Media Release
Southland-based firm buys into Harcourts St Albans office
28 July 2008: Successful Southland and Otago-based Harcourts franchise W. Thompson & Co has entered the Canterbury real estate market, having bought into an established Harcourts office in inner city
Christchurch.
W. Thompson & Co, which already owns established Harcourts offices in Invercargill, Wanaka and Gore, recently bought a 50%
shareholding in the St Albans office from David Hopkins, who has now left Harcourts to pursue other business interests.
The other 50% shareholding has been retained by Ken Sharplin, a Christchurch-based real estate professional with more
than 25 years experience in the industry, including six years as co-owner of Harcourts St Albans office.
W. Thompson & Co Principal Tony Jenkins, who is based in Invercargill, says he is excited about getting involved in the Christchurch
real estate market. “Our company has a proud history in the lower South Island, boasting some of the top-performing
offices and individuals in Harcourts, and I’m keen build on that success. Expanding into the larger, competitive
Christchurch market is certainly an exciting step for our group,” he says.
Mr Jenkins says the St Albans office, established almost 20 years ago, has built up a strong reputation over the years.
“Our dual focus now is on assisting the current team to achieve even greater success and on growing the size of the St
Albans operation, which has just been relocated to a new, purpose-built office on the corner of Edgeware and Sherborne
roads with room for us to almost double our sales force.”
Co-owner Ken Sharplin, who is now the manager of the St Albans office, says it is great to have a partner of Mr Jenkin’s
calibre on board.
“Tony is a very successful Harcourts business owner and I’m confident the skills, experience and enthusiasm he brings,
along with our new links into other parts of the South Island via the W. Thompson & Co group, will help the St Albans office to go from strength to strength.
“The new business ownership structure along with the move into a spacious, state-of-the-art office with our own auction
and training rooms definitely represents the start of an exciting new phase in the history of Harcourts St Albans
office.”
ENDS