James Blackburn

REALTOR®

919-260-9614

Hi, I’m James!

Yes, the accent is real. I grew up in Oxford, England, but after more than 30 years in the Chapel Hill area, North Carolina is very much home.

I’ve been selling real estate for more than 20 years, helping clients with everything from first homes and investment properties to luxury homes and multi-million-dollar estates. Over the years, I’ve learned that real estate is about much more than houses—it’s about people, relationships, problem-solving, and knowing the local market well enough to help clients make smart decisions.

I’m proud to be a co-owner of Dwell Real Estate, a locally owned brokerage built around experienced agents, strong ethics, collaboration, and genuinely taking care of our clients.

My approach is pretty simple: be available, communicate clearly, tell you what I really think, and make the buying or selling process as straightforward—and hopefully as enjoyable—as possible. Whether you’re buying your first house, selling a longtime home, or just trying to figure out your next move, I’m here to help.

The Facts

When I’m not selling houses, there’s a pretty good chance I’m in the kitchen or behind a camera.

Cooking has always been a huge passion of mine. I’m constantly baking, experimenting with new recipes, and finding an excuse to feed people. I occasionally cook for local charity events, love teaching others how to cook, and once a month you’ll even find me serving up authentic British fish & chips at a local restaurant—a little taste of home, complete with proper chips & mushy peas.

Photography is my other big passion, particularly food & travel photography. I’ve been fortunate enough to take it to a pretty high level, combining my love of cooking, travel, & food. I’m rarely far from a camera, whether I’m photographing an incredible plate of food, wildlife, a beautiful landscape, or the occasional house.

Basically, I like houses, food, photography, traveling, and people—and I’ve somehow managed to build a life that involves quite a lot of all five.

And yes, after all these years, I still have the funny accent.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling—or you just have a real estate question—give me a call. I’d love to help.

The Fine Print

– Local Resident since 1991
– Graduated Chapel Hill High School 1993
– Graduated UNC Chapel Hill 1998
– Funny accent since 1975

What people are saying

“If anyone in the greater NC Triangle area needs a realtor to help buy or sell a house, James Blackburn is your man. Katy and I had a complex and long-term real estate hurdle to get through on both the buying and selling side, and James made the impossible not only possible but also a lot of fun. He’s a trustworthy, brilliant, witty, affable guide when you’re trying to find your home, and a focused, scarily tireless closing machine when you find what you want. I used to think that I might sell or buy a house on my own, but seeing the level at which James practices his craft makes me realize how incredibly wasteful and miserable that approach would have been. We’re so lucky to have someone like James in our area. I couldn’t be more appreciative of who he is, what he does, and how he does it. Everyone I know who has used him considers him not only the only choice to consider for a realtor, but also a friend and a valued member of the community.”

“James has been working with me and my family for 10+ years, and always takes the time to meet, look at properties, and discuss the circumstances. His ability to provide the knowledge as well as taking the stress to organize everything around the purchase of a home, makes the buying and selling experience pleasant. One aspect I really appreciate about him, is his communication with his clients, so you know exactly where you stand throughout the selling and buying process.”

“We had the pleasure of having James help us sell our house in Chapel Hill. In addition to James being a very skilled and knowledgeable realtor, he’s the most down-to-earth realtor that I’ve experienced working with – and he truly has the best interests of his clients at heart.”

“James @ Dwell has handled two property transactions for us now and I can not recommend him (and Dwell) highly enough. He went above and beyond and responded to questions promptly throughout the whole process.”

“We really appreciated the work of James Blackburn in selling our Chapel Hill home. He knew the local market exceptionally well and helped us through all phases of the process. I highly recommend Dwell’s experienced and personalized service!”