Best Realtors in East Garrison, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
East Garrison is a newer master-planned neighborhood on the eastern edge of the former Fort Ord, off Reservation Road between Marina and Salinas. It is unincorporated, so Monterey County rather than a city handles zoning and permits, and its single-family homes, townhomes and condos come with HOA rules and, in many cases, special taxes that a buyer should price in from the start.
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 East Garrison or Marina. We opened each agent’s profile. Few agent profiles list East Garrison as a service area. Two agents’ profiles name it through an East Garrison listing or sale. The other six name neighboring Marina, the closest city, but not East Garrison, 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.
East Garrison by the numbers
The Census Bureau does not publish a separate place profile for East Garrison that we could find, so we have no reliable figures for its population or home values. For context, neighboring Marina had a median owner-occupied home value of $818,700 in the ACS 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter; East Garrison’s newer homes may sell above or below that figure.
Because most East Garrison homes were built in the same era by the same planned development, recent sales of the same floor plan are usually the best guide to value. Ask agents for those first.
East Garrison and its setting
- The planned community. Single-family homes, townhomes and condos on a street grid with parks and a town center, governed by HOA rules. See our East Garrison real estate guide.
- Former Fort Ord. The neighborhood sits on former Army land, next to open space and trails on the old base.
- Neighbors. Marina lies to the west and Salinas to the east along Reservation Road, with Del Rey Oaks and the Peninsula to the southwest.
Costs and rules specific to an East Garrison purchase
- Transfer tax. The Monterey County Recorder collects documentary transfer tax at recording. East Garrison is unincorporated, so no city tax applies. Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32 sets the county rate at 55 cents per $500 ($1.10 per $1,000); confirm the amount on your escrow estimate. Our California transfer tax guide explains how it is usually handled.
- Special taxes and HOAs. Newer planned communities often sit in a community facilities district with an annual special tax. Ask for the Mello-Roos disclosure, the HOA budget and the CC&Rs early, and check the special tax line on the property tax bill.
- County zoning. Monterey County handles permits under its inland zoning code, Title 21, along with any rules in the community’s own plan and CC&Rs.
- Short-term rentals. The County’s short-term rental page says stays of 30 days or less need a discretionary permit and are allowed only in certain districts; HOA rules may also limit rentals.
- Former Fort Ord. Homes on former base land can carry deed notices or restrictions tied to the base cleanup and reuse. Read the preliminary title report and disclosures closely.
- Fire hazard and AB 38. Homes next to 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.
East Garrison 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 East Garrison. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renee Catania | Sotheby’s International Realty, Carmel | Salesperson #01954589 | Marina (neighboring city, not East Garrison), Monterey, Salinas |
| Gina Hinds | CENTURY 21 Masters, Monterey | Salesperson #01962087 | Marina (neighboring city, not East Garrison), Del Rey Oaks, Salinas |
| Steven Hunt | Sotheby’s International Realty, Carmel | Salesperson #01953808 | Marina (neighboring city, not East Garrison), Salinas, Toro Park |
| Virginia Lockwood Meachum | Marina Beach Real Estate, Marina | Broker #01297223 | Marina (neighboring city, not East Garrison), Seaside, Salinas |
| Dean Provence | Sotheby’s International Realty, Pacific Grove | Broker #00833476 | Marina (neighboring city, not East Garrison), Monterey, Salinas |
| Amber Russell (licensed as Amber Russell Kerchner) | Over the Moon Realty, Pacific Grove | Broker #01795810 DRE record name: Kerchner, Amber Russell. | East Garrison listing; Monterey, Seaside, Salinas |
| Doug Toby (licensed as Douglas Alan Toby) | KW Coastal Estates, Carmel | Salesperson #01239501 | East Garrison sale; Marina, Seaside, Monterey, Salinas |
| Dani M. Wilcox | KW Coastal Estates, Carmel | Salesperson #01982101 | Marina (neighboring city, not East Garrison), Salinas, Toro Park |
Renee Catania and Steven Hunt are licensed under Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. (DRE #00899496), and Dean Provence is a broker associate there. Gina Hinds is licensed under Full Realty Services Inc. (DRE #01849354), whose DRE record lists Century 21 Masters as a business name. Amber Russell is an officer of Over The Moon Realty, Inc. (DRE #02018015). Dani M. Wilcox and Doug Toby are 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. All profiles are on homes.com, a listing site.
How to vet an East Garrison agent
- Ask for same-plan sales. Ask for recent East Garrison sales of the same floor plan or product type.
- Ask about special taxes and HOA dues. Ask how the agent gets the Mello-Roos disclosure, HOA budget and reserve study before you write an offer.
- Read the CC&Rs. Ask what the HOA allows for rentals, parking, solar and exterior changes.
- Ask about base-reuse notices. Ask what deed notices or restrictions have appeared in recent East Garrison title reports.
- Ask for a net sheet. It should show the transfer tax from escrow, the special tax, HOA dues and the expected supplemental tax bill.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status and the responsible broker on the DRE lookup.
East Garrison questions we hear
Is East Garrison part of Marina or Salinas?
Neither. It is an unincorporated community, so Monterey County handles zoning and permits.
Is there a city transfer tax in East Garrison?
No. Because it is unincorporated, only the County documentary transfer tax applies. County Code Chapter 5.32 sets it at $1.10 per $1,000; check your escrow estimate.
Do East Garrison homes have Mello-Roos taxes?
Many newer planned communities do. Ask the seller for the special tax disclosure and check the property tax bill before you remove contingencies.
Why does this guide list agents whose profiles name Marina?
Few agent profiles we could verify name East Garrison itself. We included agents whose profiles name Marina, the closest city, and said so in the table.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, Marina (ACS 2024 5-year); no East Garrison place profile was found
- Monterey County zoning code (GoCodebook)
- Monterey County HCD, short-term rentals
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Agent profiles on homes.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)
- License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Nearby agent guides: Marina · Salinas · Del Rey Oaks
Related: East Garrison real estate guide · East Garrison 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.
