VIEW - The RE/MAX NZ Magazine by RE/MAX Australia

VIEW The RE/MAX New Zealand Magazine Edition 1-15 | remax.co.nz

“RE/MAX rewards its best of 2014”

remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

Message from the Managing Director

RE/MAX Contents

From the Managing Director As RE/MAX grows, so does the quality of the experience. New Zealand and Australian markets have been generally strong or noticeably strengthening over the past six months, mainly because of underlying Asian buyer influences, low interest rates and reasonably high business confidence, especially in New Zealand with the return of Prime Minister John Key. If figures are up but market share isn’t, take this as a wakeup call because it suggests that performance is more likely to be market driven than the result of any effort the real estate team/ individual has put in. It’s time to plan and commit to being better at what you do rather than just maintaining current standards and outcomes. The past 12 months have held significant industry changes. In New Zealand, the Real Estate Institute changes have meant greater protection for vendors with a standardised listing form. In Queensland, the Property Occupations Act will have a substantial effect on legal and marketing processes. In both countries, the real estate industry has significantly moved towards taking back control and management of its data with realestate.co.nz in New Zealand and squiiz.com.au in Australia. This year, RE/MAX has enjoyed growth and recognition globally. RE/MAX was the only real estate company to be ranked among the 2

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Nobody in the World Sells More Real Estate than RE/MAX!

fastest-growing franchises globally by Entrepreneur magazine and it ranked as the leading real estate franchise in the 2014 Franchise Times Top 200 for the sixth consecutive year. The first RE/MAX office in China opened for business, which has had an immediate impact on our New Zealand and Australian offices as RE/MAX Eternity agents assist clients interested in overseas investment opportunities. We interact globally, not only through harnessing www.global. remax.com, attending Summits and Conventions. We tap into the amazing talent in RE/MAX international ranks. We had Bernard Raskin, the head of Israel’s largest real estate network, as an exceptional guest and popular speaker.

“As RE/MAX grows, so does the quality of the experience” New Broker/Owners train in Denver; and significant numbers from our New Zealand and Australian ranks will head to Las Vegas in March for the R4 Convention. This year we go off-shore to Fiji for the New Zealand/Australian 2015 High Achievers Retreat. We continue the restructuring of operational teams in both countries in order to accommodate strategic future directions and enhance the RE/MAX experience for our members.

RE/MAX New Zealand Regional Team

RE/MAX New Zealand P. +64 9 309 8478

F. +64 9 309 8479 E. corporate@remax.co.nz Level 1, 70 Stanley Street,

Corinna Mansell, appointed as General Manager for New Zealand, is doing an admirable job; and Garry Malcolm was appointed Business Development Manager to recruit, train and mentor. Joel Davoren became the fourth director of the RE/MAX New Zealand and Australia entities and was also appointed State Manager for New South Wales and the ACT. Richie Carter was appointed State Manager for South Australia and the Northern Territory. In a 12-month period, we saw seven new offices for New Zealand and 11 for Australia. Multiple applications are underway. The focus on building bigger businesses within our network continues. Mergers and acquisition have also led to a number of larger Australian offices.

Parnell, Auckland 1010 PO Box 11331, Ellerslie, Auckland 1542 Managing Director: Michael Davoren Finance Director: Chris Chapman Franchise Director: Keith Walker Director: Joel Davoren General Manager: Corinna Mansell Business Development: Garry Malcolm Member Services: Coordinator: Lauren Brayshaw Office Administration Manager: Sharon Crossen Public Relations: Lyn Cox

VIEW Submissions for RE/MAX New Zealand VIEW can be sent to Lauren Brayshaw E. lbrayshaw@remax.co.nz. Deadline for submissions – 1 June 2015 VIEW editor: Lyn Cox VIEW design: Honor Lock

local news 05

RE/MAX Rewards its best of 2014

RE/MAX makes key appointment for growth

12 Joel Davoren appointed Director 13

Welcome to RE/MAX!

14 Landlords have specialist team to manage their investment

events

RE/MAX’s property finance arms, New Zealand Property Finance and Australian Property Finance grow stronger by the month. May 2015 be very productive and rewarding, both personally and professionally. Please make the most of all the RE/MAX resources available and stay up-to-date on offerings through your monthly Regional Update. I’ll leave you with my regular message of ‘Happy selling, happy managing, happy administering….’

16 Copyright © 2015 RE/MAX New Zealand. All rights reserved. The materials herin may not be duplicated, copied or reproduced – in whole or in part – in any way without written permission. View magazine is provided to RE/MAX Affiliates as one of many benefits. The opinions of guest contributors and interviewed guests are their own and not necessarily those of RE/MAX New Zealand, or its affiliates, or any of its owners, officers, employees or agents. While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information it contains, neither the publishers, authors nor their employees, can be held liable for inaccuracies, errors or omission. Readers should not rely on this newsletter as a substitute for professional advice.

Juwai.com cements its number one position

news from the global network 20

to headline RE/MAX R4

ABOVE, the RE/MAX network magazine, wins two industry awards

25 Two new independently owned and operated regions

Meet you at RE/MAX Locals’ Night

17 NZ & Australia Brokers enjoy retreating to Tropical North Queensland

27 2015 RE/MAX New Zealand School of Excellence Events Calendar Highlights

remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

Message from the General Manager

From the General Manager’s Desk

RE/MAX rewards its best of 2014 RE/MAX New Zealand announced its top performers for 2014 at a gala annual awards event at Auckland’s Langham Hotel on 19 February and celebrated an exceptional year of growth and innovation.

