Bruce Phares | 3+ Decades Of Uncompromising Client Advocacy.

CLIENTS TALK!

Ken Graves - Managing Director, MedTech and Life Sciences | L.E.K. Consulting

Genuine advocacy. In a nutshell that is what Bruce and team bring to their clients, and why they receive the highest recommendation I can muster. I have worked with Bruce and Donna, and recently with Mark Besta, across the purchase and subsequent sale of two houses in Seattle. Our relationship spans over 20 years beginning with my very first home purchase in Phinney Ridge. There is no one I trust more to help with these major life events. There are so many angles to the realtor/buyer-seller relationship but the trust factor is paramount. After recently moving to a new city, I experienced again and again agents who were clearly more into making a sale than in helping me. Their interest in guiding me, the buyer and their client, to the home offering the best fit was of secondary importance to making the transaction. I kept thinking how Bruce and Donna would be appalled. Bruce now partnered with Mark leverages market data, his vast network and in-depth knowledge of the city to educate and inform. At the same time he employs ample empathy to guide his clients in the best way possible to a successful home purchase or sale. He’s a true advocate for his clients. You’ll never feel like you’re a just transaction with Bruce and team.

Zachary Tomlinson - Attorney at Pacifica Law Group LLP

Bruce and Donna (and now Mark) are fantastic. Over the past decade, they have helped us with the successful purchase of two houses and the sale of one. They are skilled conductors, orchestrating a wide-ranging team of inspectors, lenders, appraisers, stagers and many more. They even have a top-notch basement painter.

More importantly, they provide sage counsel and wisdom when venturing into the increasingly stressful and wild Seattle housing market. Bruce is a fount of calm, a zen master who will guide you through the buying / selling process with knowledge, deliberation and strategy.

Highest recommendation.

Tom Granger - CPA Budget & Financial Analyst, Washington Education Assoc.

It would be hard for me to overstate how absolutely FABULOUS I found Bruce and his team to be when we engaged them to help us buy & sell a home in Seattle in 2014. We interviewed three different agents, and we knew immediately Bruce was our guy. This was my first real estate rodeo, and although I was VERY skeptical of real estate agents going into the process, I very quickly put complete faith in Bruce & Co. Not only was there absolutely no pressure from Bruce to make a move, but he readily took us on as a client although we told him we were at least a year out from being in the market. Bruce was unbelievably creative in helping us navigate a multitude of hurdles, and he set us up with pretty much everybody we needed to get out of our old place (I married into a home) and into our new one - from home inspector to mortgage broker and everyone in between, all of whom were outstanding. Bruce took us on home tours and pointed out the various reasons why we WOULDN'T want a particular house. The guy's insight into home construction and real estate in general is apparently limitless, and he seriously LOVES to tell you everything he knows. Finally, not only did he price our house spot on (we had four competing bids, and received quite a bit more than asking price), but we beat out four other competing bids to get our new home (which we love), which was the first home we put an offer on. You will not find a more genuine, honest, and HARD WORKING real estate agent than Bruce. Although he certainly had more clients than just us while he was working with us, we felt like we were the only people on his radar.

Ann Parker-Way - Outsourced General Counsel (General Counsel at Large PLLC)

Bruce, Donna and their partner Mark Besta are simply the best. They have provided great results for me, both on the buy side and the sell side (twice). When I sold my first house, Bruce and Donna got me a great price on a short timeline, even though the house had a floor plan and location that severely limited the pool of potential buyers. At the same time, they showed me a selection of houses to buy that demonstrated their deep understanding of my needs, and then negotiated a fair purchase deal in a tough market. When I sold that second house over 10 years later, Bruce and Mark handled the entire process expertly, managing potential buyers and repair/staging/etc. vendors with skill and grace, no easy feat given that I was out of the country at the time and had renters in the house. Not only did they save my sanity, they brought me multiple offers and a fantastic sale price. They always took the time to educate me about the process and my options (never losing patience with my TON of questions), which really helped with the hard decisions. In addition to being highly competent, strategic, ethical and super-responsive, they are wonderful people to boot. Bruce, Donna and Mark have my absolute highest recommendation.

Rebecca Kavoussi - Vice President & General Manager, Washington at Landmark Health

We have bought two houses and sold one with Bruce and have recommended him to many others, including my mom when the house across the street went up for sale. Bruce is accessible, smart, and strategic. He has great partners in Donna and Mark, and we always felt like we had a team on our side. Bruce helped us strategically update and stage our last house to sell it for the highest price point our neighborhood had ever seen, and he helped us buy our dream house in the height of the market. And most of all, Bruce has become a friend who we call for advice and laughter.

Donald Lawn - Owner, The Home Report, LLC

I have been a home inspector for 27 years, and have worked with Bruce Phares for almost 25 of those years. I have always found Bruce to truly epitomize the qualities of a conscientious, knowledgeable and trustworthy advocate for his clients. He always goes the extra mile to investigate and communicate all aspects of the sale process to the individuals who have entrusted him with guiding them through the ever increasing complexities of the home purchase process. As a home inspector I have seen this interaction over and over again during potential sales for which I have been the inspector.

