CHB agency wins national award
A Waipukurau real estate agency has won a national award at the 2019 REINZ Awards for Excellence.
Property Brokers Waipukurau was awarded the Small Residential Office of the year — Volume, at an awards event that sales manager Jane Hamilton described as “a magic night.”
This is the second year the Waipukurau office has been nominated for a national award. Last year Jane was named runner up Small Office Manager of the Year.
“This year we were nominated for two awards — Volume of Sales and Branch of the Year. To take out the Small Residential Office of the year — Volume is amazing for a little place like Waipukurau,” Jane says.
“Our market share is a big part of it. We have a big involvement in our community and we pride ourselves on doing our job well. We get a lot of repeat business.
“We are now the second largest privately owned real estate company in New Zealand.
“It’s also the huge number of people coming in to CHB — 68 per cent of them are from Napier and Hastings. They are getting huge prices up there and they come to CHB and can go two steps up the property ladder. And what’s half an hour in the car to get to work?”
Jane says there is a good team in the Waipukurau office.
“We pride ourselves on our teamwork. Matt Oliver is the top sales person in our company and I am number two. With the two top agents working from one office we are going to have a large number of sales due to the calibre of personnel. And when you consider we are competing with big companies all over New Zealand, we must be doing something right.”
Jane says while the market has slowed a little — listings have been fewer over the last couple of weeks — prices haven’t dropped.
“We’ve just been going through our winter quiet period, but with interest rates where they are there won’t be any real slow down. It’s very hard to get a house in CHB now for les than $300,00. Baby boomers are selling their investments and first-home buyers are buying. We are seeing a few investors starting to come back in as well.
“New Government initiatives will help the first home buyers as well as Kiwisaver, which has been gold for young people.”
“Every year we have a significant number of highcalibre entries, many of whom have won their own local or agency awards making for some extremely tough competition,” REINZ chief executive Bindi Norwell said.
“It is great to celebrate success across the country and to be the best of the best is a noteworthy achievement.
“Congratulations to all our finalists and winners for your achievements — these accomplishments are something you can be extremely proud of. Thank you for helping to raise the bar of the real estate profession and for all your hard work.”
Jane says the Waipukurau team is planning a celebration for their local supporters.
“It’s support from the people of CHB that has enabled this award to happen.”