TESTIMONIALS
Laura O
Christopher and the Compass team made buying a home feel like a breeze – a true sign of expertise and professionalism! Christopher really listened and understood what my husband and… I hoped for in our first home, showing us the houses that fit our lifestyle, priorities, and budget (3 bedrooms, 2 baths, proximity to metro, updated HVAC, and plenty of outdoor space!). He explained each step, shepherded us through each process, and somehow made the stress of home buying feel like fun. We opted to sell our condo at the same time, and likewise Christopher walked us through the complications and unknowns, always clearly and directly explaining the pro’s and con’s based on his superb knowledge of the DC area. I always felt confident about our decisions because through Christopher we 100% understood our options as we sold our condo and bought our first house. Christopher and Compass delivered an outstanding service and helped my husband and I with this major, life-changing purchase. Thank you! Read more “Laura O”
Buyer
Purchasing my first home was a very stressful experience, and John helped me through every step of the process. He made sure that I knew what was going on, and… took the time to answer all of my questions and explain each step. He was attentive, understanding, and very knowledgeable. Should I be in the real estate market again, I will certainly look to work with John. Read more “Buyer”
John Phelan
With deference, I do not believe it would be possible to contract with a realtor better positioned to represent a seller — or buyer — in Washington, D.C, and especially… in the Bloomingdale area, than Christopher Bulka. The professionalism, expertise and integrity of Christopher and his team went beyond that which I had reason to anticipate as possible. All of this and the experience was fun, which says a great deal for Christopher’s interpersonal skills and ability to read a myriad cross section of the public. Suffice it to say that there was no aspect of my home selling experience which could have gone more positively. Although Christopher and his team were the experts throughout this process, I always found them to be appropriately attuned and responsive to my expectations, preferences and — when appropriate — direction. Christopher had my trust throughout the sale of my home and I would not hesitate to have him represent me prospectively. Read more “John Phelan”
Kim O
I would absolutely recommend John for anyone looking to buy a home. I was a first-time homebuyer and John was incredibly responsive and patient. When a first apartment under contract… fell through, John went above and beyond in helping me restart my search. John came up with creative solutions to any problems that arose and helped me navigate the offer process seemlessly. In addition, to being great at his job, John is a pleasure to work with and knows DC as a real estate agent and resident. Read more “Kim O”
M. S.
John went above and beyond to help us get from first contact to close in two months. That in itself is impressive, but he did it while I was living… in the Philippines and my husband was posted in Afghanistan. The use of the Compass web application and phone app was an enormous help for us to view and review properties and keep all of our comments in one easy to access location. John took careful videos for us of properties we were very interested in and sent very detailed information about neighborhoods and developments. John’s knowledge of mortgage lenders, previous property history, and the overall market allowed us to submit the perfect offer. Similarly, he skillfully negotiated a credit to us after an chimney issue was discovered. He followed every detail of our closing carefully and talked us and my father in law through every step of the process. The closing went off without a hitch through a power of attorney. Through the whole process we truly felt that we were working with an incredible professional who was really looking out for us as his clients. Our trust in John was very well placed and we cannot wait to move into our new home. I recommend him highly to anyone looking to buy in the DC area. Read more “M. S.”
