5 minute read
SOLD ON SUCCESS
Epsom-based franchisee Richard Humphreys (left) with Aaron Davis of Harcourts
Real estate icon puts 135 years of experience behind every franchisee
Do you have experience in real estate? Are you a successful entrepreneur with a reasonable amount of equity? Or are you driven to succeed in New Zealand’s real estate market? Can you visualise progressing from sales consultant, to manager, and then on to owner of your own agency?
‘A lot of our franchisees and multi-unit franchisees have progressed this way,’ says Aaron Davis. ‘They’ve worked hard, enjoyed a great income and built an asset for life.’
Aaron is Network Development Manager for one of the country’s bestknown real estate brands – Harcourts. ‘Real estate doesn’t discriminate,’ he says. ‘As people’s lives change, there are always thousands of properties being listed and selling so, whatever your background, if you’re likeable and work hard then you can be very successful and ultimately achieve financial independence.
‘With a 135-year pedigree, Harcourts has all the know-how to help you succeed. The career path is there waiting, and the point of entry is easier than you might expect.’
Realising the dream
Husband-and-wife team Richard and Abbey Humphreys have found Harcourts lived up to expectations. The couple were able to put their real estate sales experience to good use after they took over the Epsombased Harcourts franchise in early 2020 – just as lockdown hit. However, being in a robust industry with the backing of a rock-solid real estate franchise gave them confidence that they would come through it.
Looking back, Richard says that while nothing quite prepares you for that leap into business ownership, ‘The support from Harcourts corporate office has been fantastic right from day one and, despite Covid, the whole bedding-in period was seamless.’
Richard and Abbey were immensely grateful for the support and advice they received from other Harcourts owners, too. ‘Even the largest franchises were generous in providing advice and insights, as well as cooperation where required over things like auctions.’
Ongoing benefits
Being part of the franchise has ongoing benefits too, quite apart from the massive value of the Harcourts brand. ‘Harcourts regional managers are always happy to act as sounding boards and provide immediate feedback for all the franchisees, and there are regular conferences and networking events for franchisees and staff as well. These are opportunities to benchmark yourself and your business against others to see exactly how you’re tracking.’
And, of course, while real estate is very much a people business, Harcourts franchisees also have access to the sort of technology only large companies can develop.
That includes new cost-cutting technology which Richard says has had a big part to play in their success, as well as CRM software linked to phones which keeps all franchisees and staff constantly informed and able to act on opportunities. ‘It makes the workflow through our business faster and so much more precise,’ explains Richard.
Lead your own team
Richard and Abbey still market and sell properties personally, but they also have a team of sales consultants and admin staff, so having management skills is an important requisite for success. ‘Our responsibility to our agents is like their role to vendors – we’re here to help them as much as we can. If you understand this, you’ll get good longevity from your team.
‘It takes compassion and understanding to deal with situations as they occur,’ Richard says. ‘However, real estate agents can take time to transition to the role of business manager so it’s also important to have your “business hat” on.
Reflecting on their first four years, Richard and Abbey have a lot to be thankful for. They’ve successfully established a busy, and lucrative, property management division, and helping transition several of their agents into award-winning sales consultants has been another deeply satisfying aspect of Richard and Abbey’s journey.
‘That’s almost our favourite part of being a Harcourts franchisee –watching people step up and really perform well. Our vision is being realised.
And they believe that 2024 is a great time to learn more about a Harcourts franchise. ‘Those green shoots in the market have made it a little easier to get on a career path of your own,’ says Richard. ‘There’s plenty of fertile ground for heading in a new direction, so if you want to find out more, we’re happy to share our experiences.’
Where would you like to start?
Aaron Davis says that, with 198 franchises across New Zealand, there are many opportunities to own a Harcourts business – either through buying an existing franchise or starting a new greenfields location, particularly across Auckland’s central hub. Investment is from around $200,000.
‘With so many established franchises, we have a full support structure to wrap around newcomers, including a leadership programme and special training academy. There are around 30 people dedicated to supporting our franchisees and, unlike some overseas companies, they are locally-based and understand the New Zealand market so they are very hands-on.
‘And of course there are multi-platform marketing channels and all the tools to help you progress and write your own success story as part of the Harcourts family.
‘Remember, opportunities are never lost – they’re just taken by somebody else! If you’re committed, not just curious, now’s the time to get in touch with us and find out more.’
Advertiser Info
Harcourts
Contact Aaron Davis
P 0-9- 520 5569 M 027 275 6165
