Sotheby’s International Realty expands Arrowtown office

August 1 2013

New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty expands Arrowtown office after just two weeks in business

Luxury real estate company New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty continues to expand its operation hiring two high profile realtors for its newly-opened Arrowtown office and showroom.

In a ‘world-first’ for a Sotheby’s International Realty franchise, the Queenstown-based company opened a co-share premise with well-known luxury furniture design company Cruikshank just two weeks ago.

The Arrowtown showroom, which is located in a premium high-street position, takes the company’s portfolio up to six offices across New Zealand. It will be spearheaded by well-known local real estate partnership Vanessa Sharp and Carl Johnston who joined the company this week (w/c July 29 2013) from Harcourts.

The husband and wife team are already well-known in Arrowtown having lived and worked in the area for many years. Born and bred in London, Vanessa attained a degree from a London University before embarking on a career in IT recruitment and head hunting. In 1999 Vanessa moved to New Zealand with her now husband Carl. After the birth of their daughter Zoe, Vanessa embarked on her real estate career in Arrowtown.

Carl grew up in Dunedin, though spent most weekends visiting the Southern Lakes region, before heading overseas to London for five years where he met Vanessa. Together the couple ran their successful local farm, lodge and equestrian centre for a number of years. Carl started his real estate career in 2009 in Arrowtown.

They will be supported by another local, Tasha Boland, who will be responsible for the office management and marketing the portfolio of properties. Tasha has extensive experience in the real estate industry and has also lived in the area with her family for numerous years.

“We’re very excited by the opportunity to launch New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty in Arrowtown. The office is a fantastic, high profile space and we’re looking forward to being even more involved in our local community,” said Carl and Vanessa.

New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty General Manager Peter Newbold said the couple already had a great database of local and international clients and a wealth of local knowledge and expertise.

“We’ve been looking for the perfect Arrowtown location and team for a while and we’re excited to now have both,” he said.

“Carl and Vanessa bring a wealth of local knowledge and experience to the team and their straight talking no nonsense approach to buying or selling your home is absolutely refreshing,” said Mr Newbold.

“All of the new team reside in Arrowtown, as do the company’s two owners, so it’s nice to now have a base within the community they’re all a part of.”

New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty co-owners Julian Brown and Mark Harris said the expansion into the historic gold mining town formed part of the company’s long-term strategy and ensured they had an “even stronger presence” in the Central Otago area.

“It’s a premium location in Arrowtown’s high street and a perfect spot for a showroom, with high foot traffic,” they said.

“Especially during the busy winter season, Arrowtown is the destination of choice for many of our clients and potential clients, including Aucklanders and Australians visiting Queenstown for skiing.

“Since opening two weeks ago we’ve been astounded by the number of walk-ins, new listings and general interest we’ve seen from both locals and international visitors.

“Our focus is on marketing local properties to the local market covering Arrowtown and the rural and country areas as far out as Gibbston. It also allows us to showcase our portfolio of properties from across the country to the international market,” Mr Brown and Mr Harris said.

Mr Cruikshank said the Cruikshank and New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty brands perfectly complemented each other.

“We’re excited to be able to formally work together, uniting our clients to find the perfect home and that special piece of bespoke furniture to match,” Mr Cruikshank said.

“Over the years Cruikshank has benefited from this enviable high street position and this summer was one of the busiest we’ve seen for years. We’re confident we’ll see even better results together.”

About New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty
Founded by Julian Brown and Mark Harris, New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty is a specialist agency that focuses on the sale of premium property through quality marketing and global networking.

The demand for quality New Zealand property has proven to be strong within the Sotheby’s International Realty global network, leading to some record breaking sales brokered by our top New Zealand agents.

Over the last five years, New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty has expanded into key locations across the country and now has offices in Queenstown, Arrowtown, Clearwater Resort, Hawkes Bay, Christchurch City and two offices in Auckland, with specialised brokers in other key locations such as Wanaka, Marlborough and Nelson.

Independently owned and operated, New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty is part of the Sotheby’s International Realty global network which has over 12,800 sales associates across 660 offices.

In 2013 it launched a Luxury Rental Homes division to provide its clients and those staying in Queenstown with exceptional properties to rent while vacationing in the resort.

About Cruikshank
Ed Cruikshank specialises in the creation of bespoke furniture with pieces ranging from simple functional items to conceptual objects that blur the boundary between furniture and art. His work is collected by a growing global audience.

Ed trained in fine cabinet-making in England and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Furniture Design. He worked alongside Viscount Linley at the Linley Company in London from 1993 to 2001. Ed first travelled to New Zealand in 1996 to design the interior of a private yacht. He fell in love with New Zealand’s landscape and people and returned in 2002 to make Queenstown his home.

Complementing his bespoke service, Cruikshank offers a collection of elegant, timeless designs built to the same exacting standards as their unique counterparts. They sit comfortably with a wide range of interior and architectural styles.

Every item is designed and developed in his Arrowtown studio and built in New Zealand by skilled artisans including cabinet-makers, precision engineers, boat builders, gunsmiths and wood carvers.

Cruikshank’s recent commercial work includes the new Wanaka restaurant Bistro Gentil, the Clubhouse at The Hills, and The Rees Hotel, Queenstown.

ENDS

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