Real Estate of Origin: Whanganui holds its own against Australia in real estate game

Philippa Ivory, Sharell Lyne, Mark Voss and Param Singh stand clear as Lynda Matoe aims to win a prize at the Whanganui Ray White Estate of origin. Photo / Bevan Conley

The borders may be closed but good old Kiwi and Aussie rivalry is alive and well in Whanganui.

Agents at Ray White have been participating in the Real Estate of Origin series, competing against offices in Australia along with other Ray White offices throughout New Zealand to make the highest number of appraisal bookings.

In this competition, the worst injuries were paper cuts and the only things bruised were a few egos.

General manager Philippa Ivory said appraisals were important because they give potential vendors realistic prices for their properties.

"Two adjoining houses might have the same valuation but one owner has installed a $60,000 state-of-the-art kitchen.

"Those kinds of improvements can make a big difference and that's why appraisals are important."

Queensland was the overall winner this year, beating New Zealand by about 500 bookings.

"We came in well ahead of New South Wales and Whanganui placed 11th in New Zealand with 50 bookings," Ivory said.

"That's a pretty good result when you consider how many agents were competing at some of those big offices and we only had eight because two of ours are away at the moment."