You are here: > > Latest News

Congratulations Heather & Mitch

Wanaka pair Chris and Bex Wright have won the third season of My Kitchen Rules NZ  against our very own Heather Andersen and Mitch MacDonald for the reality cooking show’s $100,000 prize.

The two teams – the only survivors from an initial pool of six – had to don their chefs’ whites and cook a four-course menu for 20 people, including four guest judges, the other MKR contestants, and friends and family, in the kitchen of Auckland’s Sky City’s Gusto restaurant.

The Wanaka pair pulled slightly in the fish course with their cod, cockle and butterbean puree combo out-competing Heather and Mitch’s John Dory curry.

Going into the deserts judge Pete Evans said Heather and Mitch would need to not only make a perfect dessert, but for Chris and Bex to slip up, to taste victory.

For a moment, it looked like exactly that might have happened.

Heather and Mitch came close to a comeback victory but missed out 52 to 47.

We are very proud of Heather and Mitch’s efforts in getting to the final and for putting up such a great fight!

 

,

Help us help others this christmas

Harcourts Holmwood’s association with the Christchurch City Mission is now in its third year and we are delighted to continue this relationship.

The statistics are challenging. In 2016 for example, the City Mission gave out over 26,041 food parcels to 7,475 families and provided 28,234 nights shelter. They do an outstanding job working throughout the year with the underprivileged of Christchurch. At Christmas time the need is greater and at Holmwood we want to provide extra support to the City Mission.

The commitment of our team is to contribute non-perishable food items, blankets, toiletries and toys to the City Mission. From now until Christmas our offices fill cartons and trailers with donations and deliver these to the Mission. Harcourts Holmwood also makes a cash contribution.

Join us in giving to the City Mission, and you’ll be helping those who need it most. To add to the collection just drop your donations into any of our offices or call us on 03 351 3002 and we’ll happily come collect it from you.

 

No Fields Found.

Looking Forward: The Christchurch Real Estate

Tony Jenkins CEO of Harcourts Holmwood talks about the Christchurch real estate market and how the team are enjoying their new purpose built office

Q1. Tony, I hear that theChristchurch real estate market is busy now we have said goodbye to winter and of course, the election:

I can certainly tell you that your instincts are correct. Listings are strong and the Holmwood team is really working very hard with both sellers and buyers. Overall, we are having a good start to Spring with amazing auction results and some wonderful high-quality listings. We are very pleased with the wide range of homes for sale that we have on offer and this provides the many buyers
out there with a real choice.

Q2. There have been some suggestions that the Christchurch real estate market is a bit up and down at present.

We have come through a cold and wet Winter and then to have an election just as Spring was starting, seemed to hold us back. I have noticed, however, a shift to a far more positive outlook after just a few sunny and warm days and it certainly shows in the number of people that are talking and listing with us.

Christchurch Real Estate Market - Harcourts Holmwood New Auction Rooms

Q3. You mentioned the success Holmwood has been having with its auctions.

We have watched the steady growth of auctions being listed over the past month. If we were just to look at statistics, September has been an excellent month with a very high clearance rate either prior to or on auction day. One of the great pleasures of the auction system is that it leads to unconditional sales and this allows sellers to move on quickly no matter the motivation.

Q4. So how is the new auction room working out?

We are just so delighted with the way the auction room is delivering such a positive environment for our buyers and sellers. The drama and excitement of auctions are truly evident, as well as the way we can provide easy access for anyone to be seen and their bids heard. Both buyers and sellers enjoy the opportunity the side rooms offer for quiet considered negotiation at such an important time. The addition of online streaming that provides web access for viewers and the onscreen bidding has also been warmly welcomed. The other thing that so many have commented on is the quality of our two award winning auctioneers Phil and Mark McGoldrick. Both Phil and Mark have a commanding presence yet they also respect the magnitude of the decisions being made every Wednesday morning.

Q5. I notice that you have started auction buyer meetings, tell us about these.

