Best Realtors in North Highlands, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
North Highlands is an unincorporated community of about 48,000 people in northern Sacramento County, between Antelope, Foothill Farms and the former McClellan Air Force Base. Its housing is mostly single-story homes from the decades after World War II, along with condos and newer infill, so permit history and the condition of older systems matter in many purchases.
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 on the agent’s profile.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the brokerage they work under.
- A public page that names North Highlands. We opened each agent’s public profile and confirmed it names North Highlands as an area served or through a listing or sale there; one profile names Hillsdale, which homes.com files as a North Highlands neighborhood, and the table says so.
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.
North Highlands housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | North Highlands CDP |
|---|---|
| Population | 47,957 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $367,600 (±$8,885) |
| Median household income | $65,495 (±$4,671) |
| Persons per household | 3.0 |
| Median age | 34.2 |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.7 minutes |
| Housing units | 16,876 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter.
North Highlands’ estimated median owner-occupied value is roughly three-fifths of the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom metro figure of $589,500 on the same profile, and its median household income is about two-thirds of the metro’s $97,188. The Census median includes condos and older single-family homes alike, so ask an agent for recent sales of the same home type and size.
Postwar neighborhoods near McClellan
North Highlands has no city government, so Sacramento County handles zoning, building permits and code enforcement. Neighborhoods such as Hillsdale and Oakdale are mostly older single-story homes on standard suburban lots, and the former McClellan base to the west is now a business park. Some addresses near the community’s edges carry a Sacramento or Antelope mailing address, so confirm the parcel’s jurisdiction before you rely on a mailing address. For more, see our North Highlands real estate guide and our notes on comparing neighborhoods, local comparable sales, home improvement records and association and assessment costs.
Costs and rules specific to a North Highlands purchase
- Transfer tax. The Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder charges documentary transfer tax of $0.55 per $500 of value and says the City of Sacramento is the only city in the county with its own transfer tax. North Highlands is unincorporated, so only the County tax applies: about $404 on a $367,600 sale. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Permits on older homes. Garage conversions, additions and replaced systems are common in older homes. Ask the seller for County permit records and compare them with what the house has today.
- Condos and associations. For a condo or townhome, read the association’s budget, reserve study and rules, and check whether lenders will finance in the complex.
- Short-term rentals. The County’s short-term rental permit page requires a permit, a County business license and transient occupancy tax registration in the unincorporated area, with the owner or a long-term renter living on site at least six months a year and stays capped at 29 days.
- Hazards and disclosures. Read the natural hazard disclosure report, check the parcel on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center, and plan your inspections with our inspection and insurance notes.
North Highlands 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 North Highlands. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dana Gray (licensed as Dana Lynn Gray) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Sacramento-Sierra Oaks | Salesperson #01971825 | North Highlands (past sale), Orangevale, Fair Oaks, Carmichael, Arden-Arcade |
| Carla Hart (licensed as Carla Maria Hart) | Windermere Signature Properties, Fair Oaks | Salesperson #01913740 | North Highlands, Carmichael, Arden-Arcade, Citrus Heights, El Dorado Hills |
| Crystal Lopez (licensed as Crystal Carmel Lopez) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Sacramento | Salesperson #01978732 | North Highlands (past sale), Rancho Cordova, Rio Linda, Carmichael, Arden-Arcade |
| Michelle Nosal (licensed as Michelle Lynn Nosal) | Windermere Signature Properties, Fair Oaks | Salesperson #01818179 | North Highlands (Oakdale and Hillsdale listings), Orangevale, Rancho Cordova, Fair Oaks |
| Patrick O’Hare (licensed as Patrick Michael O’Hare) | Century 21 Select Real Estate, Citrus Heights | Salesperson #00856701 | North Highlands (past sale), Hillsdale, Foothill Farms, Citrus Heights, Carmichael |
| Pierce Plam (licensed as Rodney Pierce Plam) | Windermere Signature Properties, Roseville/Granite Bay | Broker #01943166 | Hillsdale (filed under North Highlands on homes.com), Foothill Farms, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova |
| Veronica Rivas (licensed as Veronica Frances Rivas) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Sacramento | Salesperson #01905685 | North Highlands (past sale), Rancho Cordova, Roseville, Arden-Arcade, Citrus Heights |
On the DRE record, Coldwell Banker Realty agents are licensed under NRT West, Inc.; the Windermere Signature Properties agents under William L Lyon & Associates Inc, whose DRE record lists Windermere Signature Properties as a business name (Pierce Plam is a broker associate there); and the Century 21 agent under Century 21 Select Real Estate Inc (DRE #01011224). For more agents across the county, see our Sacramento County agents guide.
How to vet a North Highlands agent
- Ask for sales of the same home type. Condos, older single-story homes and newer infill sell very differently; ask for recent sales that match.
- Ask how they check permits. Ask how the agent confirms County permits for garage conversions, additions and roof or HVAC work.
- Ask about inspections. Ask which inspections the agent recommends for an older home, such as sewer lateral, roof and electrical.
- Ask about condo financing. For a condo, ask whether the complex has had lender or insurance issues.
- Confirm the jurisdiction. Ask whether the address is in unincorporated North Highlands or inside a city, since mailing addresses can differ.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current responsible broker on the DRE lookup.
North Highlands questions we hear
Is there a city transfer tax in North Highlands?
No. North Highlands is unincorporated, so only the Sacramento County tax of $0.55 per $500 applies.
What is the median home value in North Highlands?
Census estimates put the median owner-occupied value at about $367,600 for 2020–2024. Ask an agent for recent sales of the same home type.
Who handles permits in North Highlands?
Sacramento County, since North Highlands has no city government.
Can I run a short-term rental in North Highlands?
Only with a County permit and the on-site residency and stay limits on the County’s short-term rental page.
Why do the agents in this guide work from Fair Oaks, Sacramento and Citrus Heights offices?
None of the profiles we verified lists an office in North Highlands; agents who name it work from nearby offices.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, North Highlands CDP profile (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder, documentary transfer tax FAQ
- Sacramento County Planning, short-term rental permits
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center
- William L Lyon & Associates Inc DRE record (Windermere Signature Properties business name)
- Agent profiles on homes.com, linked in the table
- License records checked October 2026 on the California DRE public lookup. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Related: North Highlands real estate guide · North Highlands home valuation · Sacramento 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.
