Hey, I’m Jonathan. My real estate practice is non-realestatey.
If you’re here, chances are you’ve fallen for this stretch of coast. Been there! I moved across the country from the East Coast to buy and sell real estate here, and I’ve been investing in real estate ever since. So I’ll never tell you to do something I wouldn’t do myself.
Houses on the Peninsula are all rare birds, and so are the people who love them. My job is to help you see the possibilities that aren’t staring you in the face. That’s the Shift.
- 2015licensed in California
- ~1,000transactions I’ve been involved in
- $150M → $400M+yearly team sales I helped grow at Tim Allen Properties
- Top 1%of agents nationwide (2021)
Real estate has always been in my blood.
Before the internet, I was the kid paging through print publications to follow high-end listings and sales. Eventually I stopped watching from the sidelines, made it my full-time work, and moved across the country to do it here.
I got my California license in 2015 and soon joined Tim Allen Properties as the youngest, least experienced person on the team. By the time I left six years later, I’d gone from the new guy to the one the team leaned on for just about everything. Along the way I ran the team’s marketing, managed escrows from contract to close, and worked directly with buyers and sellers on both sides of the deal, often all in the same week. I was involved in nearly 1,000 transactions and learned every part of the sale, from the first photo to the final signature. When I joined, the team did about $150 million a year in sales. By 2021, I’d helped grow that to over $400 million, and my share of the work put me in the top 1% of agents nationwide. In 2022 I moved on to build my own practice, now at Compass.
I’m an investor too. My own portfolio spans several asset classes in multiple states, and I’ve bought and sold enough property to know how it feels on both sides of the table: the excitement, the second-guessing, the calls you have to make along the way. I bring that to every client.
What I’ve learned from all those deals is that one size never fits all. Every home has its own story. Every buyer values something different. I look at both the numbers and the feeling, the objective value and the personal one, and work to get you the most out of each.
I’d never tell my clients to do something I wouldn’t do.
What it’s like to work with me
Three things I hold onto with every client, whether you’re buying your first place by the sea or selling the home you raised a family in. If you're comparing agents, here's how to choose a real estate agent in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Clear as water advice.
What you see is what you get. My advice is backed by deep knowledge of the area and my own experience as an investor. If I wouldn’t do it, I won’t tell you to.
Water seeks its own level.
I tune into what you actually want, then we puzzle out creative solutions to any roadblock. Sometimes that means throwing out the playbook and doing what works.
A fountain, not a drain.
Our work is 360 degrees: a home you’ll love today, set up for financial success tomorrow. It doesn’t end at closing. You get an advisor for life.
More ways I can help
Homes are the heart of my practice, but Peninsula real estate is bigger than that, and so is what I bring to the table.
I know what Peninsula homes earn.
I co-own and operate Peninsula Luxe, a curated portfolio of several dozen luxury vacation rentals here on the Monterey Peninsula. We also handle monthly (30+ day) vacation rentals, which matter because some areas here only allow monthly stays, plus long-term rental management.
Day to day, I see what guests book, what renters and buyers want, and how owners make a property pay. You get that read whether you’re buying a second home, investing, or selling.
Commercial, too.
I now also lease and sell commercial property, and I give every building the same story-led marketing I give a home. See how I’m doing it for 1400 Munras Avenue in Monterey.
Start with a straight answer.
Curious what your home could sell for? I’ll put together an honest valuation, with no pressure and no obligation.
Unique homes for unique people
A few homes I’ve helped find their next chapter, from Carmel-by-the-Sea to Pebble Beach.
In their words
Selling your home is such a stressful event in life but Jonathan was so great in letting us know what to expect and always had our interest as his number one priority.
He was a genuinely kind and enjoyable person with whom to work....the best I have encountered.
We were not often available to deal with repair people as the condo was our second home, but Jonathan took care of it all and kept us updated.
All houses by the sea are good. Let’s find yours, anywhere on the Peninsula.
- Carmel-by-the-Sea
- Carmel
- Carmel Valley
- Carmel Highlands
- Pebble Beach
- Pacific Grove
- Monterey
- Seaside
- Sand City
- Del Rey Oaks
- Marina
- Salinas
- Big Sur
The important thing is, you’re here. Welcome.
Buying, selling, investing, leasing, or just curious about what your place is worth, I’m happy to hash it out with you. No pitch, just a straight conversation.
Prefer to text? 831-747-0310 · [email protected]
Jonathan Balog, Broker Associate | Compass | DRE# 01980970
Carmel-by-the-Sea office. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Sales shown include transactions where I represented the buyer, the seller, or both, as noted.