Best Realtors in Los Altos Hills, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Los Altos Hills is a town of about 8,400 people in the foothills of northwest Santa Clara County, between Los Altos, Palo Alto, Cupertino and the open space of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is almost entirely residential, with homes on large hillside lots, many of them on septic systems, and it has no downtown or brokerage offices of its own.
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 Hills. We opened each agent’s brokerage or MLS profile and confirmed it names Los Altos Hills, or, in two cases, lists ZIP codes 94022 and 94024, which Los Altos Hills shares with Los Altos.
Because the town has no brokerage offices, these agents work from offices in Los Altos, Menlo Park, Portola Valley and Los Gatos. We did not rank agents, and we did not consider sales volume, reviews or awards. Check the license yourself before you sign anything, and interview more than one agent.
Los Altos Hills housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | Los Altos Hills |
|---|---|
| Population | 8,377 |
| 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 | 2.7 |
| Median age | 53.6 |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.3 minutes |
| Housing units | 3,363 |
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 medians sit at those caps. These are survey estimates, not current sale prices.
Because the Census figures are capped and lots vary widely in size, slope and views, ask agents for closed sales of comparable properties in the town.
Large lots, hillside roads and open space
Los Altos Hills spreads across rolling foothills off Interstate 280, with winding residential roads, horse properties and homes on lots that are often an acre or more. Some neighborhoods connect to sewer and others rely on septic systems, and many streets back onto open space preserves or private paths. For more, see our Los Altos Hills real estate guide, property setting comparison, hillside home due diligence and renovation feasibility records.
Costs and rules specific to a Los Altos Hills 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 town tax set at half that rate against the county’s. At the county rate, a $2,000,000 sale would carry about $2,200. Confirm the total on your escrow estimate; our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Septic systems. The Town’s septic system requirements bulletin (December 2003) says the County Department of Environmental Health permits septic systems in the town, and that additions of more than 500 square feet generally require the system to meet current code. Each detached secondary dwelling needs its own system. If you plan to add space or an accessory unit, ask for a septic evaluation before you remove contingencies.
- Hillside development. Slope, grading and drainage shape what can be built or added; see our hillside ownership budget and ask Town Planning about a specific lot.
- Fire zones and insurance. Many hillside properties carry mapped wildfire risk. Check the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, get an insurance quote early, and see our AB 38 guide.
- Hazard disclosures. The natural hazard disclosure report covers mapped fault, landslide and fire zones.
Los Altos Hills 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 Hills. 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 | ZIP codes including 94022 and 94024 (not Los Altos Hills by name) |
| Janet Dore | Coldwell Banker Realty, Menlo Park | Broker #00621176 | Atherton, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Woodside |
| Lorie Gillespie | Intero Real Estate Services, Los Gatos | Salesperson #01465384 | ZIP codes across the county, including 94022 and 94024 (not Los Altos Hills by name) |
| Mary Gullixson (licensed as Mary Schutte Gullixson) | Compass, Menlo Park | Salesperson #00373961 | Atherton, Woodside, Los Altos Hills, Portola Valley, Palo Alto, Menlo Park |
| 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 |
| DiPali Shah | Compass, Menlo Park | Broker #01249165 | Atherton, Palo Alto, Los Altos Hills, Portola Valley, Woodside, Menlo Park, Emerald Hills |
| 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, Compass agents are licensed under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235), Coldwell Banker Realty agents under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304), Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno agents under Sereno Group, Inc. (DRE #02101181), and Intero agents under Intero Real Estate Services Inc (DRE #01354442). For more agents nearby, see our Los Altos agents guide and Santa Clara County agents guide.
How to vet a Los Altos Hills agent
- Confirm the town, not just the ZIP code. Los Altos Hills shares 94022 and 94024 with Los Altos, so check which jurisdiction a parcel is in.
- Ask about septic or sewer. Ask how the agent confirms whether a home is on septic, and what records they request from the County.
- Ask about expansion limits. Ask how they check what a lot allows before you pay for remodel or rebuild potential.
- Ask about fire zone and insurance. Ask when they recommend getting a quote and how they handle AB 38 documentation.
- Ask for comparable sales. With large, varied lots, ask which recent town sales they would compare and why.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Los Altos Hills questions we hear
Are many Los Altos Hills homes on septic?
Some neighborhoods are sewered and others use septic systems. The Town’s bulletin says the County Department of Environmental Health permits septic systems there; confirm the setup for a specific home.
Does a remodel affect my septic system?
The Town’s bulletin says additions of more than 500 square feet generally require the septic system to meet current code. Ask the County before you plan an addition.
What is the median home value in Los Altos Hills?
The Census caps its home value range at $2 million, and the town’s 2020–2024 median is at that cap. Ask an agent for recent sales of similar homes.
Why do these agents work from offices outside the town?
Los Altos Hills has no commercial district, so agents who serve it work from offices in nearby cities.
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 Hills profile (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Town of Los Altos Hills, Septic System Requirements bulletin (December 2003)
- 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)
- 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: Los Altos · Portola Valley · Cupertino
Related: Los Altos Hills real estate guide · Los Altos Hills 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.