Seller
I decided to work with Christopher because I thought that he had the experience, intelligence, and skill necessary to give me the best possible representation when selling my house. Christopher… works very hard for his clients and is extremely knowledgeable about the real estate market in this area. He is well prepared for any situation that may arise during a real estate transaction and provides thoughtful advice to prospective buyers and sellers. He is also just a good person and I felt comfortable working with him. Read more “Seller”
Buyer – Washington, DC
John is the best! We went through 2 other agents who cared only about closing and not about us before we found John. We are so glad we did. He… was what everyone wants in a realtor: focused on our details and advocating for us. He responded to emails usually within fifteen mins, set up showings on short notice, and generally did everything we asked with a smile and wisdon that made us feel lucky to have him on our side. He helped us negotiate a great deal on a place in downtown DC after we scoured the area with John to ensure we knew what was on the market. He clearly has a great command of the market, the players, and everything else real estate related (he has people). If he’s not your guy you’re missing Read more “Buyer – Washington, DC”
Bill A
Christopher impressed me with his knowledge of the market and his wide range of resources for marketing my home. He was very easy to talk to and responsive to all… of my questions. He had some good advice about how to present my home to make it attractive to buyers. Due to personal circumstances, I had a period of nearly 6 months between signing a contract with Christopher and when I was ready to put my home on the market. He was very patient with me during that time, even though the delay was putting us in the slower market time of year. When I was ready, he found me a buyer who offered full asking price before the home was even listed. I would work with him again and recommend him to anyone. Read more “Bill A”
Karen
John helped me both purchase and sell a house. He was recommended to me by a friend. John is professional, courteous, and knowledgeable. He goes he extra mile for his… clients. I would recommend him to anyone. Read more “Karen”
Renee
John made selling my condo so easy! He gently suggested the necessary improvements and helped facilitate them. He did all the listings and showings as opportunely as possible. When a… potential buyer appeared, he conducted the negotiations responsibly and reasonably. All the tedious paper work was accomplished with humor and accuracy. Change is always stressful and John helped me make my move with organization and delight. Read more “Renee”
Neil O
We worked with John when we were buying a condo in DC during 2012. John was helpful and knowledgeable about all aspects of the process, which was complicated by the… fact that the condo we decided on was a foreclosure property. John navigated the complexities of the foreclosure sale very skillfully and kept us updated on all stages of the task. Whenever some of the paperwork became complicated John was always available to reassure us and advise us on how to move forward. The best thing about John was that he genuinely took a personal interest in making sure we were ok with our decisions all through the process and that we got the home that fitted our needs. We would be very happy to work with him again and to recommend him to others based on our extremely positive experience Read more “Neil O”
Laura
John is just the sort of agent you want helping you find a home. He’s very aware of this area and the nuances of different neighborhoods. He’s great at understanding… what you are looking for, sometimes even when you aren’t! And, he’s super patient and helpful in finding it. Thanks, John! Read more “Laura”
Alex M
I highly recommend John. He was very responsive, timely, and professional in all of our dealings. He was easy to talk to, and he was able to answer most of… my questions immediately. Those he could not answer right away, he researched and answered quickly. It was my first time buying a home, and I relied heavily on his knowledge of the process. He had great people to recommend for every step of the process, including mortgage, title, inspection, attorney, etc. I used all of his recommendations and could not have been happier. They all had clearly worked with John before and respected him. The whole process, while still daunting, was made much easier by John and his colleagues. If I were buying or selling a house in the future, I would not hesitate to use him again, and I would recommend him to family and friends. Read more “Alex M”
Seller – Washington, DC
Christopher is an amazingly talented agent and I highly recommend him to anyone looking to navigate the competitive real estate market in DC. I’ve had the privilege of using Christopher… as both a buyer’s and seller’s agent. In both cases, he was incredibly knowledgeable about the market, gave sage advice, and kept the process moving to ensure an on-time closing. In my most recent seller’s transaction, Christopher effortlessly navigated a tricky provision of DC real estate law and miraculously found a way to secure required closing documents from my former tenants who were vacationing in Europe. He’s what every agent should be: patient, unflappable, and a relentless advocate for your interests. Read more “Seller – Washington, DC”
