John and his associate Heather got me into my first home quickly and painlessly.  Before we went looking at all, he provided two hours of education on the entire process and his approach, as well as discussing what I was looking for. He gave me material to review in order to prepare me for the process, such that when I went looking for a place I could focus on what I wanted. I liked his assertive attitude and decided to select him as my Realtor.

I was already pre-approved for a loan but he suggested (did not require) that I switch to his preferred broker at Homestreet, who was very efficient and communicative, and got the job done.  They have been working as a team for a couple decades, I believe, and act as a well-oiled machine.

Heather went looking at locations with me and I had some luck on the first day with a place I liked. We held a quick conference call the same day with John to strategize, and made an offer. 3-4 weeks later I was a homeowner, and I feel happy with my decision. 

No pressure, no showing me anything out of my price range. I would highly recommend working with John and his network.

—Holly (Buyer) 

With all my quirky and ever-changing requirements, I'm amazed that John was able to find a home for me! He was incredibly patient, trustworthy and I felt that he was truly looking out for my best interests. This was my second home buying experience and working with John has definitely made it painless and less stressful. He was highly recommended to me and I certainly echo the regards for John as one of the best in the industry. I came from Las Vegas in search of a home and as an added bonus, I've found a great friend. — L. Ly (Buyer)

"5 stars for John Blacksmith who sold our condo for us."

He was right on when recommending that buyers looking for the type of condo that we had would want it turn-key ready. Within just a couple of weeks he coordinated contractors to give bids, paint, sand/paint floors, update cabinets, remove unnecessary items. We didn't have to do anything — he just took care of all of it including meeting the contractors to get them into the building. His timing was impeccable — he pushed us to get it on the market quickly which really paid off since a couple similar condos came on the market shortly after we got an offer. He is professional, knowlegable, responsive. His calm and confident demeanor helped us to negotiate a very successful and smooth sale. —M. Holmes (Seller)

"..I wanted to watch your negotiation skills at work again."

After letting the feeling sink in over the rest of the weekend, and truly savoring the spot we find ourselves in after years of scrambling and "getting by" with "good enough" in the housing department, I wanted to write you a quick note to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for the top-quality marketing work you did to get our house sold on such fantastic terms. We really are delighted with the results and know that your work (both the efforts we saw and all the behind-the-scenes work we didn't see) really was material in getting our home sold. Your work in selling our Renton house was great too! While I wanted to watch your negotiation skills at work again, I think you helped u price the house perfectly on the high end, but not so high that we didn't have it sold immediately. There really is not much more that can be said as the evidence points to perfection. Other homes that came on before ours remain on the market. We didn't have that choice and everything came together perfectly. Really quite a feat when you consider it! —R. and L. Dembowski (Sellers)

John was very helpful in making my first real-estate transaction experience run smoothly. He was very patient and knowledgeable with answering hundreds of my questions. He took care of all of the house preparation prior to the listing and open house and also delivered a final sales price higher than expected. I have already recommended him to multiple personal friends of mine. Highly recommended. —A. Chen (Seller/Buyer)

 I wanted to express my deepest thanks for helping me with my condo purchase. I interviewed a handful of real estate agents, and after meeting with you, I wanted to hire you on the spot! Besides being knowledgeable and a good listener, you were honest and trustworthy, two important qualities that I was looking for. I appreciated your prompt responses and advice throughout my home buying process. Even after closing, you went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that I received my washer/dryer from the seller. You weren't required to help, but you did! It was a privilege to have you as my agent, and I hope other people will have the opportunity to work with you too. Thank you again! —M. Wong (Buyer)

I was very pleased with how the sale of my home went so smoothly and successfully. It sold almost immediately with no stress on my part. And I received more than we asked. John Blacksmith was able to negotiate all of the conditions that I asked for, and asked very little of me in return. 

As a military veteran, I can state that John Blacksmith was both honest and honorable in all his dealings with me. He is an asset to your office. —M. Speer (Seller)

"We could not have imagined a smoother transition to our new life here, and John made it happen."

