20-year career in real estate
Helen Mays talks to Mark Sampson about his real estate milestone.
When The Professionals shouted Mark Sampson morning tea recently he may have thought his 20-year career milestone was going to pass quietly unnoticed. They showed their true appreciation for Mark’s longevity with delicious food, a small gift and a big thank you from Max and Jocelyn Vertongen for being a true team player and an extremely valued member of the Professionals team.
Mark says when he started work with The Professionals in 1998 it was a time of great personal change for him.
‘‘I was very motivated to succeed as I had a newborn daughter. I’d thrown caution and security to the wind, taking on a challenging career with no guarantees.’’
In the first year Mark says he did ok. ‘‘But in the second year I decided to focus on just getting listings, not such a good move.’’
A keen real estate agent needs both listings and buyers, so Mark took on a personal assistant, Kelly Hargreaves. He says she was amazing and engaging her freed him up to focus on the face-to-face side of the business. Selling real estate is very much a people business so later Mark joined forces with Melinda Kernan.
‘‘We really balanced each other out and we did very well together. She moved to Hawke’s Bay three years ago.’’
Since then Mark has formed an excellent working relationship with fellow agent Ken Metekingi.
‘‘Ken’s main focus had been working with buyers but he has some listings too so between us we’ve been working steadily, growing a good data base and keeping the property sales happening.’’
When the new REAA compliances for selling real estate came in in 2009 they brought new guidelines, adding greater professionalism to the industry, parameters Mark has found of great benefit for all concerned.
The industry has gone from strength to strength and offers a good lifestyle to those with strong character and integrity.
‘‘It’s always going to be a long game selling real estate, you’ve got to be committed but it brings great opportunities to those who are prepared to work consistently and hard.’’
When a house is sold Mark always provides a gift for the vendor and a house warming gift for the buyer. He says it’s a genuine thank you for the trust they place in him.
‘‘We mustn’t forget that selling a house for someone is part of a much bigger picture as no-one sells a house on a whim, there are genuine emotional attachments and a show of appreciation goes a long way.’’ People remember the way you make them feel and Mark is getting repeat business from clients of 15 years ago and longer.
His fellow salespeole would describe Mark as a quiet achiever. His favourite pastime is doing up classic Italian motorcycles of which he says he has many.
‘‘I really like Italian motorbikes, they’ve got true style and charisma and a couple of mine are actually roadworthy, though a lot remain in bits all over the garage floor.’’ Any given hours of well deserved recreation involve going for a ride on a whole Italian motorbike on back country roads in Manawatu¯ with fellow bike enthusiasts He remarks he’s not really fussy about what they ride, as long as they don’t go too fast or too slow.
Fortunately for Mark and for The Professionals, taking on a career as a real estate agent 20 years ago was a gamble that has paid off. He gained a prestigious position in 2006, placing in the top two per cent of Professionals nationwide and has remained there consistently for the last 11 years.