Record In Line With Strategy to Dominate Market

15 August 2005

Harcourts’ Rural Record In Line With Strategy to Dominate Market

An ongoing commitment to become the dominant provider in New Zealand’s rural and country living property market was the focus of National Rural Manager, Kim Shannon’s opening speech at the annual Harcourts Rural Conference held in Wellington last week.

Harcourts’ strategy to lead the rural/lifestyle market was launched six years ago with Mr Shannon announcing in the last financial year the team achieved a new record of $678 million in settled sales. This was up 12.9 percent on the previous year and averaged out to over $1.8 million per day.

Mr Shannon noted that in the short to medium term, the market continued to look strong with many opportunities for the over 200 Harcourts Rural/Lifestyle Sales Consultants in 100 of Harcourts’ offices. Looking ahead, he said, “Our goal is achieve $750 million worth of sales in the 2005-2006 year.”

One key to grow marketshare was through building stronger networks amongst Harcourts’ 350 Australasian offices with the growing number of Harcourts rural teams in Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.

Around 130 delegates and guests from Harcourts offices throughout the country attended the two days of presentations covering legislation, client service and industry trends, with speakers including Dr Mark Orams (Executive Director of the Sir Peter Blake Trust), Heidi Ward-McGrath (2003 Ernst and Young NZ Young Entrepreneur of the Year), and Colin Meads.

Harcourts’ Top Ten Rural/Lifestyle Sales Consultants for the 2004-2005 year were also congratulated:
1. Suzanne Roberts (Kaiapoi - Christchurch) 6. Suzanne Cottle (Levin)
2. Simon Spiller (Kumeu) 7. Kevin Deane (Morrinsville)
3. Grant Lange (Avonhead – Christchurch) 8. Richard Hammer (Kumeu) 4. Lloyd Anderson (Gore) 9. Jean-Paul Winckel (Pukekohe) 5. Peter Young (Kumeu) 10. John Beaufill (Invercargill)

The Conference also provided the opportunity to hold an impromptu auction of several rugby items signed by Colin Meads which raised almost $3,500 for Heart Children New Zealand.

ENDS

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