Location, location, location ... and a hot agent

Rosie Kininmonth, a newcomer to the real estate industry, says she is enjoying incredible success in west Auckland. Photo / Supplied

It might not just be the lick of paint and aroma of freshly baked bread to get top dollar for your house. Research shows an attractive agent can add thousands to the final price.

A new report from the University of New South Wales has revealed the more attractive an agent the higher the price commanded.

It's dubbed the "halo effect", where people's overall impression is influenced by the good looks of the person they are dealing with.

Researchers found having an attractive agent showing the eventual buyers through a home could see the sellers bank an extra 2.3 per cent on the price they receive for their property.

With the average cost of an Auckland home sitting at $828,502, this means using a good-looking agent could fetch homeowners an extra $20,000.

Bachelor NZ contestant Rosie Kininmonth, a newcomer to the real estate industry, says she is enjoying incredible success in west Auckland.

"Two Sunday's ago was like heaven for me," said Kininmonth, who controversially quit the hit TV match-making show on its first night.

"I sold two houses under the hammer on the same day each for over $1 million."

One of the properties sold for almost double its CV, exceeding Kininmonth's and the owners' expectations.

"Whether or not purchasers loved me I don't know, but I'd like to think so," she said, laughing.

She said people made judgments in the property market and as a trusted advisor on a person's home, she made an effort to dress up and be well presented.

The Glen Eden house Rosie Kininmonth sold for over $1 million. Photo / Supplied

But Barfoot & Thompson managing director Peter Thompson wasn't too sure if the Australian research reflected the New Zealand market.

Although some house hunters might want to work with agents they were attracted to, Thompson said: "Our top sales peoples are different shapes, sizes, ages and ethnicities."

He said the company placed importance on professional attire and attitude.

"Someone who is in cut-off jeans and jandals or that sort of thing is not showing a professional look. I'm still of the old school that a professional look means men should be wearing ties."

For women, any item of see-through clothing was inappropriate, as were short skirts.

"Mini-skirts might be attractive for the odd male purchaser but in reality it does put off a lot of people as well," he said.

The average age of an Australian real estate agent was 40, which Thompson said could have a bearing on the Australian research findings.

Real Estate Institute of New Zealand chief executive officer Colleen Milne said smooth-selling beauty kings and queens might succeed in other countries, where the selling methods were often managed by a selling agent and buyer's agent but this was not true for New Zealand.

She said the average age of a New Zealand agent was 45 and some of the country's most successful salespeople were in their 70s, with clients appreciating their extensive skills and expertise to get the highest price possible.