• Three new offices are the first to join Raine & Horne’s New Zealand expansion - Raine & Horne Kaitaia, Paihia and Mangonui.
• Led by highly- experienced real estate agent and auctioneer Gerard Ponsonby, the Northland-based offices are the first to join the super brand’s New Zealand expansion, with many to follow throughout 2023.
• Raine & Horne is celebrating its 140th year in 2023, making it one of the southern hemisphere’s oldest continuously operating firms.
• The super brand has more than 300 offices worldwide, including New Zealand, Asia, the South Pacific, India, Australia, and the Middle East.

Three leading offices from the Northland region have joined property group Raine & Horne’s New Zealand network following the super brand’s expansion into the country.

Led by highly respected real estate agent and auctioneer Gerard Ponsonby, Raine & Horne New Zealand’s network now includes offices in Kaitaia, Paihia and Mangonui. Mr Ponsonby, a regular member of his previous property groups’ high achievers club, opened his first office in 1997.

Mr Ponsonby has over three decades of experience in New Zealand’s property industry, first with an independent firm and then with a major real estate group. The knowledgeable real estate professional also said he is thrilled to lead the first offices to join Raine & Horne’s exciting expansion into New Zealand.

“With Raine & Horne celebrating such a significant milestone of 140 years in 2023, coupled with the fact that the same family have remained at the helm throughout, is a testament to their success and knowledge of real estate and the fact they are viewed as a trusted brand.

“I look forward to embracing Raine & Horne’s superior ecosystem of technology firsts, including online proposal tool DigiKitPlus and social media marketing platform Amplify, in addition to its marketing, training and agency systems.

“Myself and my highly experienced team are ready to embrace a fresh start with Raine & Horne and are excited for the future being part of this renowned super brand.”

Timing right for a change 

Mr Ponsonby has lived in Kaitaia since the late 1970s, and before his stellar real estate career, he was a farmer. “I started in farming on the South Island and moved north as a 24-year-old, and I still maintain a farm in this region.”

According to Mr Ponsonby Raine & Horne Kaitaia, Paihia and Mangonui specialise in selling lifestyle acreage, rural, commercial and residential property.

The timing of the switch to Raine & Horne has also been timed to perfection with the Northland region increasingly becoming a buyer hotspot for those looking outside of Auckland.

“A lot of Auckland people are coming north because properties in the Northland region are more affordable than in the city.

“In Auckland, properties are averaging north of $1 million, and up here, you can still buy excellent family homes for less than $900,000.” 

Raine & Horne Mangonui has listed a lovely three-bedroom, two-bathroom house at 5 Dudley Crescent Cable Bay for $820,000.

“This property is just a tick over four hours north of Auckland, and Cable Bay is an extremely popular location for those who have flexibility about how many hours they need to work in offices in the city,” Mr Ponsonby said. 

Raine & Horne’s big move

The super brand’s launch in New Zealand comes after a lengthy consultation with real estate principals across New Zealand, which revealed an overwhelming enthusiasm to align with an alternative network.

Raine & Horne’s first overseas foray was in Malaysia in 1989, and the super brand has plans to open offices on the South Island later in 2023 as part of its aggressive expansion. 

Angus Raine, Executive Chairman of Raine & Horne, said there is significant appetite for another major real estate brand in New Zealand, especially in the current softer market. Mr Raine is the fourth generation of his family to lead Raine & Horne. 

“Many businesses, particularly those independent businesses, have realised there is great value, support, and security in being a member of a major real estate group such as Raine & Horne. 

“We are a global leader in Proptech, marketing, training and agency systems, and we pride ourselves on our reliable and market-leading support for our offices, so it stands to reason that we are taking an aggressive approach to our New Zealand expansion.”

Mr Raine added that his firm is also seeking to acquire other networks as part of his firm’s expansion plans in New Zealand.