Goals set for 2015. RE/MAX New Zealand finished 2014 well with a number of great moves and achievements through the second half of the year. December brought the total to seven new offices for the year – and at the time of writing this summer edition of VIEW, another five were signed and ready to open for 2015. I have seen all offices engaged in growth strategies, with new sales agents, property managers and administration professionals joining the ranks of RE/MAX New Zealand. Two key movements – and huge votes of confidence in the network - have been Garry Malcolm’s decision to join the regional team while retaining his commitment to his own business, RE/MAX Team Realty, and RE/MAX New Zealand’s Kyle Pitman taking on a business role with RE/MAX Initial Realty.

“RE/MAX offices’ new web sites are taking shape” This demonstrates a huge investment in the future of RE/MAX New Zealand from these two gentlemen, and great confidence and commitment in taking our company forward. New Zealand Property Finance (NZPF) is now established and

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continues to grow in its finance broker force attached to RE/MAX offices across New Zealand. NZPF has made its presence felt through generating sales as well as through ‘saving the day’ for buyers having difficulty securing loans. Our RE/MAX offices’ new web sites are taking shape as RE/MAXnet is further implemented and integrated into the network. The new web sites are more engaging. Offices and agents can now present individual property web sites and add features such as property videos. RE/MAXnet’s CRM system allows better communication between the regional team and our business owners and sales agents, which in turn aids their communication with customers and clients. Bringing the network together on the same page with a content management system means better benchmarking and better service all round. The most significant industry occurrence in the latter half of 2014 was the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) changes that have meant greater protection for

our residential vendors. A new and standardised listing form minimises the chance of a vendor paying double commission. Moves are also underway to achieve the same for the rural sector. RE/MAX New Zealand has strategies and initiatives in place for 2015 that will even further strengthen momentum in growth and success. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, have set goals and are well on your way for a fantastic 2015. I’ll see you at the Langham in February for the sales rally and to celebrate the achievements of the past year at our 2015 Annual Awards Gala Ball.

Managing Director, Michael Davoren, suggested this year would be an exciting year for real estate and possibly RE/MAX New Zealand’s strongest year for some time yet. His cautionary advice, however, was that complacency was not conducive to business growth. “Even if you are successful today, just doing what you have done in the past won’t be enough, and you must plan and commit to being better at everything you do,” Davoren said. The New Zealand network’s ultimate individual honour, Broker Owner of the Year, which is selected on but not limited to agent growth, profitability, reputation and office standing, is traditionally the final award announcement for the night. Proving a popular choice, it went to Garry Malcolm from RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth. Malcolm’s office collected many awards including Most Productive Office, Special Achievement in Marketing and Top Sales Associate Team (Lynne Stevens and Melanie Stevens). Sales associate Kathy Roach was inducted into the RE/MAX New Zealand Hall of Fame.

RE/MAX Pinnacle at Royal Oak was announced Top Office. From this team, Jeff Bracegirdle won Top Commercial Practitioner, and was an International Hall of Fame inductee; Ben Jones won Top Sales Associate, the sales associate Business Growth Award and achieved Diamond status, which is the highest commission-based yearly award in the RE/MAX network; and Paul and Tina Yates won the team award for Special Achievement in Marketing. RE/MAX Countryside Citywide in Papakura took the Business Growth Award for an office. Jeremy Crosland from RE/MAX Go For Sold in Palmerston was named both Rookie of the Year and Young Agent of the Year. This office also produced the Property Manager of the Year in Sylvia Higgan. RE/MAX Elite’s Cate Morris from Nelson won Administrator of the Year. Davoren said top performing agents were similar the world over. “The best are very serious about doing things differently and better. They consume education, and understand and embrace technology and know how to put that to use for consumers. “These are the people we acknowledge at this and every awards event,” he said, “and these and many more people made important contributions to this company’s success through 2014.” “RE/MAX has a global reach of around 95 countries and sells

more real estate in the world than any other network. The dynamic real estate network represented at this Auckland event this month by their 2014 achievements is an evolving real estate success story right across Australia and New Zealand.” RE/MAX New Zealand General Manager Corinna Mansell said 2014 had been a year of growth, which had gained momentum as the year progressed. “Seven new offices joined the network last year, and I saw all offices engaged in growth strategies, with new sales agents, property managers and administration professionals joining the ranks of RE/MAX New Zealand. “The professional talent vying for this year’s awards was amongst the best I’ve seen, especially for our inaugural awards for Business Growth and Special Achievement in Marketing. With New Zealand Property Finance (NZPF) now established and growing its finance broker force attached to RE/MAX offices across New Zealand, our next awards program will also recognise the achievements of loans writers and referring offices and agents. “Just two months into 2015 and five more offices opened, and with the strategies and initiatives we have in place, RE/MAX New Zealand will even further strengthen momentum in growth and success through the course of the year,” concluded Mansell.

remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

2014 RE/MAX ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS

SALES ASSOCIATE AWARDS

TOP OFFICE AWARDS

Top Sales Associate Team – Gross Settled Commissions

Top Offices - Gross Settled Commissions

1st Lynne Stevens & Melanie Stevens RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

1st RE/MAX Pinnacle, Royal Oak

2nd Paul Yates & Tina Yates

2nd RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

3rd Derek Solomon & Nicky Solomon RE/MAX First Light, Gisborne

3rd RE/MAX Elite, Nelson 4th RE/MAX Zest, Howick

Top Sales Associate Team – Closed Transactions

5th RE/MAX Go For Sold, Palmertson North

1st Lynne Stevens & Melanie Stevens RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth Top Offices - Closed Transactions Top 10 Individual Sales Associates - Gross Settled Commissions

