Matt Murton - Washington Fine Properties LLC

My wife and I worked with Matt on the sale of our home in Silver Spring, MD. Matt was extremely helpful and knowledgeable throughout the entire process. Nothing came up that he didn't know how to handle, and was great at getting back to us quickly with answers to whatever questions we had throughout the process (we were first time sellers). I would highly recommend speaking with him before listing your house with any other agent. You will not be disappointed.

Matt is a terrific professional. We first interviewed Matt in February, to consider whether we wanted to keep or sell our DC apartment. We weren't sure whether we wanted to give up on keeping a "pied-à-terre" in DC, or keep our current apartment, or buy a new one. (We have a house in WV.) Matt very patiently helped us sort through the options, considering pros and cons of each possibility and suggesting alternative ways to think about the final decision. We agreed that our preferences were so specific that it would not be easy to improve on our current apartment, so decided to buy before we sold, in case it proved impossible within our budget to improve on what we already had. The search for a new apartment ended up taking most of a year. Through all of this Matt was a model of patience. Ultimately, we bought another apartment in October-November (more modern, slightly larger, and just up the street), and we sold our former apartment by December. Matt was consistently available throug the long process and gave good advice throughout. Selling and buying also usually involves updates and repairs to get a place ready to sell, and/or a new place ready for moving in. Matt has a number of professionals he has picked out as reliable -- for flooring, painting, plastering, cleaning, and "staging", for example -- who were all willing to respond quickly, and did good-quality work. This was an unexpected bonus that made some fussy parts of the overall process much easier. We would work with Matt again without hesitation.

The best way we can start our recommendation for Matt is by telling our story. Years ago our first brush with a real estate agent was one fraught with stresses. A decade later we started out with trepidation to sell our condo and buy another property. Our old condo was located at a place where even non-experts like us knew that making a sale came with its own set of challenges.
Our first conversation with Matt told us that we were on the same page. He was quick to understand our situation. Given our tight timelines, he came up with a great selling strategy. He advised us to make minor upgrades that would enhance the value of the condo without draining excessive resources. He also had a team of trusted contractors to carry out these tweaks. He got a professional photographer and went all out to ensure that the house looks its best. And finally he positioned it at the perfect price point and advertised it through the right channels to get footfalls. Though this was a small sale, we could tell that he did not treat it as one. He gave his very best in terms of attention, responsiveness and even thoughtfulness. He organized the open house and before we knew it, yes, it was under contract!
Much before the condo went under contract we were so impressed with his strategic insight that we sought his help to buy a new house. He sat down and identified our needs in terms of a property and then helped us identify potential places and then finally close on the one that met all our requirements. We now have a beautiful townhouse at a prime location.
From our first meeting to the date of the closing -for both the deals Matt was hands on. He handled all the back and forth and demonstrated that he is not just great at mitigating risks but equally great at coming up with solutions. There were instances where he demonstrated that what mattered most to him was the best interest of his client. It is completely to his credit that the timelines of both the deals coincided.
Matt exceeded our expectations in every way. We started out by knowing him as a professional but by the end we found more than what we had hoped for - a great sale for our old house, a dream home to move into and a dear friend. Thank you Matt - We were lucky to have had the best going for us.
At the end of these transactions we realized what a great asset a real estate agent can be. An excellent agent will not only make it a pain-free, stress-free, experience but a delightful one. Needless to say that the next time we buy or sell a property we will think of working with nobody other than Matt. So if you are thinking of buying or selling your property in the Washington D.C. metro area then Matt Murton is your person. Go ahead and talk to him. Let's just say - that before you know it, you will be the one speed typing a blogful of praise for him and his team. :)
Himadri and Priyanka

We engaged Matt in October to lay out initial plans, preparation activity, April/May listing, home immediately sold and closed in June. From initial discussions through offering assistance with preparation to the closing table, everything was superb. Matt was patient and explained the process in great detail. He is caring and an exceptionally good listener.  Matt was especially sensitive to our unique family needs and worked with us remotely, since we do not live in the DC area. We completely trusted his sound advice and guidance. Matt and team are commended for a job well-done. Thank you, Matt!

