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ST. CLAIRSVILLE - John Sambuco, broker and manager of Harvey Goodman Realtor prioritizes the buying and selling needs of homeowners and prospective homeowners.
Sambuco is a native of the Ohio Valley, born in Martins Ferry, and although he has lived in Cleveland and in Knoxville, Tennessee, he and his family moved back to the area in 1997.
"I became a realtor for this company, and then John Goodman invited me to purchase half of Harvey Goodman Realtor," he said. "In 1998 I became the managing partner and broker of this firm."
He brings a knowledge of the area's needs to the job.
"I have a commitment to the Ohio Valley. We now have not only just our children, but we have four grandchildren," he said. "My entire family and my wife's entire family are from the valley, and we remain here in the valley.
'We're local people. ... This is home."
He added that a blend of professionalism and friendly service makes the business stand out.
"Managing Harvey Goodman Realtor and being the broker here at Harvey Goodman Realtor is a lifestyle. It's a lot of work. It's a lot of fun, and there's nothing better than seeing someone happy after you've done a good job."
He said the realtor has been a "House Sold" name in the Upper Ohio Valley since 1957, and the name of the company is spreading.
"We're always looking to grow our company. I'm not certain how many more offices we'll add or how many more people. We'll make those decisions as they come aboard," he said. "We're still looking to grow our business. ... In the last five years we've opened offices in Steubenville and Weirton and Cadiz, Moundsville. Those are all branches to our office, and we started with just our office in St. Clairsville."
Sambuco said the realtor has expanded to eight offices in the last several years and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Weirton office was relocated to Three Springs Drive, and the Steubenville office was relocated to the Gallery Building at 2700 Sunset Blvd., with a 66-foot-long mural of Steubenville. Offices are also in downtown Cadiz and on Fourth Street in Martins Ferry, and offices were also remodeled in Wheeling and Moundsville. An office was also opened at 820 Bond Ave. in Bridgeport. The St. Clairsville office may also see some renovations in the future.
"Our people live in the communities they serve," he said. "We currently serve primarily eight counties, and we stretch out to maybe 12 counties because we service a couple others. We are the leading real estate firm in the Upper Ohio Valley," he said. "We hope to continue that. We really hope to continue to grow and do that with the loyalty of the public. We've been here since 1957, and we hope we've earned the loyalty of the buying and selling public, and we hope to not ever let them down."
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on activities.
"We're still taking the necessary precautions to keep everyone safe," he said.
When the the pandemic set in, Harvey Goodman was deemed an essential business and remained open, adapting to the requirements. Many people did not want strangers in their homes, while others wanted to view prospective homes virtually.
"People still need a place to live, and moving, buying, selling, relocating in or out of state and renting did not stop. But some months it did slow to a near standstill," he said.
While interest rates were low last year, there were few residential properties to sell. However, Sambuco said commercial real estate "exploded" locally in 2021.
"We benefited from commercial sales for oil and gas needs, as well as raw land sales. There is a tremendous amount of activity," he said. "Good things are coming to the Upper Ohio Valley. ... There are big players out there that are hopefully going to be changing the valley for the positive."
Sambuco said his office has also consistently won awards for best real estate brokerage in the Ohio Valley.
"We're going to work hard and continue to earn to earn and be the best real estate firm in the Ohio Valley in the public's eyes," he said. "Our progress is to deliver the best service we possibly can. We're in business for one reason and one reason only - to deliver the best business to the public."