60 | PROPERTY Barfoot & Thompson - Auckland T T Virginia Wright Long-term realtors cover all sectors Third-generation owner and realtor Peter Thompson. “We’ve been doing it since right back in the early days, and when sales are tough it gets us through the very hard times. We cover all sectors of real estate, including commercial, body corporate, and more recently some major apartment developments.” Last year, Barfoot and Thompson Real Estate celebrated the 100th anniversary of its first office opening in Auckland. While still predominantly an Auckland company, in the last few years it has expanded as far north as Kerikeri, south to the Bay of Plenty, and is half-owner of Lodge Real Estate in Hamilton. Third-generation owner and realtor Peter Thompson works out of their office and auction venue in Auckland City. It’s the main support centre for their 88 branches, which combined employ around 2800 people including 1800 salespeople. Barfoot and Thompson don’t just sell houses – they have one of the largest property- management portfolios outside the government, which gives them a useful buffer when the market is in one of its cyclical lows. “We’ve been doing it since right back in the early days, and when sales are tough it gets us through the very hard times. We cover all sectors of real estate, including commercial, body corporate, and more recently some major apartment developments,” says Peter. Working with developers to sell apartments, mostly off the plans, is a growing part of their business. “We’ve got a very good reputation in the marketplace for successfully selling some of the bigger developments, such as Wynyard Quarter through the investors Willis Bond. “A lot of the projects need to make sales before they can actually start the project and selling off plans is a very specialised field, and we’ve got a projects team with the skills and the patience to do that,” says Peter. It’s not without risk, and they are in a similar position to the purchasers: they have to wait for the project to be complete before the sale goes through, the new owners get to move in, and the salespeople get their commission. Barfoot and Thompson’s brand remains strong as they retain over 40% of Auckland’s market share. They recently won the 2024 REINZ Award for large real estate firms for the 13th successive year. They also won an award for their community service, and have won more than one international award over the last few years. It’s a boost for everyone in the company, especially when the market’s tricky, and Peter is well aware that while the brand may be what gets you in the door, it’s their experienced salespeople who close the deals and make the sales. “We’ve got a very loyal team. Currently, we have over 330 people that have worked with the company for over 20 years. “The loyalty is a fantastic thing and it gives clients confidence that Barfoot and Thompson is an ethical company. We have 78 different ethnicities that work for us, and we make sure they’re all welcome and that everyone’s working on the same playing field,” he says. That cultural spread can be seen among the many and varied ways that Barfoot and Thompson give back to the community, which includes sponsoring the Diwali Light Festival and Chinese Lantern Festival, along with numerous sports teams, Starship Hospital and Matilda the Musical. Both community and collaboration are essential to what Barfoot and Thompson does. Because it’s a privately owned company, not a collection of franchises, everyone sells across the city. Opportunities for both buyers and sellers are shared through a central data base and are open to all. It’s an efficient way to make the most of what’s out there in a market likely to remain steady before truly bouncing back. Right people. Right advice. Right outcomes. Auckland | Christchurch | Queenstown WYNNWILLIAMS.CO.NZ
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