Hiring Matt was easily one of the best decisions we made during a process which involved many other decisions which we would have struggled with if not for Matt's expert advice.  During the sale, Matt helped us stage the house (we should have made a lot of simple design changes he recommended years ago!) , pick the right offer price (we made it attractive so that multiple buyers would quickly bid each other up to the home's real value), and handle a buyer who got cold feet a week before closing (we said good riddance after careful consideration and got another 3 offers in no time).  All of these potential migraines were no more than a dull neck ache thanks to Matt's guidance.  
As for the purchase, Matt was very accommodating when we asked to see homes.  In the rare instances where he wasn't available, there was a member of his team available to help us.  He constantly volunteered interesting bits of knowledge of the MoCo area and had a knack for pointing out many things (both positive and negative) about the houses we looked at which I never would have noticed.  If there was ever a CSI spin-off where all the crimes occurred in basement utility rooms, he would be the star.  
He was never pushy, always patient and honest.  Never made me doubt that he knew his stuff and I was getting the best service available.  Don't hesitate to work with Matt, you won't regret it.

Having never sold a property before, Matt did an excellent job walking my wife and me through the selling process.  He provided insight into what our condo could sell for, and how our initial price aligned with current market movement.  
Matt stresses following up with people who've toured the property--I didn't think this was a big deal at first.   But through this process we learned about how our property was viewed by potential buyers and adjusted our price accordingly.   We had a previous real-estate agent who never bothered with this sort of thing.  Had we never selected Matt, our property would have been on the market for an extended period of time.  
Further, Matt goes above and beyond as far as availability is concerned.  We received an offer while he was on vacation and he didn't hesitate to close the deal, despite encroaching on his personal time.  
When you're selling real property you want to have someone you can trust and that helps guide you through the logistical hurdles.  Matt is that type of realtor.  

When my house was ready to put on the market, it sold in 5 days. The process thereafter went very smoothly, including settlement. Matt was most helpful during the entire process.

Being former residents from out of state, we needed someone with knowledge about living in the Washington D.C. area beyond just publicly available information that we can just look up our selves.  Matt and his team were able to provide great information regarding the area and great tips for first time home buyers that we likely would not have gotten from other agents. 
During the process, we never felt pressured to just settle for any home. Moreover, Matt and his team genuinely cared about getting us the best home for us while staying within our budget and worked extensively with us during all phases of purchasing a home ensure that the transaction was as smooth as possible. 
Matt and his team even went above and beyond what we expected by purchasing and providing us with a home warranty which we used to have a professional plumber fix our clogged kitchen sink. We highly recommend Matt and his team to anyone who is looking for home in the Washington D.C. area as their knowledge and expertise have proven to be invaluable.

The first thing you will notice about Matt is his response time to emails and calls.  When we had questions (while looking) or concerns (while buying) we were confident that Matt would get back with us quickly and with the right information.  He is very knowledgeable of the market and did a great job of helping us distill our often conflicting wants list into a true vision for the house we wanted to buy.
Once we found our house, Matt and his team were invaluable in assisting us with the closing and purchase process.  Being first time homebuyers this was an intimidating step and Matt was amazing in helping us move forward smoothly.  Matt had a previously scheduled vacation during part of the closing process and team members Richard and Heather stepped up and provided the same top notch service.  Even while he was away, Matt was able to answer calls and emails and electronically modify documents for our signature.  This attention and availability really helped us feel comfortable during the process.
Overall, the search and purchase went smoothly and we are now enjoying living in our first house.  Matt and his team provided excellent service and we highly recommend them if you are looking for a home!

Matt and his associate Richard were the real deal: absolutely attentive to exactly what we were looking for, and never pushy trying to make a sale.  They were incredibly knowledgeable about historic homes (what we were looking for), and they found us the perfect place.  Matt is also great at calming the nervous buyer -- we began to refer to him as "Zen Master" by the end.  He is unflappable, even when we were overwhelmed by the craziness of the DC market.
Matt and his team should be your go-to agent when buying in DC.

