This was my first time buying real estate, but John and his team made the process pretty painless from start to finish. We started with an intro session, where John gave an overview of how the buying process would go. This was important for me, since the process of buying in Seattle goes really fast once you find a place to bid. Later when I was placing offers, the process went exactly as outlined, so there weren't any surprises. One of the best parts of working with John was getting his insights into market movements in the area. His instincts were on point when judging how much any given place was worth compared to the listed value in Seattle, which saved me time I might have spent placing bids on properties out of my price range. We looked at a number of fixer-uppers, and he was even able to help gauge the costs of getting the places renovated up to my liking - an important piece for me to know how much to bid. He also knew what to look for, including everything from heating and windows to arcane legal issues around in-ground oil tanks. When it came down to getting inspections and offers turned around quickly, he had a deep network of connections within the area to get informed about the property, schedule quick inspections, and even coordinate bids while he was out of town. Lastly, it's worth calling out that John's efforts to get me in a great home were TIRELESS. He helped me shop for over 6 months (driven by my pickiness and feet-dragging). He had a new slate of properties to look at pretty much every week, and he spent countless weekends and weeknights schlepping around with me across the city to view places in person and provide his input. His schedule for viewings was really flexible, which was important for me given my work schedule. When it came down to the final offer paperwork - when things start moving very quickly - he made himself available 24/7 via cell and email in case I had any questions. Overall, I couldn't recommend John enough. He's a real pro and is the main reason I was able to find and buy my new home. You'll be lucky to have him in your corner! read more

I've had the pleasure of purchasing three houses in the last ten years with the exemplary help of John Blacksmith. Each time I've moved, I've called upon John to help me make this major decision and he is always right there, flexible, helpful, and a truly wonderful person to work with. As the last reviewer mentioned, John has exceptional skills and integrity. I think its rare that you can feel that a real estate agent has your back, but John really creates a secure, non stressful, non pressured environment in which to find what you need. He's infinitely patient, especially as this last home took almost a year to find. But John has a way of looking at the bigger picture, and sensing what stage of house-hunting you're in, and intuitively working with that. Another reason I wouldn't go with anyone else is because John is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to the technical details. He has an avid interest, appreciation and knowledge of construction, building codes, Seattle history and architecture. He also has excellent references for everyone you might need in the course of a sale, from appraisers to plumbers, to inspectors, to refinance people, all of whom you can count on to be as educated, friendly and trustworthy as John is himself. Over the years, should questions arise regarding the market, or about my home, or even zoning, I can write to him knowing that he'll respond quickly and always give me excellent advice. John is a builder of community and a sharer of knowledge. He's aware that the housing market, and lives in general, are fluid, and always in motion. The client relationship can begin again at any time, and because of this, he's done a wonderful job of creating community through newsletters full of great information on housing trends. John is someone who has led an interesting and varied life, and this life experience has informed his ability to work with whatever you present him with. I cannot recommend him highly enough. read more

I would recommend John to anyone looking to buy a home. We bought our first home with John's help. Even though you know that he must have explained everything that you could ever think to ask him at least a million times over the course of his working life, he always answered all our questions thoroughly and thoughtfully. He was always easy to get in touch with. We never felt rushed and I felt that he always made an effort to understand our priorities. I especially appreciated his knowledge about construction and remodeling possibilities. Whenever we were looking at houses that would need immediate attention/remodeling, or that we would want to change in some way immediately after purchase, he could easily help us understand the possibilities and ballpark costs of that work. That allowed us to accurately compare the real costs of each property to what we could get "ready to go" at the same end price. We ended up buying the first house we made an offer on, which John guided us through smoothly, and the thing I have appreciated most is that John's support did not end with the closing. Since this is our first home we don't have a vetted list of service people- it's a whole new world! Finding professionals through the internet can be a long and exhaustive process of review reading and research, sometimes done before you even know exactly what it is that you need. We have called on him for information and recommendations for everything we've needed done with our home so far- interior painting, handyman work, locksmith etc. I feel very comfortable trusting his judgment. Everyone he has recommended to us has been prompt, professional, cost effective and great to work with (which basically guarantees that every time anything in our home breaks or needs attention he's going to get a "who do we call?" text or email from us-sorry John:) Overall, John was great, and his knowledge, patience and professional contacts have been invaluable. read more

