Robert Ott leads Raintown Realty + JPAR Real Estate in Bellevue, WA. He was awarded the Franchisee Excellence Award in 2026 for his empathetic leadership and track record of top-tier performance.
With more than 33 years in real estate and over 2,000 homes sold, Robert Ott has built his career and Raintown Realty on honesty, accountability, and a truly caring approach to people. He is known for being direct, supportive, and deeply invested in the success of his agents and fellow franchise owners.
A large part of Rob’s empathy comes from his son, who has been significantly impacted by autism. His family’s journey has reinforced Rob’s belief that everyone experiences life, challenges, and joy in their own unique way — and that none of us should face judgment for it. Because of this, Rob has been an active supporter and advocate within the autism community, serving on the board of the Washington Autism Alliance and supporting nonprofits such as Cure Autism Now, Autism Speaks, Treehouse, and Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission.
His extensive real estate experience has created a highly effective brokerage model with exceptional agent loyalty; 92% of his agents have chosen to remain with him. In just less than 2 years, he has built his agent base to 57 agents.
Robert invests in tools and technology, including AI, to better understand client needs and increase productivity. Even in a challenging buyer’s market, his disciplined approach, high standards, and commitment to doing what is best for agents and clients continue to drive success.
Read Our Q&A With Robert Ott, Franchise Owner at Raintown Realty
When did you start your business?
My wife and I started this business in Bellevue, WA, in 2024.
During your research, what made your franchise brand stand out?
I have been with a few other brands before, and they all had their strengths and weaknesses. Some brands offered me tech, office space, and some offered me popularity. However, none offered me the freedom that JPAR Real Estate offers.
I am free to be who I want to be and grow a company that I am proud of. Their support and comradery was spot on. At the end of the day, we all work hard at being successful in our own eyes, not just in the eyes of some company bigwig who tells you who and what you should be. I am at peace here in my business.
How did your franchisor help you to prepare for and launch your business?
JPAR Real Estate was great at knowing all that I had to do to get started. Everything was figured out, and I was given both homework and help with the more difficult tasks. There is a lot to do in order to make sure everything is done the way the licensing and MLS want, and I was helped every step of the way. That weekly guidance I had was perfect.
What advice would you give potential franchisees considering your brand?
My advice to potential JPAR Real Estate franchise owners is simply that you need to really work hard on finding and demonstrating your value to potential agents thinking of onboarding. If you have nothing to offer but low prices and a warm personality, you will struggle. Racing other companies to the bottom is futile and non-profitable.
Finally, enjoy the ride. Building a company is super hard work, and it takes dedication and devotion to the process. Embark on the journey with an understanding that you will screw stuff up, and that is fine. Honestly, just remember to have fun!
What specific things set YOUR franchise apart?
Raintown Realty is a company unlike most real estate companies. Realizing over 90% of all agents in our area fail in the first 2 years, I wanted to create programs and support systems that help agents become productive and profitable. Our training systems are about the reality of real estate and how to make it happen.
We provide opportunities for our people to get sales and training to make sure the clients are happy. Everyone gets a transaction coordinator and a listing coordinator. Because this business is so dependent on marketing, I have 3 full-time marketing professionals always helping with everything our agents need to be popular.
At Raintown, we really do care about the success of our people, and the culture shows it. Real estate is more fun when you can make it into a career, and more than 90% of our agents are successful in real estate!
What specific things contributed to your success?
I am surrounded by the most amazing people. The staff at JPAR Real Estate has been exceptionally helpful in answering questions and helping us grow. My wife, Renee, has been by my side through my 3+ decades in real estate, and she helps me stay sane in the crazy times.
But it’s the people I work with every day who give me strength. Seeing their success inspires me to become even better for them. Simply put, I have the best people in the biz. We care about each other, help each other, and prosper together.
What unique strengths and skills do YOU bring to your franchise?
I hate talking about myself. But if someone were to describe me, they would probably say I am a tenacious and caring leader. I lead by example, showing both love and accountability to those I am responsible for/to. Tech is my friend, and I am always looking for a competitive advantage. Most of all, I care about my people, and they know that. We, at Raintown, are dedicated to success. Always learning, always implementing, always caring.
What is something that might surprise people about franchise ownership?
Opening a franchise is simpler than some might think. People don’t want to do it because they don’t want the work, but the payoff is so worth it. Having something to call your own while still having help when needed removes some of the risk and gives you other successful franchise owners to talk to.
The JPAR Franchise Opportunity:
JPAR Real Estate is a rapidly growing, full-service real estate franchise focused on productivity, service, and empowering influential industry leaders.
Founded on the principles of Leading, Listening, and Leveraging, JPAR operates as a transaction-based, low-cost brokerage model with capped transaction fees that allows franchise owners to recruit agents and build businesses to scale.
Each year, JPAR Real Estate uses the FBR franchisee satisfaction survey to gain unbiased insights into their franchisees, and they have ranked highly on our unbiased awards lists for many years, including:
- Top 200 Franchises
- Top Franchises For Culture
- Top Real Estate Franchises
- Top Franchises For Women
- Most Innovative Franchises
Interested in Becoming a JPAR Franchise Owner?
The franchise emphasizes owner input through advisory boards, mentorship programs, growth consulting, and relationships with industry-leading coaches.
JPAR targets established real estate professionals seeking the support and resources of a national brand while maintaining local market influence and building a legacy business in their communities.
