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A curated collection of informative articles, exclusive listings, and real estate trends on the Central Coast.

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Lindsey Harn of Richardson Properties was Named to 

REAL Trends + Tom Ferry America’s Best Real Estate Professionals

(San Luis Obispo, CA, June, 30, 2020) Richardson Properties, San Luis Obispo’s leading independent real estate brokerage, today announced that one of its realtors has been ranked in the top one percent of real estate professionals in the country. Lindsey Harn was named one of America’s most productive sales associates as a part of REAL Trends + Tom Ferry America’s Best Real Estate Professionals, a ranking report produced by REAL Trends and Tom Ferry International. She is now a member of the “America’s Best Real Estate Agents,” and ranked number 195 in individual sales volume in the country and number 19 in individual transaction sides for the state of California. 

REAL Trends America’s Best Real Estate Professionals ranks over 14,500 residential real estate professionals solely based on their excellence in real estate sales during the calendar year 2019. All production numbers are independently verified by a third party to ensure accuracy and report integrity. This group of highly successful real estate sales agents represents the top one percent of all real estate practitioners in the United States.

“Congratulations to Lindsey Harn who made the America’s Best list,” says Tom Ferry, owner and founder of Tom Ferry International. "I have the pleasure of working with successful real estate professionals day in and day out, and I know all the hard work, late nights, and huge effort that goes into achieving such incredible results," says Ferry. “There are multiple ways to become successful in real estate. Yet, despite the differences, the real estate professionals on this list have one thing in common—they are simply the best. Congratulations to all recipients of this prestigious recognition.”

The America’s Best are ranked in twelve categories: 

By Transactions 

• Agent-owned brokerages by Transaction Sides
• Individuals by Transaction Sides
• Teams, Small (2-5 licensed members) by Transaction Sides
• Teams, Medium (6-10) by Transaction Sides
• Teams, Large (11+) by Transaction Sides
• Team-owned brokerages by Transaction Sides

By Volume 

• Agent-owned brokerages by Volume 
• Individuals by Volume 
• Teams, Small (2-5) by Volume 
• Teams, Medium (6-10) by Volume 
• Teams, Large (11+) by Volume 
• Team-owned brokerages by Volume

To qualify for inclusion, an individual agent must have closed at least 50 transaction sides or $20 million in sales volume in 2019. For real estate agent teams, the minimum is 75 transaction sides or $30 million in closed sales volume. 

"Those individual agents and teams who make up the 2020 America’s Best Real Estate Professionals represent only about 1.5% of all Realtors® in the country yet account for over 10% of the closed transactions, and more than 16% of all the sales volume closed last year,” says Murray. “To say that Lindsey is an exceptional sales professional is an understatement. To attain this level of sales is extraordinary.”

“I’m pleased and honored to be ranked on this ranking of the country’s top residential real estate agents,” says Lindsey. “It represents the time and effort that we put into each client that we serve and how much work it takes to build a successful real estate career. The level of sales it takes to qualify makes it a special recognition.”

Information on those receiving this recognition can be found online at https://www.realtrends.com/rankings/americas-best.

METHODOLOGY

REAL Trends + Tom Ferry America’s Best Real Estate Professionals honors America's finest real estate agents and their companies and is compiled and analyzed by REAL Trends. 

The rankings are compiled based on surveys from virtually every nationally branded network, many state and local associations of Realtors®, MLSs, all applicants from past years’ rankings, and the 900 largest brokerage firms in the United States. Verification from an independent source is required for all submissions. In addition, REAL Trends senior staff reviews every submission for completeness and accuracy.

# # #

About Lindsey Harn 

Lindsey Harn’s results-driven approach, unmatched work ethic, and honesty have earned her top-producer status, as well as the loyalty and respect of her clients and colleagues. Lindsey has handled over 700 transactions and was the #1 Agent in Sales Volume for SLO County in 2019. She is also an elite member of the 2019 Christie's International Real Estate Masters Circle – one of 180 high-performing luxury agents worldwide. Additionally, she is a Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert, making her uniquely equipped to help families facing divorce issues. Lindsey is a go-to resource for anything real estate in San Luis Obispo County, and she has been featured on TLC’s My First Home, NBC News Online, and The Danny Morel Show. To learn more, go to https://www.lindseyharngroup.com

About The REAL Trends + Tom Ferry The Thousand

The REAL Trends + Tom Ferry America’s Best Real Estate Professionals ranking report is sponsored jointly by REAL Trends and Tom Ferry International. REAL Trends America’s Best honors America’s elite real estate agents and their companies and is compiled and analyzed by REAL Trends.

