John Bertsch is a San Diego REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker West who has lived, built and worked in the city's core neighborhoods for more than 30 years. He helps buyers and sellers in Mission Hills, Hillcrest, North Park, South Park, University Heights and Golden Hill, as well as La Mesa and La Jolla, bringing a developer's eye for what a home could become and a listener's patience to every step of the sale.
- Accredited Buyer RepresentativeAdvanced buyer training from the National Association of REALTORS®
- Orchid Award, 2011San Diego Architectural Foundation, for Meshuggah Shack
- Small Business Owner of the Year, 2017Presented by State Senate President Toni Atkins
- Master’s in Architectural StudiesUniversity of Texas at Austin. LEED Certified.
Meet John
I grew up drawing imaginary towns in a West Texas sketchbook, and I have been building real pieces of San Diego ever since. I developed two contemporary homes on a canyon lot in Mission Hills and Cairo, a live/work building on Park Boulevard, and for ten years I pulled espresso at Meshuggah Shack, the coffee bar I made out of an old ATM hut.
Building taught me that most people can’t picture a house as anything other than what it is today. I can, and I bring that to every buyer and seller I work with, along with my full attention and a calm head when a negotiation gets tense.
Read John’s storyWhat John has built
Two canyon homes in Mission Hills, a live/work building on Park Boulevard, and the renovations he has guided since. See the before and after.
W. Lewis Street, Mission Hills
Two contemporary homes on a canyon lot.
Cairo, Park Boulevard
A 16-unit live/work building in Hillcrest.
Felton Street, North Park
A dowdy 1950s house turned sunset-worthy home.Neighborhoods John Knows Best
John has lived, built or run a business in San Diego’s central neighborhoods for decades, and he works with buyers and sellers well beyond them. Each guide covers the history, the housing and what buyers should know, with live listings and market data.
Mission Hills
A historic streetcar suburb that catches some of the best ocean breezes in central San Diego.Hillcrest
The historic heart of San Diego’s LGBTQ community, with a Sunday farmers market and restaurants up and down University Avenue.North Park
A streetcar suburb beside Balboa Park, revived block by block.South Park
A small business district under a canopy of old trees, once part of Golden Hill.University Heights
Trolley-era history and a busy restaurant strip on Park Boulevard.Golden Hill
One of San Diego's oldest neighborhoods, on Balboa Park's eastern edge.La Mesa
A walkable downtown east of San Diego, with hillside ocean views.La Jolla
A coastal village of tide pools, research institutes and morning marine-layer fog.What Clients Say
We recommend John Bertsch with no hesitation. He is a very knowledgeable, experienced and professional realtor who, due to our circumstances, took on a lot of work to sell our property. Readily available to answer questions and always a pleasure to speak to. Thank you John.
Craig Guillou
John Bertsch was a tremendous help to ne in selling my home. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience that I relied on. He knew contractors to help me get the property ready for showing. John was very attentive and responsive, and so pleasant to communicate with. I would hire John Bertsch again and recommend him whole heartedly.
Margaret Day
A few minutes with John
Start with a conversation
Call or write to John with whatever you are weighing: a first offer, a sale, or what an older house could become with the right work.