Mr Kennedy, owner of Epic Realty in Dunedin and Balclutha, will represent New Zealand in September in an Australasian contest after winning the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand's National Real Estate Auctioneers Championship on Tuesday.
Delighted with his win, Mr Kennedy said he was still learning on the job after 12 years as an auctioneer. A top auctioneer needed a "bit of style", excellent diction, the ability to count clearly and accurately under pressure, and negotiating skills.
While bidders might believe they had an entrenched maximum bid, a skilled auctioneer used "emotion to defy logic" to secure a favourable price.
However, auctioneers were not trying to "put it across" potential buyers, which was often the bidders' perception, he said.
Auctions were a good sales method as they took the pressure off sellers by pitting buyers against buyers, Mr Kennedy said.
Useful in the current stilted sales environment, auctions established the market value of a property in a short time.
This week's two-day competition was nerve-wracking, particularly as the mock auction properties were in Auckland.
It was particularly gratifying to win against three other finalists from the city of sails.
Official criteria used to judge the contestants included bearing, assertion, dress, diction, bidding flow, body language, and ability to hold interest.
The win was the highlight of 18 years in real estate, and Mr Kennedy was looking forward to the "Bledisloe" transtasman competition later this year in Auckland.
Runner-up Robert Tulp, of Auckland's North Shore, will also compete.
