Best Realtors in East Palo Alto, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
East Palo Alto is a city of about 29,000 people on the bay side of Highway 101, bordered by Menlo Park and Palo Alto. Its housing is mostly modest single-family homes on grid streets, plus apartments west of the freeway. Most residential tenancies fall under the City’s rent stabilization rules, which buyers of income property need to understand.
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 on the agent’s profile.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the brokerage they work under.
- A public page that names East Palo Alto. We opened each agent’s Compass or Homes.com profile and confirmed it names East Palo Alto, either as an area served or as the location of a sale in the agent’s history.
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 Palo Alto housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | East Palo Alto city |
|---|---|
| Population | 29,069 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $1,102,600 (±$75,213) |
| Median household income | $113,493 (±$15,823) |
| Median age | 36.3 |
| Persons per household | 3.5 |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.7 minutes |
| Housing units | 9,160 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. Figures are survey estimates with margins of error, not current sale prices.
At about 3.5 people per household, East Palo Alto households are large. When comparing prices, compare permitted bedrooms and living space, not just lot size; our East Palo Alto comparable sales notes explain what to compare.
Neighborhoods east and west of the freeway
Most single-family homes sit east of Highway 101 on streets between University Avenue, Bay Road and the bay, near the Baylands and the Ravenswood area. West of the freeway, the Westside is mostly apartment buildings close to Palo Alto. Low-lying areas near the bay are a factor for flood zones and insurance. See our East Palo Alto real estate guide, housing settings comparison, condo and townhome ownership costs and older home records and inspections.
Costs and rules specific to an East Palo Alto purchase
- Transfer tax. The San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder levies the documentary transfer tax at 55 cents per $500, or $1.10 per $1,000 of value: about $1,213 on a $1,102,600 sale. The Recorder’s page names only the City of San Mateo as adding a city conveyance tax, so an East Palo Alto sale pays the county tax alone. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Rent stabilization. The City’s Rent Stabilization Program runs under a voter-approved 2010 ordinance covering most residential tenancies, with just cause eviction protections, and a 1988 ordinance that still governs mobile home park spaces. Landlords must register new rents with the Rent Board when a tenancy changes, and increases for existing tenants are limited to the annual general adjustment or a Rent Board-approved petition. If you are buying a home with tenants or an income property, ask for the rent registration history and confirm which rules apply.
- Second units and permits. Ask the City’s Building Division for permit history before counting an added room or second unit as legal living space.
- Flood zones. Low-lying neighborhoods near the bay can fall in mapped flood zones. Read the natural hazard disclosure report and get a flood insurance quote if the home is in one.
- Budgeting. See our East Palo Alto homeownership budget for costs that follow closing.
East Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maya Brusilovskaya (licensed as Mayya Brusilovskaya) | Compass, Los Altos | Salesperson #01775355 | East Palo Alto sale in profile history; other Peninsula sales |
| Brett Caviness | Compass, Menlo Park | Broker #01935984 | East Palo Alto sale in profile history; areas served Redwood City, Menlo Park, Atherton, Palo Alto |
| Amelia Middel (licensed as Amelia Rosa Middel) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Menlo Park | Salesperson #01103989 | East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Belle Haven, Redwood City, North Fair Oaks |
| Olufemi Oyenuga | Intero Real Estate Services | Salesperson #01033377 | East Palo Alto, Sunnyvale |
| Miriam Porras | Coldwell Banker Realty, Menlo Park | Salesperson #02002039 | East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Belle Haven, Redwood City |
| Graeham Watts | Compass | Salesperson #01466876 | East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, Menlo Park, Redwood City |
On the DRE record, Coldwell Banker Realty agents are licensed under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304), Compass agents under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235) and the Intero agent under Intero Real Estate Services Inc (DRE #01354442). For more Peninsula agents, see our San Mateo County agents guide.
How to vet an East Palo Alto agent
- Ask for sales in East Palo Alto specifically. Neighboring Menlo Park and Palo Alto are separate markets; ask for recent closed sales within East Palo Alto.
- Ask how they handle rent stabilization. For tenant-occupied homes and income property, ask how the agent confirms rent registration and tenant status before you write an offer.
- Ask how they verify added rooms and units. A good agent compares the floor plan with City permit records.
- Ask about flood zones and insurance. Ask whether the address is in a mapped flood zone and when to get a quote.
- Ask about first-time buyer programs. Ask whether the agent has worked with down payment assistance or below-market-rate resale homes, and what those programs require.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
East Palo Alto questions we hear
Does East Palo Alto have rent control?
Yes. The City runs a Rent Stabilization Program under a 2010 voter-approved ordinance for most residential tenancies, with just cause eviction rules, and a 1988 ordinance for mobile home park spaces. State law still lets owners reset rents for most tenancies that began on or after January 1, 1999 when a unit turns over.
Is there a city transfer tax in East Palo Alto?
No. The San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder lists only the City of San Mateo as adding a city tax, so an East Palo Alto sale pays the county tax of $1.10 per $1,000.
What is the median home value in East Palo Alto?
Census estimates put it at about $1,102,600 for 2020–2024. Ask an agent for recent sales of comparable homes.
Is East Palo Alto in a flood zone?
Some low-lying areas near the bay may be. The natural hazard disclosure report shows whether a specific property is in a mapped flood zone.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, East Palo Alto city profile (ACS 2024 5-year)
- San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder, documentary transfer tax
- City of East Palo Alto, Rent Stabilization Program
- Agent profiles on compass.com and homes.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: Atherton · Emerald Hills
Related: East Palo Alto real estate guide · East Palo Alto home valuation · San Mateo 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.
