Fred Bramwell

Business manager

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Out of Office Hours: +64 3 442 7409
Mobile: +64 21 435 694
View my full profile
Contact Fred

Email: fred@hoamz.co.nz

On the surface Fred Bramwell could be perceived as a cool cat when in fact, he’s a bit of a swan. Above the ripple-free waters all is calm, collected and serene, while beneath he’s paddling determinedly away and making fast progress.

In fact anything on the water’s an apt metaphor for this East Cape bred natural leader. Having spent a few years representing New Zealand in swimming and surf life-saving, he came to Queenstown aged 30 and shortly after started a successful white-water rafting business, a company that made him a major player on the region's booming tourism stage.

Along with the rafting business and an enviable reputation as a safety expert in the local film industry, Fred hasn’t been idle on other fronts either. Since first arriving in the town he's been taking an interest in the property market, steadily building up a strong residential, rural and commercial portfolio. "It's a fascinating business and Queenstown is unique in its investment opportunities. It has been for years, it still is, and I don't see anything changing that for some time to come," says Fred.

A move into real estate was the obvious progression for performance-driven Fred. As one of the founding Sales Consultants at hoamz (then known as Southern Lakes Real Estate), Fred’s business acumen and drive to succeed helped the company go from rank outsiders to Queenstown’s leading real estate agency in just a few short years. Alongside residential and commercial sales, Fred specialised in the burgeoning apartment market, correctly identifying the niche as the ‘next big thing’ in real estate. Despite economic change, apartments have remained a significant part of the core hoamz business.

In 2008 Fred’s leadership qualities and nose for business made him the natural choice when hoamz needed a new General Manager. Overseeing a major rebrand, geographical expansion and the introduction of new facets of the business, alongside running the sales, admin and marketing teams, not to mention being a dedicated husband and father of three, make sure Fred never stops paddling – and loving every second!

They say if you want something done ask a busy person – and Fred’s at the top of everyone’s list.

Testimonial

Name: M Wikstrom

I dealt with a few companies and yours stood out head and shoulders above the rest! Fred and Simon were great to deal with – no rubbish and no fancy talk – can’t be bothered with that. Good down to earth, professional service.

Testimonial

Name: J Page

Hi Fred,

Such a very big heartfelt thank you to you and all the team.

As I’ve said before, you are by far, the best property team I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with.

With a strong desire to sell behind us and a massively proactive team such as yours enabling us to realise the financial potential of the Queenstown property we are now in a position where Phil has life options that were previously less available to him.

The adventure has just begun......

Stephen Hebbend AREINZ

Sales Consultant

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858 QT +64 3 214 6269 IN
Out of Office Hours: +64 3 217 0575
Mobile: +64 21 453 881
View my full profile
Contact Stephen

Email: stephen@hoamz.co.nz

Real Estate consultants come from all walks of life and Stephen Hebbend's no exception. His first career was spent rising up the ranks as an automotive engineer (starting at Melhops Invercargill), ending on a high note as a company manager in Sydney.

But his Invercargill home called him back across the Tasman and it wasn't long before Stephen made the transition to real estate. Of course, that was after he and wife Jo had travelled the world on the traditional year-long OE, seeing Europe from the windows of a Combi van and learning the cultures of Europe at first hand.

A keen sportsman since he was a small boy, Stephen's completed a number of half-marathons and he recognised a similar appeal in real estate - the chance to train hard to become the best, so he set to with real determination.

He learned his work ethic from his father, an agricultural contractor with a Kiwi can-do attitude who built up a solid business in and around Pine Bush and Waimahaka. A quick learner, Stephen realised the only way to succeed in a close-knit community like Southland was to apply genuine commitment in every aspect of his work. "I've always endeavoured to do the right thing by my clients." he says. The formula paid off, developing many long term business relationships.

By 2002 he was an associate of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand and his career had propelled him to the highest echelons of the industry in his region. In late 2004 he decided the chance to join a team with a reputation for success through integrity, and to come on board as the company's principal was too good to turn down. "With the extremely efficient, high tech systems in place to assist the running of the office, I'm also still able to do what I enjoy the most, listing and selling property." says Stephen.

The fact the move brought him to Queenstown was important too, especially as it meant uprooting Jo, and their children Brendan, Rachel and Alicia. But the family was more than happy with the decision.

As the company prospered it was a personal long-standing desire of Stephen's to open an Invercargill office with the hoamz name over the door. After all, over half of the Queenstown staff are of Southland origin (along with plenty of hoamz customers), so it made sense to go back to the company's roots. The realisation of this dream and establishment of such a natural link is now in place, and Stephen couldn't be happier!

Testimonial

Name: Richard and Megan Mitchell
“Stephen was really helpful and went out of his way to help.”

Testimonial
Name: Malcolm and Suzanne Jones 
 “Stephen was very professional at all times and communicated extremely well throughout the whole process.  As a buyer, I felt that he was honest, had integrity and was respectful.  He made himself available to show us through properties at times that suited us.  Being from out of town, we flew down for a day and had a lot of properties to view.  He bent over backwards to help us complete the deal.  I would certainly use hoamz in the future.  Thanks Stephen!”

Testimonial
Name: Joan Tait & Trustees
 “Stephen has been our preferred sales person for approximately 20 years.  He always treats us with respect and honesty.”

Testimonial
Name: Michael Riki
 “I was very happy with the service and advice provided by Stephen, he always kept us updated.  He had a great manner about him, presented himself well, was down-to-earth and a pleasure to deal with.  I really couldn’t ask for more! “

Testimonial
Name: Ann and Greg Ward
Just a little note to thank you so much for your help with the recent sale of Dad’s unit in Catherine Street, we are very pleased with the result you achieved for us. Your kindness, prompt service, attention to detail and professional manner have greatly impressed us.

We look forward to working with you in the future and will have no hesitation in recommending you to family, friends and work colleagues. 

Testimonial

Testimonial

Name: Joy Allison

Stephen was very professional at all times. As a buyer, I felt that he was honest and had integrity and he was respectful at all times.

Testimonial
Name: Joan Tait and Trustees

We have worked with Stephen for approximately 20 years and we are really pleased with hoamz. We were treated with respect and honesty and would use hoamz and Stephen again should the need arise.

(abridged)

Testimonial
Name: Prescilla

Just wanted to say a big thank you for all your help, time and effort. Thank you for always being so patient.

Testimonial
Name: Karen and Paul

"Hi Stephen,

Just a wee note to thank you sincerely for your time and dealings we had with you recently in the sale of our property. It was indeed a pleasure (and a much more pleasant experience that I have endured in the past!) to have you handle our sale. I thank you for the manner in which you conducted your business which we found very sincere, professional and efficient.

We will recommend you and your team to anyone we hear might be needing the services of a realtor.

Best wishes and once again thanks."

Testimonial
Name: Suzan

"We have worked with Stephen on several occasions in the past, both buying and selling real estate, and have again recently listed our home with him. We have always found him to be easy to deal with, honest and reliable, and have always achieved a good result in our dealings with him. We have found he listens to what we are saying, provides good feedback, and puts in the effort required to get a result. We have no hesitation in recommending him to anyone needing his expertise."

Testimonial
Name: Myschel

“Stephen is an outstanding person and real estate agent who always shows the highest integrity in his business dealings. We have been extremely impressed by his honesty and commitment to our cause. We would thoroughly recommend Stephen to anyone wanting to sell or buy a property.”

Testimonial
Name: Derrick

“We approached Stephen in 2010 regarding the purchase of a property in Queenstown. We found Stephen to be trustworthy and reliable at all times, leading to a successful outcome.”
 

Testimonial
Name: Tony

“Stephen offers professional real estate services to our mutual clients and is always prepared to go the "extra mile"
 

Testimonial
Name: David

“I have known Stephen for some years. He works in a tough and competitive industry. Even with this, he has always maintained his integrity and personal values which are very high. I value these characteristics!”
 

Testimonial
Name: Wayne

“Nicola and I found Stephen to be friendly, professional and outcome oriented when we purchased a home in Invercargill in 2000. A challenging transaction and obviously working for the vendor, Stephen made us feel comfortable about the transaction and the decision we were making. I have subsequently maintained contact with Stephen and would recommend him and his services to anyone.”
 

Testimonial
Name: Scott and Lisa

We had a home that we loved but we were in the wrong city so we approached hoamz to see if they would market our house.Stephen Hebbend was the person that we contacted and this was to be the first of many good choices made in the whole process.

We had a small window of opportunity to sell our house before Christmas and after all of the hoamz team had viewed our place it was decided to go to Auction in 4 weeks from start to finish. For a start the photos Stephen took of the place were fantastic and set the tone for the rest of the professional handling we got from Hoamz. The blurb was drawn up and the signs made. Mail drops and flyers sent out and all the information was placed on many internet sites with constant feedback from Stephen.

Stephen worked hard with open homes on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and phoned after each one with a quick report and up date. Also working well into the evening with interested parties’ right up to the auction. Auction day came and after a phone call or two and a visit from Stephen and the Auctioneer who put us at ease, the time came to head to the office and get the ball rolling.

With such a great auctioneer there was no way the house was not going to sell and with a bang of the hammer it was sold. All the hard work from the hoamz team and my wife had paid off.
 

Testimonial
Name: Murray

"I have known Stephen Hebbend for over 15 years as a Real Estate Sales Consultant.
 Stephen is undoubted, reliable, trustworthy and has a vast knowledge of the market and
 industry through the years of experience in the business. His service to his clients is of a
  very high standard."

