Best Realtors in Santa Cruz, CA (2026 Guide)

By Matthew Martinez

Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city in Santa Cruz County, home to about 61,600 people on the north shore of Monterey Bay, from the Westside and UC Santa Cruz campus to Seabright and the Eastside. Much of the city near the water sits in the Coastal Zone, and the City has its own transfer tax and tenant rules, so local knowledge matters on both purchases and rental properties.

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:

1. 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 that matches the brokerage the agent represents.
2. A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the brokerage they work under.
3. A public page that names Santa Cruz. We opened a brokerage office roster for a Santa Cruz office or an agent profile that names Santa Cruz as an area served.

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.

Santa Cruz housing in numbers

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. These are survey estimates with margins of error, not current sale prices. The low median age reflects the university population.

A citywide median mixes beach cottages, Westside bungalows, hillside homes near the campus and condos downtown. Ask agents for recent closed sales in the same neighborhood and property type.

The Westside, downtown, Seabright and the Eastside

The Westside runs from West Cliff Drive and Natural Bridges up toward the UC Santa Cruz campus, with many older single-family homes and rentals near the university. Downtown and the Pacific Avenue corridor have newer condos and apartments. Seabright and the Harbor area sit between the San Lorenzo River and the Santa Cruz Harbor, and the Eastside reaches toward Capitola and unincorporated Live Oak, where County rules apply instead of City rules. Lots near the river and the beach can carry flood exposure, so check the maps for a specific address. For more on the city, see our Santa Cruz real estate guide, coastal home inspection notes and coastal ownership budget.

Costs and rules specific to a Santa Cruz purchase

• County transfer tax. The Santa Cruz County Recorder says documentary transfer tax is $0.55 per $500 of value ($1.10 per $1,000) in all areas of the county: about $1,330 on a $1,209,000 sale. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
• City transfer tax. The City’s Municipal Code Chapter 3.32, the Real Property Transfer Tax, sets a city tax of 27.5 cents per $500 on sales over $100, administered by the County Recorder. Separately, voters passed Measure C, the Workforce Housing Affordability Act of 2025, and the City says its transfer tax took effect July 1, 2026. It adds a tiered tax on only the portion of a price above $1.8 million: 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% across rising bands, capped at $200,000 per sale; the measure also adds a $96 annual parcel tax. The City’s page does not say whether buyer or seller pays, so settle that in the contract and confirm the total on your escrow estimate.
• Tenant rules for rental buyers. The City’s tenant resources page describes Municipal Code Chapter 21.03, which requires landlords to pay relocation assistance in some cases, including unsafe conditions and large rent increases that force a tenant out, and Chapter 21.07, which adds rent increase protections for some tenants. The City also says rental units must be enrolled in its Residential Rental Inspection Services program. If you are buying a rental, ask for the inspection history and current leases.
• Coastal Zone. Homes near the shore may need a coastal development permit for additions or new construction; the Coastal Commission explains the permit system. Ask City Planning before you rely on expansion plans.
• Hazards. Read the natural hazard disclosure report for flood, tsunami, fault and landslide zones, and check the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for homes near the wooded edges of town; in a High or Very High zone, see our AB 38 guide.

Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490

On the DRE record, Coldwell Banker Realty agents are licensed under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304) and appear on the Coldwell Banker Santa Cruz office roster; Shanne Carvalho is a broker associate with eXp Realty of California, Inc. (DRE #01878277), and Leslie Cruz-Kelly is licensed under David Lyng & Associates Inc (DRE #00793982). For more agents across the county, see our Santa Cruz County agents guide.

How to vet a Santa Cruz agent

1. Ask which side of the city limits a home is on. Live Oak, Soquel and other nearby areas look like Santa Cruz but follow County rules.
2. Ask how they handle the city transfer taxes. Ask for a net sheet that shows the county tax and each city tax separately.
3. For rentals, ask about City tenant rules. Ask how they confirm rental inspection enrollment, current leases and any relocation obligations.
4. Ask about coastal permits. Ask how they check permit history for additions near the shore.
5. Check flood and tsunami exposure. Seabright, the Harbor and areas near the San Lorenzo River need a close look at hazard maps and insurance quotes.
6. Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current responsible broker on the DRE lookup.

Santa Cruz questions we hear

Sources & notes

• California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
• Census Reporter, Santa Cruz profile (ACS 2024 5-year)
• Santa Cruz County Recorder, FAQ (documentary transfer tax)
• City of Santa Cruz Municipal Code Chapter 3.32, Real Property Transfer Tax
• City of Santa Cruz, Measure C
• City of Santa Cruz, City Attorney’s impartial analysis of Measure C
• City of Santa Cruz, tenant resources
• California Coastal Commission, coastal development permits
• CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
• Coldwell Banker Realty Santa Cruz office roster and homes.com agent profiles, linked in the table
• License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.

Related: Santa Cruz real estate guide · Santa Cruz home valuation · Santa Cruz 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.