My wife and I interviewed several real estate agents and John gave us the best feeling by far. His great attitude, deep well of patience, attentiveness, respect for our position as first timer buyers, and many helpful tips continued from the first day we met him until we closed on our new home and beyond.

One of the best parts about our experience with John was that he properly represented our interests. He took his time, never pushed us in any particular direction, and was very casual and easygoing while we were viewing properties. Once we were ready to make an offer, he fought for us vigorously and effectively. He helped us analyze the inspection, prepared an offer that was very attractive to the sellers but gave away little, and provided the tools we needed to judge whether to accept the sellers counter-offer. We got the home we wanted for a fair price, and as amazing as it sounds, we enjoyed the process too.

When we buy our next home or sell this one, John is at the top of our list.

~ Aaron Pfeiffer and Marian Lin (Buyers)

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To anyone considering working with John Blacksmith as a Realtor, I would definitely encourage you to do so. I worked with John recently on the sale of my home and a simultaneous purchase of another home, and was very pleased with his work for me.

John and I talked a couple times about the type of house and location I wanted, and then he e-mailed me several listings. I did a few drive-by's and rejected all of them. But John learned enough from the reasons for the rejections that he quickly zeroed in on a house that fit most of my criteria. I felt that he was really listening to what I wanted, not just trying to sell me something. I then submitted an offer on that house, contingent on selling my home--not the strongest of positions to be in when competing against two other bidders. I won the bidding because John did an exceptionally good job with the presentation of my offer.

The seller later told me that our offer was by far the most professionally written and presented. Also, John made a few phone calls to the seller's agent explaining (and personally assuring) that my home in Seattle would sell quickly. John was good to his word-- we sold my home in Seattle about 48 hours after we listed it. We received three offers and sold it for fifteen thousand dollars more than the asking price, just as we planned to do.

John did a great job of timing the listing and of having the house cleaned, staged and showing at its best. Additionally, he used his connections to have some cosmetic plaster repairs, painting, and landscaping done on short notice. I simply asked John to do any work that would have the greatest impact toward a quick sale at the highest price, and his judgment regarding the improvements to do was excellent. I had no time to get involved in accomplishing this work, and John was personally involved in seeing that it was done well.

I'm sure that there are many more things that John did to assure the purchase and sale of the two houses, but I just don't know about them. I was amazed at how little stress and hassle were involved in selling one home and buying another at the same time. I have no doubt that my easy experience was a result of John's hard work, sound decisions, and clear communication with me.

~ Barry Reiss (Seller/Buyer)

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Thank you so much for all of your hard work in closing this deal. Not only did you make the extra effort, but you produced results when it mattered most. It was refreshing to work with someone who brings the high degree of professionalism you do. We would certainly refer our friends to you and hope to work with you in the future.

~ Margaret and Bart Brashers (Sellers)

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For my wife and I, a bright spot in an otherwise complicated and difficult housing search was the chance to work with John. Throughout the process, we found John to be knowledgeable, helpful, and persistent in seeing that our needs were met. When we first began looking, John had already personally visited all the houses in which we had expressed interest. After showing us a few of them, he quickly understood what we needed and wanted in a house, and to guide our search from there. He has a number of contacts in various industries, connecting us to excellent inspectors, contractors, and others.

We found one house that interested us, and John was able to advise and help us through a complicated process of offer and counter-offer. In that instance, we were unable to reach a compromise with the seller, and the deal fell through. Even so, John did not in the least treat us as though we had wasted his time or efforts, but continued to offer excellent service as we kept looking.

We soon found another house we liked. Because we were in an unconventional financial situation, we ran into numerous unforeseen obstacles getting our mortgage approved, which delayed the closing. John kept us informed throughout the process, maintained good relations with the selling agent, and gave helpful advice on some mortgage issues. He made a point of being present at crucial moments, such as the inspection and closing at the escrow office, and was able to answer our questions at those times.

Overall, we are very glad to have had John as our real estate agent. He provided excellent service, was knowledgeable and well-informed, and working with him was a pleasure. We look forward to working with him again when we need to sell our home. We strongly recommend John to anyone who needs a good real estate agent.

