Business: Farmlands moves into Hawke's Bay

CELEBRATION LAUNCH: From left, real estate agents Paul Evans and Mark Johnson, general manager Calvin Leen, national administrator Carly Galbraith, and agents Sally Neilson and Anne Wilson. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR

Farmlands representatives and their "industry peers" celebrated the launch of real estate in to Hawke's Bay in Hastings on Tuesday night and Napier last night.

Farmlands real estate general manager Calvin Leen said the plan to expand real estate in to the North Island began in July last year.

"We are pretty excited about the future and the opportunities it will create for our shareholders with over 7000 in Hawke's Bay," Mr Leen said.

The firm has opened 10 offices in 12 months in the North Island to sell residential, lifestyle and rural real estate. The Hawke's Bay office opened four months ago and had two agents on board but last month expanded to include two more.

Anne Wilson, one of the starting agents with Sally Neilson, said it was a really good fit for her and it had been piggybacked off the South Island initiative.

Mr Leen said it was going well and they had already sold residential and rural properties and two weeks ago they sold their first farm.

At both of the evening celebrations solicitors, accountants, bankers and consultants all mixed to network and create opportunities for their firms.

Members of multiple companies were there including ANZ, Westpac and Rabobank, who said it was a good opportunity to be connected to the community.

"The people here are our industry peers and we work together and for the clients to create a base of like-minded people," Mr Leen said.

Real estate agent Paul Evans said Farmlands launching here had created many opportunities as they already had a base of 60,000 shareholders across the country.

"I wanted to be connected to the Farmlands brand as it is trusted and very well-known," Mr Evans said.

Real estate agent Mark Johnson joined last month because he could gain nationwide reach and wanted to be involved with the brand.