The Cascade Team Real Estate

Heidi Root from the Cascade Group is inexperienced, lacks the basic knowledge of real estate and limited understanding of the sale and purchase agreement contract. She is argumentative, obstinate, and has ZERO negotiation skills. When challenged or questioned her threatening response was always «if you don’t. .. you will loose the sale». Too far into the deal to switch agents, demanded that her manager take over to finalize the sale however all the changes ended up costing me thousands. Tried to post this review on the Cascade Team web site for Heidi however the site would not accept the review.

Okay, so I couldn’t find a separate review for Tonya Eliason, so this review is solely for her. I was very fortunate to by chance be put into contact with Tonya. She has lived in Snoqualmie Valley area since the 90s and really knows her way around here. I am new to the area and a first time home buyer. I have often thought that you need to be careful with real estate agents, no offense, but many will pressure you for a sale. This is not Tonya. She constantly would tell me when walking into a house «you rent a house you like, you buy a house you love.» Before it was all said and done we put in three offers for three different houses, before we actually found «the one we loved.» My husband had purchased a condo before we were married so all of our bids were with a contingency. The first home we put an offer on was hesitant about the contingency, but Tonya kept in touch with the realtor, building a good rapport with him, and even though they initially rejected our first bid, they did come back and say that they would accept our offer if presented with it again. We chose not to buy that particular home. The second house we put an offer on was one that ended up being a multiple offer situation. We won solely based on the fact that the other realtor had worked with Tonya before and preferred to work with her instead of the other realtor. She advised the homeowners to choose our offer, and they did. Unfortunately during inspection a lot of things came out, and we decided to pass on the home. The last home that we put an offer in on went pretty smoothly, but the home owners weren’t budging on inspections costs. Somehow Tonya worked wonders with the other real estate agent and got us more than we ever hoped to get. Working with Tonya was a great experience. She was constantly in contact with me, and was a great source of advice without being pushy. Because of some of her recommendations I was able to find an awesome mortgage company and a great inspector (Mark Mitman). I have nothing but great things to say about her! I would definitely work with her agai and highly recommend her!

The Cascade Team works hard to put their clients first and provide great service. We worked with them to sell our home when we moved from WA to AZ. We were very pleased. We would use them again and have recommended them to friends and family.

I was very happy with Jonathan’s work until the home was officially closed, and I never got chance to see or talk to Jonathan from there.
I am a picky client and always want to get a good home with low price. I started to work with Johnathan since May 2012 and it was very pleasant to work with him in the first 12 months. He was very responsive, and always show up on time for appointments, his knowledge about the home is very impressive and able to find out most issues in the home right away so I don’t have to worry about inspection.
He never pressured me into buying any places, although I already been shopping for a place for a year. We made a few offers along the way, however, none of them went through because I am unwilling to offer a higher price in this competitive market.
Jonathan always says it is not easy to get into the door but very easy to back out, means it is not easy to get seller to accept my offer, but if it gets accepted it is very easy for me to back out without losing my earnest money. With this idea in mind, I bet on one home I did not fall in love with, because I was also tired of home hunting. I paid $ 1k earnest money, did inspection and found a big issue of leaky ceiling in the kitchen. Right at the same time, I saw a perfect home that I really like for a reasonable price. Jonathan assumed me that my earnest money with the 1^st home will be safe, and I bought the 2^nd home instead.
Things started to go downhill very fast. The home that I bought is a bank owned property, I only got the keys for front door from the MLS box. The seller mailed me the mailbox key and other keys to the mailbox of this home. Nobody took responsibilities for this situation. It was a frustrating process, lucky with the help of UPS, I finally retrieved all mails inside the mailbox, although the mailbox key was not there. Then the seller asked Jonathan to pick up the keys as they are returned to their office, however, it took him around 2 weeks to finally get them for me (He kept on saying he is going to get it for me Tomorrow, and I told him a few times that I can go there myself if he was too busy…) It was exactly 1 month after I closed the home that I finally got my mailbox and other keys.
Then Jonathan never contacted me for my earnest money, all my calls went to his voicemail. And he replies to my emails/​txts once in a while and still assured me that he won’t lose my earnest money, but it needs more time. 5 months later, I still did not get my earnest money, and I eventually evolved my lawyer. Jonathan finally replied to the lawyer’s email and admitted the seller won’t return my earnest money. He blamed that to the seller, because they kept on asking him to fill up different new forms and eventually seller said he did not use the right form in the required time period, so they won’t return the money. He made no apology and not even a call to me.
Question for Jonathan: Isn’t it realtor’s responsibilities to make sure all the documents are prepared correctly in timely manner?
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This is the review I wrote for Jonathan on Zillow, however, Zillow people asked me to «Remove the statements referencing legal action» before they allow my review to go live…

