We LOVE Jonathan. We fully believe we would not be living in our amazing house if it were not for the fabulous Mr. Marks. When we first met Jonathan, we knew little about Marin, but upon our first meeting he said knew exactly the perfect neighborhood for us. As nervous first time homebuyers in an extremely tough market, we drifted in and out of searching, and during that time Jonathan became our trusted advisor and friend. And when the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood finally became available, we got it. His knowledge, guidance and mad negotiating skills got us the house we always wanted - right where he always said it would be. Personally and professionally, Jonathan is the best! read more

I worked with Jonathan through the summer and early fall of 2014 as he helped me purchase my first house in San Francisco. All in all, it was an absolute pleasure to work with Jonathan. We met Jonathan at an open house, and within minutes of talking to him, we knew he was the right person to work with. He gave us an honest, clear, and pragmatic perspective of the (very unique and hot) SF real estate market. Even before we decided to officially make him our realtor, he gave us a number of resources to aid our search that other realtors we had considered did not even offer us. He quickly educated us on the important things to consider when buying in SF and prepped us on how to successfully make a bid on a property. Through the process he kept an open line of communication and always provided insightful advice. We knew he had our best interests in mind and always felt at ease when he represented us. There are so many different angles and bases to cover during a home purchase, and Jonathan informed us and helped us through all of them. Simply, Jonathan is really good at what he does. He is knowledgeable, experienced, thorough, meticulous, and transparent. But what makes Jonathan great to work with is that he also kind, friendly, and thoughtful. If you are looking to buy a house in SF, definitely consider Jonathan! read more

Jonathan Marks was very instrumental to our understanding of the California Housing Market, especially since we were new to the State. We were also worried about paying too much or not be able to purchase as the housing market is just insane here. Jonathan was spot on with his advise. Jonathan was very patient throughout the buying process. He responded to our emails, phone calls and absurd queries (at times) in a timely manner. It is not just about the delivery on time, it is the accuracy of his response and the knowledge he has that made the home buying process smooth. Jonathan is very personable, friendly, competent, professional, confident, and wow, what a great sense of humor. We felt right at home with him immediately, he seems comfortable with us too. We hung out and had coffee and shared family pleasantries (such a family man). If you want someone that will value you as a homebuyer then Jonathan Marks is the full package. (your guy) read more

It is rare that I have met someone as competent and knowledgeable as Jonathan. He helped us find the home that we wanted but came through with excellent recommendations for renovating contractors. Further, he is a veritable, walking, talking guide to medical professionals, shopping values, and restaurants. A top notch person in every way. read more

Yelp says Woohoo! As good as it gets - well if your buying a house Jonathan is as good as it gets. I've bought maybe 6 properties in my life, and many times my agent was only concerned about the sale and their commission and less about me. Jonathan is really smart, concerned about finding the right place for you, and extremely knowledgeable about the marketplace. You won't do better than this guy. I can't recommend him highly enough if you're looking to buy a property in the Bay Area. read more

We couldn't have asked for a better agent! It took us a while to find our first home and Jonathan stuck with us as we waited for the right home to come along. As soon as we found it, he knew exactly what to do to help us get our offer approved. During the buying process he was very on top of things and it felt like everything went very smoothly. Jonathan is very personable, has a great sense of humor, and is super knowledgeable about home buying. We would highly recommend working with him and would choose him as our agent again in the future. read more

Jonathan was referred to me from another real estate broker because he had a proven, battle tested resume when it came to dealing with SF properties. I've purchased homes in NYC and Los Angeles but never in San Francisco. The real estate market in SF is hot and you need a broker that knows how to make you stand apart from the other buyers. Knowing what to offer is just a part of that equation as anyone that has attempted this knows. Jonathan is well liked and well known by all the real estate brokers in the city and you want him to represent you. He will also be quite frank with you regarding the properties you select and he will not hold back his opinion even if it is the opposite of yours. That's a rare quality that only certain real estate brokers display. Purchasing a home is a big decision and you need all the help you can get. Any questions please feel free to hit me up. read more

