Best Realtors in Mount Hamilton, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Mount Hamilton is a remote, unincorporated area in the Diablo Range east of San Jose, reached by the long, winding Mount Hamilton Road that climbs from the East Foothills to the University of California’s Lick Observatory at the summit. Homes are few and far between: ranches, acreage and a scattering of houses on large parcels, most with San Jose 95140 or 95127 addresses. Few agents name Mount Hamilton on their profiles, so the list below includes agents whose profiles name ZIP code 95140, who have listed property off Mount Hamilton Road, or who name nearby East San Jose areas; we say which.
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, with 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 tied to the area. We opened each agent’s brokerage roster, MLS profile or a listing page and confirmed it names ZIP code 95140, shows a listing off Mount Hamilton Road, or names nearby East San Jose areas such as Evergreen or the Alum Rock ZIP code, 95127.
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.
Mount Hamilton housing in numbers
The Census Bureau’s ZIP code area 95140 covers the Mount Hamilton area, but it is so small that the survey estimates are not useful for buyers. The 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter, count about 42 residents and 35 housing units (±22), and report no median home value for the area. Any figure for a place this small carries a very large margin of error.
Prices on the mountain depend on acreage, road access, water, views and whether a parcel has a usable home site. Ask agents for closed sales of comparable rural parcels in the eastern foothills and the Diablo Range, and see our rural home comparable sales notes.
Living on Mount Hamilton
Mount Hamilton Road is the main route, and it is long, narrow and slow; drive it in bad weather before you commit. Because the area is unincorporated, Santa Clara County handles zoning, building and septic permits, and most properties rely on wells, springs or hauled water, septic systems and private roads or easements. Services such as fire protection and road maintenance can work differently than in the city below. For more, see our Mount Hamilton real estate guide, parcel jurisdiction and services, private roads and site access, rural water and wastewater and acreage ownership budget pages.
Costs and rules specific to a Mount Hamilton purchase
- Transfer tax. The Santa Clara County Ordinance Code, Division A30, Chapter III sets the county tax at 55 cents per $500 of value ($1.10 per $1,000), and the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder collects transfer tax at recording. Parcels outside San José city limits should not owe the City’s taxes, including Measure E, even with a San Jose mailing address; check the title report and confirm the total on your escrow estimate. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Building sites and County rules. Ask the County what the zoning allows and whether a parcel has a buildable site, legal access and a feasible septic location before you buy land to build on.
- Water. Ask for well logs, flow and quality tests, or records for any spring or shared water system.
- Roads and easements. Confirm legal access and any road maintenance agreement; title insurance and a survey help on large rural parcels.
- Fire zones and insurance. The Diablo Range carries high wildfire risk. Check the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, read the County Fire Department’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan, get an insurance quote early, and see our AB 38 guide.
- Slope and other hazards. Read the natural hazard disclosure report for landslide and fault zones, and consider a geotechnical review for steep sites.
Agents near Mount Hamilton 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 Mount Hamilton. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicki Banucci (licensed as Nicole Andros Banucci) | Compass, San Jose | Salesperson #01405054 | Nearby only: ZIP code 95127 (Alum Rock and the East Foothills), San Jose, Santa Clara County |
| Mark Barber (licensed as Mark Gregory Barber) | Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno | Salesperson #01220031 | Listing agent for acreage in 95140 off Mount Hamilton Road |
| Robyn Carrillo (licensed as Robyn Michelle Carrillo) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Morgan Hill | Salesperson #02202584 | ZIP code 95140 (Mount Hamilton area); Los Gatos, Milpitas, Mountain View, Palo Alto |
| Linda Colar (licensed as Linda Young Colar) | Coldwell Banker Realty, San Jose | Salesperson #01718710 | Nearby only: Evergreen and other San Jose neighborhoods; Milpitas, Morgan Hill |
| Carlos Garcia (licensed as Carlos Fernando Garcia) | Coldwell Banker Realty, San Jose | Salesperson #01363004 | San Jose office; listing agent for a home on Mount Hamilton Road that sold in 2026 |
| Helen He (licensed as Qing He) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Saratoga | Broker #01720584 | Nearby only: Evergreen-area ZIP codes 95135 and 95148, San Jose, Santa Clara County |
On the DRE record, Compass agents are licensed under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235), Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno agents under Sereno Group, Inc. (DRE #02101181), and Coldwell Banker Realty agents under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304). Only Robyn Carrillo’s profile names the 95140 ZIP code; Mark Barber and Carlos Garcia are tied to the area through listings, and the others name nearby East San Jose areas only. Carlos Garcia’s listing appeared on a third-party listing site, not his brokerage profile. Ask each agent about their experience with remote acreage. For more agents nearby, see our San Jose and Santa Clara County agent guides.
How to vet an agent for a Mount Hamilton property
- Ask about rural acreage sales. Ask which sales in the eastern foothills or along Mount Hamilton Road the agent would use as comparables.
- Ask how they confirm access. Ask how they check legal access, easements and road maintenance agreements.
- Ask about water and septic. Ask how they review well logs, water tests and septic feasibility, especially for vacant land.
- Ask about County permits. Ask how they confirm what the County will allow on the parcel and compare permits with what is built.
- Ask about fire insurance. Ask when they recommend getting quotes and how they handle AB 38 documentation.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Mount Hamilton questions we hear
Is Mount Hamilton part of San Jose?
No. It uses San Jose mailing addresses, but the mountain is unincorporated Santa Clara County land, so County rules apply.
What do homes cost on Mount Hamilton?
The Census area for ZIP code 95140 is too small to report a median home value. Ask an agent for recent sales of comparable rural parcels.
Can I build on vacant land up there?
Sometimes. It depends on zoning, access, water, septic feasibility and slope. Confirm with the County before you buy.
Why do so few agents name Mount Hamilton?
Very few properties change hands there, so most agents list San Jose or the eastern foothills instead. Ask each agent about local experience.
Is the agent order a ranking?
No. Our broker is listed first because we publish the guide; everyone else is alphabetical by last name.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, ZIP Code Tabulation Area 95140 (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Santa Clara County Ordinance Code, Division A30, Chapter III, Real Property Transfer Tax (county rate of $0.55 per $500; section A30-40 credit for a conforming half-rate city tax)
- California Attorney General Opinion 06-1009 (documentary transfer tax and city credit)
- County of Santa Clara, Clerk-Recorder’s Office
- City of San José, Measure E real property transfer tax
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Santa Clara County Fire Department, Community Wildfire Protection Plan
- Agent profiles and listing pages on mlslistings.com, sereno.com and coldwellbankerhomes.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: San Jose · New Almaden
Related: Mount Hamilton real estate guide · Mount Hamilton home valuation · Santa Clara 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.
