Great-granddaughter of Harcourts’ founder joins up

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Great-granddaughter of Harcourts’ founder joins Harcourts Rotorua

11 August 2009: The great-granddaughter of the man who founded Harcourts in Wellington in 1888 has joined the Harcourts Rotorua office as a sales consultant.
Sarah Harcourt is the great-granddaughter of John Bateman Harcourt who was the head of one of Wellington’s first families and the founder of real estate and auctioneering company Harcourt and Co - the business that has evolved into what is today a franchised group boasting 600 offices and 3900 Sales Consultants in nine countries.

Born and raised in Wellington, Ms Harcourt has lived in Rotorua since late 2006 and is partnering in business at Harcourts with successful Rotorua Sales Consultant Donna Macpherson. 

As she explains, she started her real estate career in 2001 with Leaders Real Estate in Wellington - a company that has evolved from the valuation, real estate and auctioneers business Gordon Harcourt Ltd which was started by her grandfather Gordon, John Bateman's youngest son.  

Following her move to Rotorua she worked for an independent real estate group in Rotorua then shifted to Australia where she has spent eight months setting up an art gallery before returning to Rotorua recently and deciding to join Harcourts in the city – making her the first direct descendent of JB Harcourt to work for the group since her Great Uncle Stanton retired from Harcourt and Co more than 50 years ago.

Ms Harcourts says she is excited and proud to be joining Harcourts Rotorua office, which is operated by Wakelin Real Estate Ltd.

“I like the brand and there’s obviously good synergy with my own name, plus Harcourts is an established and now international company that’s going to be around for a long time yet, locally Harcourts has a fantastic reputation, David Martin is an excellent manager plus I have the exciting opportunity to pair up with Donna, who has 25 years experience in the industry.”        

“I’m really proud I’m becoming part of the group that bears my family name because it really is an industry leader in so many ways,” she says, “and I’m really excited about playing a part in its ongoing success.”

Harcourts Business Owner Grant Wakelin says he is delighted Ms Harcourt has decided to join the Harcourts Rotorua team.

“She’s an excellent real estate professional so it’s great to have her on board, and the fact that she has such a strong personal connection to Harcourts and knows so much about the history of company adds something special.”  

ENDS

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