Testimonials

I will definitely use Justin again when I buy my next house. He is honest and will not push you into a home to make a sale. He honestly wants what is best for you and your family. If the house is not right he will flat out tell you.

I knew right away I wanted Justin to be my real estate agent. He has been helpful in so many ways. His ideas and advice brought the sale of my house to a quick and successful end. I would recommend him completely.

We worked with Justin to both sell our condo and buy a new house, and he was brilliant with both! We really appreciated how he took the time to get to know us and to figure out what we were looking for in a house. With his background in construction, he was very knowledgeable about aspects of the houses that we knew nothing about. He also prevented us from settling for a couple of houses that weren't right for us, and helped us to find THE most perfect house. We couldn't have been happier with the entire process and would highly recommend Justin!

As first time homebuyers we were anxious and almost didn't buy a house. Justin was unlike a previous agent who didn't listen to our needs and kept pushing her own agenda trying to sell homes that were not for us. A family friend recommended Justin so we decided to give him a call and are very happy we did. The tax credit incentive was there and the rates had dropped super low, top that off with a fantastic agent who helped us find our perfect home. You end up with a great experience. We truly believe he not only helped us to find the home that is a perfect fit for our family but he made it easy for us. He took care of us by providing the guidance necessary for a smooth as possible transition. He seemed to really care about what we needed as a young family. We never felt like clients, but more like family because he was available whenever we needed him and he even took care of our moving to our new home. We can't say enough wonderful things about Justin so when our friends ask who helped us buy our home we are more than happy to tell them.

I decided to buy my first house so I met Justin Mellon. He not only helped me to find a new townhouse at a good price, but also taught me how to look for the right home. Being Chinese, my parents have many concerns about ‘feng-shui’ of the building. At that time, Justin would sit down with me and listen to my needs carefully so he always knows what I like the most! He was also very honest with the housing price. He wouldn’t let the sellers take advantage of me in any way. Because of Justin’s good relationship with the loan officers and inspectors, I was able to close the house and be ready to move in under two weeks. Moving into a new house could be just as hard as finding the right house. Because of my job, I spend 80% of my time traveling and it was very difficult to settle in the new home. Justin would spend his own time helping me find good deals on the appliances and furniture and as well as handling the deliveries and cable installation. To me, Justin was not only just an agent since he plays like a tutor or mentor role while I was shopping for my first house. I will always recommend my friends to work with him when they need a house.

My husband and I just partnered with Justin to both sell our condo and find our dream home. He was such a wonderful asset and ally on both ends that we feel extremely lucky to have found him. Initially we would have loved to sell our condo over a year ago and move into a home. Due to another unit in our complex selling for such a low price, Justin helped us weigh the pros and cons of waiting a year before testing the market. In the end we waited a year and did some renovations at his suggestion. All of the contractors he pointed us to were amazing and he was able to help us keep our budget low while getting the job done. He has many resources and is glad to share them. Justin stuck with us through the months we waited to put our house on the market, staying in touch and offering his advice on how to best prep the condo for sale. When it finally came time to go, he was as ready as we were! We were blessed with a quick bid on the condo and then went on to the buying process. Justin offered specific expertise on neighborhoods, eras of home and what we were getting for our money. All of which was invaluable to us! We found the home we'd been dreaming of and Justin steered us through the entire process. Even if there were days where we were just waiting, Justin would stay in contact with us just to say, "haven't forgotten about you!". It was all so comforting to know that he was on our side and working hard for us. It felt like we were his only client (even though we surely weren't) with the dedication he had to communicating with us both via e-mail and by phone. No question or concern was too small. I can't say enough wonderful things about Justin. His open, friendly communication style and wealth of resources will be a benefit to anyone thinking of using him as an agent. A+ from us.

I would recommend Justin to anyone because of the effort he puts into the process. Very few realtors will go the extra mile like him. We hired him because a friend described how helpful he was and how quickly he sold their home so we had high expectations. Justin met or exceeded our expectations in every area. His sincerity creates an environment of trust that is rare with transactions involving considerable dollar amounts. Selling a house in a down market really tests the whole process. Everyone has to do their part and I can say that with Justin's help, we sold our home quickly when very few sellers at our end of the market were able to do so. That is the ultimate proof of his value to us.

