Best Realtors in Salinas, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
Salinas is the Monterey County seat and the county’s largest city, with about 161,000 residents in the heart of the Salinas Valley farm belt. Its housing ranges from early 1900s homes near Oldtown to postwar tracts and newer subdivisions in North and South Salinas, and every agent below works from a Salinas office.
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 the agent works under.
- A named brokerage. Each agent’s DRE record shows the brokerage they work under.
- A public page tied to Salinas. We opened each agent’s brokerage profile or the MLSListings roster for their Salinas office and confirmed it places them in Salinas.
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.
Salinas housing in numbers
| Census measure (ACS 2024 1-year) | Salinas |
|---|---|
| Population | 160,779 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $687,700 (±$30,017) |
| Median household income | $87,837 (±$8,843) |
| Persons per household | 3.8 |
| Median age | 30.9 |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.1 minutes |
| Housing units | 43,077 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, as presented by Census Reporter. Figures are estimates with margins of error, not current sale prices.
Salinas’s estimated median owner-occupied value sits below the Monterey County figure of $808,600 in the same survey, as shown on Census Reporter’s county profile, which is one reason many Peninsula workers look here. Households are large, averaging close to four people, so bedroom count and space for an ADU matter to many buyers.
Oldtown, North Salinas, East Salinas and the newer subdivisions
Salinas is an incorporated city, so the City’s Community Development Department handles zoning, building permits and ADUs. Older homes cluster around Oldtown and the central neighborhoods, while North Salinas and South Salinas hold larger postwar and later tract neighborhoods, and East Salinas (Alisal) has some of the city’s most affordable single-family homes and small multifamily buildings. For the city overall, see our Salinas real estate guide, our notes on older home records and inspections and our Salinas condo and townhome costs page.
Costs and rules specific to a Salinas purchase
- Transfer tax. Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32 sets Monterey County’s documentary transfer tax at 55 cents per $500 ($1.10 per $1,000), about $756 on a $687,700 sale. By local custom the cost is often split between buyer and seller in Salinas; your contract decides. The County code credits a qualifying city tax, and we did not find a separate Salinas transfer tax. Confirm the figure on your escrow estimate, and see our California transfer tax guide.
- ADUs. The City’s ADU page offers four pre-approved detached ADU plans from about 495 to 749 square feet, says the City charges no development or traffic impact fees for ADUs (school and water districts may), and requires a deed restriction recorded with the County before the permit issues. If you are buying with a backyard unit in mind, check the lot against those plans.
- Permit history. Older Salinas homes often have conversions and additions; ask the City for the permit file before you remove contingencies.
- Flood and hazard disclosures. Parts of the Salinas Valley sit near the Salinas River and mapped flood areas. Read the natural hazard disclosure report and price flood insurance if the home is in a mapped zone.
Salinas 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 Salinas. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fernando Carrillo | RE/MAX Property Experts, Salinas | Salesperson #01762241 | Salinas, Marina, Castroville, Monterey |
| Adrian Del Real | RE/MAX Property Experts, Salinas | Salesperson #01481662 | Salinas office |
| Jorge Edeza | RE/MAX Property Experts, Salinas | Broker #01864213 | Salinas, Monterey, Marina, Watsonville, Gilroy |
| Elizabeth Gomez | CENTURY 21 Masters, Salinas | Broker #01346008 | Salinas office roster |
| Jesse Hernandez | CENTURY 21 Masters, Salinas | Salesperson #01736274 | Salinas office roster |
| Chris Leon (licensed as Crispin M Leon) | CENTURY 21 Masters, Salinas | Broker #01350024 | Salinas office roster |
| Martin Morales | CENTURY 21 Masters, Salinas | Broker #01754042 | Salinas office roster |
| Margaret Salazar | CENTURY 21 Masters, Salinas | Broker #01200383 | Salinas office roster |
| Starlette Sanchez (licensed as Starlette Gadomski-Sanchez) | RE/MAX Property Experts, Salinas | Broker #01247690 DRE record name: Gadomski-Sanchez, Starlette. | Salinas, Monterey, Monterey County |
On the DRE record, RE/MAX Property Experts agents are licensed under Bay Capital Real Estate, Inc., which lists Remax Property Experts as a business name, and CENTURY 21 Masters agents under Full Realty Services Inc, which lists Century 21 Masters as a business name and a branch at 1544 Constitution Boulevard in Salinas. For agents elsewhere in the county, see our Monterey County agents guide.
How to vet a Salinas agent
- Ask which part of Salinas they sell most. Oldtown, North Salinas, East Salinas and the newer southern subdivisions price very differently.
- Ask about permits on older homes. Garage conversions and unpermitted additions are common; ask how the agent checks City permit records.
- If you want an ADU, bring the lot to the agent. Ask whether the yard fits one of the City’s pre-approved plans and the four-foot setbacks.
- Ask for a net sheet. It should show the county transfer tax split, supplemental property tax and any HOA or Mello-Roos assessments on newer subdivisions.
- Ask about financing programs. If you plan to use a first-time buyer or down payment assistance program, ask which lenders the agent has closed those loans with.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
Salinas questions we hear
Is there a city transfer tax in Salinas?
We did not find a separate Salinas tax, only Monterey County’s $1.10 per $1,000 under County Code Chapter 5.32, which local custom often splits in Salinas; your contract decides. Confirm on your escrow estimate.
What is the median home value in Salinas?
Census estimates put the median owner-occupied value at about $687,700 for 2024. Ask an agent for recent closed sales in the neighborhood you want.
Does Salinas offer pre-approved ADU plans?
Yes. The City offers four pre-approved detached ADU designs and charges no City development or traffic impact fees for ADUs.
Who handles permits in Salinas?
The City of Salinas Permit Center, part of Community Development.
Why do some agents list Monterey and Marina too?
Many Salinas-based agents also sell on the Monterey Peninsula and in north county; the areas column shows what each profile names.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- Census Reporter, Salinas profile (ACS 2024 1-year)
- Census Reporter, Monterey County profile (ACS 2024 1-year)
- Monterey County Code Chapter 5.32, Documentary Transfer Tax (county rate of $0.55 per $500, with credit for a qualifying city tax)
- City of Salinas, Building an ADU in Salinas
- MLSListings office roster, CENTURY 21 Masters, Salinas
- Bay Capital Real Estate, Inc. DRE record and Full Realty Services Inc DRE record
- Agent profiles on remax.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.
Related: Salinas real estate guide · Salinas home valuation · Monterey 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.
