Oldest realtor in U.S. lives here in Ballard

The slogan for George W. Johnson’s Ballard business is, “Serving the Seattle area with quality and excellence since 1936.” That right, Johnson is 96 years old, and he’s believed to be the oldest active realtor in the country.

“It’s a beautiful time to buy,” he told KING 5, remembering the 60’s and 70’s when Boeing’s massive layoffs hit the housing market hard. But that’s not the worst of it — Johnson arrived in Ballard during the Great Depression. “I wouldn’t want to go through another depression,” he said. By the way, when Johnson began working in real estate, there was no listing service, no home inspections and no escrow services. And a photo from 1947 on Johnson’s website advertises a home for… $6,000. Ah, those were the days.