Testimonial
Name: Pamela and Chris

"To Stephen and the team at hoamz,
 
Chris and I would like to express our gratitude and thanks for your tireless assistance in purchasing a property whilst based in a country outside of New Zealand.
 
Stephen, your dedication has no boundaries.  Giving up your Sunday with family to show Chris and myself numerous properties.
 
You showed great wisdom and skill in negotiating for us and provided valuable advice when required. Nothing was ever too much trouble for you or the team at hoamz. 
 
We have never met a real estate agent with the same passion, enthusiasm or integrity.
 
Thank you, we will definitely be life long customers and friends."

Testimonial
Name: Philippa

"Stephen Hebbend has helped both ourselves and friends of ours purchase a few investment properties over the years.

Testimonial

Name: Mark & Myschel

"We have been dealing with Stephen as our real estate agent for approximately 12 months now. During that time he has successfully sold two houses for us and helped us to acquire a house that we so desperately wanted. 

Throughout the whole course of this time, we have found Stephen to be of impeccable honesty and integrity. He was very knowledgeable about the market and what was happening in it and advised us accordingly yet still left us to make our own decisions. 

He was open and extremely approachable and nothing was ever too much trouble or question ever too trivial. We felt most confident in his decisions and felt that he gave us the time we needed to decide on things.

What stood out most for both of us was that we trusted him and as a consequence, trusted his team and found them all to be highly professional at all times.

We have no hesitation in recommending Stephen to anyone interested in buying or selling real estate or for anything else for that matter as we have found him to be extremely professional, reliable and courteous at all times."

Testimonial

Name: Shelly & Greg

"Thank you again for selling our house. We appreciated your professionalism and honesty throughout the marketing of our house and this was one of the reasons we listed with you.

One of the things that impressed us about the entire team was their involved throughout the time our house was on the market. We found your team to be friendly at all times and appreciated the constant feedback through emails and phone calls after open homes and private viewings. We believe it is because you guys work as team that we sold our house."

Testimonial

Name: Tim

"I am writing to thank you for the totally professional service you provided to us recently with the purchase of our property in Frankton.

Both Julie and I felt at all times that you were working on our behalf with absolute integrity and honesty. Furthermore we appreciated your frankness and attentiveness whereby we genuinely felt that our business was of the utmost importance to you. This does not seem to be commonly found in the real estate industry these days.

We also valued the efforts of the rest of the team it certainly made this process much more straight forward than it might have been. I would appreciate it if you could pass on our thanks to them.

Please feel free to pass on our comments to any prospective client if you wish."

Brendan Quill

Sales Consultant

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Mobile: +64 21 416 785
View my full profile
Contact Brendan

Email: brendan@hoamz.co.nz

Qualified teacher, international rugby player, world class cyclist, video star, radio presenter, jet boating legend. Brendan's led something of a sheltered life really.

This would, of course, suit the shy, retiring nature of a man for whom the limelight is but a shunned myth, a man whose aspirations are to sit and be humble in a field of waving corn, and a man whose greatest pleasure is to weep a solitary tear at the simple beauty of a dew-dimpled rose.

Whoever those three men are, none of them are Brendan Quill. Part of the furniture in Queenstown, Brendan knows just about everybody who's worth knowing - which in his book is just about everybody.

With a mind faster than his beloved high-performance car and a wit to match, there's rarely a moment his face is without a smile, and it doesn't take much to break that into a full-blown cackle.

So though he lists his hobbies as cycling, boating, diving and a whole list of high adrenaline activities, the fact is he's fully absorbed in the pursuit of that lamentably seldom-seen commodity: the permanent laugh.

The personality behind the fun is a man who has represented New Zealand on his racing bike, and the Cayman Islands on the rugby field. 

And his main enjoyment of life at hoamz? "It's working with a classic team," he says, shortly before breaking into that trademark guffaw and slapping his thigh with mirth.

Testimonial

Name: Ellice Rooney, Secretary, Queenstown Inner Wheel Club

Dear Brendan,

What can I say? You are a Legend! The huge success of our day was attributed to your very special talents. You were so efficient and at the same time full of wonderful humour and you so skilfully extracted the cash out of those handbags!!

On behalf of the Queenstown Inner Wheel Club, I wish to sincerely thank you. It was a day full of fellowship, humour and immense generosity and proudly our club will be able to present a cheque to Happiness House for $5445.00.

Local disadvantage members of our community will benefit from these funds and we encouraged everyone present to support our sponsors where possible.

Thank you so much for participating, without your help this fabulous event would not have been possible.

Yours sincerely

Ellice Rooney

Secretary

Charity Auction Testimonial

Name: Arrowtown School

Thanks so much for your huge contribution to our school fair. You did a fantastic job on the day and helped create a very special atmosphere.

Charity Quiz Testimonial

Name: Queenstown Pre-school and Nursery

Thank you for all your help in raising funds at our quiz night. We were amazed with the amount raised - $4,500! So again thank you!

Charity Auction Testimonial

Name: Cure Kids

This letter is to say a big thank you for being the auctioneer and at our fundraiser on Saturday night. Without Ferg and yourself we know we would not have reached the amount of $11,000. This now brings our total to nearly $13,000 and we haven’t finished yet.

There has been a lot of amazing feedback this week from the community and everyone thoroughly enjoyed your “double act”.

Thank you again for your support and making the Charity Fashion Show a huge success.

Charity Auction Testimonial

Name: Christchurch Earthquake Fundraiser Organising Committee

We would like to thank you for your generous support towards the Christchurch Earthquake Fundraiser Black Tie Charity Ball that was held at Skyline on the 28^th May 2011.

The night was a great success with over 200 guests in attendance.  We raised almost $40,000 for the victims of the Canterbury earthquake which has been donated to the 2011 Red Cross Earthquake Appeal.

Thank you again for your assistance in making this event so successful.

Charity Auction Testimonial

Name: Lake Hayes Ladies Organising Committee

Thanks so much for being our auctioneer on Saturday night. You were an absolute legend and thanks to you we raised around $23000 from the auction alone! Seriously you were awesome!

Testimonial

Name: Katrina

Throughout the six week marketing campaign and subsequent auction of our house Brendan Quill and the team at hoamz were fantastic to deal with.  They worked hard to get an impressive number of people through all the scheduled open homes and their vendor reporting each week was very thorough. 

Quilly’s experience as an auctioneer was obvious.  The auction was slick and conducted with his usual flair.  I would absolutely recommend Quilly, and the team at hoamz, to anyone looking to sell property in the Southern Lakes.

Auction Testimonial

Dear Quilly

We would like to say a big thank you for coming along to our Battle of the Basin fundraiser and entertaining everyone as MC at the after function. We raised an amazing $9000 and everyone had lots of fun.

Thank you for your support,

Arrowtown Preschool & the Battle of the Basin Committee.

Auction Testimonial

To whom it may concern,
On behalf of the American Express Queenstown Winter Festival, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Brendan Quill and the entire HOAMZ team for their contribution to the charity auction held as part of this year’s Thriller in the Chiller.

Brendan’s performance on the night, along with the able support of his team was nothing short of spectacular. With over 1300 people in the auditorium and the ring in the centre, this was a very testing environment in which to hold an auction and I believe that there is no individual or real estate company in Queenstown that could have delivered a better result.
It was obvious from the outset that the entire team was onboard 100%. Everyone knew their job, everyone worked together and everyone contributed to the end result.

Not only did we raise in excess of $40,000 in a little over 20 minutes, but the manner in which the auction was conducted was slick, professional and entertaining – three vital ingredients to the success of any auction in my opinion.

Having seen the team in action I would not hesitate in recommending HOAMZ for any auction be it a charity event, real estate or otherwise. And having Brendan at the helm means your auction will be in the safest possible hands.

Yours sincerely

Simon Green
Festival Director
American Express Queenstown Winter Festival

Auction Testimonial

Brendan

On behalf of the Bruce Brant Youth Trust we wish to thank you for your involvement in the charity auction at the recent Thriller in the Chiller.

You worked the large crowd superbly with humour and skill that enabled the night to be a large fundraiser for the trust. In excess of $40,000 was raised on the night. This money will be turned back to the youth of the Wakatipu who are chasing dreams in the sports, arts and cultural fields.

The trust note your enthusiasm and community spirit and appreciate the time you gave up to assist the trust and the youth of the Wakatipu basin.

You are the champion of the community!

KIND REGARDS

The Bruce Grant Youth Trust

Auction Testimonial

Dear Quillie

THANK YOU
On behalf of the Queenstown Ice Hockey Club I would like to thank you most sincerely for everything you did to ensure the smooth running of our recent fundraiser, Prenzel in the Alps.

We were delighted with the success of the event and thrilled that it ran so smoothly and professionally. Thanks to your auctioneer skills we obtained some very good prices for our prizes that had been donated.

We really appreciate your support, enthusiasm, professionalism and your generous spirit.

Yours in ice hockey

Teri Tisdall
Queenstown Ice Hockey Club

Auction Testimonial

Thanks Quilly for the great auction result and the entertainment you brought for Orphans Aid on behalf of Ivan Clarke and the Lonely Dog team.

Best wishes Ivan Clarke Gallery Team

Community Testimonial

Dear Quilly

Thank you for last night at the StepUp Charity Auction. You were the BEST!!

