Best Realtors in Monterey, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Monterey is the historic harbor city at the center of the Monterey Peninsula, home to about 30,000 people, Cannery Row, the Naval Postgraduate School and the Defense Language Institute. Its housing ranges from bungalows and condos in New Monterey and Old Town to hillside homes in Monterey Vista and the Skyline area, and water supply, coastal permits and a large military and student rental market all shape what buyers can do.
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. We left out anyone whose record showed a suspension, an expired license, no current broker affiliation, or a responsible broker that did not match the brokerage on their profile.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record ties them to the brokerage shown on their profile.
- A public profile that names Monterey. We opened each agent’s profile, and each names Monterey as a service area or office location.
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.
Monterey housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | City of Monterey |
|---|---|
| Population | 29,613 |
| Housing units | 14,136 (±460) |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $1,076,300 (±$34,046) |
| Median household income | $102,846 (±$7,149) |
| Persons per household | 2.1 |
| Median age | 37.5 |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.5 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. Figures are estimates with margins of error, not current sale prices.
Monterey’s median home value is well above the county figure of $808,600 (ACS 2024 1-year, per our Monterey County agents guide), and small households and a large renter population make condos and small multi-unit buildings a bigger share of the market than elsewhere in the county.
Monterey’s neighborhoods
- New Monterey and Cannery Row. Older cottages, condos and small apartment buildings on the slope above Cannery Row and the coast.
- Old Town and downtown. Historic adobes, Victorian-era homes and condos near Alvarado Street and the harbor, where historic review can apply to exterior changes.
- Monterey Vista, Skyline and Deer Flats. Hillside single-family homes, many with bay views, on streets climbing toward Jacks Peak.
- Del Monte Beach and the east side. Beach-area homes and condos near Del Monte Avenue, plus Casanova Oak Knoll and the neighborhoods near the Naval Postgraduate School.
See our Monterey real estate guide for more, and nearby Pacific Grove, Seaside and Del Rey Oaks.
Costs and rules specific to a Monterey purchase
- Transfer tax. The Monterey County Recorder collects documentary transfer tax at recording. Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32 sets the county rate at 55 cents per $500 ($1.10 per $1,000), with a credit for a qualifying city tax. We did not find a City of Monterey transfer tax on an official source for this guide, so confirm the amount on your escrow estimate. Our California transfer tax guide explains how it is usually handled.
- Water permits. Monterey is inside the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, which requires a water permit to set a new meter or intensify use on an existing connection. If you plan to add a bathroom, an ADU or a new home, ask about water before you buy.
- Coastal permits. Parts of the city near the shoreline are in the California Coastal Zone, where additions and new construction can need a coastal development permit. The Coastal Commission’s Monterey County LCP page explains the County program; ask the City about its own coastal rules for the address.
- Rent rules. The California Attorney General’s rent cap page places Monterey County in its "all other counties" group, with an 8.6% cap on increases for covered units from August 1, 2026, and lists Salinas, not Monterey, as having local rent stabilization. See our AB 1482 guide.
- Short-term rentals. Cities set their own vacation rental rules, so ask the City of Monterey before you count on short-stay income. The County’s short-term rental rules apply only outside city limits.
- Fire hazard and AB 38. Wooded hillside neighborhoods can be mapped in State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zones. In High and Very High zones, sellers may need to provide AB 38 defensible space documentation.
Monterey 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 Monterey. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lindsay Avila | Coldwell Banker Realty, Monterey office | Salesperson #02103036 | Monterey, Monterey Peninsula |
| Mary Ayers | Coldwell Banker Realty, Monterey office | Salesperson #01458064 | Monterey, Monterey Peninsula |
| Cappie Fanoe (licensed as Sylvia R Fanoe) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Monterey office | Salesperson #01896959 | Monterey |
| Lucas Herbst | Coldwell Banker Realty, Monterey office | Salesperson #02081382 | Monterey |
| Bill McCrone (licensed as William Francis McCrone Jr) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Monterey office | Salesperson #01029353 | Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Big Sur |
| Suzanne Menendez-Herbst | Coldwell Banker Realty, Monterey office | Broker #01236254 | Monterey, Old Town Monterey, Carmel |
| Dean Provence | Sotheby’s International Realty, Pacific Grove | Broker #00833476 | Monterey, New Monterey, Monterey Vista, East Monterey, Casanova Oak Knoll, Seaside, Marina |
| Amber Russell (licensed as Amber Russell Kerchner) | Over the Moon Realty, Pacific Grove | Broker #01795810 DRE record name: Kerchner, Amber Russell. | Monterey, New Monterey, Pacific Grove, Seaside, Pebble Beach |
| Wesley Tucker | Coldwell Banker Realty, Monterey office | Salesperson #02222038 | Monterey, Seaside, Monterey Peninsula |
| Dani M. Wilcox | KW Coastal Estates, Carmel | Salesperson #01982101 | Monterey, Marina, Salinas, Toro Park, Carmel |
The Coldwell Banker Realty agents work from the brokerage’s Monterey office at 456 Washington Street and are licensed under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304); Suzanne Menendez-Herbst is a broker associate there. Dean Provence is a broker associate for Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. (DRE #00899496). Amber Russell is an officer of Over The Moon Realty, Inc. (DRE #02018015). Dani M. Wilcox is licensed under MCRE Group Inc. (DRE #01527814), whose DRE record lists KW Coastal Estates as a business name. Coldwell Banker profiles are on the brokerage’s site; the others are on homes.com, a listing site.
How to vet a Monterey agent
- Ask about water first. Ask how the agent confirms a home’s water permit history and whether your plans for an addition or ADU would need a new permit.
- Ask for neighborhood sales. New Monterey condos, Old Town homes and Skyline view homes are different markets; ask for recent sales in the one you want.
- Check historic and coastal review. For older homes downtown or near the shore, ask what City or coastal approvals exterior changes would need.
- If renting, ask about the rental market and rules. Ask about military and student rental demand, AB 1482 coverage and City rules on short stays.
- Ask for a net sheet. It should show the transfer tax from escrow, the expected supplemental tax bill and HOA dues for condos.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status and the responsible broker on the DRE lookup.
Monterey questions we hear
Is there a city transfer tax in Monterey?
We did not find one on an official source when we checked in October 2026. The County rate is $1.10 per $1,000 under County Code Chapter 5.32. Your escrow estimate will show the documentary transfer tax due at recording.
Does water limit remodeling in Monterey?
It can. The Water Management District requires a permit before setting a meter or intensifying water use on an existing connection, so check before you plan an addition or ADU.
Does Monterey have rent control?
The Attorney General’s chart lists Salinas as the only Monterey County city with local rent stabilization, so covered Monterey units follow the statewide AB 1482 cap, 8.6% for increases from August 1, 2026.
What is the median home value in Monterey?
The Census estimate is about $1.08 million for 2020–2024, with a margin of error near $34,000. Ask an agent for recent sales of similar homes.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, Monterey (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Coldwell Banker Realty Monterey office agent roster
- Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, water permits
- California Coastal Commission, Monterey County LCP review
- California Attorney General, rent caps
- Monterey County HCD, short-term rentals
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Agent profiles on coldwellbankerhomes.com and homes.com, linked in the table
- Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32, Documentary Transfer Tax (county rate of $0.55 per $500, with credit for a qualifying city tax)
- City transfer tax: none found on an official source in October 2026.
- License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Nearby agent guides: Pacific Grove · Del Rey Oaks · Marina
Related: Monterey real estate guide · Monterey 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.