I've known Johnathan even prior to his becoming a realtor and so have a sense of his tireless work ethic, integrity and what a genuine good person he is. His experience and knowledge as a realtor has come in handy several times. The best example is when he provided some stellar advice on my investment property. Because Jonathan is tapped into the San Francisco market he was able to see it's impact on surrounding areas. I followed Jonathan's advice and am now in the black with lots of equity on my investment property. Jonathan will always be my go-to referral for anyone with real estate needs in San Francisco or the North Bay! read more

We found Jonathan on Yelp thanks to all of his great reviews. And he lived up to them. He helped us through every step of closing on our new house in Marin. He's patient, helpful, and there when you need him. And he's just an overall nice guy. You never get the sense that he's looking out for his best interests instead of what's best for you. During such an important purchase, we couldn't have asked for better guidance. read more

Random thoughts on an exceptional person...genuinely cares about you as a person, not as a client. Jonathan's unrivaled ability to deal wIth the stresses of home buying set him above the rest. Tirelessly marched WITH us thru a long and often tumultuous VA loan process, sometimes coaching, often counseling, always there. Unparalleled knowledge, patience and a true joy to be within his world. Without question we wholeheartedly recommend Jonathan. We are proud to call him our friend... read more

Jonathan sold my condo for me during the time in 2006 when the housing market was nosediving. Even though I was a small fish, he gave me such great service that I felt like I was his only client. The buyer presented many roadblocks, and he handled it all with unflappable equanimity. He also has a huge network of services, so whatever was needed, sometimes at the last minute, he knew someone who could take care of it. Hiring Jonathan was one of the best business decisions I've ever made. He is a man of integrity and good nature, and I'm very happy to recommend him. read more

We bought a new house and sold our old one through Jonathan recently. We already knew what an awesome agent he was on the buyer's side, but it was our first time selling a house and Jonathan made it a much better experience! As the selling agent, he continued his track record of working tirelessly, full of both effort and enthusiasm. He did a bunch of research on pricing, came with top-notch contacts for staging and painting (along with anything else you could possibly need), and presented information clearly and without bias unless we asked for his opinion. In other words, he was the ideal partner for our efforts to move on! I highly recommend him whether you are buying, selling, or both! read more

Hands down, Jonathan is the best realtor ever- knowledgeable, honest, reliable and a master at calmly negotiating and managing the details. He worked very diligently for us (even while in Portugal on vacation!) and we are still benefiting from his extraordinary network of contacts - contractors, plumbers, electricians - you name it. Jonathan is a delightful person, and we are looking forward to our next Marin transaction with him. read more

Jonathan is the best. Do not even think about using anyone else. He's knowledgeable and effective and really knows the market. [impoooortant] He's a real nice guy but that's beside the point. The point is he's the guy you want doing your deal. read more

In 2015, my father in law hired Jonathan Marks to help find a house for our family. Throughout the entire home buying experience, he really was fantastic. Even when things got stressful, he was always there to make sure we knew how best to deal with the tasks at hand, and to bring a positive attitude back for everyone. He is incredibly knowledgable, and truly a joy to work with! I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to purchase a home. read more

I've had the good fortune of working closely with Jonathan on a number of occasions, and I can sincerely say he is an absolute pleasure to work with. He is responsive and keeps his clients well informed, so they sail through the closing process happily and without surprises. His energy and enthusiasm, combined with his professionalism, make for a very positive and satisfying experience. read more

