Testimonials

SH McCowan
Trustee of the CH McLeod Trust
Farm Owner South Head
298 Shelly Beach Road

As a professional trustee it is fundamental that we select the right company and individual agent when selling large dollar value trust assets, such as the Shelly Beach Farm of the McLeod Trust.

In a difficult market we felt that John Barnett carried out a very professional job in preparing and completing what turned out to be a very effective sales/marketing campaign.

John's Marketing Campaign was effective and drew potential purchasers from throughout New Zealand and the World.

Throughout the Marketing Campaign John kept the Trustees up to date with a weekly report that was punctual and informative. We also received regular phone calls as well as meetings on the farm for open days.

The end result was a sale on the day tenders closed which I understand is the largest dollar value farm sale in Northland in the last year. We couldn't have asked for more in regards to John's enthusiasm and professionalism.

On behalf of the CH McLeod Trustees,
Many Thanks
SH McCowan  B.Agr.;  Dip.Bus.Admin. 

Tolich Farms
Grice Road, Wellsford
87 Ha Grazing Farm
Sold by Auction for $1,600,000
 
Hi John.
 
Now that the farm has sold, I thought I’d send you a note of thanks for all the effort that you and the team at Bayleys put into the process. From the outset your proactivity, without being too pushy, got me interested in the possibility of selling the farm. The initial phone call relating to the neighbouring property tweaked my interest. Then your consistent follow up with the excellent newsletter made it a no brainer who should sell our farm. Had you not shown me that attention over the preceding 12 months or so, I would probably have gone back to Wrightsons who sold it to me in the first place.
 
Once the decision was made to sell, then you had to convince me that I should do an appropriate marketing programme including newspaper ads, newsletters and mags.  It would have been very easy to say no to those extra costs and just had the farm listed. But, it’s very clear that the interest we got and the final buyer would not have stumbled across the listing very easily...it was the marketing programme that led them to the listing. Your weekly contact with me, reports and updates left me in no doubt as to the serious effort that was going into the sale.
 
When we got close to auction day, it was a very professional and  pleasant experience meeting Sabine and Mark who were to help on the day. The fact that you and they do have so many properties to handle all of the time, it was really amazing that you still somehow seemed to personalise my own property and concerns. That’s a special skill.
 
On the day I couldn’t be at the auction so Mark had me on the phone whilst you and Sabine did your stuff. In fact, I think all three of you worked the buyers. When the bidding stalled quite early in the game I thought it was all over and we’d withdraw the sale. It absolutely astounded me how you managed to work with and encourage the buyer (s) to up the ante around $500,000 so that I could happily put the farm ‘on the market’....and for all parties to be happy with the outcome.
 
We all know that our farm was very special with ‘all money spent’ and it was a very good buy even at the price we got. But, in this challenging environment, for you and the team to achieve a successful result very much reflects your deep knowledge of the market as much as the buying/selling psyche and process.
 
Congratulations and well done.
 
Best regards,
Neil Tolich