Buying property involves risk, and is usually the most expensive material purchase many of us will undertake in our lifetime. So it is especially important to acquire informed assistance when going through this process. Bruce is expert at helping his clients navigate the labyrinth of decisions that may need to be made when buying a home. It is not just the paperwork that is important, but the understanding of the whole process. And most important to that is communication: between buyers, sellers, agents and experts brought in to decipher the physical conditions of the property. And in communication between all the parties, Bruce excels.

Sometimes I think Bruce understands as much about home construction as most inspectors, and it is very helpful to have him be a party in the information exchange. Bruce never tries to modify or qualify information that is presented during inspections, even if it is potentially detrimental to the sale. He asks questions pertinent to inspection findings presented and encourages a very free flow of information between all concerned, and encourages me, as the inspector, to fully explain all the variations of the complexities of conditions discovered during an inspection. He really looks out for his client.

I would recommend Bruce without reservation to any party that might be interested in either buying or selling a home.

Shree Madhavapeddi - Product @ Google

I first came across Bruce when a friend bought a house with his help over 10 years ago. I was amazed at the high quality of homes that he lists. I've been waiting to buy a home so I could retain Bruce and I had the opportunity a few months ago.

Bruce quickly understands what his clients are looking for. Bruce personally takes clients to see homes. On these trips, he patiently educates his clients on the different aspects of a home -- e.g. tradeoff on a basement built in the 1920s vs say in the 1950s. etc. During this process he learns what they are looking for at a greater level of detail. We had reached a point where we'd discuss a new home that came on the market and Bruce would go down there, take a full 15 minute video with his commentary and then post it on Youtube for us to watch. We didn't even have to visit homes after the first dozen that we saw together.

Finally, once you find that perfect home, he brings his amazing team to bear -- and takes the game to the next level. The strategy for winning in a multiple offer situation is where they truly shine. Bruce did background research on the history of the home and the seller/selling agent. He crafted an stellar presentation that was bound to win. It worked for us!

Bruce talked us out of so many homes that we were ready to buy because he knows his clients. His integrity is without question.

I'd work with Bruce again and I know that I'm getting the best in the business.

James Evans - Partner at Fenwick & West

Bruce & Donna are simply the best. My wife and I met them in rather unusual circumstances. Our then-current agent put herself into an irreconcilable conflict situation (a long and sordid tale, and the opposite of everything I've experienced with Bruce & Donna), and I called Bruce at around 7pm on a Saturday night regarding a house on which we wanted to make an offer. He and Donna responded immediately and helped us make a superior offer less than a day later - literally went from not knowing us or our situation to being totally up to speed and engaged in less than 24 hours. It was truly amazing and showed us the level of dedication and commitment to client service that they both embody. We did not end up purchasing that particular home, but much more importantly we feel we have found a trusted and valued partner as we continue to search for our next home. Bruce & Donna are never more than a text or phone call away. They are incredibly responsive, knowledgeable and market savvy - most important they are kind and honest people (and pretty darn fun to be around to boot)!

Mia Baumgartner - Chaplain at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

I was a first time home buyer and Bruce & Donna were fantastic. They have a great knowledge, experience and integrity. They were good at teaching me what I needed to know. They ran me through a 'mock offer' as a matter of course so that I could see all the fine print and truly understand it--and so I could get my bearings and feel confident about the house buying process.

They have a high sense of integrity and care. They have high standards for inspection and inspectors that was the envy of some of my friends. They are great at listening and getting a good feel for what you are looking for, awesome at getting you the best deal and want to make sure you are working with the best professionals all around. These guys are great. I highly recommend them!

Dylan Chalk - Owner, Orca Inspection Services

As a professional home inspector, I have inspected over 5000 houses and worked with hundreds of real estate brokers to help homebuyers through the process of discovery, by which a prospective homebuyer has a window of opportunity to investigate the house or real estate they are interested in purchasing. While I cannot speak to the complete array of critical services that real estate agents perform for their clients, I can comment honestly on what I know: Bruce Phares and his team are more dedicated to discovery than anyone I have ever worked with in this industry. His level of detail and preparedness are unequaled and raise the bar. Bruce truly understands how to help his clients evaluate risk and he has a wealth of experience and resources he can draw on to this end. If you are in search of a knowledgeable, kind, experienced, honest and dedicated professional for your real estate team, you simply could not do better than Bruce Phares.

Alan Smith - Partner at Fenwick & West, LLP

Bruce and his partner Donna are committed service providers who deliver superlative results for their clients and show tireless devotion to 1) educating and informing them about the buying and/or selling process on which they are embarking, 2) facilitating the decision making process for the hard choices involved in choosing a house or valuing a house for sale and 3) representing their clients in negotiations with tough and ethical tactics to get the right deal. Bruce and Donna helped us to sell our first house. They did a beautiful job of staging it (almost made us want to move back in!), generated high demand and executed a timely transaction at a great price. At the same time, they helped us to negotiate the purchase of a new house. This wasn't an ordinary transaction--we bought the house under construction and had to enter into complex and repeated negotiations about design changes, spec choices, time for completion and the like. Bruce guided us through the process, kept us sane and informed (and reasonably calm) and made sure that we got what we wanted at a fair price. Even a year after the transaction was complete, the commissions were paid and we were living in the house, Bruce went out of his way to assist us negotiating with a subcontractor for replacement of flooring in our basement that was discovered to be defective. This took repeated phone calls and persistence and Bruce stayed after it and helped us get it fixed--just out of his loyalty to us as his clients and his desire to make sure we were pleased with the house. Bruce and Donna have my highest recommendation as ethical and highly competent and effective agents who can help guide who through your real estate transactions with grace and support.

