Ken Germer at Compass — Local services in Washington

If you are looking for a realtor in DC, you need to work with Ken. We found Ken after doing a lot of research online and interviewing many realtors in DC. Something that really sold us is that we connected with a couple former clients of his who had nothing but glowing things to say, and now we can say we understand why.

Ken is incredibly professional, kind, and communicative. We started working with him while living out of state and he was patient and regularly in touch while we worked on selling our home to move to DC. Something we really appreciated is that, once he set up a search for us, Ken would leave thoughtful and helpful comments on properties. It was comforting to know that he was actually reviewing things as they came up and that the search wasn't just on autopilot. It was clear from his comments that he was paying attention to details, like how much traffic was on the street, whether finding parking nearby would be hard, whether we'd be able to put our trash barrels in the back of the house or if they'd be out front, and pointing out countless details about the interiors of the homes both in his comments and in our tours. He is incredibly knowledgeable, and was able to help us think through how much work a house might need and highlight potential concerns to raise with an inspector. He listened to us throughout the process, and was really able to help us refine our search and focus on properties that would check all of our boxes. And he was honest with us, he told us when he thought we could find a house that was a better fit or were considering making a sacrifice on something that we'd likely regret later. We could tell that he wanted us to find the best house for us and wasn't interested in pushing us to just buy something to be done with the process.

In terms of logistics, he made the process as easy as possible. He toured some places for us while on facetime, and was always available to take us to showings when we were in town. He was organized. And once we went under contract, he helped make sure everything went through seamlessly and continued to check in to see if we needed anything or had any questions.

While we hope to stay in our home for a long time, there's no doubt in my mind that if/when we sell it, we will go back to Ken. We will be insisting that anyone we know in DC who is looking for a realtor reach out to Ken, and you should too. You will not regret...

We engaged Ken after hearing rave reviews from a number of his clients. After working with him, we too have joined the Ken Germer fan club and can provide a superlative recommendation of his work.

Buying: We first contacted him for help finding a DC condo. He listened to our wants, our price range, our timing —- and then showed us places that helped not only met those needs but also refined them. When we looked online at some available properties, his knowledge of the community was enormously helpful and time-saving e.g., there’s a gas station at that corner so it will be very loud or that particular unit faces an alley w garbage bins. When we found the apartment that we finally wanted to bid on, he suggested a strategy that won us the apartment at asking price and avoided a bidding war.

Selling: He was amazing helping us to get our house ready to put on the market. He made endless trips to the house, created a list of upgrades, found contractors, and oversaw all the work. He then carefully orchestrated a packed open house that prompted a few neighbors to tell us that we had the best real estate agent. As a result of his efforts, we received an astounding number of offers in 3 days, all over asking. Ken provided us with a side by side comparison of all the bids and their comparative elements which made it easy to select the winning bid.

Overall: Ken was enormously helpful for both closings, patiently explaining the process and helping us complete forms. Through the purchase and the sale (a span of 5 months), he communicated frequently and always anticipated our questions and allayed our concerns. He was just great to work with at every point in...

When I asked a colleague if she could recommend a realtor she immediately responded, "I have the perfect person." Passionate about housing in the DC area, Ken is also extremely conscientious about listening to your priorities. He then matches properties to meet those priorities. He's very hands on, even climbing to the building roof with the inspector to identify which A/C compressor belonged to the unit we were inspecting. Ken is not afraid to caution the buyer if he suspects underlying problems -- from the damp spots he found in a closet and concerns about overall water-leakage problems at one building to the questionable maintenance of exterior brick work and decks and the liability associated with their repair costs at another building. He was patient in educating me on the whole HOA process and fees here in DC as well as the timelines for buying a home. In many cases, his concern for due diligence was stronger than mine, something I appreciated in the process. His love and knowledge for the DC neighborhoods came across as he filled me in on the history of different neighborhoods, great restaurants, and the stories of different shops and their owners. I had a very aggressive timeline -- about 6 weeks to find a place and close. Due to his interpersonal skills and industry experience, he has cultivated a strong set of recommendations for mortgage lenders, title companies, and even home inspectors. Ken and his network came through for me. I wholeheartedly recommend Ken as your realtor, whether you are buying or...