What is the Revolution I hear you ask?
Revolution has been established as a “profit for purpose” business where company dividends are given back to the community to support local families in need of a helping hand.
Revolution Real Estate is the brainchild of Franklin and Jane Op den Buysch. We firmly believe that our young people benefit from being involved in extra-curricular activities, but we are also acutely aware that many families in our region struggle to afford these extras so their children can be involved. Our giving is about making a difference for families and children whether they are in an orphanage in Zimbabwe or helping to feed teenagers at local events, or donating towards food banks and other support organisations who are helping the community.
So how did we get here?
In 1995, having returned from our overseas adventures, it was time to review life choices and career options. Franklin left the building industry and moved on to selling houses, working out of the Harcourts Richmond office and in 1998 Jane joined him in the office as his Personal Assistant. With the arrival of our children, Jane’s hours were reduced as she mostly remained at home as primary caregiver.
Franklin went on to do his professional qualifications and also became an auctioneer, something he is still passionate about to this day. We became partners in the Richmond office and in November 2010 Jane returned to full time work as Office Administrator in the Richmond office of Harcourts. Franklin managed the office, running a sales team while continuing to what he loves best, bringing buyers and sellers together so everyone achieves their goals. When the opportunity arose to move to the accounts department for the Harcourts group of offices in Nelson/Tasman, Jane eagerly embraced this and went on over the following years to be proficient in all aspects of the financial side of the business, including Trust Account management and Property Management support.
A vision for something different, something “revolutionary” was born in conjunction with colleagues, but the timing wasn’t right, we were still tied into a partnership and there needed to be ducks in rows, not just swimming in the pool of ideas. Dreams can take time, but with the sale of the Richmond office in November 2018, we were finally taking the first tentative steps towards the dream.
We are forever grateful for the wonderful training and support provided by Harcourts Real Estate. We are thankful for the amazing people and team we have worked with and for over the years. It was never an easy decision to leave behind the company and people who have provided so much input into the businesspeople we are today.
2020, the year that changed so many lives.
For us, lockdown provided an opportunity to work from home. We had only just recently converted the sleepout to an office and so still had the opportunity to “go to work” as it were during the level 4 working-from-home edict. In many ways this was a test run. The old age questions, can we work in close confines with no one else around? and, do we even want to work from home? Were both answered easily with an emphatic “Yes!”.
We have traded the commute to Mapua and Motueka for the traffic hazards of four legged furry friends in the 30 second walk across the front yard. We get to play soccer with the dogs in our breaks, lunch on the deck in the garden and we get to be based in our hometown, a place we have lived for over 30 years. But most of all, the very best part! We begin to live our dream!
Our team has grown with Gareth Duncan joining us in April 2022 bringing many years of real estate experience, Alesha Marshall supports Gareth in his business and is currently working towards her sales person licence. More recently Libby Missen has joined our team, returning to the industry after selling real estate in Christchurch some years ago.
Our commission rates are competitive, we can do this because we pass on the savings we make in not having franchise fees, expensive leases for premises or many of the other overheads associated with more traditional real estate business models. You don’t need to compromise on quality service – it is a people business and we bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise, are committed to doing the very best for our clients, while using the latest marketing methods and bringing good old fashioned negotiation skills to the table when the deals are being done. The revolution is ongoing, and we invite you to become a part of it.