Amy Levine - Sr. Manager, Digital Merchandising, Victoria's Secret

Bruce has helped me buy, sell, and buy again in Seattle and I trust him implicitly. He knows the market so well and goes above and beyond for his clients. I've recommended him to several friends who've also worked with him and were beyond satisfied. I'll never use anyone else.

Sean Kelly - Consultant at Redcley Partners

Bruce and team really up the bar on what it should be like working with a real estate agent. We consistently felt almost over-prepared at each phase in the process. Sometimes I questioned if it was even necessary going after some of the details, but the results speak for themselves. We got everything we never knew we always wanted in our new home and our old home sold with multiple offers for 114% of asking price.

Tracey Melville - Product Owner at Getty Images

Bruce and Mark are great to work with. They were very proactive on getting my home staged and sold efficiently. In a tough selling situation, due to unusual circumstances with the homeowner's association, Bruce and Mark went above and beyond and together they perfectly timed the listing in order to maximize offers. They also had many great ideas and ways to show off my home all of which netted in multiple offers.

Bruce also spent time with me to re-arrange my home in a way that I wish I had discovered long before.

I wouldn't work with anyone else

Shannon Forster - Production Partner at Evergreen Home Loans; MLO 1119508

Bruce Phares and his team are the real deal. My experience with Bruce is of an agent that is savvy, influential, and as someone who gets the job done. As a representative for my purchase, Bruce proved that he is not a ‘submit and sit’ agent, but rather a submit the offer, gather intel, explain, counter, etc. sort of agent. The results and expertise that Bruce brings to the table are second to none. I would enthusiastically recommend Bruce for buying or selling your home.

Meena Mital - Medical Director at Swedish Medical Center

We worked with Bruce and Mark recently on a very difficult and emotional home offer. We were amazed by how available and flexible they were. They quickly jumped on board and worked together to put us in the best situation possible as a buyer- we were likely going to get the house. After they put days of hard work into the offer, we got cold feet and called Bruce. With great equanimity and compassion, he counseled us and helped us find the best solution for ourselves. He then quickly and with great sensitivity helped us rescind the offer they had just spent days writing. The whole thing just reaffirmed our belief in this team and their ability to navigate difficult situations with the ultimate professionalism – while always keeping our best interests in mind.

Ali Kazeroonian - Senior Manager Software Dev, Merch by Amazon (Hiring SDEs)

Bruce Phares is a highly effective, experienced, honest, and cordial agent. On recommendation of a common friend I reached out to Bruce to find us a home in Mercer Island, WA. As the buyer's agent at Windermere, he took his time to REALLY understand our requirements, and had a systematic way of collecting these requirements and inject some reality into our expectations. He showed us detailed market information, explained what they all meant, and started calibrating our needs to market availability by showing us houses that were close to our requirements. He pointed out both the positives and the negatives of each property. In fact he dissuaded us from putting an offer for a property by pointing out subtle but real important issues that we (the buyers) completely missed. When we finally found our dream home, he again pointed out repair and other issues we would face if we bought it, so we put up an offer with our eyes open. He's also an expert in putting up offers and looks at the situation from multiple angles. So we went into it with as much data as possible (and our eyes open). We got the house, and when we reached out to Bruce for recommendations for contractors, he pointed us to folks who were all turned out to be excellent contractors. I endorse Bruce wholeheartedly.

Rene Smiley - Sr Analyst/Project Manager - Safety, Environmental, & Reg Serv at Holland America Line

Bruce and his team are knowledgeable to an amazing level! They listen and make appropriate recommendations, they don't try to sell you something quick and boot you out the door, they take the time to get to know you even if you don't really know what you want. Their recommendations for staging got my townhouse sold in one week! Please don't retire until I buy my next home!!!

Paula Sansburn (Tobol) - VP of Client Services at Square 2 Marketing

I love these guys! I have bought and sold houses with them and I wouldn't go to anyone else. They rock! They always sell the best houses and do what it takes to get your house on the market in record time and have it show like it's a million bucks! The last house they sold for me in Seattle, I didn't live there and so I thought it was going to be a real hassle but like always they made it easy, quick and enjoyable... YES, enjoyable. I would HIGHLY recommend this team of professionals.

Paula

Feliz Fuentes - Montpellier Worldwide Leader, Global ISV Alliances at Microsoft

Bruce and Donna were recommended to me by a friend when we were looking for our first home. Upon first meeting them, their attention to detail, knowledge of the market, and sincere interest in our wish list were evident. They were amazingly patient for us first-timers and never missed a beat. Not only did they help us buy in 2003, but they sold our house in 2009 in the midst of the downturn in the economy. They did an amazing job of helping get the maximum price for our home (well-above the price we thought we could list for at the time!). The marketing materials they pulled together were impeccable and were a critical component to finding a seller. When we moved back to the Seattle area in 2013, we did not hesitate to call them. They worked with our crazy schedule (flying in for packed days of searching) and lined up an array of properties across many communities that we wanted to explore. They continued to bring attention to detail on identifying potential properties, inspection, negotiation and clear, timely communication (never to be under-estimated in working relationship!). We would work with Bruce and Donna again in a heartbeat!

