| 19 First National New Plymouth PROPERTY First National: specialists in their sector First National New Plymouth sales person Jamie Gemmell. T T Richard Loader Fielding a team of sales people who are specialists in their sector has proven to be a successful recipe for First National New Plymouth, says Sales Manager Devon Cameron. “First National New Plymouth is the largest real estate business in New Plymouth, with a market share that sits around 25% of all residential property sold, and a large majority of dairy farms throughout Taranaki are sold by us.” While First National has operated in New Plymouth for nearly thirty years, it is only in the last six years that it has been part of the Collective First National Taranaki, which also encompasses offices in Hawera and Stratford, and is a member of the wider First National network. The New Plymouth office takes in Waitara, Inglewood, Oakura and around to Opunake; a radius of about 35 kilometres, looking after residential, rural, lifestyle, and commercial sales, as well as property management. “We have twelve sales people, and two property managers, with five administration / support staff,” says Devon. “While many real estate companies provide a one-stop-shop approach, with their sales team working across all sectors, we’ve found that the most effective approach for our clients is to have trained specialists, ensuring the right people are in the right spots, giving the right advice and support to their clients. Sales people involved in lifestyle properties get specific training around subdivisions, surveying, and GST, so that they can respond to those sorts of enquiries. The rural team have more of a business perspective because rural farms are business transaction. So each sales person is designated to their area of expertise and skill set, and that has delivered very positive results.” Surrounded by dairy farms, many Tegal farms, the oil and gas industry on its doorstep, all the meat processors and the Port, New Plymouth enjoys high employment and a diverse export trade, shielding it from market fluctuations that hit many other parts of New Zealand. “House prices have dropped back, as they have throughout the whole of New Zealand, but sales volumes have not altered a great “The bulk of sales are within $500,000 to $700,000, and that offers a three-to-fourbedroom, double garage home on 700sqm section.” Jeff Campbell • Electrical Contractor For domestic, rural or commercial electrical work give Jeff a call Professional • Timely • Experienced 06 278 8345 027 711 7108 OR Let’s get the flow back through your pipes • Plumbing • Gasfitting • Drainlaying • Log Fires 0800 131 751 • 027 306 3114 • 30 Glover Road, Hawera Proudly supporting First National New Plymouth Shaun Fowlie 027 511 9009 shaunfowlie2018@gmail.com deal over the last few years, despite changes to the OCR, the GFC crash, and the impact of Covid. Taranaki, and New Plymouth specifically, does stand out in places where people would like to live in New Zealand. You are right by the sea, and there’s a thirteen-kilometre walkway around the foreshore, so there is a lot going for it.” Devon acknowledges that large subdivisions in New Plymouth like Bell Block have eased back in recent times, in favour of quite small developments, and says it is cheaper to buy an existing home than build. “That’s why people have been reluctant to subdivide. The residential market ranges from $400,000 right up to $5 million for beachfront properties. But the bulk of sales are within $500,000 to $700,000, and that offers a three-to-four-bedroom, double garage home on 700sqm section, as a standard first home or investment home. As interest rates drop, people will go from that $500,000-$700,000 range to $700,000 - $900,000. The mortgage repayment that they want to pay is their focus – what that buys is the reality of it.”
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