McDonald Real Estate
Our Family Working For Your Family
From left: Daniel McDonald (4th generation) and Peter McDonald (3rd generation)
Four generations of McDonalds have built a real estate legacy. The name is well-known, the jingle familiar – they’ve been selling our properties since 1912.
Peter works from his office in Stratford, where he’s been since 1976. It’s the same office his father Tom worked from, and his grandfather Mick when land was sold for as low as £10 an acre.
Property sales were once recorded in a pocketbook and settled over a handshake, and the industry was made up entirely of men over the age of 60, a contrast to the now estimated 65% female workforce. Some things have changed; the single office is now one of eight, the one man band is now a team of 60, and the price of land is exceptionally greater.
Peter recalls a time when advertisements were single column and without photographs. He bought a polaroid camera and was the first to stick photos in the window. He’s seen the arrival of open homes, computers, and the internet, and the job of a real estate agent transform from a retirement gig into a qualified career. He’s also seen dozens of faces walking the hallways of the region’s largest agency, many of those faces he’s seen for over 30 years. It’s a family business, and their staff are family.
Son Daniel joined the firm in 2005 at the age of 22, the same age Dad was. Peter gives Daniel credit for the business’ recent growth – McDonald Real Estate are leaders in residential, rural and commercial sales, and they’ve got the largest rental portfolio in Taranaki. There's also Rodney Perrett to thank. The rural sales maestro began in 1998 and is largely responsible for the growth and success of the firm in South Taranaki. It’s also the support of their customers, many of whom are fourth generation clients. The team build relationships and put community first, it’s the way it’s always been.
Property Management
am Hight and the team of property managers look after over 750 rentals across Taranaki. It's one of the company's fastest growing divisions, and the largest in the region. The staff are personable, professional and highly skilled. Their reputation has taken them to the top and it's no surprise. So why should you use McDonald Real Estate for your property management needs?
Online Valuations vs Professional Appraisals
The Residential Sales Team are finding more and more clients talking to them about the free online property valuations that several websites are now providing. While the Sales Team think it is great that more people are taking an active interest in the value of their property, they do strongly advise against relying solely on these free online valuation tools, with most experts agreeing that they should be treated as a guide only.
Commercial Investing
The commercial division is set to be a major player in the business brokerage game. Russell Atkinson will lead the specialty area, bringing expertise from a career in marketing and sales. Russell joined McDonald Real Estate just two months ago at the persuasion of friend and long-time McDonald team member Kevin Hight. Kevin has a face people know and trust, he’s managed the commercial sales and leasing department for 10 years, joining the board of directors in 2012. He knows the market better than most, overseeing the commercial and industrial portfolio for all of Taranaki.
Tech Advances
for a Rural Gain
McDonald Real Estate have been selling farms in Taranaki for longer than anyone can remember. Staying abreast of technology is crucial to them staying number one in the field.