Seller – Washington, DC
We have had experience with the good, bad and ugly when it comes to real estate “professionals”. Christopher is on a different level completely. We tend to be analytical in… our decision making style – Christopher was able to clearly lay out a strategy supported by sound data. We moved out of the area before listing – Christopher went above and beyond to ensure our place was ready to show. Received multiple offers (thanks to Christopher’s guidance) – he proved himself an adept negotiator and ensured we were seeing a complete picture before making a decision. Christopher also showed tremendous perseverance while dealing with a difficult buyer (and admittedly, difficult sellers). Throughout our entire experience we were constantly updated. The level of communication was outstanding – always responsive no matter call, text or email. Christopher is a true professional. If we ever find ourselves moving back to DC he will be our first phone call. Read more “Seller – Washington, DC”
Seller – Washington, DC
More than impressed and very happy working with Christopher. Our sale price greatly exceeded expectations and the whole process was very smooth. Very knowledgeable of the market and his smart… tactics allowed us to maximize our sale price. Provided excellent resources to ensure our condo looked its very best. Worked with Christopher through our Cartus relocation. Extremely knowledgeable about this process and always one step ahead of what was needed. We’ll definitely use Christopher’s services in the future! Highly recommend. Read more “Seller – Washington, DC”
Doug M
I have a hard time imagining a better realtor than John. I explained that I was a first time home buyer and I needed a lot of help to understand… the process, and what to expect as things were moving along. Although we were communicating from seven time zones away, John was amazingly responsive – no matter the hour of the day, and always with brief, digestible, but complete answers to my questions. John really knows the market, can help you focus to which of your priorities you’re likely to be able to get for your price point, and has a great network of mortgage brokers, insurers and closing folks that make things move along very quickly. He also knows a lot of secret ways to save you money – for example, he tracked down the title insurance from the previous owner and used that to get me a discount on my own. That’s just not something most people would ever think of. Finally, but most importantly to me, we ended up in a bidding war with several other potential buyers of whom several matched our top offer, but because John was such a stellar realtor, had coached me on how to write an attractive offer, and has such strong negotiation skills, we ended up winning the bidding war. I’ve heard so many horror stories from people who have fallen in love with house after house and lost all of them, only to end up with something that they felt like they were settling for, but John is the reason that we ended up with our first choice. Read more “Doug M”
John K
John had excellent knowledge of the areas where we were looking and also of the developers and other agents we had to deal with. He was always generous with his… time and quick to answer questions we had as first-time buyers. Read more “John K”
Kenneth P
My wife and I just bought a new condo in D.C. We interviewed three agents ahead of time, but our lender recommended we talk to Christopher too. We’re so glad… we did. Throughout the entire process, Christopher was extremely communicative and thorough. What really stood out to me was the degree to which he went out of his way to drive us around, listen to our thoughts, and help us navigate what can be a confusing process. We also had the pleasure of working with John a bit, and he gave us the same attention and care. I could not recommend Bulka Peters more highly to anyone looking to buy or sell in the DMV area. Read more “Kenneth P”
Buyer – Washington, DC
John’s biggest strength is in being responsive to the client’s needs. He worked with me at my pace (which was going out almost every day to look at properties) to… meet my personal deadline, and made the search convenient for my logistical limitations. He was very prompt in replying to emails and sending documents back and forth. I was particularly impressed by how he followed up in the background (coordinating with the seller’s agent, my lender, the title company) to make sure that everything was going smoothly as we approached closing, even when we weren’t in touch. If you really, really want a particular property, I am confident that he can advise you well on making a winning offer. But even more important, he will make sure that you buy that property with your eyes wide open and that you get the keys in your hand without any snags. Read more “Buyer – Washington, DC”
Sanane
I worked with Christopher last year, and I found him to be very helpful. He provided great feedback and ideas on ways to improve the staging of the apartment. He… was patient with me, as I hate paperwork. Overall I found him to be very responsive and easy to work with on both the buying and selling side. He really helped us to more clearly define the kind of apartment we were looking for. Read more “Sanane”