Professional, insightful, knowledgeable, informative, and patient are some of John's characteristics which we found incredibly helpful while searching for our new home. Perhaps most important was the last quality, patience. We were uncertain exactly what we wanted in a home and we lacked familiarity with Seattle residences and neighborhoods. As a result, it took 16 months to purchase our Magnolia home. Throughout this time, John never wavered from his pleasant demeanor and never rushed us, letting us set the pace. John's experience with Seattle was invaluable. The feverish competitive real estate market meant making rushed decisions, almost on the spot or, in a few situations of relative leisure, within a couple of days. John's insight was priceless. He steered us away from hasty decisions, identified features in the home or neighborhood that met (or deviated substantially from) our desires, and located homes within our price range. When we found a home, John arranged the inspection, negotiated a favorable price, and recommended outstanding contractors to help us with remodeling and minor repairs. Finding a new home is more than purchasing a building. It's locating the place where one will call home for many years, and John understands this immensely personal and emotional decision. He took great care to help us find the right home at the right price. Along the way, we developed a strong relationship with John, and we value his friendship as much as his real estate expertise. The commission could never come close to compensating John for everything he did for us, so it's clear that John finds helping people to be both professionally and personally rewarding. read more

John Blacksmith at Lake Real Estate was a pleasure to work with. It was our first time purchasing a home in the Seattle area and we were referred to him directly by my husband's boss. John took the time to meet with us and explain the process both of purchasing a home and the ins and outs of general home structure, quality, building, and warning signs! John showed us several properties and even continued to stay in touch with us while on his family vacation overseas. It was so nice to know we weren't going to 'miss out' on an opportunity because he was out of town. Truly a dedicated and wonderful agent. John was available for showings and moved very quickly once we found the house we ended up purchasing. We felt secure and well taken care of throughout the entire process. He also used an amazing inspector, whom he's been working with for years, who took the time to give a detailed explanation of our house and diligently assessed the home energy efficiency, structure, building quality, and all that inspections entail. John also sent us personal referrals for wonderful professionals for all other things we needed (e.g., locksmith) and advocated for us on multiple occasions. I mostly appreciated John's level of knowledge not only about the home buying process but also about all topics having to do with homes, and his direct candor when we asked pointed questions. We never felt rushed or pressured and always enjoyed meeting with him. He even bought us CO detectors for our home and had them sent to our new house...so thoughtful! Both my husband and I would HIGHLY recommend him as a Realtor and will definitely be referring to him in the future. read more

We used John to help us buy our house in 2010. We were looking for the house we'd raise our kids in for the next twenty years, so it was a particularly important search for us. I'm pretty leery of most real estate agents, but remain impressed with John for the following reasons: 1. Intellectual horsepower: John is much smarter than most real estate agents I've met, which may sound like a strange thing to say but proved enormously helpful in our dealings, particularly with a builder that was in dire straits. 2. Knowledge: All agents should know their area, but John's knowledge of Seattle's neighborhoods, housing quirks, and what buyers should/shouldn't worry about is impressively deep. He helped us sort through our wish list and identified which items are inherent to a property vs. which are fixable. He identified gotchas in houses that we wouldn't have thought of. 3. Integrity: The builder we ultimately bought from went belly-up immediately after our transaction, leaving us without the normal builder repairs. Though this wasn't a surprise (John had made clear to us what the builder's financial picture was), he went way above and beyond the call of duty in helping us resolve the handful of normal new-house quirks we encountered. He truly wanted to make sure we were happy in the house, even if it cost him time and money after our transaction closed. The other agents I've dealt with were gone once the deal was done. He also never, ever pressured us to speed up our process, and was incredibly good-natured and patient when we asked to see the same houses over and over again. Highly recommended. read more

We saw that John was the selling agent for our neighbor's home, whom had used John to buy and sell their home. We had planned to talk to 3 or 4 agents before choosing one, but after talking with John, my girlfriend and I both agreed there was no need to consult with another realtor. We were both very impressed not only with his knowledge of the real estate market, but what a genuine guy he was in general. He did not give off that used car salesman vibe, like agents we had come across when buying our home years prior. This was our first time selling a home, and had a tons of questions throughout the entire process, which John answered promptly, with informative truthful answers. He helped plan every stage of the process, from sewer inspections to having a water heater installed with just 2 days notice before going on the market. He had an interior design consultant come by to give us advice, he had amazing staging done, and uses an incredible photographer. Every contractor that came to our house commented on what a great guy John is. Our next door neighbors were selling their house at the same time, and John was able to make it work to go on the market a week earlier than planned, to avoid having our open houses the same weekend. We are moving out of state, and John not only asked around to his colleagues for a good agent in the Boise area, he personally called him to make sure he knew his stuff. We used the realtor that John suggested, and he was great. And of course, John negotiated an offer beyond our expectations, and the closing was on time and flawless. read more

