Rick Smith

Rick Smith is a Broker Associate with Coldwell Banker Realty and one of the most experienced residential real estate professionals serving Monterey County. Licensed since 1982, Rick brings more than four decades of continuous, hands-on experience guiding clients through hundreds of residential, land, and ranch transactions across the Monterey Peninsula and surrounding coastal and valley communities.

Rick’s practice is heavily seller-focused, with approximately 80% of his business representing homeowners and property owners. He is widely respected for his ability to price properties accurately in shifting market conditions, drawing on experience gained through multiple market cycles since the early 1980s. His advisory approach emphasizes practical pre-sale improvements, helping sellers evaluate potential return on investment while avoiding unnecessary or unproductive costs.

Over the course of his career, Rick has represented a broad range of property types, including single-family homes, luxury residences, coastal properties, condominiums, income properties, and large acreage holdings. His background includes the sale of historically significant and architecturally important ranches and estates, as well as properties requiring specialized due diligence related to zoning, water reliability, septic systems, and unpermitted improvements. He has also assisted clients with 1031 tax-deferred exchanges.

In addition to residential brokerage, Rick previously owned and operated Carmel Capital Resources, a private money placement firm focused on trust deed investments. This experience required detailed analysis of valuation, equity protection, foreclosure processes, and bankruptcy-related issues—skills that continue to inform his risk-aware, detail-oriented approach to real estate transactions.

Rick’s local expertise is reinforced by deep community involvement and professional leadership. He has served in multiple REALTOR® leadership roles, including President-Elect of the Carmel Association of Realtors prior to its merger and President of the Monterey–Carmel Council of Real Estate Boards, as well as Chairman of the Local Government Relations Committee. He has also participated in county-level planning review through the Refinement Group.

Having personally lost his home in the 2020 Carmel Fire, Rick brings first-hand understanding of wildfire impacts, insurance claims, and post-loss property considerations. Clients value his transparency, responsiveness, and candid guidance, particularly when navigating complex or high-value transactions in Monterey County’s highly regulated and environmentally sensitive markets.