| 85 T T Virginia Wright Tall Poppy team offers a new approach Tall Poppy now boasts a strong team across the bottom of the South Island, from Oamaru to Invercargill. PROPERTY Tall Poppy Real Estate Peter Hishon decided to make the move from a traditional real estate company to join Tall Poppy Real Estate in 2018. With five years of previous experience as an agent, and having started his career as a livestock agent, Peter was no stranger to sales. Founded on the Kāpiti Coast in 2012, Tall Poppy was created to be a real estate agency with a difference explains Peter. “It was primarily set up to challenge some of the old-fashioned industry norms. They wanted to create a more transparent fee system, so they introduced a flat fee instead of having a commission rate.,” says Peter. “This means when customers list their houses, they know exactly what they’re paying, but it was probably also up to a 30 to 40 per cent reduction on the market rate back then.” The deciding factor for Peter to join Tall Poppy came down to the introduction of their ‘list and sell’ model. He says this model allowed you to list a property as the selling agent, without having other agents circling, looking to get a portion of the commission, something he felt could often contribute to a toxic competitive environment within the agency. “It creates a more streamlined process for the vendor too. What also really appealed to me was that, as an agent, I was not only selling the property but having a deeper involvement with the buyers and the negotiation process. I love that whole part of the relationship,.” Having first bought the Tall Poppy Central Otago franchise six years ago, Peter then went on to purchase the Wanaka Lakes District franchise three years later. Tall Poppy now boasts a strong team across the bottom of the South Island, from Oamaru to Invercargill. “We have been able to see strong and rapid growth across the region. We have been Tall Poppy’s ‘Top Medium Franchise’ in New Zealand for four years running, and at our 2024 conference, Central Otago was awarded the New Zealand Franchise of the Year Award. “We are also lucky enough to have four agents in the top 10 performing agents across the entire company, with two of us here in Alexandra and two in Cromwell,” says Peter. Peter believes this growth is down in part to their relative lack of overheads, which feeds into their competitive fee structure and provides an advantage. He says Tall Poppy has always remained dynamic, and even pre-COVID, they had adapted to a remote working model, choosing not to open offices complete with administrative overheads to be covered. He says the ongoing population growth in the area has also been working in their favour. “Part of the change we have seen post-COVID is people having more flexibility to work remotely while living in their favourite spots. “For many Dunedin and Southland people Central Otago is the spot they want to live in or retire to because they have been holidaying here for the last 40 years,” he says. Put together with the younger demographic who are looking to combine the lifestyle of Central Otago or Lakes, with being able to work remotely, it’s clear to see the pattern of growth as the area continues to develop. “Which means there’s never a dull day. Working with different types of clients and homes every day, nothing is ever boring, “says Peter. Whether it’s a retiring Southland farmer, or a young couple needing home office space in their first home, being able to build ongoing relationships as he guides them through the process with as little stress as possible is what Peter enjoys most. 369 Dunstan Road, Alexandra 021 0253 1092 plumber@waterworx.co.nz www.waterworx.co.nz • Certifying Plumber • Gas fitter • Drainlayer • New Builds • Gas • Wastewater Reports • Motorhomes • Renovations • Septic Tank Design Supply Install No job is too big or small for the Waterworx team - we have you covered! Proud Master Plumbers - Backed by the Master Plumbers Guarantee. 286 Earnscleugh Rd Alexandra P 027 554 9166 E chappycontracting@gmail.com Earthworks better than you imagined!
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