We used Matt as our realtor when buying our second house. He was the listing agent on our first home and we really liked him from the moment we met him back in 2005. Matt's knowledge of the Montgomery County area and it's neighborhoods is superb. He is always available to talk, email or meet in person. Communication is never an issue. This home purchase was a bit strange for us as we fell into an opportunity to get in on a new construction project from the get-go. We didn't spend time looking at many other homes, though Matt did send us listings that were in various neighborhoods close by so we could compare what else was out there for the same price and make sure we thought we were getting a fair deal.                               
We spent hours going over construction plans and meeting with the builder and Matt was there every step of the way, contacting the listing agent repeatedly to get all the info we needed. His experience in dealing with new construction in addition to existing homes was much appreciated when it came time to negotiate the builder contract and understand the ins and outs of what it all meant. He warned us what was typical and couldn't be budged, and guided us where there might be some leeway for negotiation.
When we finally reached the end of construction, Matt was present at all our walk throughs, helping point out details that needed attention before we closed. He was the only one of us who caught a ding in a brand new refrigerator door. His attention to detail is impeccable. 
Matt also has a stable of people he can refer you to. Painter, movers, loan officer, appliance guy. All reputable people he has vetted over the years and happy to share with you because he knows how hard it can be to find good people. We've contacted him a couple times in the year since closing for some of these, and my emails to him are still met with a quick response. I wish we could have used his loan reference, who was incredibly helpful, but our contract dictated the lender and they were nowhere near as competent as Matt's recommendation. 
In short, Matt Murton is engaging, honest, and knowledgeable - a consummate professional. We will use him again and again for our own needs and have recommended him wholeheartedly to friends.

We were looking for a home in a very competitive area where there was not much inventory. Matt learned quickly what we were looking for and advised us to hold out on making a purchase until we found the right place. Also, because most of the houses we looked at were over 50 years old, Matt's experience living in and repairing older homes really came in handy.

We received great service from Matt Murton, The Smart Living Team and Coldwell Banker. As first-time home buyers we were new to the process. Matt gave us a lot of helpful advice. He was patient, knowledgeable, responsive and attentive. He had creative ideas and expert suggestions. He was available from beginning through closing.

Unfortunately, we weren't able to find a home through Matt but he was the consumate professional  and was very available to us as we searched listings. I would highly recommend him to anyone, especially first time home buyers, looking for a home.

Otherwise very professional with full on presentation with interactive map.

I was looking for a real estate agent to help me find a condo. I went to see Matt because of his stellar reviews on Angie's List. We spent some time talking and it seemed as though we were going to be able to work together. Granted, I had some very specific things on my "Needs to Have" list, but I expected more than two attempts to look through the MLS for what I was looking for. Yes, one session in his office and an e mail two days later. Matt and his team may be fabulous when working with sellers, but this buyer was not served well at all.
By the way, I found two condos that fit my requirements a month later, and will be moving into one of them soon.

Matt is a fantastic realtor!  This man knows his stuff.  I was looking to move from Virginia to either DC or Maryland, and Matt's knowledge of both the market and the areas (and I mean neighborhood to neighborhood) was paramount in helping me determine what I was looking for and where I needed to be.  He used his time to show me around various neighborhoods so I had a firm understanding of what my options were.  This process took time, but he was always patient and never pushy to "make the sale." 
Matt was extremely responsive and in constant communication, which was awesome.  Highly highly recommended!

Matt did an outstanding job with our home purchase.  He is very experienced, knows the contracts inside and out, and is a straight talker.

We were first time home buyers, facing a difficult market with low inventory, and we'd recently lost a house we were under contract for after a different realtor botched the negotiation.  I reached out to Matt after reading many positive reviews on Angie's List.  He offered to come to out to our home for a consultation.  As we have a rambunctious 2 year old, we gratefully agreed.  Matt spent 1 1/2 hours with us on that evening, listening to our criteria and concerns, giving us a detailed presentation on the home buying process.  

When we found our house, Matt gave me his opinion on how much to bargain on price.  Since I work in a financial field, I had my own opinion on the property's value, and I thought Matt's valuation was very accurate and confirmed my own.  The negotiation was the key area where Matt added value; what could have been a nerve wracking experience instead went extremely smoothly.  After our housing inspection Matt gave us guidance on what to negotiate for and what to leave alone.  He successfully negotiated with the seller on several significant repairs. 

During the time leading up to closing there were dozens of tasks that I needed to stay on top of, from providing paperwork to the lender to setting up utilities.  I'd frequently check my email first thing in the morning to find reminders from Matt that he'd sent hours earlier.