With your help and skill (and of course witty charm and humour) we raised over 300K for teens in NZ and Oz to be able to create a better future for themselves.

You’re a legend – Thank You

Yvonne Hilsz
GM
StepUp

Community Testimonial

Dear Brendan

On behalf of the crew and committee of the Riverton Coastguard Inc. we wish to extend our grateful thanks for your time and effort that you gave at our recent 50th Jubilee.

It was a great night and everyone that attended enjoyed the evening. You did an excellent job and we appreciated the way you kept the evening flowing.

Please feel free to call to inspect our Coastguard Headquarters. The building is usually open on Monday evening for training.

Yours faithfully

Anita Fraser
Secretary
Coastguard Riverton

Testimonial

Name: Gillian, Ed and Hamish

Testimonial

Name: Catriona and Aaron

Dear Sir Quillbags and all the team

Thank you for the hassle-free and completely painless experience you gave us in selling our home. You brought a big smile to our faces.

Great humour, passion for the job and extreme professionalism exudes from every one of the team.

You surely are the Number 1 agents (having now dealt with others confirms this) and it is with great pleasure that we sing your praises to all and sundry.

Until next time …

Warmest wishes

Catriona and Aaron

Testimonial

Name: Steve

"I built an architecturally designed, rural property, sitting on 1 ½ sun drenched acres within the Wakatipu Basin. I considered the design and location to be very desirable and a sale commanding a good price should not be too difficult. I was wrong!

My property sat on the market for two and a half years and was listed with a number of local Real Estate companies. None of them had been able to sell my property and the market was now in decline.

I met Brendan Quill earlier this year and listed my property with him. He seemed to possess that special quality I had been looking for – he understands and has a passion for selling Real Estate and has a positive, confident air about him – he is a salesman!!

On inspecting the property he very quickly saw the positive aspects of my home and the reason behind certain design features. It would not be an easy home to sell as it would not appeal to everyone. Before too long he had an interested party and a contract was written up.

As often happens a situation developed which potentially was a deal breaker. Brendan’s quick appraisal of the situation and ability to provide a solution meant the deal proceeded to a successful conclusion for all parties.

I cannot recommend his sales abilities highly enough. You will not be disappointed with his and his team’s service and commitment to the sale of your property.

Many had the opportunity but only one succeeded!"

Testimonial

Name: Jeremaia

The team have a slogan “Integrity with results”. As a local family we have bought and sold three properties over five years with the team. Integrity speaks for itself, you either have it or you don’t; they do. Honesty, even harder in Real Estate, but I have to say they WILL be honest with you regarding property values, even if it isn’t what you want to hear and you the Vendor choose to ignore them, in the long run they will be right. Results, well I am a believer, two of our sales weren’t exactly straightforward and both times they achieved results within half their self imposed time lines. 

I am also a believer in “together everyone achieves more” TEAM, and even though as a Vendor you deal predominately with one special agent, the whole team works with you at given times. Even more importantly with a young family they respect your space, daily lives and work around baby toys. By this I mean they give you ample time to clean and present your property before a viewing they ensure to call you after so you know it’s safe to go home again and they respect your stuff. 

I know this all might sound like a marketing pitch, but honestly, I have chosen to write this recommendation in my own words and mean every word. Ring me direct if you don’t believe me.  

Testimonial

Name: Mark & Dana

"We decided to put our house on the market and thought this would be an easy thing to do. As it turned out two local real estate agents didn’t want our listing as they had no one on their databases to sell it to. The third wanted to sell it at a price well below the two month old current valuation.

This left us totally disillusioned.

After meeting with Brendan Quill we were immediately struck by his positivity and enthusiasm. Quilly noticed all the little things about our property that we were so proud of. Our house was listed at a price we were happy with. It sold in six weeks with three offers on the table.

Buying or selling in Queenstown we would recommend Brendan Quill and the team."

Graeme Jackson

Sales Consultant

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Out of Office Hours: +64 3 442 3455
Mobile: +64 21 667 067
View my full profile
Contact Graeme

Email: graeme@hoamz.co.nz

After a rewarding forestry career, and then taking a break to complete a Diploma in Recreation & Sport, Graeme’s exploration of New Zealand’s great outdoors led him to realise that Queenstown was his home. 

Spending 15 years in the tourism industry and managing one of the most popular tourist operations in the district made Graeme realise that there was one thing missing for him - property!  Before he realised it, 10 years in the industry had rolled around and after achieving some exceptional goals he is ready to take on another level of results in real estate.  Fully aware that buyers are regularly looking for the mixed use property in this international destination, Graeme and his assistant have made a point of specializing in both apartments and residential properties to ensure there are no unanswered questions or opportunities lost.

Graeme now helps guide the business to even higher levels, never losing focus on his sole objective; creating a memorable experience for all customers and changing the perception of Real Estate in this town. 

Testimonial

Name: Guo

Thank you for the information sent any owner would be very lucky to have you as his agent

Kind Regards,

Guo

Testimonial

Name: Guy

Gidday Graeme

I just wanted to thank you personally for all your work on my new property. I'm stoked that the deal came together so neatly and that it's exactly what I had been looking for. 

It sure wasn't easy but I'm rapped it worked out. 

Thanks once again Graeme.

Regards Guy

Testimonial

Name: Mark and Louise

Just wanted to drop you a quick note to say thanks for your help in selling 4 O'Leary's. We're sad to be out of the Queenstown market but it made no sense to have a home on the other side of the world.  Hopefully we'll be back in the market down there one day. 

Testimonial

Name: Vicki and Ian

Ian and I wish to thank you for the wonderful service you have provided for us in selling our home and the purchase of our new townhouse.

We found the whole process was dealt with in a professional, friendly manner and nothing was too much trouble. Our questions were always answered in a prompt manner and staff were always a pleasure to deal with.

Already I have referred your services to people that have come through the Job Agency.

When the time comes to go through the process all again (hopefully not for a year or so!!!) you will definitely be the first ones we contact.

Many thanks again and please enjoy my homemade carrot cake for your morning tea.

All the best

Testimonial

Name: Kat

Just wanted to extend my thanks to you and your team, especially Fiona and Graeme for your assistance with the sale of my apartment on Ballarat street, it has taken a while but I appreciate your perseverance as I know it hasn’t been the easiest place to sell!
 

Testimonial

Name: Spiro

Graeme, thanks for your kind words you are a true gentleman. I will certainly catch up with you when down next time.

Testimonial

Name: John and Jen

Thanks Graeme. We've really appreciated your help and expertise through this process. We appreciated your straightforward and genuine approach.

We will be in touch next time we visit Queenstown.

Testimonial

Name: Lex & Hazel

(Abbreviated)

To whom it may concern,

Very recently a team from your office, were successful in listing and selling our home at 39 Elm Street Ave, Frankton, Queenstown.

My husband and myself have previously experienced selling our homes, together and separately.  You are to be congratulated on employing people of such high skills and class.

We would also like to highlight a couple of agents we saw a fair amount and strongly recommend – Fiona McDonald and Graeme Jackson, however it was “the team job”, done by all that we thank you for, and strongly recommend any and all from your firm to future clients.

Rowan McDonald

Sales Consultant

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Mobile: +64 21 222 6314
View my full profile
Contact Rowan

Email: rowan@hoamz.co.nz

Ask Rowan how he made up his mind to work in real estate and he'll have a ready answer… "It's just the standard Queenstown route...track guide, ski instructor, jet boat driver!"

And as anybody in the team at hoamz can tell you, there's not much wrong with that. Rowan's been learning the ins and outs of the area since he first arrived in 1991.

In those days he was back-to-backing ski jobs between European and Kiwi winters as a precursor to a 'real job' in tourism sales and marketing.

Not that he let a little thing like work get in the way of traveling, though the Pacific got the brunt of the McDonald effect with long-term, Queenstown-based roles that brought Fiji and Australia onto his resume.

As a seventh-generation McDonald from Outram, near Dunedin, Rowan knows the value of belonging, and made the decision to put down roots in Queenstown a long time ago.

These days he's a well-known member of the community and, like the rest of the team at hoamz, a part of the furniture.

That's not to say he doesn't like getting away now and again.

"I'm right into hanging out with my nieces and nephews, Finn, almost 4, Caitlin two-and-a-half and Meg, who's one. They're very cool, Finn and Meg live in Outram and Caitlin lives in Dunedin," he says.

Looks like there'll be young McDonald descendants visiting Uncle Rowan for some years to come then!

Testimonial

Name: Andrew and Janelle Kozak

Our dealings with Rowan McDonald we found to be nothing short of excellent. His personal manner, professionalism, punctuality and reliability made him an absolute pleasure to deal with, and we have only praise for his work ethic in every respect. We would also personally like to thank all of the staff at Hoamz Queenstown for their hard work and commitment toward achieving our desired outcome, and for making our buying experience easy and enjoyable. Thanks Rowan and the team at Hoamz. You made our dream come true.

Testimonial

Name: Lyn - Queenstown

“hoamz” – Sold! Sold!

Yes! Rowan McDonald and his support team sold my property in two and a half months.

They are a friendly, positive bunch at hoamz, and Rowan, my agent, excellent -extremely nice to deal with. On my first appointment with Rowan I had my property data to hand over, but he had already obtained the information required from the correct sources. A step ahead all the way, working diligently and keeping me updated on the events.

We had a time of reassessing, and slightly changed the approach to draw the right market.

