After studying food science and tinkering with ingredients in chips and ice cream, Raewyn decided to follow in her father’s footsteps to real estate. Twenty-eight years later, she’s still at it. Along the way she raised a family, took a professional sojourn in banking, and started property investing. She says her experience on “both sides of the fence” – as a landlord and professional property manager – helps her see through the eyes of the customers she serves.

If you were looking to buy an investment property in Auckland right now, what would be high up on your list, Raewyn?  

RM: “That’s a good question. It’s hard to go past a centrally located three-bedroom family home, fully fenced and with parking. Nothing changes – these houses have been popular for decades. Answering that question in terms of location, well, I’m a southern girl, and there’s a huge amount of development going on down our way… a new train station, the next Costco, new schools and roading systems. Wherever you have that level of investment it bodes well for property. Infrastructure is key. And people forget that the southern corridor is really well designed. Motorway access is quick and easy and, snarl ups aside, it never takes too long to get to where you need to be.”

Q: What’s your sense of the Auckland rental market, Raewyn – not so long ago there were massive Saturday morning queues to inspect decent rental properties. Is that still the case?

RM: “Certainly, when you get the price right, nothing hangs around. Interest always picks up in the approach to springtime. Tenanting a rental property isn’t rocket science. The rental market is competitive, just like any other market, and your offer must be competitive. Know your ideal customer and price accordingly. That’s where a professional property manager can be most helpful – getting a match to minimise rental downtime.”

Q: Why do landlords seek out a professional property manager?

RM: “Managing a rental property is trickier than it used to be. In my assessment the range of tenants looking for a rental is more diverse than it once was. Some of the people I deal with own their own property but have decided to move to Auckland for career reasons; others are motivated by school zoning; and recently there has been a flood of returning expats, though that picture is changing once again. Recent changes to legislation have heaped more responsibility onto the shoulders of property owners. Some owners are happy to take that on while others don’t want to manage the additional risks and would rather someone else do the donkey work to tick the boxes on things like healthy homes standards and inspections. Obviously, we’re happy to do all that.

Q: Is finding the right tenant harder than people think?

RM: “It takes work, experience, and good instincts. I spend a huge amount of time at the front end of the vetting process to get the right fit for the property and for the owner. It’s a huge part of what I focus on. And that includes building real rapport with tenants. I want them to feel comfortable that they can always talk to me – that if they spill something on the carpet or lose their job, we can help them sort things out.”

Q: What is it you love about working at Goodwins?

RM: “Catherine Goodwin leads a great team of professionals. And then of course you’ve got Brendan Goodwin heading up sales and Aleina and Dave managing their specialisations.  Goodwins covers the breadth of what’s required to run a top-quality real estate and property management firm. In my experience few other agencies offer this level of professionalism. And that’s really important to me. It’s inspiring.”

A good property manager is worth their weight in gold – or at least rent, otherwise lost through unnecessary vacancy. Call Raewyn on 021 278 7526 to put your property into the hands of a pro.