Best Realtors in Portola Valley, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Portola Valley is a small incorporated town of about 4,300 people in the hills of southern San Mateo County, between Woodside and the Santa Cruz Mountains ridge. Homes sit on large, often wooded lots along Portola and Alpine roads and in neighborhoods such as Westridge, Portola Valley Ranch and Los Trancos Woods, and the San Andreas Fault runs through town. The agents who name Portola Valley on their profiles mostly work from a Coldwell Banker office on Portola Road and from Compass in Woodside.
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 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 Portola Valley. We opened each agent’s profile or office roster and confirmed it names Portola Valley, either as a service area or as the agent’s office.
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.
Portola Valley housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 5-year) | Portola Valley town |
|---|---|
| Population | 4,305 |
| Housing units | 1,894 (±191) |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $2,000,001 (top of the reported range) |
| Median household income | $250,001 (top of the reported range) |
| Persons per household | 2.4 (±0.2) |
| Median age | 60.6 (±9.5) |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.3 minutes (±10.9) |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. The home value and income figures are capped at the top of the Census range, so the true medians are higher than shown.
Because the Census caps both figures, they say little about actual prices. With fewer than 2,000 homes in town, ask agents for recent sales of homes with similar acreage, slope and access.
Hillside lots, planned neighborhoods and the fault zone
Portola Valley was planned around open space and low density, and most lots are an acre or larger. Westridge and the Alpine Road corridor hold older custom homes on wooded slopes; Portola Valley Ranch is a planned community with clustered homes and shared open space; Los Trancos Woods and Vista Verde in the hills toward the ridge have smaller, older homes on steep, narrow roads. For estate and access topics, see our Portola Valley real estate guide, hillside property evidence and private road and access records pages.
Costs and rules specific to a Portola Valley 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: $3,300 on a $3 million sale. The only city conveyance tax the Recorder mentions is the City of San Mateo’s; confirm on your escrow estimate that no other tax applies. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Town geologic maps. The Town Council adopted a Geologic Map and a Ground Movement Potential Map in November 2017, with land use policies the Town says guide its decisions. Ask the Planning and Building Department how the maps classify a parcel before you plan an addition or new house, and order a geotechnical review.
- Earthquake fault zone. The San Andreas Fault crosses town. The natural hazard disclosure report shows whether a parcel lies in a state-mapped earthquake fault zone.
- Fire hazard and AB 38. 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.
- Septic, wells and private roads. Some hillside homes rely on septic systems or private water, and many share private roads. Ask for septic records, water service details and any road maintenance agreement.
Portola Valley 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 Portola Valley. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mia Banks | Coldwell Banker Realty, Portola Valley | Salesperson #01890669 | Portola Valley office, 116 Portola Road |
| Erika Demma | Compass, Woodside | Salesperson #01230766 | Portola Valley, Woodside, Atherton, Menlo Park, Palo Alto |
| Mary Dolan | Coldwell Banker Realty, Portola Valley | Salesperson #01975906 | Portola Valley office, 116 Portola Road |
| Curtis Grisham (licensed as Charles Curtis Grisham Jr) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Portola Valley | Salesperson #02017290 | Portola Valley office, 116 Portola Road |
| Scott Hayes (licensed as Scott Packard Hayes) | Compass, Woodside | Salesperson #01401243 | Portola Valley, Woodside, La Honda, the Coastside |
| 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 |
| Joe Kavanaugh (licensed as Joseph Patrick Kavanaugh) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Portola Valley | Salesperson #01351481 | Portola Valley office, 116 Portola Road |
| John Kavanaugh (licensed as John Stephen Kavanaugh) | Coldwell Banker Realty, Portola Valley | Salesperson #02058127 | Portola Valley office, 116 Portola Road |
| Stephanie Nash | Compass, Woodside | Salesperson #01104524 | Portola Valley, Woodside, Redwood City, San Carlos |
On the DRE record, Coldwell Banker Realty agents are licensed under NRT West, Inc. (DRE #01908304), and Compass agents under Compass California II, Inc. (DRE #01527235). The Coldwell Banker agents appear on the Portola Valley office roster. License status and brokerage affiliations change; check the DRE record before you hire anyone.
How to vet a Portola Valley agent
- Ask about hillside and acreage sales. Ask for recent sales with similar lot size, slope and views; tract comparisons rarely work here.
- Ask how they read the geologic maps. An agent who sells here should know how the Town’s ground movement map affects building and additions.
- Ask about fire and insurance. Ask when they recommend getting insurance quotes and how they handle AB 38 documentation.
- Check water, septic and roads. Ask for septic records, water service details and private road agreements up front.
- Ask about permit history. Ask how they confirm that past additions, pools and outbuildings were permitted by the Town.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Portola Valley questions we hear
Does Portola Valley have its own transfer tax?
The San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder mentions only the City of San Mateo’s conveyance tax in addition to the county tax of $1.10 per $1,000. Confirm the total on your escrow estimate.
Who issues building permits in Portola Valley?
The Town of Portola Valley’s Planning and Building Department, which applies the Town’s adopted geologic maps and land use policies to projects.
What is the median home value in Portola Valley?
The Census reports the median as $2,000,001 for 2020–2024, which is the top of its reporting range, so the real median is higher. Ask an agent for recent sales of comparable homes.
Is Ladera part of Portola Valley?
No. Ladera, next to the town along Alpine Road, is an unincorporated area of San Mateo County, so the County, not the Town, handles its permits.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, Portola Valley town profile (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Town of Portola Valley, Geologic and Ground Movement Potential Maps
- San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder, documentary transfer tax
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Coldwell Banker Realty Portola Valley office roster; agent profiles on coldwellbankerhomes.com and compass.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: Woodside · Menlo Park · Atherton
Related: Portola Valley real estate guide · Portola Valley 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.
