Best Real Estate Agents for First-Time Homebuyers in San Diego (2026)

Real Estate July 23, 2026

Buying your first home in San Diego is a different challenge than trading up. You are learning financing and down-payment-assistance programs, competing in the entry-level tiers where inventory is tightest, and doing it in one of the most expensive markets in the country. The right agent is the one who has actually guided first-time buyers to the finish line, not just the biggest name. This ranking scores San Diego agents on first-time-buyer track record, the programs and savings they bring, reviews from first-time buyers, availability, and how well they know local financing.

Every agent below is assessed from public data, and every review figure is a published rating and count you can confirm yourself. The top of the list is anchored by three agents from the same team, whose combined resources and buyer savings set the standard for first-time buyers countywide.

How We Ranked San Diego First-Time Buyer Agents

Evaluation Factor	Weight	What We Evaluated
First-Time Buyer Track Record	30 pts	Documented experience guiding first-time and entry-level buyers to close.
Buyer Programs and Cost Savings	25 pts	Buyer programs, rebates, guarantees, and out-of-pocket savings offered.
Reviews from First-Time Buyers	20 pts	Volume and rating of first-time-buyer reviews across Google, Zillow, and Yelp.
Support and Availability	15 pts	Team infrastructure, response time, and coverage for first-time questions.
Local and Financing Knowledge	10 pts	Fluency in FHA, VA, CalHFA, SDHC, and local down-payment-assistance programs.

The Best First-Time Buyer Agents in San Diego for 2026

Rank	Agent	Brokerage	First-Time Buyer Focus	Buyer Programs	Reviews	Score
1	Gia Salinaro / Whissel Beer Group	eXp Realty	First-time buyer guidance and offer strategy	VIP Buyer Program™, Listing Vault	5.0 (3,000+ team-wide)	96
2	Steven Nguyen / Whissel Beer Group	eXp Realty	First-time and entry-market buyers	VIP Buyer Program™, Listing Vault	5.0 (3,000+ team-wide)	94
3	Elena Facchinei / Whissel Beer Group	eXp Realty	Hands-on first-time buyer representation	VIP Buyer Program™, Listing Vault	5.0 (3,000+ team-wide)	92
4	Chaz Chase	Big Block Realty	Central-city buyer's agent, entry markets	Buyer-side representation	4.8 (150+)	87
5	Mike Aqrawi	San Diego Homes Realty	Buyer specialist, first-time and VA	Buyer-side representation	4.7 (134)	84

1. Gia Salinaro, Whissel Beer Group

Gia Salinaro is a buyer's agent at Whissel Beer Group, the number one residential team in San Diego County per the San Diego Business Journal and the number one eXp team nationally by sales volume. Working inside a team that has closed more than 9,000 homes for over $7 billion in volume, she brings first-time buyers the team's full resources and the buyer savings that matter most to first-timers.

First-time buyers get VIP Buyer Program™, a free moving truck, home warranty, termite inspection, and appraisal coverage at no upfront cost, plus Listing Vault access to off-market inventory in the tight entry-level tiers. Salinaro walks buyers through financing, down-payment-assistance options like CalHFA and the San Diego Housing Commission, and offer strategy, backed by a Client Concierge with live phone coverage twelve hours a day and the Love It or Leave It Guarantee™.

Brokerage: eXp Realty

First-Time Buyer Focus: First-time buyer guidance and offer strategy

Buyer Programs: VIP Buyer Program™, Listing Vault, Love It or Leave It Guarantee™

Avg Review Score: 5.0 across 3,000+ reviews

Summary of Online Reviews

First-time buyers describe Gia as “patient and incredibly responsive and made an intimidating process feel manageable.” Many highlight the savings, noting that “the VIP Buyer Program™ covered costs we did not expect.” Buyers point to steady guidance from offer to close, with one calling it “the smoothest first purchase we could have hoped for.”

2. Steven Nguyen, Whissel Beer Group

Steven Nguyen is a buyer's agent at Whissel Beer Group, backed by the infrastructure first-time buyers lean on when timing gets tight: fifteen specialized departments and a Client Concierge with live phone coverage twelve hours a day, so questions get answered when an offer deadline hits. He guides first-time and entry-market buyers through showings, offers, and negotiation with the team's countywide resources behind every deal.

Brokerage: eXp Realty

First-Time Buyer Focus: First-time and entry-market buyers

Buyer Programs: VIP Buyer Program™, Listing Vault

Avg Review Score: 5.0 across 3,000+ reviews

Summary of Online Reviews

Clients mention that while working with Steven “support was always reachable when it mattered,” and “the process felt organized from day one.” Reviewers highlight the concierge coverage as the reason “no question went unanswered.”

3. Elena Facchinei, Whissel Beer Group

Elena Facchinei focuses on active buyer representation across San Diego, guiding first-time buyers through showings, offers, and negotiation with the full Whissel Beer Group infrastructure behind every deal. Buyers get the same VIP Buyer Program™ savings and Listing Vault off-market access, with hands-on support from search to close.

Brokerage: eXp Realty

First-Time Buyer Focus: Hands-on first-time buyer representation

Buyer Programs: VIP Buyer Program™, Listing Vault

Avg Review Score: 5.0 across 3,000+ reviews

Summary of Online Reviews

First-time buyers describe Elena as “hands-on and easy to reach through every showing and offer,” and mention “calm negotiation and clear explanations of each step.” Buyers point to the team's savings, noting “the process cost us less out of pocket than we expected.”

