Two South Island investors take the top awards
“The NZ Property Investors Federation has crowned New Zealand’s top property investors at their Annual Conference in Christchurch last weekend,” said Matt Ball, NZPIF PR & Advocacy Manager.
They are:
- Steve Pawson (Canterbury): Winner of the NZPIF ‘RentSkills’ Award (Landlord of the Year, Sponsored by Resene) for his work over more than three decades as a successful property investor and much-loved landlord; and
- Isis Winter (Otago): Winner of the Resene Renovator of the Year Award for her transformation of two ‘unappealing’ Queenstown Airbnbs into a winning investment and tourist favourites.
Steve and Isis are the best of the best, having been chosen from a strong field of entrants and some amazing finalists in this year’s awards.
Steve Pawson has over thirty years of experience in property investing, with a portfolio of over 50 tenancies. Steve puts his success down to consistently going above and beyond to ensure his property portfolio is well maintained and he provides a safe and healthy environment for his tenants. The judges were unanimous in their praise for Steve’s professionalism and his caring approach to investing. What really stood out were the numerous testimonials from Steve’s tenants supporting his entry.
Isis Winter undertook an outstanding renovation project in Queenstown, a fantastic example of how property investors can improve housing stock and benefit the community while increasing the value and cashflow of their investment. Isis’s project was sparked by the removal of interest deductibility which made traditional long-term residential rental investments less feasible. Isis pivoted into short-term holiday lets, buying two ‘unappealing’ 1980’s townhouses in Queenstown that were already Airbnbs. She transformed them into modern, attractive holiday lets which are highly rated and sought after by visiting tourists.
Steve and Isis are raising the bar when it comes to residential and tourist accommodation. They have shown that by taking care of your customers and providing an outstanding service, you can do well in business. We hope their example will encourage more people to enter our industry.
These awards reinforce NZPIF’s commitment to raising skills and standards. Our members are best described as ‘landlords who care’, people dedicated to running their property investment business well and providing their customers (tenants) with great service and quality accommodation.
In addition to the Supreme Winners, the following finalists were also recognised for their outstanding work:
Resene Renovation of the Year – Runner Up:
Andrew Marron, Taranaki
Andrew bought an old 1960’s property on a large section in Rotorua, fully renovated it and added two more houses, as part of a ‘buy and hold’ portfolio. This is a great example of a property investor increasing the number and quality of housing stock while creating a sound, long-term investment.
RentSkills (Landlord of the Year) – Runner Up
(Sponsored by Resene)
Harry Pearson, Nelson
Harry started investing in 2010 and has built up a portfolio of over six properties. He fosters a positive and respectful relationship with his tenants and wants them to make his properties their home. As a result, his tenants generally stay long term. One of his passions is sustainability, and he has invested in raised garden beds, fruit trees and solar panels, giving his tenants the opportunity to live better and save money.
RentSkills (Landlord of the Year) – Merit Awards
(Sponsored by MBIE – Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment)
Lydia Au, Canterbury
Lydia and her husband have been investing in property since 2012 and have three Christchurch rentals. Lydia’s strategy is to attract long-term tenants who can call the house their home, by providing warm dry and functional housing. This strategy has been successful: her tenants have stayed five years on average.
Rosalind Love & Tim Calder, Canterbury
Tim has been passionate about property investment since his late teenage years, and he bought his first investment property in 2002, while at his first year of university. He has since grown a successful property portfolio focussing on student accommodation which delivers a highly supporting flatting experience. He and Rosalind now operate a student property fund with a portfolio of 12 student flats in Christchurch and Dunedin.
Jackie Thomas-Teague, Wellington
Jackie owns ten investment properties with her husband. Her focus in recent years has been on upgrading her portfolio to exceed Healthy Homes Standards and achieve HomeFit Plus Certification through the Green Building Council. She says the improvements have made a huge difference in the lives, comfort, health and financial well-being of her tenants, and her properties are always sought after when they come up for rent.
Chris & Warwick Dugdale, Wellington
Chris & Warwick have been investing in property since the 1980s, and have bought, rented, renovated and sold many properties over the years. Their property investment supports the Dugdale Charitable Trust which supports many Kiwi charitable organisations and the building of a new primary school in Uganda. They strive to treat tenants as they would want to be treated themselves, and to create a sense of community in the properties that they own. They address maintenance issues promptly, keep the lawns and gardens well-manicured and share fruit and vegetables from their kitchen garden with their tenants.