Best Realtors in Brentwood, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Brentwood is an east Contra Costa County city of about 67,000 people, where most homes are owner-occupied and much of the housing was built in newer subdivisions and planned communities. A Brentwood agent should be able to explain Mello-Roos and HOA charges on newer homes, how to read permit and improvement records, and what a long commute means for your budget and resale.
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 that names Brentwood. We opened each agent’s brokerage profile and confirmed it names Brentwood or a Brentwood office.
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.
Brentwood housing in numbers
| Census measure | Brentwood |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 66,607 |
| Owner-occupied housing unit rate (2020–2024) | 82.2% |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020–2024) | $836,600 |
| Median gross rent (2020–2024) | $2,758 |
| Median household income (2020–2024, 2024 dollars) | $142,494 |
| Persons per household (2020–2024) | 3.05 |
| Mean travel time to work (2020–2024) | 40.0 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Brentwood city, California.
Brentwood households are larger than the Bay Area norm (about three people per household), and the average commute is 40 minutes, longer than in central Contra Costa cities such as Concord or Danville. These are five-year survey figures, not current sale prices. To price a specific home, an agent should pull recent sales from the same subdivision or a comparable one.
Brentwood settings: newer subdivisions, planned communities and farmland edges
Much of Brentwood’s housing sits in subdivisions and planned communities, many with homeowners associations and some with special tax districts that fund local infrastructure. Older homes are closer to downtown, and agricultural land still borders parts of the city toward Byron and Discovery Bay. Our guides to Brentwood HOA and assessment costs, comparing Brentwood neighborhoods and pricing a Brentwood home go into more detail. See also our Brentwood real estate guide.
Costs and rules specific to a Brentwood purchase
- Transfer tax. The Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder charges the county documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500 of value. The Recorder’s page lists separate city taxes only for El Cerrito and Richmond. On an $850,000 sale, the county tax is about $935. Who pays is negotiable; confirm the figure on your escrow estimate.
- Mello-Roos and special taxes. Newer Brentwood homes may sit in a Community Facilities District, which adds a special tax to the property tax bill. Ask for the current tax bill and the seller’s special tax disclosure before you finalize an offer; our Brentwood HOA and assessment costs guide explains what to look for.
- HOAs. For a home in a planned community, request the HOA budget, reserves, rules and any pending special assessments. Age-restricted communities have their own occupancy rules; read them before you write an offer.
- Improvement records. Compare the seller’s disclosures with permits for solar, pools, patio covers and other added work; see our Brentwood home improvement records guide.
- Inspections and insurance. Ask for quotes early, since they vary by address; our Brentwood inspection and insurance planning guide lists common steps.
- Hazards. The natural hazard disclosure report shows whether an address is in a mapped flood, fault or fire hazard zone. In State Fire Marshal High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, sellers may need to provide AB 38 defensible space documentation.
Brentwood 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 Brentwood. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellen Albright | RE/MAX Crossroads, Brentwood | Broker #01799155 | Brentwood, Oakley, Antioch, Discovery Bay, Pittsburg |
| Grant Beyer | RE/MAX Crossroads, Brentwood | Salesperson #01966383 | Brentwood office; Livermore, Tracy, San Ramon, Dublin |
| Tricia Hernandez | RE/MAX Crossroads, Brentwood | Salesperson #01486291 | Brentwood office; Alameda County |
| Michelle Jogopulos | RE/MAX Crossroads, Brentwood | Salesperson #01339030 | Brentwood office; Hercules, Pinole, El Sobrante |
| Sabrena Lawton | RE/MAX Crossroads, Brentwood | Salesperson #01821910 | Brentwood office; Alameda County |
| Deborah Maisterrena | RE/MAX Crossroads, Brentwood | Salesperson #01982779 | Brentwood office; Contra Costa, Alameda, San Joaquin, Solano counties |
| Nathan Rahmatti | Coldwell Banker Realty, Danville office | Broker #01258952 | Brentwood, Concord, Walnut Creek, Danville and other East Bay cities |
| Karen Ross | RE/MAX Crossroads, Brentwood | Salesperson #01876838 | Brentwood, Oakley, Tracy, Livermore, Manteca |
RE/MAX Crossroads agents above work from the office at 9000 Brentwood Blvd and are licensed under the responsible broker Compass Land and Homes, Inc. (DRE #02082044), the corporation shown on each DRE record; Ellen Albright’s broker record lists her as an officer of that corporation. That corporation is not the Compass brokerage. Nathan Rahmatti is a broker associate for NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304), the responsible broker for Coldwell Banker Realty; his DRE record lists the legal name Najib Rahmatti. Some other DRE records also show legal names (for example, Patricia Helena Hernandez).
How to vet a Brentwood agent
- Ask for the full tax bill, not just the base rate. In newer subdivisions, special taxes can add meaningfully to the annual bill. Ask the agent to get the current bill and any district disclosures early.
- Ask about HOA documents and rules. Ask how they review the budget, reserves and rules, especially in age-restricted communities.
- Ask for comparables from the same subdivision. Floor plans repeat across Brentwood developments, so recent sales of the same model nearby are often the best guide.
- Ask how they check permits for added features. Solar, pools and patio covers are common upgrades; ask how they confirm permits and any solar lease or loan terms.
- Talk about the commute. Ask how they help buyers weigh drive times and transit options to job centers in the Bay Area.
- Verify the license yourself. Look up the agent on the DRE site and confirm the responsible broker matches the brokerage they name.
Brentwood questions we hear
Does Brentwood have its own transfer tax?
The Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder’s transfer tax page lists city taxes only for El Cerrito and Richmond, so a Brentwood sale typically shows the county tax of $0.55 per $500. Confirm the figure on your escrow estimate.
Do Brentwood homes have Mello-Roos taxes?
Some do, mainly in newer subdivisions inside a Community Facilities District. The charge appears on the property tax bill, so ask for the current bill and the seller’s special tax disclosure for the specific address.
How long is the commute from Brentwood?
The Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 average for Brentwood workers is 40 minutes, among the longer averages in Contra Costa County. Your own commute depends on destination and time of day.
How do I check a Brentwood 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 Brentwood agent?
Yes. Interview at least two or three, ask each for recent sales in the subdivision you are considering, and compare how they explain special taxes, HOA rules and pricing for that address.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Brentwood city, California (V2025 population estimate; 2020–2024 ACS figures)
- RE/MAX agent search, Brentwood, CA (RE/MAX Crossroads profiles)
- Coldwell Banker Realty Danville office agent roster
- 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: Brentwood real estate guide · Brentwood 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.
