Real estate rising star Brooke Gibson offers insight on navigating the challenges of a work-life balance

Brooke Gibson is a young mum of four who has recently made significant strides in the Real Estate World.

Brooke Gibson is a mother of four who has recently made significant strides in the real estate world. Over the past year, she has managed to balance the demanding roles of motherhood and secure prestigious accolades in an industry new to her. Gibson speaks with Jodi Bryant to offer insights and inspiration, particularly to those navigating the challenges of a work-life balance while aspiring to be successful.

When Brooke Gibson entered the real estate industry as a mother of four, she hit the ground running. A year later, she hit premier status, taking out multiple awards over her counterparts.

Although owning her first home at 19 and going on to build a portfolio of properties, it didn’t occur to the 35-year-old Whangārei resident to enter the industry until two years ago, when her eyes were opened by her real estate agent partner’s lifestyle and how it was helping people.

“Prior to having babies, I was working in insurance and personal styling. I didn’t really have a career as such and I didn’t like being tied to a desk in a nine-to-five job and liked the opportunity of having unlimited earning potential,” she says.

“When you have set hours working for someone else, there’s no real room for growth. It is a bit of a gamble being on commission, but if you take the leap and work really hard, it is fantastic.”

Her hard work paid off. She won Rookie of the Year with Ray White Whangārei, Ray White NZ emerging member 2024 and was the only female finalist in the prestigious Real Estate Institute (REINZ) Rising Star Awards.

“The guy who won was from Eves in Tauranga and I said I think I should have won by default because how many of you have pushed babies out?” says Gibson, whose kids’ ages range from 3 to 13. “I’ve worked hard and it’s paid off and I think there should be more recognition to, not only [of] women, but also women who are rocking it with kids in tow.”

Brooke Gibson with partner Richard Lyon who are both real estate agents for Eves.

A typical week in Gibson and partner Richard Lyon’s household looks like absolute chaos, she says. But she’s set boundaries to keep the work/family balance. Monday to Friday the kids are dropped to school and kindy until the 2.30/3pm pick-ups. Then it’s juggling after-school activities.

“I generally work from 8.30am to 2.30pm, otherwise, if my partner’s doing pick-up, I’ll work later but I really like to be home to make dinner and have time with the kids as well. I will make allowances for client appointments, but will make them for the evening when the kids are ready for bed. Then I have a rule not to work Saturdays, as that is family day for sports, and Sundays are spent doing open homes and other appointments.”

Brooke Gibson is a young mum of four who has recently made significant strides in the Real Estate World.

Although Gibson concedes she has made sacrifices along the way, such as forgoing being a stay-at-home mum to her youngest pre-schooler, and not having a regular income, her youngest is thriving at kindy and the boundaries she has put up, such as Saturday family day have helped.

She also counts herself lucky the juggle has been made easier with supportive hands-on parents and the help of a fully-licenced PA who joined her one year ago.

“She gives really good back-up support and we juggle open homes and she has a young family too. At the end of the day, I can go to school events so it is about planning, juggling and making it work.”

Brooke Gibson collecting the Emerging Member award at the Ray White New Zealand 2024 awards.

Although the past two years were spent working for Ray White, Gibson recently changed to Eves where Richard works.

“It just made sense to me to be under the same umbrella company with him because we’d both have open homes or appointments, say, out Hikurangi, and it’s easier if we can work in together.

“We are two really different people and the people who gravitate toward him probably won’t gravitate toward me. I’m really big on saying to people to meet me before you list with me, because I’m not everybody’s cup of tea because I’m Champagne (strong personality) and sometimes people don’t click with me. He has been really supportive and, at the end of the day, it all comes into the same household. It’s about finding who works best with that vendor.”

Gibson believes her strong personality helps create good relationships and networking with not only vendors but potential buyers. “I can rock up to a house and know I have a potential buyer for them. I’m always thinking about my clients and finding the best possible outcome.”

She would like to inspire other women with her story that anything is possible if you just work hard. “I think there’s a stigma of, ‘Oh, she’s just another housewife entering the industry’, but I hit premier status with Ray White in the first 12 months with them.

“It’s actually really an honour to be chosen by a vendor as it’s their biggest asset, and to be trusted in their home, it is such a personal thing.”