We confidently recommend John O'Brien. He is an excellent real estate agent--knowledgeable, responsive, trustworthy, and highly effective. He knows how to position and sell a home successfully, and his expertise, communication, and hands-on approach made our selling experience smooth and far less stressful than we expected. From the start, John demonstrated a deep understanding of the local market. His analysis of comparable homes and pricing strategy generated strong interest, multiple offers, and got our home under contract in just five days. John also came to the process with a clear plan. He provided a detailed timeline to get our home ready for sale and recommended high-quality contractors for quick fixes and preparation work. His organization and network made the entire process efficient and manageable, especially while we were relocating. What really sets John apart is how much he goes above and beyond for his clients. He coordinated contractors, helped manage listing preparations, and ensured everything stayed on track from start to finish. Knowing he was managing these details gave us tremendous peace of mind. His marketing approach was also excellent. We especially appreciated his "Top 10 Things About Our Home" flyer, which highlighted the unique features of the property and helped tell the story of the home to potential buyers. John is also a great communicator. He kept us informed at every stage of the process, responded quickly to questions, and always followed through on what he said he would do. Throughout the entire process he worked tirelessly on our behalf and maintained a positive, "can-do" attitude. Equally important, John is someone you can trust. He consistently followed through on everything he said he would do and made it clear that he genuinely had our best interests in mind throughout the entire process. Selling a home during a relocation can be overwhelming, but John's professionalism, organization, and dedication made the experience seamless. I wish I could work with John in every transaction I am involved in. Thanks again, John! - Katie read more

I've bought two homes with John. He seems to know everything about every neighborhood in the Seattle area. For the most recent purchase, the search was year-long because I have so many (sometimes conflicting) criteria - and John was unfailingly patient and understanding throughout. He also gave me a lot of tips about home and yard maintenance - I learned a lot from him. Highly recommend. read more

John is the best real estate agent I know and I've had many real estate agents in different states. He is professional, knowledgeable, personable and genuinely cares about getting the right house to make your home. He is honest and sincere. He gave great recommendations, does his homework of the homes in the areas we were searching for, and always tells you the truth. I would highly recommend John for an honest and trustworthy agent. read more

John O'Brien - Keller Williams Realty - Real Estate Agents Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I'm so thankful to have worked with John to find and then purchase my first home ever. He is very knowledgeable, pays attention to understand what you're looking for, and really cares that you buy the right place for you. I felt so well guided through several years of patient search. John's got your back and goes way beyond the job description! Whenever I'm back in the market to sell or buy a home again, I will definitely work with John! read more

John is truly a first class agent. We were referred through friends who have had two excellent experiences/purchases working with John. He really listened and understood our specific needs, worked diligently (and creatively when necessary) to help us end up with an amazing first home. Had a ton of fun and learned so much about homes in the process as well! Would 100% highly recommend. read more

Absolutely fantastic! John is the most professional real-estate agent that I have ever worked with. He scouted-out every home we had interest in before we toured it, facilitated multiple days of touring both in-person and virtual, and provided expert advise during our negotiations and closing. He's earned our complete trust, and I would recommend him to anyone and everyone looking to buy or sell a home in the greater Seattle area! read more

We found John during an open house back in January and he seemed very friendly and knowledgable about the area - we had just moved from out of state, so we really appreciated the free tips/advice :). He offered to "interview" for our realtor position, as we were just beginning to look an hadn't found a realtor in the area yet. He was very professional and presented how he does business and provided a folder of past client testimonials along with services he provides, including helping with writing "love letters" and how he has "won homes" for his clients in very competitive markets. We looked at homes with John during Covid times, and appreciated his availability, responsiveness and willingness to work around our schedules. He helped us write 3 offers and finally "win" our current home in July! It took about 6 months and looking at maybe 30+ homes together to finally find our home. John was patient throughout the whole process and we never felt pressured into buying a home we didn't love. He also recommended our lender and provided recommendations for contractors and help after the sale. I really appreciated that always kept us in loop throughout the process. Overall, I'd definitely recommend John to my network of family and friends if they ever need a realtor! He is great! read more