1st RE/MAX Pinnacle, Royal Oak

1st Ben Jones

RE/MAX Pinnacle, Royal Oak

2nd RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

2nd Dave Hilliam

RE/MAX Zest, Howick

3rd RE/MAX Elite, Nelson

3rd Ricky Ali

RE/MAX Countryside Citywide, Papakura

4th Kathy Roach

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

Business Growth Award for an Individual Office

5th Rosemary Kidby

RE/MAX Go For Sold, Palmerston North

RE/MAX Countryside Citywide, Papakura

6th Rob Hewison

RE/MAX Zest, Howick

7th Cherry Holden

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

Most Productive Office Award

8th Penelope Rollston

RE/MAX Elite, Nelson

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

9th Lynne Johnson

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

10th Monique Taylor

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

Marketing Award - Office RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

Top 3 Individual Sales Associates - Closed Transactions 1st Ben Jones

RE/MAX Pinnacle, Royal Oak

2nd Dave Hilliam

RE/MAX Zest, Howick

3rd Ricky Ali

RE/MAX Countryside Citywide, Papakura

HALL OF FAME International Hall of Fame – 2014 Inductee Jeff Bracegirdle

Top Commercial Practitioner 1st Jeff Bracegirdle

RE/MAX Pinnacle, Royal Oak

RE/MAX Pinnacle, Royal Oak New Zealand Hall of Fame – 2014 Inductees

Business Growth Award for a Sales Associate

Paul Yates

RE/MAX Pinnacle, Royal Oak

Ben Jones

Kathy Roach

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

RE/MAX Pinnacle, Royal Oak

Rookie of the Year Jeremy Crosland

RE/MAX Go For Sold, Palmerston North

Jeremy Crosland

BROKER/OWNER AWARDS Broker/Owner of the Year

Young Agent of the Year RE/MAX Go For Sold, Palmerston North

Garry Malcolm

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

Property Manager of the Year Sylvia Higgan

RE/MAX Go For Sold, Palmerston North

Administrator of the Year Catherine Morris

RE/MAX Elite, Nelson

Marketing Award - Individual Paul Yates & Tina Yates

RE/MAX Pinnacle, Royal Oak

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RE/MAX Pinnacle, Royal Oak

remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

RE/MAX Local News CLUB AWARDS DIAMOND CLUB Ben Jones

RE/MAX Pinnacle, Royal Oak

RE/MAX makes key appointment for growth

CHAIRMAN’S CLUB Jeff Bracegirdle

RE/MAX Pinnacle, Royal Oak

Dave Hilliam

RE/MAX Zest, Howick

PLATINUM CLUB Melanie Stevens

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

Ricky Ali

RE/MAX Countryside Citywide, Papakura

Lynne Stevens

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

GOLD CLUB Kathy Roach

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

Rosemary Kidby

RE/MAX Go For Sold, Palmerston North

100% CLUB Rob Hewison

RE/MAX Zest, Howick

Cherry Holden

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

Penelope Rollston

RE/MAX Elite, Nelson

Paul Yates

RE/MAX Pinnacle, Roya Oak

Lynne Johnson

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

Monique Taylor

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

Trish Lawrence

RE/MAX Initial Realty, Christchurch

Murray Irvine

RE/MAX Initial Realty, Christchurch

Chris Wiley

RE/MAX Zest, Remuera

Brian McMillan

RE/MAX High Country, Queenstown

Graeme Kidd

RE/MAX Zest, Howick

Jacqui Johnston

RE/MAX Quality, Dunedin

Les Downes

RE/MAX Go For Sold, Palmerston North

Pauline Spragg

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

Fritz Horlemann

RE/MAX Elite, Nelson

Karl Finn

RE/MAX Pinnacle, Roya Oak

Tawny Urwin

RE/MAX Team Realty, New Plymouth

Derek Solomon

RE/MAX First Light, Gisborne

Jeremy Crosland

RE/MAX Go For Sold, Palmerston North

RE/MAX New Zealand has appointed Garry Malcolm to the role of Business Development Manager to focus on growth in the lower North Island.

“I will certainly be drawing on my own experiences to facilitate the transition of new business owners and real estate teams into the RE/MAX group.

Garry, already owner of the highly successful RE/MAX Team Realty at New Plymouth, is relishing the opportunity to share his expertise with new real estate business owners and teams.

“Bringing new people into the industry, people from backgrounds outside real estate, will introduce tremendous experience and skill sets in both sales and business ownership; and this is balanced by recruiting successful people with a background in the industry.

“I was invited to the role and I love a challenge,” Garry said. “I can see so much potential through the lower North Island and the RE/MAX brand has so much to offer.” RE/MAX Team Realty is the New Zealand network’s nineconsecutive-year top individual office and Garry is not only the 2013 Broker-Owner of the Year, he was awarded Broker-Owner of the Year at the global level by the real estate group, the only New Zealander or Australian to be named in 2014. “My own business has wellestablished systems and processes, and a great team, so I don’t need to micro-manage there; and I have the bonus of owning homes in New Plymouth and Wellington, which will make it easier to cover the territory.” With more than 33 years of real estate experience to his name, Garry remains totally committed to his business of 10 years, which involves 20 sales staff, a team of assistants and administrators, and a growing property management division.

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“My philosophy has always been to surround myself with people who are better and smarter than me, so I will definitely be recruiting the best of the best.” RE/MAX New Zealand General Manager Corinna Mansell said Garry was highly respected by his real estate industry peers. “We are very fortunate to have him both as a business owner and in a role that allows us to be very responsive to the level of franchise acquisition enquiry we receive from across New Zealand. “You can expect to see the RE/MAX presence increase through Wellington, Wanganui, Wairarapa, Kapiti Coast, and Taranaki regions,” she said, “and Garry will also assist broker owners grow their businesses though training and mentoring owners and their teams.” Garry said that RE/MAX had a genuine and tangible point of difference to other real estate franchise groups.