These are just of the few headlines I found on the Internet when I was searching for a real estate agent in Marin County: "World Needs Jonathan Marks" "Burning Man Enthusiast Moonlights as Real Estate Agent" "Marin Real Estate Companies Vie for Jonathan Marks" "Jonathan Marks Helps Little Old Lady With 119 Cats Buy Bungalow Next to his Own Home" "Jonathan Marks for President" I couldn't believe it. The headlines just went on and on. No one had anything negative to say about this real estate agent by the name of Jonathan Marks. I was dubious, of course, because everyone knows real estate agents are sharks with shoes. So, I told my girlfriend about the legendary real estate agent named Jonathan Marks that I had learned about on the Internet. She too was dubious to say the least. So, we set up a meeting with the guy really just to check out the validity of what we had read. We had no intention of working with him, because we figured that he was paying people to lie. I mean, what real estate agent has countless adoring followers? The stories were just too incredible to be true. I told my girlfriend, "If he offers to take us to coffee or something let's decline, because he probably sneaks a devotion elixir into whatever you drink”. I don't want to sound cynical or anything, but really we're talking about a real estate agent. Aren't they just a step above used car salesmen. We met him just outside Forestville, because, even though we were really looking to move to Marin, we thought it would be a good test of his patience. So, we pretended to be unsure of just where we were looking to move. If I remember correctly we arrived at our first meeting ahead of him. It was a hot and dusty parking lot at the crossroads to nowhere. From out of the distance came a silver SUV with a lone driver. The SUV turned into the parking lot so I strained through my sunglasses to get my first glimpse of this mythical figure. And when I did I thought, "This can't be Jonathan Marks, he's too young, he's too good looking, he's too fit, and he's half naked! Then it clicked and I recognized him. Fabio, the Italian male fashion model was getting out of the car in the dusty parking lot just outside Forestville. Was he lost? Was this some reality TV set and were my girlfriend and I about to be in some spontaneous skit with Fabio? So many possible explanations flitted around my head. And then it happened. This long, lean, handsome and tan male in a diaphanous tank top exits his SUV and approaches us with a big smile on his face, extends his gracefully muscular arm, his leonine hair blowing in the breeze and says, "Hi, I'm Jonathan Marks." That was two years ago and about two hundred houses ago. Jonathan Marks is the most patient man I have ever met in my life. If it weren't for him and his Zen-like manner, I am certain my girlfriend and I would have abandoned this home-buying project a long time ago for reasons too many and too personal to list here. As it is we recently closed on a house and we'll wait to see if he keeps his promise to visit. Incidentally, he is the best hugger ever. read more

Jonathon was referred to us by some good friends when my family made our move from the Atlanta area to Novato this past winter (2013). My wife and I had lived in California for 22 years before we moved to the Atlanta area. We left California in 1999 in order to purchase a home at a reasonable price and raise our growing family.. Needless to say when we had an opportunity to come back, specifically to the Marin County area (Novato), the challenge of finding a home that fit our budget and needs was daunting. Honestly, I was hesitant to use a realtor from South Marin since many of my new contacts encouraged me to use a local Novato realtor who had community connections. I am thankful we stuck with Jonathon. He was patient, knowledgable and always had our best interests in mind. He consistently pointed out areas of concern in each and every house that we toured. Indeed shopping in the Marin/Novato market was painful since it was a sellers market with multiple offers being made often in cash. The competition was fierce, the R/E market complex. Jonathon walked us through the maze of offerings knowing our price point as well as carefully listening to our needs. He also understood the dynamics of the Marin/Novato R/E market. It is hard to relocate with three children in a new community and he listened and understood our unique situation. It was scary. The R/E market took off in the first quarter of 2013 with little or no inventory and prices roseapprox. 20%in 3 months! He calmed our fears and did not rush us into a decisionbut rather always pointed to the hope that a "right house" was out there for us! We found the perfect house but it entailed a great deal of negotiation as well as work to renovate and make it into what we wanted it be. Jonathon helped us the whole way by suggestingcontractors and working with us to ensure the work was done well. It took a tremendous amount of time, effort and analysis borne primarily by my wife but also with Jonathon's active advice and counsel. My wife and I recommend Jonathon highly and we are thankful he was our realtor and now our friend. read more

