Martinez · Relocation

Relocating to the Area in Martinez

Moving into the Bay Area from somewhere else, without having to learn the whole map yourself.

Relocating to the Area in Martinez

Martinez is the county seat and reads as a real town, with craftsman housing downtown rather than tract product. When you are moving in from outside, that is exactly the kind of thing nobody tells you, and every listing looks roughly the same on a screen.

Martinez has a working marina, a courthouse and a farmers market, and it never became a subdivision. It offers character housing at a lower entry than the 680 corridor cities, with the maintenance that comes with it.

Talk to us about Martinez

Prefer to talk? Call (925) 325-4663 Book a call with Jaynlin See how we do it, step by step

How Martinez actually prices

Tell us your commute early. It narrows the map faster than any other single fact.

Buyers looking here almost always look at Concord, Walnut Creek and Pittsburg as well. Martinez gets weighed against Concord and Pleasant Hill, usually by buyers who want the character and are weighing the upkeep.

What matters when you are relocating

Plenty of our relocation clients buy before they ever live here. We run video walkthroughs that are honest rather than flattering, including what a listing photo would crop out.

Budget for the maintenance an older house actually needs, not the number the listing photos suggest.

When you already live somewhere, you know things you were never told. Which commute is fine at seven and miserable at eight. Which neighborhood people mean when they use the name.

Relocating, you have none of that, and touring houses does not fix it. So we do the map first and the houses second.

Who is buying in Martinez

Buyers wanting older character housing at a different number than Concord or Walnut Creek. You are looking at the farmers market, the marina, and the Alhambra Valley just west of town.

Talk to us about Martinez

The Mashore Group works across the Bay Area from an office at 44 Sycamore Ave in Brentwood. Krista Mashore has sold more than 2,300 homes here over more than two decades. Across the team there are 201 published reviews averaging 4.9 stars.

If you want to talk about relocating in Martinez call (925) 325-4663. A first conversation costs nothing and carries no pitch, and if the honest answer is that you should wait, we will say so.

Older stock needs an agent who knows what a 1940s bungalow costs to bring current, and what buyers will pay for one that already is, and that is worth more in Martinez than a general opinion about the county.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Martinez actually like?

You are looking at the farmers market, the marina, and the Alhambra Valley just west of town. Buyers wanting older character housing at a different number than Concord or Walnut Creek.

Can you help me buy before I move here?

Yes, and we do it often. Honest video walkthroughs including the unflattering parts, and we will tell you when a property is not worth a plane ticket.

How do I choose between East County towns?

Start with your commute and your budget, then the kind of housing you want. Those three narrow it fast, and we will walk you through the real differences before you spend Saturdays.

Martinez

What relocation looks like in Martinez

Craftsman housing, a working marina, and Amtrak to four cities.

Martinez is the county seat and it feels like a real town rather than a subdivision. There is a farmers market, a marina, independent restaurants and a courthouse, and the housing downtown is bungalows and craftsman homes rather than tract product.

That older stock is the trade. It has character you cannot build new, and it comes with the maintenance that pre-1980 construction brings.

The homes: Bungalows and craftsman-style houses from the mid-20th century downtown, with larger homes and lots moving south toward the hills. Alhambra Valley has custom homes, larger parcels and some horse properties. Pre-1980 construction predominates. Named areas include downtown and the waterfront, Upper Martinez and the Estates, and the Alhambra Valley corridor.
Why people choose it: Chosen for older character housing at a different price point than Concord or Walnut Creek, and for a town with a farmers market, a marina and independent restaurants rather than a master-planned feel.
Schools people ask about: Martinez Unified School District covers the majority of the city, including Alhambra Valley, Mountain View and most of Vine Hill. Mount Diablo Unified serves portions of Martinez, so assignment follows the parcel rather than the city name. Confirm any specific address with the district.
Getting around: Amtrak Capitol Corridor stops here with direct rail to Oakland, Berkeley, Sacramento and San Jose with no transfer. Highway 4 and Interstate 680 by car. Downtown is walkable; Upper Martinez is 10 to 15 minutes from downtown and about 20 to 25 minutes from Walnut Creek.
Nearby: Benicia directly across the Carquinez Strait, Concord to the south, Pleasant Hill to the southeast, and the Alhambra Valley to the west.
The trade-off: None of the newer-subdivision feel found in Brentwood or San Ramon, and the older stock asks for comfort with maintenance.

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