Even in a time of recession, I was very confident it would be sold with Rowan in charge. I can highly recommend him to anyone buying or selling property.

With regards from a happy client

Testimonial

Name: Henk Hocken - USA

Veronica and I would like to Thank You for your dedication and professional yet pleasant assistance in helping us purchase our rental property last week. It was a true pleasure working with you and we'll certainly come back to you and Hoamz for any additional purchases in future.

Testimonial

In the last 6 months we have sold our home and bought a section, co-incidentally both of these transactions were through Rowan McDonald.

Rowan was always a pleasure to deal with and we felt that he was really on our side throughout the whole process. He achieved the ideal balance between keeping us informed as the situation required, whilst never being too "in your face" as many Real Estate agents are, making what could have been a stressful and overwhelming process as hassle-free as it ever could be. Something else that set Rowan's service apart was his ability to really listen to our needs and not try to sell us property that we were not interested in.

Once everything was signed and sealed, Rowan thoughtfully called in with a little thank you, which was as appreciated as it was unexpected.

We didn't have a mansion to sell, nor were we buying at Queenstown's high-end, but we were made to feel like valued and preferred customers.

We will definitely look to Rowan when we make our next move.

Testimonial

Name: Anna and Mark

My husband and I recently had the pleasure of meeting Rowan McDonald at an Open Home he was holding in Lake Hayes Estate. At our initial meeting we found Rowan to be extremely helpful and knowledgeable about residences for sale in and around Queenstown. 

Over the following few weeks, we very much appreciated that Rowan had listened to our requirements, taken our budget into account, and arranged to show us a variety of suitable homes. We did not visit any homes which were unsuitable or out of our specified price range, and we did not feel pressured by any sort of 'sales tactic'. We found Rowan to be patient, friendly and helpful at all times. 

During the purchase of our current property, Rowan was extremely conscientious in all aspects of the purchase. Rowan responded promptly to any enquiries we had, and was at all times approachable and efficient. 

We have lived in the Queenstown area for fourteen years. During that time we have purchased several houses, and have encountered a number of real estate agents. This was by far the smoothest and easiest house purchase we have made, and we attribute this to Rowan's high standards and professionalism. 

We have found the service provided by Rowan to be exceptional. We would not hesitate to contact Rowan regarding the sale or purchase of a property in the future, and we highly recommend Rowan to all prospective buyers and sellers.

Jannette Highsted AREINZ

Sales Consultant

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Mobile: +64 21 608 613
View my full profile
Contact Jannette

Email: jannette@hoamz.co.nz

An appreciation for architecture is a definite helping hand when working in the real estate business, and luckily Jannette is a true aficionado when it comes to house design. Every day on the job is like “opening presents” for Janette when she sees new properties...and that's just how she she likes her clients to feel when helping them into a new home!

A born and bred Southland girl, Jannette came to us from Gore where she excelled in the real estate game. The Queenstown market was the obvious next challenge for her to tackle and she’s continuing to build upon an extensive database of investors from all over New Zealand and Australia.

But before getting into selling homes, Jannette spent much of her spare time upgrading and improving older houses and turning them into “palaces”. Landscaper, painter, interior decorator; she’s done it all. “I’m a real fan of point of difference architecture,” says Jannette and after building three of her own homes, she’s an expert on what sells houses.

Jannette has never looked back since getting into real estate and one of her big achievements is completing her licensee certificate and getting those important letters “ARIENZ” added to her title.

 “I love the hoamz motto - "where your heart is" - Queenstown's my home - and my heart's right  here, in this wonderful town with this wonderful team! You can never complain of having nothing to do - there is just so much choice”.  With a strong interest in fitness and the outdoors and an energetic manner, Jannette truly enjoys being part of the hoamz team.

Testimonial

Name: Graeme and Yvonne

We chose Jannette Highsted to market our properties in Queenstown. Jannette came highly recommended to us and we can certainly see why. Right from our first meeting until a successful sale outcome Jannette at all times kept us informed of how her sales strategy  was progressing. We had constant contact throughout the sales process which made what could have been a test of endurance a relatively easy journey. For anyone contemplating buying or selling realestate in the Wakatipu / Queenstown lakes District you will do well to engage Jannette Highsted whom we know to be perfection personified in her chosen field of real estate.

Testimonial

Testimonial

Name: Neven and Alice

Hi Jannette

Thanks for the quick sale of our Queenstown property and making the process as painless as possible and we would recomend Jannette for any one wanting to sell their property.

Testimonial

Name: Pam Shaw

Hi Jannette
I would like to thank you for your amazing effort selling my wonderful home in Queenstown while I had to be out of the country. Your professionalism and innovation in the sale of my home at one of the most stressful times of my life was sensitive and appreciated. You went beyond in your sales approach and agreeing to try the tender process. I was always kept in the loop and reported to in a timely and honest manner. I will recommend you and use you in the purchase of my next home when I return. You rock!

Testimonial (abridged)

Name: Tim

“Thanks for all your help and guidance with the purchase of our apartment. The people you put me in touch with have been wonderful to deal with, and very helpful. A bit of old fashioned service goes a long way, and I really appreciate yours and their help. We won’t be over for a few months now but I will let you know in advance so we can catch up.  Many thanks once again."

 Testimonial

Name: Shawn

Just wanted to say a big thank you for handling the sale of our new home.  Also thanks for the lovely surprise basket we discovered on our doorstep.  It was a pleasure to deal with you, and your friendliness and cheerful manner really made the purchase far less stressful.

Testimonial

Name: Alan & Debbie

Just a quick note to thank you Jannette for all the great work you did on the sale of our property in Kingston, after having little success with other real estate agents you got the job done with both parties more than happy with the outcome. Thanks once again.

Testimonial

Name: Kylie & Justin

Just wanted to say thank you for all your help and thanks so much for the hamper that was waiting for us, so lovely and welcoming! Appreciate all your help and sure we will see you around town.

Testimonial

Name: Dinah

Thank you for your professionalism and securing a quick sale for us. I was impressed by all the phone calls and emails to both Alan and myself to update us. I liked the “Southern warmth and friendliness” of your approach especially when you called to say we actually knew the buyers!!

I would not hesitate to recommend you as a hard working friendly agent who gets the job done in a very timely manner.

Well Done Jannette and we look forward to meeting you one day.

Testimonial

Name: Chris

I would like to than you Jannette for doing a great job in selling my Queenstown property. Your attention to detail , clear info, great marketing campaign was what sold the property. Would recommend you to all looking to sell a property in Queenstown.

Testimonial

Name: Bevan

I asked Jannette for an appraisal of my property. She came back to me with this quickly, efficiently and thoroughly, which I appreciated.  While the appraised price was slightly less than I wanted at the time, I was still considering proceeding as I was aware of the current state of the market and had enjoyed Jannette’s honesty and fresh approach to the sales process.

In the meantime she approached me saying they had a buyer that they thought would be the perfect match for my property and so I naturally invited them to view it, and asked them to quote slightly higher than the appraised price.

The outcome was that the buyers bought it at that price and I was delighted with the result.

I would highly recommend Jannette to anyone considering selling their property – she is an absolute professional, very thorough, communicative and committed to her vendors and I was very surprised to find the process so simple.

Thanks Jannette, I’ll certainly be using your services again for buying and selling property.

Testimonial

Name: Jenny

Jannette is a human dynamo, my property signed up for sale within 8 days!!

I appreciated her friendly efficiency and excellent communications with me and her team   

I wish her continued success.

Testimonial

Name: Kay

I had contacted Jannette from hoamz for an appraisal of my property, after she had left a calendar in my mailbox.

Even though she did not agree with the price I was wanting for the property she went ahead and advertised it without a price.

10 out of 10 to her for not pressurising me to drop my price at that early stage.

The marketing was excellent, her market knowledge outstanding and I was very satisfied with the feedback from buyers and communication during the brief process.

And she achieved the price I wanted within 2 weeks!  I would recommend her to anyone buying or selling.

Testimonial

Name: Jan

Set for a new life in another town it was difficult to choose who I should list my house with.  The first Agency I chose totally overpriced my apartment and most of the contact I had with them was purely with me instigating it first -  seems like they had lost interest and placed the listing in the too hard basket.  After 5 months enough was enough.  I had taken a brochure with me that was the result of a letter box drop from a proactive Agent working for HOAMZ - Jannette Highsted.  I firstly spoke with Jannette about how HOAMZ operated in comparison to most other Agencies.  The part I liked most of all was the fact that the company she worked for operated on the philosophy that all the Agents working for HOAMZ would try and sell your home, not just the one that listed it.  Jannette was not the only one to do Open Homes at your house, they all got to do them so they all had a good understanding of your property and who would be attracted to it. She also promised weekly activity reports showing internet activity / number of hits on the advertised sites, who they had showed through your property that week and what comments those people had made - both negative and positive.  Mmmmm sounds good but was it just words.  I can honestly say I have not been disappointed.  Jannette delivered on every promise she made. Jannette devised excellent advertising and worked alongside her other colleagues to finally get the result I not only wanted but needed.  Not once did she lose interest always staying very positive and optomistic, even though it had been listed with them for 7 months before my property sold.  I only have good words and admiration for both Jannette and HOAMZ.

