Best Realtors in Half Moon Bay, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Half Moon Bay is the largest city on the San Mateo County coast, home to about 11,400 people along Highway 1 where Highway 92 comes over the hills from San Mateo. The whole city sits in the Coastal Zone, so coastal rules shape what you can build or change, and most of the agents who work here are based in Half Moon Bay offices.
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 Half Moon Bay. We opened each agent’s brokerage profile or MLS profile and confirmed it names Half Moon Bay (or its ZIP code, 94019) as an area served or work area.
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.
Half Moon Bay housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | Half Moon Bay |
|---|---|
| Population | 11,391 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $1,549,500 (±$110,431) |
| Median household income | $157,884 (±$5,507) |
| Persons per household | 2.8 |
| Median age | 47.4 |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.4 minutes |
| Housing units | 4,473 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. These are survey estimates with margins of error, not current sale prices.
Half Moon Bay’s estimated median value is close to the San Mateo County figure, but the mix is different: older cottages near Main Street, planned subdivisions, oceanfront and golf course homes in Ocean Colony, and rural parcels on the east side of town. Ask agents for recent closed sales of the property type you want, not citywide averages.
Ocean Colony, downtown and the Highway 1 corridor
Half Moon Bay stretches several miles along Highway 1. Downtown and the neighborhoods around Main Street hold many of the older homes; Ocean Colony on the south side is a planned community around the golf courses with its own homeowners association; and newer subdivisions sit between the highway and the bluffs. North of the city limits, Miramar, El Granada, Princeton, Moss Beach and Montara are unincorporated, so the County, not the City, handles permits there. For more on the city, see our Half Moon Bay real estate guide, coastal home inspection notes and coastal ownership budget.
Costs and rules specific to a Half Moon Bay purchase
- Transfer tax. The San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder lists the county documentary transfer tax at 55 cents per $500, or $1.10 per $1,000 of value: about $1,704 on a $1,549,500 sale. The Clerk-Recorder’s page names the City of San Mateo as the city with an additional conveyance tax and does not list one for Half Moon Bay; confirm the total on your escrow estimate. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Coastal Zone citywide. The City says Half Moon Bay lies entirely within the Coastal Zone. Its Local Coastal Program pairs the Local Coastal Land Use Plan, adopted in October 2020 and certified by the Coastal Commission in April 2021, with an implementation plan that includes the zoning and subdivision ordinances. Additions, new homes and some remodels may need a coastal development permit; ask City Planning before you rely on expansion plans.
- Homeowners associations. In Ocean Colony and other planned neighborhoods, read the HOA budget, reserves and design rules before you remove contingencies.
- Hazards and insurance. Bluff-top and low-lying lots can carry erosion, flood or tsunami exposure, and the hills east of town have mapped wildfire risk. Read the natural hazard disclosure report, check the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, and get an insurance quote early. In a High or Very High zone, see our AB 38 guide.
Half Moon Bay 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 Half Moon Bay. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Beth Alexander | Compass, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #02050811 | Half Moon Bay |
| Deborah Cozzolino | Coldwell Banker Realty, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #01774449 | Half Moon Bay, Miramar, El Granada, Moss Beach, Montara, San Gregorio, Pescadero |
| Daniel Dimas | Daniel Dimas, Broker, El Granada | Broker #01863442 | ZIP codes for Half Moon Bay, El Granada, Montara, Moss Beach and Pacifica |
| Jan Gray (licensed as Janet Hill Gray) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Half Moon Bay | Broker #00478786 | Half Moon Bay |
| Kirsten Hagen | Compass, Half Moon Bay | Broker #01490617 | Half Moon Bay, Montara, El Granada, Moss Beach |
| Julie Hamada | Coldwell Banker Realty, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #01134638 | Half Moon Bay |
| Marcia Kimball | Coldwell Banker Realty, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #01890605 | Half Moon Bay, El Granada, Moss Beach, Montara |
| Shanti Minkstein | Compass, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #02122033 | Half Moon Bay, El Granada, Moss Beach, Montara, Pacifica |
| Diana Plank | Coldwell Banker Realty, Half Moon Bay | Broker #00779576 | Half Moon Bay, Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada, Pacifica, Pescadero, San Gregorio |
| Andrew Quest | Coldwell Banker Realty, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #02087502 | Half Moon Bay |
| Jackson Robertson | Coldwell Banker Realty, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #01452757 | Half Moon Bay, the Coastside |
| Cheryl Stockton | Compass, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #01738955 | Half Moon Bay, Ocean Colony |
| Frank Vento | Intero Real Estate Services, Burlingame | Broker #01321362 | San Mateo County Coastside, Half Moon Bay, Montara, Miramar, La Honda, Pescadero |
| Grant Walters | Coldwell Banker Realty, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #01063248 | Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County Coastside |
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 Intero agents under Intero Real Estate Services Inc (DRE #01354442). Daniel Dimas holds his own broker license with a main office in El Granada. For more agents across the county, see our San Mateo County agents guide.
How to vet a Half Moon Bay agent
- Ask about coastal permits. Ask how the agent checks permit history and whether past additions had City approval under the Local Coastal Program.
- Ask which side of the city limits a home is on. Miramar and El Granada addresses can look like Half Moon Bay but fall under County rules.
- Read the HOA documents early. In Ocean Colony and other planned neighborhoods, ask for budgets, reserves and design rules before you write the offer.
- Check bluff, flood and fire exposure. Ask for the hazard disclosure report and an insurance quote before contingencies come off.
- Ask about the Highway 92 and Highway 1 commute. Traffic over the hill shapes daily life; drive it at commute time before you buy.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Half Moon Bay questions we hear
Is there a city transfer tax in Half Moon Bay?
The County Clerk-Recorder’s page lists the county tax of $1.10 per $1,000 and names only the City of San Mateo for an extra city tax. Confirm the total on your escrow estimate.
Is all of Half Moon Bay in the Coastal Zone?
Yes. The City says Half Moon Bay is entirely within the Coastal Zone, and its Local Coastal Program applies citywide.
What is the median home value in Half Moon Bay?
Census estimates put the median owner-occupied value at about $1,549,500 for 2020–2024. Ask an agent for recent sales of similar homes.
Are El Granada and Miramar part of Half Moon Bay?
Mostly no. They are unincorporated Midcoast communities, so San Mateo County planning and the County’s coastal rules apply there.
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, Half Moon Bay profile (ACS 2024 5-year)
- San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder, documentary transfer tax
- City of Half Moon Bay, Local Coastal Program and Land Use Plan
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Agent profiles on coldwellbankerhomes.com, compass.com and mlslistings.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: Montara · Moss Beach · Pacifica
Related: Half Moon Bay real estate guide · Half Moon Bay 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.
