Business North March 2021

96 | Hazely totally focused on keeping it local T T Sue Russell Haze Real Estate H azely Windelborn has been involved in real-estate for 15 years and, gathering up those experiences and learnings has led the proud Northlander to establish Haze Real Estate, offering a suite of services not common to most companies. “I was really keen to keep all the money lo - cal and so far there has been a lot of support from locals,” Hazely says. The company works out of three small offic - es in Kaitaia, Mangonui and Hokianga, with a team of 9 sales staff and 3 support people. Instead of simply offering a standard resi - dential sales process with a set commission Hazely wants to see clients actually achieve the very best value for money and experience by engaging him more as a consultant. “We still sell houses for clients, however what I’m really keen to see is people learning the best way to go about selling their property themselves.” To that end Hazely has developed a e-book, written over Covid, which details the issues and processes home owners should consider when marketing their home. He also offers clients sales options, from completing taking care of the sale, through to offering guidance and handling the more challenging aspects in partnership with the home owner taking care of other aspects of the sales process. Hazely says the whole drive behind the way his real-estate company operates is to make, what for many can seem an overwhelming process, into something as easy as possible. This includes initial contact when an owner has decided to list their property with Haze Real-Estate. “We have developed an online agency agreement form to enable you to list your property when it suits you. Following this a salesperson will make contact to organise signing the completed agreement form.” “What’s really exciting for me is that we are deliberately going away from being just a service-based company to an education based one, adding huge value for our clients from our own knowledge of what works best in this region.” If clients want to engage in the ‘Do it to - gether sole agency’ package the commission charge is 1% of the sale price + GST. Hazely recalls one clients who took up this option, taking care of showing the home and the content writing and had 35 viewings. “She loved the process because she knew where everything was at through the sale.” He’s proud of the e-book and thinks some - thing of this nature is well overdue in the New Zealand real-estate scene. “It’s about putting power and control back in the hands of the home owner and the re- sponse to it so far has been very positive.” And his ambition, to spread the company throughout other parts of New Zealand, is alive and well. “We are already actively planning to expand to other regions and are looking for people who wish to join our team.” The North, like many areas, is experiencing unprecedented demand by those outside the region, wishing to move for life-style reasons and make financial gains away from the su - per-heated Auckland region. “This is a great place to live,” says Hazely. “It has its own special vibe and the weather is wonderful.” Pumping up the fun at Pohe Island T T Sue Russell T here’s a lot of really positive biking related initiatives underway in the North and leading part of that charge is Arwen Page, development officer of Bike Northland, a charitable incorporated society governed by a voluntary board of five. Most recently, the organisation has been behind the development of, what promises to be a wonderful multi-faceted recreational facility a bike park on Pohe Island. “Pohe Island was an old land-fill site in central Whangarei which has been filled in and developed into a multi-use recreational facility. The park already includes a skate park, football and rugby fields.The bike park will be a facility for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy,” says Arwen. Located at William Fraser Memorial Park on Pohe Island the bike park development has been on Council’s long-term plan for many years. It’s development had been previously stalled due to lack of funding, however with a commitment from the Provincial Development Unit and substantial resourcing from Whanga- rei District Council and Northland Regional Council alike the project is well on track to be completed later this year. Making full use of the land available has been a key priority, so that as many uses from the space can be achieved. A BMX track is already located at the site of the bike park development. Once completed, the park will be home to a Pump Track, Mountain Biking skills area, an 800-metre circuit track and specific areas for traffic and beginner skills and cycle coaching. “The pump track has been designed and built by Velosolutions to world-class stand - ards. The ultimate goal is to ride it without peddling. Pump tracks are very good for improving bike skills and are heaps of fun,” Arwen explains. The facility will have two tracks side by side allowing for beginner right through to advanced enthusiasts to access. The pump track should be completed by mid-April before most of the rest of the park and when Business North spoke with Arwen early February the majority of the neces - sary civil works had been attended to and construction of the track due to start mid February. “We’re really excited about this track. It will be a fantastic resource for our biking commu- nities to enjoy.” The other major construction, the 800 metre loop track will be upward of 3.5m wide. It will offer groups the opportunity to ride together and for school students will be an invaluable resource for learning to ride in a bunch. “It is also being designed for para-cyclists to use with easy access. Long term we want to see people in wheelchairs enjoying this track. It will also be able to be cordoned off and used for special events.” The final part of the park to be developed will be a beginner Mountain Bike facility with a limestone track and small ramps, bridges, and drops, giving those wishing to delve into the sport a taste of what a full mountain bike course has to offer. A Learn-to-Ride space, simulating a mini road environment, is being developed around an existing building. The asphalted area will have painted roundabouts, giveways and stop signs. “I’m excited about this part because it opens up opportunities for older people new to biking to gain confidence before they head out on the city roads and surrounds.” Once completed the bike park will be hand- ed back to the District Council to administer and maintain. Arwen hopes that with so much on offer at the park the public will take up a sense of ownership and guardianship of the area. The park development is only one of several activities Bike Northland is connected with. The Bikes in Schools programme has been taken up by currently 15 local schools. Schools create a bike track and build up a resource of bikes for students to access. Another programme is known as Bike Ready Cycle Skills Training. Bike Northland has its own trailer and bikes which it takes into schools. “That’s all around building confidence and competence riding on the road. The idea being the more people who learn young how to ride well the more people will stay biking longer in their lives.” “The pump track has been designed and built by Velosolutions to world-class standards. The ultimate goal is to ride it without peddling. Pump tracks are very good for improving bike skills and are heaps of fun...” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Bike Northland “We still sell houses for clients, however what I’m really keen to see is people learning the best way to go about selling their property themselves.” Proudly supporting Haze Real Estate Kaitaia (09) 408 1450 | kaitaia@laserelectrical.co.nz • Residential • Commercial • Maintenance • Solar • Heat Pumps BUILDERS & GLASS 03 408 3828 or 027 953 5588 craigmaiseybuilders@gmail.com Glazing/window repairs, wooden & aluminium. For all your building, painting & maintenance needs. • Electrical Installations • Wiring & Maintenance 85 Clyde Street, P.O. Box 1396, Whangarei www.currieelectrical.co.nz Email: admin@currieelectrical.co.nz • i ndus t r i a l • comme r c i a l • domes t i c