Best Realtors in Del Rey Oaks, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Del Rey Oaks is one of the smallest cities on the Monterey Peninsula, with about 1,600 residents and roughly 700 homes along Canyon Del Rey Boulevard between Monterey and Seaside. Its single-family homes sit on quiet, oak-shaded streets that back up to open space and former Fort Ord land, and because so few homes change hands, buyers here usually work with agents who cover the wider Monterey and Seaside market.
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. We left out anyone whose record showed a suspension, an expired license, no current broker affiliation, or a responsible broker that did not match the brokerage on their profile, and anyone whose profile license number we could not find on the DRE lookup.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record ties them to the brokerage shown on their profile.
- A public profile that names Del Rey Oaks or its neighbors. We opened each agent’s profile. Del Rey Oaks is small enough that few profiles name it: one agent’s profile names Del Rey Oaks directly. The other five name neighboring Monterey or Seaside, which border the city, but not Del Rey Oaks itself, and the table says so plainly.
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.
Del Rey Oaks housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | Del Rey Oaks |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,570 (±232) |
| Housing units | 705 (±71) |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $835,800 (±$28,521) |
| Median household income | $134,500 (±$12,212) |
| Persons per household | 2.4 |
| Median age | 50.6 |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.3 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. Figures are estimates with margins of error, not current sale prices.
With about 700 homes, Del Rey Oaks may see only a few sales in a typical month, so recent Monterey and Seaside sales of similar homes often help set value. Ask agents to separate true Del Rey Oaks comparables from nearby ones.
Del Rey Oaks and its neighbors
- The residential core. Single-family homes on streets off Canyon Del Rey Boulevard and the hills above it, many with mature oaks and larger lots than in neighboring Seaside. See our Del Rey Oaks real estate guide.
- Open space and former Fort Ord. The city borders open space and former Army land to the east, so ask about any nearby planned development or trails behind a home.
- Neighbors. Monterey borders the city to the west and south, and Seaside to the north, with Marina a few miles beyond.
Costs and rules specific to a Del Rey Oaks purchase
- Transfer tax. The Monterey County Recorder collects documentary transfer tax at recording. Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32 sets the county rate at 55 cents per $500 ($1.10 per $1,000), with a credit for a qualifying city tax. We did not find a Del Rey Oaks city transfer tax on an official source for this guide, so confirm the amount on your escrow estimate. Our California transfer tax guide explains how it is usually handled.
- Water permits. The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District requires a water permit to set a new meter or intensify use on an existing connection within its boundaries. Ask whether the home is inside the district before you plan an addition, an ADU or a new home.
- Fire hazard and AB 38. Oak-wooded lots near open space can be mapped in State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zones. In High and Very High zones, sellers may need to provide AB 38 defensible space documentation, and insurance quotes are worth getting early.
- Rent rules. The California Attorney General’s rent cap page places Monterey County in its "all other counties" group, with an 8.6% cap on increases for covered units from August 1, 2026, and lists Salinas, not Del Rey Oaks, as having local rent stabilization.
- Short-term rentals. Cities set their own vacation rental rules, so ask the City of Del Rey Oaks before counting on short-stay income.
- Hazard disclosures. The natural hazard disclosure report covers mapped flood, fault and fire hazards for the address.
Del Rey Oaks 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 Del Rey Oaks. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gina Hinds | CENTURY 21 Masters, Monterey | Salesperson #01962087 | Del Rey Oaks, Monterey, Marina, Salinas |
| Virginia Lockwood Meachum | Marina Beach Real Estate, Marina | Broker #01297223 | Seaside and Marina (not Del Rey Oaks by name) |
| Dean Provence | Sotheby’s International Realty, Pacific Grove | Broker #00833476 | Monterey, East Monterey, Casanova Oak Knoll and Seaside (not Del Rey Oaks by name) |
| Amber Russell (licensed as Amber Russell Kerchner) | Over the Moon Realty, Pacific Grove | Broker #01795810 DRE record name: Kerchner, Amber Russell. | Monterey and Seaside (not Del Rey Oaks by name), Pacific Grove |
| Wesley Tucker | Coldwell Banker Realty, Monterey office | Salesperson #02222038 | Monterey and Seaside (not Del Rey Oaks by name) |
| Dani M. Wilcox | KW Coastal Estates, Carmel | Salesperson #01982101 | Monterey and Marina (not Del Rey Oaks by name), Salinas |
Gina Hinds is licensed under Full Realty Services Inc. (DRE #01849354), whose DRE record lists Century 21 Masters as a business name and a branch at 534 Abrego Street in Monterey. Dean Provence is a broker associate for Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. (DRE #00899496). Amber Russell is an officer of Over The Moon Realty, Inc. (DRE #02018015). Wesley Tucker is licensed under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304), the broker for Coldwell Banker Realty. Dani M. Wilcox is licensed under MCRE Group Inc. (DRE #01527814), whose record lists KW Coastal Estates as a business name. Virginia Lockwood Meachum is a broker whose record lists Marina Beach Real Estate as her business name. Coldwell Banker’s profile is on the brokerage’s site; the others are on homes.com, a listing site.
How to vet a Del Rey Oaks agent
- Ask for true Del Rey Oaks sales. Ask the agent to separate sales inside the city from nearby Monterey and Seaside sales.
- Ask about water. Ask how they confirm the home’s water permit history and whether an addition or ADU would need a new permit.
- Plan for fire and insurance. Ask about the fire hazard zone, AB 38 documentation and insurance quotes for wooded lots.
- Ask about nearby land use. Ask about planned development, trails or open space near the back of the lot.
- Ask for a net sheet. It should show the transfer tax from escrow and the expected supplemental tax bill.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status and the responsible broker on the DRE lookup.
Del Rey Oaks questions we hear
Is there a city transfer tax in Del Rey Oaks?
We did not find one on an official source when we checked in October 2026. The County rate is $1.10 per $1,000 under County Code Chapter 5.32. Your escrow estimate will show the documentary transfer tax due at recording.
What is the median home value in Del Rey Oaks?
The Census estimate is about $836,000 for 2020–2024, with a margin of error near $29,000. Ask an agent for recent sales of similar homes.
Why does this guide list agents whose profiles name Monterey or Seaside?
Del Rey Oaks has only about 700 homes, and only one agent profile we could verify named it directly. We included agents whose profiles name the two cities that border it and said so in the table.
Does Del Rey Oaks have rent control?
The Attorney General’s chart lists Salinas as the only Monterey County city with local rent stabilization, so covered units follow the statewide AB 1482 cap, 8.6% for increases from August 1, 2026.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, Del Rey Oaks (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, water permits
- California Attorney General, rent caps
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Agent profiles on homes.com and coldwellbankerhomes.com, linked in the table
- Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32, Documentary Transfer Tax (county rate of $0.55 per $500, with credit for a qualifying city tax)
- City transfer tax: none found on an official source in October 2026.
- License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Nearby agent guides: Monterey · Seaside · Marina
Related: Del Rey Oaks real estate guide · Del Rey Oaks 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.