Thank you so much

Testimonial

Name: Vicki and Graham Hedley

We had been trying to buy an apartment in Queenstown for about 7 months when Jannette Highsted came to our rescue.  We found Jannette to be ever cheerful and patient answering our many detailed queries.  She was not only very prompt but also very professional always keeping us in the loop when waiting on 3^rd party answers to pass on to us.  We changed our mind quite suddenly at one point and followed an option that we were initially disinterested in, and Jannette more than happily continued to supply us with her good service and humour – this is a stage where previously many other agents had turned sour and given up on us.

In short we are now the happy owners of Queenstown real estate and Jannette not only made that possible but she was our one point of contact in the process who was ever reliable helping us solve issues where ever they arose.

Testimonial

Name: Faye, Ross and Shane

Testimonial

Name: Shirley and Nev

We were very happy with your performance regards the sale of our house in Kingston. Your attitude, energy, professionalism and commitment to the sale did not go unnoticed. You have some very good systems in place eg. phone and email and marketing.

We would have no hesitation in passing your name to others.

We wish to thank you sincerely and wish you all the best for the future.

Testimonial

Name: R Brabazon

Upon being asked to recommend a Queenstown agent:

We worked with Jannette Highsted who we found to be very hard working and efficient. I am sure that Jannette will be able to assist your friend. Please ask him to tell Jannette that I recommended her.

Testimonial

Name: A McDonald

Sometimes we have to make a decision that is difficult to make when we sell a property. Often made because of financial gain or physical limitations, in my case the latter was the driving force. To sell my Kiwi Cottage and associated land at Kingston was a decision that I agonized over for many weeks. Would I sell and how would I organize the procedure. Who could I ask for assistance? 

By chance I visited an Open Home in Kingston as the design of the dwelling interested me for I had spent all my life associated with the building trade and spoke to the real estate agent. I invited the Lady to assess my property, my introduction to Jannette Highsted. 

We came to an agreement and it was all on. My theory was that, the sale notice would not cost me a cent sitting out in front of my property no matter how long it rested there. I underestimated Jannette who worked very efficiently and as time progressed suggested some plan changes in our approach to our sale plans. I was in a position to be flexible as the new approach that was agreed on was different to the original plan of sale. I was impressed with the communication, hearing from Jannette once a week to keep me informed. Any question I asked the answer came back the same day, refreshingly different from some people one deals with. 

I had to be patient over one part of the transaction as there were two properties involved but as I was in a position to do so, the end result was satisfactory to me. My dealings with Jannette were very satisfactory and I thank her for making what I thought would be a difficult time, trouble free.

Testimonial

Name: A Smith

I would like to thank you very much for all the effort you put into selling my property.

I was very impressed with your friendly, professional service and the regular feedback you gave after prospective buyers viewed it.

I would have no hesitation in recommending you to prospective buyers and vendors.

It was a pleasure working with you.

Testimonial

Name: Lorraine

"Having had our house on the market for approximately six months with a sole agent with little success, Jannette Highsted approached us to see if she could have a go.

We found her enthusiastic, honest and prepared to work for us the Vendor, not just for the commission.

After dealing with other agents we found Jannette prepared to do the job we expected and the house was successfully sold.

We have no hesitation in recommending Jannette to any other Vendors."

Testimonial

Name: Pat & Peter

"I am relieved that the trauma of selling our house is now over, after only two months in your hands. We have admired your expertise and energy in progressing matters which were necessary for an “out of season” sale; the Listing Contract was clearly and rapidly produced, and the photographic presentation was excellent. Clearly you have produced a quality web site that can be expected to produce results.

We wish you well in your future property sales in Kingston and the wider Lakes District."

Testimonial

Name: Sal

"I just wanted to say how god damn pleased I was to have you on the job selling our Kingston property earlier this year. Without your focus I’m not sure we would have had a sale in this testing economic climate. Sure, we did get seriously real on the price and our expectations. I’m also reassured in hindsight that you got the best deal you could and you stuck with the potential buyers and followed through.

Thank you for your professional commitment to selling our property and all the best for the future."

 Testimonial

Name:  Ray & Flora

"Jannette Highsted handled the recent sale of our property in Kingston.

We were very impressed by her professionalism, her knowledge and friendliness and most impressed too by the way she speedily completed the sale process to our advantage."

Testimonial

Name: Dion

"I am very thorough and only deal with agents that are the same.

Your constant updates and attention to detail are two reasons why I continue to deal with you.

You kept me updated during the peak of the market when most agents thought they were God’s gift and picked and chose who they dealt with.

That was in the Mataura days before the jump to Queenstown. I never forget where I started and always trust my instincts.

Having property internationally, the hard yards are done in the prep and one property is only part of the jigsaw.

Thanks again Jannette, God bless."

Testimonial (abridged)

Name: Margaret and Maurie

"Dear Jannette,

Thank you for the work you have done towards the sale of our property.

We have found you and your Real Estate company very consistent, persistent and efficient. Your regular supply of information of the market, sales and upcoming property opportunities has kept us in the picture. At the time, we would have liked more people through to view the house, but feel that circumstance has served us and the Wrights well. You will have found the eventual sale straight forward with little stress other than the waiting on finances to come through!!

 So Jannette, thank you again. We have appreciated your input, and wish you and the team the best of support and success over the years."

Testimonial

Name: Wayne and Lesley

Thanks so very much Jannette on the recent sale of our property in Kingston. We were taken completely by surprise how fast our property sold especially in this time of uncertainty. We believe it was all down to you and your market strategy and personality.

Lesley and I appreciated your prompt communications on all aspects of the sale. This was so important when we live so far away. The quick emails and phone calls you made all helped the process go so much easier.

For your information we have spread the good word about you and the team. Once again please accept our warmest thanks and gratitude.

Maria Wyndham

Sales Consultant

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Out of Office Hours: +64 3 441 4388
Mobile: +64 21 997 522
View my full profile
Contact Maria

Email: maria@hoamz.co.nz

If a big smile, a bubbly personality and a genuine love of helping people into their dream home counts for something in real estate, then Maria Wyndham’s at the top of the stack. Couple that with sales and negotiation skills finely honed after years of experience and you’ve got a sales consultant with everything in place.

Maria’s always believed real estate was for her, and sat her REINZ papers soon after joining hoamz (then Southern Lakes Real Estate) as Warren White's PA.

Being surrounded by the knowhow, experience and positive energy of New Zealand's most legendary property sales consultant has helped Maria onto the road to becoming a legend in her own right! That may sound a little like a fairy tale but Maria and carpenter husband Bruce have had a good deal of property experience over the years too. Combining their joint skill sets of building and interior design, the couple have produced and sold numerous homes, which has given them invaluable insight into the property industry.

 "I think it's fair to say we've learned what should be expected by vendors and buyers alike. We know the procedure, we know which consultants stood out and which were left in the shade, so it was time to put those lessons into practice," says Maria of the start of her real estate career. Years down the track, she’s well established as a successful member of the hoamz team.

Whether it’s her infectious enthusiasm at a listing appointment, her knowledge and skills at a serious buyer negotiation or a practical joke on a member of the team, there’s never a dull moment when Maria’s around!

'A big thank you very much to Hoamz for selling our house at 232 Peninsula  Road, Kelvin Heights but an even bigger thank you to Maria who is an amazing real estate agent.  

Maria handled every aspect of selling our house in a professional manner with very little disturbance to our normal lives.  This was commendable by itself.  However, what is even more impressive is Maria's suggestion for us to look at 1B Peregrine Place, a smaller property but Maria's insistence was directed from her astute memory of what we came to look for in Queenstown almost 9 years ago (when we first came into contact with Maria).  Maria was right - this is the property we had looked for - and despite some considerable difficulties that Maria overcame with her dogged perseverance we bought it.  We so appreciate Maria and highly recommend her skills in real estate.

PS she is a lovely lady too.'

Testimonial

Testimonial

Name: Dan & Lana Cruickshank 

Thank you Maria for your passion and determination with selling our property.  You exceeded our expectations with getting it advertised and on the radar of the other hoamz agents.  As well as that, you are very personable and great at communicating what's happening at the various stages of the sales process.  We have no hesitation in recommending you to others.  Thanks again Dan & Lana Cruickshank. 

Testimonial

Name: Ross

Maria is a very professional Estate Agent that I engaged with. I am very happy I was introduced to her as from the day I approached her till the day my apartment sold, I did not have to worry about anything as she took care of everything. She is proactive and always got back to me regarding statistics so I did not have to wonder what was happening to my property. Unlike some agents that I have worked with where I have had to continue to ask for the status, I did not have this problem with Maria. I am very comfortable with her professionalism and would really recommend her for all property work.

Testimonial

Name: Mike and Keiko

Maria's laid-back manner, no pressure approach and willingness to supply us with all information requested made our house hunting and resulting purchase a pleasure.

Testimonial

Name: Vicki and Ian

Ian and I wish to thank you for the wonderful service you have provided for us in selling our home and the purchase of our new townhouse.

We found the whole process was dealt with in a professional, friendly manner and nothing was too much trouble. Our questions were always answered in a prompt manner and staff were always a pleasure to deal with.

Already I have referred your services to people that have come through the Job Agency.

When the time comes to go through the process all again (hopefully not for a year or so!!!) you will definitely be the first ones we contact.

Many thanks again and please enjoy my homemade carrot cake for your morning tea.

All the best

Testimonial

Name: Gary - Perth, Australia

I decided to list my Queenstown property in late April 2011 with Maria Wyndham of Hoamz Real Estate and the property was listed on early May.