“RE/MAX recognises that it is client relationships with exceptional service that determine success, and uniquely promotes that relationship rather than putting the brand first. Being with RE/MAX means greater scope to choose and decide on marketing, promotion and general business practices that increase local market relevance. It means independence at the business operations level while accessing all the benefits and resources of a multi-national network that has a presence in more than 95 countries,” he said, “and places entrepreneurs in business for themselves but not by themselves.” Under the RE/MAX model, real estate offices are generally larger with a sizable property team servicing a market of genuinely realistic proportions. For information about joining RE/MAX New Zealand, contact Garry Malcolm on mobile 0274 430 095 or email gmalcolm@remax.net.nz.

remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

RE/MAX Getting to know you…

Garry Malcolm

Business Development Manager, RE/MAX NZ (& Broker/Owner RE/MAX Team Realty)

Q. What have been stand out milestones through your professional life to date?

Garry Malcolm with wife Maree Malcolm

Getting to know Garry Malcolm Q. How and when did you discover your interest in real estate? A. That happened when I was 28 years old and my wife and I contracted a real estate agent to sell our house. Having studied the salesperson and what he didn’t do, and the commission he charged, I thought I could do a better job. I was not enjoying the job I had at the time so decided to get into real estate business. The timing was great as the Taranaki market was benefiting from the discovery of large areas of oil and gas. It was the best thing I ever did. I have been in real estate coming up for 34 years and I still love it. It’s about the ‘Law of Compensation’: that is, your income is in direct proportion to the amount of energy and effort you put in. Q. What have you done through your career to ‘stand out from the crowd’ and achieve success? A. I learnt early in this business that I was more interested in the management, coaching and mentoring side of real estate and had a desire to succeed at every level. To do this, I surrounded myself with people who were better and smarter than me. I have always been open to new ideas, systems and technology; and embracing these things has helped me and our business stand out from the crowd.

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A. In my 34 years in real estate there have been many milestones. Taking a local real estate business from two offices and ten sales associates to six offices and 58 sales associates gave me and my wife the grounding and knowledge to take on our own real estate business. In 2004 we purchased the RE/MAX franchise for Taranaki and over the next ten years grew our business by mentoring, coaching and recruiting people who were motivated, enthusiastic, better and smarter than me. For the past nine of those years our office has been awarded top individual office for RE/MAX New Zealand. I have personally received RE/MAX New Zealand Broker/ Owner Of the Year three times and last year in Vegas I was named International Broker/Owner Of the Year; but the greatest milestone for Maree and I has been seeing sales associates grow and succeed in running their real estate business.

Q. If you had three wishes you could use to make changes in your professional world, what would they be? A. • That I had taken a RE/MAX franchise earlier in my career. • That I had listened to my business partner - that’s my wife - more and had known 20 years ago what I know about real estate now. • That I can keep doing real estate. I love it.

Q. It’s the weekend, work does not beckon. How would you be most likely to spend your time? A. • Playing golf • Driving my 2011 Ford Mustang • Visiting our teams’ open homes • Watching sport • Writing training programmes Whatever I am doing, my life always revolves around Maree’s and my real estate operations.

Q. Your real estate career spans more than 30 years. What are the most significant changes that have occurred in the industry through that time? A. Technology. We are now information providers. Our purchasers and vendors require information and they want it immediately. When I first started selling in 1981, I was given an A4 book, pencil and rubber. We would write our listings in the book and when they were sold we would rub them out to make room for our new listings. With the quality of new sales associates, real estate is far more professional now. Our sale associates are far more knowledgeable than they have ever been and this is good. Client Management Programmes are an essential part of our business now, and data-basing and instant responses to our clients are paramount. RE/MAXnet is an example of this, and it is a great asset. Our sales associates are far more mobile than previously, and communication is easier and quicker.

Something you may not know about Garry… (Thank you to Michael Davoren for sharing this!)

“Garry is a very handy golfer. However, he captained the RE/MAX New Zealand golf team against RE/MAX Australia twice, and lost both times. There are not many things Australia beats New Zealand in anymore so we will take this one. What’s more, Garry and his wife Maree donated the perpetual trophy.”

remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

RE/MAX Local News

Joel Davoren appointed Director Joel Davoren has joined Michael Davoren, Keith Walker and Chris Chapman as a Director, with his responsibilities focused on the companies associated with RE/MAX franchise operations in Australia and New Zealand. “The Board’s decision to appoint Joel is in response to his performance in the organisation and the commitment he has demonstrated to our industry-at-large,” said Managing Director Michael Davoren. “The Board recognises the level of expertise and relevance Joel brings to the table as aligning with the new decision-makers who will shape successful franchise groups in an industry that is trending toward younger professionals.”

RE/MAX Count ry saw new ow nership in late 2014 with Andrew Gibson investing into th e Cambridge offi ce.

Welcome to RE/MAX

The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) has already called upon the expertise of Joel, and other young real estate professionals like him, to help guide its future direction through its Young Industry Professionals (YIP) advisory group tasked with helping to shape the Institute’s progression. Joel, who entered the real estate industry at 23 years of age and notched up a decade in March last year, is a third generation real estate professional following grandfather James (Jim), a

Remuera Howick and in st e Z X A RE/M 14 with Eric nership in 20 w o ew n w sa ker/Owner g over as Bro Chase takin ces. for both offi

RE/MAX New Zealand is proud to introduce and welcome the newest offices to the RE/MAX network. Joel Davoren, Director RE/MAX Australia & RE/MAX NZ

Gold Coast real estate identity from the mid 1960’s to early 80’s, and father Michael Davoren.

“

RE/MAX New Zealand and RE/MAX Australia have proved emerging powerhouses in the global RE/MAX network since new leadership, energies, initiatives and practices were introduced from late 2012.