~Mike and Bekie Jackson (Buyers)

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Jon and I would like to thank you for the professional, thorough, and knowledgeable work you did for us in selling our home. Your energy, enthusiasm, straightforward honesty, and attention to detail made our first home sale a pleasant experience. Because we had never sold before, it was wonderful to know that you were looking out for our best interests at all times, and working hard for us. Your ability and integrity are obvious. We will recommend you highly to anyone we know!

~ Jennifer and Jon Magnuson (Sellers)

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My first experience (and my first property) with John was outstanding and that is why I went straight back to John when it came time for my second home. There are a lot of real estate agents out there but I don't know of anyone more knowledgeable, more dedicated, and more honest than John. He did not disappoint on my second home and he not only helped me find a great property but we also managed to sell my previous property for the full asking price and, better yet, we were able to close on both deals the same day! It could not have been drawn up any better. I have no doubt that my experiences have been successful because of John's attention to detail and hard work.

~ Max Sutlin (Seller/Buyer)

Working with John on my first home purchase was a real pleasure. He instructed me on the entire process of home-buying, worked very hard to find all the opportunities that fit my profile, all the while keeping the stress low and making sure I made educated decisions. I had lots of questions every step of the way and John either had the answer or knew exactly where to find it. I'm looking forward to my next purchase and to working with John again.

~ Max Sutlin (Buyer)

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We recently had the pleasure of working with John on both the sale of our townhouse and the purchase of a larger home. It was immediately obvious that John is a professional of the highest caliber - his actions show great integrity and his communication with us has always been complete, conscientious and pleasant.

We can't speak highly enough of John's work. The best thing about working with him was that he made everything seem so effortless. I can't imagine the countless hours he spent behind the scenes - collecting information, doing paperwork, talking to people, etc. on our behalf. He always made us feel like he had all the time in the world for us.

In addition, he always seems to know the right person or place to suggest to us for services we would need (or if he didn't know, he would find out) - for us being new to the area, his knowledge was invaluable.

John will definitely be the first and only realtor we'd recommend to anyone in the Seattle area. We are already looking forward to our next home purchase so we can work with him again!

~ Richard and Elise Holliday (Sellers/Buyers)

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To whom it may concern, if you are looking for a great Realtor, we recommend you work with John Blacksmith. He did a great job for us, from start to finish. Although we knew that he had other clients to work for, he always made us feel as if he had plenty of time to answer our many questions. At every point, he thoroughly explained all our choices and options, and helped us to make the decisions that were right for us. He did a great job marketing our house, negotiating the offer, and taking care of the details to make sure the sale closed smoothly.

~ Ron and Susan Munson (Sellers)

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John Blacksmith was and has been a wonderful realtor to work with.

I am first time homebuyer and making the decision to purchase a home was a huge one for me . . . and then finding the right one was even bigger! We looked at places for over a year and it was all a learning process as I went along.  I learned what I could and could not afford as I looked around and learned what I was and was not willing to sacrifice for the price. I looked at many, many places in several different neighborhoods.  John remained very patient with me and always really listened to what I said and he worked very hard to find what I wanted. I never felt pressured by him and he was always very flexible with his schedule.

After I purchased the home, John's help never ceased.  I have called and emailed him many times with all kinds of questions about referrals of certain contractors, escrow, insurance, where to find leases (I want to lease a room) etc . . . He has helped walk me through the entire process and continues to help me now (and I've owned the home for over two months!) He always returns my calls and emails right away and he has never made me feel like I am bothering him and shouldn't call anymore now that the house is sold.  I feel like I can really trust him and rely on him.

I highly recommend John to anyone. He is knowledgeable, experienced, hard working, reliable, professional and trustworthy. He helped make the scary experience of purchasing my first home a very positive one.

~Kathy Pearce (Buyer)

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To Whom It May Concern,

I had the absolute pleasure of buying a home last September through Lake Real Estate . Over the past several years I have worked with six different real estate agents in the process of buying and selling two other homes and I have never experienced service as complete as I received from John Blacksmith.