I have never sold a property before I had the expectation of a sale time in line with the average of 67 days (or there about) at the time of listing.

I would like to commend Maria on being able to locate a buyer within 14 days which resulted in a settled sale 30 days later and this was all down via the internet between Perth Australia and Queenstown New Zealand with no problems at all.

I would recommend Maria to anyone wanting to sell a property.

Testimonial

Name: Michiyo & Yukio

Testimonial

Name: George

It’s certainly true in our experience:

“Maria’s intelligent and subtle approach make her a pleasure for prospective buyers to deal with. She ascertains the buyers’ real objectives and circumstances in a straightforward and non-intrusive way, and then applies impressive amounts of industry and market knowledge to finding the right property at the right price for them. Her natural energy and courteousness make the whole process as quick and painless as possible.”

Testimonial

Name: Jeff and Dave

Hey Maria, I just wanted to send you a note to thank you for your excellent service during our property search. We initially began our search by looking at properties on the internet. During this process we contacted quite a number of real estate agents. Most simply did not respond at all or were very unhelpful when they did. Your responses were quick, informative and very helpful. You took the time to try and understand the type of property that we were looking for and made numerous suggestions to help us in our search. Whilst we were in Queenstown your organization of home viewings and willingness to give constructive and honest feedback was excellent and this very much helped us in our decision making process. Also your friendly demeanor put us immediately at ease and your “go the extra mile attitude” allowed us to find the right property in a very short time. I would certainly not hesitate to recommend you as the real-estate agent of choice to anyone.

Could you please forward this on to your supervisor as I would very much like them to know of how satisfied we are of your service.

Testimonial

Name: Dave, Jeff and Cindy

Hi Maria,

Dave, Cindy & Myself would like to thank you for helping us with our purchase in Queenstown. The months of emails asking lots of questions were always answered promptly with good information, enabling us to be well informed about the market before we got there.

Your understanding of our requirements made formulating a list of properties to view and finding our property much easier.

We really enjoyed the experience and look forward to catching up with you again soon.

Testimonial

Name: Virginia and Ross

To Whom it may concern

We were looking through the property press and saw a house we wanted to view. We called Southern Lakes (now Hoamz) and Maria answered the phone.

We found Maria to be professional and friendly – and certainly not pushy like other agents we have found in the past.

As Queenstown is a small town we wanted to stick with 1 agent whom we knew we could rely on and who would look after our interests and knew what we were looking for.

Maria continued to seek properties that would appeal to us and found us the “ perfect “ house.

After the sale was complete Maria brought us some great wine and gift basket which was very much appreciated.

We would certainly recommend Maria to any potential buyer or vendor – we are sure that she will do a great job for them too.

Testimonial

Name: Peter and Elaine K

Testimonial

Name: Corey S

Testimonial

Name: Brett G

To whom it may concern.

 I first met Maria Wyndham around five years ago when I was looking to purchase property in Queenstown. My wife and I had specific needs in a property so not just any house would be appropriate. Maria took the time to understand our needs and actively set about compiling a number of houses that would meet our requirements.

Over the years circumstances continued to change for us, keeping us overseas and delaying our move to Queenstown. During this time Maria continued to search out properties and keep us updated on the state of the property market here. We trusted Maria’s opinion and on the occasions we were in Queenstown we viewed the properties Maria suggested. Earlier this year we found the perfect property and Maria negotiated the purchase for us while we were out of town.

Throughout the entire process we have found Maria to be very thorough, extremely professional, proactive and always pleasant. Other agents may have walked away given the length of time spent looking but Maria stayed with it and completed the sale. I highly recommend Maria to potential buyers and sellers.

Testimonial

Name: Clive and Joy

Recently we have been successful in selling our property at auction through your company with Maria Wyndham as our agent. Maria was thorough in her approach ensuring we were fully aware of all processes through our initial discussions and subsequent meetings with her. We were kept well-informed, prior to and following open homes, and of the activity surrounding prospective purchasers. Maria advised us to attend an auction prior to our own which we found very helpful giving us a thorough understanding of what to expect. Her attention to detail ensured all the necessary paperwork prior to auction was completed so that on the evening the auction unfolded as smoothly as possible. We have been very pleased with the professionalism and whole team approach when dealing with them and in particular Maria and would recommend her and them to any potential vendors.

Testimonial

Name: Shirley

"A little note to thank you for all your consistently hard work over the time it took to sell our house.

It’s a stressful time selling a house and even when I got testy you always remained calm, cheerful, helpful and patient.

You and the team are a great crew and I loved the fun you brought into even the dullest of days.

To get the sale together, you and Quilly (Agent Gold Tooth) worked extremely hard and tenaciously and showed intelligent handling of a stubborn stalemate.

Well done and thankyou."

Testimonial

Name: Nigel & Marlene

"1 Silverwood Lane, Kelvin Heights

The above property had been on a general listing for approximately four months, when we approached Maria Wyndham regarding marketing on a sole agency with your company.

Maria was very positive about the property, and mapped out a marketing strategy with us, whilst allowing us to have some input into the plan.

Within two weeks Maria had matched the property to some of her clients, and an offer was made for the property.

There were some issues with the title and permits, due to a previous sub-division, which had to be checked by the Council authorities, however Maria did all of the research and investigation, and was able to satisfy the purchasers that these were not an issue.

Maria has worked very hard on this sale, and especially in a quiet period, and also in a time of slight uncertainty in the market, she has managed to secure an unconditional sale at a price that was most satisfactory to us.

We are very grateful to Maria for her professionalism and enthusiasm shown during the sale of our property.

We would have no hesitation in recommending Maria to anyone selling or purchasing a house in the Queenstown Southern Lakes District."

Testimonial

Name: Simon & Nina

"Thank you so much for all your help with our house – you really sold it to us and we both thank our lucky stars that it was you on the desk that morning! Love Simon and Nina"

Testimonial (abridged)

Name: Yasushi & Mari

"We can say anything when we are talking about property and private matter with Maria. She always makes us feel fun and relax. She gives us her call or email quickly anytime. We had a good communication with her because she often call us or send us her email. She gave us necessary information at each marketing stage, i.e. advertisement options and cost, professional photographer and etc. She and the Marketing Team gave us a good advice on marketing for our property selling. 

They are very well organized because we can discuss an Ad with Ad specialist and have good advice on the next marketing plan from the Marketing Team, and ask a rental property team to use house for temporary stay until buying property.

Maria is our trusted coordinator and all of the members of the company are supporting her to achieve for our success. I think this is the best business model for client service on property marketing, because vendors and purchasers can obtain a good idea, know-how, experience and skill from all of the members for selling or buying property.

We always feel enjoyable and comfortable when we come to the office and talking with members because everyone talks to us casually and freely anywhere and anytime with a big smile like an old friend. They seem to be working for pleasure, but it is a very good thing. We look forward to coming the office every time because we can enjoy with them.

This business model for client service is absolutely a sustainable success model. I would like to tell all of my Japanese friends about the team in Queenstown."

Testimonial

Name: Ann & Neil

"Thank you Maria for working so well for us. You were friendly, adaptable and more than ready to go the extra mile. We truly appreciated everything you did for us to ensure we got the property we wanted. We will be recommending you to anyone we wanting a property in Queenstown."

Testimonial

Name: Gemma

"We found Maria very helpful and courteous. Maria always made a great effort to show us properties in her own time and was always there to answer questions the best she could.

Maria took onboard exactly what we were looking for in a property and I would not hesitate in recommending her services to others."

Garry Pankhurst

Sales Consultant / Business Broker

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Out of Office Hours: +64 3 441 8090
Mobile: +64 27 433 6304
View my full profile
Contact Garry

Email: garry@hoamz.co.nz

There’s a familiar quality that runs through much of the hoamz staff roll and Garry Pankhurst typifies this trait: he’s a Southlander, born and bred!

Having lived in Invercargill since he was a wee boy, Garry’s experience in sales began four decades ago in a local car yard. After gaining the skills he needed, Garry and his business partner formed O’Callaghan Pankhurst Motors and proceeded to build it into a thriving company.

True to the die-hard sporting tradition of Southlanders, Garry has been a fanatical sportsman his whole life. As well as playing first class rugby for the Invercargill Pirates, representing New Zealand in softball and also enjoying a regular round of golf, he’s shouldered many roles off the field too. He’s served as chairman of the Southland Rugby Union, President of the Invercargill Pirates during their Centenary year and manager of the Southland Rugby team.

Around the end of his fourth decade of selling cars, it was time for a lifestyle change.

Garry and his wife Marie packed up and shifted to Queenstown in 2000, in part for the resort’s great weather.

While Garry’s sales and business experience sets him in perfect stead for real estate, it was his passion for property (he’s bought and sold three times since moving to Queenstown!) that really spurred his eagerness for the job.

“The thing that makes me happiest is a happy environment, and that’s exactly what you get in our office,” he says.

And continuing on with the team’s strong tradition of quality, service and integrity, Garry’s bringing his own strong roots and connection with the community into the job.

Testimonial

Name: Albert & Christine Dore

Dear Gary

Many thanks for your efforts re sale of Aachen Motel, until you came along about 3 months ago we were just drifting along with several real estate firms waiting hopefully for someone to appear out of the woodwork. In hindsight this was never going to happen.

You introduced some reality to the situation when we realised that to sell we had to be prepared to meet the market. With your help we certainly did and we are very happy sellers.  You also kept us informed re progress, which was very much appreciated, something other agents could learn from.