Coming from out of state and with a baby on the way, my wife and I were anxious about getting a home in the peak of the housing market in Seattle. In addition to an extremely compressed timeline, we had a very specific list of criteria for our new home (style, size, neighborhood, and price range). Fortunately, several good friends here had recommended John, and he lived up to his reputation. Within seven days, we found a home that matched all of our criteria. The next day it was ours (we won in a multiple-offer situation). We could not have imagined a smoother transition to our new life here, and John made it happen. Oh, and the baby was born healthy and happy, six weeks after we moved in! —D. Basden & -Debbie R. (Buyers)

John worked with me on my first home purchase in 2003. He was extremely patient and accommodating in showing me numerous places and, at times on very short notice. As a newcomer to Seattle, I valued his knowledge in articulating the best value options available to me. The choice was simple when I decided to upgrade and buy a new home in December — I called John. —J. DeSarno (Buyer/Seller)

Thank you for all the time and effort you put into listing my home and helping me into my new one. I know I first contacted you perhaps three years ago about selling and then put it off, thought about it again, didn't, and finally got to it this past fall. Throughout that time you were patient and friendly when I contacted you with questions.

During the sale of my home, the inspection discovered items that needed serious attention. You were instrumental in getting the needed repairs completed. You helped me find a contractor and then monitored his progress so that all timelines were met and the work completed to the satisfaction of both parties in the transaction. I don't know that many Realtors would crawl around in a muddy crawl space in January with the contractor, as you did several times!

When looking for a new property, you were always attentive and timely in finding listed properties, answering my questions about them and being available to preview the homes. The place I found is a perfect fit and I am enjoying everything about it, including the now properly placed fence and gate you had to persuade the builder to correct.

You were there throughout the sale and purchase process. You provided recommendations for a lender and insurance agent when I asked. I compared rates and ended up using both of them, finding their rates and customer service to be excellent. You kept in contact with me about feedback from agents showing my home and kept me well stocked with flyers. All of these things were important to the smooth sale of one home and purchase of another. Thank you again for all of your help and attentiveness.
—J. Read (Seller/Buyer)

John did a great job listening to us. He quickly learned what was important to us in a property and helped us find it. When it came time to buy, John moved swiftly and intelligently to make our offer the most attractive to the seller. I strongly recommend John to my friends and colleagues. —P. Hensley and E. Carr (Buyer)

John asked about our needs and wants before showing us houses. The process was so smooth because he showed us houses that not only fit our tastes and "must haves" but our budget as well. Being first-time home buyers, John educated us throughout the entire process: from the first house we looked at, to insurance and even setting up our water. He truly cares about every little detail. John was great throughout the entire process. At first, we were apprehensive about finding a house we loved (and could actually afford!) but John gave us so many options — we ended up buying a beautiful home that wasn't even on our list! —G. Anderson and K. Morse (Buyers)

"If I ever need to move again while living in Seattle, I would call on John."

John Blacksmith took the time to listen to me describe my situation and my housing needs and helped me identify the type of property which would be best for me. I found the perfect residence in the second property we looked at together. Because of John's professionalism, he was able to secure the property for me despite there being several competitive offers. His contacts with mortgage brokers, realtors, and residential resources (e.g. locksmiths, inspectors, etc) greatly helped me acquire the residence that was just right for me. If I ever need to move again while living in Seattle, I would call on John. I have never had a better experience with a realtor and this is my 5th property transaction. —E. Porter (Buyer)

Have worked with John now as both a buyer and a seller, he has been nothing short of phenomenal! I believe what made both of these transactions strangely stress free was that I came to completely trust John. Trusted his professionalism (he really knows his stuff!), trusted that he would work hard to get the job done, trusted his advice... comforted by his availability, resourcefulness and desire to make sure that I understood all of the legal jargon and it's implications. I have recommended him highly to other friends who were equally impressed, relieved, and ecstatic! —P. Chaudhuri, MD (Buyer/Seller)

We were thinking about moving to Seattle and decided to explore the market a little. We weren't expecting to buy a house, we certainly weren't expecting to be able to afford our dream house, and we most definitely had no expectation of beginning a wonderful friendship. But with John all that happened as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The first good sign was that John showed no inclination to laugh at our sheepishly stated and mutually contradictory requirements—close to the city (for Alice) but with room for house concerts and not too vertical (for Ralph) with a small yard (for our retirement life) but room for several cars (for Ralph) and two dogs (for Alice)….and on and on. After a careful study of the properties available, John found several for us to view. One was a truly perfect fit.