I recommend Matt to you without reservation!

In February of 2013 I was searching for a realtor and an attorney to
represent my interests in a short sale of my home in Alexandria.  I came across a very complimentary post
on Angie?s list regarding Matt Murton, Realtor with Coldwell Banker.  I contacted Mr. Murton and discussed my
situation; he told me he would not represent a short sale unless an attorney
was involved.  He suggested
Michelle Adams, from the law offices of Jill P. Michaels, Rockville, MD.   
I contacted Ms. Adams, and was immediately put at ease and given hope in
a situation I deemed hopeless. 
It is now September and the short sale was successfully completed with
the Bank of America who is reputed to be one of the most difficult banks to
negotiate with.
Mr. Murton was always available and his responses to my concerns and
questions were immediate.  I found
his integrity to be refreshing and impressive, with his primary concern being
the sale and not his paycheck.  For
example, he gave up a significant percentage of the realtor fee to the
purchaser, who does that?
Mr. Murton and Ms. Adams worked as a team and addressed my and the
purchasers concerns.  It was a long
process but they both committed to the project and followed through.  I cant express the depth of my
gratitude and level of how impressed I was by their professionalism.      

We picked Matt because he got exceptional reviews on AL. My wife and I are tech geeks and Matt's references attracted my attention because he uses various communication methods (cell, email, text). One of my pet peeves with my previous realtor is that he was inconsistent with returning my calls or calling me when he said he would, so I was hopeful that I'd not have this issue with Matt - and my gut instinct was right. Matt returned calls sometimes as late as 10pm and as early as 7am - I felt bad on some occasions because I know the man has a family of his own.
Matt is very knowledgeable in his field of real estate. My wife and I, and Matt looked at lots of properties before we decided on the one to buy. In each case, Matt paid close attention to what excited us and what didn't - and yes, my wife and I often had different opinions. Matt was able to use this knowledge to find us homes that he knew we'd like. As it turned out, we found our house when looking on RedFin, and brought it to Matt. Matt quickly got us an appointment to see what was to become our new home.
My family (the village) plays a big part in life changing events, and Matt had no issues with repeat visits of houses with my in-laws.
During the search process, Matt talked about the neighborhoods, schools in the district, zoning, and considered our future in the home. At no point did I feel Matt was looking for a quick sale. If anything, my wife and I moved quickly on the purchase of our new home and Matt would advise us on risks and protocol when we got over excited.
Putting in the offer was an easy process too. Matt walked us through all the paperwork, and had us sign it via Docusign in the comfort of our home (via the Internet).  After running through the contract, Matt left us too it, so we didn't feel pressured to sign a contract we didn't understand. He provided the perfect balance - he was there when we had questions or concerns, and he gave us space when we need time to think and read detail.
Matt recommended a great financial agent and inspection company. Like us, Matt recommended based on his experience and that of others via AL. Matt also followed up with players in the purchase of our home. In my opinion, this is the job of your real estate agent - he/she is the person that does all the heavy lifting so you as the buyer can make informative decisions, and Matt did an exceptional job and making our life easier. Even when the financial rates went up during negotiation of our loan, Matt was involved with the financial agent all through the process.
Matt has background in construction, so between he and the inspector, we got a clear understanding of the home we were buying. Matt was a pragmatist too - we found a few skeletons in the closet of the new house, and with Matt's help we could work with the seller on what made sense for expected repair or credit on the sale. Like all buyers, we wanted everything for as little cost as possible, and for the most part I think we got that. Matt was able to set our expectations in cases where we wanted more than reasonable.
At the closing table Matt continued to look after our interests. He was very polite and accepting with the sellers, but didn't compromise us as buyers to complete the sale quickly. There was an issue with some repair work on the sellers, and Matt went to bat for us. Also at the table, my wife reminded us that we should have purchased a home warranty, so I turned to Matt and asked for quick recommendation. Next thing I know, Matt had purchased us an affordable and good coverage plan out of his own pocket for 12 months as a housewarming gift, how many realtors do that? 
After the sale, Matt was still available to answer some questions. He provided us a good recommendation for moving company, who we chose, and some contractors for work in our new home.
Overall, I'd say Matt is easy going, up to date with today's home buying process, and keeps up with communication. He's accountable, pleasing to work with, and knowledgeable. We're hoping to hire Matt to sell our old home, now that we have a nice new one :)

