Best Real Estate Agents in Yolo County (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Yolo County sits just west of Sacramento and includes the university city of Davis, the county seat of Woodland, the riverfront city of West Sacramento, the small town of Winters and farm communities such as Esparto and Clarksburg. UC Davis shapes much of the housing market, with a large rental share, while the rest of the county mixes commuter suburbs with orchards, row crops and wine grapes.
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, checked 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 status of "Licensed" with a current broker affiliation.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s brokerage appears on the profile, and the licensing firm appears on the DRE record.
- A public profile that names the area. We opened each agent’s profile and confirmed it names Yolo County, a Yolo city, or an office in the county.
We did not rank anyone, and we did not use sales volume, reviews or awards. Verify the license yourself and interview more than one agent.
Yolo County housing in numbers
| Measure (U.S. Census QuickFacts) | Yolo County |
|---|---|
| Population, July 1, 2025 estimate | 224,410 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes, 2020–2024 | $620,700 |
| Owner-occupied housing rate, 2020–2024 | 54.3% |
| Median gross rent, 2020–2024 | $1,857 |
| Median household income, 2020–2024 (2024 dollars) | $91,752 |
| Mean travel time to work, 2020–2024 | 24.0 minutes |
| Land area, 2020 | 1,014.73 sq. mi. |
Yolo County’s owner-occupancy rate of 54.3% is well below that of its foothill neighbors, reflecting the student and faculty rental market around UC Davis. Its median owner-occupied value is higher than Sacramento County’s, and its mean commute is shorter. These are five-year Census figures, not current sale prices.
Yolo County’s cities and farm towns
- Davis. A university town with older central neighborhoods, newer subdivisions and a strong rental market.
- Woodland. The county seat, with a historic downtown and a mix of older and newer homes.
- West Sacramento. Across the river from downtown Sacramento, with riverfront redevelopment and newer neighborhoods such as Southport.
- Winters, Esparto and Clarksburg. Small towns and farm country, including Capay Valley and the Clarksburg wine region along the Delta.
Costs and rules specific to a Yolo County purchase
County transfer tax. Yolo County’s documentary transfer tax ordinance (Sec. 3-2.04) sets the tax at $0.55 for each $500 of consideration, or $1.10 per $1,000. On a $620,700 sale, that is about $683.
City transfer taxes. The city’s $0.275-per-$500 share is credited against the county tax under Yolo County Section 3-2.13. The combined standard rate is $0.55 per $500 of taxable value, subject to exemptions and the recorded transaction. Confirm the calculation with escrow.
Flood risk. West Sacramento, Clarksburg and other low-lying areas sit behind levees along the Sacramento River and the Yolo Bypass. Ask whether the home is in a FEMA flood zone, whether flood insurance is required by the lender, and what it costs.
Farm and rural parcels. Homes on agricultural land may be under a Williamson Act contract, rely on wells and septic, or sit next to active farming. Ask the agent to confirm any land conservation contract and to order well and septic inspections.
Fire hazard zones. The western hills toward Capay Valley and Winters include mapped fire hazard areas. The State Fire Marshal says State Responsibility Area maps took effect April 1, 2024. Check the address and the seller’s hazard disclosures.
Yolo County agents with verified licenses
Matthew Martinez, Diamond Real Estate Group (publisher of this guide)
Matthew Martinez is the Broker of Diamond Real Estate Group (Diamond Group Estates Inc, DRE #02163490), Broker DRE #01869679. He is based in Sonoma County; contact him to discuss a purchase or sale in Yolo County. Contact Matthew.
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terry Almeida | Windermere Signature Properties, Davis | Salesperson #01149123 | Davis, Woodland |
| Martha L. Bernauer | Windermere Signature Properties, Davis | Salesperson #01273735 | Davis, Woodland |
| Jenna Dougherty | Windermere Signature Properties, Davis | Salesperson #01964428 DRE record name: Lewis-Dougherty, Jennifer Leigh. | Davis, Woodland |
| Kelly Evers | Coldwell Banker Realty, Sacramento-Sierra Oaks | Salesperson #01854628 | Yolo County, among others |
| Karen Gellen | Windermere Signature Properties, Davis | Salesperson #02198022 | Davis, Woodland |
| Jeremy Giovannetti | RE/MAX Gold, Davis | Salesperson #02133910 | Davis, Woodland, Winters |
| Amanda Mason | Windermere Signature Properties, Davis | Salesperson #01959554 | Davis, Woodland; Yolo County |
| Melinda Shrader | Coldwell Banker Realty, Roseville-Granite Bay | Salesperson #00994757 | Yolo County, among others |
| Chris Snow | Windermere Signature Properties, Davis | Salesperson #01309647 | Davis, Woodland |
| Geoffrey Snow | Windermere Signature Properties, Davis | Broker #02102118 | Davis and surrounding areas |
| Valerie N. Thompson | Windermere Signature Properties, Davis | Salesperson #01899840 | Davis; Yolo County |
| Julia Whitmer | Windermere Signature Properties, Davis | Salesperson #02022014 | Davis, Woodland; Yolo County |
| Britt Wiseman | Coldwell Banker Realty, Sacramento-Sierra Oaks | Salesperson #01414550 | West Sacramento, Davis, Woodland, among others |
On the DRE record, Windermere Signature Properties agents are licensed under William L Lyon & Associates Inc, the RE/MAX Gold agent under Norcal Gold Inc, and Coldwell Banker Realty agents under NRT West, Inc. Jenna Dougherty’s DRE record is in the name Jennifer Leigh Lewis-Dougherty.
How to vet a Yolo County agent
- Ask how they handle the Davis rental market. If you are buying near campus, ask about tenant-occupied sales, lease timing around the academic year and rental demand.
- Confirm the city transfer tax. A Woodland seller should see the city tax on the net sheet; ask about West Sacramento and Winters too.
- Check flood exposure. In West Sacramento and the Delta, ask for the FEMA flood zone and an insurance quote.
- For farm property, ask about contracts and water. Confirm any Williamson Act contract, well capacity and septic condition.
- Ask for recent sales in your specific area. Davis, Woodland and West Sacramento price differently.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Yolo County questions we hear
Is there a city transfer tax in Davis?
The city share is included in the county rate. The combined standard rate is $0.55 per $500 of taxable value, subject to exemptions and the recorded transaction. Confirm the calculation with escrow.
Why is the rental share so high in Yolo County?
The Census shows about 54% of homes are owner-occupied. Davis’s large student and university population drives much of the rental demand.
Do Sacramento agents also work in Yolo County?
Some do. Several Sacramento- and Roseville-based agents in this guide name Yolo County or Yolo cities on their profiles. See also our Sacramento County guide.
Is West Sacramento in a flood zone?
Parts of it are protected by levees, and flood zone status varies by address. Ask the agent to pull the FEMA flood zone for the property and get an insurance quote.
Agent guides for cities and communities in Yolo County
Each guide below lists agents we verified for that place, with the local rules that matter there.
- Best realtors in Clarksburg, CA
- Best realtors in Davis, CA
- Best realtors in Esparto, CA
- Best realtors in West Sacramento, CA
- Best realtors in Winters, CA
- Best realtors in Woodland, CA
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- U.S. Census QuickFacts, Yolo County (population estimate July 1, 2025; other figures 2020–2024)
- Yolo County Code, Title 3 Chapter 2, Documentary Transfer Taxes
- Fidelity National Financial, Who Pays What: California Transfer Tax and Fees (rev. January 2026)
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Agent profiles on windermere.com, remax.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.
Related: Yolo County real estate guide · Yolo County home valuation · Solano 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.
