Queenstown and Wanaka property management agency Housemart has
returned home from the 2012 Property Management Awards with
‘a bagful’ of accolades including Property Management
Agency of the Year.

Housemart director Hayley Stevenson said they had good reason to
celebrate with members of the property management agency’s
team being recognised.

"It’s absolutely huge for Housemart to have won this," she
said. "It was a fantastic surprise after our staff successes
throughout the night to be announced the overall agency winner, we
were stunned."

The 2012 Awards for Excellence in Residential Property Management
were announced in Hamilton on Saturday night (August 18) and
attended by property management professionals from around New
Zealand. The annual event is run by the Real Estate Institute of
New Zealand (REINZ) and recognises excellence in agencies and
individuals within the residential property management sector.

Housemart Property Manager Katrina Roberts won Residential Property
Manager of the Year with colleague Colleen Topping taking out the
runner-up position in the same category. Andrea Bono from
Housemart’s Wanaka office was named Residential Property
Management Support Staff Person of the Year.

"We are also absolutely thrilled for everyone who works with the
company, for our clients, our tradespeople, for the tenants who
recommend us and families associated with Housemart," said Ms
Stevenson.

"We operate from small offices in Queenstown and Wanaka, so for a
company that’s relatively young and new this is incredible."

Operating for two years, Housemart was able to demonstrate a number
of significant achievements as part of its award-winning agency
entry, including a 171% growth in new managements, consistent
accuracy on property reporting and documentation, and a zero
tolerance policy for rent arrears.

"This year’s awards were focussed on consistency in
excellence," said Ms Stevenson. "We have systems that are so well
established, and structures that are so well documented and
followed through, that we deliver consistent, reliable and
excellent service time after time. We don’t do hit and miss.

"We work exceptionally hard but my team all know I emphasise that
we have a good work-life balance and we’re very much involved
with our local communities, for example having recently raised more
than $8,000 for the Cancer Society."

Housemart has tasted success at the property management awards in
the past, taking out individual awards for its property management
team. It has been a finalist for property management agency of the
year for the past two years.

"It’s good to finally be the bride and not the bridesmaid,"
said Ms Stevenson. "If you looked at the calibre of the other
finalists, we were up against big corporate property management
companies, feeling we were very much the smaller underdog. Victory
is so sweet because they didn’t see us coming."

Housemart launched in Wanaka in 2010 with the Queenstown branch
opening in Terrace Junction later that year. The company is highly
systemised and offers a premium customer experience, with rental
property portfolios exclusive to Wanaka and Queenstown.

Ms Stevenson, who has twice won the top REINZ Property Management
award, said the company’s proven integrity and standards has
been paramount in growing the business despite increased
competition in the local market.

The five categories at the awards all relate to the residential
market and are Property Management Agency of the Year, Property
Manager Rookie of the Year, Property Management Business
Development Manager of the Year, Property Manager of the Year, and
Property Management Support Staff Person of the Year.