Seller – Washington, DC
Christopher impressed me with his knowledge of the market and his wide range of resources for marketing my home. He was very easy to talk to and responsive to all… of my questions. He had some good advice about how to present my home to make it attractive to buyers. Due to personal circumstances, I had a period of nearly 6 months between signing a contract with Christopher and when I was ready to put my home on the market. He was very patient with me during that time, even though the delay was putting us in the slower market time of year. When I was ready, he found me a buyer who offered full asking price before the home was even listed. I would work with him again and recommend him to anyone. Read more “Seller – Washington, DC”
Michelle
Christopher was a fantastic agent. His attention to detail in making suggestions for the listing of our home was invaluable. He knowledge regarding our neighborhood was very impressive, and as… our agent, he was responsive, organized, and helpful throughout the process. He marketed our property extremely well, and within three days on the market, we had multiple offers that escalated above list. The sale of our home was an absolute success, and we wouldn’t hesitate to work with Christopher again. Read more “Michelle”
Pieter
Chris represented us in sales of multiple properties in the city of DC, a home in the SE neighborhood and a coop in SW. In both transactions he was well… versed in the nuances of the neighborhoods, pricing strategies and getting us to closing. Ease of execution is what you want in the sale of a home and this was what Chris provided. I would highly recommend Chris to assist you with your real estate needs. Read more “Pieter”
Christina
I was so lucky to have found Christopher to sell my one bedroom coop in Washington, DC. He was by far the most professional, organized, and experienced agent I had… met with during my search for a listing agent. From our first meeting, where he presented an excellent marketing plan and strategy, I knew he would do an incredible job. Because of Christopher’s strategy, planning, execution and professionalism, this truly made a difference in the process from start to finish. I can’t recommend him enough. Read more “Christina”
Seller – Washington, DC
Christopher was very helpful to me long before I was ready to list. I was in the midst of a tenant nightmare and Christopher took the time to give me… advice and the benefit of his experience. Later, when I decided to sell my condo in DC, I went back and listed with Christopher. I am no longer a DC resident, and I needed local help managing the repairs, staging, negotiating, inspection, and settlement issues. Christopher was terrific!!! Truly a trusted advisor to me and the end result exceeded my expectations pretty dramatically. I really can’t imagine the whole process being any easier. He is a consummate professional and I would recommend him wholeheartedly. Read more “Seller – Washington, DC”
Dawn
John helped me both sell and buy a house. He convinced me that not only could I sell it but he would help me find a better place. He was… spot on when estimating the sell price of my house, exceeding my expectation. He gave me great advice on how to prepare the house (I had a lot of things that needed to go into storage!). He had a open house and had several offers within 2 days! There were several times when the buyers agent wanted more than I was willing to concede. John found creative ways to negotiate that were mutually beneficial to both parties. At the same time, he was helping me find a new place to live. He worked hard to find a house that met my needs and wants in a neighborhood that I could live in. I love my house and the neighborhood. And I never would have attempted to sell or buy had it not been for John! I HIGHLY recommend him for both selling and buying. Read more “Dawn”
Denise Z
John is a fabulous agent, and I highly recommend him. The selling process was easy and dare I say, fun, with John Peters. Plus, I was doing the entire thing… from abroad! Usually, home buying/selling is incredibly stressful and difficult and add the layer of doing it from a distance and it can be a nightmare. Not so with John. He is responsive, knowledgable, flexible, and patient. I felt confident that everything was in hands and I never worried about a thing. He was incredibly responsive to my emails/phone calls/etc, and he worked hard to make sure that the entire process was clear and transparent. I know that if you are looking to buy or sell a home in the Washington, DC area you are in excellent hands with John Peters. Read more “Denise Z”
Buyer