We just bought our second home with John and it was an amazing experience again! John is incredibly organized, responsive, hard working, and diligent in helping you find/sell your home. An additional strength is his attention to detail - especially with the bones of the home - he'll never let you end up with something that will cost more than you expect down the line. Can't recommend him enough. read more

I cannot recommend John strongly enough. I recently up 2312 Hobart Ave SW, Seattle WA on the market while living remote and wanting a quick close. Not only did John accomplish both, but he nailed it on the pricing, marketing and staging. Additionally, never have I seen anyone go above and beyond as him in every sense. Not only did he FIND all the contractors, but he helped me schedule, oversee and even pitch in when it came to getting the work down. Absolutely incredible and I recommend with the highest possible degree of integrity. read more

John O'Brien is everything that my wife and I wanted out of a Real Estate Agent as first time home buyers. He was knowledgable about the area, the process and just houses generally. Whenever we would go see a house he always helped us to keep perspective on what it was we were buying and the pros and cons of each property. This helped us not to be overwhelmed and make a decision that we weren't happy with. His goal was always to help us find a home that would fit our needs and not necessarily the pressures of the market. He was also always available whenever we had a question and was patient as we were walking through the process both on the first time we made an offer and also when we made the final offer on our home. I would highly recommend using John as your agent. read more

TLDR: John is a communicative, accessible, and knowledgeable realtor who listens and respects what you as a client want in a house. We cannot imagine buying a house in Seattle without having a great advisor like John on our side. We decided to purchase a home in probably one of the worst housing markets and during a pandemic at the beginning of 2021. John easily stood out from the number of realtors we interviewed, and I will try my best to outline some of his most amazing qualities. John always makes you feel like you are on the top of his priority list. He listens to what you want and respects what you are comfortable with. He was always able to respond to any questions or requests with not only timely but also very thoughtful responses. Many times, John would respond to a question on a property with many more details with his deep industry knowledge and additional research that he would do for us. We viewed over 50 properties in 1.5 months and not once did we get any issues scheduling a showing with John. About house showing/walkthrough, John focuses not only on the basics of a home: aesthetics, location, commute, but also some important system topics such as drainage, plumbing, structural, etc. imagine having a realtor with inspector background and points out 80% of the things inspectors do. It is easier to make a note of the true cost/worth of a home when these system details are pointed out. John used the walkthrough time incredibly efficient as well. We could easily knock out our weekly housing tours in a matter of a few hours. John did plenty of research and reading on a property that we were interested in putting offers in. That level of dedication to his craft helps inform our decision on the best offer we should do for a home. He also went over the closing documents in detail to ensure we fully understand the meaning of these important pieces of papers that we are signing. We were extremely comfortable at knowing what we are offering in a house, understanding what contingencies we are waiving, and responsibilities as buyers. John had never tried to sway our decision one way or another on a home because at the end of the day he was there to offer his expertise and we still got to make our decisions. We are incredibly grateful to have John on our side. John is the kind of realtor you keep and recommend to as many people as possible because he is a realtor for life. My wife and I often joke, if you are going on an expedition and you are absolutely dependent on your realtor for your life, get a John. read more

We originally were planning to use John for selling our condo on-market. He was so prompt at replying to us, providing excellent recommendations, and really laid out a fantastic plan of attack for us hitting the market. When we came across an opportunity to sell our home off-market, we used John and he provided fantastic insight, a clear timeline/to-do list, and made the process incredibly smooth. Would 100% use John again - he's a top notch and extremely trustworthy agent. read more

We were referred to John to help our son with his first buying experience in the Seattle / UW areas. Working with John exceeded my expectations. John spent a lot of time showing our son various neighborhoods and condo units available within his budget. He provided a lot of teaching and advising to our son who had never had any previous experience looking at real estate. He made sure he understood all the documents he would be working with. He was an excellent communicator and advisor. He had patience with all my son's questions. He even stopped by during our escrow signing to greet us (we came from out of state to co-sign) and to make sure things went smoothly. He also had good recommendations for mortgage bankers, inspectors, and handymen. He was very knowledgeable of the areas and had great insights and advise. He was excellent to work with! read more