My wife and I finally bought our dream home, and we are incredibly thankful to have had Jonathan guide us through the process. The whole journey was one hectic, emotional roller coaster of a ride, but we could not have chosen a better companion for this journey. We first met Jonathan when we were looking for real estate in Marin. I am a research doctor and my wife works for LE, and for us, moving out of the city was a real hard decision, but as we began our journey for a family, we knew we needed a house, not a 900sqft apt in the city, awesome as that may be. Almost immediately we found a townhouse we liked, which was hosted by non other than Jonathan. We took an immediately liking to him, and loved the place. However, the house was situated on a steep hill and we were concerned about the safety of our future kids/elderly parents walking up and down that hill, with cars zooming by every 10 min. So we changed our minds the next day. Jonathan, rather than try to talk us into it, supported our decision and was empathetic to our perspective. He told us to contact him if we ever had any questions and made some great suggestions. We felt a positive connection with him so we decided to use him as our official realtor. In the three months following our initial meeting, Jonathan has walked us through some disappointing out-bids, talked us down from throwing away our money on some jalopy of a house, supported us as we withdrew bids that we thought were 100% confirmed, and finally stood with us as we made our final purchase, including helping us navigate the complexities of closing, negotiating, and setting up our new home. Because I am a scientist and a teacher, I myself always crave learning about new things. I would like to close out my review by stating that Jonathan has taught me much about real estate and life, including: 1. What dry rot looks like; 2. What dry rot feels like; 3. Dos and don'ts during the offer/negotiation process; 4. Thermal radiant flooring technology; 5. How to be a great dad (for my future notes). Jonathan, thank you for everything, you have our highest, most sincere recommendation not just as a realtor but as a friend a confidant. read more

When we started our home buying process about 3 years ago, we went with Jonathan on the recommendation of a co-worker of mine. The co-worker took 4 years to find his home, and we thought "no way it'll take us that long!" Well - it almost did! Jonathan absolutely stays the course and sticks with you over the long haul! His patience never flagged, and even during a very drawn-out search process, he would never hesitate to advise us against properties that he felt it weren't right for us. And, most critically, when we did make offers, his representation of us was excellent - working quickly, making sure all the t's were crossed and i's were dotted, advising us on terms, and generally working with us to present a strong, competitive offer. Another important thing for us is that Jonathan works in both Marin and San Francisco. We initially started out looking only in Marin, but eventually looked in San Francisco as well, and it was great that Jonathan knows both markets very well. All in all, we were very happy with Jonathan, and would enthusiastically recommend him if you're looking to buy a home in Marin or SF. read more

I found Jonathan on Yelp when I was researching experts in Marin. I reached out to him and transparently explained I wasn't looking to purchase a home for a few years but needed help with the rental market. Jonathan spent over an hour with me on the phone describing neighborhoods, providing property manager contacts, and encouraging an in person meeting. He was extremely helpful, real, open, honest, and kind. Soon after, my plans changed and I was in the market to buy a home. He leaned on his extensive network, found a house, and negotiated a transaction before the home was held open. The purchasing process went as seamlessly as possible thanks in huge part to Jonathan and his team of associates. Everyone he recommended was top notch, and, as a bonus, I enjoyed working with each of them. Jonathan blurs the line between friend and a professional relationship. I should be most grateful to him for finding the perfect house, but what truly stands out about him is how real he is, and that is rare these days. I cannot recommend him highly enough! read more

Once upon a time, there was a frazzled couple with two small kids who wanted to move from Berkeley to Marin. After three years of looking and countless mismatches with plastic-y realtors, they had the good fortune of inadvertently meeting Jonathan Marks. Skeptical at first, the couple agreed only to the most casual of arrangements - no driving around together to look at houses, no bombardment with emails or phone calls, no personality profiles, only one meeting for lunch. All they really wanted was access to cleanoffer.com. They got it, and within a month, they found the house they wanted. Jonathan guided them through the house buying process with patience, insight, and humor. Jonathan's unique personality offers a blend of honesty, caring and sincerity on the one hand, coupled with focus, drive, and the ability to clearly analyze situations on the other, making him both extremely likeable and pleasant to work with, and a highly capable negotiator. It was late in the evening when the couple finished writing their offer. Jonathan was anxious to get the offer to the seller's agent immediately. As he peeled off on his motorcycle - with his hair flying out from under his helmet and the couple's offer strapped to the back of his bike - the husband looked at the wife and said "that's not your typical realtor". She responded "I know. He's an un-real(tor) and that's why we like him". The rest is history! read more

