Four reasons, and none of them are the logo
Every brokerage in Seattle will tell you it is the best one to work for. Here is what is actually different about these two offices, in terms you can check.
01
Your managing broker has been on your side of the table
Keoki McCarthy spent 23 years as co-founder and managing broker of an independent brokerage he built from nothing — full P&L, recruiting, marketing, training, compliance — before returning to Coldwell Banker Bain in 2024.
That matters when you are weighing independent against brand, because he can tell you honestly what an independent does better. Most people pitching you have only ever worked one side of it.
02
Your contract questions get answered by the person who rules on them
Keoki has chaired the Northwest MLS Disciplinary Panel since 2015 — the body that adjudicates rule enforcement and ethics across the entire Northwest MLS — and has served on the boards of Washington REALTORS® and the Seattle-King County association.
When a deal goes sideways at 9pm on a Friday, that is who is on the other end of the phone.
03
Three managing brokers, two offices, all of them here
Keoki McCarthy, Pamela Bowe and Blair Stacks are accountable for Lake Union and Capitol Hill. They are in this market, in these buildings, reachable the same day.
No regional manager two time zones away, and no ratio where you are one of four hundred.
04
The brand does the work the office cannot
A 120-year-old name, 93,000+ affiliated agents to refer through, Global Luxury for the top of the market, and the HOME platform — one system that replaces more than twenty separate tools, included rather than billed as an add-on.
The brand gets you in the door. The office decides whether you grow. You want both, and most brokerages make you choose.
Questions agents actually ask
What is the best real estate brokerage to work for in Seattle?
There is no single answer, and any brokerage that tells you otherwise is selling. The honest comparison comes down to four things: who your managing broker actually is and whether they answer the phone, what the brand does for you at a listing appointment, what technology you get without paying extra for it, and what the split and fees really work out to at your volume. We think we win that comparison in Seattle for most agents — the four reasons above are why — but you should make us prove it.
Who is the managing broker of Coldwell Banker Bain in Seattle?
Keoki McCarthy is Principal Managing Broker for the Lake Union and Capitol Hill offices. Pamela Bowe is Regional Managing Broker. Blair Stacks is Assistant Principal Managing Broker at Capitol Hill.
Where are the Seattle offices?
Lake Union is at 1200 Westlake Avenue N, Suite 406, Seattle, WA 98109 — in the AGC Building on the water — (206) 283-5200. Capitol Hill is at 1400 E Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122, on the corner of 14th and Pike — (206) 322-8711.
Is this a good brokerage for a new agent?
It suits a new agent who wants supervision rather than a desk and a login. Managing brokers review your contracts, coach one to one, and handle compliance so a paperwork problem never becomes your problem. A new agent who would rather be left alone to figure it out will be happier somewhere cheaper.
Is Coldwell Banker Bain the same company as Coldwell Banker Realty?
Yes. Coldwell Banker Bain is Coldwell Banker Realty in the Pacific Northwest, across Washington and Oregon. It was acquired by Coldwell Banker Realty in April 2022 and kept the Bain name and its management. It is company-owned — not a franchise, and not an independent affiliate.
What technology do I get?
The HOME platform: CRM, listing management, transaction tracking, a client dashboard, an AI assistant, Likely To Sell lead identification, and a marketing centre for print and digital collateral — more than twenty tools consolidated into one, included rather than billed separately.
Can I talk to you without my current broker finding out?
Yes. Use the form on this site or call either office and ask for Keoki. These conversations are confidential and routine, and nobody contacts your current brokerage.
Make Us Prove It
