Media Release

21 May 2009

Wanaka an exception to section slump in New Zealand

Wanaka sections are still selling, an award announced at the weekend proves.

Sharon Donnelly, of Wanaka First National, was announced the Top Section and Project Marketing Salesperson of the year at the First National Australasian Convention in Christchurch.

First National New Zealand General Manager John Stewart said while section sales in the rest of the country have mostly stalled, Wanaka had not been as adversely affected by the downturn.

“It's still seen as a place where you can purchase relatively affordable sections, especially compared with Queenstown.”

The target market for Wanaka was more New Zealand-based – another reason why sales had not dropped as steeply.

It was also a multi-faceted market, with a true summer/winter lifestyle.

Stewart was not surprised to see Sharon at the top of the list, particularly given her “straight-up, totally open and tireless attitude” that resulted in a strong client base, he said.

“She is an example of the type of real estate agent leading the real estate market today.”

With more than half the nation's real estate agents disappearing from the market in the past 12 months or so, those who remained tended to be the very best, he said.

“The agents who survive, and particularly those who succeed at the highest level, tend to be those for whom the clients truly come first.”

Sharon also was named 5th top salesperson overall out of around 500 salespeople in First National’s New Zealand network.

For the past two years, the Top Section Sales award has been won by First National Richmond, in Nelson.

ENDS

© Scoop Media