Pradeep Suri - Associate Professor at University of Washington

Bruce Phares and his partner Mark Besta were absolutely phenomenal in our recent (successful) search for a home in Seattle, WA. In an incredibly competitive environment, they made the impossible happen. I have no doubt that if anyone other than Bruce and Mark had been representing us in our home search, we might still be looking...

Allan Montpellier - P.E. Treasurer at I2SL Emerald City Chapter

Bruce and Donna have helped us on both the buying and selling side. Their guidance was absolutely instrumental in securing the homes we were looking for and getting the most value on the sale. We would recommend them first time and experienced buyers alike due to their great dynamic and strengths each brings to the process.

Jim McDonald - Owner, James R McDonald, CPA, PLLC

Bruce and Donna sold our house for more than the asking price in less than 72 hours on the market, with multiple offers. I didn't think it could be sold at all. They are amazing.

Laurel Rivers - Account Manager at Informa Exhibitions

Bruce was recommended to me by my good friend Amy when she was selling her condo and purchasing another property. When we decided to put our Queen Anne town home on market, our family was going through a personal health crises. We needed to sell our outdated town home quickly and Bruce and Mark proved to be exceptional advocates for us. Not only did they walk us through getting the property updated- using their paint, carpet, handyman, etc. referrals all whom were excellent- but also provided great analytics and data to help us get to the right price. The sale went smoothly and best of all, we were able to concentrate on getting our family healthy while they did the heavy lifting. They spent an unusual amount of time with us and really were there for us every step of the way. I couldn't recommend Bruce and Mark more highly. They are seasoned experts and it shows.

Paul Weigel - Senior Communications Consultant at Aon Hewitt

Rarely do you get a chance to work with someone who you appreciate for being so knowledgeable about his business while being so thoughtful and kind as a person. Our family has had the pleasure of working with Bruce's team several times for the sale and purchase of homes. He has always gone out of his way to understand what we need as a buyer and seller, but more importantly, he's been an incredible person and supportive of us in times of crisis while we were also dealing with very complex realtor issues. I can't think of anyone I trust more. Thanks, Bruce!

Philip Sanford - Independent Writing and Editing Professional

The service doesn't stop when the transaction concludes. I last used Bruce as an agent in about 1994 when I bought the house I still live in. Since then I have relied on him to recommend people to work on my house, I have consulted with him on work I am doing and he has even been willing to come by twice to look things over. There is a rare value added component. He takes a long term view of his relationships, and I think that is the definition of professional. He is on my short list of people I know I can count on, even if I haven't talked to him in ten years. More than just an agent.

Justin Arnold - Mortgage Advisor

Bruce and Donna provide amazing service to their clients that go above and beyond industry standards. Every detail that could possibly come up is addressed with their process. You can expect to be covered 100% throughout the entire closing when working with this team!

James Albertson - Owner, All American Spirit Moving Co. LLC

Bruce and Donna are a very Conscientious pair. Very professional and sensitive to the particular requirements of the customer they are working with at the time.

Dan Magallanes - Print Applications Specialist, TAG at Eastman Kodak

We hired Bruce and Donna to help us purchase our home and again to sell it seven years later. We found both experiences completely satisfying and exceptionally amazing.

Once they were very clear on what we really wanted (and didn't want) in a new home, they made sure there were few surprises throughout the buying process and negotiated an amazing deal during a competitive market.

When it came time to sell, Bruce, Donna, and Mark provided frank advice regarding staging and pricing. We were referred to a very skilled craftsperson for some minor, but necessary repair by them as well. They were thorough in tying up many small loose ends post sale and always kept us up to date on status.

They maintained a believable optimism, while always being frank, at all times which kept our anxiety to a minimum. Our home was priced properly to maximize the value during a very challenging market. . . . And we still got our asking price!

The process of buying or selling a home can be daunting and overwhelming. Working with Team Bruce & Donna minimized our stress and maximized our return on investment.

D&L

Kate Cullen - Senior Associate Athletic Director - CFO at U of Washington Intercollegiate Athletics

My fiance and I had the pleasure of working with Bruce and Donna (and Mark Besta) when purchasing our first home in summer, 2012. From the start we were treated with such great care -- Bruce spent hours teaching us about the home-buying process, and the team was always quick to inform us when new properties hit the market. We really felt like we had the very best people looking out for us during this major step in our lives. We ended up in a fantastic home and couldn't be happier. We will always turn to Bruce and Donna for anything real estate related and will recommend them to anyone who will listen!

Taunya R. Sell - CFA Financial Advisor, Portfolio Manager at UBS Financial Services, Inc.

Frans and I again want to thank you for your continued diligence protecting us from the large risks that can exist in buying a home. The fact that sellers would fail to disclose such large and extensive structural issues in the house they are selling is unsettling.

If it wasn’t for your diligence inspecting the properties we’ve considered purchasing (so many), we would have ended up with a “money pit” for sure. You remain laser focused on making sure a property we buy is sound and without large unforeseen risks. And you spend an inordinate amount of time doing all these inspections with us. Not just the inspections on our own with you, but bringing in so many experienced third parties to do more advanced inspections. Goodness gracious!!