Christopher, and indeed John and the entire Bulka/Peters team, were amazing throughout the entire buying process! I could not recommend him more for his knowledge, professionalism, and the true team… effort getting us through close. As first time buyers in the district, we were arguably the most green (naive) party in the process. Christopher was a consultative partner to us every step of the way, from inventory selection, multiple showings, multiple offers (it’s still a seller’s market!), and even bringing together multiple of highly-respected lenders, inspectors, and others would could help consult on our first time purchase and vision for our new home. What’s more, as a resident small business owner, we anticipated unique requirements (challenges) to bringing the deal over the finish line. Knowing it’s not done until it’s really done (90 pgs of signatures!), Christopher dug in with us and the team consider all possible strategies to make the best possible deal happen for me and my wife—and always wearing his contagious smile. In a competitive market like the DMV, there is no one I could recommend higher than Christopher and his amazing team! Read more “Buyer”
Julie F
Christopher is extremely responsive and really knows his stuff. Plus he is fun to work with. Highly recommend him! He helped me sell my home and purchase a new one,… and though there were some bumps along the way (not his fault), he guided me through them and I am very happy with the decisions he helped me make. Read more “Julie F”
Michael N
Chris was a great real estate agent for my wife and I. We were unable to make it to DC to handle a lot of the issues required to sell… a house, but Chris was willing and able to make everything happen with no hassle at all! I would recommend him to friends in the area and would most definitely use him again if we move back into the area again. Read more “Michael N”
Morrison S
John sold our condo in Silver Spring and we were so impressed by him throughout the process. He was clear and thoughtful about what needed to be done, outlined a… clear time line and was communicative every step of the way. We moved to another state during this process and he handled everything and made our move out process as stress-free as it could have been. Our condo went on the market on a Friday morning and we accepted an offer the next Tuesday. I can’t recommend John highly enough. Read more “Morrison S”
Carla
Christopher is exceptional. I interviewed 3 other agents in my search for someone to represent me in selling my cooperative unit in Kalorama. Ultimately, I chose Christopher because he was… professional, organized, and answered all of my questions (and I had many because I was a first-time seller). My sale was complicated but Christopher managed and overcame every challenge, even those we could not have anticipated, with calm and reason. I had a tight timeline because of a job in a new city. Christopher was very sensitive to this and my many other demands. He communicated with me regularly, gave me feedback from other agents and prospective buyers about the unit, and advised me on ways to make the unit more appealing. His advice worked. Selling cooperatives requires someone skilled in dealing with potential buyers but also skilled in handling the boards that ultimately must approve the sale. Christopher was very knowledgeable about and adept at navigating all of the ins and outs of this process. I would hire Christopher again without hesitation. Read more “Carla”
Seller – Washington, DC
Christopher was a pleasure to work with; he is very professional and friendly. He immediately makes you feel comfortable and instills confidence because he is so knowledgeable. Before I was… introduced to Christopher, several agents tried to sell my house and Christopher Bulka was the agent to get the job done. If I ever sell or buy another house Christopher will be my first call. Read more “Seller – Washington, DC”
Jenn
John was very responsive and helpful when we were looking for a new home. He helped us zero in on exactly what we wanted and we ended up finding the… perfect condo. His advice helped us secure the property within one day of it being on the market and the process went very smoothly. Read more “Jenn”
Adam
John was incredible! He helped me buy my first home (a condo). He was efficient, heard my needs, responded to my questions and concerns very well, and was easy to… work with. Highly recommended! Read more “Adam”
Julie
Christopher was a joy to work with, and I know that sounds gushy, but we interviewed 4 other agents, all of whom made us feel like they’d be doing us… an enormous favor by condescending to sell our place. Christopher came in with a direct no-nonsence attitude, he was personable and professional, nothing was a problem or too much trouble, he was efficient, knew the pocketed intricacy of DC real estate, and sold our condo higher than asking price after four days on the market. In short Christopher made the whole process smooth and seamless for us, we couldn’t be happier. Read more “Julie”
Buyer – Annandale, VA
John helped me sell my home in Woodbridge and buy a home in Annandale. He was outstanding in his creative solutions to issues that arose with the buyers during the… loan approval process and inspection process. He priced the Woodbridge property so well, we had a contact in just a few days. I couldn’t be happier with my new home and the process of buying it. He made it easy and so much less stressful than my 1st home purchase! I’ve referred many friends to him. If you’re looking for a place in the DC/MD/NoVA area, give John a call. Read more “Buyer – Annandale, VA”
Dan
Great broker, would definitely recommend. John was helpful throughout the entire process and after. Very responsive and always provided me with a direct answer.