Once again thanks very much.

Testimonial

Name: Debbie & Matthew

To Whom It May Concern

Having decided to list our home with Garry, my husband and I were impressed with his prompt service and the results achieved.

Garry priced our property to meet the market and presented us with an offer of the asking price within three days.  When the first offer did not confirm he quickly acted to bring a second offer in two more days.

The sale of our property was wrapped up within three weeks of our initial discussions and we felt that Garry’s enthusiasm and efficiency made it easy for us. 

We are happy to recommend his services to future clients.

Testimonial

Name: Lex and Hazel

To Whom it may concern;

Very recently a team from your office, headed by Garry Pankhurst were successful in listing and selling our home at 39 Elm Street Ave, Frankton, Queenstown.

My husband and myself have previously experienced selling our homes, together and separately.  We just want to congratulate your firm on the high quality and standards Garry and “The Team” exercised throughout.  You are to be congratulated on employing people of such high skills and class. Garry, could not have explained all detail – open homes, etc down to “The Auction” any better and are certain he will continue to keep us posted until all is finalized.  A top salesman!!

Special recommendation has to be given to our “Auctioneer”, Brendan Quill.  He is clever, witty, polite and worked hard for our price.  A natural for his position.  Again congratulations.

We would also like to highlight a couple of agents we saw a fair amount and strongly recommend – Fiona McDonald and Graeme Jackson, however it was “the team job”, done by all that we thank you for, and strongly recommend any and all from your firm to future clients.

Testimonial

Name: Charlotte

Dear Garry,

Thank you for all your help and support, this would never have happened without yours and Quilly’s extra effort.

A sincere thank you, I appreciate everything you have both done for me.

Testimonial

Name: B & J

To Whom It May Concern:

We entrusted the sale of our property at 379 Peninsula Road, Queenstown, to Garry Pankhurst. After discussing the various methods of sale we decided, with Garry’s advice, to take the property to auction. Through their excellent marketing campaign, Garry and his fellow salespersons managed to show over 40 lots of people through the property in the four weeks leading up to the auction and created the necessary interest which we believed helped us attain the best price the market would pay. Thanks also go to Brendan Quill who was a master auctioneer on the day of the sale.

We have no hesitation in recommending Garry Pankhurst to do an excellent full service program for the sale of a property.

Ged Hay

Sales Consultant

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Out of Office Hours: +64 3 441 1386
Mobile: +64 274 440 089
View my full profile
Contact Ged

Fiona McDonald

Sales Consultant

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Mobile: +64 275 500 966
View my full profile
Contact Fiona

Email: fiona@hoamz.co.nz

An innate joie de vivre is apparent from the moment you meet Fiona McDonald. There’s no denying this is one lady with boundless energy, who throws herself wholeheartedly into every venture in life, from travelling overseas pursuing dreams to achieving success in her career; Fiona does everything with passion and commitment.

Naturally you’d think that makes her a perfect member of the team - we all know the hoamz sales squad are a committed bunch, but Fiona arguably takes the cake on making sure she’s got every form of life experience required to excel in a role as a Sales Consultant. From studying Property Valuation at university, to working as a labourer on building sites, she’s left nothing to chance in equipping herself for a career in real estate.

She also has one extra special skill to set her apart from the crowd – a lifelong love affair with supermarkets (The editor would like it noted that we’re not making this up…), in which she spends time identifying, being inspired by and understanding new products and the best ways to use them. So she’s well placed to work with new properties to the market, and understand the right buyer and the solutions those properties can provide for them. After all, ‘outside the square’ thinking and problem solving are two of the driving forces of this Southland girl, along with a love of spending time with friends and walking in Queenstown’s great outdoors.

When asked ‘why hoamz’ as her choice for a real estate career, she’s quick with an answer: ‘I wanted to work with the most progressive, actively motivated team who moved with the times and constantly reviews and improves the way they do business’. 

Right place, right time – after 15 years in Queenstown, a proven track record in sales and an ‘above and beyond’ attitude to life Fiona’s an asset to the team. To talk to Fiona just give her a call – or alternatively pop into your local supermarket and there’s a good chance you’ll find her browsing the aisles!

Testimonial

Name: Emma and Mark

Thank you so much for the brilliant support you gave us with our house move.  Not only did you immediately know the right property for us to move in to, you also got the best price possible, and were hugely helpful in explaining all the details.  It's a complex process and we have both felt that we understood what was happening at every step of the way, thanks to your unlimited time and patience.

Testimonial

Name: Mark & Andrae van Beers

We first chose to list our property with Fiona as she came across as a bit of a 'go getter'! Not to mention we like the team, the service and the image that Hoamz as a company offers its' clients. Our decision to list with Fiona proved to be the right one as our house sold within just a few weeks due to their team work. We are delighted with how Fiona operated from start to finish and the fact that she kept on going afterwards with her determination to find us a new home! She listened and understood our needs, has been great with communication and was active in exploring all possibilities. We wish her all the best and would highly recommend her to any future vendor or prospective purchaser.

Testimonial

Name: Meadow

Fiona McDonald was able to secure us a sale for our home after trying many other agents. She worked with us continually on both the styling of the property and the marketing campaign to appeal to as many buyers as possible.  Fiona also stuck with us ensuring we got a fair price for our property. She was both patient and approachable,listening to our needs as a family trying to sell a family home. I feel confident recommending her as a real estate agent who will work for you to achieve the desired outcome.

Testimonial

Name: Meg

Well done to you - we certainly couldn't have done this crazy transaction without your persistence and wonderfulness. You've certainly earned your commission! Just sorry it isn't a $3 million house. Thank you so much!

Testimonial

Name: Katherine

Just wanted to extend my thanks to you and your team, especially Fiona and Jacko for your assistance with the sale of my apartment on Ballarat street, it has taken a while but I appreciate your perseverance as I know it hasn’t been the easiest place to sell!

Testimonial

Name: Anne

Testimonial

Name: Peter, wife Lily and little wee Sam

Testimonial

Name: Lex & Hazel

(Abbreviated)

To whom it may concern,

Very recently a team from your office, were successful in listing and selling our home at 39 Elm Street Ave, Frankton, Queenstown.

My husband and myself have previously experienced selling our homes, together and separately.  You are to be congratulated on employing people of such high skills and class.

We would also like to highlight a couple of agents we saw a fair amount and strongly recommend – Fiona McDonald and Graeme Jackson, however it was “the team job”, done by all that we thank you for, and strongly recommend any and all from your firm to future clients.

Nick Eyre

Sales consultant

Office Hours: +64 (0)3 441 8858
Mobile: +64 (0)21 762 609
View my full profile
Contact Nick

Email:    nick@hoamz.co.nz

It’s been a long journey, geographically speaking, and one peppered with adventure for Nick Eyre but he’s found his home in real estate at hoamz. The British ex-pat grew up on the small island of Guernsey in the English Channel, and after a few years studying for his degree on the mainland, travel beckoned. Never one to do things by halves, Nick opted to move to the other side of the world to pursue his love of the outdoors.

An instant attraction to Queenstown sealed the deal – Nick made his home here and quickly established himself as a well-known face in the tourism and hospitality industries. Of particular note was a role with Queenstown’s renowned Canyon Swing. Nick’s well-developed people skills meant encouraging jumpers to tackle the daunting 109m drop was easy. As the man himself says ‘if I can guide people through that, I can guide them through anything’ – a philosophy which stands him in good stead as a real estate sales consultant!

Real estate’s in the blood for Nick, with a family history of property investing piquing his interest at an early age. The challenge of working in such a dynamic industry along with being able to help people through some of the most demanding decisions of their life was irresistible. Nick’s ‘can do’ attitude and cheerful persona are sure-fire drawcards for buyers and sellers. Joining hoamz was a natural decision – Nick wanted to be in an office ‘with a bit of life in it’ and hoamz’s bustling downtown team fit the bill perfectly.

Spare time spent in the hills around the town snowboarding, hiking, hunting, fishing (though he confesses to not catching much!) and generally exploring the area keep the lively local busy.

So that’s an adventure-loving nature, hard-working outlook, a seriously motivated attitude, a fan of the outdoors, a wealth of real estate knowledge and exemplary people skills. To unashamedly coin a real estate cliché, Nick ticks all the boxes.

Testimonial

Paula

Having just had my home in Lake Hayes Estate sold by Hoamz I would like to say that I found all the agents I dealt with very accommodating and helpful.

Nick was very good at keeping me up to date with what was happening and I would not hesitate to recommend the company to others.

Hugh Clark

Sales Consultant

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Mobile: +64 27 223 2997
View my full profile
Contact Hugh

Email: hugh@hoamz.co.nz

Inextricably woven into the rich tapestry of the Queenstown business world, Hugh Clark has been part of the local furniture since 1994. A diverse range of roles in companies ranging from the skifields to jetboat operators and the ever-popular cinema have built Hugh an enviable network. Operating his own business selling movie collectibles online and through his central Queenstown retail premises cemented him as one of those faces in town that everyone knows!

Stepping into real estate in a marketing role in 2007, Hugh’s exemplary IT and web skills helped lift vendors’ properties to new levels of exposure online. Like putting on a well-loved pair of shoes, Hugh was right at home (if you’ll pardon the pun) in the hoamz team, having worked with many of the agents and staff in previous positions. It’s that team environment that drives this likeable chap in his mission for real estate success. ‘It’s about working with a great team to match buyers and sellers ; I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but it’s finding the right property for someone that makes it such a great job’ says Hugh.