The amount of time you spend with us at these properties is remarkable. All of this gives us a tremendous amount of comfort in buying a home with you. You’re the best!

Kind Regards,

Taunya and Frans

Wahhab Baldwin - Principal at Deep Web Works

Bruce and Donna are the best! Consummate professionals, they understand pricing better than anyone. They know exactly how to prepare a house so it shows at its best--ours sold in three days after listing, for well over asking price, even in this down market. They're also great people and I consider them personal friends. I wouldn't go with anyone else.

Kevin Egan - President, Borealis Biotechnology

My wife, Susie, and I have worked with Bruce & Donna for many years. In addition to serving as our real estate agent for the acquisition of our current home we have also asked for their help for other real estate we have purchased or considered purchasing. They have a great ability to quickly and thoroughly analyze the opportunity, and develop strategy for a successful outcome. Recently we asked for their help with a very important real estate transaction. Once again they quickly analyzed the situation and made several valuable recommendations which have helped us move forward with the purchase. They have always been there for us when we have asked for their help.

Kevin Egan

Amanda Hosch - Independent Writing and Editing Professional

Bruce and Donna made sure we bought the right house for us. They took the time to understand our needs and wants. We've been in the house for 4.5 years and love our neighborhood. Highly, highly recommended!

Rick Sheridan - Director of Institutional and Strategic Advancement, The Seattle Public Library

Bruce and Donna helped us purchase our south Seattle home in Mount Baker and were tremendously helpful throughout the entire process. With extensive experience in the greater Seattle marketplace, they are very knowledgeable about important homebuyer issues such as differences among neighborhoods, traffic concerns, schools and safety. Bruce and Donna provided excellent advice, especially in the critical area of making an offer, and negotiated aggressively on our behalf.

As a sign of their commitment to customer service, they even recommended a painter, plumber, electrician, handyman, lawn service and mortgage broker to us. And we utilized and liked each one. No realtor we’ve worked with in the past has gone that far.

And they are just wonderful people as well. There are no other realtors we would recommend as highly as Bruce and Donna.

Rick and Gwen Sheridan

Erin Hertel - Sr Research Assoc. at Center for Community Health & Eval (Group Health Research Inst.)

Bruce and Donna made my first home buying experience amazing. As a single woman, buying a home was intimidating and at the beginning, I wasn't sure if I was ready to jump into it. So many people I know had difficult experiences buying a home -- but mine was fabulous. Not that it wasn't stressful at times, but Bruce and Donna's level of knowledge, ability to help me think thru decisions, and great sense of the market was invaluable. After sticking thru many clear the market days and several bidding rounds with me - I ended up with a townhouse at a great price! I still love it and credit Bruce with helping me figure out what I wanted in a condo and how to go for it. Thank you!

Alain Gaillard - Director, Services and Operations at KEONYS

I hired Bruce and Donna to help me purchase, and later sell, my home in Seattle. My experience with Bruce and Donna was excellent, both as buyer's and seller's agent. Bruce and Donna met all of my expectations in terms of process, support, and results, and they were great fun to work with. I would strongly recommend Bruce and Donna as a top notch agent team to anyone purchasing or selling a home in the Seattle area.

Rain Blond - Digital Design Recruiter at FILTER

Simply put, Bruce and Donna are the absolute best. They are hands down the most expert, hard working and professional agents I have had the pleasure of working with. I worked with them to purchase a house two years ago, and I was not an easy client. I was on a tight budget and had fairly restrictive neighborhood and home style parameters. Bruce and Donna not only fulfilled all that I was searching for but exceeded what my expectations. I felt a total trust in their abilities during the process - I knew that at every turn they were going to bat for me and would not stop until success was achieved. From their quick and intelligent responses to my many questions, to their extreme and in-depth knowledge of every single aspect of the home buying process, they are unparalleled in their abilities. When they did find me the perfect home, it was their negotiating skill that won me the house in a battle with two other offers, both of whom had somewhat stronger financial aspects. Ultimately, their reputation as well as their negotiation skills in creating the most attractive offer won the house for me. I am indebted to them and recommend them wholeheartedly! Plus, they are simply wonderful, personable people to work with. They were also indispensable in recommending other contractors such as an extremely thorough home inspector, easy to work with escrow company, etc. I would hire them again in an instant!

Todd Gilbertsen - Senior Technical Product Manager at Amazon

Bruce and Donna are, in a word, the most amazing real estate agents I have ever worked with. Ok, that was eleven words, but I could not do them justice with just one.

Bruce is tireless when it comes to looking at houses. He does his homework and knows what the pros and cons of each particular listing are before we get there. His knowledge of houses is extraordinary. He knows what to look for in a house, both structurally and from a value standpoint. His abundant energy keeps him and his clients going - especially important on those days when nothing seems to be a good fit. He's also a hell of a good guy.

Donna is a powerhouse when it comes to putting a deal together. She knows what a property is worth and is able to cut through to essential issues immediately. She has no clock - when something comes up she is on the phone, be it with me to go look at a property that just came on (or is about to), or with an agent with whom she is negotiating. When multiple competing offers are on the table, Donna is more likely than not going to get the deal. Did I mention she is a powerhouse?

I would not consider buying or selling a property in the Seattle area without these guys. I have worked with other agents in the past and I did not realize the difference a seasoned team makes. These guys are simply the best there is.

