Long-term confidence supports rural expansion

Media Release
Date 9.6.2010

Long-term confidence supports rural expansion in Northland

Leading New Zealand real estate agency Bayleys is substantially increasing its presence in Northland’s rural market – opening a new office specifically focusing on the agricultural sector.

The new Country team will work alongside Bayleys’ existing residential and commercial sales operations in Whangarei. The new team will be headed up by Bayleys North of Auckland director Mark Macky. Highly experienced rural sales specialist Tony Grindle, formerly with Allens Goode Leith Realty in Whangarei, will be the team leader.

Joining Tony to bolster Bayleys’ Northland Country will be John Nelley, Lin Norris and Geoff Carr, with Barbara Martin running the administration of the business. The team will work alongside existing country salespeople John Barnett and Don Macky from the Bayleys Warkworth office, and Graeme Mann and Karen Asquith from the Bayleys Orewa office.

Bayleys North of Auckland director Mark Macky said the company had been running a successful rural sales operation on a low key basis, but now was the time to substantially ramp the number of sales personnel out in the field.

“The long term prospect for farming in New Zealand is positive. While the country’s agricultural sector is currently going through a tough readjustment period, the industry is fundamentally solid and will ultimately recover. That is why Bayleys is positioning itself now for the longer term,” Mr Macky said.

“With quality operators like Tony, John, Lin and Geoff coming onto the team, together with their knowledge of the Bayleys brand, network and innovative marketing tools, we think the team will quickly attain a dominant position in the Northland rural real estate market.”

Tony Grindle said that historically, the majority of Northland farms presented for sale had been promoted regionally – predominantly north of the Brynderwyn Hills. While retaining this local component in marketing rural properties, Bayleys would now also bring a wider national approach to the marketing of rural Northland properties.

He said that being a national real estate agency, Bayleys has a sizeable penetration into all rural heartland areas of New Zealand.

“In comparison to rural regions such as Waikato, Taranaki and Southland, dairy production and support land in Northland provides an affordable entry point for the likes of sharemilkers or new entrants to the industry,” Mr Grindle said.

“Farmers are now more flexible in relocating to peruse business opportunities as and when they arise. By marketing Northland properties nationwide, and even internationally, Bayleys is able to bring a far bigger potential buyer audience to Northland customers – ultimately ensuring we as the agents deliver the best price possible for our vendors.”

Evidence of Bayleys ‘muscle’ in the rural market has been to the fore this year. The company has been behind the two biggest rural portfolio selling campaigns in New Zealand – the 29 farm Carter Holt Harvey portfolio of units around Tokoroa worth in the region of $224.5million, and the high-profile 16 unit Crafar farm portfolio which has drawn interest from as far away as Switzerland.

“Bayleys’ roots are entrenched in the rural sector,” said Mark Macky, who is a trustee on a 150 hectare Waikato dairy farm which has been on his father’s side of the family since 1869.

“The company’s founder, Graham Bayley, my maternal grandfather, came off a farm in the Bay of Plenty. Farming is in the blood, we are passionate about it and it is time that Bayleys developed a strong presence in the Northland rural market. We are very focused on achieving that.”

ends

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