Sammy Lyon of Los Angeles, California, is a licensed REALTOR® and real estate investor, but most importantly, they are an educator. “For me, real estate is a way to serve my community. I know that’s kind of cliché, but I’ve found creative ways to think about real estate as a social justice project and as my contribution to the world … I still feel like an educator. I’m really trying to teach people about how investing works, debt-to-income ratios – I didn’t know a single thing about real estate before I started! It’s a pretty inaccessible language for those who don’t have family in the industry.”
By organizing and contributing to multiple social justice platforms, Sammy has managed to seamlessly transition away from their career as a professional educator, while still maintaining the heart and soul of their life’s work. “When I was teaching, I ran district wide environmental programs, and I had just gotten a promotion to be the Director of Innovation at a charter school. I realized in my early thirties that the bureaucracy required to continue up that career ladder was just not for me.” They began supplementing their teaching salary by investing in rental properties, and discovered their diligence and project management skills seamlessly transitioned. “I took a class, learned about real estate from podcasts, and started buying rental properties in 2018. I ended up getting my license so I could start helping others build their own generational wealth. “
In just two years as a licensed REALTOR®, Sammy’s business has grown exponentially. They serve the entirety of Los Angeles and surrounding counties as a team lead and solo agent, and work closely with their broker to orchestrate investment transactions, even out of state. Sammy boasts a book of business that is one hundred percent referral based, and so far in 2022, they have closed fifteen transactions clearing almost $13 million in volume. They attribute their success to an unwavering dedication to education and a robust interpersonal network of industry professionals. “Since I first started doing this all for myself before becoming a REALTOR®, I get how it all works. I have estate planning attorneys, lenders, insurance agents, all the resources a new homeowner might need – my clients aren’t just working with me, they’re getting all the contacts I have access to. I hope people can see how much I care about teaching and sharing.”
Sammy’s work as a REALTOR® is their platform for improving the world around them, and they dedicate themselves to sharing their success and prosperity as passionately as they can. “I made a commitment that I would put five percent of my gross income from real estate toward social justice work. Every time I get a commission, I put five percent into a separate bank account – that whole account is there to give away. I tend to give to organizations my community is involved in, mutual aid work, land back rematriation projects, Black Lives Matter, and people who just need help paying their rent that month.” In addition to their five percent bank account, Sammy is also the founder of GoodRents: a social impact business that leverages rent-to-own models to create pathways to homeownership.
Read the full story at https://topagentmagazine.com/top-real-estate-agents-in-southern-california/