(800) 661-5080
Your search results

Best Real Estate Agents in San Mateo County (2026 Guide)

Posted by Matthew Martinez on November 2, 2026
Real Estate Agents
0 Comments

By Matthew Martinez

San Mateo County covers the Peninsula from Daly City and South San Francisco down through Burlingame, San Mateo and Redwood City to Menlo Park, Atherton and Woodside, plus the Coastside from Pacifica to Pescadero. Its median owner-occupied home value is among the highest in California, and the rules shift between bayside cities, hillside towns and unincorporated coastal communities.

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

Every agent below met three tests in October 2026:

  • 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 status of "Licensed."
  • A named brokerage. We list the brokerage the agent markets under and note the responsible broker on the DRE record when the legal name differs.
  • A public profile tied to San Mateo County. We opened a public brokerage roster that places each agent in a San Mateo County office.

We did not rank agents, and we did not consider or report sales volume, reviews or awards. A license check is a starting point, not a recommendation. Verify each record yourself before signing anything, and interview more than one agent.

San Mateo County housing in numbers

Measure San Mateo County Period
Population 742,893 ACS 2024 1-year
Housing units 290,427 ACS 2024 1-year
Median value of owner-occupied homes $1,576,200 ACS 2024 1-year
Median household income $160,733 ACS 2024 1-year
Mean travel time to work 27.2 minutes ACS 2024 1-year

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. Figures are estimates with margins of error.

A county median blends Daly City condos with Atherton estates and Coastside cottages. Ask agents for recent closed sales in the specific city and property type you are considering.

North county, mid-Peninsula, south county and the Coastside

Costs and rules specific to a San Mateo County purchase

  • County 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.
  • City of San Mateo conveyance tax. The Clerk-Recorder notes that the City of San Mateo levies an additional conveyance tax, but its page does not state the rate. Ask escrow for the current figure, and confirm whether any other city where you are buying adds its own tax.
  • Coastside permits. In unincorporated coastal areas, parcels carry the County’s Coastal Development combining district under the Zoning and Development Code, and many projects also need Coastside design review, per County Planning.
  • Midcoast building permit cap. The urban Midcoast has a residential permit cap under the Local Coastal Program, with a waitlist. The County says only 18 residential permits remain for 2026–2027, and it is not accepting new residential building permit applications on the Midcoast until January 1, 2028 or until a Local Coastal Program amendment providing relief takes effect. The Coastal Commission hearing on that amendment was set for November 4, 2026; check the County’s Midcoast permit cap page for the outcome. If you plan to build on a vacant Midcoast lot, check the waitlist before you buy.
  • Fire hazard zones and AB 38. Woodside, Portola Valley, the Skyline ridge and other hillside areas carry State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone designations. Sellers in High or Very High zones must provide defensible space documentation or an agreement for the buyer to obtain it; see our AB 38 guide.
  • Hazard disclosures. The natural hazard disclosure report covers mapped earthquake fault zones along the San Andreas, flood zones near the bay and other hazards.

San Mateo County agents with verified licenses

Matthew Martinez, Diamond Real Estate Group (publisher of this guide)

Matthew Martinez is the broker of Diamond Group Estates Inc, DBA Diamond Real Estate Group (company DRE #02163490), and holds a California broker license, DRE #01869679. He is based in Sonoma County; contact him to discuss a purchase or sale in San Mateo County through our contact page.

Agent Brokerage License Areas named on profile
Miriam Chirko Coldwell Banker Realty Broker #01130688 Burlingame office
Dani Chrisman Coldwell Banker Realty Salesperson #01257952 Burlingame office
Stephanie Flahavan Coldwell Banker Realty Salesperson #01053772 Burlingame office
Patrick Ho Coldwell Banker Realty Broker #01934478 Burlingame office
David Martin Coldwell Banker Realty Salesperson #01408536 Burlingame office
Maureen McLean Coldwell Banker Realty Salesperson #01371453 Burlingame office
Michael McLean Coldwell Banker Realty Salesperson #02033574 Burlingame office
Rachel Ni Coldwell Banker Realty Broker #01916174 Burlingame office
Mary Ellen Pellegrini Coldwell Banker Realty Salesperson #01736762 Burlingame office
Cam Thompson Coldwell Banker Realty Salesperson #01295759 Burlingame office
Tony Tseng Coldwell Banker Realty Salesperson #01990671 Burlingame office
Shaun Walter Coldwell Banker Realty Salesperson #01369745 Burlingame office

Coldwell Banker Realty agents in this table are licensed under the responsible broker NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304), as shown on each DRE record, and appear on the Burlingame office roster. License status and brokerage affiliations change; check the DRE record before you hire anyone.

How to vet a San Mateo County agent

  1. Open the DRE record. Confirm the license is "Licensed" and that the responsible broker matches the brokerage the agent represents.
  2. Ask for sales in your target city. Daly City, Burlingame and Woodside are separate markets. Ask for recent closed sales near the homes you are considering.
  3. Ask how they handle competitive offers. In high-priced Peninsula markets, ask how they approach pre-offer inspections, contingencies and offer review dates.
  4. For Coastside homes, ask about coastal rules. Ask how they check coastal permit history, the Midcoast permit cap and septic or well records for rural parcels.
  5. For hillside homes, ask about fire zones and insurance. Ask when they recommend getting insurance quotes and how they handle AB 38 documentation.
  6. Ask for a net sheet. It should show the county transfer tax, any city tax (including the City of San Mateo’s), and the expected supplemental tax bill.

San Mateo County questions we hear

What is the transfer tax in San Mateo County?

The Clerk-Recorder lists the county documentary transfer tax at 55 cents per $500, or $1.10 per $1,000. The City of San Mateo adds its own conveyance tax. Confirm the total on your escrow estimate.

Are Montara, Moss Beach and El Granada cities?

No. They are unincorporated Midcoast communities, so County planning and the County’s Local Coastal Program apply.

How do I check a real estate agent’s license?

Search the name or license number on the DRE public lookup. The record shows license type, status and responsible broker. Every agent in our table links to the record we checked.

Can I build a new home on a Midcoast lot?

Possibly, but the urban Midcoast has a yearly residential permit cap with a waitlist, and the County is not accepting new residential building permit applications there until January 1, 2028 or until a Local Coastal Program amendment providing relief takes effect. Check the County’s current waitlist and coastal permit requirements before you buy a lot with plans to build.

Is the agent order in this guide a ranking?

No. Our broker is listed first because Diamond Real Estate Group publishes the guide; everyone else is alphabetical by last name. Inclusion means we verified a current license, a brokerage and a public profile tied to a San Mateo County office in October 2026, nothing more.

Agent guides for cities and communities in San Mateo County

Each guide below lists agents we verified for that place, with the local rules that matter there.

Sources & notes

Related: San Mateo County real estate guide · San Mateo County home valuation · 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.

Explore related property guides

  • Advanced Search

  • Recent Posts

  • Recent Comments

    Compare Listings