The secret is out about Seattle. It’s a wonderful place to work and live, with a wealth of economic opportunities. As a result, the housing market is beyond competitive. In fact, Seattle was ranked as the hottest market for single-family homes in 2015.
With rising prices and limited demand, buyers often have to act quickly to land the house of their dreams. It’s important for consumers to be well-informed about what they’re looking for in a home so that they can jump on the perfect opportunity without hesitation.
House hunting in Seattle has the potential to be extremely stressful, but a great real estate agent can make the process much less painful. An agent can help you find the best house in the best neighborhood and guide you through negotiations to help you secure the perfect new home.
I’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular and top-rated real estate agents in the Seattle area based on friend’s recommendations and online reviews. Happy hunting!
Coldwell Banker Bain
Coldwell Banker Bain (CBB) is the biggest single-owner real estate company in the Pacific Northwest. For over 40 years they’ve been serving the Seattle area, with three major downtown offices and 27 more offices spread throughout the Seattle, Tacoma and Portland metro areas. There is also one office dedicated solely to relocation management. CBB emphasizes their extremely well-trained and knowledgeable staff. Their broad knowledge of the market is sure to help you find the home of your dreams.
Steve Lauvastu
Steve “The Seattle Home Guy,” Lauvastu, is one of the highest rated real estate agents in the area, consistently landing on Seattle Magazine’s “Best in Customer Service” list. With over 28 years of experience Steve is an expert who knows the Seattle area very well.
His promise is to go above and beyond the call of duty as your agent.
Heather Dolin
Heather Dolin calls herself an “Urban Neighborhood Specialist” because she focuses exclusively on Seattle’s central neighborhoods. Her expertise and focus on building long-term relationships with clients have led to her winning Seattle Magazine’s “Best of Real Estate Agents” Award seven times.
Team Diva Real Estate
You can tell from their name and their flashy website that Team Diva are a different kind of real estate team. Run by wife and wife team Kim Colaprete and Chavi Hohm, the Divas believe you should live somewhere that makes you feel awesome, and they have the knowledge to help you find that place. Their emphasis is on neighborhood character and their website breaks down major Seattle neighborhoods into micro-neighborhoods to give you a more exact idea of the specific culture and ambiance.
Eileen Hoxit
99 percent of Eileen Hoxit‘s business comes from referrals, so you know she comes with good word of mouth. She has been voted “Best in Client Satisfaction” by Seattle Magazine for 11 years running. Whether you’re a first-time home buyer or a local celebrity, Hoxit will work with you to find the best property as swiftly as possible.
Cooper Jacobs Real Estate
The first thing to know about Cooper Jacobs is that they promise to always put you, the client, first. Whether you’re looking for a house or a condo, in Seattle proper or in the suburbs, they have you covered. They will walk you through the entire process of buying or selling your home, and particularly emphasize the use of online media to sell houses.
Cooper Jacobs is also a member of Built Green, a plus for anyone looking for a greenly built home or just one with eco-friendly features.
Christian Nossum
Christian Nossum has been named one of the top real estate agents in the country by Estately.com numerous times. He is all about working closely with customers to help them find the perfect home. When you buy a house with him, Christian will even throw you a housewarming party after move-in! Team Awesome Nossum is so popular they are often fully booked, so check ahead of time to see if they are taking new clients.
Team Besharit Realty
Fay Besharit and her team of agents specialize in luxury homes and new developments. They are ranked in the top 1 percent of real estate agents nationwide and sell many millions of dollars of real estate a year. Their motto is “Our Service Will Exceed Your Expectations,” and their reviews indicate that they really do.
Nice Seattle Homes
Cynthia Creasey and Mack McCoy‘s goal is to provide nice people with nice homes in the Seattle area. They make sure clients get all the information they could possibly need to make an educated choice about a new home. Although their website needs a serious update, they clearly know their stuff. They are also Certified International Property Specialists, which is a benefit for those relocating from outside of the US.
Redfin Real Estate Agents
You may be familiar with Redfin’s hyper-detailed real estate search engine, but did you know the company (which is actually based in Seattle), also employs real live real estate agents? Redfin agents are full-service, and on call 24/7.
These local experts view themselves primarily as customer advocates, whose pay and future prospects are entirely dependent on client feedback. As a result, Redfin rates sky-high in customer satisfaction in independent surveys.
