There’s plenty to celebrate across regional New Zealand, with Property Brokers bringing home four national wins and a Highly Commended recognition from the 2026 REINZ Awards for Excellence.
From an outstanding residential team in Ashburton to rising stars in Whanganui and Palmerston North, one of rural real estate's most experienced performers, and a property management team in Dannevirke, the awards recognise people doing exceptional work in the communities they call home.
For Property Brokers, a proudly family-owned Kiwi business built around regional New Zealand, that makes the recognition particularly special.
Property Brokers Ashburton was named Residential Office of the Year – Small – Highest Sales Volume, while Ashburton’s Chris Murdoch took home Individual Rural Salesperson of the Year.
In Whanganui, Rachel Gray was named Residential Rising Star Salesperson of the Year, while Palmerston North’s Gerhard Barkhuizen received the Residential Property Manager Rising Star award.
And there was another result to celebrate, with Property Brokers Dannevirke Highly Commended in Residential Property Management Office – Small.
For Managing Director Guy Mordaunt, the results are something the entire Property Brokers family can be proud of.
“Regional New Zealand isn't somewhere we happen to do business, it's our home. These are the communities that have backed us, shaped us and trusted us for over 40 years, so to see our people and teams standing on a national stage and being recognised among some of the very best in our industry makes us incredibly proud.”
“We’ve always believed you don't need to be in one of the biggest cities to build an exceptional career, an exceptional team or an exceptional business. There is extraordinary talent right across regional New Zealand, and this year's recognition is a wonderful example of that.”
Ashburton had not one, but two national titles to celebrate, with success spanning both the residential and rural sides of the business.
Property Brokers Ashburton was named Residential Office of the Year – Small – Highest Sales Volume, recognising the collective performance of its residential team.
“Ashburton is a fantastic example of what we're all about. They're a true team – they work incredibly hard for their clients and genuinely back one another. To see that performance recognised on a national stage is an achievement everyone in Ashburton should feel enormously proud of,” Guy says.
On the rural side of the business, Chris Murdoch was named Individual Rural Salesperson of the Year. For anyone familiar with Chris's career, there's plenty of history behind that achievement.
Chris has spent more than 35 years in real estate, with a connection to farming that began long before he entered the industry. After leaving school, he worked on his family farm at Mayfield, gained farming experience overseas and later established an agricultural contracting business before moving into real estate in 1990.
Over the decades since, Chris has built an extraordinary rural real estate career grounded in market knowledge, straightforward advice and a genuine understanding of farming.
And there was a little unfinished business from last year's awards. In 2025, Chris stood among the national finalists for Rural Salesperson of the Year. This year, he took home the title.
“Chris has dedicated decades to rural real estate and to the farming communities he works with,” Guy says. “He knows his market, he understands farming and, importantly, he has earned the trust of generations of clients. To see someone who has contributed so much to rural real estate receive this national recognition is incredibly special.”
Together, the two wins made for an impressive Ashburton double, with national recognition across both residential and rural real estate.
In Whanganui, another story that started at last year's awards had a pretty special ending.
After being named a finalist for Residential Rising Star Salesperson of the Year in 2025, Rachel Gray returned in 2026 and took home the national title.
For Guy, Rachel’s achievement is also a great example of the calibre of careers being built throughout regional New Zealand.
“Watching Rachel grow in confidence and establish herself in Whanganui has been fantastic. She cares about people, she's eager to keep learning and she's surrounded by a team that genuinely wants to see her succeed. To go from national finalist to national winner is something she should be incredibly proud of.”
Rachel wasn't the only Whanganui team member to earn national recognition. Property Brokers Whanganui was a finalist for Residential Office of the Year – Medium – Highest Sales Volume, while Madison Sharpe was a finalist for PA of the Year.
Property management gave us plenty more to celebrate across the lower North Island.
In Property Brokers' home city of Palmerston North, Gerhard Barkhuizen was named Residential Property Manager Rising Star, recognising an exciting milestone in his developing property management career.
“Gerhard has made a real impression in a relatively short time,” Guy says. “He genuinely cares about people, he's willing to listen and learn, and he brings a calm, thoughtful approach to the challenges that come with property management. We're incredibly proud to see him recognised nationally and excited about where his career can take him.”
And just down the road, Property Brokers Dannevirke was Highly Commended in Residential Property Management Office – Small. For a regional office and its team to receive national recognition is something worth celebrating. It reflects the work happening every day in communities like Dannevirke – looking after property owners, supporting tenants and building trusted local relationships.
There was more recognition across the wider property management team, too.
Levin's Kashiya Holmes joined Gerhard among the finalists for Residential Property Manager Rising Star, while David Faulkner was a finalist for the Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Residential Property Management Sector.
Property Brokers Palmerston North was also a finalist for Community Service Initiative of the Year.
The four wins and Highly Commended recognition were highlights of an outstanding evening, but they were only part of the Property Brokers story.
Our people, offices and initiatives were recognised across residential, rural, property management, innovation, community service and support.
At company level, Property Brokers was a finalist for Large Agency of the Year and the Community Service Award – Brand, while Property Brokers Digital Solutions was recognised as a finalist for Innovation.
Other individual finalists included Matt Oliver of Waipukurau, Shoz Wheeler of Mosgiel and Madison Sharpe of Whanganui, with office recognition extending across Ashburton, Dannevirke, Feilding, Whanganui and Palmerston North.
For Guy, every one of those achievements deserves to be celebrated.
“Awards recognise a name, an individual or an office, but nobody gets there alone. Behind every one of these achievements is a true team sharing knowledge, picking up the phone, helping solve a problem, celebrating the wins and supporting each other through the tough days.”
“That's what I'm proudest of. We have some outstanding individuals, but we have an even better team. They care deeply about doing a great job for people and about the communities they call home.”
The REINZ Awards add another chapter to an already memorable 2026 for Property Brokers.
Earlier this year, we were named Canstar’s Most Satisfied Customers – Real Estate Agents for the third consecutive year.
We were then named a Consumer NZ People’s Choice winner for Real Estate in 2026, adding another significant customer endorsement.
Now, our success at the REINZ Awards for Excellence has added recognition from within our industry to a year already marked by recognition from the people who matter most – our customers.
“We don't come to work to win awards. We come to work to do the best job we possibly can for the people who trust us with their homes, farms, investments and businesses,” Guy says.
“But when that work is recognised, first by our customers and then by our industry, you do have to stop for a moment and feel enormously proud.”
Perhaps the best thing about this year's recognition is where the story is being written. Ashburton. Whanganui. Palmerston North. Dannevirke. Levin. Waipukurau. Mosgiel. Feilding.
They're more than locations on our network. They're home.
They're the communities where our people live, raise their families, build careers, support local organisations and help people through some of life's biggest property decisions.
This year's recognition captures that regional story from so many different angles.
In Ashburton, a residential team has been recognised nationally for its sales performance, while one of rural real estate's most experienced professionals has taken home a major individual title.
In Whanganui and Palmerston North, rising talent is building careers in the regions and already being recognised nationally. And in Dannevirke, an entire property management office has been Highly Commended for the work its team is doing.
All showing the extraordinary calibre of people and teams found right here in regional New Zealand.
“Three consecutive Canstar awards, the Consumer NZ People’s Choice recognition and now four REINZ Awards in the same year tell a really special story about our people,” Guy says.
“But the part that means the most to me is where that story is being written, in towns and communities right across regional New Zealand.”
“We’re proud to represent the regions because we are part of them. We live here, we raise our families here, we employ people here and we support local organisations here. Calling regional New Zealand home is something we will never take for granted.”
