Honored to be recognized: a 2026 RealTrends Verified ranking

Christy Hertel
Jun 11
2 min read

I am grateful to share that I have been named among the 2026 RealTrends Verified rankings of top real estate professionals in America — recognized this year at the city, state, and national level.

The honor places me at No. 12 in Leesburg, No. 571 in Virginia, and No. 18,554 nationally. Numbers rarely tell the whole story of a year in real estate, but these particular ones mean a great deal to me, because of what stands behind them.

What RealTrends Verified means

For three decades, RealTrends has tracked and analyzed real estate performance across the country, and its Verified rankings have become one of the most respected measures in the industry. What sets the recognition apart is its rigor. Production figures are submitted and then independently confirmed before any ranking is published, drawn from sales volume and transaction sides over the prior year. RealTrends Verified recognizes roughly the top 1.5 percent of real estate professionals nationwide, so to appear on the city, state, and national lists in the same year is a distinction I do not take lightly.

This belongs to my clients

A ranking like this is never the work of one person. It belongs to the families who trusted me with the sale of a home they had loved for decades, the buyers who let me help them find their footing in a new place, and the neighbors throughout Waterford and Loudoun County who have sent friends my way over the years. Every closed sale represents a real person making one of life's most meaningful decisions, and I am thankful for each one.

It also reflects the support of Hunt Country Sotheby's International Realty and the global brand behind it — the marketing reach, the network, and the standards that help homes here in Virginia's Hunt Country find the right audience, wherever that audience happens to be.

The work behind the recognition

If there is a thread running through these results, it is consistency rather than volume for its own sake. My approach has always been patient, strategic, and rooted in a genuine respect for this region's history and character. Whether the property is a Federal-period landmark in the Village of Waterford, a country estate on acreage in western Loudoun, or a first home somewhere in between, the goal is the same: thoughtful guidance and an honest read of the market, start to finish.

That is the kind of service I want to be known for, and I am encouraged to see it reflected in this year's RealTrends Verified rankings.

Looking ahead

I am grateful for the recognition and even more grateful for the work that earned it. If you are considering a move in Waterford, Loudoun County, or anywhere across the DMV, I would be glad to talk.