This review is based on the Agent himself, not the whole team.
Jonathan Leslie is not the man of his word. He made a promise he will have one of his technician to take care the breakers for us and he never did.
We are probably one of the most easy client /​deal. Because we only spent one late afternoon to view a couple condos in the area and we already know what we want.
Once we got the sale agreement ready, we already have the feeling that Jonathan is done with us. Because all the lacking on the communication and effort doing the job of a buyer’s agent. Since it’s pretty much a done deal. Especially on the current market. We did all the work not the agent.
— Just being a messenger, forwarded the info that he received from the seller’s agent
— Forwarded the info without verifying the content with missing links.
— Never provided with us a list of utility company for the new place. I have asked for it, but never delivered. Said he was trying to get it from the seller’s agent. I was never CC on any of the communications. I found them myself and this is that hard especially if he worked in the area for 12 years?
— Made promise to take care and fix the breakers on his expenses during the home inspection. Never delivered.
— The day of closing. Contacted him for status, only response was «will call to check», «It will be a late closing». Said will be there to open the door for us. Never Delivered! We received a call from the escrow company, they said they left message for Jonathan but never responded to my text and e-​mail until I call him later. Said he is just leaving to «try» to get the key before they close. I explained why I need the key tonight because I want to have the carpet cleaned before the move in. He asked me to meet him by the seller agent’s office. Yep, I have to drive out there to get the key myself. Or it will be sometime tomorrow.
— Said the Technician will be there the day after closing, between 1−3PM. I also asked the phone number of the Technician to be e-​mailed to me. Never Delivered.
— Technician never shows up. Contacted Jonathan but never heard back from him.
— 2 weeks later, e-​mailed and texted Jonathan again no response. Called his cell phone, he said he was on vacation for two weeks. (no out of office message on his work e-​mail? Ummm?)
— Told him that I will just replace the breakers myself, he just need to reimbursement for the cost. He agreed to it, but never mailed the check to me.
— Wrote him an e-​mail a week later (3^rd week), he said he ran out of checks… waiting for Chase to send to him. (Work check, personal check, wife’s check?) That he was sorry, and he will get back to me after 2PM.
— 4^th week, still not hear anything from him. Wrote an e-​mail, I don’t expect he will reply and I am writing this review.
I have no clue how he gets those nice reviews on Zillow. Talked to a co-​worker that worked with him in the past, said he is all about reviews. And Jonathan did go above the min to get the deal done. However, he will not use him again.
I have worked with a couple realtors in the past and they are a lot more responsive and responsible.
Am I just having bad luck with Jonathan at the bad time? I gave him more time and chances, but I think 4 weeks to replace a few faulty AFCI breakers (AFCI breaks $ 120 for all 3) is way more than enough. If I keep on waiting, my place would probably burned down by the electrical fire. This is a serious matter!
Don’t let his salesman talk fool you when he tells you he has been doing this for 12 years, and never let his client lost money and etc. Apprently he can’t talk and walk. Just all talk.
Also, is it how it works now and days? The Agents do not give you a ride to view home? We had to follow his Hummer around to look at the houses. Very different than what I experienced with other agents before.
Spoke with one of my co-​worker, he said Jonathan said will give him $ 20 for referral with another deal, but he never did. Only $ 20? And still can’t deliever.
— It has been 6 weeks, last e-​mail he said he wanted to meet up in person to pay cash because he was out of checks. Sent him few e-​mails and no response. Heard from a friend that he is still around, active and asking people for referral.
Not an agent you can trust.