Best Realtors in Hayward, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Hayward is a central Alameda County city of about 157,000 people, stretching from the bay shoreline across the flatlands to the hills around Cal State East Bay. Hayward charges its own transfer tax and has local rent stabilization rules, so a Hayward agent should be able to show you the full closing cost and explain what applies if the home has a tenant.
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 "Licensed" status.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the responsible broker they work under, and it matches the brokerage on their profile.
- A public profile that names Hayward. We opened each agent’s brokerage profile and confirmed it lists Hayward as an area served or names it in the agent’s work.
We did not rank agents, and we did not consider sales volume, reviews or awards. Licenses and affiliations change, so verify the license yourself before you sign anything, and interview more than one agent.
Hayward housing in numbers
| Census measure | Hayward |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 157,113 |
| Owner-occupied housing unit rate (2020–2024) | 58.0% |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020–2024) | $854,400 |
| Median gross rent (2020–2024) | $2,391 |
| Median household income (2020–2024, 2024 dollars) | $113,318 |
| Mean travel time to work (2020–2024) | 32.3 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Hayward city, California.
A little under six in ten Hayward homes are owner-occupied, and the median owner-occupied home value over 2020–2024 was about $854,000. These are five-year survey figures, not current sale prices. To price a specific home, an agent should use recent sales from the same part of the city and of the same type, since hillside homes, flatland tracts and condos near downtown sell differently.
Hayward settings: flatlands, downtown and the hills
A Hayward search can include mid-century tract homes in the flatlands, condos and townhomes near downtown and the BART stations, and hillside homes in the Hayward Hills and near Cal State East Bay. Unincorporated communities such as Fairview, Castro Valley and Cherryland border the city and follow County rules instead. Our housing settings comparison and local comparable sales analysis cover the differences. For more detail, see our Hayward real estate guide.
Costs and rules specific to a Hayward purchase
- Transfer tax. The Alameda County Clerk-Recorder charges the county documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500 of value and also collects Hayward’s city conveyance tax of $8.50 per $1,000 of full value (Ordinance No. 92-26). On an $850,000 sale, that is about $7,225 in city tax plus about $935 in county tax. Confirm the figure on your escrow estimate; our Alameda County city transfer taxes page compares cities.
- Rental property rules. Hayward has a Residential Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protection Ordinance; the city’s information for landlords and tenant resources pages explain which units it covers. If the home has a tenant, confirm which rules apply before you remove contingencies.
- Mobile homes. Hayward also has a mobilehome space rent ordinance that affects buyers of homes in regulated parks.
- HOA and condo costs. See our condo and townhome ownership costs page, and note that sellers must make a good-faith effort to provide a notice of special tax districts under Civil Code section 1102.6b.
- Hazards. Hillside areas may carry State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone designations, where sellers may need to provide AB 38 defensible space documentation. The natural hazard disclosure report shows fault, liquefaction and flood zones for an address.
Hayward 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 Hayward. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mustafa Afzali | Coldwell Banker Realty, Fremont office | Salesperson #01514891 | Hayward, Castro Valley, San Leandro, Fremont and other East Bay cities |
| Stella Hui | Coldwell Banker Realty, Castro Valley office | Salesperson #01191225 | Hayward, Castro Valley, San Leandro, San Lorenzo and other Alameda County cities |
| Lori Kriens | Coldwell Banker Realty, Pleasanton office | Salesperson #01899795 | Tri-Valley cities; Hayward and Fremont named in bio |
| Lucy Ramos | Coldwell Banker Realty, Pleasanton office | Salesperson #01393413 | Hayward, Castro Valley, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Fremont, Union City |
| Sinath Thi | Coldwell Banker Realty, Castro Valley office | Broker #01922809 | Hayward, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Fremont, San Leandro and other cities |
| Lydia Vetere | Coldwell Banker Realty, Pleasanton office | Salesperson #01910741 | Tri-Valley; Hayward and Castro Valley named as areas of expertise |
All agents above are licensed under the responsible broker NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304), as shown on each DRE record, and work from nearby Coldwell Banker Realty offices in Castro Valley, Fremont and Pleasanton; the brokerage lists no office in Hayward itself. The broker-licensed agent works as a broker associate. Every agent we could verify for this guide is with one brokerage, so compare them with agents from other brokerages as well.
How to vet a Hayward agent
- Ask for a net sheet with the city tax. Hayward’s $8.50 per $1,000 city tax is several times the county tax, so the estimate should show both.
- For a home with a tenant, ask about rent stabilization. A good Hayward agent should explain what to ask the seller and point you to the city to confirm which rules apply.
- Ask for comparables from the same setting. Hillside homes, flatland tracts and downtown condos should not be priced from the same sales.
- Ask about fault and hillside questions. Ask how they handle the natural hazard disclosure, foundation and geotechnical questions for the address.
- Confirm the home is inside city limits. Some addresses with a Hayward mailing address are in unincorporated Fairview or Cherryland, where County rules apply and the city tax may not.
- Verify the license yourself. Look up the agent on the DRE site and confirm the responsible broker matches the brokerage they name.
Hayward questions we hear
How much is Hayward’s transfer tax?
According to the Alameda County Clerk-Recorder, Hayward’s city conveyance tax is $8.50 per $1,000 of full value, on top of the county tax of $0.55 per $500. Who pays is negotiable, so check the purchase contract.
Does Hayward have rent control?
Hayward has a Residential Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protection Ordinance. Coverage depends on the unit, so check the city’s landlord information page and confirm with the city before buying a tenant-occupied home.
Is every Hayward address inside the city?
No. Some properties with a Hayward mailing address are in unincorporated areas such as Fairview or Cherryland. Ask your agent or title company to confirm the jurisdiction, since it affects transfer tax and local rules.
How do I check a Hayward agent’s license?
Search the name or license number on the DRE public lookup. The record shows license type, status and responsible broker. Every agent in our table links to the record we checked.
Should I interview more than one Hayward agent?
Yes. Interview at least two or three, ideally from different brokerages, ask each for recent Hayward sales near the home you want, and compare how they explain the city tax, rental rules and hazard questions.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Hayward city, California (V2025 population estimate; 2020–2024 ACS figures)
- Coldwell Banker Realty agent rosters: Castro Valley, Fremont, Pleasanton
- Alameda County Clerk-Recorder: real property transfer tax
- City of Hayward: information for landlords · tenant rental resources · mobilehome rent stabilization
- State Fire Marshal: Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- California Civil Code section 1102.6b (Justia)
- License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Related: Hayward real estate guide · Hayward home valuation · Alameda 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.
