Best Realtors in San Leandro, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
San Leandro is a bay-shore city of about 85,000 people between Oakland and Hayward, with older neighborhoods such as Broadmoor, a marina shoreline and two BART stations. It adds its own transfer tax, and sewer rules at sale depend on whether a home is served by the city or the Oro Loma Sanitary District, so the agent you hire should be able to sort out those details for a specific address.
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 with a responsible broker.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the brokerage they work under.
- A public profile that names San Leandro. We opened each agent’s brokerage profile and confirmed it lists San Leandro among the areas served.
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.
San Leandro housing in numbers
| Census measure | San Leandro |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 85,353 |
| Owner-occupied housing unit rate (2020–2024) | 58.1% |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020–2024) | $844,200 |
| Median gross rent (2020–2024) | $2,186 |
| Median household income (2020–2024, 2024 dollars) | $101,420 |
| Persons per household (2020–2024) | 2.86 |
| Mean travel time to work (2020–2024) | 31.2 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, San Leandro city, California.
A little under 60% of San Leandro homes are owner-occupied, and the median owner-occupied value sits well below the Alameda County figure, which draws first-time buyers and investors. These are five-year survey figures, not current sale prices; ask an agent for recent sales from the same neighborhood and property type.
Broadmoor, the shoreline and San Leandro’s older neighborhoods
Much of San Leandro’s housing dates from the early and middle 20th century. A 2024 city historic resource assessment describes Broadmoor’s early lots, Craftsman houses and streetcar-suburb development, though that context does not mean every house there has the same historic status. Toward the bay, the city’s shoreline includes Marina Park, trails, wetlands and golf facilities.
San Leandro is an incorporated city, and the Alameda County city directory distinguishes it from unincorporated San Lorenzo and Ashland next door. Homes near the border can share ZIP codes, so confirm the jurisdiction from the parcel record. For more, see our San Leandro real estate guide.
Costs and rules specific to a San Leandro purchase
- City transfer tax. The Alameda County Clerk-Recorder lists a San Leandro city tax of $11.00 per $1,000 of full value (Ordinance No. 2020-08), collected in addition to the county tax of $0.55 per $500. On an $850,000 sale, that is about $9,350 to the city and $935 to the county, before any negotiated split. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Sewer provider and lateral rules. The city’s permit FAQ points to a map that separates city sewer service from the Oro Loma Sanitary District. For city-served homes, the city’s wastewater FAQ says no lateral compliance certificate is required at sale, while Oro Loma’s permit portal describes a point-of-sale inspection certificate for covered sales. Owners are responsible for the lateral to the main, per the city’s sewer system page.
- Permits. The city’s permit guidance lists common residential projects that need a permit. Ask for permit records on additions, garage conversions and sewer work.
- Hazard disclosures. The natural hazard disclosure report summarizes mapped earthquake fault and liquefaction zones, which matter near the Hayward Fault on the east side of the city and on fill near the bay. Check flood status on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
- Special taxes. Sellers must make a good-faith effort to provide a notice of special tax districts under Civil Code section 1102.6b.
San Leandro 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 San Leandro. 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 | San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Hayward, Castro Valley, Fremont and other East Bay and South Bay cities |
| Veronica Arreola | RE/MAX Accord, Castro Valley | Salesperson #01356190 | Hayward, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Castro Valley |
| Lourdes Beaty | RE/MAX Accord, Castro Valley | Salesperson #01265365 | Castro Valley, San Leandro, Hayward, San Lorenzo, Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Brentwood, Oakland |
| Amanda Edwards | Century 21 Masters | Salesperson #02250100 | San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, Hayward, San Leandro, Pleasanton, Dublin |
| Stella Hui | Coldwell Banker Realty, Castro Valley office | Salesperson #01191225 | Castro Valley, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Hayward, Alameda and other East Bay cities |
| Angel Lax | Century 21 Masters | Salesperson #02184996 | Castro Valley, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Oakland, Union City, Livermore, Dublin, Richmond, El Cerrito |
| Marisa Suarez | RE/MAX Accord, Pleasanton | Salesperson #01432502 | Union City, Newark, Pleasanton, Santa Clara County, San Leandro |
| Sinath Thi | Coldwell Banker Realty, Castro Valley office | Broker #01922809 | San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Hayward, Castro Valley, Oakland and other Bay Area and Central Valley cities |
Responsible brokers shown on the DRE records: Coldwell Banker Realty agents work under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304), from the Castro Valley office at 21060 Redwood Rd, Suite 130, or the Fremont office at 3340 Walnut Ave, Suite 110; RE/MAX Accord agents work under S&J Stadtler Inc (DRE #01491373), from 3329 Castro Valley Blvd or 5980 Stoneridge Dr in Pleasanton; and Century 21 Masters agents work under Full Realty Services Inc (DRE #01849354). Broker-licensed agents work as broker associates. We did not find a brokerage roster for an office inside San Leandro that we could verify, so every agent listed works from a nearby office and names San Leandro on their profile.
How to vet a San Leandro agent
- Ask which sewer provider serves the address. A good San Leandro agent checks whether the home is city- or Oro Loma-served, since only Oro Loma requires a point-of-sale lateral certificate.
- Ask for a net sheet with the city tax. At $11 per $1,000, San Leandro’s city tax is a large line item; the estimate should show city and county tax separately and state the agreed split.
- Ask whether the home is in the city. Near San Lorenzo and Ashland, confirm jurisdiction from the parcel record before you rely on city rules.
- Ask how they check permit history. Older homes often have additions and converted garages; ask how they confirm the work was permitted.
- Ask for comparables from the same setting. A Broadmoor Craftsman, a postwar tract home and a condo near BART should not be priced from the same sales.
- Verify the license yourself. Look the agent up on the DRE site and confirm the responsible broker matches the brokerage they name.
San Leandro questions we hear
Does San Leandro have its own transfer tax?
Yes. The Alameda County Clerk-Recorder lists a San Leandro city tax of $11.00 per $1,000 of full value, collected along with the county tax of $0.55 per $500. Who pays is negotiable, so confirm the split in the contract and the total on your escrow estimate.
Do I need a sewer lateral certificate to sell in San Leandro?
It depends on the provider. The city’s wastewater FAQ says no certificate is required at sale for city-served homes, though the policy could change. Homes served by the Oro Loma Sanitary District need a point-of-sale inspection certificate for covered sales.
Is San Lorenzo part of San Leandro?
No. San Lorenzo is an unincorporated community governed by Alameda County, as the county city directory shows, and the San Leandro city transfer tax does not apply there. See our San Lorenzo agents guide.
Is every Broadmoor home a historic resource?
No. The city’s 2024 assessment describes Broadmoor’s history, but status is decided property by property. Ask the Planning Division before you plan major exterior changes.
Should I interview more than one San Leandro agent?
Yes. Interview at least two or three, ask each for recent sales near the homes you are considering, and compare how they explain the city tax, sewer and permit questions.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Coldwell Banker Realty, Castro Valley office agent roster and Fremont office agent roster; RE/MAX and Century 21 Masters profiles linked in the table
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: San Leandro city, California (July 1, 2025 population estimate; 2020–2024 ACS figures)
- Alameda County Clerk-Recorder: real property transfer tax
- Alameda County city directory
- City of San Leandro: permit FAQ · sewer system · wastewater FAQ · Do I need a permit? · shoreline · 2024 historic resource assessment (ZEO agenda packet)
- Oro Loma Sanitary District permits
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center
- California Civil Code section 1102.6b (Justia)
- License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Related: San Leandro real estate guide · San Leandro 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.