”

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Having achieved recognition as a highly successful sales agent – in the top few per cent of a major real estate network – he counts the opportunity to join the RE/MAX corporate team as a career highlight, with the Board’s decision providing another. He will continue his vital role facilitating RE/MAX franchise sales in Australia and is State Manager for New South Wales and the ACT. RE/MAX New Zealand and RE/MAX Australia have proved emerging powerhouses in the global RE/MAX network since new leadership, energies, initiatives and practices were introduced from late 2012.

mpany, nagement co Property Ma its office perty, opens RE/MAX Pro r/Owners e with Broke to e to a p a P in ammed. d Nazia Muh Rasheed an

Broker/Ow ner Jeff Bri ll opens RE/MAX P remier in A lbany on th North Shore e .

remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

RE/MAX Local News

Landlords have specialist team to manage their investment

RE/MAX Team Realty extended its professional real estate services into property management with a new business division launched in August last year. New Plymouth real estate Broker/Owners Garry and Maree Malcolm aligned with Yvonne and Alan Leonard to form the new property management company, New Plymouth Property Management Ltd, trading as RE/MAX Team Realty Rentals. Ms Leonard has 14-plus years of experience in property management, through which she has gained recognition and a reputation for impeccable management skills. Garry Malcolm said a specialist property management division had been considered for some time. “When the opportunity came to form a start-up company with a person of Yvonne’s reputation and calibre, it was an easy decision.” He said it would be a great alliance for the two companies which complement each other and share a reputation for an outstanding standard of service and outstanding results. “New Plymouth embraced our business from day one when Maree and I opened in 2014, and RE/MAX Team Realty grew in reputation and size over the years to accommodate our new and long-term customers.” said Garry. “It is both a great achievement and honour to give New Plymouth a specialist property management team that extends customers’ real estate experiences with RE/MAX.”

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With RE/MAX Team Realty covering the residential, lifestyle, rural, industrial and commercial markets, RE/MAX Team Realty Rentals extends services through commercial leasing as well as residential apartment and house rentals. “RE/MAX Team Realty Rentals manages quality properties in order to attract the most desirable tenants and provide landlords with the greatest care and return on their investments,” he said.

Yvonne Leonard of RE/MAX Team Realty Rentals

“

When the opportunity came to form a start-up company with a person of Yvonne’s reputation and calibre, it was an easy decision.

”

Interest Rates: a New Zealand Property Finance (NZPF) perspective.

In his policy statement made early December, the Reserve Bank Governor, Mr Wheeler, noted that inflation remained within the target range and that data available suggested that global growth was softening in a number of key major economies.

borrowing less than 80% has been especially intense, in part because this drives what is available above 80%, the result of Reserve Bank policy introduced in October 2013 restricting greater than 80% lending.

By Geoff Bawden, Manager, New Zealand Property Finance

New Zealand dairy prices declined sharply and, while these are expected to recover somewhat during 2015, this will have a flow on affect reducing spending in a number of key areas in the meantime.

On balance, the growth of the economy remains relatively modest and this has taken much of the pressure off having to raise interest rates in the short term. The New Zealand consumer should be taking advantage of these good interest rates while they last because what comes down ultimately also goes up, and the one thing we can be sure of is that everything remains cyclic.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand uses monetary policy (Official Cash Rate) to control price stability and keep inflation at agreed targets of between one and three percent. The cash rate is reviewed eight times a year and the rate is moved up to tighten liquidity and down to stimulate the economy. Until late last year the buzz until late last year was that rates would steadily rise, as they did from January through until about August. All that changed however in the last quarter of 2014 and against all predictions we have seen interest rates fall. As I write this article almost all residential mortgage fixed interest rates are below 6%, down some 75 points from their 2014 high. On the grand scale of things the New Zealand economy is very small and it is easily influenced by any of a number of factors, many of which we have no control over domestically. While the Residential Housing markets in both Auckland and Christchurch remain hot, the same cannot be said about regional New Zealand where growth has been much more stable.

“The rhetoric and tone the Reserve Bank Governor uses in his commentary often provides the first indication of what might happen.” The NZ dollar remains overvalued and is expected to depreciate in the coming months. Obviously the latest development is in the reduction of oil prices and this will have a flow-on effect that stimulates the economy as will the continued construction growth, again particularly in Auckland and Christchurch. The New Zealand banks’ spring home loan campaigns have also been in full swing with intense competition for mortgage growth and all fighting to lend to the residential property market. Competition to lend to those

The expectation is that interest rates will remain stable for a little while yet and the 29th January official cash rate announcement kept it unchanged at 3.5%. The next announcement will be on 12th March. Those interested in following what rates are doing should look for the rhetoric and tone the Reserve Bank Governor uses in his commentary. This often provides the first indication of what might happen.* * The content contained in this article is my opinion only. It is based on my own perception of the market and while I have made every effort to be factual, it should not be relied upon for anything other than providing a brief overview of what might happen given current market conditions.

remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

RE/MAX Events

Meet you at

RE/MAX New Zealand and RE/MAX Australia Broker/Owners enjoy a tropical retreat.

RE/MAX Locals’ Night! The Yates Team at RE/MAX Pinnacle in Royal Oak instigated a community event that was so well received, it immediately became a monthly institution. Bearing the uncomplicated title of ‘Locals’ Night’, the event held at the Wattle Downs Golf Club on the first Friday of every month provides the opportunity for all the locals to get together and new people in the area to meet each other, and also helps the local golf club by raising awareness of their business and the facilities they have to offer. This humble title belies the way the local community has responded. On Locals’ Nights, it is not unusual to see a crowd of 100 or more. The average is 80 to 100 a night. Prior to the Yates Team’s Locals’ Night, Wattle Downs Golf Club generally averaged around 15 patrons on a Friday night!