Throughout negotiations, John gave us excellent advice when we asked but put no pressure on us when we needed to take our time. During the entire process and even after the close of escrow, John acted with alacrity, integrity, patience, and wisdom. All the professionals he recommended were also superb. We now own our wonderful dream house. And even more important, we have made a valued friend. —A. Espey and R. Heidsiek (Buyers)

"John laid out in advance what his charges and responsibilities were and delivered exactly as promised."

From the moment I contacted John Blacksmith about the prospect of selling my Seattle home in Wallingford, his responses were from quick to immediate, and his answers to my questions were substantive. My home-selling process began in late August of 2015 and ended with a successful closing in March of 2016. I was initially impressed by John’s forthright manner and pleasant demeanor. John laid out in advance what his charges and responsibilities were and delivered exactly as promised. I came to trust him to do right by me and he did just that. I listened to his suggestions for improvements to the saleability of my home and, for the most part, followed through with those suggestions to good effect as reflected in the substantial selling price above the asking price of my home. After reviewing my email folders, I see there were 180 emails exchanged with John—and all were answered thoroughly and promptly. His knowledge of the myriad aspects of real estate is just amazing. I do not recall one question that stumped him. I believe that any potential seller would be well advised to give John a call to see what he can do to help sell your home. —D. Gery (Seller)

If you are looking for a real estate agent, look no further — John is simply the best! We sold our home this past April of 2016. We started interviewing agents in January. We met with several folks who were recommended from various people. All seemed great, but John was a standout. He clearly laid out his approach and plan, gave sage advice about how to best prepare our home for sale, and explained what sounded to us like a sound listing strategy. To only give John 5 stars seems like an injustice! He far exceeded expectations on every one. We set a number of goals for selling our home when various things would be done, and a date that we would ideally be reviewing offers. He handled everything — scheduling painters and repair people, and ensured high quality work. Everything happened professionally and exactly on time. The best part: we were, indeed, reviewing offers on our target date. John negotiated up until the very last minute to get our most competitive offer. On top of all of this, he's simply a very nice person — he answered all questions (and there were many!) and made us feel like we were his only client — he was incredibly responsive and communicative. Simply stated — we had a great experience selling our home through John. We would use him again in a heartbeat and would unequivocally recommend him. —J. and S. Kerns (Sellers)

"A firm but compassionate negotiator"

When we relocated from out of state to Seattle, we interviewed several agents. We selected John because of his knowledge of the area – having lived here most of his life-along with his years in the business and a confidence he instilled that he and his resources could handle all legal, technical and financial aspects of the transaction. We got that, and more! In order to keep our deal together, he gave us time and expertise above and beyond the norm.  

John possesses a unique ability to discern what his clients truly seek in a home. He is an excellent strategist and a firm but compassionate negotiator. Honest and clear about his role, he won’t tell you what to do - whether to buy or not - but he will give straight advice if you ask him to assess the pros and cons of the property and the deal. He receives our highest recommendation.    — M. Wunch & S. Ashland (Buyers)

"John was my advocate through the entire process"

John is a great agent, he was always looking out for my best interest. I was considering selling my house when I contacted John and he got back to me with a listing package in very little time. Once I had that information John was incredibly patient never pushing me to sell. He answered my questions about the Seattle housing market in what I consider a straightforward manner, never pressuring me to list the house sooner or under market prices. Once I was ready to sell, John handled all the details getting me help with painting, staging and all the other details necessary to put the best face on my house. John was my advocate through the entire process and I was incredibly pleased with the results. — M. Gurney (Seller)

"If all service industry professionals worked for you like John Blacksmith does, life would be so much easier!"

John helped me sell my house quickly and painlessly. In fact, I shouldn't take credit for any of the process, as John truly did everything necessary to identify the needs and coordinate the resources to sell my house for an excellent price in a very short amount of time. Working with John Blacksmith, or rather, having him work for you, is more than a single transaction experience. With John, you gain an extremely knowledgeable and trustworthy person in the housing industry who will continue to help you after the sale. In the short amount of time it took to sell my house, he helped me find an excellent plumber, gardener, roofer, mover, and financier. I continue to solicit his advice, and he's the type of person that's always happy to help. You can truly tell that he has your best interests in mind, and welcomes the opportunity to relay you to other service professionals that share this same work ethic.

My wife and I continually forward people to John, as business with him is a guaranteed positive experience. — M. Allen (Seller)