Why we recommend Monica Lussier for Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz prices are high and tightly bunched. Redfin's median sale price for the city was $1,350,357 in the three months to September 2026, and the median home went under contract in 17 days. In a market that fast, the agent's read on a single street matters more than any citywide figure. RealTrends' verified 2025 data ranks Monica Lussier 7th by volume and 6th by sides among agents in Santa Cruz, and her Compass profile on October 30, 2026 showed listings on High Street and Centennial Street (95060) and Castle Drive (95065).
She says her primary market is Santa Cruz County, with experience in second homes, coastal properties and later-life moves. That fits a city where Zillow's typical value is $1,338,649 and many sellers are long-time owners. This is our recommendation, not a ranking of every agent in the city, so interview more than one agent before you sign anything.
About Monica Lussier
Monica Lussier's background in Santa Cruz County
California's Department of Real Estate (DRE) shows her salesperson license was first issued on February 26, 2009, so she has held a license for more than 17 years. Her website biography describes a sales career in the tech industry, including startups, and owning a team-building company before real estate. Her website calls her territory "Silicon Valley to the beaches."
Brokerage and California DRE license for Monica Lussier
The DRE public license lookup lists Lussier, Monica E, license 01859626, as a licensed salesperson with no disciplinary action and no other public comments, expiring February 25, 2029. Her responsible broker is Compass California II, Inc. (broker license 01527235). Her team, The Monica Lussier Group, lists its office at 750 University Avenue, Suite 150, Los Gatos, CA 95032.
Specialties and languages: Monica Lussier
She lists English as her working language. It describes her business as centered on listing and selling homes, with emphasis on coastal properties, second homes, senior transitions and move-up or move-down decisions, and also buyer work. Her blog publishes Santa Cruz guides on ZIP codes, home staging and the 2026 market.
Monica Lussier's record: sales and reviews
Monica Lussier's verified 2025 sales
RealTrends, which verifies agent production, lists her 2025 results as 15 transaction sides and $20.14 million in volume, with an average home price of $1.34 million. That placed her 7th in Santa Cruz by volume, 6th by sides, and 2,119th in California by volume.
Her own figures, updated February 2026, report 191 career transactions, more than $225 million in career sales volume and more than $22 million in the prior 12 months. We could not confirm those totals on a public page, so treat them as her own figures.
What Monica Lussier's clients say
Her Compass profile carries client testimonials. One from John H. reads: "Monica is a complete professional in every way. I listed my home with her, and unlike most "principal-agent" relationships I have been involved in throughout my life, I never had a regret. I highly recommend her as a real estate agent." Another, from Yotam M., reads: "We now have a history of three transactions with Monica. Perfect in every respect. Looking forward to the fourth."
How Monica Lussier works with Santa Cruz buyers and sellers
Buying in Santa Cruz with Monica Lussier
Buyers here weigh price per square foot as much as price. Redfin's three-month median was $910.62 a square foot in 95062 and $662.33 in 95065 to September 2026. One testimonial on her Compass profile, from a buyer she helped in the San Lorenzo Valley, mentions that she gave them space to explore while "providing useful facts about the home and area." Ask her which ZIPs fit your budget, how she checks permits and septic or well systems on hill properties, and how she handles a multiple-offer situation.
Selling in Santa Cruz with Monica Lussier
Santa Cruz homes sold at 100.8% of list price on average in the three months to September 2026, and 35.5% sold above list (Redfin). Pricing right matters more than pricing high, because Zillow reports that 27.5% of listings in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro had a price cut in September 2026. She points to preparing and positioning homes as her strength. Ask her for a sample marketing plan, her staging approach, and her recent list-to-sale ratios. Our California real estate commission guide explains what listing fees cover.
Local knowledge: Santa Cruz prices by ZIP
Zillow's typical home value for Santa Cruz was $1,338,649 in September 2026, up 5.8% in a year. For the full city picture see our Santa Cruz homes for sale guide and the Santa Cruz housing market page.
| ZIP | Redfin median sale price | Homes sold | Median days on market |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95060 | $1,467,569 | 71 | 18 |
| 95062 | $1,397,589 | 66 | 30 |
| 95065 | $1,292,120 | 14 | 33 |
Figures are Redfin's rolling three months to September 30, 2026. ZIP 95065 had only 14 sales, so read it as a range.
How we chose Monica Lussier
We confirmed her license, status and broker on the DRE lookup, checked her 2025 production on RealTrends, read the testimonials on her brokerage profile, and checked that her current listings are inside Santa Cruz. Every featured agent passes the same checks. Read the full method on how we choose agents.
How to contact Monica Lussier
Call or text Monica Lussier at (408) 472-2414. The Monica Lussier Group at Compass is at 750 University Avenue, Suite 150, Los Gatos, CA 95032. Her website is monicalussier.com and her Santa Cruz blog is at blog.monicalussier.com. Before the first meeting, have a rough budget or sale timeline and the ZIP or area you have in mind.