Best Realtors in Blackhawk, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Blackhawk is an unincorporated, largely gated community of about 9,600 people east of Danville in Contra Costa County, where nearly nine in ten homes are owner-occupied and many sit on hillside or golf course lots. A Blackhawk agent should be able to explain how association rules and fees work, which County permits apply to a remodel and how a hillside location changes fire zone disclosures and insurance.
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. We left out anyone whose record showed no responsible broker, a suspension or an expired license.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the responsible broker they work under, and it matches the brokerage on their profile.
- A public profile tied to Blackhawk. We opened each agent’s brokerage profile and confirmed it names Blackhawk (as a service area or in listed sales) or Contra Costa County.
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.
Blackhawk housing in numbers
| Census measure | Blackhawk CDP |
|---|---|
| Population (April 1, 2020 census) | 9,637 |
| Owner-occupied housing unit rate (2020–2024) | 89.3% |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020–2024) | $2,000,000+ (top-coded) |
| Median gross rent (2020–2024) | $3,500+ (top-coded) |
| Median household income (2020–2024, 2024 dollars) | $245,208 |
| Persons per household (2020–2024) | 2.65 |
| Mean travel time to work (2020–2024) | 36.1 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Blackhawk CDP, California. QuickFacts does not publish an annual population estimate for this census-designated place.
The Census Bureau top-codes Blackhawk’s median home value at $2 million or more, so the true median is at or above that figure. Values vary widely between golf course, hillside and interior lots, and between custom estates and planned-unit homes. To price a specific home, an agent should pull recent sales from the same neighborhood within the community.
Blackhawk settings: gated neighborhoods, golf course lots and the Tassajara edge
Blackhawk is organized into gated and non-gated neighborhoods under homeowners associations, with homes on golf course, hillside and interior lots. Because it is unincorporated, Contra Costa County handles planning and building permits, while association architectural rules can also apply to exterior changes. It borders the Town of Danville, and nearby Diablo and Alamo are also unincorporated. Our guides to Blackhawk hillside due diligence, Blackhawk home settings and renovation records go into more detail. See also our Blackhawk real estate guide.
Costs and rules specific to a Blackhawk purchase
- Transfer tax. The Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder charges the county documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500 of value. Blackhawk is unincorporated, so no city transfer tax applies; the Recorder’s page lists city taxes only for El Cerrito and Richmond. On a $2,500,000 sale, the county tax is about $2,750. Who pays is negotiable; confirm the figure on your escrow estimate.
- HOAs and gated community rules. Request the master and sub-association budgets, reserves, CC&Rs, architectural guidelines and any pending special assessments before you remove contingencies.
- County permits. Remodels, additions and pools go through Contra Costa County, and association architectural approval may also be needed. Compare permit history with the seller’s disclosures; see our renovation records guide.
- Fire hazard zones and AB 38. Hillside parts of the Blackhawk area carry State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone designations. In High and Very High zones, sellers may need to provide AB 38 defensible space documentation.
- Ownership costs. Association dues, insurance and maintenance of large lots can add up; our Blackhawk hillside ownership budget lists the line items.
- Other hazards. The natural hazard disclosure report shows mapped fault, landslide and fire zones for the address.
Blackhawk 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 Blackhawk. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joujou Chawla | Compass, Danville | Broker #00890002 | Blackhawk, Danville |
| Pat Cox | Compass, Danville | Salesperson #00635222 | Blackhawk, Alamo, Danville, Diablo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek and others |
| Khrista Jarvis | Coldwell Banker Realty, San Ramon Valley office | Salesperson #01213582 DRE record name: Jarvis Diebner, Khrista Kim. | Blackhawk, Danville, Alamo, San Ramon, Diablo, Walnut Creek |
| Song Kim | Coldwell Banker Realty, Danville office | Salesperson #01813351 | Danville; Contra Costa and Alameda counties |
| Randy Prince | Corcoran Icon Properties, Discovery Bay office | Salesperson #01234036 | Blackhawk community, Discovery Bay, Contra Costa County |
| Bette Sue Schack | Compass, Danville | Salesperson #00973574 | Blackhawk, Danville, Alamo, San Ramon |
| Leslie Vilfort | Compass, Danville | Salesperson #01463366 | Danville; Blackhawk Country Club sale listed |
Compass agents above are licensed under the responsible broker Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235). Coldwell Banker Realty agents are licensed under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304) and appear on the Danville office or San Ramon Valley office roster. Randy Prince works from Corcoran Icon Properties’ Discovery Bay office under Norcal United Real Estate Partners (DRE #02205397). Some DRE records list a legal name that differs from the name the agent uses professionally (for example, Satinder K Chawla, Patricia Diane Cox, Khrista Jarvis Diebner and Cy Randall Prince).
How to vet a Blackhawk agent
- Ask how they handle association documents. Ask what they look for in the master and sub-association budgets, reserves, CC&Rs and architectural rules, and how they flag pending assessments.
- Ask for comparables from the same neighborhood and lot type. A golf course home, a hillside estate and an interior planned-unit home should not be priced from the same sales.
- Ask about remodel plans early. If you plan to renovate, ask how they check County permit history and association architectural approval before you remove contingencies.
- Ask how they handle fire zones and insurance. Ask when they recommend getting insurance quotes and how they handle AB 38 documentation.
- Ask about gate and access logistics. For showings and inspections in gated neighborhoods, ask how they coordinate access for inspectors and appraisers.
- Verify the license yourself. Look up the agent on the DRE site and confirm the responsible broker matches the brokerage they name.
Blackhawk questions we hear
Is Blackhawk part of Danville?
No. Blackhawk is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Contra Costa County, though many homes use a Danville mailing address. County rules apply for planning and building permits.
Does Blackhawk have its own transfer tax?
No city tax applies because Blackhawk is unincorporated. A sale typically shows the county tax of $0.55 per $500, according to the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder. Confirm the figure on your escrow estimate.
What should I review in Blackhawk HOA documents?
Ask for the budgets and reserve studies of every association the home belongs to, the CC&Rs and architectural guidelines, recent minutes and any planned special assessments. Read the rules on exterior changes before you plan a remodel.
How do I check a Blackhawk 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.
Should I interview more than one Blackhawk agent?
Yes. Interview at least two or three, ask each for recent sales in the neighborhood you are considering, and compare how they explain association rules, County permits and fire zone questions for that address.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Blackhawk CDP, California (2020 census population; 2020–2024 ACS figures)
- Compass agent profiles linked in the table
- Coldwell Banker Realty Danville office agent roster and San Ramon Valley office roster
- Corcoran Icon Properties Discovery Bay office
- Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder: documentary transfer tax
- State Fire Marshal: Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Related: Blackhawk real estate guide · Blackhawk home valuation · Contra Costa 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.