I'm writing 7 years after John helped us find our house. We are still in the house and still recommend John on a regular basis to everyone we know who is looking to buy or sell. We still keep in touch with him, and he is very generous with his advice, whether related to the current state of the housing market (with all of its fluctuations), appraisals for refinancing, or remodeling contractors. He has been a fantastic and friendly resource. He just helped our good friends close on a house, and they rave about him too. John is knowledgeable about the market, about assessing the true condition and value of a house, about what others might bid, and about what will enhance your chances of getting the house you want. It was invaluable to have him walk through houses with us and provide quick estimates of what it might cost to renovate/improve certain elements of a house as we figured what the house would cost to be livable in the way we wanted. John also has trusted colleagues for help with mortgages and pre-inspections. You're not getting just John, but a network (if you want/need one -- he certainly doesn't pressure you to use specific people). We trust John. His integrity and professionalism are clear from the first meeting. You cannot do better than him in navigating the uncertain terrain of residential real estate. read more

John Blacksmith was my agent for the selling of my home recently. As is often the case in short sales, every time we turned around a new issue arose that threatened to negate our sale. Some were very serious and required a lot of time, sensitive communication and negotiation with various different parties. John never lost his "cool" he helped keep everyone calm and he was a model of patience during this time period. It was not a quick sale due to these issues but every single issue was solved calmly and systematically resulting in a sale. It was obvious that if John had not had years of experience in this business and a deep knowledge of real estate and all the ins and outs of the business, things may not have turned out as satisfactorily as they did. I recently stopped by to visit the new owners of my home and they made a point of telling me "you have a great agent"! I was surprised as he was my agent not theirs - but I thought it was a telling comment. I also appreciated that John always made a point of thoroughly explaining each sequence and stage of the short sale process to me until I understood. I appreciated his candor, his honesty, his follow through and his ability to strategically plan and work through problems. I cannot recommend John Blacksmith more highly if you are buying or selling a home." read more

John has helped us with several home purchases over the years, and in our most recent purchase we were looking for a house that perfectly matched a rather lengthy list of requirements. John was great at helping us narrow down the field of contenders and providing insightful wisdom on neighborhoods and locations. His knowledge of the Greater Seattle area including the Eastside is exemplary. He's also very flexible in terms of adapting to your schedule and how you like to shop for homes. We found on numerous occasions that John was going the extra mile in representing our interests to sellers and agents. He's very skilled at composing great offers and counter-offers and, more importantly, at adapting to the situation that presents itself when you have any bump along the way. John is also extremely approachable and friendly - you'll enjoy going out on drives/tours of homes with him and learn a lot along the way. Some agents are not very good with technology or communication in general. John is great at getting back to you in a timely manner, be it a phone call or email. You'll get as much or as little attention as you desire and a steady hand guiding you along with one of the most important purchases of your life. Highly recommended. read more

As a reluctant first time home buyer, I could not have asked for a better agent. John came highly recommended to me from several people, and quickly delivered on all the expectations that I built up in my mind. He started by meeting with me before we had even agreed to work together, or I had even decided that buying a home was my next step, and walked me through the entire process and explained all of the documents and key terms I would be encountering. As we began to look at places, he was very attentive and detailed as he gathered what it was that I was looking for. I never felt pressured at any time, and though my budget made it difficult, he was always enthusiastic about finding the right place for me. As I am originally from out of state, I really appreciated that he has obviously lived and worked in this area for a long time. I learned a lot about the history of the area, the market, and his expectations for the future. Although I checked with many others, I ended up going with a lender and home inspector through John, as they were by far the best value. I would definitely work with John again, and would recommend him to others, especially if you are a first time buyer. read more

John helped our family with a home search that began in the fall of 2013. Through the entire process, we were impressed with John's extensive local knowledge, his reliability and his responsiveness. We always got a quick reply from him if we texted with a question, and he was happy to work around our schedules to set up showings, sometimes on very short notice. He was a good listener, quickly understanding our priorities and helping us think about how to reconcile them with the range of options available in the market. When it came time to make an offer, John provided extremely useful advice on market conditions, pricing, and negotiating strategy. In the end, though, what impressed us most about John was our feeling that we could trust him. Our sense is that, in addition to being a person of integrity, John truly believes that focusing entirely on the best interests of his client is the way to insure that his own business prospers. There never was a moment when we felt that John was rushing us or steering us toward a decision that might serve his interests better than ours. Working with him was a pleasure and we can recommend him without reservation. read more

