Retirement is just the start

In his time, Brian Taylor reckons he's sold nearly every motel in Rotorua - some of them two or three times.

Mr Taylor, who has been selling motels and commercial real estate for McDowell Professionals for more than 26 years, retires tomorrow.

But it's not likely to be a restful retirement for the 75-year-old, an active member of the Rotary Club of Rotorua North.

"I'm going to get on my motor scooter and go annoy people."

By that of course, he means help them. The qualified electrician often visits elderly people to do odd jobs and is known to make the odd kite or two - at last count he had about 800 waiting to be given to children.

Mr Taylor came to Rotorua from home town Wellington in 1971 after he came for a holiday and to buy a caravan and ended up buying a motel.

He's owned three Rotorua motels in his time, and he and wife Bella still own one.

As well as a motelier, he had a few years running a Rotorua clothing factory - "32 women!" - before he got his real estate licence in 1974.

There's been a lot of changes in that time, from the rise of the internet in marketing and selling properties to, more recently, the growing emphasis in the industry on compliance.

However, the one change he couldn't do much about has been the recent slowdown in the motel market. He puts that down partly to fewer farms being sold - in the past many farmers sold up and bought motels as a kind of semi-retirement.

"That's not happening now."

Agency principal Ian McDowell said Mr Taylor had been a faithful member of staff, who was very knowledgeable when it came to motels.

"We really enjoy him being here. We are really going to miss him."

His team will farewell Mr Taylor with a morning tea today before his final day tomorrow.

Mr Taylor admits he will miss the job where he has "met a few characters along the way".

"It's been great, I have really enjoyed it. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't done this [real estate]."