John Ritzo

Background

About John Ritzo

I’m a real estate professional based in Portland, ME. As a REALTOR/Sales Agent with Keller Williams Realty, I provide high-quality leasing and sales services to commercial, investment, and residential clients. In addition to brokerage services, I independently develop residential and commercial properties with an emphasis on green building, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. I began my professional career as an attorney. 10+ years ago, though, I stopped practicing law and began real estate investing and developing full-time. Initially, I focused on energy efficient homes, completing a number of flips and assembling a small rental portfolio. After mastering residential properties, I transitioned to sustainable commercial projects including retail, office, medical, restaurant, and light manufacturing uses. RESIDENTIAL WORK As a REALTOR, I work with home buyers and sellers, including rentals and vacation homes. I strive to bring excellent communication, attention to detail, follow-through, analysis, organization, and listening skills to each and every transaction. Sample Residential Projects: • Rehabbed a dilapidated single-family home and turned it into an energy-efficient, solar-powered short-term rental in East Bayside (Portland); • Remodeled and added a large addition to a single-family home on Munjoy Hill (Portland); and • Converted two Victorian homes into student housing in Lewiston. COMMERCIAL WORK As a developer of commercial properties, I have directly handled financial and market analysis, site acquisition, due diligence, renovation and repositioning strategies, budgeting, contract negotiation, marketing, leasing, and property management. I now utilize these skills in my commercial brokerage practice, which includes representing buyers and sellers, landlord leasing, and tenant leasing. Beyond transactional services, I also help clients organize and optimize their investments by creating financial pro forma, performing market analysis, and identifying opportunities for repositioning assets. Sample Commercial Projects: • Turned an old auto parts distribution building into a brewery, tasting room, and restaurant in downtown Biddeford; • Transformed a vacant, historic boarding house into a holistic wellness center in Yarmouth; and • Repositioned a defunct auto sales garage into a community bike shop for a non-profit in East Bayside (Portland).