Mark Peck - HR Manager at Emergency Reporting

There is no one better to have go through the homebuyer or seller process with. To have Bruce on your side is like having the Superman of the real estate profession. He's humble, personable, savy, and detail oriented. He'll give you straight answers and won't lead you into something he himself wouldn't do.

You can trust that the research he does is in-depth and pertinent. I also appreciate how he expects you to be an intelligent client. He'll provide you with materials to study and research so that you know what you're getting into and aren't making uneducated decisions. And even when I've been unprepared for a meeting, he is always prepared and ready to work.

Finally, Bruce is terrific about making time for you and making you feel like a family friend (but not in one of those weird "I'm going to tell you my life story" kind of way). He engages you and takes the time to find out your interests, goals, and life philosophies. What an important approach if you're going to be helping someone with such an important purchase or sale!

I've been honored to work with Bruce and will continue to call on him for any real estate transactions.

Susie Egan - Owner of Cottage Lake Gardens

Bruce have helped us with two real estate transactions; the first was helping us buy our beautiful house and the second was helping us buy some investment property. In both cases, he did an amazing job in taking us through all the steps to completion. He truly is an experienced professional and we would never consider every using anyone else except him for future transactions. He worked very hard for us and got us the best possible deal. He was patient with us and always offered realistic and down-to-earth advice. So as you can tell, we would highly recommend him to anyone that is in need of a good realtor.

Susie & Kevin Egan

Woodinville, Washington

Dennis Michaels - Corporate Attorney

I can't recommend Bruce and Donna highly enough. Peerless integrity, unmatched market knowledge and an extraordinary work ethic all wrapped up in two of the most personable and caring individuals you could possibly meet. The depth and accuracy of their market analysis and insight is amazing.

In two out of state transactions my wife and I were able to rely entirely on their extraordinary expertise to find us a property that matched our quirky needs perfectly (and to later position a property for sale in a way that maximized our value in a changing market). They listened and knew what we wanted before we did and as a result, found us our home quickly and efficiently.

Their prudent advice literally saved us tens of thousands of dollars in potential sewer repairs that were discovered solely as a result of their advice and diligence. They routinely go WAY above and beyond the call for their clients. Absolute pros. You can't do better.

David Penhallegon - Customer Experience Manager at Hewlett-Packard

Both Bruce and Donna were great! Bruce made me feel completely comfortable in the process by sitting me down to explain the process and what I should expect. This lessened the anxiety and gave me a bit of an education.

Donna was instrumental in helping me determine what I was looking for. I thought I knew...I didn't. Thus, with her help we were able to filter through the 100s of homes to focus on the ones which were a good fit for me and my budget. And, once we found a home, she did all the heavy negotiating.

My last house search and purchase occured in 2005 when the housing market was on fire. If I remember correctly, the house came on the market on a Tuesday, I looked at it on a Wednesday, I made an offer Wednesday evening, and the owner accepted on Friday.

All in all, Bruce and Donna made a relatively complex and somewhat scary process easy.

Laurie Aull - Owner, Aull the Best Painting

I have had the priviledge of working with Bruce and Donna for six years. As a contractor assisting them to prepare houses for the market I have observed their 110% dedication to their clients.They know what is required to do to attract the most buyers.They have a list of contractors who are willing to drop everything to help them prepare a house for market.They have earned that loyalty.I have worked for many agents but B and D are my favorite.When I need an agent there is no other I would call.You definitely want them on your side during negotiations.You won't be disappointed

Colm Delaney - Web Designer & Developer

My wife Lisa and I first became aware of Bruce and Donna when we inquired among our friends for referrals to good real estate agents. Two people, unknown to each other, recommended Bruce and Donna to us. One of them knew of B & D only as the "opposition" realtors in their recent transaction. These two factors, combined with our own first impressions, sealed the deal for us. Bruce and Donna helped us sell our house and find and buy a new one, all without needing to move to temporary accommodation. The process could hardly have been smoother. It began on the selling side, months before our intended selling date, with them recommending cost-effective projects on our home to make it more appealing to a prospective buyer. They connected us with all the vendors and tradespeople we needed, all of whom were more than satisfactory. It continued with them spending a day (maybe more) carefully staging our home, and culminated in the open house, which resulted in competing offers above the asking price at the end of the first day. On the buying side, Bruce spent the first day driving us all over town to research homes and neighbourhoods. We lost count of the number of houses we looked at. After a couple of weeks, we put in an offer on one house, only to find a number of red flags on the inspection, and they tactfully steered us towards rejection. We eventually found the house that became our current home, which we love, and in which we've started our family. I can't think of any way in which Bruce and Donna could have made the entire process less stressful. We now regard them as friends, and would recommend them to others without reservation.

John Stoeck - Owner, Regeneration Design

January 18, 2010, John was a client of Bruce’s

11 years ago, Jennifer and I hired Bruce and Donna to help us buy our first house. It was a very positive experience. Their hard work, integrity and resourcefulness paid off and we found a house that met all of our expectations and more. The whole process went smoothly thanks to Bruce and Donna's patient answering of our many questions and their superior knowledge of the Seattle housing market. They gladly helped us out with every step along the way to home ownership. 11 years later, we remain in contact and I would recommend Bruce and Donna to anyone who asked me for the best real estate experts that I have ever worked with.

