The team at Century 21 Gadsby Realty in Te Awamutu - from left to right: Gaile Para, Clifford Brown, Chris Gadsby, Dre Liebenberg, Ian Nicholas, Eli Gadsby, Julie Elliot, Rebecca Fraser, Taye Russ, Paul Wheeler, and Raewyn Brock.
Rebecca Fraser and Paul Wheeler became the proud owners of Century 21 Gadsby Realty in Te Awamutu two years ago.
At the time, they described buying the well-known local real estate franchise as a once in a lifetime opportunity. Their team has enjoyed significant success since.
Their arrival coincided with the Alexandra Street office getting a well-received makeover thanks to Century 21's new sleek global branding. The bright gold jackets were gone!
"We passionately drive a real team approach when it comes to sales. We draw on each other's individual strengths to create the best possible results, with vendors always put first. We are incredibly proud of the team we inherited and have built since," says Rebecca.
The past two years have seen Gadsby Realty winning several Century 21 awards, with their success often making the local paper.
In fact, for the first quarter of this year, the Waikato franchise was ranked number one across the country.
In April it was announced that Gadsby Realty won Top Office for the Quarter for both (Gross Closed Commission) and Units (the number of properties listed and sold). Rebecca Fraser and Eli Gadsby also won gold sales awards, and Paul Wheeler took away a silver award.
"Rebecca and Paul only bought Century 21 Gadsby Realty in mid-2019 and then had a particularly strong 2020. It's a credit to them that they took out the top office spot for the first three months of 2021," said a spokesperson for Century 21 New Zealand at the time.
The franchise's former owner and well-known local realtor, Chris Gadsby, has remained on as part of the team.
"Having Chris continue to play a key role in the business has been brilliant. His many years in the industry and relationship building skills combined with my management and conveyancing experience has seen us go from strength to strength," says Rebecca.
Previously, Rebecca was the business manager for Learning Matters Limited. She also has extensive legal experience as a registered legal executive specialising in conveyancing with law firms in Waikato. On top of that, Rebecca has three school-aged children.
Born and bred in Te Awamutu, Paul Wheeler was a full-time rugby coach and community rugby co-ordinator for Te Awamutu and surrounding districts. Like Rebecca, he is both principal and a licensed real estate salesperson.
Rebecca has loved selling real estate over the past two years – a period that has seen Te Awamutu become even more popular for home buyers, with house prices enjoying significant growth.
"I really enjoy getting out and about, the appraisal process, and meeting new people. As a former legal executive, I also actually enjoy the paperwork and drafting contracts," she says.
When not selling, Rebecca manages the day-to-day running of the business. She also oversees, and assists with, the property management portfolio.
Home to about 12,000 people, Te Awamutu is a friendly bustling place. Known as the Rose Town of New Zealand, the district is home to some of the country's best farmland with large dairy farms, cropping, and sheep and beef units.
Te Awamutu's popularity is helped by it being within 30 minutes of Hamilton, allowing for easy commuting to work and tertiary educations. The township is well serviced with a picture theatre, restaurants, cafes, three large supermarkets, and has its own racecourse.
Owner of Century 21 New Zealand, Tim Kearins says Te Awamutu is an important area for the company, with Century 21 a growing powerhouse in the Waikato.
"We've got several franchises in the Waikato and all achieve excellent results for buyers and sellers alike. We see Century 21's presence in the Waikato region continuing to grow, with plenty of room for new offices there," says Tim.
In fact, opportunities to set up Century 21 franchises are available in many parts of New Zealand.
Century 21's superior service and global status will continue to attract other high-performing businesspeople and salespeople to consider franchise ownership, he says.
"As well as franchise opportunities for experienced agents, we are seeking keen salespeople with the drive and motivation to learn what it takes to thrive in this exciting industry. Right now, we have numerous sales positions available across the Auckland and Wellington regions, as well as the Waikato," says Tim Kearins.
To find out more about the benefits of becoming a part of Century 21's global network, visit www.c21.co.nz/joining-century-21 or contact tim.kearins@century21.co.nz