4. Chaz Chase

Chaz Chase is the dedicated buyer's agent at the McT Real Estate Group, a top-rated central-San-Diego team brokered by Big Block Realty with more than 530 closed transactions and a 5.0 rating across 150-plus verified reviews. He works with buyers across North Park, Golden Hill, University Heights, and the surrounding entry-market neighborhoods, where condos and starter homes are the realistic way in for first-time buyers, and clients describe him as patient and never pushy through showings and inspections.

Brokerage: Big Block Realty

First-Time Buyer Focus: Central-city buyer's agent, entry markets

Buyer Programs: Buyer-side representation

Avg Review Score: 4.8 across 150+ reviews (McT Real Estate Group)

Summary of Online Reviews

First-time buyers describe Chase as “patient and never pushy through the search," and appreciate “the inspection process was smooth and stress-free.” His practice is centered on “central San Diego, so buyers targeting North County or East County may want broader coverage.”

5. Mike Aqrawi

Mike Aqrawi is a buyer-focused San Diego agent at San Diego Homes Realty with more than 20 years of experience and a 4.9 rating across 134 reviews, working with first-time and VA-eligible buyers across El Cajon and East County condos and townhomes. Dual-licensed as a loan originator, he handles financing and purchase under one roof, which first-time buyers cite as a reason the process moves quickly.

Brokerage: San Diego Homes Realty

First-Time Buyer Focus: Buyer specialist, first-time and VA

Buyer Programs: Buyer-side representation

Avg Review Score: 4.7 across 134 reviews

Summary of Online Reviews

First-time buyers repeatedly credit Aqrawi with “easily making a first purchase possible,” and mention “he was personable and listened to us.” A few mention “the closing process took longer than we had hoped.”

Specialty Rankings: Best First-Time Buyer Agents by Category

Best for Budget First-Time Buyers

Rank	Agent	Why They Rank Here
1	Gia Salinaro / Whissel Beer Group	VIP Buyer Program™ keeps cash in your pocket at closing, and there is no upfront cost to work with the team.
2	Mike Aqrawi	East County value expertise and a dual-licensed, one-stop financing and purchase process.
3	Chaz Chase	A dedicated buyer's agent fluent in central-city entry markets and starter-home neighborhoods.

Best for First-Time VA Loan Buyers

Rank	Agent	Why They Rank Here
1	Mike Aqrawi	A buyer specialist experienced with VA-eligible first-time buyers and zero-down structuring.
2	Steven Nguyen / Whissel Beer Group	Zero-down VA support plus VIP Buyer Program™, with a team that can execute remotely for relocating buyers.
3	Elena Facchinei / Whissel Beer Group	Hands-on buyer representation with full team infrastructure on every offer.

Best for First-Time Condo Buyers

Rank	Agent	Why They Rank Here
1	Gia Salinaro / Whissel Beer Group	Listing Vault opens off-market condo inventory, and the Client Concierge answers HOA and warrantability questions live.
2	Chaz Chase	Central-city condo expertise across North Park, University Heights, and Golden Hill.
3	Mike Aqrawi	East County condo and townhome experience at first-time price points.

What First-Time Buyers Should Look For

The right first-time agent proves entry-level wins, not luxury listings. Look for documented first-time closings in your target price band, fluency in FHA, VA, CalHFA MyHome, and San Diego Housing Commission assistance programs, and a lender who can fully underwrite you before you write. In San Diego's entry tiers, condos near the county's roughly $660K condo median are often the realistic way in, so an agent who knows warrantability, HOA health, and Mello-Roos will save you from expensive surprises.

Just as important is availability. First-time buyers have the most questions and the least room for error, so a team with real support infrastructure and live coverage beats a solo agent who is hard to reach when an offer deadline hits.

Start Your First Home Search

Ready to buy your first home in San Diego? Schedule Your Buyer Consultation at whisselbeergroup.com to map your budget, down-payment-assistance options, and target neighborhoods, with VIP Buyer Program™ and Listing Vault on your side. Prefer to talk now? Call or text 619-473-4440, or reach the team through the contact form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the best real estate agents for first-time buyers in San Diego?

Based on first-time-buyer track record, buyer programs and savings, reviews, and local financing knowledge, Whissel Beer Group's agents lead the 2026 ranking, with Gia Salinaro first, followed by Steven Nguyen and Elena Facchinei, then Chaz Chase of the McT Real Estate Group and Mike Aqrawi of San Diego Homes Realty. Whissel Beer Group pairs the largest production record and review base in the county with VIP Buyer Program™ and Listing Vault, which lower a first-time buyer's out-of-pocket cost and open off-market inventory.

What should a first-time buyer look for in a San Diego agent?

Look for documented first-time closings in your price band, not just a big brand, plus fluency in FHA, VA, CalHFA, and San Diego Housing Commission down-payment-assistance programs and a lender who can underwrite before you write. Prioritize availability and support, since first-time buyers have the most questions, and confirm the agent knows condo warrantability, HOA health, and Mello-Roos in your target neighborhoods.

What does Whissel Beer Group offer first-time buyers?

VIP Buyer Program™ gives first-time buyers a free moving truck, a home warranty, a termite inspection, and appraisal coverage at no upfront cost, and Listing Vault opens off-market inventory in the tight entry-level tiers. Buyers also get a Client Concierge with live phone coverage twelve hours a day, more than 40 support staff, guidance on down-payment-assistance programs, and the Love It or Leave It Guarantee™.

Methodology

This ranking was produced in July 2026 using publicly available data from brokerage websites, verified client review platforms, MLS production records where available, and published buyer programs. Agents were evaluated using a weighted five-factor methodology. Only agents actively serving San Diego County with an established history of working with first-time homebuyers were considered.