Craig Olson - Columbia Sportswear

January 17, 2010, Craig was a client of Bruce’s

Bruce and Donna are truly experts in their field as well as fantastic people. I was a first time home-buyer and they were extremely patient with me. They consistently went the extra mile and even coordinated paperwork and offers late into the night. I will use Bruce and Donna for all future house sales and purchases.

Reese Solberg - Privacy Advisory Services at EY

January 16, 2010, Reese was a client of Bruce’s

I highly recommend Bruce and Donna. I have worked with professionals from all walks of life, many of whom have been very good at their chosen profession. However, only on a few rare occasions have I had the opportunity to meet and work with people who simply seem to be the best at what they do. Bruce and Donna are in this rare group. We are thankful for the opportunity to have worked with people who bring such a remarkable blend of professionalism, exceptional service and integrity to their work.

Jonathan Palmer - Law Clerk For Judge Samuel Chung

January 15, 2010, Jonathan was a client of Bruce’s

As a first-time homebuyer, I hired Bruce and Donna based on a recommendation from another enthusiastic customer. I found their entire approach to be thorough, and their obvious expertise gave me great confidence.

Their process helped me find the right home and led to significant reductions from the list price, based on an inspection and on their understanding of the market.

They were also very easy to work with. They were friendly, responsive to my inquiries, and ready to move quickly when it was time for action.

I will definitely hire them again if I move!

Rodney Swift - Property Manager at JSH Properties, Inc.

January 13, 2010, Rodney was a client of Bruce’s

Bruce and Donna were our real estate agents in the summer of 2007 for the sale of two condominiums and the purchase of a house. My wife was pregnant, thus we needed a house fairly quickly and it had to be "perfect" for our new little family. Donna staged both condos to perfection, which helped sell them both within 30 days. Bruce's singular ability to understand the needs and wants of his clients translated into finding the perfect home for us. In short, we had a wonderful experience with them both and will use them again.

Linda Jackson - Senior Title Officer at Chicago Title Insurance Company

January 13, 2010, linda worked with Bruce but at different companies

I have worked with Bruce and Donna for many years. They are well known and respected by others in the real estate field. Both Bruce and Donna are very professional and truly care about their clients. He is great at follow through on any problem or concern that may arise. Bruce and Donna will do the research necessary to determine everything that they need to know about a piece of property they are listing or to help you understand about any property that you are purchasing.

Bruce works very hard to help you buy or sell your home.

Linda Jackson

Lena McCullough - Owner and Veterinary Acupuncturist at Kingdom of Basil Wellness Center

January 13, 2010, Lena was a client of Bruce’s

After looking for our dream house for over a year and either being outbid or finding things that were just a little too high in price, we met Bruce and Donna. They believed that we could find exactly what we wanted and even suggested against bidding on one house that was close but a compromise. After a couple months we found the perfect home which was everything we were looking for and a little more. Bruce and Donna were able to help us close the deal quickly and avoid having to get involved in multiple offers!

A couple months later, after moving, I needed to sell by old house. At that point the market had dropped off and I was worried it would be much very difficult to sell in a depressed market. They helped me make the right decisions on marketing, staging, pricing and remodeling and were confident that I could sell it. With their help I was able to sell my home in three days for above asking price! And this was in a market that most things were sitting for months.

Bruce and Donna were a pleasure to work with and I would highly recommend them to anyone either looking to buy or sell a home. They are truly experts in their field.

Aimie Vallat PRESENT MOMENT - Film & Project

January 13, 2010, Aimie was a client of Bruce’s

Bruce and Donna, real-estate team extrodinaire, have the uncanny ability to sweep into any situation, (at any point during the buying and selling of a home), and see what needs to be done and they do it. They are unwavering in their role as your advocate and champion, while remaining exemplary in their professionalism and commitment to the process. They go to extraordinary lengths to be attentive to your needs while also explaining the necessary steps to get you what you want as a buyer or seller.

By far Bruce and Donna rank as the most hard-working, detail-oriented, trustworthy, reliable and passionate real estate agents I have worked with in the past dozen years. There is simply no one better than this dynamic duo.

Andrew Ward

January 13, 2010, Andrew was a client of Bruce’s

In 2008, just after the housing market had begun to falter, my wife and I were given an opportunity to move from Seattle to California, which entailed selling our home on Capitol Hill. Friends recommended Bruce and Donna to us as a remarkably honest, effective and creative real estate team and after a single interview we happily signed on to work with them.

As real estate prices began to fall around us, and houses that were up for sale in our neighborhood seemed stuck in limbo, we doubted that we would get anything near what we believed the house was worth. Bruce and Donna recommended that we make some repairs and cosmetic improvements to the place and brought in a stager to put our best foot forward.

There were times when we doubted that the extra investment in time and money would pay off, but with the help of some excellent contractors Bruce and Donna work with, we followed most if not all their recommendations, agreed on what seemed to us a somewhat ambitious asking price, and then watched from California to see whether it would pay off.

We did not have to wait long. Within an hour of the house going on the market a young couple cruising the internet for Seattle properties was immediately taken with the superb photographs and write-up Bruce and Donna had created and posted, and paid our rather ambitious asking price in full.

