Local Real Estate Professionals Awarded For Excellence

Top-performing real estate professionals from across the Auckland, Northland and Bay of Plenty regions have been recognised at the formal 2025 Barfoot & Thompson Awards. Held annually, the event celebrates exceptional performance, leadership, and a strong commitment to service excellence.

A full list of award winners can be found at www.awards.barfoot.co.nz

Barfoot & Thompson is New Zealand’s largest family-owned real estate company and a market leader, selling around 4 in every 10 homes within Auckland and managing more than 20,000 rental properties across three regions.

“These awards recognise outstanding performance by individuals, partnerships and teams from across our business, representing the full range of expertise we offer – from residential and rural sales through to property management, auctioneering and commercial leasing,” says Barfoot & Thompson CEO Chris Dobbie.

“The winners are people who are deeply invested in their clients and their teams’ success, and who of course deliver exceptional results.”

Highest honours

Six individuals received the awards’ highest honours, taking home an ‘Elite’ trophy. They were:

• Branch Manager of the Year 2025 (Maurice Thompson Cup winner): Nick Bates (Pukekohe)
• Residential Salesperson of the Year 2025 (Val Barfoot Cup winner): Bob Qin (Millwater)
• Rural/Lifestyle Salesperson of the Year 2025: Scott McElhinney (Pukekohe)
• Commercial Salesperson of the Year 2025: William Read (City Commercial)
• Rising Star of the Year 2025: Sharlene Druyven (Waiuku)
• Head of Property Management of the Year 2025 (Kelland Barfoot Cup winner): Clay Reeve (Glenfield)

“These awards aren’t just about sales figures or operational success, but about celebrating those who lead with integrity, who build strong client relationships, and who lift up those around them,” says Dobbie, adding: “These recipients are the very best of Barfoot & Thompson — and as such among the very best in the industry.”

Top sellers

The top individual salesperson of 2025, out of more than 1,800 salespeople, was Aaron Foss of Barfoot & Thompson Mission Bay.

Logan Boersma and Sindy Wu of the Howick Branch were recognised as the top performing sales partnership, and Bob Qin and Team of the Millwater Branch were the top selling team.

Scott McElhinney, of the multi-awarded Pukekohe Branch, won top rural/lifestyle salesperson for 2025.

Region-wide recognition

The awards also highlighted excellence at every level — recognising high-achieving individuals, partnerships, teams, branch managers, and property management professionals from across the Barfoot & Thompson network.

In total, more than 300 awards were handed out across the company’s 88 branches, illustrating the depth of talent within the business and the breadth of its regional impact.

“We’re a business built on local expertise, and backed by collective strength,” says Dobbie. “Our people are at the heart of our business and it’s a pleasure to acknowledge their continued contribution to setting the standard in this industry.”

All full list of award winners can be found at www.awards.barfoot.co.nz

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