New Zealand and Aussie Brokers enjoy retreating to tropical North Queensland

The Yates Team donates or supplies many items including a hamper for the door prize, bar tabs and other small giveaway gifts for the night, and entry is free.

The Broker Retreat began poolside at The Reef House, Palm Cove on Saturday 30 August, with canapés and drinks - and a red, white and blue theme.

The Team actively promotes the event through coreflute signs, flyers, Facebook and text reminders; though this is hardly necessary since each coming event is common talk of the community. Paul and Tina Yates’ initiative has proven to be a resounding success, and it is well supported by fellow colleagues from RE/MAX Pinnacle as well as the local community.

www.yatesteam.co.nz

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A productive and entertaining two days of speakers and panel sessions followed. Speakers included Andrew Griffiths, who is recognised as Australia’s number one small business author and spoke to the topic, ‘Small Business and innovation’; and Craig West from ‘Succession Plus’, which is a specialised strategic advisory practice focused on

assisting small business owners to effectively deal with the strategic issues facing SME’s as they grow - raising capital, building equity, protecting equity and extracting value upon exit. Trevor Tim and Bram Collins one with indigenous heritage, the other off a cattle station – showed their unique brand of positivity and humour. The two are currently involved with tourism and sporting industries. But the highlight was Bernard Raskin, the regional owner of RE/MAX Israel, who spoke about ‘Recruitment and retention in

building big business’. The broker/owners were inspired by the man who heads the largest real estate brokerage network in Israel, which encompasses over 100 branches with over 800 real estate agents and has been operating since 1995.

Next Broker Retreat: 12 - 14 Sept 2015

remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

RE/MAX Feature

Do we need a register of international buyers? By Simon Henry, co-CEO of Juwai.com - RE/MAX’s partner and Australia’s No. 1 source of Chinese buyer leads

The debate about international real estate investors in New Zealand has gotten so heated that Juwai.com favours a register of international buyers. It would provide clarity and defuse some of the tension. We think a register would show that international buyers are a vital part of the market, positive and not harmful. In Australia, a Parliamentary Inquiry has found overwhelming evidence that there would be fewer homes on the market, and they would all be more expensive, without foreign buyers.

News Corp buys US online property business Move

When New Zealand has gathered all the facts, I think we’ll see a similar truth emerge. Here are two of the key findings from the Australian inquiry: 1. “The housing supply issues in Australia would worsen if foreign investment was curtailed. One of the likely outcomes of any restrictions on foreign buyers could therefore be further price increases.” (Page 95 of the report) 2. Foreign investors are not having any negative impact on first home buyers. The two markets are “separate.” (Page 92) Juwai.com expects Chinese buying to increase by 15% to 20% next year. Their government

A comment from Michael Davoren, Managing Director of RE/MAX New Zealand and Australia

is making it easier –almost by the day– for Chinese citizens to invest in countries like New Zealand. The Bank of England estimates that Chinese ownership of international assets could increase 600 per cent in the next several years.

Juwai.com cements its number one position •

Chinese buyers are the fastest growing buyer group in New Zealand and Australia today.

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Juwai.com is the No. 1 Chinese international property portal, helping Chinese consumers make informed purchase decisions and real estate agents grow their businesses.

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RE/MAX is in the select group of New Zealand and Australian real estate brands that Juwai. com partners with.

In September 2014, Juwai.com won the ‘Most Influential Overseas Property Portal Award’, which is widely coveted as the most prestigious prize within China’s e-commerce industry. Juwai.com is firmly cemented as China’s No. 1 with dominant consumer traffic and engagement figures. It ranks top on Baidu.com, the leading search engine in China.

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Juwai.com serves the global Chinese community in their international property search needs, but is fast becoming an international Chinese brand serving Chinese-speaking consumers from all around the world who are searching in the Chinese language for property, both in other countries and in their own. Andrew Taylor, co-CEO of Juwai.com, said: “Juwai. com is a Chinese brand, we focus on the Chinese consumer and provide them with products and services they need to transact and invest securely. Juwai also has an international DNA, which allows us to provide compelling and valuedriving products for our international customers. The combination of being a Chinese brand with international DNA is what makes us unique. It is key to our success.”

When News Corp released its intention to purchase the US online property business Move, which operates Realtor.com for the National Association of Realtors in the United States, the announcement came as a surprise to me having met with industry leaders including NAR’s CEO, President and vice-president in a private meeting in Auckland just a few days prior. The meeting’s purpose was to cover a number of international issues, including discussion of the international property portal scene and how countries could interact with NAR and realtor.com. Knowing the close relationship between NAR and realtor.com, and the group’s consolidated preference for industry-owned and operated portals, this was an unexpected announcement so soon after that meeting. Under the new arrangement, News Corp will hold an 80 per cent stake in Move while the REA Group, which is 61.6 per cent owned by News Corp and operates property website realestate.com.au, will take a 20 per cent stake. The fact is that property portals are continuing to move into the hands of non-real estate industry organisations, with this latest buy-in another sign that the real estate industry and property portals worldwide have attracted interest; and it is a clear signal to the real estate industry that it is considered an industry of great value. I have long said that the real estate industry does not have an automatic right to exist; that it needs to be 100 per cent at the top of its game, constantly evaluating and redefining itself. That includes, in fact necessitates, being able to control the data we collect from our customers, on behalf of our customers. Such data taken out of industry control can easily become a lead generation product, and the outcome an industry faced with charges for using its own data,

and having potential repercussion for customers. In the past 12 months, we have seen up to, and in some cases more than, 100 per cent increase in charges from non-real estate industry owned portals. With the intention of helping to control prices and value offered, real estate industries in several countries have moved or are moving to take control of their data and to protect real estate customers from exploitation by non-real estate industry groups. This is evidenced in New Zealand, South Africa, the UK and Australia. In the Auckland meeting I attended, all leaders were very aligned in our thinking on the control of real estate industry data and the flow-on effect on our customers, with the benefits being in industry-owned and controlled. In Australia, listings website www.SQUIIZ.com.au gained a very strong following at industry information events around the country, with the greater percentage of agents excited by the 100 per cent real estate industry-owned and operated portal, which went live late last year.

