Best Realtors in Davis, CA (2026 Guide)

By Matthew Martinez

Davis is a university city of about 66,000 people in Yolo County, home to UC Davis and known for its bike paths, greenbelts and compact neighborhoods. More than half of Davis households rent, so the market serves owner-occupants, faculty and staff, parents of students and small investors, and several brokerages keep offices in town.

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:

1. 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.
2. A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the brokerage they work under.
3. A public page that names Davis. Each agent’s brokerage profile names Davis as a served area or places the agent in a Davis 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.

Davis housing in numbers

Source: U.S. Census QuickFacts, Davis city.

With an owner-occupancy rate under 44%, most Davis households rent, a pattern tied to the university. The median value is a survey estimate of what owners think their homes are worth across 2020–2024, not a current sale price.

Neighborhoods, greenbelts and the university

Davis’s neighborhoods are compact and connected by greenbelts and bike paths. Older homes cluster in Old East and Old North Davis near downtown and the university; West Davis, North Davis and South Davis mix 1960s–1980s tracts with townhomes; Village Homes is a well-known 1970s solar subdivision; and Mace Ranch and Wildhorse on the east side are newer. Homes near campus often rent to students, while some subdivisions carry homeowners association rules. See our Davis real estate guide for more.

Costs and rules specific to a Davis purchase

• Transfer tax. The city’s $0.275-per-$500 share is credited against the county tax under Yolo County Section 3-2.13. The combined standard rate is $0.55 per $500 of taxable value, subject to exemptions and the recorded transaction. Confirm the calculation with escrow.
• Rental registration and inspections. The City’s Rental Resources Program, set up in 2017, requires all single-family and multi-family rentals to register with the City and name a local contact within 50 miles, and rentals with one to four units must take part in periodic inspections. If you are buying a rental or plan to rent out a home, budget for registration and inspection.
• State rent cap. The same City page notes that the state Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) caps annual increases for covered units, and gives the current maximum; ask an agent or attorney whether a given rental is covered.
• HOAs and Mello-Roos. In newer subdivisions, ask for HOA documents and whether the property is in a community facilities district with a special tax, and review the disclosures before you remove contingencies.

Davis 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 Davis. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490

On the DRE record, Windermere Signature Properties agents are licensed under William L Lyon & Associates Inc and the RE/MAX Gold agent under Norcal Gold Inc. For more agents around the county, see our Yolo County agents guide.

How to vet a Davis agent

1. Ask about rentals near campus. If you are buying for a student or as an investment, ask how the agent handles City rental registration, inspections and existing leases.
2. Ask which neighborhoods they sell most. Old East Davis bungalows, Village Homes and newer east-side subdivisions call for different pricing and disclosure work.
3. Ask about HOAs and special taxes. In newer areas, ask the agent to get HOA documents and any special tax disclosures early.
4. Ask about the school and university calendar. Many Davis moves follow the academic year; ask how timing affects the homes available.
5. Get the transfer tax on the net sheet. Confirm the county tax and any other charges on your escrow estimate.
6. Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.

Davis questions we hear

Sources & notes

• California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
• U.S. Census QuickFacts, Davis city
• Yolo County Code, Sec. 3-2.04 documentary transfer tax
• Davis Municipal Code, Article 15.04 Real Property Transfer Tax
• City of Davis, Rental Resources Program
• Agent profiles on windermere.com and remax.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: Clarksburg

Related: Davis real estate guide · Davis home valuation · Yolo 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.