Best Realtors in Occidental, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Occidental is a small unincorporated village of about 1,200 people in the redwoods of west Sonoma County, on the Bohemian Highway between Freestone and Monte Rio. Homes range from cottages in the village to houses on wooded acreage along steep, winding roads, and the agents who name Occidental work out of Sebastopol, Santa Rosa and Petaluma offices.
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 that names Occidental. We opened each agent’s brokerage or homes.com profile and confirmed it names Occidental in the agent’s areas, bio, listings or sales. One agent’s profile names neighboring Camp Meeker rather than Occidental itself; the table says so.
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.
Only a handful of agent profiles name Occidental, so this list is short.
Occidental housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | Occidental CDP |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,225 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $1,167,800 (±$547,208) |
| Median household income | $108,207 (±$87,818) |
| Persons per household | 2.3 (±1) |
| Median age | 55.1 (±14.1) |
| Housing units | 756 (±205) |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. The margins of error for a community this small are very wide (the home value margin is nearly half the estimate), so treat these figures as rough at best and ask an agent for recent sales.
The village, the redwoods and Camp Meeker
Occidental has no city government, so Sonoma County handles zoning, permits and code enforcement. The village center along the Bohemian Highway holds older homes, shops and restaurants; outside it, homes sit on wooded parcels toward Camp Meeker, Freestone, Salmon Creek and the Coleman Valley Road climb to the coast. Expect shared private roads, wells or small water systems, septic, steep driveways and heavy tree cover. See our Occidental real estate guide and our notes on rural water and wastewater, private roads and site access and parcel jurisdiction and services.
Costs and rules specific to an Occidental purchase
- Transfer tax. Occidental is unincorporated, so only the county tax applies. The Sonoma County Recorder’s transfer tax page lists it at $0.55 per $500 of value, or $1.10 per $1,000: about $1,100 on a $1,000,000 sale. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Water and septic. Ask whether the home is served by a well, a small water system or a public provider, and get a septic inspection. Our wells, septic and rural utilities article covers what to request.
- Vacation rentals. Many west county homes have been used as vacation rentals; County permit rules apply. See our Sonoma County vacation rental rules article before you count on rental income.
- Fire hazard and insurance. Wooded, hilly parcels around Occidental can fall in mapped fire hazard zones. Look up the address on the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, read the natural hazard disclosure report, and get an insurance quote before you remove contingencies.
Occidental 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 Occidental. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heidi Faulkner (licensed as Heidi Maureen Faulkner) | Artisan Sotheby’s International Realty, Sebastopol | Salesperson #01227446 | West Sonoma County, Occidental, Bodega Bay, Sebastopol, Santa Rosa |
| Ann Harris (licensed as Ann Chapnick Harris) | W Real Estate, Sebastopol | Salesperson #00621857 | Sebastopol, Santa Rosa, Forestville; Occidental listing |
| Doug Hecker (licensed as Douglas Michael Hecker) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Petaluma | Salesperson #01347843 | Occidental, Sebastopol, Guerneville, Forestville, Bodega Bay, Sonoma County, among others |
| Randy Rousseau (licensed as Randall Laurent Rousseau) | W Real Estate, Sebastopol | Salesperson #01024887 | West County, including Sebastopol, Forestville and Occidental |
| Micah Suard (licensed as Micah Victor Suard) | W Real Estate, Santa Rosa | Salesperson #02141180 | Camp Meeker (nearby), Russian River Valley, Forestville, Sebastopol, Santa Rosa |
On the DRE record, Artisan Sotheby’s International Realty agents are licensed under Artisan Realty Group, Inc., whose record lists Artisan Sotheby’s International Realty as a business name and a branch on McKinley Street in Sebastopol; Coldwell Banker Realty agents are licensed under NRT West, Inc.; and W Real Estate agents under W Real Estate. For more agents in west county, see our Sonoma County agents guide.
How to vet an Occidental agent
- Ask about rural, wooded property. Occidental sales often involve wells, septic, steep lots and private roads; ask how many such sales the agent has handled.
- Confirm the water source. Ask for well logs and yield tests, or the water system’s records, before you write an offer.
- Check road access and maintenance. Ask for any road maintenance agreement on shared private roads.
- Ask about permits on additions. Older cabins often have unpermitted rooms or decks; ask the agent to check permit history.
- Get fire insurance quotes early. Build the premium into your budget before you remove contingencies.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Occidental questions we hear
Is there a city transfer tax in Occidental?
No. Occidental is unincorporated, so only the Sonoma County tax of $1.10 per $1,000 applies, per the County Recorder.
What is the median home value in Occidental?
Census estimates put the median owner-occupied value at about $1.17 million for 2020–2024, but the margin of error is more than $500,000. Recent sales of similar homes are a far better guide.
Who handles permits in Occidental?
Sonoma County, since Occidental has no city government.
Why are there so few agents in this guide?
Few agent profiles name Occidental itself. The agents listed work from Sebastopol, Santa Rosa and Petaluma, and one names neighboring Camp Meeker rather than Occidental.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, Occidental CDP profile (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder, Documentary Transfer Tax
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Artisan Realty Group, Inc. DRE record (Artisan Sotheby’s International Realty business name and Sebastopol branch)
- Agent profiles on homes.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: Santa Rosa · Valley Ford · Russian River
Related: Occidental real estate guide · Occidental home valuation · Sonoma 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.