Communications skills are another arrow in Hugh’s quiver of real estate qualities. As a keen user of all manner of technology, vendors and buyers can expect to hear regularly about all the latest happenings, trends and stats from this people person.

A self-confessed ‘movie geek’, Hugh likes nothing better than to spend his weekends catching up on the latest films and bumping into friends old and new while teeing off on a round of Frisbee golf in the beautiful Queenstown gardens. 

Testimonial

Name: Mark and Louise

Just wanted to drop you a quick note to say thanks for your help in selling 4 O'Leary's. We're sad to be out of the Queenstown market but it made no sense to have a home on the other side of the world.  Hopefully we'll be back in the market down there one day. 

Chris Connor

Sales consultant

Office Hours: +64 (0)3 441 8858
Mobile: +64 (0)274 731 529
View my full profile
Contact Chris

Email: chris@hoamz.co.nz

An amiable handshake, combined with a smart suit and a twinkle of the eye seem somehow at odds with the nickname ‘Rhino’, yet in Chris Connor’s case, it’s a natural marriage! A real estate professional of more than 25 years, Chris has charged his way through the years with buoyant optimism and a commitment to professionalism that’s stood him in good stead.

An early career as a hotel manager set Chris on a customer service path which he’s pursued with gusto. Undeniably a people person, Chris values ‘meeting people and being able to help them’ above all else, making him the perfect fit for the property business. Having decided he preferred being the boss to taking orders from one (after all, rhinos are leaders rather than followers), his determination and head for business led to the establishment of his own successful real estate company in Mt Maunganui. A couple of decades and plenty of sales later, Chris and wife Vivienne opted for a move south.

When questioned on the motivation for moving from the sunny north, the answer is quick in coming ‘Rivers, mountains, lakes and streams – look at it, how could you not want to move here?’. Our sentiments exactly, Chris, hence the excellent decision to join the team at hoamz, also known for their love of everything Queenstown has to offer.

So if you’re looking for old-fashioned values, superior service and a wealth of experience, talk to Chris. In his own words ‘It’s not the promise but the process that’ll deliver the best results’.

And the nickname? Dating back (by his own confession) a long, long, time, it’s all about his ‘enthusiastic’ approach to rugby. The rest can be left to the imagination. 

Cate Macdonald

Property consultant

Office Hours: +64 (0)3 441 8858
Mobile: +64 (0)27 334 9292
View my full profile
Contact Cate

Email: cate@hoamz.co.nz

A practical, down to earth, balanced approach to life has stood Cate Macdonald in good stead through high-flying careers and overseas adventures. Growing up with three brothers has helped her shine out in her career history by being the person not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get stuck into whatever it takes to put her company on the path to success, always with a smile on her face.

Cate fell in love with the Wakatipu as a child with holidays spent at beautiful Lake Hayes. Her real estate love affair started with buying, renovating and developing a rental portfolio in Dunedin after which she spent many years travelling and living overseas. In London Cate chose a step into the high-pressure world of banking, which gave her a real appreciation of how the financial world operates. Cate also lived in the US in the Aspen area for a total of 7 years, performing marketing and office management for a resource management company, a sustainable residential development and a doggie day care and spa. The lure of the Wakatipu got too much however, and saw her returning to much-loved Arrowtown to start her real estate career.

Thriving on bringing deals together through negotiation, Cate specialises in assisting people through what can be a very stressful process. A natural empathy helps her understand the emotional experience and deal sensitively with every aspect of buying and selling.

Cate works actively with fellow Arrowtowner Valerie Couper, and the two are fast carving out a reputation as the ‘go-to’ team for property. When she’s not matching up real estate contracts, Cate’s every inch the Arrowtown resident – long lunches are complemented by workouts in her veg and flower gardens, community activities and riverside walks with English Bulldog Archie and Jack Russell Olive.

Sounds like a good balance to us.

Testimonial

Name: The Dolans
Valerie and Cate kept in constant contact with us and made the process easy.

Testimonial

Name: Rose Ukich
We’ve dealt with many Real Estate Agents and we found Cate to be OUTSTANDING!

Testimonial

Name: Lorna and David Wright
Cate has a wonderful attitude.  She is positive, friendly and always pays special attention to details.  She is a great agent – not pushy either!  We would use her again most definitely.

Testimonial

Name: Bruce and Eleanor Teasedale
Your service to us was very friendly and professionally handled.

Testimonial

Name: Tamsin and Luke
Thank you kindly for all your work and help selling Fox’s Tce, we really appreciated it.

Testimonial

Name: Nick
Thanks Cate for the whole sales and negotiation period as I know the vendor was a bit difficult.

Testimonial

Name: Anonymous vendor
We were impressed with Cate’s positive attitude and frequent updates.

Valerie Couper

Property consultant

Office Hours: +64 (0)3 441 8858
Mobile: +64 (0)21 482 984
View my full profile
Contact Valerie

Email: valerie@hoamz.co.nz

We have two ears but only one mouth, meaning as humans we’re designed to listen, and there are few better listeners than Val. A previous career in social work meant this Southern lady was always destined to be a people person. Her listening skills have served her well since 2005 when she chose to follow a career in real estate, something which her happy clients (many of whom she now calls friends) can bear witness to.

Val’s always been the kind of person who likes to help. Originally from a farming background, she saw the opportunity of the burgeoning backpacker industry in Southland and opened the highly rated ‘Southern Comfort’ hostel in Invercargill. Listening to what her customers wanted from their stay was key to her success, and it’s a major blessing in her real estate role too. Val has a real understanding of the stress involved in a real estate transaction and is an advocate of working hard and keeping the communication channels open.

As an Arrowtown resident since 2005 and a homeowner long before that, Val’s full of community spirit and loves the village way of life. In her spare times she’s a committee member of the Arrowtown Village Association and also a keen gardener and avid walker. She likes nothing better than exploring the tracks and trails of the famed gold mining area.

Now working in a team with Cate Macdonald, Val’s specialising in Arrowtown and its surrounding areas. She lives, loves and works in the town and is full of enthusiasm for assisting others into the Arrowtown lifestyle. 

Kath Cruickshank AREINZ

Property Consultant

Office Hours: +64 (0)3 441 8858
Mobile: +64 (0)274 368 531
View my full profile
Contact Kath

Email: kathd@hoamz.co.nz

Family comes first. Whether it’s her real family, her work family or her family of customers, you’d be hard pushed to find a more loyal sales consultant than Kath. Arguably unparalleled in her rich real estate experience, Kath Cruickshank brings a huge 24 years of skills and knowledge to the hoamz team.

Having started no less than three successful firms during her real estate career, since diving headlong into the industry in 1989 Kath’s been on a one-woman mission to provide the best experience for her clients. And by all accounts, she’s succeeded. Pages of testimonials from clients tell a story of an agent who really cares and wants the best for people. A self-confessed workaholic, Kath’s always available for her clients and has won many awards for her committed service.

Kath’s well known locally not only for her real estate credentials, but also as the warm welcome behind Frankton’s ‘On the verge’ café. The locals’ favourite saw industrious Kath baking up a storm and meeting friends new and old alongside showcasing some of Queenstown’s most desirable property in her neighbouring agency, Frankton Real Estate.

Having earned a well-respected position in Queenstown real estate, she’s chosen to come back home – to hoamz. As one of the founders of Southern Lakes Real Estate (hoamz’s former name), Kath worked with the team in 2003 and is delighted to be back among familiar high-performing faces. With the backing of her hoamz family, she’s ready to step back from being a business owner and focus on what she does best – helping people to buy and sell property.

Dynamic Kath manages to combine business with pleasure by working alongside her children, all of whom are experienced real estate professionals. An expanding brood of grandchildren keeps Kath busy outside of office hours, along with a passion for music that’s shared with the whole family.

After a lengthy and rewarding career in the industry Kath shows no signs of slowing down – the twinkle in her eye tells you that she’s enthusiastic to stay in real estate for a long time to come. We applaud you, Kath!

Testimonial

Annemarie:

Kath was an absolute pleasure to deal with and professional in how she managed our house sales. Once we made the decision to sell Kath took care of everything. With her friendly, kind and helpful way she was prepared to work very hard for us and we appreciated the support.  Kath made us feel like we were her top priority, always available and kept us informed throughout the sale. That personal touch ensured us we were in good hands throughout the process.

Coral Smith

Receptionist

Office Hours: +64 (0)3 441 8858
Contact Coral

Email: coral@hoamz.co.nz

Jenny Parkes

Customer services

Office Hours: +64 (0)3 441 8858
Contact Jenny

Email: jenny@hoamz.co.nz

Sue Charlesworth

Marketing Manager

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Mobile: +64 21 648 422
Contact Sue

Email: sue@hoamz.co.nz

Andrea McWhirter

Office Manager

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Contact Andrea

Email: andrea@hoamz.co.nz

Debra Loewe

Business Support

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Contact Debra

Email: debra@hoamz.co.nz

Clare Evans

Marketing Co-ordinator

Office Hours: +64 (0)3 441 8858
Contact Clare

Email: clare@hoamz.co.nz

Emma Watson

Marketing assistant

Office Hours: +64 3 441 8858
Contact Emma

Email: emma@hoamz.co.nz