John has been a great help to us in the last two years. We were referred to him by our close friends, by a praising reference. As first time home buyers, we were not quite sure what to expect from the home buying process. John patiently explained to us all the details in his friendly and approachable way. He helped us refine our search towards the areas that were a better fit for what we were looking for. He also really helped us assess the fair market value of the houses we were looking at. This gave us a lot of confidence that we did not overpay for what we got. Since we closed on a house that was in construction, we collaborated with the builder on certain choices. John was helpful at that time to give us insights on the impact of our choices on the resale value of our house. Finally, John helped us out late at night shortly after the sale, when a plumbing mishap happened in a bathroom. We really appreciated his availability and counsel during that time, which helped us cope with the immediate problems and work with the builder for a long term solution. I highly recommend working with John, especially if you are a first time buyer. read more

Where do we even begin? Simply stated, we wouldn't have a house without John! We met John at a Thanksgiving party a few years back -- at that time, we were nowhere close to buying a house. We continued to see John at the same Thanksgiving year party year after year until last year we told him we might be calling him soon. Finally the day came to meet with John to start learning about this crazy real estate market in Seattle. During our first meeting, we spent almost two hours with John - right then we were blown away by how knowledgeable he was and how much we were able to learn from him. The saga began and we have no words to express how incredibly patient John was over the [long] few months it took us to find THE house (our first house!!!). Throughout the search process, we would ask all kinds of questions, bother John at all times of day (and night) and he was ALWAYS quickly available and able to address all of our concerns/questions. John has truly become like family and we have already been recommending him to all of our friends. read more

John helped my family buy a home in the Montlake neighborhood in Seattle in the summer of 2012 when the market was very tight in that neighborhood. He is smart, professional and honest and is easy to get a hold of when a question comes up. He has great relationships with other professionals - loan officers, house & sewer inspectors, etc. - and I believe that we received extra good service from the people John referred us to due to his recommendation. They were all excellent. There were multiple bidders on the house we purchased, as it was put on the market for only one week before bids were submitted. John reacted very quickly in lining up inspections on a short notice, and in helping us put together our offer. In the end, the 4 bids all came in near the same price, but our offer was chosen due to other aspects that made it strong -- a short closing period and the fact that we had done pre-inspections. John provided extraordinary service, and our happy outcome is, I believe, 100% due to his help. read more

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of working with John and could not recommend him highly enough. As a first time home buyer, John took his time to answer any and all questions I had in detail to help give me the clearest picture possible. He also made sure to clearly walk through successful strategies that we could use to have a bid accepted in the crazy Seattle real estate market. When I found a home I really liked, John immediately sprung into action and my bid was accepted within the day. John has a massive network of trustworthy inspectors and contractors that he coordinated to help move the inspection and closing process along and give me a clear picture of any repairs that would need to made. Throughout the process, John's calm and kind demeanor set him apart. He was the most responsive professional I have ever worked with and help put me at ease at all times during the buying experience. I will certainly be working with him again for any real estate needs. read more

My husband and I found John Blacksmith to be an outstanding agent to work with. He is very knowledgeable about the real estate market in Seattle and surrounding areas. I enthusiastically recommend John to friends. We were looking for a house in a neighborhood with which we were not completely familiar. John was careful to research the area and he had a lot of excellent advice for us. What I was most impressed with was John's willingness to indulge my interest in looking at what can only be called some "quirky" listings. He met me at quite a few unusual properties, always cheerful, patient, and sincerely interested in helping me find the right house for us. And find the right house we did! With his help, we found a house we absolutely love, the perfect house for us, a gem of a house! We could not have done it without John. read more

John helped us buy our first house in 2002, he helped us sell that house in 2008 when we moved out of state, and helped us buy our next house when we moved back in 2010. I can't speak highly enough of John's professionalism, knowledge, and attention to detail. In buying our houses, he was very quick to understand what we were looking for, and did an excellent job of focusing our time on houses that were likely to meet our needs and wants. In both buying and selling he did an outstanding job of helping us understand the process, working through issues (particularly with a lender that caused a number of problems), and providing helpful advice. Perhaps most importantly, John gave us a tremendous amount of attention. We never felt rushed or pressured. Rather, he made us feel like we were his only clients. read more

John was a true pleasure to work with. He made the process quite simple and was incredibly patient with my wonky schedule. While his knowledge of the area, as well as his general knowledge of home maintenance and necessary upgrades, was incredibly valuably, John's expertise really showed during negotiation and the structuring of the offer. In fact, he helped my structure my deal so that I was able to purchase the first home that I made an offer on! John has continued to stay in contact with me and has gone out of his way to recommend trusted contractors that he has worked with over the years. He's also been gracious enough to consult on what home projects would be most valuable to me vs a future buyer of the home (i.e. what project add value to the house). I would absolutely work with John again. read more