REAL Trends is a leading source of analysis and information for the residential real estate brokerage industry. Tom Ferry International is a nationwide real estate business and life coaching and training company. 

Due to recent changes in the law, the lines between a 401(k) loan and withdrawal can become a bit blurred. Both let you access up to $100,000 of your retirement funds penalty- and tax-free, but there are slight differences.

If you take a withdrawal: 

• Repayment isn’t required.
• There’s no withdrawal penalty.
• It will be taxed as income initially, though you can claim a refund if you pay back the distribution in three years.
• You have tax options.

If you take a loan:

• Repayment is required within a specified time frame, typically five years.
• The loan amount is not taxed initially, and there is no penalty. However, if you can’t pay it back in five years, the outstanding balance will be taxed as if it were a withdrawal, and you’ll also pay the 10% early withdrawal penalty.
• All loan payments due in 2020 can be delayed for up to one year from the time you take out the loan.
• If you leave your job, you have until mid-October of the following year to pay back the entirety of the loan. If you don’t pay it back, you’ll be hit with early withdrawal taxes and penalties.

To all of the families, residents, and business owners throughout SLO county, Our livelihood is based on opening doors, and we want you to know that ours will always be open for you. We are strong today so that we can be even stronger tomorrow. Stay safe and be healthy, - The Richardson Properties Family

A curated collection of informative articles, exclusive listings, and real estate trends on the Central Coast.

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During uncertain times like these, it is important to take stock of your finances. While we are all at home, taking steps to protect your finances may, in fact, be one of the most productive and beneficial things you can do. Consider the following action items to help prepare for the road ahead.

• Assess your finances, comparing incoming funds to expenses, and develop a new budget based on your current situation
•  Review your credit card expenses with special attention to reoccurring expenses and autopay. Are you paying for anything that is no longer of value to you?
• Contact service providers for flexible payment options if necessary. Consider renegotiating certain contracts like cable and internet
• Prepare and file your 2019 taxes. The deadline has been extended to July 15, but file as soon as you can to collect any returns sooner
• File for unemployment if you have a loss of income and qualify. The CARES Act extends unemployment benefits to gig workers, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals, who were ineligible in the past. 
• Do you need a small business loan? Among other benefits, the stimulus provides loan forgiveness to businesses that retain workers. Some real estate businesses may qualify even you do not file under an LLC.
• Check in with your insurance agent. Are you overinsured or underinsured? Could you bundle to save more? Would you benefit from an umbrella liability policy?
• Review your living trust and medical power of attorney. Are these accurate and up-to-date?
• Check your credit and dispute anything inaccurate
• Search for unclaimed money from the government

Homes are still selling, and new listings are being prepped for market. Interest rates are the best they have ever been! If you are considering selling, there are things you can do now (without leaving home) to prepare it for market.

• Do a deep spring cleaning. Disinfect surfaces and hardware
• Declutter living areas. Separate items into piles: keep, sell, donate, storage
• Organize closets, cabinets, shelves, and drawers
• Fix loose handles and replace lightbulbs
• Clean out and organize your garage
• Trim bushes, rake yard, pull weeds, and plan for flowers
• Develop a visitor policy: leave shoes at the door, wear booties/masks, etc.

The past few weeks brought major changes in how we live our lives. How has this affected the real estate market?

We are seeing a small increase, about 10-12 percent, in cancellations on current escrows. Those who are canceling tend to be high in stock ownership and high on worry. 

That said, buyers still need a place to live, and rates have never been better. With a potential slight dip in the market and a slight dip in rates, it may be the perfect spring market to buy-in. Competition is down and conditions are ideal. Buyers who don’t have a high percentage of assets in stock and who work at W-2 jobs are still in an excellent position to own homes. Those residing in areas on lockdown have more time than ever to devote to their search.

We are responding to the demand by employing creative solutions. We offer private showings to healthy folks; in addition, we are using apps like FaceTime, Zoom, and Matterport to conduct virtual tours. We are more committed than ever to helping buyers and sellers accomplish their goals. Yesterday, I conducted a listing presentation on Zoom and got an agreement signed without ever meeting the seller. 

Are we facing challenges? Certainly. But real estate will always have its place. And when buyers leave the market, the serious buyers win.