Matt handled a rapidly changing and touchy situation with grace, ease and full professionalism.  We previously used Matt to sell a condo and purchase a house.  Additionally, we have referred Matt to a number of friends who have used him enthusiastially.  Our most recent experience continues to illustrate that Matt is one of the best real estate agents out there.
My mother-in-law reluctantly agreed to sell her house of 40 years - we asked Matt to help prepare her for the sale and also help guide her with finding a new, smaller place to live within the budget we set.  Matt was extraordinarily patient with her - helping her find providers to cost-effective changes to make the house more marketable and set expectations about the process and what needed to be done. The house went under contract quickly (4 days!) thanks to Matt's advice and negotiating skills.  He handled a somewhat naive buyer and an typical buyer's agent who granted her clients little real advice about buying their first house and knowing any details about home ownership (Matt actually counseled the buyers somewhat during the sale since their agent provided no assistance).  The deal closed with a satisfied buyer and seller - everybody won in the deal.
Additionally, Matt went above and beyond the call of duty showing her rental properties which she would continuously reject.  At the last minute, after the house was under contract, we had a shift and decided to purchase a condo instead.  With a deadline quickly approaching, Matt assembled a list of properties that would meet her criteria (and budget), culling through a long list of condos that he knew already she would reject and waste our time.  We quickly zeroed in on a condo that was vacant and would be able to meet our ever shortening timeline for vacating the house.  Matt once again proved his worth and dealt with a shady, inexperienced seller's agent who had to be told (by Matt) the rules and ethics considerations real estate agents are required to follow.  We closed after a few delays and potential issues that could have derailed the deal (and left us only 2 weeks to find and move my mother-in-law). 
Matt's guidance and advice helped us get a positive end result - my mother-in-law is actually pleased with her condo, which is a 180 degree turn around from what we were looking at at the beginning of this process.  We give Matt full credit for this outcome - handling the business side of the transactions, but also the human side, comforting her and being an ear and counselor to my mother-in-law.

Matt was a pleasure to work with...always professional, punctual and flexible. His knowledge of the area and his ability to read buyers lead us to finding the perfect house for our small family. He was able to show us properties in both MD and VA and was extremely knowledgeable in both markets. We started the process while we were expecting our first little one and finished right after he was born. While one may think this would be an extremely stressful process to go through during that time, Matt was the reason it was not. On top of having patience to deal with an expectant mom, he also treated us as though we were his only clients, and quite frankly we were probably on the lowest end of the price point in which he generally sells....but you'd never know it by the way he represented us and prioritized our needs.
I've suggested Matt to several friends and sincerely hope they use his services. We couldn't be happier and know for a fact when we decide to make another move, we'll go straight to him.

Matt was excellent.  We called him because of all the great reviews on Angie's List and he really lives up to those reviews.  As most of them say, he knows alot about the various neighbourhoods in the Metro DC area.  He was able to understand what I was looking for and was able to guide me to the right areas and finally to a great home.  I would absolutely recommend Matt to anyone looking for a new home.

Ok, I never write reviews. This is literally the first review I have ever written after having read thousands of them. This really goes to show how impressed I was with Matt.
My husband went to talk with Matt about buying a house/condo, but it turned into an hour long conversation about whether we should buy or rent given our life situation. At the end of that hour, Matt recommended us to rent! A realtor recommending us to rent, and not necessarily with him! Matt really cares about each of his clients as people and will place their interests above his own. I wholeheartedly endorse him without any reservation.

I had found Matt on the basis of other Angies list reviews, and am happy to add to the list of good reviews. We were purchasing a second home as my job took me to the Greenbelt area, and my husbands job was keeping him in Los Angeles. Despite this being a purchase of a sub $250K home (read; not much commision, this is a second house afterall), we were treated with respect, given good advice, and got the time we needed to close the deal. Not only did Matt work the purchase with us, but also helped with the bank as this was a 203K loan for renovation and helped with the title company, even well after the deal was closed. I found Matt to be knowledgeable, personable, and a joy to work with. I would recommend him and his team to anyone looking to buy in the Washington DC area.