Choosing a Real Estate Agent in Kensington, CA
By Matthew Martinez
Kensington is an unincorporated hillside community of about 5,200 people in west Contra Costa County, above Berkeley, Albany and El Cerrito. It has no city government, so planning and permits run through Contra Costa County, and many homes sit on steep, view lots. A Kensington agent should be able to explain County jurisdiction, slope and fire hazard questions as well as price.
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 to use this agent guide
Start with the property questions below, then compare the publisher and five regional candidates. Public profiles and licensing records answer different questions: a license establishes regulatory status, while a profile describes claimed service areas. Neither establishes local sales experience, quality of service or suitability for your transaction. Some candidates name neighboring communities or the county rather than Kensington itself; the profile evidence is shown explicitly. Interview more than one agent and ask for recent, relevant examples.
Kensington housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | Kensington |
|---|---|
| Population | 5,179 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $1,539,000 |
| Median household income | $237,130 |
| Persons per household | 2.4 |
| Mean travel time to work | 32.7 minutes |
Source: Census Reporter profile of Kensington, CA, using U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates for the Kensington census-designated place.
The Census Bureau’s five-year median owner-occupied value for Kensington was about $1.54 million. Kensington is small, so survey margins of error are wide; treat these as rough figures, not current sale prices. To price a specific home, an agent should pull recent sales of similar homes on similar slopes and with similar views.
Kensington settings: hillside streets above the bay
Kensington’s streets climb the Berkeley Hills between El Cerrito and Berkeley, and many lots are steep, with narrow streets and views west to the bay. Our guides to buying a hillside home in Kensington, Kensington hillside ownership costs and Kensington property settings cover those questions. For more detail, see our Kensington real estate guide.
Costs and rules specific to a Kensington purchase
- Transfer tax. The Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder charges the county documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500 of value. Kensington is unincorporated, so no city transfer tax applies; El Cerrito’s city tax stops at the El Cerrito city limit. On a $1,540,000 sale, the county tax is about $1,694. Who pays is negotiable; confirm the figure on your escrow estimate.
- County jurisdiction. Planning and building permits run through Contra Costa County, not a city. Ask your agent to confirm the parcel’s jurisdiction and permit history before you plan work; our Kensington renovation records guide explains what to look for.
- Fire hazard zones and AB 38. Check the address on the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps. In High and Very High zones, sellers may need to provide AB 38 defensible space documentation, and insurance quotes are worth getting early.
- Other hazards. The natural hazard disclosure report shows whether an address is in a mapped fault or landslide zone, which matters on steep lots.
Agent profiles to compare for a Kensington transaction
Matthew Martinez, Diamond Real Estate Group (publisher)
Matthew Martinez is the Founder, CEO and Managing Broker of Diamond Real Estate Group, based in Sonoma County. Contact him to discuss representation for your specific property and location. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc #02163490.
Five regional interview candidates
These profiles are drawn from the local and broader county research. The final column records the location evidence in each public profile; a nearby town or county reference does not establish completed transactions in Kensington. Ask each candidate to demonstrate relevant experience before hiring them. This is an interview starting point, not a ranking or a claim that every agent specializes in this community.
| Agent / public profile | Brokerage as described by the profile | DRE record | Geographic evidence in the source profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bobbie Giarratana | Coldwell Banker Realty, Berkeley office | Salesperson #01259754 | Albany, Berkeley, Kensington, El Cerrito, Oakland |
| Catherine Stern | Red Oak Realty | Salesperson #01325681 | Albany, Berkeley, North Oakland, El Cerrito, Kensington |
| Chris Stortenbecker | Coldwell Banker Realty, Berkeley office | Salesperson #02188254 | Berkeley, Oakland, Emeryville, El Cerrito, Kensington, Richmond |
| Herman Sun | Red Oak Realty | Broker #01005880 | Albany, El Cerrito, Kensington, Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond |
| Jason Caskie | Coldwell Banker Realty | Salesperson #01347068 | Danville office |
For a wider comparison, read the county agent guide. Verify current license status and brokerage affiliation on the linked DRE record, and agree on representation terms in writing.
How to vet a Kensington agent
- Ask how they confirm County rules. Ask how they check permit history and zoning with Contra Costa County for an unincorporated parcel.
- Ask how they evaluate a steep lot. Ask which inspections they usually recommend (drainage, foundation, retaining walls, geotechnical, sewer lateral).
- Ask about fire zone status and insurance. Ask how they check the Fire Hazard Severity Zone and handle AB 38 documents, and when they suggest getting insurance quotes.
- Ask for comparables with similar views and slope. A view home on a steep downslope lot and a home on a level street should not be priced from the same sales.
- Ask about access and parking. On narrow hillside streets, ask how they check driveway access, parking and any shared-access agreements in the title report.
- Verify the license yourself. Look up the agent on the DRE site and confirm the responsible broker matches the brokerage they name.
Kensington questions we hear
Is Kensington part of El Cerrito or Berkeley?
No. Kensington is an unincorporated community governed by Contra Costa County. It borders El Cerrito and sits near Berkeley, but neither city’s rules or transfer taxes apply.
Does Kensington have a city transfer tax?
No. As an unincorporated area, a Kensington sale typically shows only the county tax of $0.55 per $500 listed by the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder. Confirm the figure on your escrow estimate.
Is my Kensington home in a fire hazard zone?
Look up the address on the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps. The natural hazard disclosure report in escrow will also state the designation.
How do I check a Kensington 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 Kensington agent?
Yes. Interview at least two or three, ask each for recent sales near the homes you are considering, and compare how they explain County permits, slope and fire zone questions for that address.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter: Kensington, CA (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year estimates)
- Coldwell Banker Realty and Red Oak Realty agent profiles linked in the table
- Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder: documentary transfer tax
- State Fire Marshal: Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Related: Kensington real estate guide · Kensington home valuation · Contra Costa 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.
