Active in residential brokerage since 1985, Michael enjoys a loyal following of past buyers and sellers. Prior to entering brokerage, he studied culinary arts and managed restaurants in the Boston area. Born and raised in Newton, Michael is very familiar with the Greater Boston area. His seven-day-a-week commitment to his profession serves his clients and customers well. His educational background includes The Johnson & Wales Culinary Institute, The Lee Institute for Real Estate, and The Tom Hopkins and Floyd Wickman Sales Training courses.
In recognition of his completion of the prescribed courses in real estate practice and ethics, Michael has earned the distinguished GRI (Graduate, Realtor Institute) designation. He continues his long-standing membership in the National Association of Realtors and is an avid fly fisherman, musician, and outdoor enthusiast.
Michael was awarded the International President's Circle Award for sales expertise, market knowledge, and dedication to clients for 2020 and 2021. In 2022 and 2023 he was awarded the International Presidents Elite Award, representing the Top 2% of Hammond Residential & Coldwell Banker Agents Worldwide, for demonstrating exceptional sales production, ambition and his commitment to the Real Estate Industry.
“I worked with Michael to sell a family property that had not been maintained for about 20 years. He had the vision that if fixed up correctly the property would have great value. Michael took control of the clean-out, repair, renovation and staging, including the financing of the work. The house was put on the market for what I thought was a high asking price and we sold it after one weekend for almost $90,000 over the asking price. I could not have been happier. He is hard-working, honest, thorough and has a great sense of humor. This is the third time I’ve worked with Michael and would recommend him without reservation.”
“Michael was extremely knowledgeable, competent, encouraging, supportive, helpful and reliable from start to finish--from 'Is my house a tear down?' and 'How can I move after 50 years in my home?' through the process of looking at possibilities, finding and buying a condo, finding someone to renovate it, clearing out my house, moving, and finally selling my house quickly and at a good price."
"Really, Michael radiates positive energy!”
"Michael was a committed partner to us at every step of our home buying journey. Being new to the market, and living out of state at the time, Michael guided us effortlessly through every step of the process. When we were able to fly into Boston, generally on short notice, Michael was quick to line up viewings to maximize our available time and help us gather meaningful insights into the market. We are very happy with our purchase, and could not have done it without his care and support!"
A friend referred us to Michael to manage the sale of the house that generations of our family had called home for the past 40 years. Needless to say, we all had a strong emotional attachment to this beautiful 100+ year old Victorian manse in Brighton. I mention this because Michael recognized that the transition was difficult for us and responded not by pressuring or rushing us, but by giving us information and suggestions that he felt would be most helpful in preparing for the sale. We really appreciated this kind and sensible approach.
Michael was highly recommended by a neighbor that lived next door to a home I inherited and had to sell long distance (I live on the west coast). I interviewed a few realtors but Michael was a standout from the get go. He was open, generous with his time and contacts (I needed help clearing out the house, a plumber, a lawyer etc) and was always available when I needed him. The market shifted downwards during the pre-listing process and his advice was spot on. He is a professional, cares about his clients and makes sure that the listing and selling experience is as painless and profitable as possible. Can't recommend him high enough! Thank you Michael.
"Our experience with Michael was very positive. He is very knowledgeable with many years of experience, which helped us navigate the sale of our condominium in a declining market. He seems to work 24/7, as he was always very responsive to every aspect of the marketing, sale and successful closing. His positive yet realistic attitude gave us peace of mind throughout the process."
"Mike is a very knowledgeable real estate professional. Hard working, prompt, creative and goes beyond what is expected. Does his homework about market and comparable houses. Knows the neighborhood very well and understands value. Highly recommended."
"Michael: Thanks for your solid work.... You are always on top of things, which makes my job easier and is so reassuring to our clients."
"Having recently moved from Maine, we found great advice from Mike and are really happy for the property we bought. At all steps of the process Michael was always very transparent and on top of things, providing useful suggestions on how best to go about mortgage, moving services and a number of other aspects that could otherwise be daunting if not properly supported by a professional. We would recommend working with Mike any day."
--Keenan, Elizabeth, and Charlotte M., September 2021
I've bought and sold several homes over the years and worked with many different agents. I'd seen Michael's name around Newton but I had never worked with him exclusively until this past spring (2024) when it was time for me to downsize. Working with Michael was a terrific experience. He brought me every relevant listing on a daily basis, made himself available to me at any time (including times when I know it was not convenient for him) and never pressured me to pull the trigger. He even continued to show me the new listings in the days after I'd basically decided on a house, which would have meant only more work for him, because he didn't want to risk the chance I might feel any buyer's remorse (which I didn't). That showed me a commitment of service that you don't often see in any industry, and there's not a broker or agent I could recommend more highly than Michael Rothstein.
“Michael really knows Newton real estate which is why we recently turned to him once again to help us buy and sell our family home. He did an outstanding job. He was incredible in helping us through the process of the sale and his instincts, wisdom, and reassurance were invaluable. We especially appreciated his caring in assisting us through a process that can be stressful and overwhelming. Michael was the only one we considered for marketing our home and in the end we were rewarded with a significantly higher sale price than we had anticipated. We whole-heartedly recommend Michael.”
“We felt Michael had the expertise to market our home successfully. The comprehensive market analysis helped us understand pricing and timing in the current market. Michael took the time helping us arrange local service providers to prepare our home for sale. We are very grateful for Michael’s help in a quick successful closing on our home.”
When Michael stepped through our front door, I was immediately struck by his expertise in what was a hot, yet changing market. He also put me at ease with what felt like a daunting process. Michael told us to focus only on getting the house in order and that he would "handle the rest". When we were approaching the final days before the house went live, he came over and got down and dirty handling last minute issues that he felt would allow the home to show its full potential. We have worked with other Newton brokers, but Michael's outstanding no-nonsense approach, positive attitude and complete attention to our concerns allows him to stand out as one of the very best.
“I had the pleasure of working with Michael over a 2-year period during the roller coaster of the pandemic. After deciding to downsize after 30 years in my Newton home I interviewed several brokers and selected Michael based on a personal reference, his stellar reputation and thorough preparation in his presentation of a meticulously researched and well-developed marketing plan for my home. Shortly after I signed the agreement, I decided to take my house off the market ‘for a few months’ as we waited out the impact of the pandemic. Michael was entirely supportive of my decision, and I never felt pressured. We communicated often and it was another year until I felt comfortable putting my house on the market.
“Michael worked with me to reassess the timing and to ensure that the process would be safe and seamless. It was all that and more and once we put the house on the market this summer in less than a month, Michael was able to find a wonderful new homeowner and an agreement that would provide enough time for me to prepare for my move to my next home. Along the way, Michael connected with me with all the wrap around support, from cleaners to technicians and stagers, who facilitated the optimum experience for potential buyers to see the house and to make my transition as flawless as possible.
“I hope to never move again, but if I do – and to all my friends who are considering downsizing – I highly recommend Michael Rothstein.”
“From start to finish Michael is a professional. From our first introduction meeting to the listing experience and the final sale of the house, he was always just a phone call or text away with prompt responses and reassuring answers even in the middle of fly fishing! We couldn’t have picked a better agent to sell our home of 35 years. We sold quickly, painlessly, and for a price we are satisfied with.
“Thank you, Michael, for your care, concern and successful completion of the sale of our home.”