I can not say enough good things! My husband and I were first time home buyers without a clue in the world as to where to start. Justin held our hand through out the process and got us into a home we love and is just right for us. He is attentive, thoughtful, and thorough. We always felt like he had our best interest in mind and never felt like we were being pushed into or sold on a house we didn't want. We met with 3 agents and decided to work with Justin for all of the reasons outlined in the previous reviewers comments. So happy it worked out. We will definitely call Justin should we ever decide to sell or buy again!

Justin was recommended to us by a friend and helped us find our dream house, sell our condo and then sell our house a few years later, when we moved out of town. We couldn't have asked for a better experience! Justin and Andrew expertly navigated the entire process for us. They gave us great advice and took care of all of the details, so we didn't have to worry about a thing. We highly recommend them!

Justin Mellon used his extensive local connections to find a house that fit me perfectly, then negotiated a fantastic deal that helped me to realize my personal dream of being a homeowner in the Ballard neighborhood. I am better off today financially and personally because of his expertise and integrity. I highly recommend this guy.

I rarely give 5 star ratings because can anyone really be that good? Justin is. Buying/selling a home can be stressful and emotional so I was so grateful to find him when we bought our home in Seattle. He was patient, listened, payed attention to details and helped us land our dream home under challenging circumstances. He continues to be a trusted advisor for all things real estate. We own a vacation rental business and have some investment properties in Seattle. He's the first person we ask when we need advice/input on decisions related to finding contractors, making home updates/improvements as well as market timing when making decisions about if/when to refinance. He understands the entire business of real estate, not just the basics of buying/selling a home and he always makes time for us. I have referred him to work with family, friends and even guests staying in our vacation rentals while they look for a home in the Seattle area. Highly recommend!

My wife and I recently sold a house with the assistance of Justin Mellon after learning I would move for medical residency. He started by talking through the trade offs between renting vs selling considering the current market but was very forthright that either would be a good option financially, so it depended on our outlook and personalities. When we decided to sell he helped orient us to the big picture thinking, including the ideal timeline to get the house on the market and the big steps of what sells a house in our neighborhood. When we started thinking about the details, such as whether to invest in small upgrades, what yard work to prioritize and how to organize and show the house, Justin helped to coordinate local contractors he has seen produce quality work and he even brought in an interior design consultant at his expense. So from big picture thinking through to small details, Justin was very helpful in our first house selling experience and I would highly recommend him for his knowledge of the housing market but also his integrity in thinking about the process.

Justin has been involved in 3 real estate transactions with me and has proven himself to be extremely knowledgeable on a wide range of real-estate related activity and comes with a deep network to get the most out of the transaction, including lenders, house-preparation no matter the task and even movers. Justin will get the best deal available in the market place and do so with the least amount of stress for his client.

Justin Mellon was wonderful to work with. He helped us evaluate the condo we owned, suggested some upgrades to get the best value for our money and put us in touch with professionals to help us complete the projects. He listed our condo and it we accepted an offer the Monday after the showing. He also guided us through the buying side when we purchased a home. He explained in great detail the process, which was new to us. He skillfully managed the line between negotiation and not losing the house we'd grown to love. Justin has resources for tons of professionals, from interior designers/stagers to roofers. He has stayed in touch with us for years since our initial partnership. Can't recommend him enough!

In the past 3 years Justin has helped me purchase two homes in the Seattle area. That should say enough that I went back for his assistance with the purchase of my second home. Throughout both processes his follow through and communication were amazing. I felt that I was the only client he was working with in both cases. Justin goes above and beyond with assistance in any way from dealing with the mortgage broker, to house repairs, and the best of all helping you move. He walks you through the process every step of the way explaining anything you don’t understand in a way you can understand. He makes sure you have all the information needed to make the best decision possible. Justin does so much and in such a gracious and sincere way that it feels as if he is doing this as your friend and not as his job.

