John Birkeland

York Office

John O. Birkeland, CCIM

Brokerage Advisor

Professional Summary

Active in commercial real estate since 2001, John specializes in sales, leasing, investment properties, and corporate services. John has a strong background in hotel and restaurant properties, previously working as general manager for Vail Resorts in Colorado before moving to York County in 2003.

John’s Employee Spotlight

Key Assignments

  • 840 Carlisle Road, Alexander’s Restaurant, York, PA (York County) – 8,580 SF – Restaurant Sale
  • York Newspaper Group – 1M+ SF – Sale of 5 properties and 5 Leases of Office/Industrial
  • 200 S. George Street, York, PA (York County) – 57,428 SF – US Post Office Sale
  • 1800 Pennsylvania Avenue, York, PA (York County) – 67,761 SF – Industrial Lease
  • 100 Railroad Avenue, Westminster, MD, (Carroll County) – 40,912 SF – Office/Industrial Sale

Professional Associations & Awards

  • Realtors Association of York and Adams Counties (RAYAC), Board of Directors
  • 2019 CCIM Chapter President, PA/NJ/DE Region, Board of Directors (2018-present)
  • ICSC, 2011-present

Community Service & Civic Engagement

  • Rotary Club of York
  • York Little League Board
  • Dallastown Cougars Athletics Club, coach / director
  • Dallastown Youth Basketball Organization, coach / director
  • Blossom Hill Homeowner’s Association, board of directors
  • Living Word Community Church, children and adult ministry volunteer

Contact Information

E: jbirkeland@ROCKrealestate.net
P: 717.850.0849

F: 717.854.5367

Clients

  • Air Dynamics
  • Beacon Industries
  • Gish Furniture
  • OSS Health

Education & Certifications

  • CCIM designation
  • Pennsylvania Real Estate, Broker License
  • Maryland Real Estate, Salesperson License
  • Colorado College, Bachelor of Arts, History
  • Cornell University, Masters of Management in Hospitality

Testimonials

"John Birkeland goes out of his way to ferret out spaces and match tenants with landlords. He doesn’t just “phone it in”, John works to dig out deals."

— Jill Rohrbaugh, Investor

"I enjoyed working with John Birkeland. He acted very professionally, knew his market and worked through any issues that arose. I would recommend him to others."

— Howard Block, Regional Manager – Corporate Real Estate, M&T Bank

"John has a great understanding of both the risks and opportunities within the central Pennsylvania commercial real estate market. He’s a consummate professional and one of my turn to people in the industry."

— Jay Andrzjczyk, Home Improvement Consultant

"I think John and the team at ROCK do everything possible to make this transaction easy. He went out of his way to make the deal happen and I will be eternally grateful. He always looked out for our interests and worked a lot on getting the sale complete."

— Kay Crumling, Property Owner

"We had a wonderful experience. John even sat down with in the conference room and allowed us to ask as many questions as we needed to make sure that the lease we were signing for our new business was going to work for us. He was very easy to get in touch with even after we had some issues with our water meter and alarm system. I have no complaints about the process at all and I do feel like my fiance and I were able to make a very informed decision."

— Samantha Reyes, Pet Whispers Grooming, LLC, Owner

"John Birkeland managed a challenging transaction with a can-do and pragmatic approach. I’d highly recommend John to anybody looking to do real estate business in eastern PA."

— Mike Liyeos, Co-Founder, Quattro Development, LLC

"Very satisfied with the service and professionalism. I have zero complaints and would gladly refer anyone I know looking to buy or sell a property to John Birkeland and ROCK."

— Mike Heron, Owner, Trail Bikes LLC

"Very professional. They covered all the bases and used ingenuity to make the sale. John Birkeland always got back to me with answers and always in good humor. It was a pleasure to work with John."

— Deborah O’Connor, Owner, O’Connor Millworks

"John Birkeland was great. He always got back to me and was very helpful."

— Jody Nicholas, Owner, Nicholas Insurance

"A very professional company to work with. They followed through on what they said and answered all my questions in a very timely manner."

— Jerry Shaffer, President, Clearview Motors

"The experience with ROCK was excellent. John was always available and responsive to our requests."

— Robert Powell, CFO, Always A Step Above

"John Birkeland is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable agent who has given us excellent advice and help with our rental buildings."

— Jan Lehman, Investor

"Definitely the best in the business!"

— Clint Sheffer, President, 1st Capital Harley-Davidson

"I have done several transactions now with John and he has consistently gone above and beyond my service expectations. I am looking forward to doing another project with him."

— Michael Gish, Gish’s Furniture Amish Heirlooms

"I would highly recommend John Birkeland. He made the purchase of my property exceptionally smooth. He quickly responded to any questions. A pleasant experience. Thank you John!"

— Minh Snyder, Owner, Snyder Endodontics

"John Birkeland at ROCK went above and beyond to make my deal go through. Thanks again to John and his team!!"

— Bryan Gurosko, Owner

"Working with John Birkeland, he was exceptional and professional. He was so patient with us as a new business. He represents ROCK very well!"

— Mary Ripley, RD Veteran Company

"Could not have been better. John Birkeland is very efficient and gets back to me faster than any other realtor I have dealt with."

— Nicole Crills, Regional Service Coordinator, County HomeMakers, Inc.

"John Birkeland is meticulous, well thought out and fair to all parties. He went through the property, gave suggestions on what needed to be done to market it properly, recommended the right people to implement what was needed, worked with my needs and concerns. And he came through with a good tenant. John was a pleasure to deal with."

— Eli Akerman, Owner, Hilltop Plaza, LLC

"John was very easy to work with and always kept me updated on the progress of my land purchase. He was ethical and transparent and made the transaction a smooth and pleasant experience."

— Donald Keller, Investor

"Everyone at ROCK is great to work with. Very professional and responsive to clients' needs."

— Jill Bollinger, Vice President, Community First Fund

"We are incredibly grateful to John Birkeland and the team at ROCK Commercial Real Estate for their outstanding dedication and their expert transition through this difficult purchase process. Thanks to John's tireless efforts and negotiation throughout this purchase, we have found a great building that has met all of our target criteria and will make a lasting positive impact on our congregation for years to come. Thanks for going above and beyond!"

— Jay Zortman, Elder & Trustee, York Church of Christ