Meet Jonathan Barad, a savvy dealmaker and REALTOR® who calls historic Fells Point his home.

A Marylander through and through, Jon has the insider knowledge and native know-how to help homebuyers navigate today’s challenging real estate market. And he has the expertise to help homebuyers—at all ages and stages of life—to find the perfect home at the perfect price.

Jon actually began his career as an interpreter and advocate for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing. At Oberlin College, he studied American Sign Language (ASL). And he even attended at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. for one semester. “I fell in love with the language and the culture,” Jon says. “And I loved that, as interpreters, we had to adhere to a very high code of professional conduct.”

Eventually, Jon started his own agency and doled out contract gigs to about 150 local interpreters whom he had met over the years (like Realtors, most interpreters are independent contractors).

Jon also had a stint working for the State of Maryland in marketing and program development. While he enjoyed the collaborative environment and creative process, he learned very quickly that sitting at a desk 24/7 wasn’t quite the right fit.

Then, as luck would have it, he reconnected with Bob and Ronna (he had met them 30 years ago when a relative introduced them).

Jon jumped at the chance to join The Bob & Ronna Group because he saw working in real estate as the natural evolution of all his experience as an advocate, networker, collaborator, and problem solver. Plus—Jon enjoys the quick pace of the real estate world, he’s used to being “on call,” and he feels most fulfilled when supporting others.

Most of all, just knowing that Bob and Ronna are such good people helped Jon feel confident making the leap into real estate. In fact, he believes that a deep sense of integrity, high professional standards, and attention to detail really set The Bob & Ronna Group apart from other groups in the area. Jon says, “sometimes we hear other agents admit to encouraging their sellers to pick our contract because they know it will be well-done and spot-on…with well-qualified buyers.”

When it comes to finding the right home in Maryland’s hot market, Jon encourages his buyers to focus on the big picture. He said, “lots of people get hung up on the list price. But it’s really important to think about all the closing costs, inspections, and other costs that come later. Most people don’t realize…that’s really where all the negotiating happens.”

When not crisscrossing the Old Line state with clients, Jon enjoys being a “plant dad,” collecting American pottery from the 1920s and 1930s, and practicing hot yoga.