In a very competitive market for buyers John got us into homes quickly and offered solid advice on both the positives and the negatives of each property. He didn't do any sort of "hard sell" and I knew that he had our best interests in mind throughout the entire process. When we found a home that was of interest John looked at it very closely as he is very knowledgeable about home construction and systems. When it came to make an offer John analyzed the comparables and offered strategic advice on terms and pricing. He and our mortgage lender worked very well together and we "won" in a multiple offer situation even though we did not escalate to the highest price! I also used John to sell my condominium and he had a very strategic plan for the presentation, pricing and promotion of the property from day one. He helped me prep the home for sale (even fixed a few items himself) and had quality referrals for painting, small repairs, deep cleaning and staging. He also hired a great photographer and virtual tour person so my home looked incredible online and in person. While on the market, John promoted my home well online and followed up quickly with every agent who showed the home and got useful feedback. We went under contract more quickly than past units in the complex (even in a pandemic) and the transaction closed very smoothly. John negotiated well on our behalf and kept us updated frequently on all developments. As first time sellers we knew that we were in good hands because John was in complete control of the transaction. I look forward to keeping in touch with John in the future and recommending him to all of my friends and family. Besides being a very thorough and professional Broker, John is also a very fun, positive person and I sincerely enjoyed working with him. Fun Fact: Even my 3 year old loves John :) read more

John is an outstanding realtor. As a first-time home buyer, he guided my husband and me through all the twists and turns of the process, especially in the Seattle area's housing market madness. He always ensured that we felt like a top priority, with incredibly fast communication and flexibility with showings. He was resilient when we lost several offers, and never once did he pressure us to increase our budget. With John, you'll never feel like you're being sold a house, which helps to make sure you get in a house that you are genuinely happy about and is reassuring to know that he truly cares about your real estate goals. With John, you'll confidently know that you have someone in your corner even after closing. Need a plumber or a contractor? John has great recommendations for whatever you need to make your house a home. I can't recommend John enough, and after our experience with him, it's clear that he has clients for life. read more

John helped me sell my condo in Seattle in summer of 2019. He was a fantastic partner in the process - extremely experienced, knowledgeable and communicative. He guided me through the process of preparing to sell with enthusiasm and efficiency, and helped me price the condo effectively. He always listened to my needs and desires, and strongly supported me when I wasn't comfortable settling with a lower offer than I had anticipated. When the right offer came in, there was smooth communication through the entire offer negotiation, inspection and closing process. I truly believe he helped me get the best price for my home. I highly recommend him to others and plan to work with him again in the future! read more

John is a professional, ethical, and knowledgeable real estate agent. I highly recommend John O'Brien! I met John 7 years ago when he sold my parents a home in Wallingford. At that time, I was so impressed with him that I had to use him for myself! My wife and I started working with John in 2019. When we first met him, we discussed our dream home, ideal locations, and budget. During our first home tours, John taught us how to judge a home based on the lot, location, and layout among many other parameters. Additionally, he pointed out flaws that an inspector may notice, which is helpful. His goal was to educate us. Over the past 2 years, we looked at over 50 homes. John was so dedicated on us finding a home we were happy in that he counselled us out of buying homes when we were frustrated with the process. This has not been my experience with real estate agents in the past and I found to be very special. In the end, John found us our dream home, which in this market seemed like an impossible task! I highly recommend John; I consider him a good friend now and I plan to continue to work with him in the future! I promise you will not be disappointed. read more

I cannot begin to express how happy I am that our friend connected my fiance and I with John O'Brien. Navigating the Puget Sound housing market is a unique and daunting venture, but John made sure it was never over our heads. He made sure we understood every step of the process. He made himself available to go over our documents, line by line, instead of just telling us where ot sign. He helped us gain wisdom from our setbacks to better prepare us for our next effort. He taught us how to be competitive without throwing away practicality. In the end, he helped us to secure an amazing home...at list price! I didn't even know that such a feat was possible these days. I cannot say thank you enough. Those who are fortunate enough to work with him are lucky to have such a responsible and hard-working agent in their corner. read more

