Best Realtors in Carmel Valley, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Carmel Valley runs inland from Highway 1 along the Carmel River, from the mouth of the valley near Carmel through mid-valley to Carmel Valley Village and the ranch country beyond. It is unincorporated Monterey County, with homes ranging from golf-course neighborhoods and village cottages to large acreage, and most agents who name it work from offices in Carmel.
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), a "Licensed" status, and 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 Carmel Valley. We opened each agent’s profile and confirmed it names Carmel Valley or Carmel Valley Village, as a service area, in the bio, or in listings and 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.
Carmel Valley housing in numbers
We show Monterey County figures, since the Census splits the valley into more than one area.
| Measure (U.S. Census QuickFacts) | Monterey County |
|---|---|
| Population, July 1, 2025 estimate | 433,729 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes, 2020–2024 | $781,000 |
| Owner-occupied housing rate, 2020–2024 | 52.1% |
| Median gross rent, 2020–2024 | $2,055 |
| Median household income, 2020–2024 (2024 dollars) | $97,230 |
| Mean travel time to work, 2020–2024 | 25.4 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census QuickFacts, Monterey County.
The county figures blend the Salinas Valley with the Peninsula, so they say little about a Carmel Valley home. Prices vary widely between the mouth of the valley, gated golf communities, the Village and outlying ranches; ask agents for closed sales in the same part of the valley.
The mouth of the valley, mid-valley and the Village
Carmel Valley has no city government, so Monterey County handles zoning and permits under its inland code (Title 21), with the coastal code applying only near Highway 1. The County’s plans library lists development criteria for Carmel Valley Village that add standards on top of base zoning. Many parcels outside the Village rely on wells and septic, and the hills on both sides of the valley are wooded and fire-prone. For neighboring areas, see the Santa Lucia Preserve and our Carmel Valley real estate guide, including rural water and wastewater and private roads and site access.
Costs and rules specific to a Carmel Valley purchase
- Transfer tax. Carmel Valley is unincorporated, so no city transfer tax applies. Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32 sets Monterey County’s documentary transfer tax at 55 cents per $500 ($1.10 per $1,000), often paid by the seller by local custom (your contract decides): about $1,650 on a $1.5 million sale. Confirm on your escrow estimate; our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Vacation rentals. The County’s short-term rental page says inland stays of 30 days or less need a discretionary permit and are limited to certain districts. The Treasurer-Tax Collector applies a 10.5% transient occupancy tax in the unincorporated county; paying it does not make a rental legal.
- Water. Parts of the lower valley are within the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, which requires a water permit to set a meter or intensify use; outlying parcels often rely on wells. Ask which applies and get a well yield test where needed.
- Fire hazard and AB 38. Look up the address on the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps. In High or Very High zones, see our AB 38 defensible space guide, and get insurance quotes before you remove contingencies.
- Flood and other hazards. Homes near the Carmel River can sit in mapped flood areas; read the natural hazard disclosure report.
Carmel Valley 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 Carmel Valley. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courtney Adamski (licensed as Courtney Lyn Adamski) | Carmel Realty Company | Broker #01444609 | Carmel Valley and Carmel listings |
| Peter Butler | Carmel Realty Company | Broker #01222453 | Carmel Valley, Carmel, Pebble Beach (bio) |
| Daniel Cardenas | Coldwell Banker Realty | Salesperson #01964336 | Carmel Valley, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Highlands, Salinas |
| Tamara Hadley | Coldwell Banker Realty | Salesperson #01210374 | Carmel Valley, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Highlands, Big Sur |
| Ben Heinrich | Carmel Realty Company | Broker #00584641 | Carmel Valley, Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pebble Beach |
| Yvonne Hubbard | Coldwell Banker Realty | Salesperson #01239431 | Carmel Valley, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Highlands, Pebble Beach |
| Hillary Lipman | Big Sur Coast Properties, Big Sur | Salesperson #00923925 | Carmel Valley (sale); Big Sur |
| Erica Perez | Coldwell Banker Realty, Carmel-by-the-Sea | Salesperson #02079456 | Carmel Valley, Carmel Highlands, Carmel-by-the-Sea |
| Rick Smith (licensed as Richard Wayne Smith) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Carmel | Broker #00844450 | Carmel Valley Village, Pacific Grove, Salinas; Carmel Valley sales |
| Jonathan Spencer (licensed as Jonathan Charles Spencer) | Compass, Carmel-by-the-Sea | Salesperson #01916757 | Carmel Valley Village, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Highlands, Pebble Beach |
On the DRE record, Coldwell Banker Realty agents are licensed under or are broker associates for NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304); Carmel Realty Company agents are broker associates for Carmel Realty Brokerage Services (DRE #01871627, the number Carmel Realty Company publishes); Hillary Lipman’s responsible broker is Robert Allen Patterson, whose record lists Big Sur Coast Properties as a business name; and Jonathan Spencer is licensed under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235).
How to vet a Carmel Valley agent
- Ask which part of the valley they work. Mouth-of-the-valley homes, gated golf communities, the Village and ranch parcels are different markets.
- Confirm water. Ask whether the property has a district connection or a well, and order a yield test and water-quality test for wells.
- Ask about rental rules. If income matters, ask how they confirm whether a discretionary rental permit is possible in that zoning district.
- Ask about fire and insurance. Ask how they handle AB 38 documentation and which carriers buyers are using.
- Check access. Many hillside homes sit on private roads; ask for the road maintenance agreement and recorded easements.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Carmel Valley questions we hear
Is Carmel Valley a city?
No. It is unincorporated, so Monterey County handles zoning and permits.
Can I run a vacation rental in Carmel Valley?
Only with a discretionary County permit in an eligible district, according to the County’s short-term rental page. Paying transient occupancy tax does not by itself make the use legal.
Is there a city transfer tax in Carmel Valley?
No. Only the Monterey County tax applies, set at $1.10 per $1,000 by Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32.
Do these agents also work in Carmel and Big Sur?
Most name Carmel-by-the-Sea, and several name Big Sur or Carmel Highlands. See our Carmel-by-the-Sea and Big Sur guides.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- U.S. Census QuickFacts, Monterey County (population estimate July 1, 2025; other figures 2020–2024)
- Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32, Documentary Transfer Tax (county rate of $0.55 per $500, with credit for a qualifying city tax)
- Monterey County HCD, short-term rentals
- Monterey County Treasurer-Tax Collector, transient occupancy tax
- Monterey County plans library (Carmel Valley Village development criteria)
- Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, water permits
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Agent profiles on coldwellbankerhomes.com, homes.com and carmelrealtycompany.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: Carmel-by-the-Sea · Carmel Highlands · Big Sur
Related: Carmel Valley real estate guide · Carmel Valley home valuation · Monterey 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.
