Carl Johnston

We were newcomers to NZ and to Queenstown. Having fallen in love with both, we were introduced by a friend to Vanessa Sharp who went to a lot of trouble to familiarise us quickly with the locality and listened carefully to our intentions and needs. It didn’t take long to find the right property with Vanessa’s help and she was of great help in negotiating our purchase and then in introducing us to high quality professionals to help us forward with our intentions. Most of all we found Vanessa’s good humour and personal engagement with us made the whole process fun as well as professional.

Vanessa Sharp was referred to me by Julian Brown (co-owner of Sotheby’s International Realty NZ) to sell a spec home I had built in Hawthorne Estate. I also owned a number of sections surrounding the house. During the process of selling the house, Vanessa sold both neighbouring sections for the price I had asked and sold the house for a fraction under asking price. She went on to sell another two sections I owed, the later for more than I was expecting. She is an excellent communicator, hands on and doesn’t waste your time. She is absolutely worth the 4% fee she charges as she specialises in the rural market, has the contacts and is more than happy to follow up with purchasers indefinitely. I would highly recommend Vanessa if you have a rural property to sell. Please don’t hesitate to call me if you would to discuss.

It is with real enthusiasm that I hereby highly recommend Vanessa and Carl Johnston for their real estate work. First, they have helped me feel secure with them, and in a way with the country itself when I arrived in New Zealand, as they were truly advising me on what to do and not to do when looking for a property in Queenstown. Ihave to say today that fi they had not been serious in their search and in their negotiation with the seller, I would not have bought anything. Not only they have been able to help me find the perfect house, they have also helped me meet with the proper list of various contractors that enabled me to enhance further the house to my taste. During our stay, they have maintained a truly friendly relationship with us and always helped us while being away, once again making us feel they were always ready for the extra mile for us. Then when we decided that we had to leave because we just had a baby that could not travel so far, it was with a heartbreak that we asked Vanessa and Carl to sell our house, during a not so easy resale market period (due to the change in real estate rules with some foreigners not being able to buy houses in New Zealand). My wife hoped that they would never sell the house so that she could think of keeping the house for when our child would be older. And once again, Vanessa and Carl still found the right buyer, made the deal very easy for us, helped us move without us being on site. That felt great to be accompanied till the end. I am sure that if the people reading this letter understand that there is no better agents in Queenstown and its surroundings, then one day they will be willing to also write such a personal recommendation letter in their turn if needed.

We chose Carl and Vanessa to sell our property because they had a great reputation in local, rural real estate. They proved to be a highly efficient and effective team, with complimentary skills that got the job done. From contract, through marketing and property inspections, they managed the whole process smoothly, with little intrusion or disruption to our lives. They even managed our dog during inspections (Vanessa always seemed to have a supply of pig's ears!) They tapped into their extensive client base, vetted potential buyers thoroughly, found the right one, closed the deal and got the price we wanted. Everyone was pleased with a job well done!

“We approached Vanessa Sharpe when we were selling our Malaghans Road property because of her reputation and strong sales history in the rural marketplace. In the ensuing weeks Vanessa proved to be a consummate professional, delivering on all promises, keeping us well informed and up to date with developments as they happened – and they happened very quickly. The property went live on-line on Christmas Eve and by January 8th we had a signed contract, clients of Vanessa having flown over from Australia for a viewing on the strength of a video she had commissioned and closely supervised. Throughout the negotiation period she worked tirelessly on our behalf, resulting in a sales figure I don’t believe any other agent would have achieved and, generously, adjusting her commission when it was slightly less than we had hoped for. On the day the contract was to go “unconditional” the purchaser’s solicitor produced, at the last minute, a lengthy list of questions and requested an extension. Because she lives rurally and has an understanding of all that entails, Vanessa answered every one within the hour and the sale went through on that day. From the very beginning Vanessa’s “can do” attitude made things happen, her sense of humour, dedication and knowledge made working with her a pleasure and I recommend her, unreservedly, to anyone looking for good result when selling their home.

We recommend Carl Johnston and Vanessa Sharp who recently sold our property in Queenstown. They assisted in correctly pricing our home and producing an effective and efficient marketing strategy. They were both professional and polite in working with us and potential buyers, ensuring a well-managed process and outcome. We were well informed during the sales process receiving details of buyer interest and visits and local and regional property transaction reporting. We were off site for much of the sale and settlement period and they willingly handled all the detail for us, including sale or disposal of items we were not taking with us.

“A few years ago we put our house in Dalefield on the Market. After a period of time and a non-productive outcome, firstly with two other real estate companies in Queenstown we decided to approach Vanessa Sharp and Carl Johnston at Sotheby’s in Arrowtown. We were aware that their fees would be higher but hoped for a more professional approach and hopefully genuine purchasers! We were not disappointed in either and the outcome was multiple offers! We are once again contemplating a move and have no hesitation in asking Vanessa, whom we keep in touch with, to handle the sale of our current property and help in finding and purchasing a new one.

To whom it may concern. I first met Vanessa Sharp and Carl Johnston on a family trip to the beautiful country of New Zealand in 2015. A portion of our trip was to spend time in Queenstown. My family and I just fell in love with the people and this area of the country. We set about contacting a realtor and were quite fortunate meeting Vanessa Sharp and Carl Johnston. Vanessa and Carl did an exceptional job in working diligently and with focus to find the kind of properties we were interested in pursuing. After looking at multiple homes, estates and farms we finally focused on submitting a contract on a farm. Vanessa was instrumental in recommending, various law firms, accountants and potential builders in Queenstown. Ultimately the sellers decided not to sell. We subsequently returned to Queenstown the following year and again Vanessa and Carl were kind enough to head our continued search. On this trip Vanessa was aware of a property that was not even officially for sale. All we had to do was to see it one time and the search was over. Again Vanessa and Carl literally made the deal possible through their contacts in the Queenstown area. We now will be moving into our house sometime this year. In the process of building our home sheep that I had purchased needed pasture until my fence was constructed. Carl an Vanessa went out of their way and offered to let my animals graze on their property until the fencing was completed. Living in the United States it was paramount that I found realtors who were trustworthy, reliable, professional, and service oriented. The most important attribute I look for in deals is the integrity of the person/s I have representing me. Carl and Vanessa have these standards and are outstanding people. They obviously go above and beyond in their service. I highly recommend them without reservation!

“Having bought and sold many many properties over many years, I have to say that Vanessa Sharp of Sothebys NZ, who facilitated our recent purchase near Arrowtown has gone out of her way to make us feel welcome. Despite the problems which arose out of Covid19, Vanessa and her husband Carl have helped smooth the way and have been extraordinarily helpful in their after sale service - from sharing their list of trusted tradesmen to facilitating ‘FaceTime’ meetings as visits to the property have been impossible. Her approach to things is quick and reliable - always answering emails immediately which is so helpful in these special circumstances. I believe she even personally transported the previous owner’s wood pile to their new home!”.. Most agents, more often than not, lose interest in their clients after the sale has been completed. Despite the fact that she acted for the vendor in our case, this has been quite the opposite as she couldn’t be more helpful.

This is to confirm Vanessa Sharp achieved a terrific sale price for our property in Slopehill Road, 100% in line with both the market and our expectations. The process was handled professionally and with a great positive, friendly attitude. The deal was concluded seamlessly, leaving both the buyer and seller in great shape for the future. We recommend her skills and her specific knowledge of the district without hesitation.