Best Realtors in Pescadero, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Pescadero is a small unincorporated farm town on the southern San Mateo County coast, set along Pescadero Creek just inland from Highway 1. Its market is mostly rural: older homes in and around the village, farms and ranch land in the creek valleys, and a few properties near the coast. The agents who name Pescadero on their profiles mostly work from Half Moon Bay and Woodside offices.
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 Pescadero. We opened each agent’s brokerage or MLS profile and confirmed it names Pescadero, in a service-area list, the agent’s bio, or Pescadero listings and sales.
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.
Pescadero housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | Pescadero CDP |
|---|---|
| Population | 691 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $1,958,300 (±$1,115,087) |
| Median household income | $250,001 (top of the reported range) |
| Persons per household | 3.1 (±2.5) |
| Median age | 41.6 (±11.2) |
| Mean travel time to work | 28.9 minutes (±29.9) |
| Housing units | 167 (±104) |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. For a community this small the margins of error are very wide; treat these as rough guides, not current sale prices.
With fewer than 200 housing units in the Census area, only a handful of homes change hands in a typical year, and each one differs in acreage, water and access. Recent sales of similar property, not an average, are the useful guide; ask agents for them.
Village homes, farms and the south coast
Pescadero has no city government, so San Mateo County handles zoning, permits and coastal approvals. The village itself is a few blocks of older homes, churches and shops along Stage Road and Pescadero Creek Road. Beyond it, most properties are rural parcels in the Pescadero and Butano creek valleys and the hills toward La Honda and Loma Mar, many with wells, septic systems and farm or grazing use. For more on the town, see our Pescadero real estate guide, coastal property records and coastal home inspections pages.
Costs and rules specific to a Pescadero purchase
- Transfer tax. The San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder levies the documentary transfer tax at 55 cents per $500, or $1.10 per $1,000 of value: about $2,154 on a $1,958,300 sale. Pescadero is unincorporated, so no city tax applies; the only city conveyance tax the Recorder mentions is the City of San Mateo’s. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Coastal permits. Pescadero lies in the Coastal Zone, where County zoning adds coastal rules under the Zoning and Development Code and the Local Coastal Program. Ask County Planning whether a remodel, addition, barn or second unit would need a coastal development permit before you plan around one.
- Wells and septic. Rural parcels usually rely on private wells and septic systems. Ask for well logs, a yield and water-quality test, and septic records, and confirm where the leach field sits before planning any addition.
- Flood zones. Low ground near Pescadero and Butano creeks and the marsh can sit in mapped flood zones. Check the parcel on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center and read the natural hazard disclosure report.
- Fire hazard and insurance. Look up the address on the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps. In High or Very High zones, sellers must provide defensible space documentation or an agreement for the buyer to obtain it; see our AB 38 guide. Get an insurance quote before you remove contingencies.
Pescadero 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 Pescadero. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deborah Cozzolino | Coldwell Banker Realty, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #01774449 | Pescadero, San Gregorio, Half Moon Bay, Miramar, El Granada, Moss Beach, Montara |
| Linda Crose-Andersen | Coldwell Banker Realty, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #01957715 | Pescadero, Half Moon Bay, La Honda, San Gregorio, Woodside, Pacifica |
| Patrick Ryan (licensed as Patrick Joseph Ryan) | Compass, Woodside | Salesperson #01044049 | Pescadero, Half Moon Bay, La Honda, Moss Beach, El Granada (listings and sales) |
| Shanti Minkstein | Compass, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #02122033 | The coast from Pacifica to Pescadero; Half Moon Bay, El Granada, Moss Beach, Montara |
| Diana Plank | Coldwell Banker Realty, Half Moon Bay | Broker #00779576 | Pescadero, San Gregorio, Tunitas Creek, Half Moon Bay, Montara, Pacifica |
| Nate Serdy (licensed as Nathan Michael Serdy) | Compass, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #01493170 | Pescadero, Half Moon Bay, Montara, El Granada (listings and sales); the Coastside |
| Frank Vento | Intero Real Estate Services, Burlingame | Broker #01321362 | Pescadero (bio); Coastside ZIP codes including 94060 |
| Mollie Whipp (licensed as Mollie Katherine Whipp) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Half Moon Bay | Salesperson #01925212 | Pescadero (listings); Half Moon Bay office |
On the DRE record, Coldwell Banker Realty agents are licensed under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304), Compass agents under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235), and Intero agents under Intero Real Estate Services Inc (DRE #01354442). For more coastal and Peninsula agents, see our San Mateo County agents guide.
How to vet a Pescadero agent
- Ask about rural and farm sales. Pescadero deals often involve acreage, wells, ag use and private roads; ask how many such sales the agent has handled on the south coast.
- Confirm water before you write an offer. Ask for well logs, yield and water-quality tests, and any water rights or pond permits.
- Check coastal permit history. Ask how the agent confirms that past additions and outbuildings had County and coastal approvals.
- Ask about flood and access. Ask whether the parcel or its access road sits in a mapped flood zone, and whether a road maintenance agreement covers any shared private road.
- Get insurance quotes early. Hillside and wooded parcels can be hard to insure; build the premium into your budget.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Pescadero questions we hear
Is there a city transfer tax in Pescadero?
No. Pescadero is unincorporated, so only the county tax applies: $1.10 per $1,000 of value, per the San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder.
Who handles permits in Pescadero?
San Mateo County Planning and Building. Because Pescadero is in the Coastal Zone, many projects also need a coastal development permit under the County’s Local Coastal Program.
What is the median home value in Pescadero?
Census estimates put the median owner-occupied value at about $1,958,300 for 2020–2024, with a margin of error of more than $1 million. Ask an agent for recent sales of comparable property.
Why are most of these agents based in Half Moon Bay?
Pescadero has no brokerage office of its own among the profiles we checked. Most agents who name Pescadero work from Half Moon Bay offices about 15 miles north, plus one Compass agent from Woodside and one Intero agent from Burlingame who lives in Pescadero.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, Pescadero CDP profile (ACS 2024 5-year)
- San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder, documentary transfer tax
- San Mateo County Planning and Zoning and Development Code
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center
- 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: San Gregorio · La Honda · Half Moon Bay
Related: Pescadero real estate guide · Pescadero home valuation · San Mateo 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.
