or eviction rules beyond state law?
Yes. The city’s Tenant Protection Ordinance requires just cause to end a residential tenancy and increases relocation assistance in some cases.
Can I run a short-term rental in Chula Vista?
Only within limits. The city allows STRs in the operator’s primary residence plus one non-primary residence, with a license.
Should I interview more than one Chula Vista agent?
Yes. Interview at least two or three, ask each for recent sales in the village or neighborhood you are considering, and compare how they explain CFD taxes, HOA dues and utility billing for that address.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Chula Vista city, California (V2025 population estimate; 2020–2024 ACS figures)
- CENTURY 21 agent directory, Chula Vista · Coldwell Banker Realty agent profiles
- City of Chula Vista: CFD 97-1 · CFD 07M · CFD 12M rate and method
- City of Chula Vista: Otay Ranch General Development Plan
- City of Chula Vista: sewer billing · Otay Water District
- Chula Vista Municipal Code 9.65 · City landlord-tenant page · short-term rentals
- City of Chula Vista: fire hazard severity zones
- MTS trolley
- San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk: recording and transfer tax
- California Civil Code section 1102.6b (Justia)
- License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Related: Chula Vista real estate guide · Chula Vista home valuation · San Diego 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.
