Best Realtors in Fairview, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Fairview is a semi-rural, unincorporated hillside community of about 10,700 people in the hills above Hayward and south of Castro Valley. It is not a city: Alameda County regulates land use under the Fairview Specific Plan, and many homes have a Hayward mailing address without being inside Hayward. A Fairview agent should be able to confirm the jurisdiction, explain the specific plan and price a hillside home against the right sales.
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 tied to the Fairview area. None of the profiles we opened named Fairview itself. Each agent below works from an Alameda County office and has a profile that names Hayward, Castro Valley or both, the communities that border Fairview.
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. For a Fairview home, ask each agent directly about their recent sales in Fairview.
Fairview housing in numbers
| Census measure | Fairview CDP |
|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020–2024) | 10,745 |
| Housing units (ACS 2020–2024) | 3,541 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes (ACS 2020–2024) | $963,300 |
| Median household income (ACS 2020–2024) | $148,667 |
| Mean travel time to work (ACS 2020–2024) | 35 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter, Fairview CDP. Figures are estimates with margins of error.
The Census Bureau estimates Fairview’s median owner-occupied home value at about $963,000 over 2020–2024. That is a survey estimate, not a current sale price. Fairview includes ordinary single-family lots and large hillside parcels, so an agent pricing a home should use sales with similar lot size, slope and views.
Fairview setting: the specific plan and the hills
The Fairview Specific Plan, adopted by the Board of Supervisors on June 3, 2021, covers about 1,800 acres north and east of Hayward and south of Castro Valley. Most parcels are zoned for single-family homes, with lot minimums ranging from 5,000 square feet to 5 acres, and some lots allow horses and other animals. The plan generally steers development away from slopes of 30% or more, sets a base height limit of two stories or 25 feet, and notes that some properties lack sanitary sewer. The Fairview Fire Protection District contracts with the Hayward Fire Department for service. For more detail, see our Fairview real estate guide and neighborhood property comparison.
Costs and rules specific to a Fairview purchase
- Transfer tax. The Alameda County Clerk-Recorder charges the county documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500 of value ($1.10 per $1,000), about $1,060 on a $960,000 sale. Fairview is unincorporated and is not on the Clerk-Recorder’s list of cities with their own tax. A parcel just inside Hayward would also pay Hayward’s $8.50 per $1,000, so confirm the jurisdiction and the total on your escrow estimate.
- County planning. Alameda County Planning handles permits under the specific plan. Additions that grow a home’s floor area by more than 50% can trigger county site development review.
- Septic and sewer. Because some Fairview properties lack sanitary sewer, ask whether the home is on sewer or septic and get the right inspection.
- Fire hazard zones and AB 38. Hillside parcels may carry State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone designations. In High and Very High zones, sellers may need to provide AB 38 defensible space documentation.
- Inspections and insurance. Our inspection and insurance planning page and the natural hazard disclosure report cover landslide, fault and fire questions to raise early.
Fairview-area 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 Fairview. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mustafa Afzali | Coldwell Banker Realty, Fremont office | Salesperson #01514891 | Hayward, Castro Valley, San Leandro, Fremont and other East Bay cities |
| Stella Hui | Coldwell Banker Realty, Castro Valley office | Salesperson #01191225 | Castro Valley, Hayward, San Leandro, San Lorenzo and other Alameda County cities |
| Lucy Ramos | Coldwell Banker Realty, Pleasanton office | Salesperson #01393413 | Castro Valley, Hayward, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Fremont |
| Tess Santos | Coldwell Banker Realty, Castro Valley office | Salesperson #01172628 | Castro Valley; Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties |
| Sinath Thi | Coldwell Banker Realty, Castro Valley office | Broker #01922809 | Hayward, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, San Leandro and other cities |
| Lydia Vetere | Coldwell Banker Realty, Pleasanton office | Salesperson #01910741 | Tri-Valley; Castro Valley and Hayward named as areas of expertise |
All agents above are licensed under the responsible broker NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304), as shown on each DRE record. Most work from the brokerage’s Castro Valley office, the closest office to Fairview. Some DRE records list a legal name that differs from the name the agent uses professionally. The broker-licensed agent works as a broker associate. Every agent we could verify for this guide is with one brokerage, and none named Fairview on their profile, so compare them with other agents and ask about Fairview sales specifically.
How to vet a Fairview agent
- Ask them to confirm the jurisdiction. A good agent should check whether the parcel is in unincorporated Fairview or inside Hayward, since that changes the transfer tax and the rules that apply.
- Ask how the Fairview Specific Plan affects the property. For additions, ADUs or a lot split, ask about lot minimums, slope limits and site development review.
- Ask for comparables with similar lots. Hillside acreage, view lots and standard single-family lots should not be priced from the same sales.
- Ask about sewer, septic and access. Ask whether the home is on sewer, how the driveway and road are maintained, and what inspections to order.
- Ask about fire zone and insurance early. Ask how they handle fire zone disclosures, AB 38 and insurance quotes before you remove contingencies.
- Verify the license yourself. Look up the agent on the DRE site and confirm the responsible broker matches the brokerage they name.
Fairview questions we hear
Is Fairview part of Hayward?
No. Fairview is an unincorporated community regulated by Alameda County under the Fairview Specific Plan, though many homes have a Hayward mailing address. Ask your agent or title company to confirm the jurisdiction for the parcel.
Does Fairview have a city transfer tax?
No. The Alameda County Clerk-Recorder collects only the county tax of $0.55 per $500 for unincorporated areas. A parcel inside Hayward would also pay Hayward’s city tax.
Can I keep horses in Fairview?
Some Fairview lots carry a zoning overlay that allows horses and other animals, according to the specific plan. Check the parcel’s zoning with Alameda County Planning before you buy.
How do I check a Fairview-area agent’s license?
Search the name or license number on the DRE public lookup. The record shows license type, status and responsible broker. Every agent in our table links to the record we checked.
Should I interview more than one agent?
Yes. Interview at least two or three, ideally from different brokerages, ask each for recent Fairview sales, and compare how they explain the specific plan, jurisdiction and hillside questions.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter: Fairview CDP (ACS 2020–2024 5-year)
- Coldwell Banker Realty agent rosters: Castro Valley, Fremont, Pleasanton
- Alameda County Clerk-Recorder: real property transfer tax
- Fairview Specific Plan, adopted June 3, 2021 and Alameda County Planning, Fairview Specific Plan update
- Alameda LAFCo: Fairview Fire Protection District service review
- State Fire Marshal: Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Related: Fairview real estate guide · Fairview 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.