The moment that my wife and I decided to sell our home, there was no question as to who our real estate broker was going to be. We were extremely fortunate to have had John O'Brien represent us as buyers of our home back in 2011, and he guided us skillfully through the process of a multi-offer situation, and we believe that the actions and recommendations that John made during this process allowed us to be the chosen buyers for this home. Fast-forward to 2022 and we found ourselves moving out of state, so we reached out to John six months prior to our projected sale, he was on the job from that moment doing a comprehensive walk-through and telling us what remodeling investments would benefit and what would not. We believe that our early intervention with John as our broker allowed us to best prepare our home for sale and get the best price. One of the many reasons John was the only Broker we entertained, was that he always goes above and beyond for his clients. We moved out of state while our home was on the market, he watered our lawn and managed final closing coordination for us without even missing a beat. As anticipated, John provided a seamless and successful sale of our home, and we recommend him exclusively to anyone interested in buying or selling a home in Washington! read more

John is fantastic. He helped me purchase our townhome in Ballard back in 2011 and then aided again in the sale of that townhome in 2020. Both transactions were virtually seamless. He's been in real estate for a long time and his experience shines through. Excellent knowledge of the field, marketing and negotiating skills. I appreciate he was easily accessible via phone, text, email, and always had prompt, well thought out replies to any questions I had. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to anyone I know. read more

John is a professional agent who always make you feel like you are his #1 customer. He taught us about the process first, and met us on every walkthrough we requested. He called out pretty much everything the inspector did, and everything else said by the inspector and plumber, he had taught us earlier. He never lets up and never seemed to get distracted from the goal of getting us into a good house. It's always good to meet someone so honest and friendly, and make it easy to trust helping with such a big decision. We feel very lucky we found him as our realtor and friend! read more

John is a dedicated professional with decades of experience and encyclopedic knowledge of the industry. When I got caught up in the market frenzy of getting out-bid on house after house, he'd gently suggested I not bid on various houses he knew I wouldn't be happy in. He was most interested in me being happy in my new home. And then when my offer was finally accepted it was the best of all the houses I bid on. read more

John O'Brien from the University Village office worked with me to sell and purchase a home. He is the best of the best and I recommend him to anyone who is wanting to buy or sell real estate. I'm a very detailed person and John was right there to let me know what was going to happen, how things worked and what we could do to help the process. He was totally on top of it and made sure everything was done in my best interest. My husband has worked with several other real estate brokers in the past and commented on how professional, organized, knowledgeable, and how he had our backs. By far the best Real Estate broker he had ever worked with. We highly recommend John!!! Thank you John for being there throughout all of my real estate transactions. read more

John was our realtor during a really busy time in our lives. We had just moved back to Seattle after living in California for 6 years, we were looking for our first home, and we were expecting our first child. John was a wealth of knowledge about the real estate industry, and extremely patient and knowledgeable as we searched for the perfect home for our family. During our 5-month search process, we saw dozens of houses, made four total offers, and finally landed on the right house at the right time. We couldn't be happier to settle into the new house with our baby. We enjoyed working with John so much, that we recommended him to my sister-in-law, who's working with him to find her first home too. He's really the "family realtor" now! read more

We were SO fortunate to have John on our side as we went through the process of buying our first home in a highly competitive market! John more than made up for our lack of experience and knowledge by going out of his way to educate us on all things home-related, and by ensuring that we put in the most competitive offer possible while intelligently making difficult decisions (like waiving contingencies). His genuine interest in having our housing needs and desires satisfied shines through, and I look forward to consulting with him for many years to come, whenever I have house-related questions (as he has encouraged me to do). read more

During our journey to find a home, John was always professional, reliable and knowledgeable. Coming from Eastern Washington and wanting to buy a home in Seattle, my husband and I had no idea what we were getting into. We were quickly advised by John of the market in Seattle. The competition was high with low inventory, and John's experience in the field was very helpful. We worked well as a team, as John would offer his advice and professional opinion on the pros and cons of each home we looked at and gave us information on the neighborhood now and predictions for growth in the future. I learned an abundance of information from John about the systems in a home and the amount of work it takes to maintain outside and inside. Thankfully, John has a team of professionals he works with and recommends. We had positive experiences with inspectors, and those doing sewer scopes. After we moved into our home John gave us recommendations for someone to re-key and do a chimney sweep and we had great experiences with both contacts. John is a great agent and friend. Its hard to find someone who is professional and knowledgeable with a great sense of humor, that's why I will continue to recommend John to those looking for an agent looking out for their best interest. read more

