Lindsey?s Harris Tops Realtors? Chart, Again

Meza Harris has a streak going that would make Tiger Woods envious.

For the third-consecutive year, Harris tops our list of residential real estate agents in Northwest Arkansas. And Harris’ 2000 tally of $32.28 million gave her a victory akin to Woods’ 12-stroke victory at The Masters in 1997. She had 118 percent more in sales volume than second-place David Mix ($14.81 million) of Dykes Bassett Mix & Associates of Fayetteville.

Harris is with Lindsey & Associates, working out of the firm’s Rogers office.

Harris was runnerup to fellow Lindsey-Rogers agent Rick Hawes in 1997, but she’s led the field ever since. In fact, she has $76.9 million in the four years, over $30 million more than second place Pat Moore, another agent of Lindsey’s Rogers office.

“I’m just truly blessed,” Harris said. “And I have an unbelievable assistant.”

Harris McHaney Shearin Realtors of Rogers, with branches in Bentonville, Bella Vista, Prairie Creek and Springdale, once again has the most licensed sales agents of any real estate company in Northwest Arkansas with 140. Lindsey, headquartered in Fayetteville, is second with 125, up 15 from 1999. Coldwell Banker Faucette of Fayetteville, with branches in Springdale, Siloam Springs, Rogers and Bella Vista, is third with 110 total agents. From there, the total drops off significantly with Dykes Bassett Mix & Associates and Griffin & Company each employing 26 agents.

Both Harris McHaney Shearin Realtors and Lindsey & Associates had 55 agents with $1 million or more in sales. But this year’s Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s rankings were limited to sales of $2 million or more. Lindsey topped that list with 44.

The Business Journal had 23 agencies participate in our list, which was expanded this year to include all agencies with residential sales.

John David Lindsey, managing broker for Lindsey, said Harris is successful because of her “tremendous people skills.”

“Meza is a truly special person,” Lindsey said. “And she works extremely hard. She’s got all the talents you have to have to do what she does.”

Mix was No. 2 for the second-straight year.

“I think it’s a continuation of keeping my clients,” Mix said. “This is my 19th year in the business. It’s just part of the game making sure you stay in touch. Being raised here didn’t hurt either. Of course, you’ve got to build new [clients], too.”

Making the jump from No. 7 in 1999 to No. 3 was Lana Patrick ($13.76 million), also of Dykes Bassett Mix & Associates. Mix credited Patrick’s numbers to “pure hard work.”

“I would say from seven in the morning to 10 at night [Lana] is working a deal somewhere,” Mix said. “I know there’s been times she’s been at the office at midnight by herself.”

Patrick said having flexible hours is not an option if you want to be successful in the real estate field.

“You’ve got to be there when the customers and clients need you,” Patrick said. “Plus, I have a real supportive husband and a wonderful office support staff.”

Liz Means ($10.5 million) of Griffin & Company in Springdale finished 11th on the list. She said she was helped by “realistic” sellers and “wise” buyers.

“My listed properties were almost without fail priced right at or very near their appraised value,” Means said. “If you really study those properties that sell the most quickly they’re at or near their appraised value. If a house starts out overpriced it gets shop-worn, then sells for less. The initial response to a new listing is usually from the best buyers for that property. You lose a good percentage of the best buyers after the initial listing. Then people say, ‘Well, what’s wrong?'”

Benton County may be enjoying an economic boom like never before, but residential sales in neighboring Washington County are hardly slacking. In fact, Mix said his company enjoyed a record year with a 25 percent increase in total sales — $67.4 million in 2000 as compared to $54 million in 1999.

“Fayetteville and Springdale are going to continue to do well,” Mix said. “There’s just too much economy here.”

Most of the more upscale residential subdivisions going up in the last year have been in Benton County. And Means said once people start looking at homes over $400,000 in Springdale, they consider building.

Springdale has an odd zoning area in that some of its newer subdivisions are actually located in Benton County. Therefore, the higher-priced homes at Thornberry, Windsor and Monticello are actually registered as Benton County sales.

John David Lindsey said his company’s sales were up about 15 percent in Benton County towns Bentonville and Rogers. Fayetteville had a 5 percent increase.

“The Benton County market has been phenomenal,” Lindsey said. “And I think it’ll be even better [in 2001] from what I see.”

Pat Harris, principal broker for Harris McHaney Shearin agreed.

“Wal-Mart is the engine that drives the train in Northwest Arkansas,” Pat Harris said. “And you put the regional airport in there and that’s made a lot more things happen in Benton County. A lot of good things are still happening in Washington County, too. That just makes Northwest Arkansas that much greater.”

Several of the smaller real estate firms also enjoyed banner years.

The Terri Lynne McNaughton Team at GMAC Real Estate in Fayetteville had $9.6 million in sales in 1999 with 125 transactions. But Don McNaughton said the firm does not work like traditional real estate firms.

“There’s a specific niche for each member of a team,” Don McNaughton said. “Everyone has a specific job. Everything is done as a team.”