We are proud of what we are doing here and it ties in with the Holmwood approach of helping buyers and sellers make positive auction decisions. Using our auctioneers and other members of the auction team, we explain the bidding process, how auctions work, bidding approaches and what happens after the auction. It is again part of our philosophy that we work hard to help everyone feel very comfortable in the auction room. In fact, the next one we are holding is on Tuesday 17th October, 6pm.

Christchurch Real Estate Market. Harcourts Holmwood New Head Office Boardroom
Q6. Any final words about Christchurch real estate Tony?

I am so excited by the way the whole Holmwood team is working hard to deliver exceptional results for their clients. The efforts of the consultant irrespective of the value of the house is part of what we do and I am so proud of them. You see, when a good sales consultant is working in harmony with their vendor and they maintain an ongoing conversation about market feedback, great things happen. The real quality of Harcourts Holmwood has always been about delivering great service and that still remains our focus today.

For further information please contact:
Tony Jenkins
Harcourts Holmwood CEO
027 432 2896
tony.jenkins@harcourts.co.nz
,

Auction Buyers Information Evening

Tuesday 21st November, 6pm

Holmwood Auction Rooms, Ground Floor, 397-399 Ilam Road

This evening is designed to increase awareness and understanding of the auction process from a buyer’s perspective.

Topics to be covered:

  • Background on Auctions – Fairness, Transparency
  • Getting Prepared – Contract, LIM, Title, Insurance, Finance
  • Why Bidding at Auction can be Advantageous – Working with a Holmwood Consultant, Bidding Strategies
  • Auction Day Procedure – Vendor Bidding, Pre-auction offers
  • When the Reserve is Not Reached
No Fields Found.

Christchurch Real Estate: October Update

Christchurch Real Estate Market Update for October

This time of year is such a busy time in Christchurch real estate and we see evidence of that everywhere. The Bluebook has grown considerably over the past month, Harcourts listings in The Press fill the property section and the Holmwood team is busy with plenty of open homes.

While year on year sales for September are down we are pleased to see that prices have remained stable and median days on the market has decreased from the winter months. Overall the market remains positive with plenty of buyer interest and a great choice of properties covering the entire price spectrum.

Christchurch Real Estate company Harcourts Holmwood support City Mission

As we head into the busy property season we turn our attention to the community and those less fortunate. Holmwood are once again supporting the Christchurch City Mission by collecting non-perishable food items, blankets, toys and toiletries. Help us help others this Christmas – simply drop your donations into the office and we’ll take care of the rest

,

Holmwood Summer Gala Auction

Holmwood have announced another Gala Auction on Thursday 23rd November from 6pm at our auction rooms (397-399 Ilam Road).

Special marketing offers and further details available through our team of Sales Consultants. Don’t miss out!

St Albans Property Management REINZ Finalists

Last week the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) celebrated the success of their members and colleagues at the 2017 REINZ Awards for Excellence.

Our St Albans Property Management team achieved 2nd place in New Zealand for REINZ Small Property Management Office of the Year. The team, consisting of Mandy Shaw and Melissa Peeke, consistently deliver premium results for their clients and are delighted to receive this impressive accolade.

Landlords wanting to have the confidence of this first class service should contact the team today.

142 Sherborne Street
P: 03 377 0377

Mandy Shaw
M:+64 275 382 275

Melissa Peeke
M:+64 27 202 0160

Real Estate: Home is Where the Heart Is

Tony Jenkins CEO of Harcourts Holmwood discusses their new purpose built real estate office on Ilam Road.

Nearly a month in the new building Tony, is it fair to say it has met expectations?

Absolutely! I am really delighted with the reaction by all the team as they settle into their new environment. I am even more thrilled by the comments of visitors who can see that this is all about creating a great place to do real estate business. I get real satisfaction out of seeing our team talking with their clients in one of our many meeting rooms and I just can’t wait to see the auction room in full swing. I know we will really be finished when I can sit down and have a coffee in the café at the front of our building.

You mentioned the auction room, can you tell us a little bit about it?

