Karen Balkin's clients describe her as being caring, a great listener and communicator, bespoke marketer, analytical and organized, a tough and creative negotiator, down-to-earth and straightforward.

From a brilliant career in Beverly Hills selling artisanal, luxury goods at Gearys and Hermes to celebrities and jet-setters, Karen joined the Peace Corps, El Salvador for nearly 3 years as an Agroforestry, Environmental Educator Volunteer. Next, she learned Portuguese for an internship at the United Nations in Rio De Janeiro for her MA in Sustainable International Development. Karen came to Bellevue to tie the knot and was recruited into real estate from her position as Development Director of a domestic violence non-profit. The rest is history.

Karen is a seasoned and highly credentialed, Managing Broker since 2007 with expertise selling luxury homes, new construction, townhomes, condos, investment properties, and view and waterfront properties. A Kirkland resident, Karen specializes in communities near her home she knows well: Kirkland, Bellevue, Clyde Hill, Medina,The Points Communities, Redmond, Issaquah, Mercer Island, and Seattle.

Enjoy working collaboratively through all stages of planning, research, expert consultation, property marketing, negotiation, to closing. You'll have an extra edge above the rest with real estate market trends, timely micro-neighborhood data, custom legal forms, and advice of real estate attorneys, as needed, in the highly competitive and ever-changing market. 

Exceeding your expectations is Karen's motto.

Languages spoken: Some Spanish and Portuguese