We were stunned but delighted, of course, and very, very grateful to Bruce and Donna for their great work on our behalf. They are a marvelously complementary team and bring to their work a lot of empathy, good humor, vigilance, and integrity. I recommend them to anyone looking to buy or sell a house in the greater Seattle area.

Ingrid Orlow - Humanities Teacher at Seatte Waldorf School

January 13, 2010, Ingrid was a client of Bruce’s

We have worked with Bruce several times, including for my parents' home when they moved from the East Coast to be closer to us. In each instance, they take the time to really know what you want and figure out how to make it happen. Bruce is hugely knowledgeable about such arcana as building materials used in specific eras (i.e. original cedar siding, "unlikely to be problematic") or why some floor plans might work for your family or not. He and Donna are a great team, with Donna doing the inside computer leg-work, and Bruce taking clients around to the available properties. Both are honest, creative, fun, and down-to-earth, not to mention being truly real people who care about their clients and the process. It is a bit scary, buying or selling a house, but Bruce and Donna are wonderful agents who really work for you!

Curtis Williams - Paralegal with Graham, Lundberg & Peschel

January 13, 2010, Curtis was a client of Bruce’s

My wife and I were referred to Bruce by a good friend when we decided to purchase our first home. Needless to say, as first time home buyers we were nervous about what to expect. Bruce was extremely helpful walking us through every step and assisting us with making informed decisions. We will be using his services again when the time comes to sell our home in the future. I couldn't recommend a more professional, personable and all around great guy to work with when making what could be the biggest single purchase of your life.

Sara Nelson - Ph.D Fremont Brewing Company, Co-Founder/Special Ops

January 13, 2010, Sara was a client of Bruce’s

Bruce and Donna actually made buying my first house fun. They provided expert advice on the market, their referrals for inspectors, loan officers, etc. are top-notch, and they won a last minute bidding war with their integrity and attention to detail. But what I like most about this team is that they clued into me -- my tastes, my financial situation, my risk-aversion -- and tailored their service accordingly. These folks are true "people persons": perceptive and funny yet professional, ethical, savvy and creative. I'm proud to recommend them to friends because they never fail to provide the highest service.

Randy Webb - Organization Development and Human Resource Consulting

January 12, 2010, Randy was a client of Bruce’s

Bruce and Donna did a great job for us finding our first home, then helping us to sell it 13 years later and finding a new place. They "got" us with incredible precision and helped us find the perfect places both times. Our sale was fraught with the kind of complications that would make a great comedy, and they went the extra mile to make sure we closed and got it all done. If you are buying a home in Seattle, or selling one, you cannot do better than to work with them.

Craig A. Stebbins - Quality Assurance Inspector at Vigor Marine, CWI

May 18, 2010, Craig A. was a client of Bruce’s

We did two purchases and one sale with Bruce and Donna.Their attention to detail, industry experience, and calm demeanor allowed us to close all three deals on our terms. We'd recommend them without reservations!

Kevin Pedraja - Partner at VOXUS, Inc.

I used Bruce and Donna to find my first house. Quite simply, they rock. They listen when you describe what you're looking for. They provide you with detailed knowledge about the market, good information about the neighborhoods you're looking in and tips about what to look for in specific houses. They're patient while you make up your mind. And once you do they're strong advocates for you in the negotiating process. I can't recommend them highly enough and I will definitely work with them again when the time comes.

Thierry Rautureau - Owner at LUC & Loulay

January 16, 2010, Thierry worked with Bruce in different groups

Bruce is a fun and intelligent person that I have known for over 20 years. He is a terrific bass player and loves good food, in my book that is very important. I have had the chance of having Bruce as my agent in real estate dealing and was extremely happy about his enthusiasm, knowledge and professionalism focusing the whole time on the client needs.

Clark Olson - Associate Professor at University of Washington Bothell

January 15, 2010, Clark was a client of Bruce’s

My wife and I worked with Bruce and Donna on buying two houses and selling one. They came highly recommended from a friend of mine and they didn't let us down in any way. They know both the area and the industry extremely well, and it shows in their ability to serve their clients. They also displayed very high integrity in all our endeavors. If we weren't so happy with our current house, we would not hesitate to use them again.

Julie Korth - President at Mozzie Pants LLC

January 14, 2010, Julie was a client of Bruce’s

Bruce and Donna are the best real estate agents I have ever worked with. They were patient and loyal to my specific needs (which was not easy). They gave me tremendous advice and taught me the soup to nuts process to the perfect home that we love! The negotiations and guidance that they provided were above and beyond the call of duty. True professionals that I would suggest to my friends and family. We thank them for helping us find our perfect home "for us"!!

CJ Walker Waite - Ph.D, PMP "The Transformational Project Leader"

The Transformational Project Leader" © Organizational Change Transformation w/Expertise in Strategy & Leadership

Bruce and Donna are the only realtors that I have ever met and worked with that I viewed as friends before and after our real estate association. Unlike other realtors who are more concerned about getting a signature and walking away, Bruce and Donna were thorough and thoughtful in helping me find the home of my dreams, making sure that the home met all standards, following through to make sure my interests were a priority AND were responsive after the sale (even 2 years later) to make sure the home held its value and any questions were resolved. I would recommend them as friends, professionals and colleagues.

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