I am so proud of the fact that our weekly auctions are such a vital part of delivering outstanding results for our clients and I was determined to make our auction room state of the art. Having two brilliant auctioneers and a well-trained auction team in support, was an extra incentive to provide facilities that include online streaming capabilities. We wanted it to be an auction room where our sellers and buyers could know what was happening, where they could talk away from the crowd and where they could bid with confidence and I know it will do all of this brilliantly.

Your philosophy about real estate: tell us about it…

In some ways this building is a lot about what I think of real estate. I have always said the most important people in our company are the public that we serve everyday. With that in mind, I have worked with the team to create a truly client focused business. That means easy access, great facilities and a positive atmosphere where clients can meet with consultants to work together to achieve great outcomes. Upstairs we have built fabulous offices for our team because we really believe in looking after them. Our commitment to training, not just when they start their careers with us but on a continuous basis, is reflected in the specialist facilities we provide our in-house training manager. Downstairs we have our own marketing team delivering great print media and digital marketing.

Christchurch real estate. Harcourts Holmwood
You talk a lot about your team what are the opportunities for people to join Holmwood?

We are always happy to talk to anyone, whether they are an experienced consultant or just thinking about getting into real estate. We have opportunities in some of our offices and either I or one of our managers would love to talk to you about a future with Holmwood. We recently held a very successful career evening for professional women who wanted to know more about our industry and we will continue to hold a door open for those that want to talk about this amazing career.

Tell us Tony, what do you see in the future for Holmwood

I am incredibly proud of the Holmwood franchise and that makes me feel so positive towards the future. I am also aware, as I have said so many times before, our clients and customers are who we serve and they are what keeps us going and to be quite honest I don’t see that changing much. Although the building, our training and our team are really important, what matters most is our clients and customers and I will not negotiate on our service to them. Certainly we live in a digital world these days but houses are real and so too are relationships with people. I can’t see a time when talking to people face to face will be replaced. Technology is in every aspect of our new building and we use it to the full everyday but I keep on believing that service will always remain the cornerstone of Holmwood.

For further information please contact:
Tony Jenkins
Harcourts Holmwood CEO
027 432 2896
tony.jenkins@harcourts.co.nz

Harcourts is Home to NZ’s Top Auctioneers

Our very own Mark McGoldrick was crowned REINZ 2017 National Real Estate Auctioneering Champion Runner-Up with Ned Allison, from Harcourts Grenadier, taking out the top spot.

This result comes after two days of intense competition held at Auckland’s Alexandra Park Function Centre, where 21 competitors in the senior heats were part of this annual competition.

Auction competitions involve a simulated auction, where competitors are thrown the most difficult bidding sequence imaginable and complicated legal questions. They are required to call their auction with wit, charm and confidence whilst keeping under a strict time limit.

It’s unlike any real-life auction you will ever go to, with every element designed to test the knowledge, skill and cool-headedness of the auctioneers.

The idea is, if you are prepared for an auction competition, you are more than prepared for the toughest auction you will ever face.

Harcourts CEO Chris Kennedy says auctions can be unpredictable, but they tend to get the vendor the best price the market is prepared to pay.

“That is why Harcourts places huge importance on auctions as a marketing choice for clients. It is also the reason why the Harcourts group trains, mentors and is home to the best auctioneers in the business.”

Both Ned and Mark will go on to represent New Zealand at the Australasian Auctioneering Championships held in Adelaide in September.

,

Harcourts Cancer Society Ball raises over $200,000

A record amount of money has been raised at the annual Cancer Society Ball in Christchurch. The glitzy event, attended by many of the city’s elite, was held at Horncastle Arena on Saturday. A total of $208,000 was raised, $38,000 more than last year.

Organiser Margaret Morgan said it was important to deliver record results each year for such a worthy cause.

The money would go towards sustaining services for people undergoing cancer treatment, including accommodation for out-of-town patients and driving assistance to and from hospital appointments, Morgan said.

Funds were also allocated to cancer research and prevention education in schools and the wider community. The event, hosted by comedian Ben Hurley, included a 30-dancer live performance, music and a three-course meal created by local chefs.

Cancer Society Chief Exe

cutive Elizabeth Chesterman said the ball was “invaluable for the Cancer Society”