12 | Reputation built on building trust Harcourts Team Taranaki operates three offices, in New Plymouth, Bell Block, and Inglewood, and employs 38 staff, including 25 licensed salespeople, five property managers, and eight administration and support staff. Harcourts - Taranaki T T Kelly Deeks HARCOURTS TARANAKI WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT Moore VBW is part of a global network of offices, providing accounting and advisory services, advising local, national and international clients in the public and private sectors. (06) 769 6080 office@vbw.co.nz markhams.co.nz New Plymouth Accountants and Advisors VBW Moore VBW is the new name of VBW Chartered Accountants Ltd REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT The North Taranaki property market is seeing its highest level of listings in more than a decade, creating new opportunities for buyers and sellers, and Harcourts Team Taranaki says its experienced team is well placed to help clients navigate the changing conditions. Principal Graham Richards says the current volume of properties available is the highest he has seen since 2013, marking a significant shift after several years of tight supply. “For a long time there were far fewer properties available, especially through the period after Covid when demand surged and people were buying houses sight unseen,” he says. “The strongest part of the market at the moment is first-home buyers, and we are also starting to see investors coming back into the market again.” For Graham, the real estate industry has always been about more than simply selling property. “This is a people business first and a property business second,” he says. People sell their homes for many different reasons, including family changes, work relocations, downsizing, or managing estates after the loss of loved ones. Graham says understanding those circumstances is essential to providing the right advice. “Sometimes, people come to us thinking they need to sell their home, but when we talk it through there may actually be a better option.” His approach to the industry was shaped by personal experience when he and his siblings were searching for a dairy farm to purchase together and received advice he felt was inaccurate. “That experience made me think the industry needed to provide better guidance,” Graham says. “I wanted to be part of doing things the right way.” Graham became the sole proprietor of Harcourts Team Taranaki in December 2023 after buying out former partner John Christiansen. He says becoming the owner of the business has allowed him to reinforce that philosophy across the team. “When you own the business you can set the culture,” Graham says. “We want people in our team who genuinely want to do the best thing for clients.” Harcourts Team Taranaki operates three offices, in New Plymouth, Bell Block, and Inglewood, and employs 38 staff, including 25 licensed salespeople, five property managers, and eight administration and support staff. The business sold 357 properties across North Taranaki between January and December last year, reflecting steady activity across the region. While rural sales remain part of the business, residential and lifestyle properties now make up the majority of transactions. Harcourts Team Taranaki also provides commercial property services and is preparing for a transition in that part of the business. Long-serving commercial specialist Bruce Woodhead is preparing to retire and a new recruit will step into the role, with Graham mentoring during the handover. Backed by the Harcourts brand, which began in Wellington in 1888 and has grown into an international real estate network operating in 10 countries, Graham says the company’s reputation remains a key strength. Harcourts has been recognised as New Zealand’s most trusted real estate brand for 13 consecutive years. “As soon as you say Harcourts, people know what you do,” he says. “But ultimately it is the people in our business who build that trust with clients every day.”
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