Best Realtors in Nicasio, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Nicasio is a tiny unincorporated village in the rolling ranch country of West Marin, centered on its old town square, church and school, with Nicasio Reservoir to the north and the San Geronimo Valley to the south. The Census counts fewer than 100 residents in the village itself; most property nearby is ranch land, homes on acreage and the occasional estate, so water, septic, agricultural zoning and fire exposure shape most sales.
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. We left out anyone whose record showed a suspension, an expired license or a responsible broker that did not match the brokerage on their profile.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the brokerage they work under, and it matches their profile.
- A public profile that names Nicasio. We opened each agent’s brokerage or listing-site profile and confirmed it names Nicasio, through a service area, bio, listing or sale.
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.
Nicasio housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | Nicasio CDP |
|---|---|
| Population | 91 |
| Housing units | 31 (±19) |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $1,968,800 (±$954,205) |
| Median household income | $250,001 (top-coded: "$250,000 or more") |
| Mean travel time to work | 47.9 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. The Census place covers only the village and a few dozen homes, and the margins of error are very wide; treat these as rough guides, not sale prices.
Most Nicasio-area property lies outside the small Census place, on ranches and rural parcels, so these figures say little about any one sale. A commute of nearly 48 minutes reflects how far the village is from Marin’s job centers along Highway 101.
Ranch land, the reservoir and the village square
Nicasio has no city government, so Marin County handles zoning and permits. Much of the surrounding land is in agricultural use, and some ranches carry agricultural conservation easements that limit future building, so read the title report closely. Homes rely on wells or small water systems and on septic, and roads such as Nicasio Valley Road and Lucas Valley Road connect the village to Point Reyes Station, the San Geronimo Valley and Highway 101. For more, see our Nicasio real estate guide.
Costs and rules specific to a Nicasio purchase
- Transfer tax. The Marin County Recorder’s transfer tax sheet lists the county documentary transfer tax at $0.55 per $500 of value ($1.10 per $1,000). Nicasio is unincorporated, so no city tax applies: about $2,166 on a $1,968,800 sale. Who pays is negotiable; confirm it on your escrow estimate.
- County zoning and permits. Unincorporated Marin is regulated under the County’s Title 22 Development Code. Ask the County which zoning and any community plan apply to the parcel, and whether any part is in the Coastal Zone, before you plan a barn, guest house or second unit.
- Short-term rentals. Stays under 30 days in unincorporated Marin need a county license under the Marin County short-term rental program, which caps licenses and issues new ones from a waitlist.
- Septic and wells. Order a septic inspection, ask for the septic permit file, and get a well yield and water quality test before removing contingencies.
- Fire hazard 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 should come early.
Nicasio 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 Nicasio. 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 | Nicasio, Point Reyes Station, Tomales, Woodacre, San Geronimo; West Marin |
| B.G. Bates (licensed as Beverly Gay Buttemiller Bates) | Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty, San Rafael | Salesperson #00968254 | Nicasio, Olema, Point Reyes Station, Tomales, San Geronimo Valley; West Marin |
| Paul Bragstad | Compass | Salesperson #00823526 | Nicasio, Ross, Kentfield, Stinson Beach and other Marin towns |
| Carey Hagglund Condy | Compass | Salesperson #01323032 | Nicasio, Ross, Kentfield, San Anselmo, Belvedere, Tiburon |
| Stephanie Lamarre | Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty, Greenbrae | Broker #01840604 | Nicasio (listings or sales); Ross, Kentfield, San Anselmo, Greenbrae |
| Michela Rizzo McCurdy | Compass | Salesperson #01974228 | Nicasio, Woodacre, San Geronimo Valley, Point Reyes Station, Inverness; West Marin |
| Rick Trono | Compass | Broker #01045523 | Nicasio, Forest Knolls, Inverness, Marshall, Stinson Beach; West Marin |
Compass agents are licensed under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235); Rick Trono is a broker associate there. B.G. Bates is licensed under, and Stephanie Lamarre is a broker associate for, Decker Bullock Dreyfus Inc. (DRE #02027353), whose DRE record lists Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty as a business name with branches in San Rafael and Greenbrae. Both Golden Gate Sotheby’s profiles are on homes.com, a listing site. Some DRE records show a legal name that differs from the name the agent uses (for example William Eddy Barrett, Paul Jonathan Bragstad and Richard Quirino Trono); the license number on each profile matches the record we linked.
How to vet a Nicasio agent
- Ask about ranch and rural sales. Ask how many West Marin ranch, acreage or rural home sales the agent has handled.
- Read the easements. Ask whether the parcel carries an agricultural conservation easement, a grazing lease or shared access, and what each allows.
- Confirm water and septic. Ask for well logs, a yield test, the septic file and any water system records before you write an offer.
- Check what was permitted. Compare barns, studios and guest houses on site with the County’s permit records.
- Get fire insurance quotes early. Grassland and wooded hills around Nicasio can be costly to insure.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Nicasio questions we hear
Is there a city transfer tax in Nicasio?
No. Nicasio is unincorporated, so only the county tax of $0.55 per $500 applies, per the Marin County Recorder.
What is the median home value in Nicasio?
The Census estimate for the small village is about $1.97 million for 2020–2024, with a margin of error of nearly $1 million. Ask an agent for recent sales of comparable property.
Who handles permits in Nicasio?
Marin County’s Community Development Agency, under the County development code.
Is there a real estate office in Nicasio?
None of the agents we checked works from Nicasio. Their offices are in Greenbrae, San Rafael and elsewhere in Marin.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Decker Bullock Dreyfus Inc. DRE record (Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty business name and branches)
- Census Reporter, Nicasio CDP (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Marin County Recorder, documentary transfer tax
- Marin County Title 22 Development Code
- Marin County short-term rental program
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Agent profiles on compass.com and homes.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: San Geronimo · Olema · Inverness
Related: Nicasio real estate guide · Nicasio 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.