For those of you in the Puget Sound area, take note: I can't say enough about my fantastic real estate agent. Justin Mellon (206-919-7648; Lake & Company Real Estate), who handled the sale of my home and purchase of my new home. He goes above and beyond, and then some more for his clients. He listens. That might sound like an odd comment, but we had an agent before that continued to show us houses that were exactly what we'd said we did not want. After showing me a couple of houses, Justin checked to make sure he'd read me right and was choosing places in line with my wants. And he listens beyond the mere words. I'd told him I wanted a yard for gardens, and even though I'd not expanded upon that, he knew I also wanted sun for those gardens (and got it for me). He gave great advice before we put our house on the market, set the price right (checking with other agents to make sure he was on target), and did what was needed to make the place ready to sell - pressure washing our house, among several services (though what he does for each client varies, according to needs). He has an extensive list of people who do various work at very fair prices to prepare a house for sale (or to fix up once you move in), and we used several, with whom we were pleased. And did I mention we got our asking price? Almost unheard of these days. Justin's been successfully handling sales and purchases for clients throughout this down time in the market, so it's not just with us that he excels. Another bonus - for buyers, he provides for the move. As we were dividing stuff, packing up, and dealing with the emotional strain of leaving our home of the past twenty-nine years, I so welcomed Justin's generous gift of taking care of the move.

My wife and I had a wonderful experience selling our home with Justin. We had already moved out of state, and did the entire sale remotely. Justin took care of all the details, and we were very happy with the choices he made and the ease of the entire process. Initially, we were on the fence as to whether it was economically worth our while to sell now or to wait another year. Justin gave us his opinions, and then showed to house to several of his colleagues to get their opinions. We felt comfortable with our decision knowing he had taken so much time to give us a very fair assessment of what our outlook may be. We would highly recommend Justin to anyone looking to buy or sell a house in Seattle.

I was referred over to Justin from a friend and colleague of mine. My regret is that I didn't reach out sooner during my condo search. Justin, and his brother Andrew, were a breath of fresh air to work with - incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and a unique duo to work with combining their real estate and construction backgrounds. I didn't end up going with them, as another search I had from previous months before yielded a result, but would absolutely use their services for my next search. Since my condo purchase, I've been in contact with Justin and Andrew for contractor referrals and various questions. Even though they have nothing to gain from my inquiries, they continually go above and beyond to help me out.

I met Justin after he was recommended to me by a close friend. Even though at the time, I had a real estate agent I was considering working with, I decided to work with Justin instead. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. Justin helped me sell my house and buy a new one. He was extremely knowledgeable and willing to research issues he was not certain of. He was supportive of me throughout each step of the process from financing to the actual move. I was encouraged to contact him with my questions and found him to be responsive to all of my concerns. He made a very complex process quite manageable, was respectful of my preferences and wishes, and was always available and willing to accommodate my not very flexible work schedule. In addition to his knowledge and hard work, I found Justin to be fair, honest and very pleasant to interact with. I think his intelligence, willingness to work hard, perceptiveness about human nature, his knowledge of his profession and his pleasant demeanor will serve him well in his career.

As a newcomer to Seattle, I had heard good things about Lake and Company but didn't have any personal recommendations for a particular agent. So I browsed the company's website and read some testimonials, and decided to contact Justin Mellon because of his great reviews from clients, as well as his knowledge of carpentry and construction, and the impression that he really enjoys the process of matching someone up with their perfect living space. It turns out that I made a great choice. Justin worked with me tirelessly for several months in order to find the perfect house that had all of the things that I really wanted in my first home purchase and still fit my budget. Even in the middle of the fast upswing and high competition in the housing market for this popular part of Seattle, when we finally found just the thing we wanted, Justin helped us develop strategy and put in the winning offer. When the bank's appraisal came through, our purchase price came in $17k below market value, meaning that we got a killer deal on an amazing place. After signing the purchase agreement but before closing, a major rain came and some water got into the downstairs of our new home, along with a couple of other minor maintenance issues that needed to be immediately addressed. Justin was the first to identify these issues, and actively looked to find everything that needed to be taken care of before the house was turned over to us. He handled all of the discussions with the seller, and thanks to his wise and always diplomatic approach, everything was taken care of by the seller before our closing date. A month after moving in, we couldn't be happier with our new home. Thanks again, Justin!