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With the intention of helping to control prices and value offered, real estate industries in several countries have moved or are moving to take control of their data and to protect real estate customers from exploitation by non-real estate industry groups.

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remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

RE/MAX News from the global network

Premium products now FREE in Design Centre RE/MAX continues to be at the forefront of providing agents with inventive technologies that make buying or selling a home easier for clients to understand. The RE/MAX Design Centre has reached new levels of AWESOME! Now included in the library of customizable templates are: 1. Single Property Websites - giving RE/MAX agents the ability to showcase properties in a familiar and interactive way. 2. YouTube-compatible video home tours - you are able to link videos onto your property listing page on remax.co.nz 3. Digital Listing Presentations - eMagazine-style listing presentations that allow agents to interact with prospective sellers. In addition to the new products, you can now also purchase domain names from within Design Centre. For example, we purchased www. laurenbrayshawrealestate.com for $19.99 US for a year’s hosting. You can also add sub paths to your main domain name so you can link other property projects like the one below. http://www.laurenbrayshawrealestate.com/70stanleystreetpresentation/ http://www.laurenbrayshawrealestate.com/75victoriastreet/

Peyton Manning to headline RE/MAX R4

Thousands of RE/MAX agents will have the rare opportunity to hear from one of the NFL’s top players at the annual RE/MAX R4 Convention in Las Vegas March 2 - 5, 2015. The conference will bring RE/MAX Broker/ Owners and agents from all over the world to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, the league’s only fivetime MVP and a 13-time Pro Bowler, will be the event’s keynote speaker. Manning’s story of hard work and success will inspire and motivate his audience and his story of success on the football field and his determination to overcome what could have been a career-ending injury is something that will no doubt be one of the convention highlights.

RE/MAX has a new Mission Statement & it’s something every Sales Associate can incorporate into their business.

For more than 40 years, there’s never been any doubt about what matters to a RE/MAX Affiliate but the updated RE/MAX Mission Statement makes it clearer than ever. “It’s simple yet says so much,” RE/MAX CEO Dave Liniger says. “At every level of the network, serving others is a shared goal. On the local level, Associates win when they help buyers and sellers meet their goals; Broker/Owners win when Associates meet their goals; RE/MAX regions win serving Broker/Owners and Associates; and RE/MAX World

The 2015 RE/MAX R4 will also feature Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steven Tyler, lead singer for Aerosmith.

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Headquarters wins when offices and agents thrive.”

remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

RE/MAX News from the global network

Plan for inaugural Asia-Pacific RE/MAX Property Fair RE/MAX has plans for a Property Fair that will bring agents from ten regions faceto-face to establish and cement relationships. The appetite for New Zealand and Australian property remains high from the majority of Asian countries not China alone. The RE/MAX reach through the Asia Pacific Rim encompasses ten countries with Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore,

Philippines, Guam, South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. When leaders from throughout the region met in Manila last year, all agreed the opportunity for broker/owners and associates to have face-toface time would best cultivate ongoing relationships and best satisfy the relationships needed for successful international real estate transactions.

RE/MAX, as a global entity, has the structure and tremendous agent network to lead in establishing strong relationships and networks across the AsiaPacific Rim, which will firm up business outcomes in all sectors including residential and commercial sales and property management, and project marketing. The RE/MAX Pacific Rim Convention and Property Fair is in July 2015.

RE/MAX China open for business From Denver, October 2014: The first RE/MAX office in China opens for business. Agents are working with local clients, using the worldwide RE/MAX network (www.global.remax.com), and assisting clients interested in overseas investment opportunities. RE/MAX Eternity opened in August in Beijing’s Chaoyang Business District and its entrepreneurial owners are eager to make their mark and change how real estate is practiced in their country.

Seven consecutive years for RE/MAX as only real estate name in ‘Top 50 Franchises for Minorities’

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China offers a huge potential market for real estate office and agent growth. RE/MAX China is now selling the rights to entire regions in all parts of China.

Director Keith Walker (R) & Merryn Walker visit the RE/MAX Eternity office in Beijing

From Denver, October 2014: The eighth annual survey compiled by the World Franchising Network names RE/MAX, LLC as one of the ‘50 Top Franchises for Minorities’. The 2014 survey is the seventh consecutive year RE/MAX has been included on the list, and each year it has been the only real estate franchise named. The World Franchising Network recognises franchisors’ commitment to the recruitment and advancement of minorities, and aims to show progress that minorities have made in the franchising industry.

ABOVE, the RE/MAX network magazine, wins two industry awards

CMA is respected as a leading awards program that recognizes communication professionals and their impact within an organisation.

From Denver, October 2014: ABOVE magazine was recognized by two prominent organizations for its creativity and content.

The team that produces ABOVE also received recognition from APEX Awards for Publication Excellence (APEX) in the Custom-Published Magazines, Journals and Tabloids category for the second time.

It was Content Marketing Awards (CMA), ‘silver’ choice for Best Employee-Based Publication, where it beat Porsche’s Carerra Magazine’s honorable mention.

“We love the RE/MAX culture and our vision is to raise the level of customer service in the local real estate industry. We want to be the leaders of that,” said owner Xianqiu Kon who plans to open two more offices in Beijing in the next three years and is excited about connecting with RE/MAX agents around the world to exchange overseas referrals for her Chinese clients.

