Authority puts Harcourts in world’s top five

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Real estate authority puts Harcourts in world’s top five

4 March 2009 - Harcourts has been identified by a leading world authority in real estate, Stefan Swanepoel, as one of the top five international real estate brands in the world. 

Managing Director of Harcourts International Mike Green says the 2009 Swanepoel Trends Report showcased Harcourts International as an organisation that is leading the charge in expanding successfully into other countries and continents.

In the “race towards becoming a global real estate company”, the report says Harcourts is one of five companies who “best exemplify this bold move”, having already successfully “jumped the Indian Ocean into Asia and Africa”.

Mr Green says being recognised in the 2009 Swanepoel Trends Report as an organisation that is influential on a global scale speaks enormously of how far the Harcourts Group has come since he established the New Zealand-born brand in Australia in 1997. 

“This is truly exciting for the Harcourts team and demonstrates that we are now becoming recognised internationally for the quality of our organisation, which is the largest real estate group in New Zealand, the fastest growing in Australia and also established in seven other countries,” he says.

“Continuing our strong international growth and constantly striving for our goal of being one of the world’s leading real estate franchise groups will provide even greater marketing opportunities for our clients and our people through greater brand awareness and profile on a global stage.”

The 2009 Swanepoel Trends Report describes Harcourts’ success amongst other things as being based on a “people oriented culture” that had resulted in a turnover rate that is significantly lower than the industry average.

“A youthful Gen X culture has energized the company’s drive, creativity and passion. That cultural mindset is further defined by a clear purpose and a business philosophy that flows down through the organization in the form of four very simple but specific values that are constantly communicated: People first; Doing the right thing; Being courageous; and Fun and laughter,” the report states.

Stefan Swanepoel is widely recognised as the leading visionary on trends and change in the real estate industry. He has penned 14 books, whitepapers and reports including the 1998 Amazon.com bestseller, Real Estate confronts Reality (1997), the sequel Real Estate confronts the Future (2004) and the Swanepoel TRENDS Report (2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009).

Before making California his home, Mr Swanepoel lived on three continents and developed a broad international business background. He has served as CEO, President or senior executive of various businesses including a bank, construction company, international franchise, software company, real estate brokerage, and a publishing company. Today Mr Swanepoel serves as Chairman and CEO of RealtyU® Group, Inc. the largest career development company serving the real estate industry as well as CEO of RealSure, Inc., a leading management consulting company providing consulting services to real estate and non real estate companies.

Harcourts which was established in Wellington in 1888 by John Bateman Harcourt is now established in nine countries - New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Singapore, China, South Africa, Zambia and Botswana.  The real estate group today includes more than 600 offices, 4,000 full-time sales consultants, 1,500 support staff and an annual sales volume in excess of $19.5 billion.

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