I moved from Tucson and was referred to John by a good friend who had recently purchased a house. I called him a week before a three day trip to Seattle . I had not planned on finding a house in that short time, but with John's help I found a great house in a perfect location within two days. He directed me to a lending broker who miraculously secured a preapproval despite the time pressure and I was able to make an offer on the house just hours before my departure back to Tucson .

John continued to impress me with his attention to detail, his responsiveness and his dedication. In Tucson , I called John several times a day and I always felt like my home purchase was his top priority. From connecting me with honest, reliable and solid people in lending, insurance, inspections, home renovation and improvement; to guiding me in negotiations and even acting as a second and usually more sound opinion on the details of my home sale in Tucson , John remained unsurpassed in his dedication and hard work.

Having happily lived in my home for three months, I often call John with questions about oil tanks, floor refinishers, painters, childcare, even restaurants. He consistently is the best resource I have found.

John makes it clear he is not satisfied or done until you are happy. He does everything imaginable to secure your ease and protect your interest. He is absolutely remarkable. I so highly regard him that I carry his business cards in my wallet to give to anyone I meet who wants to buy or sell a house.

~ Claire Hebner , MD (Buyer)

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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.

~ Matt Allen (Seller)

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John,

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.

~ Jennifer Read (Seller/Buyer)

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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.

~ Paul Hensley and Ed Carr (Buyer)

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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!

~ Grant Anderson and Kathleen Morse (Buyers)

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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

~ Ellen Porter (Buyer)

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Beginning with our very first meeting all the way to the day of closing, working with John was an excellent overall experience. Being a first-time home buyer, I had a ton of questions throughout the process. John, however, fielded every question with ease and professionalism. His knowledge and expertise of the real estate process & industry, especially the North Seattle real estate market, was an invaluable asset. In addition to his professionalism, knowledge, and expertise, John was very flexible and easy to work with on a daily basis. Due to work obligations I could not view potential homes until after 6 p.m. John, however, made this work for his schedule and spent several nights looking at homes until 10 p.m. John sought to always go above & beyond the call of duty and I have absolutely no regrets choosing John to represent me in my first purchase. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to buy the home of their dreams - with John, you can't go wrong!

~ Tim Pilgrim (Buyer)

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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.

~ Derin Basden & Debbie Reber (Buyers)

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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.

~ Matt Gurney (Seller)

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I would recommend John to anyone I know who was thinking of buying a home. We truly enjoyed working with him. His knowledge, commitment and hard-work helped us find a home we love. In a tough housing market, I felt confident that we were working with the best. It was very clear that John is not only respected by his clients, but also by others in the real estate industry. It was because of this, in our multiple offer situation, we were able to get the house. Due to the competition among offers, we needed to close in 10 days, and John was able to refer us to a great mortgage lender. As a team, they made this quick closing a pleasant experience for us.

~ Caroline Bradbury and Kevin Adams (Buyers)

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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!

~ Pakhi Chaudhuri, MD (Buyer/Seller)

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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 at 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.

~ Alice Espey and Ralph Heidsiek (Buyers)

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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.

~ Linh Ly (Buyer)

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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.

~ James DeSarno (Buyer / Seller)

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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 $50,000 more than we asked.
John Blacksmith was able to negotiate all of the contdiations 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 assest to your office.

Respectfully,

~ Marvin Speer (Seller)

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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.

~ Alen Chen (Seller/Buyer)

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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!

~ Michelle Wong (Buyer)

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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. Thanks, John!

~ Marianne Wunch and Susanne Ashland (Buyers)

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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!

~ Rod and Lynna Dembowski (Sellers)

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I just want to thank you one more time for helping me with the purchase of my house. I had expected that buying a house would be really complicated, but you made the whole process so simple and seemingly effortless. Good luck with everything, and I hope we may work together in the future.

~ Rodney Yeh (Buyer)

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John-

Thank you so much for everything. We really can't say enough about how we appreciate your expertise, service and time. You have clients for life in us. We will tell everyone we know to talk with you when they start looking to buy or sell.

Having your guidance was invaluable, and we are so grateful to have had the help. We couldn't have done it without you!

~ Heather and Dennis Lackmeyer (Buyers)

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