Business Central December 2021

| 37 Giving back to the community is key Sue Russell Metcalfe Real Estate co-directors Scott Roberts and Selwyn Metcalfe. South Taranaki: Metcalfe Real Estate REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT F or Selwyn Metcalfe, giving back to the community and serving in numerous organisations has been the thread that has carried him through his whole life. He’s proud of his many achievements, including a life-time connection with wrestling, officiating and organising the sport at Olympic level. Add to this his past commitment to the Hawera Rotary organisation as its former President and Chair, his role as a Justice of the Peace it’s only fitting that in 2005 Selwyn became a Member of the NZ Order of Merit (MNZM) for his services to community and sport. Selwyn’s contribution to the professionalism and standards in real-estate were recognised by becoming a Fellow of the Real Estate Insti- tute of NZ, in 1996. And after 40+ years in the industry, he’s proud of what has been achieved, culminat- ing in rebranding his real-estate company and taking on a new business partner, Scott Roberts, in 2019. Selwyn was impressed with Scott’s entrepreneurial flair seven years earlier when they first met and says it’s not surprising that Scott would see the potential in Selwyn’s company and would want to get involved. Today Selwyn and Scott are co-directors and business partners in Metcalfe Real Estate which has a team of 10 staff, across sales, rentals and administration. “I have about 18 months to go and this just feels like the right time for Metcalfe Real Estate to move forward with a new leader at the helm.” Selwyn says that working in a smaller re- gional community demands a more personal- ised approach when clients decide to sell their property. “It’s a different scene in major cities like Auckland where to keep ahead you have competing agents for the one sale, but here in South Taranaki, people value relationships and they want to deal with the same person all the way through. That’s why establishing a strong reputation as an honest person is very important.” Enquiries about buying real-estate in the district have increased manifold these past two years or so, hastened by demand from those selling property in larger cities to reset- tle into a smaller community and by investors wishing to buy homes to either rent or eventu- ally sell-on. With a population of approx 11,000 and a burgeoning centre for commercial and industrial activity Hawera is the second largest centre in the Taranaki region. Selwyn says there are many positives the town offers those settling in the district. “A town with a strong community feel, and a District Council that encourages new business- es to establish. It is a lovely place for families to settle and for children to grow up in.” Asked what he knows are the most impor- tant skills and aptitudes that go into making a successful real-estate professional, Selwyn says it comes down to some really com- mon-sense factors. “You have to understand the clients needs and listen to what they are saying. Don’t think you can sell them something they don’t want,” says Selwyn. “The key point to me is focussing on building relationships for the long term and being honest and upfront; that’s what they will remember about you.” Today, Selwyn says his preferred way of sell- ing is by way of the Deadline Sale by private treaty even though there has been a big focus on auctions in recent times. “I think there’s more surety for the vendor in this process. “Once they have made the decision to sell their property they want to know the clear steps ahead and have a degree of certainty.” After such a long service in real-estate Sel- wyn says he really enjoys being in a position to help with training the next generation of real estate agent. Selwyn’s philosophy has always been to have a team of high achievers that creates a positive environment, working together and helping each other through their lows and highs. TARANAKI WIDE www.thepainters.co.nz admin.hawera@graypainters.co.nz 137 Molesworth Street New Plymouth Ph. 06 278 0129 97 Camberwell Road Hawera • New Home Specialists • Residential • Commercial • Industrial • Expert Paper Hangers • Spray Painters • • Water Blasting • Sand Blasting • Muralflex Cowshed Coatings Photography • Videography • Aerial Photography & Videography • Twilight Photography • 3D Matterports 2D/3D Floor Plans • Virtual Twilight • V irtual Staging 027 846 4609 zach@mckphotography.co.nz www.mckphotography.co.nz “I would like to pay tribute to my personal assistant Pam Laurence who has been with me for 8 years, and those prior who have supported me in achieving my goals along my journey. Without them I would not have been able to achieve what I have. I believe the abilities to become an excellent real-estate agent can be instilled in those new to the sector. That’s why we’re really big on training and systems to back them up.”