Best Realtors in South San Francisco, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
South San Francisco is a north San Mateo County city of about 65,000 people between Daly City and San Bruno, known for the biotech campuses east of Highway 101 and the hillside "Industrial City" sign. Its housing is mostly single-family homes from the 1940s through the 1970s in neighborhoods like Westborough, Sunshine Gardens and Buri Buri, plus older homes near Grand Avenue downtown and newer condos and townhomes around Terrabay and the transit stations.
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 South San Francisco. We opened each agent’s profile and confirmed it names South San Francisco, as a service area or in South San Francisco sales.
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.
South San Francisco housing in numbers
| Census measure | South San Francisco |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 64,941 |
| Owner-occupied housing unit rate (2020–2024) | 59.0% |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020–2024) | $1,188,800 |
| Median gross rent (2020–2024) | $2,802 |
| Median household income (2020–2024, 2024 dollars) | $136,578 |
| Persons per household (2020–2024) | 2.90 |
| Mean travel time to work (2020–2024) | 25.6 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, South San Francisco city, California.
Households here are larger than in most nearby cities, at 2.9 people on average, and close to six in ten homes are owner-occupied. The Census median is a five-year survey figure, not a current sale price; ask agents for recent sales of the same type of home in the same neighborhood.
Westborough, downtown and the east side
- The western hills. Westborough, Sunshine Gardens, Buri Buri and Avalon Park hold mostly mid-century single-family homes on the slopes toward Daly City and San Bruno.
- Downtown and Old Town. Older homes and small apartment buildings sit near Grand Avenue, the Caltrain station and city hall.
- Paradise Valley and Terrabay. Hillside homes and newer townhomes and condos sit below San Bruno Mountain on the city’s north side.
- East of Highway 101. Mostly biotech, office and industrial land, with the Oyster Point marina and ferry terminal on the bay.
For local topics, see our South San Francisco real estate guide, housing settings comparison and older home records and inspections pages.
Costs and rules specific to a South San Francisco purchase
- Transfer tax. The San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder levies the documentary transfer tax at 55 cents per $500, or $1.10 per $1,000 of value: about $1,308 on a $1,188,800 sale. The only city conveyance tax the Recorder mentions is the City of San Mateo’s, so confirm on your escrow estimate that only the county tax applies. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Airport noise and disclosures. SFO sits just south of the city, and some neighborhoods lie under arrival and departure paths. California disclosure forms flag properties within an airport influence area; read the natural hazard disclosure report and visit at different times of day.
- Hillside and wind exposure. On the western and northern slopes, ask about drainage, retaining walls and any geotechnical reports, and check for wind and fog wear on siding and windows.
- Older homes and sewer laterals. Many homes date from the 1940s to 1970s. Order a sewer lateral video inspection and compare permits with the house as built; see our note on San Mateo County sewer lateral requirements at sale.
- HOA documents. For Terrabay and other condo and townhome communities, read the HOA budget, reserve study and recent minutes before you remove contingencies.
South San Francisco 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 South San Francisco. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherie Alonzo (licensed as Cherie Romelynn Alonzo) | Intero Real Estate Services, San Bruno | Broker #00958856 | South San Francisco, Westborough, Daly City, San Bruno |
| Phoebe Carrillo (licensed as Phoebe Prado Bundang) | Compass, Burlingame | Salesperson #02039325 DRE record name: Bundang, Phoebe Prado. | South San Francisco, San Mateo, Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Carlos (sales) |
| Dorothy Figueroa Rahal | Compass, Burlingame | Broker #02070346 | South San Francisco, San Mateo, Daly City (listings and sales) |
| Bertha Sandoval (licensed as Bertha Guadalupe Sandoval) | Compass, Burlingame | Salesperson #01261609 | South San Francisco, San Bruno, Daly City, Millbrae, San Mateo (sales) |
| Arlene Sullivan (licensed as Arlene R Sullivan) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Burlingame | Salesperson #01053539 | South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae, San Mateo, Burlingame |
On the DRE record, Intero agents are licensed under Intero Real Estate Services Inc (DRE #01354442), Compass agents under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235), and Coldwell Banker Realty agents under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304). For agents from Intero’s San Bruno office, see our San Bruno agents guide. License status and brokerage affiliations change; check the DRE record before you hire anyone.
How to vet a South San Francisco agent
- Ask for sales in your neighborhood. Westborough, Buri Buri and downtown homes differ in age, lot size and price.
- Ask about airport noise. Ask which streets sit under flight paths and how they handle airport disclosures.
- Ask about older-home inspections. Ask which inspections they recommend: sewer lateral, foundation, roof and electrical.
- Ask how they handle competitive offers. Ask about pre-offer inspections, offer review dates and contingencies.
- Ask for a net sheet. It should show the county transfer tax and the expected supplemental property tax bill.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
South San Francisco questions we hear
Does South San Francisco have a city transfer tax?
The San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder mentions only the City of San Mateo’s conveyance tax in addition to the county tax of $1.10 per $1,000. Confirm the total on your escrow estimate.
What is the median home value in South San Francisco?
The Census estimates the median owner-occupied value at $1,188,800 for 2020–2024. Ask an agent for recent sales of comparable homes.
Is Westborough part of South San Francisco?
Yes. Westborough is a neighborhood in the western hills of South San Francisco, so city rules and services apply.
Why are there only five agents?
They are the agents whose profiles we opened that name South San Francisco and passed our license check. Many agents in our San Bruno and San Mateo County guides also work here; check any agent’s license on the DRE lookup.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, South San Francisco city, California
- San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder, documentary transfer tax
- Agent profiles on homes.com, compass.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 Bruno · Daly City · Brisbane
Related: South San Francisco real estate guide · South San Francisco home valuation · San Mateo 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.