We feel so fortunate to have found Jonathan! When we started thinking about buying a home in Marin, we knew what we wanted, but didn't really know where to start. In our first meeting, Jonathan really helped us understand the market and he set our expectations on the process, timing and the emotional roller coaster- to-be. We were really impressed with his knowledge of the market in both Marin and SF and his depth of experience. He was so easy to talk to, and he asked all the right questions - he even helped us balance what we needed/wanted as a couple. After the initial meeting it felt like we had known him for years. Jonathan gave us constant guidance throughout the process - and he was right about everything! He was always quick to answer our calls, emails, or to meet in person. When we closed on our house we were actually sad that it meant we wouldn't be emailing and talking with him daily. You won't find a better Realtor in the Bay Area - we would highly recommend him, in fact, he's helping us buy another house...He's seriously the best, has great relationships with all the agents in his market and has our best interests in mind. A real gem in a business riddled with conflicts of interest between agents and clients. read more

Once upon a time, there was a couple looking for their dream home. They attended an open house in pursuit of a potential dream house and as destiny had it, were meant to cross paths with one of the most amazing individuals ever....Jonathan. Together they set out on the quest to find the dream home for the couple. This quest involved conquering the evil outbid wars, writing a letter to the owners to get them a step closer to their dream home, countless letters and words of wisdom from Jonathan on the good, bad, ugly of homes and even more countless words of encouragement, positive energy, zen approach and dedication set forth by him to make the couple's dream come true. And sure enough, three months later, this fairytale became they lived happily ever after in their sweet dream home. The magic to this story IS Jonathan, truly a hidden and rare gem. We are the most fortunate people to have cross paths with him and are beyond grateful for him making our dreams come true. The amount of compassion, genuine care, wisdom (not only about real estate but about life and a myriad of other topics that we can chat at length for), and positive energy he exudes is above and beyond. That's what's so magical about him, there is a presence and you can feel it the minute you're in his company and you can really sense that he cares about people. He has only enriched our lives and really made the whole home buying/selling process flawless. Aside from his expertise and his reputation preceding himself all throughout Marin (literally every open house, people would just smile and compliment him the minute we said we had him on our side). He also has such an amazing network of people (ranging from mortgage specialists (out of this world btw), home insurance, handyman and just about anything else)- we are sure he has enough positive karma to light up the world and of course he lights up with the greatest joys of his life, one being a great Dad! He is truly a beacon of light not only as a realtor, but more so as a friend and we know will continue to enrich our lives. We LOVE and admire Jonathan as an individual and cannot thank him enough for turning our dream home search into a fairytale. With highest regards and most sincere thanks we hope those of you reading will be only so lucky to have crossed paths with Jonathan as we have. read more

As all the reviews make clear, Jonathan really knows Marin, literally street by street, and ridge by valley. He also has lots of great recommendations for experts, termite companies, fix-it people, etc. As others have noted, he is honest about the strengths and weaknesses of any given house and neighborhood. He is NOT a realtor who will tell you what you want to hear. In our case, Jonathan's great value to us was that in purchasing our home, which was a multiple-offer situation for a unique and beautiful property in Nicasio, he advocated that our offer was the strongest. He has a very good relationship with the seller's broker, which meant he would be heard. We were successful in having our offer accepted, due to Jonathan's strong advocacy. There were some stressful moments as we navigated the escrow, and Jonathan would articulate his opinions, but would always listen to our point of view. We would recommend him very highly as a Marin realtor. read more