Justin & Danny were fantastic to work with. It was very professional with a great deal of personal assistance! Good knowledge of the market and buildings, communication, & sense of humor!

I wanted to take a few minutes to let you know what a great agent you have in Justin Mellon. Recently I had a listing in Maple Leaf that belonged to my brother-in-law and his wife. After he tragically passed away in February, I had the daunting job of putting it on the market. I say this because our family was already stricken with the loss of our mother and sister within the past year and emotionally, I was somewhat spent. Had funds been available, I would have referred it to a Seattle agent. Unfortunately, they had purchased the home in October of '09 and with the current market conditions, we know it would have to be sold at a loss and there wasn't much room for listing commission. Back to Justin, in the 29 years that I have been selling real estate, I have never met an agent with such compassion and professionalism. He was truly unbelievable. We had some blips along the way but he followed through with everything he said he would, and I believe he was the prevailing reason that got us through to closing. He had amazing buyers, but I don't think that was a coincidence as he is amazing himself. If he were on the Eastside, I would be having my broker recruit him big time! He is the type of agent I would enjoy working with on a transaction any day! You are truly fortunate to have him in your office.

THANK YOU soo very much for ALL of your hard work, guidance and endless help with the sale of my condo!! It couldn't have gone smoother, thanks to you.

Thank you Justin for your efforts in the successful sale of my condo in Seattle. The condo was on the market for a year with no offers while being listed by another realtor. A friend of mine, who is in the real estate business, recommended that I switch to you and your company. You are everything that he said you would be.

We chose Justin as our agent after a glowing recommendation from trusted friends, and they were right on the money! We were looking for a rare type of house in a very specific neighborhood during a highly competitive market. Justin stuck with us month after month, walked us through many houses, watched carefully for new homes on the market, and gave us great advice on remodeling options. He was patient when we were picky and continued to bring us good homes to consider. He walked us through a couple of offers and gave us wonderful advice about how to compete to win in such a hard market. We finally found the house that fit our family just right and were so glad we had his support to get us there! Once we knew we wanted the house, Justin snapped into action and got the ball rolling in the offer process, the inspection, and all the paperwork. He recommended a team of excellent people who helped us every step of the way during the buying process. We knew we were in good hands! We just got the keys to our lovely home and couldn't be happier!

Justin made the process of becoming a first time home buyer infinitely easier and more fun than I ever imagined it can be. We looked at many a condo before I found the one I felt excited and comfortable purchasing. From helping me make the best offer to talking to the other tenants to negotiating a complex loan, he was always available, supportive and most of all patient. He even helped with the move and still to this day willing to lend a hand when asked. He is a great agent, and I strongly recommend his services to anyone who wants to take advantage of the current market, but is a tad nervous! I love my new condo and look forward to my first time home buyer credit

Justin Mellon has found his calling. He is a stand-out real estate agent who I would highly recommend, without hesitation. His level of professionalism, compassion, and sincerity sets him apart. Justin has a strong work ethic and worked tirelessly to meet our needs. He communicates clearly, respectfully and honestly. He was always available for us—so much so that I felt as if we were his only clients. Justin puts his heart into his work and works with the highest level of integrity. After the sale, Justin continued to support us by providing boxes for our move, paying for our move as a closing gift, and providing references for contractors and sub-contractors. In addition, he continues to ask about the progress we are making on the house, as it is very important to him that our visions for our new home are realized. I cannot say enough about our experience with Justin. He is an exemplary real estate agent and a downright good person.

I met Justin over 10 years ago. My wife had used him to sell our condo in Tangletown. In that transaction he personally pressured washed the deck and staged the condo for resale in an extreme buyers’ market. He sold our condo for a good price in short order. So when it came time to sell our house in Green Lake it made sense for us to see if Justin would help us sell our house. At this time Justin introduced me to his brother Andrew as well. They took my home from renter occupied to market ready within a matter of weeks with very little support from my family. The prelisting preparation Justin and Andrew orchestrated helped maximize the value of our home, inside and out. It is not really the selling, but getting a house ready to sell that can be a lot of work. After evaluating our house, they lined up a punch-list of what needed to be done and put together a team to execute the work. They helped us manage that cost through their extensive network of contractors and by only recommending things that would significantly improve the likelihood of selling our house at the optimum price. What really sets these guys apart is their ability to manage everything that needed to be done; oak floor refinishing, touch-up painting, pressure washing, deck staining, the landscaping, sod, cleaning, photography, and staging … scheduling them, letting in the house, and checking to see that the work had been done correctly, etc… to get the house on the market in weeks. During the open houses, they were amazingly proactive with agents and clients that viewed the house and kept us in the loop every step of the way. Ours turned out to be a multiple offer situation and they helped us sort through the pros and cons of each offer. We would highly recommend this team when it comes time to sell or buy your next house.

