Big realty company returns to Q’town

After a long gap, major Australian-based real estate group LJ Hooker has re-entered the Queenstown market.

Agent Harry Hollyer, who’s spent the past year working with local-based Walker & Co Realty, has restarted the Queenstown franchise with two business partners.

The 24-year-old started his real estate career with LJ Hooker in Timaru five years ago, then shifted to its Dunedin office.

"I thought it was a no-brainer really to bring LJ Hooker back here with the growing amount of overseas interest we get in Queenstown — having an internationally-trusted brand is massive," he says.

He notes median residential prices rose 12% in the past year, but in June sales were 43% down on the same month last year, "so we’re in a market where sellers and buyers need their hands held more than ever".