Seller – Washington, DC
Christopher Bulka helped us sell our home in DC in a timely and efficient manner. I had to move out of town for work rather suddenly and I had a… short time frame to prepare the house for sale. Christopher was there for us every step of the way and I don’t think we would have been able to accomplish with anyone else. He is very detail oriented and provides realistic expectations. He is also very responsive and extremely knowledgeable about market trends and location. Not to mention he has a great sense of humor and keen eye for aesthetic detail. This was a our second time working with Christopher and we couldn’t be happier about both experiences. Read more “Seller – Washington, DC”
Michelle
John Peters is the most thoughtful, patient, and responsive realtor I have ever worked with. He has helped me with three separate real estate transactions and each time I have… been living outside of DC. Even though I was far away, John always ensured everything went perfectly. He even helped me find a DC property to purchase while I was living in California — he took videos and explained in detail every aspect of the properties he visited. In addition to John’s extensive knowledge of the DC real estate market, he also has a wide range of contacts that he shares willingly which will help you with everything else that goes into selling or purchasing a house — including the most effective handymen, mortgage brokers, and insurance agents. Bottom line, John is a wonderful person and agent. He can help you with all your real estate needs — you should be working with him now! Read more “Michelle”
Kathryn B
I had a great experience working with Christopher. He sold my H Street condo in 4 days! It was the first time I’d been on the selling side and I… was intimidated by how much work it would take, but Christopher met with me and explained the process and helped me stage my condo so it looked its best. He then took AWESOME pictures of it that made me think twice about selling. Because of his extensive networks and marketing, I got over 10 offers and we sat down and went through each one in detail. I got above my asking price and owe it all to Christopher and his hard work, commitment, and dedication. Read more “Kathryn B”
Nina Y
My husband and I can’t recommend Christopher highly enough. After interviewing several agents, we initially hired someone else to sell our property in DC because of a lower commission rate.… We quickly realized our mistake – the agent we hired was slow to respond, missed deadlines for documents, and had many other issues. We called Christopher because we were impressed with him in the interview, and he took us on. We wanted the house on the market within just a few days, and Christopher organized everything, and marketed the property before it officially went on the market. All of his efforts made a an impact; the property sold in less than 24 hours, before we even had our first open house, and for $10K above asking price. Christopher managed all this while also communicating with us while we were on vacation out of town with limited internet and cell service. He’s fantastic at his job, and we’d hire him again in a heartbeat. Read more “Nina Y”
Buyer – Washington, DC
John is just absolutely wonderful!!!! He made buying a house much easier by being carefully attuned to our needs. We wanted an agent who was not pushy, who had a… relaxed demeanor (since we were not in a hurry), but who could be quick, smart, and strategic when necessary. John was the perfect fit. He is SUPER responsive and replied to most emails/texts within minutes. He is considerate of your time and never imposes. He offers judgments when asked but otherwise stays in the background and facilitates things. When it came time to putting in an offer, John gave us smart and bold advice about how to craft a successful bid. When we were traveling, he was still able to make wheels turn and help us complete tedious paperwork. I would therefore especially recommend him to buyers who are busy and who travel a lot or even live elsewhere– he is extremely prompt, reliable, and knowledgeable. He is also really good at helping to alleviate anxiety by offering patient and sound advice. Even after settlement, he continued to offer constructive suggestions, when asked, about work that needed to get done. He is a considerate and intuitively helpful person. A total gem!!! Read more “Buyer – Washington, DC”
Buyer
Very honest, and very patient with a first time home buyer! He explained the process well and was always ready to answer questions and make sure I was comfortable with… each step. I really appreciated John’s friendliness and solid knowledge of the market. Read more “Buyer”
Emily W
John was knowledgeable and affable throughout my experience as a first-time home buyer. When I first came to him, I only wanted to look at available houses and not make… any serious moves for at least 6 months. He didn’t pressure me at all but was always available to talk. When I found a home I wanted to buy, I had absolute trust in his expertise, which was evidenced throughout the process. John was sensitive to my concern and a skilled advocate when I experienced a couple snags on my home-buying path. I wouldn’t want to work with anyone else! Read more “Emily W”