Barfoot & Thompson named best in real estate

Barfoot & Thompson chief executive Peter Thompson. Photo/supplied.

New Zealand firm Barfoot & Thompson has been named best real
estate agency and best letting agency for the Asia Pacific region at this year's International Property Awards in London.

The company has been around for more than 90 years and managing director Peter Thompson said 2016 had been its most successful.

"We are a family business in a remote corner of the world, but our win shows that we can compete on the world stage when it comes to real estate," Thompson said.

"For us these awards are the culmination of more than 90 years of real estate experience as a business, the adoption of leading digital technology and our outstanding people," he said.

"This win sets the service standards for real estate agencies in the region."

The awards are open to residential and commercial property professionals around the globe, and more than 70 experts were involved in the judging.

Barfoot & Thompson won the award over global giants including CBRE, Savills and Australia's 1st City.

In the 2016 year, the firm sold $10 billion of property, managed more than 14,000 properties and won Large Real Estate Agency of the Year at the REINZ Awards for Excellence, among other achievements.

"We are extremely proud to be recognised by our peers for the international standard of service our clients receive, something many home-grown businesses aspire to," Thompson said.

"New Zealand produces excellent business people, and I'm fortunate to be surrounded by people who are driven, ingenious and authentic," he said.

"This is because of where we come from, not in spite of it."