Best Realtors in San Carlos, CA (2026 Guide)
By Matthew Martinez
San Carlos is a mid-Peninsula city of about 29,000 people between Belmont and Redwood City, stretching from the Laurel Street downtown and the Caltrain line up into wooded hills to the west. Most homes are single-family houses, from flat-street neighborhoods near El Camino Real to hillside lots with bay views. Several of the agents below work from a Coldwell Banker office on El Camino Real in San Carlos itself.
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 San Carlos. We opened each agent’s profile or office roster and confirmed it names San Carlos, as a service area, in San Carlos sales, or as the location of 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.
San Carlos housing in numbers
| Census measure | San Carlos |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 29,261 |
| Owner-occupied housing unit rate (2020–2024) | 67.8% |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020–2024) | $2,000,000+ |
| Median gross rent (2020–2024) | $2,854 |
| Median household income (2020–2024, 2024 dollars) | $237,470 |
| Persons per household (2020–2024) | 2.68 |
| Mean travel time to work (2020–2024) | 24.6 minutes |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, San Carlos city, California. "$2,000,000+" is the top of the Census reporting range, so the true median is higher.
About two-thirds of San Carlos homes are owner-occupied, and the Census caps its value figure, so it is not a price guide. Ask agents for recent sales from the same neighborhood, with similar lot size and slope.
Flat neighborhoods, the hills and the east side
- Near downtown and El Camino. Streets around Laurel Street, Burton Park and Howard Park hold older bungalows and ranch homes close to the train and shops.
- The western hills. Neighborhoods west of Alameda de las Pulgas, such as Devonshire, have larger, often sloped lots, some with bay views.
- East of El Camino. Smaller residential pockets sit near the industrial and office districts by Highway 101 and the San Carlos Airport.
For local topics, see our San Carlos real estate guide, neighborhood property comparison, home improvement records and inspection and insurance planning pages.
Costs and rules specific to a San Carlos 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: $2,200 on a $2 million sale. The only city conveyance tax the Recorder mentions is the City of San Mateo’s; confirm on your escrow estimate that only the county tax applies. Our California transfer tax guide explains who usually pays.
- Fire hazard in the hills. Hillside neighborhoods on the west side can carry State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone designations. 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 early.
- Slopes and drainage. On hillside lots, ask for any geotechnical reports, retaining wall permits and drainage history, and consider a separate inspection by a geotechnical engineer.
- Airport and flood disclosures. Homes east of El Camino are closer to the San Carlos Airport and the bay. The natural hazard disclosure report and FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center show flood zone status; ask about airport influence disclosures.
- Permit history. Many San Carlos homes have been expanded over the decades. Ask the seller for permits and compare them with the house as built.
San Carlos 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 San Carlos. Contact Matthew · Broker #01869679 · Diamond Group Estates Inc DBA Diamond Real Estate Group, DRE #02163490
| Agent | Brokerage | License | Areas named on profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelly Clarke | Coldwell Banker Realty, San Carlos | Salesperson #01482834 | Redwood City – San Carlos office, 580 El Camino Real, San Carlos |
| KT Eckardt (licensed as Kate G Eckardt) | Coldwell Banker Realty, San Carlos | Salesperson #00912535 | Redwood City – San Carlos office, 580 El Camino Real, San Carlos |
| Victor Jadallah | Coldwell Banker Realty, San Carlos | Salesperson #02085873 | San Carlos (areas served) |
| Jessica Myers (licensed as Jessica Lynn Myers) | Coldwell Banker Realty, San Carlos | Salesperson #02093817 | Redwood City – San Carlos office, 580 El Camino Real, San Carlos |
| Stephanie Nash | Compass, Woodside | Salesperson #01104524 | San Carlos, Redwood City, Woodside, Portola Valley |
| Holly Noto (licensed as Holly A. Noto) | Coldwell Banker Realty, San Carlos | Salesperson #01244498 | Redwood City – San Carlos office, 580 El Camino Real, San Carlos |
| Pam Tyson (licensed as Pamela A Tyson) | Compass, Menlo Park | Salesperson #01721213 | San Carlos (sales), Redwood City, Emerald Hills, Menlo Park, Woodside |
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 roster of the Redwood City – San Carlos office. License status and brokerage affiliations change; check the DRE record before you hire anyone.
How to vet a San Carlos agent
- Ask for sales in your part of town. Flat streets near downtown and hillside lots in the western hills price differently.
- Ask about hillside inspections. For sloped lots, ask which geotechnical and drainage checks they recommend.
- Ask about fire and insurance. Ask when to get insurance quotes and how they handle AB 38 documentation.
- Ask how they handle competitive offers. Ask about pre-offer inspections, offer review dates and contingencies.
- Ask for permit research. Ask how they compare permits with the house as built.
- Check the license yourself. Confirm a "Licensed" status with a current broker on the DRE lookup.
San Carlos questions we hear
Does San Carlos have a city 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.
What is the median home value in San Carlos?
The Census reports "$2,000,000+" for 2020–2024, the top of its range, so the real median is higher. Ask an agent for recent comparable sales.
Is there a real estate office in San Carlos?
Yes. Coldwell Banker Realty’s Redwood City – San Carlos office is at 580 El Camino Real in San Carlos; five agents in our table work from it.
How do I check a real estate agent’s license?
Search the name or license number on the DRE public lookup. Every agent in our table links to the record we checked.
Sources & notes
- California DRE public license lookup (individual records linked in the table)
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, San Carlos city, California
- San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder, documentary transfer tax
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Coldwell Banker Realty Redwood City – San Carlos 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: Redwood City · Belmont · San Mateo
Related: San Carlos real estate guide · San Carlos 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.