When first deciding whether or not my spouse and I should sell, we contacted John. To our surprise, he wanted to sit down, discuss his statistical data (displaying information about the local real estate market), and get to know us. I recall confidently John saying something along the lines of, "I want to make sure we get along before you decide to work with me." John's comment was humbling. We did not feel pressured and agreed to the meeting. Once we met, we immediately connected with John's kind spirit. He was honest, and communicated that if we decided to not sell our townhome, that it would be no problem. His goal was to make us happy. We decided that, through John's dialogue and market research, that maybe we did enjoy our home more than we thought. John was accepting, and reaffirmed his stance that he wanted us to be content and not rush into any ill-advised decisions. After months of our own research and reflection, we ended up deciding to sell our home. We did not hesitate to call the honest, compassionate, and joyous man named John. John also did not hesitate, he made himself immediately available and assisted us through the demanding process. We went from deciding to sell to listing within 4-days. While this is not normally necessary, we were attempting to sell in the declining market (10/2018) and knew that with the holidays arriving soon, we needed to act fast. John was there every step of the way. He provided the photographer, stager, and all the items necessary to allow our 4-day listing plan to come to fruition. As stressful as it was, John handled the situation with professionalism and compassion. He was able to assist us in selling the home in around 10-days of listing *again noting that this was a declining market. John went above and beyond what was required of him. After this, we decided to buy a condo and downsize. We again knew who to call: John. He guided us through various properties, giving honest, quality feedback. Finally, we were able to find our perfect condo. One issue was that the unit had tenants and thus caused a longer-closing period (60-days). John stood up for us as buyers and made sure the unit was cleaned, maintenance was complete, and the unit was move-in ready. We dealt with various issues from the seller that John handled with grace. In the end, we were overjoyed to both experiences that John provided us. He didn't treat us like customers, but as friends. We are very grateful for John and his honest approach to real estate. We continue to recommend him to our friends and family. If we ever need a real estate agent, we will know who to call. read more

John helped me both buy & sell my first house. He was amazing in each transaction and I really enjoyed working with him. He is VERY knowledgable about the market and will take his time to help answer any questions. If I were to buy another house in Seattle, John would be the first person I call. read more

John helped my girlfriend and I buy our first house last year. We first met John almost a year before through a family recommendation, and we can't thank him enough for all his knowledge, support, time, and dedication during the lengthy process to find our perfect home. John helped us figure out the exact type of home we wanted and spent many weeknights and weekends taking us to open houses. We never felt pressured to make a decision we weren't comfortable with and appreciated him pointing out both the positives and negatives of a property. Once it was time to make the big decision John carefully walked us through the process so we felt confident with our purchase. He followed through beyond the sale to make sure we were happy and went to bat for us when needed. We are so glad we chose John as our realtor and we highly recommend anyone to work with John on finding their dream home! read more

John helped us sell our home eight years ago. When we returned to Seattle there was no doubt we would ask him to help us find our new home. None whatsoever. The hunt was fast and furious in the current market, and not fun. It would have been horrible were it not for John's experience. He was informative, calm, and there for us. One would feel that they were John's only clients! Once the offer was accepted he ensured everything flowed like silk. Already I've recommended several people to John. read more

