Born in Miami, Florida, Mark relocated to the DC metro region at the age of 8. He was raised by a hard-working waitress and a officer in the Army’s Paratroopers. His father served in WWII. Mark attended the University of Mary Washington and later became an expert in the hospitality industry. Transforming venues with declining sales became a passion. With that passion, Mark decided to help individuals achieve financial independence through home ownership, so in 2002, under the Coldwell Banker brand, Mark became a Realtor. Mark Rutstein’s various television appearances, as well as awards, support his love and success in the industry. Now, following the technology advanced brokerage, he is under the Compass name!
Mark is an active member of the community, volunteering his time with multiple community organizations and events. His involvement in the community brings knowledge of the local businesses, nightlife, museums, and transportation that is important while buying or selling a home.
Jeff Taylor is a Realtor Associate with 12 years of real estate sales experience. He began his real estate career in Texas, with a focus on residential sales and commercial property management. After relocating to Washington, D.C., his passion for real estate grew, as did his love for the city, the architecture, and the people. Jeffrey has been featured in Washington Life and The Washington Post for historic condominium sales and rentals in Dupont Circle, Logan Circle and Shaw – where he resides. Jeff prides himself on local expertise, strategic marketing efforts, and a commitment to offering his clients an unsurpassed level of service and attention.
Jay is native Mississippian but has called Washington, DC his home for the past 18 years. He fell in love with real estate after buying his condo in Adams Morgan in 1999. Even though the search was over, he kept attending open houses and exploring developing neighborhoods. Eventually, he found himself spending his weekends helping friends find places to live. So he decided to transition from a career in public relations and television to real estate.
After working several years with another brokerage, Jay joined Compass in 2015, believing the resources offered by Compass would complement his own skills as an agent and help him better serve his clients.
One of Jay’s passions is photography and he loves taking photos around the city. You might also catch him singing at Shaw’s Tavern on Wednesday nights.
Michael’s guiding principle in real estate is fun. Since moving to D.C. in 2003, he has developed a deep, contagious love of the city, and a commitment to helping his clients enjoy real estate as much as he does. With almost $30 million in sales in a variety of neighborhoods, Michael is poised to help clients buy and sell throughout D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. In 2015, Michael joined Compass to combine his passion for customer service with the best technology to serve his clients.
Michael began his real estate career with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, where he won a variety of awards, including the 2013 GCAAR Rookie of the Year Award for his business success and contributions to the community. Before real estate, Michael spent over 10 years cultivating his negotiation and sales skills while building elite teams of salespeople at high-profile companies, including Apple and Pottery Barn.
As a resident of the Shaw neighborhood, Michael works closely with the Shaw Main Streets organization. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of The DC Center for the LGBT Community, and he is on the Executive Committee for the Lupus Foundation of America DMV’s Annual Gala.
As part of his commitment to the community and the real estate industry, Michael chairs the DC Association of Realtors (DCAR) Communication Committee, serves on the DCAR Board of Directors, and is the Vice-Chair of the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors (GCAAR) Community Service Committee.
Michael enjoys spending time with his partner and their Miniature Pincher, and he stays active training with CrossFit, and engaging in a variety of social sports (badly). He ran his first (and only) marathon in 2010. Michael loves to travel, and to indulge in delicious food and good wine at the many fabulous restaurants right here in D.C. He has a love of movies and TV, including an unhealthy obsession with anything produced by Bravo.
Jenn Smira combines relentlessness, diplomacy, negotiating skills, and a can-do attitude that sets her apart from the pack. She is every client’s advocate, working until each has found the best home or sold for the right price. Her many repeat clients are a testimony to her dedication and results, as is her ranking among the top 10 agents in the city.
Recognized for her leadership in the field, she was selected in 2014 for the DC Association of Realtors’ Board of Directors. She currently serves on the organization’s Board of Directors and the Public Policy Committee.
After years on Capitol Hill and then Shepherd Park, Jenn and her family now live in Chevy Chase. Jenn plays basketball, runs half marathons, and unleashes her creative side through her cooking.
A self-proclaimed military brat, Christopher moved six times before he was eight years old, which sparked his passion for real estate at a very young age.
After a career as a professional ballet dancer was cut short by injury, Christopher worked his way through college in Baltimore and enjoyed a tenured career as a marketing executive before he rediscovered his childhood passion and pursued real estate professionally, which Christopher proclaims as “the most fulfilling career decision I’ve ever made.”
Bringing more than 15 years of professional experience to each real estate transaction, Christopher’s proven ability to deliver specialized services to a wide variety of clientele demonstrates his “Client-Centered” approach to business, which continues to serve as his philosophy today.
