Whanganui's LJ Hooker opens new office after demolition order on Thain's building premises

Happy with their new location at 72 St Hill St are LJ Hooker agents (from left) Tim Hocquard, Kerryn Irvin, Michael Bourne and Craig Hanford.

Just days after being forced out of its premises by a devastating fire, Whanganui's LJ Hooker real estate franchise is settling into a new office and it's business as usual.

In June LJ Hooker opened its premises at 3 Victoria Ave, in a newly renovated part of the heritage Thain's building. This week the Whanganui District Council announced that the building has to be demolished after a fire on Saturday, July 20, caused massive damage.

Agent Tim Hocquard said after looking at buildings throughout the central city, the LJ Hooker team had moved into a former dance studio upstairs in the Brick House building at 72 St Hill St.

"On Monday we walked around town - down Victoria Ave, Guyton St, Ridgway St - and thought as long as we've got an internet and social media presence, if we're going to have a street presence it doesn't need to be right on the street," Hocquard said.

"Since the fire we've been able to do everything on our phones and from home but being together as a team we can bounce ideas around. Real estate is a business where people don't rush in the door. They ring us and look online and sometimes they'll come in to see us."

Moving their gear out of the Thain's building are (from left) Kerryn Irvin, Tim Hocquard, Craig Hanford and Michael Bourne.

On Thursday the team was able to move its gear out of 3 Victoria Ave and into the new office.

"There's some damage but not as much as others have suffered," Hocquard said.

"It's all replaceable. Nothing we sell got hurt."

Agent Kerryn Irvin said the LJ Hooker team felt for the Thain's building owners, Bryce Smith and Sue Cooke, and the other tenants.

"The other tenants did lose a lot," Irvin said.

"We're grateful we've been able to relocate and keep on doing what we do."

Hocquard said they wanted to thank everyone who had looked after them since the fire.

"The fire service, the [Whanganui District] council, Ricoh who have lent us another copier, Phillips Electrical who made sure the wiring in the new place is safe, Noel [Cavanagh] from CSI.

"We've had help from nice people and that enables you to get back into business.

"Bryce and Sue are the worst affected. They had a neat project and were helping the community and the artists."