Best Realtors in Los Altos, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Los Altos is a city of about 30,700 people in northwest Santa Clara County, between Palo Alto, Mountain View, Cupertino and the hills of Los Altos Hills. Most of its housing is single-family homes on tree-lined residential streets around a compact downtown, and buyers often compare it with neighboring cities by school district and lot size.
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 the agent works under.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the brokerage they work under.
- A public page tied to Los Altos. We opened a brokerage or MLS page that places the agent in a Los Altos office, names Los Altos as an area served, or lists Los Altos ZIP codes (94022, 94024).
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.
Los Altos housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | Los Altos |
|---|---|
| Population | 30,698 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $2,000,000 or more (top of the Census range) |
| Median household income | $250,000 or more (top of the Census range) |
| Persons per household | 2.8 |
| Median age | 45.9 |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.3 minutes |
| Housing units | 11,781 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. The Census caps reported home values at $2 million and household income at $250,000, so both Los Altos medians sit at those caps. These are survey estimates, not current sale prices.
Because the Census figures are capped, ask agents for recent closed sales in the neighborhood, school attendance area and lot size you want.
Downtown, the neighborhoods and the city edges
Downtown Los Altos is a walkable grid of shops and restaurants around Main and State streets, with residential neighborhoods spreading out on all sides. Lot sizes, home ages and school assignments vary from one part of the city to the next, and some addresses with a Los Altos mailing address are in Los Altos Hills or unincorporated county land instead. For more, see our Los Altos real estate guide, neighborhood comparison, home improvement records and inspection and insurance planning pages.
Costs and rules specific to a Los Altos purchase
- Transfer tax. The Santa Clara County Ordinance Code, Division A30, Chapter III sets the county tax at 55 cents per $500 of value ($1.10 per $1,000), and section A30-40 credits a conforming city tax set at half that rate against the county’s. At the county rate, a $2,000,000 sale would carry about $2,200. Some nearby charter cities, including Mountain View, add their own taxes, so check which city a parcel is in and confirm the total on your escrow estimate. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Historic properties. The City keeps a Historic Resources Inventory that lists historic landmarks and other historic resource properties by address. If a home is on the list, ask City Planning what review applies before you plan a remodel or rebuild.
- Permits and rebuilds. Many older homes have been expanded or replaced. Ask for permit history and compare it with the County Assessor’s records before you remove contingencies.
- Hazards. Read the natural hazard disclosure report for fault and liquefaction zones, and check the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for homes near the foothills.
Los Altos 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 Los Altos. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debra Ahn | Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno, Los Altos | Salesperson #01702785 | Los Altos office; ZIP codes including 94022 and 94024 |
| Derek Cappiello (licensed as Derek Robert Cappiello) | Sotheby’s International Realty | Salesperson #01983178 | Woodside, Atherton, Menlo Park, Redwood City, Los Altos, Half Moon Bay, La Honda |
| Janet Dore | Coldwell Banker Realty, Menlo Park | Broker #00621176 | Atherton, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Woodside |
| Nicholas French | Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno, Los Altos | Broker #01350085 | Los Altos office |
| Lorie Gillespie | Intero Real Estate Services, Los Gatos | Salesperson #01465384 | ZIP codes across the county, including 94022 and 94024 |
| Ginny Kavanaugh (licensed as Virginia McTigue Kavanaugh) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Portola Valley | Salesperson #00884747 | Portola Valley, Woodside, Atherton, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills |
| Marc Roos | Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno, Los Altos | Salesperson #01128822 | Los Altos office |
| Beth Webster | Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno, Los Altos | Salesperson #01363002 | Los Altos office |
| Cecily Zhang (licensed as Haijing Zhang) | Compass, Menlo Park | Broker #01701665 | Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Atherton |
On the DRE record, Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno agents are licensed under Sereno Group, Inc. (DRE #02101181), Coldwell Banker Realty agents under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304), Compass agents under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235), Sotheby’s International Realty agents under Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. (DRE #00899496), and Intero agents under Intero Real Estate Services Inc (DRE #01354442). Christie’s agents appear on the MLSListings Los Altos office page. For more agents across the county, see our Santa Clara County agents guide.
How to vet a Los Altos agent
- Ask how they confirm school assignments. Ask whether they check the district’s boundary tool for the exact address.
- Confirm the city. A Los Altos mailing address can be in Los Altos Hills or unincorporated land, which changes permits, taxes and services.
- Ask about historic status. Ask how they check the City’s Historic Resources Inventory before you plan changes.
- Ask about rebuild potential. If you plan to remodel or rebuild, ask how they confirm zoning limits and permit history.
- Ask how they handle competitive offers. Ask about pre-offer inspections, offer review dates and contingencies.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Los Altos questions we hear
Does Los Altos have its own transfer tax?
State law sets the county documentary transfer tax at $1.10 per $1,000, and a city tax under that law is credited against it. Your escrow estimate will show the exact lines.
What is the median home value in Los Altos?
The Census caps its home value range at $2 million, and the city’s 2020–2024 median is at that cap. Ask an agent for recent sales of similar homes.
Is a Los Altos address always in the City of Los Altos?
No. Some properties with Los Altos mailing addresses are in the Town of Los Altos Hills or unincorporated Santa Clara County.
Do all the agents in this guide work from Los Altos offices?
No. Four work from the Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno office in Los Altos; the others work from nearby offices and name Los Altos or its ZIP codes on their profiles.
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, Los Altos profile (ACS 2024 5-year)
- City of Los Altos, Historic Inventory
- Santa Clara County Ordinance Code, Division A30, Chapter III, Real Property Transfer Tax (county rate of $0.55 per $500; section A30-40 credit for a conforming half-rate city tax)
- California Attorney General Opinion 06-1009 (documentary transfer tax and city credit)
- City of Mountain View, Real property transfer (conveyance) tax
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- MLSListings, Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno Los Altos office and agent profiles on mlslistings.com, coldwellbankerhomes.com and compass.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: Los Altos Hills · Cupertino
Related: Los Altos real estate guide · Los Altos home valuation · Santa Clara 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.
