Wairarapa gig all in day's work

UNDER THE HAMMER: Bayleys auctioneer Richard Valintine, who sold the winning house on The Block, calls into Masterton on his regular national auctioneering duties. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

Auctioneer Richard Valintine likens himself to a conductor in front of an orchestra.

He's had plenty of practice, as a national auctioneer with Bayleys, and the auctioneer on TV's The Block DIY reality show for two years in a row.

Last month he presided over the sale of the winning house for The Block competitors Alice and Caleb Pearson.

It sold for $1,126,000.

Mr Valintine was in Masterton last week to handle a Lansdowne house auction for a deceased estate.

Originally from Taranaki, Mr Valintine is based in Auckland, but said he had an affinity with this part of the country.

The Lansdowne auction was his only auction for the day, but it went well.

"It's a long way to come, but that's the job, irrespective of having one auction or 10.

"On another day, I've got 36 auctions I'm involved in, in a morning session."

The skill is handling the crowd for the best outcome.

Mortagee sales are not firesales, said Mr Valintine.

"The vendor is obligated to get the best price, so they take instructions. They have got the responsibility, to recover as much as they can."

He should feel good about The Block, with 'his' house going $181,000 over the reserve price.

"I did enjoy it, and it's an event where you are conscious of the outcome. The property I was auctioning had great street appeal, slightly elevated."

This year's offerings on The Block were better quality houses. "Bigger, in a good school zone, internal garaging."

The auctioneering might look like "the glory part" but the real credit goes to the agents, who had to handle organising the buyers for an invite-only event.

"They worked for five or six weeks, with no commission - we did it as part of working with TV3," he said.

Masterton Bayleys manager Mark Morison said a Bayleys branch would book an auctioneer if needed. "He does well with the crowd down here," he said. "He's got a good attitude with them, he relaxes everybody, and gets the thing going."