When long time Santa Barbara friends, Kevin Goodwin and John Thyne, put their heads together on how they could best help home buyers and sellers in our red hot real estate market, they had a great idea: Do what is best for the customer! In January of 2004, they opened Goodwin & Thyne Properties and began offering their most popular service: representing buyers and sellers of homes for a 1.5% commission. In addition to saving tens of thousands of dollars, clients get outstanding, professional representation. The idea caught on quickly and customers from all over Santa Barbara County, as well as San Diego, Ventura, and up to San Luis Obispo, have been amazed by this bold new company.

More for Less
The idea is a simple one whose time has come. Do more and charge less. The company has offices in Santa Barbara and Ventura and is a member of the Multiple Listing Services (MLS’s) of Santa Barbara, Ventura County, Santa Ynez Valley, Lompoc Valley, Ojai Valley, Los Angeles and Central Coast Regional (Santa Maria to Paso Robles). Goodwin & Thyne Properties provides all the usual home marketing including signs, lockboxes, brokers’ caravans, open houses, print advertising, online marketing, ongoing comparative market analyses, and even television shows. All of these services are provided as part of an organized marketing plan covered by the 1.5% commission. Customers are encouraged to offer a commission to other agents who bring buyers, but if Goodwin & Thyne Properties finds the buyer, the buyer comes directly through the marketing, or is otherwise unrepresented, the only commission paid by the seller is the 1.5% listing commission.

In addition to marketing, Goodwin & Thyne Properties engages fully in the post-sale work. “Getting a contract is only part of the battle” says Kevin Goodwin, “Closing the transaction is where we prove our worth.” The company conducts contract negotiations, ensures compliance with statutory disclosures, arranges inspections, negotiates repairs, works with title and escrow companies, and helps customers all the way past closing. Again, this is all done for a 1.5% commission.

What’s the Catch?
“‘What’s the catch?’ is the first question people ask,” says Thyne. “We tell them they have to be smart enough to hire us.” The company’s success is grounded in the principle of putting clients’ interests ahead of its own. “We saw an industry that we thought was overcharging consumers and we provide an intelligent alternative,” explains Goodwin. “The biggest mistake people make is thinking that because we charge less, we do less.”

Put to the Test
Since opening their doors, Goodwin & Thyne Properties has represented hundreds of buyers and sellers who rave about the superior service at a fair price. “Many of our customers have posted letters of recommendation on our website at www.GTprop.com” offers Thyne. In one, Terry and Gail Tyler, a long-time successful CPA and his wife who runs an amazing non-profit called JobSmart, helping the homeless to work, said of Goodwin & Thyne Properties, “They handled the contract negotiations, the extensive disclosure requirements, the inspection process, and all the other details right through the close of escrow. Every aspect was handled in a courteous and professional manner, and we saved a bundle with their Smart Sellers Program. We have purchased and sold many properties, and we’ve never had a more pleasant experience than we had with Kevin and John.”

The "Smart Buyer Program"
While Goodwin & Thyne Properties is best known for their high quality, fair commission program for sellers, they recently applied this model to home buying too. To guarantee that buyers get the best property they can, Goodwin & Thyne Properties offers Exclusive Buyer Brokerage agreements in which they represent buyers for 1.5%. This way, no matter what company or seller is offering a property for sale, the incentive is the same for the Goodwin & Thyne Properties Realtor® and their focus is truly set on the buyers’ best interest. This 1.5% fee is paid by the buyer with any commission received from a cooperating seller going towards this fee and the remaining balance being credited to the buyer, resulting again in thousands of dollars in savings.

Kevin Goodwin: Realtor®, Broker, Investor, Technological and Financial Wiz
Kevin Goodwin graduated from California Polytechnic State University of San Luis Obispo with a degree in computer engineering. He moved to Santa Barbara to work with TransSoft Networks, later acquired by Hewlett Packard. At HP, Kevin developed technological products for which he earned five patents from the US Patent Office. In addition to his amazing technical skills, Kevin’s passion has long been real estate and he began investing in it early. Shortly after coming to town he purchased his first property and now owns several. Kevin’s experience with his own real estate holdings makes him a valuable asset to customers. Kevin’s outstanding working knowledge of finance and technology assures that clients have the best of all worlds.

Kevin works with many of the company’s buyers. He has helped several young couples get into a home. “Kevin sought to understand our needs and goals. We never felt pressured because our best interests were obviously his primary focus,” says Rick Evans. This is echoed by Laurie Hanan who recently moved to Santa Barbara, “Kevin Goodwin helped me purchase my home. Little did I know at the time how fortunate I was to have chosen this firm to handle my real estate transaction. From beginning to end of what could have been a stressful process, Kevin was attentive, professional and reassuring.” When commenting on what she liked best, Laurie noted that “He always made me feel as if I was his top priority, and that he was working solely for my best interest.” Adding, Kevin “is more than a Realtor®. I now consider him a friend as well.”

The Attorney and More
John Thyne knows what a good friend Kevin is. Thyne is an attorney, a real estate broker, and a law professor. He met Kevin shortly after moving to town and the two began a faith based singles group engaging in community service and social activities. John is a competent and compassionate attorney in our community. He has worked for the United States Bankruptcy Court, he was General Counsel for Ferrell Properties, he worked at the Law Offices of Kathleen M. Stout for years, and now he owns his own law firm that supports Goodwin & Thyne Properties and handles a number of other civil matters.

Selling and buying real estate normally involves the biggest investment a person makes. Every transaction involves statutory disclosures, long contracts, title policies, escrow companies, lenders, and invariably, at some level, attorneys. “Another great aspect of Goodwin & Thyne Properties,” says John, “is that while our company does not provide legal services, as an attorney I can negotiate, understand, and explain the ramifications of a sale or purchase.” One client commented, “Following a potential contract violation, John’s knowledge of real estate law saved us from a great deal of trouble as he was able to cite case law that supported our position.” Simply knowing the law, Goodwin & Thyne Properties averted a violation and there was no need for legal services or additional costs.

Thyne’s job as a law professor for the Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law make him uniquely equipped to explain the complex and daunting issues of real estate transactions in a clear and understandable way.

A Final Word of Advice
Perhaps the best advice comes from another satisfied client, Bernice James, who concludes her letter of reference by saying, “[i]f you are interested in selling your home, I recommend that you contact Goodwin & Thyne Properties. Give them a call if you want to learn more.” Anyone who wants to learn more about this exciting company can follow Bernice’s advice and contact Goodwin & Thyne Properties at (805) 899-1100.

Read more about Goodwin & Thyne Properties' Beginnings