Real estate firm in transtasman challenge

The Ray White Whanganui team take time during their Real Estate of Origin match for a photo. Photo / Paul Brooks

The idea originated in the Australian offices of Ray White to have a real estate State of Origin series involving all the offices in Australia and New Zealand. Of course, they called it Real Estate of Origin.

The goal? To book as many appraisals as possible within a fixed period.

Last Thursday afternoon Ray White Whanganui took up the challenge, hooked themselves into the computer link and at 1pm went for it.

"We've got a live leader board and at the moment we're holding our own," said Whanganui manager Philippa Ivory just after 2pm, by which time her team had booked 26 appraisals.

"That's 26 people have asked us to come and value their property.

"At the moment people are listing and selling houses, and they're selling fast, especially in Whanganui."

One room was taken up with prizes for local agents.

"When they book an appraisal we key it in and they throw a dart at the dartboard and they get a prize."

By the end of the match Ray White Whanganui had scored 64 appraisals, making them 13th in New Zealand and 39th in Australasia.

"A very worthwhile event," says Ivory.