As a client, you’ll appreciate John’s knowledge of the area and of the considerations necessary when investing in coastal property. John aims to be helpful to people who have a broad goal of buying a property and guiding them through decisions that will help them achieve those goals. He explains that real estate is a big decision and it’s important to him to be able to help people with stressful decisions.

Experience and Expertise:

An early interest in tourism and extensive experience in property management led John Blackmon to his role as a real estate agent with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Treasure in 2020. Since then, he has focused on investment property and long-term rentals, noting that one of his areas of expertise is knowing how to coach owners through the real estate process and helping them prepare their home for sale, and the ability to position a home as an investment property opportunity based on years of experience in the rental world.

John says there are many different types of investment property buyers, and he enjoys working with all of them. Individuals in the military looking for a home in the greater Topsail area often decide to keep their house here even after they are transferred to other locations. Some may wish to invest in a second home and may want to rent it out when they are not using it. There are others who see a home in the area as a full-time investment property. John says of all of these it’s really the same approach with what a buyer needs to know. 

With his experience in property management and solid relationships with vendors, he applies his knowledge to help buyers. For example, he explains what to look for in a home as well as how to proactively prevent a major maintenance issue. There are certain considerations with a beach property, such as understanding that an air conditioning unit is not going to last 30 years, that a buyer may not even think about when looking for a second home or investment property.

As the broker-in-charge of Treasure’s Wilmington office, John is responsible for all this location’s agents’ actions as well as taking on the responsibility for long-term rental management for the company.

Journey to Topsail:

For John, a deep understanding of the greater Topsail area began in 2000, when his grandfather purchased a place in Surf City. He says he and his family spent most of their summers and weekends here. His roots were established then, in a home his mother and aunt now own. He adds that through the years, he has met a lot of good friends here and that most of them had that same path of how they got here, as beach vacationers who decided to get their own place.

Love Where You Live:

John, an avid sports fan, and his wife also love to travel, going to the mountains, boating, fishing, skiing, snowboarding, and hiking. Back at home, he and his family love the beach as a place where “you can literally have a blast and do nothing.” John and his wife Chelsea have lived in Wilmington since 2009 and have watched the area grow year by year. “We love experiencing all the wonderful restaurants and breweries in Wilmington, and attending concerts at Live Oak Amphitheater.”

Superpowers:

One of John’s superpowers is that he doesn’t get flustered easily, which lessens the stress for his buyers and sellers. Recognizing that nobody likes to move, John says he helps them focus on the task at hand, why we’re here working together. Moving can also be emotional and that can lead to poor decisions. He works to help his clients accept those emotions and manage them properly.

As a local expert, he wants his clients to know that he wants the best for them. Focused on building and sustaining the trust that leads to quality relationships, he explains, “it starts and ends with helping. If you’re my client, I want you to be my client again.”