Christopher helps Buyers and Sellers successfully achieve their real estate goals with remarkable business acumen and astute negotiation skills. His performance helping clients navigate the intricacies of the DC metro area’s complex real estate market has earned him several Top Producer awards and more than $60 million in closed transaction volume since 2012.
In 2015, after spending several years working side-by-side building successful careers as individual real estate agents, Christopher Bulka & John Peters merged their businesses and created Bulka/Peters Residential. The dynamic partnership between these two highly respected Realtors allows them to combine their superior customer service, innovative marketing techniques, skilled negotiation strategies and professional transaction management to enhance their clients’ home buying and selling experiences.
When he’s not working, Christopher enjoys dining out, spending time with friends and family, and being outdoors as much as possible. He is currently the Treasurer of the Crispus Attucks Development Corporation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization, which owns and operates Crispus Attucks Park in Washington, DC’s Bloomingdale neighborhood, where Christopher and his partner recently completed a top-to-bottom renovation of their circa 1900 Victorian home.
Kevin Brunell has been an involved resident of his 14th Street neighborhood for over 7 years, and brings the deep knowledge and experience necessary to find the best properties for his clients and assist in their real estate needs across the DMV. As an active member in his field, Kevin has served on the Public Policy Committee at DCAR, and as Board President for The Wanda Alston Foundation. Kevin’s involvement in his local community extends to his personal interests, which include Bikram Yoga, Transcendental Meditation, rowing, running, hiking, traveling around the world, and pursuing his private pilot’s license.
Kevin’s professionalism and individualized service exceed client expectations, whether you are a first-time buyer or seasoned investor. Many of Kevin’s clients have often commented on how well he listened to their unique wants and needs, making sure to find a home they really love.
A Washington resident for over 20 years and a real estate agent for over a decade, John has built his business on referrals and returning clients who trust him for his market expertise, attention to detail, and outstanding negotiation skills. For John, going the extra mile for his clients is the part of the sales process he enjoys most.
John credits his parents for his dedication to hard work and entrepreneurial spirit. Thanks to his family’s construction and real estate investment businesses, he was raised with the notion that hard work, smart business decisions, and loving your job are the ingredients for success.
John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Business Administration from Arizona State University. His years of working in Corporate Finance and Project Management prepared him to seamlessly handle complex transactions in real estate.
John’s interests include renovation projects, design, and architecture. He takes inspiration from his travels through Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, England, France, Spain, Mexico, Italy, Czech Republic, and Hungary. As an animal lover, John is a supporter of The Humane Society.
Alex Dykes is a mortgage loan officer who brings a wealth of business knowledge to lending in the DMV. He is skilled in listening closely and understanding each client’s needs, and also excels at managing finances. Passionate about first-time home buyers and people buying under difficult circumstances, including renovation and 100% financing loans, Alex goes that extra mile to support his clients, always thinking about their future success.
He holds a B.S. in Economics from George Mason University and enjoys hiking, cooking, and traveling with his husband Mark. Alex is excited to help you start the path to your dream home with a home mortgage, refinance, jumbo, or renovation loan in Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, or North Carolina.
After building miniature neighborhoods and cities that spanned his parents’ basement floor, Kevin knew he had a keen interest in real estate. Upon graduating from The College of Wooster in 2001 with a double major in Urban Studies and Studio Art, Kevin started working in real estate in the Metro DC Area. He has had an invaluable array of real estate marketing and sales experience with top brokers ever since: first with an established agent in one of the highest-volume offices in Bethesda, then for a top-producing partnership in the Mid-Atlantic and finally with the highest-grossing listing agent in Georgetown before joining the Trent & Company team. Whether selling single-family homes in suburban Maryland, coops, and condos in Kalorama and Upper NW or row houses in Logan and Dupont, Kevin has had a varied real estate history in and around DC.
Among Kevin’s greatest strengths are his area knowledge (as an area native), his effective persistence, a formal and career-related education in architecture and his easy-going disposition in what can be a difficult arena.
Taylor is the top choice for clients who want high-quality representation. An advisor to his clients, he fully understands his client’s needs and works diligently to attain the best result while smoothing the sales process. Whether it’s finding a home off-market, selling a unique property, or consulting with a buyer new to the DC area, Taylor’s strength lies in making effective decisions based on clients’ goals.
Known for expertly negotiating a competitive offer and thinking outside the box, Taylor has built a solid reputation amongst buyers and sellers working on one of their most important life decisions. With a degree in Business and Communications from Northeastern University and his work experience at Department of Defense, Hilton Hotels, and numerous small corporations, Taylor’s background provides him with the ability to create confidence and ease in his approach to all real estate transactions.
Taylor attributes his love for real estate to growing up in the architecturally stunning city of Newport, Rhode Island. His other passions include travel, photography, and hunting for D.C.’s best coffee. He resides in the H-Street neighborhood and can often be found biking around the city or walking his mutt, Ella.