Originally printed in the Christchurch Press as part of a special collection featuring women in real estate from across the brands in Christchurch
Inspiring and empowering. A REAL real estate agent’s story
My real estate story began on January 1, 2020, when I was going for a walk around ‘the triangle’ in Springfield I had a moment of realisation, I’d spent 20 years working as an officer (minister) for The Salvation Army and I had another 20 years ahead of me. I’d run the local Salvation Army centres, churches, and community centres around New Zealand; I headed up the Street Outreach programme in Christchurch working with sex workers and homeless people; I worked in our social policy and parliamentary unit, the national communications department and in our regional office in Auckland overseeing all our programmes. But the majority of my whānau are based in Christchurch and Springfield and with the uncertainly of COVID I began to crave the certainty of living close to family and friends, forging my own path and a new chapter. I knew that whatever I did, it needed to be people-orientated and I definitely wasn’t keen on a 9-5 desk job. I reached out to my friend Liz O’Neill from Harcourts Holmwood and asked her about her decision to get into real estate. She raved about the industry and the culture at Holmwood. Tied for 20 years to the mission statement of ‘caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society’, I’ve found that this has been transferrable into real estate.
INSPIRATIONAL PEOPLE AROUND ME
My colleagues Simon Hollander, Luke Jansen and Bridget Gabites are three people who have supported, encouraged and challenged me to keep going when it’s felt tough. Three very different styles and real estate experiences but all helped me believe that I could succeed and achieve great things. Being awarded Rising Star for Holmwood this year meant so much to me and I couldn’t have done it without these three people. I love being able to look to Bridget as a highly successful businesswoman who has remained incredibly grounded and generous with her time and resources.
THREE THINGS ABOUT REAL ESTATE THAT EXCITE YOU
It is an ever-changing scenario. No two days are the same, every house is different and every client requires a personalised approach. As the market ebbs and flows, agents need to be able to move, adjust, get creative and help our clients succeed in whichever ‘market moment’ they’re in. Real estate has the ability to completely change people’s lives for the better— whether it’s an accessible home, stability, creating a family legacy, investing in your future, or being able to begin a new chapter after challenge or heartbreak—there are so many ways that real estate can be a catalyst for growth. There is still a lot of work to be done in Aotearoa in regard to accessible, affordable housing. I’d love to see accessibility become the norm for our housing design rather than the exception. I want Christchurch to be known as a city where everyone can be housed and housed well—whether you’re in a wheelchair, a multi-generational whānau, a single person or a family, vision-impaired, whatever your situation—there is a place that you can call home, where you can feel connected and planted and thrive. I love the idea that I can be a part of that.
WHAT WOULD YOU TAKE TO A DESERT ISLAND
My first response is the letter ‘s’ so I can turn it into a ‘dessert’ island, but I’m a big fan of gaffa tape, not sure how I can light a fire with it, but it’s certainly very useful for lots of other things.
WHAT KEY QUALITIES ARE REQUIRED TO BE A REAL ESTATE AGENT
One of the mantras I live by is ‘simple but not easy’ and I think that sums up real estate. It’s pretty straightforward forward so it's about not overthinking things, but it’s also hard work, so I think you need to be prepared to put in the work to get the job done, and done well. I believe you need to be able to connect with people from all walks of life, and genuinely like people. Having the ability to motivate yourself, know your ‘why’ and have a teachable spirit, to always be open to learning—these things will go a long way to positioning you for long-term success. Real estate is a competitive industry and you have to learn to handle rejection and momentary failure, to get back up when you fall over. You have to learn to back yourself! I focus on caring for people (vendors, buyers, and staff), transforming lives (through the buying and selling of people’s biggest assets—that can absolutely transform their lives), and reforming society by doing what I can to see accessible housing becoming the norm when it comes to our housing stock in New Zealand. I feel that I’m blessed to be a blessing and live a lifestyle of generosity in every way I can.
I would love to help you on your real estate journey!
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