Best Realtors in Marshall, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Marshall is a small unincorporated hamlet on the east shore of Tomales Bay in West Marin, strung along State Route 1 between Point Reyes Station and Tomales. Its homes are mostly bayfront cottages and ranch properties on the hills above, so a Marshall agent should be able to explain coastal permits, shoreline structures, septic systems and rental-license limits 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 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. We left out anyone whose record showed no responsible broker, a suspension or an expired license.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the firm they work under, and it matches the brokerage on their profile.
- A public profile or office page that names Marshall. We opened each agent’s profile and confirmed it names Marshall, or confirmed that the agent appears on a brokerage office page that lists Marshall among the areas the office serves. For the two Coldwell Banker agents, the office page, not their individual profile, names Marshall.
We did not rank agents, and we did not consider sales volume, reviews or awards. Few public profiles name Marshall, so this list is short; agents in our Inverness and Dillon Beach guides also work along Tomales Bay. None of the agents below works from an office in Marshall. Licenses and affiliations change, so verify the license yourself before you sign anything, and interview more than one agent.
Marshall housing in numbers
The Census Bureau does not publish a separate place profile for Marshall, so we have not included a Census table. Figures for nearby Inverness, across the bay, and Dillon Beach, to the north, are in those guides. With very few Marshall sales, an agent should explain which Tomales Bay sales they compared and how they adjusted for water frontage, the condition of any pilings or decks, and septic.
Marshall settings: bayfront cottages and ranch land
Most Marshall homes sit in a narrow strip between Route 1 and Tomales Bay, where cottages, docks and boathouses face the water, with ranch and agricultural land on the hills to the east. Shoreline structures, tidal exposure and septic systems are the main due-diligence issues. Our guides to coastal home inspections, coastal home pricing, the coastal ownership budget, coastal property records and shoreline property comparison go into detail. See also our Marshall real estate guide.
Costs and rules specific to a Marshall purchase
- Transfer tax. The Marin County Recorder’s transfer tax sheet lists the county documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500 of value, and the only city tax it lists is San Rafael’s. Marshall is unincorporated, so the county tax alone applies: $1,100 per $1 million of price. Who pays is negotiable; confirm the figure on your escrow estimate.
- Coastal zoning and permits. Marshall is in the Coastal Zone, where Marin County’s coastal zoning code (Chapter 20.62) and Local Coastal Program apply, and most development needs a Coastal Development Permit. The County is processing Local Coastal Program amendments. Budget time for coastal review before planning a remodel.
- Shoreline structures. Docks, piers, pilings and seawalls on Tomales Bay can involve state and regional agencies as well as the County; ask for permits and condition reports for any structure over or next to the water.
- Short-term rentals. Stays under 30 days in unincorporated Marin need a county license under the Marin County short-term rental program. Licenses come from a waitlist and are capped countywide, with separate caps in several West Marin townships, so do not assume a license transfers with the home.
- Septic. Bayfront and ranch homes usually rely on septic systems. Order a septic inspection and check County records for the system’s permits before you remove contingencies.
- 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. Get an insurance quote before you remove contingencies.
- Other hazards. The natural hazard disclosure report shows whether an address is in a mapped tsunami, flood, fault or landslide zone, which matters on the bayfront and the hillsides.
Marshall 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 Marshall. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Barrett | Compass | Salesperson #01917077 | Marshall, Tomales, Dillon Beach, Inverness, Point Reyes Station and other West Marin towns |
| B.G. Bates | Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty, San Rafael office | Salesperson #00968254 | Marshall, Tomales, Dillon Beach, Inverness, Point Reyes Station and other West Marin towns |
| Rick Trono | Compass | Broker #01045523 | Marshall, Inverness, Nicasio, Stinson Beach, West Marin |
| Ed Vail | Coldwell Banker Realty, Bodega Bay office | Broker #00774354 | Bodega Bay office, which lists Marshall, Tomales and Point Reyes Station among areas served |
| Travis Vail | Coldwell Banker Realty, Bodega Bay office | Salesperson #02048911 | Bodega Bay office, which lists Marshall, Tomales and Point Reyes Station among areas served |
Compass agents are licensed under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235). B.G. Bates is licensed under Decker Bullock Dreyfus Inc. (DRE #02027353), the firm that operates Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty, and her profile is on homes.com. Ed Vail and Travis Vail appear on the Coldwell Banker Realty Bodega Bay office page, which lists Marshall among the areas it serves; they are licensed under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304). Ed Vail’s license record shows an expiration date of December 20, 2026; check the record before you sign. Some DRE records show a legal name that differs from the name the agent uses (William Eddy Barrett, Beverly Gay Buttemiller Bates, Richard Quirino Trono, Edward Emerson Vail, Edward Travis Vail); in each case the license number on the profile matches the record we linked.
How to vet a Marshall agent
- Ask which sales they used. With very few Marshall sales, ask which Tomales Bay sales they compared and how they adjusted for frontage and structure condition.
- Ask about docks, pilings and decks. Ask what permits and inspection reports exist for any structure over or next to the water.
- Ask about coastal permits. Ask how they check County records for Coastal Development Permits on past work.
- Ask about septic. Ask which septic inspections they recommend and how they read County records.
- Ask about rental licenses and insurance. If rental income matters, ask how the county cap affects you, and when to get insurance quotes.
- Verify the license yourself. Look up the agent on the DRE site and confirm the firm they work under matches the brokerage they name.
Marshall questions we hear
Does Marshall have its own transfer tax?
No. Marshall is unincorporated, and the Marin County Recorder’s sheet lists only San Rafael as adding a city tax, so a sale carries the county tax of $0.55 per $500.
Is Marshall in the Coastal Zone?
Yes. Marshall follows Marin County’s coastal zoning code and Local Coastal Program, and most development needs a Coastal Development Permit.
Can I rent a Marshall home short term?
Only with a Marin County short-term rental license, issued from a waitlist under a countywide cap. Check the County’s STR page before counting on rental income.
Why are there so few agents in this guide?
We list only agents whose profile or office page names Marshall and whose license we confirmed. See our Inverness guide and the Marin County agents guide for more agents who work along Tomales Bay.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the tables)
- Coldwell Banker Realty, Bodega Bay office; agent profiles on compass.com, homes.com and coldwellbanker.com, linked in the table
- Marin County Recorder: documentary transfer tax
- Marin County Code Chapter 20.62, Coastal Zoning Districts (GoCodebook) and LCP and Housing Element amendments
- Marin County: short-term rental license
- 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: Marshall real estate guide · Marshall home valuation · Marin 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.