I have worked with Justin Mellon as my real estate professional three times now, and would choose him again in a heartbeat. He helped me to buy my first house, sell it when it no longer seemed to fit our needs, and then buy another house when the time came. Each time he’s been professional, available, honest, friendly, and a joy to work with. I trust his opinion, and I value his willingness to take the time to walk me through opinions and choices. He has always gone above and beyond the call of duty in making himself available, even for last minute unreasonable requests of mine. (“Hi Justin, I know we placed on offer on that other place yesterday, but today I saw this new one come on the market, can you get me in to see it ASAP?”) His personal warmth is genuine and comfortable. I felt relaxed and at ease, never pressured. That helps a lot when one is trying to imagine residing in a new house during a walk-through. His professional advice was spot on. Oftentimes he would take a guess about how fast a place would sell, and time usually proved him right. He also took the time to learn what was important to us in a home, and worked to find us a great match.

Justin and Andrew are a dream to work with, and we recommend them wholeheartedly. My wife and I have sold 4 houses, and we can attest that the process has never been so easy, nor so thoughtfully cared after. They felt like partners, and helped us find the right amount of spending to really show off our property in its best light. They put their own time and money into the staging, and used their own contacts to help us with last-minute paint, drywall, landscaping and more. We had an aggressive timeline — and Justin’s wife was due in the middle of it! — but they worked together to make it happen in less than a month, taking care of hundreds of little details along the way. For peace of mind, confidence, and complete coverage, go with the Mellon brothers.

This guy is very good at what he does. He is helpful, down to earth, hardworking and honest.

We can't recommend our realtor Justin Mellon more. We just finished selling our first home and buying our new home and Justin negotiated both processes for us flawlessly. He listened to our needs, represented our wants, and helped us through every question and concern we threw his way. He is one of the most helpful individuals we have ever encountered and his extensive network of talented people to help with your home is incredible. We hired Justin to help us sell our home because well, he seemed like a really nice guy. We struck up a conversation with him while out looking at houses and we're a bit embarrassed to admit that we really did not do much more homework than that. So, kudos to you for doing some research on line! Justin was easy to talk to, he listened, he was kind, and he held his conversation steady when our toddler was running around the beautiful house he was showing like a wild animal. He came to our house soon after and gave us an incredibly thorough and thoughtful estimate on our home. We were impressed by how knowledgeable and confident he was, the services that he and Lake and Company offer, and his obvious commitment to the profession. There was no question that Justin was who we should work with. Justin gave us excellent and reasonable recommendation for how to get the best value for our house, and we truly believe his advice paid off and then some in the sale price of our home. We had never sold a house before and were worried that in a down market it was going to be difficult. Justin's expertise in helping us to prep our home and price it both competitively and fairly helped us negotiate multiple offers and sell our house quickly to a great buyer. So we sold our house faster than we ever imagined we would for an incredible value. Now we needed to buy a home! Again Justin led us through the search process with confidence and compassion. He really took each impression we had of a house as a way to learn more about us as buyers, never showing frustration, and never pressuring us toward a home that would not be right for us. He was always available for questions and to show us any house that we were interested in. When the right house arrived on the market, it did not do so without the need for some negotiation, and Justin is a master at the negotiating table. He got us into the house in a multiple offer situation, without sacrificing any of the demands we had for the seller. So, here we are in a home we love, in the neighborhood we wanted to live in and it turns out that our first instinct was actually correct. Justin is a really nice guy. And that kindness seems to guide all that he does. He really cares about this process, and understands that selling and buying houses are more than just sales transactions, they are enormous life choices that impact an entire family.