We started working with John way back in 2010 when we were living in New York and thinking about buying a house in Seattle. John took time out of his weekend to show us several houses while we were in town visiting family. Fast forward to 2017: we FINALLY made the move to Seattle, and John helped my husband and me (first-time homebuyers) buy a house in Queen Anne. Reasons why John was such an awesome Realtor: 1. John knows a lot about homes, new and old. In this respect, he is on a level that is not typical for real estate agents. We were looking at mostly 100-year old craftsman style houses, and I always liked having John's input on what improvements or repairs would likely be needed (plus how one might go about doing that and how much to budget). This is really crucial when thinking through overall budget. John also has contacts with trusted contractors all over the Seattle area. 2. John is a realist. On a few occasions my husband and I got a bit ahead of ourselves in falling in love with a house, and John did not hesitate to bring us down to earth in thinking through the downsides (e.g., we were really into a house that had a master on the second floor and all other bedrooms below, and John pointed out that for several reasons it's not ideal to have your kids sleeping on a lower floor--great point that we weren't thinking about). John sees past the fresh coat of paint and staged furniture and will not hesitate to point out issues that could become huge headaches for a homeowner. I thought John's pragmatism was hugely helpful and impressive given that it would have been easy for him to have us jump into buying any old house so that he could get his commission and stop spending his weekends driving us around to look at houses! John truly wanted us to get the right house. In fact, we trusted John's opinion so much that we actually put in an offer on one house site unseen. 3. John really understands and can effectively explain the various moving parts of making an offer and negotiating. He is super experienced and is the kind of person you want in your corner at the negotiating phase. 4. John is extremely responsive. He went out of his way to preview homes on our behalf when we weren't available (or were still living in NYC). He gets back to emails and texts promptly and was able to line up pre-offer inspections very quickly in the face of looming offer review dates. This was really important for us (impatient millennials)! Overall, we had an amazing experience with John and would recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell a house! read more

I'm a first time home owner, and none of this would have been possible without the navigation, expertise and experience of John O'Brien. In this market, John helped me write a solid offer on a condo, and on my second bid, it was accepted! He was in constant contact with the selling agent, advocated for me and without him, I don't know what I would have done. He's an excellent agent, had the patience to answer all my questions, and more importantly, he looked out for me and wasn't just looking to make a sale and made sure that my purchase was a good one. He's a great guy and I enjoyed working with him throughout this process! read more

John helped us buy then sell the same home three years later. He went above and beyond our expectations for a realtor! He knows the Seattle market and his knowledge and advice were excellent. Moving across the country on a tight deadline was stressful and he took care of so many things for us! He even staged our condo and had professional photos done. The condo was only on the market one week due to his careful planning and preparations. I recommend him highly. read more

John is a very knowledgeable, professional and meticulous realtor! After purchasing a townhome with him last year, he helped us with the purchase of another home this year for my parents. I strongly believe that his rapport and professionalism with the listing agent was pivotal in the purchase of my parents' home in the midst of multiple competing, and potentially stronger, offers. He is also extremely handy and has been able to educate us on the basics of what we should know about electrical, plumbing, etc. I strongly recommend John to anyone who wishes to purchase or sell a home. He is also just a great guy! You will not be disappointed. read more

The Seattle market is so hot and tough right now, and it's frustrating to try to buy a home in this market. I am glad that John was there to help me through this process. John worked very closely with me for the entire three months where we viewed over 75+ properties. He is very knowledge with the ins and outs of a home, the material and the structure, the pricing and competitiveness of each neighborhood. We often worked late nights together to formulate bidding strategies and to draft out our offers. What I like about John is his honesty - he would let me know when he think the asking price is unreasonable, or that certain homes are not fitting to my character/lifestyle, instead of pushing me to close deals that I am not 100% sure of. Thanks to John, I found my perfect home now in Ballard! And he is more than a broker, he has become my friend and I am very thankful for all his help! read more

John is a truly incredible realtor. We recently asked John to help sell our house in Seattle. John provided a wealth of information to help us price our house and prepare it for sale. We had to put it on the market at a less than ideal time (fall) and John had very good counsel on how to optimize the situation. We ended up with two very solid offers which was great but the higher offer was with a buyer and agent who were a bit difficult and tried to use the inspection as a lever to get us to drastically reduce the price. John was outstanding in helping us navigate this very troubling process. Subsequently, the buyers offer fell through when the buyer could not get financing. John was masterful again in reaching out to the previous buyers who then came back at the same price as our first and highest offer. The inspection and sale then went through without a hitch. Our experience with John shows clearly how important it is to have an experienced and knowledgeable realtor. We tremendously benefited from John's expertise and would HIGHLY recommend him to others. read more

I cannot say enough good things about John O'Brien! We just bought our first house and he was incredibly accessible and knowledgeable the whole time. We are talking last minute late Friday nights in West Seattle, Sunday nights after concerts, he was ALWAYS there for us and always willing to answer any question and walk us through every step of the process. He knows his stuff too- especially when it comes to houses and why or how something might have been constructed that way. I have already referred 2 co-workers and they have been thrilled!!! read more