And with the change in ownership comes a renewed focus on the local community that will see two local charities in particular benefit.
Ms Hardy, who has lived in the Hornsby area for 17 years and been at the forefront of the local property market for the past five years, will donate $250 for every property the office sells to Studio Artes and the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter.
The donations will go into a charity fund set up by the revamped Laing+Simmons Hornsby office to be split between each organisation on an ongoing basis.
“We want to put our money where our mouth is so when we say we’re part of the local community, we mean it. And there’s no-one more deserving of support than these two wonderful initiatives,” Ms Hardy says.
“We are excited to join the Laing+Simmons family, as the customer-first focus and people-based culture of the company aligns perfectly with what our team is about.
“Our mission is clear: to create binding relationships with people in the local community. We want to be known in the local area as not only passionate about local real estate, but also the local community and the diverse mix of people that call our area home.”
Ms Hardy has previously served on the Board of the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter and understands first-hand the invaluable work the community run shelter does to provide a case managed service to women in crisis.
Sallianne McClelland, President of the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter Board, says Karen can bring about real change and educate other real estate owners and operators in how simple it is to incorporate mindfulness and philanthropy into their businesses.
“With a cost of $1000 per day, we rely heavily on the support of our community to keep the doors open. Opened in 2015, our shelter has provided services to over 230 women and in that same period we’ve turned away over 700 due to lack of beds. Without community support our services would not be possible and the doors would close,” Ms McClelland says.
“When local business owners like Karen Hardy of Laing+Simmons step outside the box and think about how best to give back to the community, organisations such as the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter and Studio Artes benefit greatly,” she says.
Hornsby-based Studio Artes provides tailor-made creative activities and life skills for adults living with a wide range of disabilities, catering to the needs of the individual.
Joining Ms Hardy in the new look Laing+Simmons Hornsby team is Sales Associate Ed Hallam, whose own local market experience is considerable, having worked and grow up in the local area.
Laing+Simmons Managing Director Leanne Pilkington says the new Hornsby office represents an important step in the company’s ongoing growth agenda.
“We’re excited to turn over this new leaf in the Hornsby market and reinvigorate our brand’s identity in the local area,” Ms Pilkington says.
“Laing+Simmons has enjoyed a strong presence in the Hornsby market for many years and under Karen’s guidance, the team is set to strengthen its value proposition in the local area and become a fixture in the community for many years to come,” she says.
