Manager's Comments 26-9-14

We have seen a market increase in buyer activity, offers and sales during September. Why? We wish we knew. This started prior to the election, no particular good news or market anomaly appears to have sparked this interest. Now with a settled political outlook, daylight saving and warmer longer days we can only expect this trend to continue to build. What has been constant with buyers throughout is that they know the market, they know where they see value, and they stick to what they know when making offers. What I am saying is more buyer interest is welcome, but prices remain constant and in order to sell, vendors still need to meet the market.

John Christiansen

Managers' Comments 15-9-14

There is a marked increase in new listings over the past 3-4 weeks. Spring has sprung to mind for many who are looking at getting into this market now to capitalize on the dearth of good properties.   Currently there are only half the properties for sale in New Plymouth than would normally be expected at this time of the year. This slight increase will free the market up somewhat and provide competition for those already listed for sale. We are still experiencing a good level of buyer activity, but given more good houses to chose from, that may be dissipated somewhat. Consider this when your offer comes. Meantime, longer days, better weather and more overall activity will be a good thing.

John Christiansen

Manager's Comments 4-8-14

People ask me, how would you go about selling your house? Obviously they realize that after 25 years on the job, 10 years leading New Plymouths most successful sales team, I will have a good idea of what works best. They’re right, I do. The fact is, I am selling my house. It’s a really good house in a top location. I will miss living there. However, for the foreseeable future we have decided apartment living will suit us better, and so the sale is on. Like all vendors I want it all. I want the opportunity to gain any market premium available. I want the best agents working for me. I want some urgency and certainty, I want a sale date. To achieve all this I engaged a top agent and one of our auctioneers, and we go to auction late this month. I know the very best negotiator, the auctioneer, will control proceedings to my advantage. The promotion and pre auction sales activity will be far superior to other selling procedures. I understand when the sale is made, the hammer drops, I will have a cash, unconditional contract with a full deposit paid. I will be on my way, moving to the next little chapter in my life. The stress and anxiety will be less knowing I am doing everything possible to facilitate a smooth and successful sale. I will be walking the walk.

John Christiansen

Manager's Comments 26-5-14

This last week the Harcourts New Plymouth office had 3361 hits to our NP property listings on www.realestate.co.nz, now the country’s biggest real estate site. We will have had more than double that number on all our sights combined; www.taranakiharcourts.co.nz, www.harcourts.co.nz, www.open2view.co.nz. 85% of buyers make first contact with the real estate market on line now, and that number is growing. Of them, now over half do it on a smart phone or tablet. Instant information anywhere, that is the market we deal with. You will note all our print ads now contain only 1 photo and a prominent QR code. The QR code is a direct link to that specific property on line, where between 12-25 more photos, a floor plan and video tour are listed. Print advertising now promotes the vastly more detailed media for the property information. The Internet. That’s why we spend so much effort to maintain our position, number 1 on line. Because, we know that’s where people are looking.

Manger's Comments - Feb 2014

January saw the NP market continue in light volumes with only 64 sales in the city. One up on the year long low of December. The issue here seems to be stock. We simply don’t have enough property to sell. Those few properties languishing on the market are suffering from a ‘full expectation’ by their sellers – fuller than the market is prepared to pay. We have buyers in all price brackets, but they have been highly educated these last couple of years. They know values. Their bankers know values. Our local property pricing will not be changing much if at all in the medium term future. Further out than that no one knows. Our market seems as set in its core valuations as it ever was. Buyers know this, and the successful sellers also.

John Christiansen

TaranakiHarcourts.co.nz push for Number 1 on line is really taking hold. Statistics for January on Google searches for Taranaki & New Plymouth real estate using many categories and prhases located taranakiharcourts.co.nz website 150 times in the number one position. Our closest competitor was located 8 times. That makes taranakiharcourts.co.nz a staggering 1875% more ‘findable’ than our next competitor. When you want to ‘fish where the fish are’ it is essential to have your property listed on taranakiharcourts.co.nz. This is something you really made the right decision about, and your property is being marketed to buyers in the most efficient way possible in these digital times.

John Christiansen

Manager's Comments 14-10-13

Well the Council has a very new look about it. I wonder how much difference this will all make in the end? I thought our old Council actually did rather well considering all the wonderful amenities and facilities we enjoy – the reason most of us stay here. Time will tell. The new Council will have a bearing on local property values, these go up and down (temporarily) because of supply and demand. There really is no other driver when it comes down to it. All the other factors do is help shape supply and demand. The high demand in NP at present is directly related to: A: it is a lovely place to live and our lifestyle is enhanced by what NP offers. We want to be here. B: employment demands, currently in the energy and engineering sectors. Council has a direct effect on how attractive NP is to us in many ways. I just hope they don’t find it necessary to make too much change. Is it really broken? Current demand to live here doesn’t support that view. Change the bath water by all means, but let’s keep the baby. Let’s also keep the high demand for NP property. Several bidders took our latest auction last week over the reserve again. Seller and buyer were both very happy with this simple but effective process. If you haven’t yet fully considered auction, discuss it with your agent today and take that advantage. John Christiansen