Best Realtors in Cupertino, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Cupertino is a city of about 58,600 people on the west side of Santa Clara County, between Sunnyvale, San Jose, Saratoga and the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Much of its housing is single-family neighborhoods built from the 1950s on, with townhomes and condominiums along the main corridors, and both of the brokerages below have offices in the city.
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 a "Licensed" status, with a responsible broker or broker-associate affiliation that matches the brokerage the agent works under.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the brokerage they work under.
- A public page tied to Cupertino. We opened a brokerage or MLS office roster that places the agent in a Cupertino office, or an MLS profile that lists Cupertino’s ZIP code, 95014, as an area served.
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.
Cupertino housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | Cupertino |
|---|---|
| Population | 58,566 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $2,000,000 or more (top of the Census range) |
| Median household income | $234,707 (±$12,596) |
| Persons per household | 2.8 |
| Median age | 41.7 |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.6 minutes |
| Housing units | 22,158 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. The Census caps reported home values at $2 million, so Cupertino’s median shows only that it sits at or above that level. These are survey estimates, not current sale prices.
Because the Census figure is capped, ask agents for recent closed sales in the specific neighborhood, school attendance area and property type you want.
Neighborhoods, schools and the west hills
Cupertino’s neighborhoods range from mid-century tracts on the valley floor, including Eichler homes in Rancho Rinconada, to Monta Vista and other areas near the foothills, and to hillside streets on the city’s western edge. Many buyers shop by school attendance area, and those boundaries do not follow city limits, so confirm the assigned schools with the school district for the exact address. For more on the city, see our Cupertino real estate guide, neighborhood comparison, home improvement records and Santa Clara County Eichler homes pages.
Costs and rules specific to a Cupertino purchase
- Transfer tax. Cupertino’s Municipal Code Chapter 3.04 sets a city documentary tax on real property sales under the state Documentary Transfer Tax Act. Under the Santa Clara County Ordinance Code, Division A30, Chapter III, the county charges 55 cents per $500 of value ($1.10 per $1,000), and section A30-40 credits a conforming city tax set at half that rate against the county’s. Confirm the total on your escrow estimate; our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Older homes and permits. Many homes have been remodeled or expanded more than once; ask for permit history and compare it with the County Assessor’s records before you remove contingencies.
- HOAs. Townhomes and condominiums usually come with HOA dues and rules; read budgets and reserves early, and see our HOA and assessment costs page.
- Hazards. Read the natural hazard disclosure report for fault and liquefaction zones, and check the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for foothill homes; in a High or Very High zone, see our AB 38 guide.
Cupertino 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 Cupertino. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lorie Gillespie | Intero Real Estate Services, Los Gatos | Salesperson #01465384 | ZIP codes across the county, including Cupertino (95014) |
| Kevin Klemm | Coldwell Banker Realty, Cupertino | Salesperson #01857018 | Cupertino office |
| Alana Lam | Intero Real Estate Services, Cupertino | Salesperson #01049403 | Cupertino office |
| Vicky Li (licensed as Yuan Li) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Cupertino | Salesperson #01896360 | Cupertino office |
| Sunita Maheshwari | Intero Real Estate Services, Cupertino | Salesperson #01435480 | ZIP codes for Cupertino, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and west San Jose |
| Jennifer Melenudo | Coldwell Banker Realty, Cupertino | Salesperson #01740970 | Cupertino office |
| John Pacciorini | Coldwell Banker Realty, Cupertino | Broker #01752444 | Cupertino office |
| Ramesh Rao | Coldwell Banker Realty, Cupertino | Salesperson #01094680 | Cupertino office |
| Victoria Rock | Intero Real Estate Services, Cupertino | Salesperson #01394682 | Cupertino office |
| Lina Zhou (licensed as Ling Zhou) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Cupertino | Salesperson #01771555 | Cupertino office |
On the DRE record, Coldwell Banker Realty agents are licensed under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304), and Intero agents under Intero Real Estate Services Inc (DRE #01354442). Coldwell Banker agents appear on the Cupertino office roster, and Intero agents on the MLSListings Intero Cupertino office page. For more agents across the county, see our Santa Clara County agents guide.
How to vet a Cupertino agent
- Ask how they confirm school assignments. Ask whether they check the district’s boundary tool for the exact address rather than relying on a listing.
- Ask for sales in your neighborhood. Valley-floor tracts, Eichler pockets, townhomes and foothill homes price differently.
- Ask how they handle competitive offers. Ask about pre-offer inspections, offer review dates and how they weigh contingencies.
- Ask about permits and remodels. Ask how they compare permit records with the home’s current layout.
- Ask for a net sheet. Ask for an estimate that includes the documentary transfer tax, title and escrow costs.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Cupertino questions we hear
Does Cupertino have its own transfer tax?
Cupertino’s code sets a city documentary tax under state law, which is credited against the county’s $1.10 per $1,000. Your escrow estimate will show the exact lines.
What is the median home value in Cupertino?
The Census caps its home value range at $2 million, and Cupertino’s 2020–2024 median is at that cap. Ask an agent for recent sales of similar homes.
Do Cupertino addresses all go to the same schools?
No. Attendance areas do not follow city limits, so confirm the assigned schools with the district for the exact address.
Do all the agents in this guide work from Cupertino offices?
Nine work from Coldwell Banker Realty or Intero offices in Cupertino. Lorie Gillespie works from Intero’s Los Gatos office and lists Cupertino’s ZIP code as an area served.
Is the agent order a ranking?
No. Our broker is listed first because we publish the guide; everyone else is alphabetical by last name.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, Cupertino profile (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Cupertino Municipal Code Chapter 3.04
- Santa Clara County Ordinance Code, Division A30, Chapter III, Real Property Transfer Tax (county rate of $0.55 per $500; section A30-40 credit for a conforming half-rate city tax)
- California Attorney General Opinion 06-1009 (documentary transfer tax and city credit)
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Coldwell Banker Realty Cupertino office roster, MLSListings, Intero Real Estate Services Cupertino office and MLSListings agent profiles, 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: Los Altos · Los Gatos
Related: Cupertino real estate guide · Cupertino home valuation · Santa Clara 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.