RE/MAX as it highlights the many achievements of its 96,000 agents. ABOVE debuted in print in 2011 and quickly expanded to a digital version. An ABOVE website was launched in 2012.

ABOVE captures the entrepreneurial spirit of

remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

RE/MAX News from the global network

From Denver, February 2014: RE/MAX, LLC was named one of the world’s fastest-growing franchises in Entrepreneur magazine’s FastestGrowing Franchise Rankings for 2014. It ranked 16th overall and was the only real estate company on the list. It was also the highest-ranked real estate brokerage in the magazine’s 2014 Franchise 500.

From Denver, August 2014: RE/MAX agents dominated the inaugural REAL Trends’ ‘Canada’s Best Real Estate Agents’, making up 82 per cent of the topperforming agents included in the ranking.

Entrepreneur judges companies by quantifiable measures including global financial strength and stability, growth rate and startup costs. RE/ MAX’s position relates to opportunity and an owner’s freedom to run their business with the support and strength of a leading global brand.

RE/MAX agents dominated all four categories of the survey, demonstrating that RE/MAX agents outsell and outperform their competitors in Canada. It’s been that way for nearly 30 years. RE/MAX first began franchise operations in Canada in 1977 and now has more than 18,500 agents working in 700 offices throughout the country.

RE/MAX University continuously raises the bar for great training. The industry-leading education platform for RE/MAX members can be traced back to the introduction of the RE/MAX Satellite Network (RSN) that was launched 1994. It has evolved into a learning tool that has been recognized more than 150 times by training industry experts. Training is an integral part of any successful business.

RU offers information and skill development in technology, recruiting and retention, professional designations, sales, business management and more. RU highlights include: •

On-demand programming available 24/7 via internet

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A video library with more than 1,000 titles on a variety of subjects

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Customized education with RU TRAX that involves both online and off-line engagement

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Webinars and live educational events

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Specific management education

Last year, RU was recognized alongside McDonald’s, LinkedIn and PepsiCo by the Brandon Hall Group with a Bronze Medal in the Best Custom Content Category. RU also accepted 13 silver and bronze Telly Awards while competing among more than 12,000 entries, and was named by Training magazine for the third consecutive year as one of the best among corporatesponsored training

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From Denver, December 2014: RE/MAX, LLC divided and sold their Caribbean and Central America (CCA) regions creating RE/MAX Caribbean and Central and RE/MAX Dominican Republic. “These two new owner groups are the perfect region owners. Each of these individuals has been a successful member of the RE/MAX network for many years. This change in ownership feels like a natural progression that demonstrates the ‘Everybody Wins’ philosophy at RE/MAX,” said Larry Oberly, Vice President, Global Development, RE/MAX, LLC.

Ricardo Cardenas, President, RE/MAX Caribbean and Central America said: “After owning a brokerage in the region and then working for RE/MAX, LLC in Denver, I’m excited to move back to El Salvador to work more closely with our membership in the region and promote a new era of growth.” “It feels great to be able to bring the Dominican Republic onto this new stage as owners of the newest RE/MAX region,” said Mélido Marte, President, RE/MAX Dominican Republic.

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www.remax.net

Two new independently owned and operated regions

RE/MAX only RE company named on fastest-growing franchises list

RE/MAX agents dominate “Canada’s Best”

RE/MAX celebrates 20 years of industryleading education

RE/MAX News from the global network

Full Screen Walkthroughs / Real Estate Signboards / Elevated Photography / Interactive Floor Plans

remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

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RE/MAX New Zealand Picnic in the Park (1-4)

Broker/Owners’ diary dates include the 2015 RE/MAX Broker/Owner Conference for a Boston August where they can connect with peers from across the globe. Closer to home is the two-day RE/MAX Broker/Owner Retreat in September for business owners from Australia and New Zealand, and quarterly Broker Meetings culminating in the December Broker/Owner Christmas party.

RE/MAX School of Excellence: another great reason to be part of RE/MAX RE/MAX New Zealand created its School of Excellence to give all members career paths and the opportunity to achieve their full potential through very regular faceto-face and webinar options. RE/MAX LLC also runs regular webinars bringing ‘together’ RE/MAX members internationally.

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broker/owners

6/02/15 4:42 PM

RE/MAX New Zealand teams up with Imagine Experiences, a professional creative team of event management specialists, to deliver its very special events.

march Las Vegas in March is the place to be for the 2015 RE/MAX R4 Convention, which draws an annual attendance of about 6,000 people worldwide; or Berlin in October when the RE/MAX network in Europe comes together for the 7th time for, no doubt, an amazing event.

career nights

The 2015 Events Calendar is chockfull of training and events options. For the full calendar, please refer to the RE/MAX School of Excellence brochure, which is available from the RE/MAX New Zealand corporate office. Meanwhile, here are some highlights:

So, there’s something for everyone. Experience RE/MAX to the MAX!

RE/MAX New Zealand Broker/Owner Dinner (5-6)

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If you are considering switching to a real estate career, quarterly RE/MAX Career Nights are on the calendar for potential salespeople, PA’s, property managers, sales secretaries and receptionists.

june

awards

RE/MAX Australia and New Zealand will host the High Achievers Retreat in Fiji in June.

Recognising and supporting achievers are also the annual, six-month and quarterly awards. February is the gala event – the full day Sales Rally followed by THE night of nights. A second sales rally is in July.

Fiji will be warmer!

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remax.co.nz | Issue 1-15

Premium products now FREE in Design Centre

Now included in the library of customizable templates are:

1. Single Property Websites

2. YouTube compatible video home tours

3. Digital Listing Presentations

Further information on page 16

VIEW The RE/MAX New Zealand Magazine