The earthquake, which has devastated the city and its surrounding areas and caused billions of dollars worth of damage, has left the people of both New Zealand and Australia in a state of shock.

The New Zealand Red Cross have been on the ground in Christchurch since the earthquake struck, providing shelter, support and supplies to hundreds of needy victims.

Harcourts International Managing Director, Mike Green is thankful that The Harcourts Foundation is able to offer support in such a time of need.

“This is a hugely challenging time for the people in Canterbury, our thoughts are with them as they look to rebuild after this traumatic event. This is an extremely worthy cause and the Harcourts team are pleased to be able to make a positive difference in the affected Canterbury communities,” said Mr Green.

“As an organisation, we have many friends and colleagues in the region and were devastated at the news. Thankfully, our team and their families are safe, and we are extremely grateful that we are able to contribute to the disaster relief effort.”

The Harcourts Foundation was established in August 2008, with the aim of providing financial support that helps, grows and enriches local communities, and in just over two years has received over $700,000 in donations from Harcourts staff and offices across Australia and New Zealand.

To date, the money raised for The Harcourts Foundation has come from the voluntary donations and fundraising efforts of Harcourts team members on both sides of the Tasman, with additional support coming from some of the group’s business partners and clients.

“The Harcourts team has developed a strong tradition of giving, with Harcourts’ generosity benefiting thousands of people throughout Australia and New Zealand over the years. The lives and livelihoods of thousands in the Canterbury region have been affected, with the shock felt around the country, and we are pleased to be able to positively assist those in need,” said Mr Green.

Harcourts were the only real estate organisation to receive a Highly Commended mention in the finalists’ announcement for the awards which will be hosted by the Australian Centre for Event Management in early October.

Harcourts International Managing Director, Mike Green is extremely proud of this achievement and believes that it is testament to the hard work and dedication of the company’s event management division.

“Harcourts events have always had an excellent reputation and it is fantastic that the quality and professionalism of our events has now been recognised at a national level,” said Mr Green.

“I am so proud of this achievement and of everyone involved in the management of our great events,” he continued.

The 2010 Harcourts Conference, which was held at Conrad Jupiters in Surfers Paradise in May this year, was truly one-of-a-kind with over 600 people from all across Australia in attendance.

Highlights included an inspirational speech from keynote speaker, Li Cunxin, author of best-selling autobiography Mao’s Last Dancer, and presentations from other high profile keynote speakers such as social media guru, Matthew Ferrarra and real estate figureheads, Ric de Luca and James Tostevin.

Mr Green is confident that Harcourts will continue to produce world-class events and may even take out an award at the next Australian Event Awards in 2011.

“I am confident that Harcourts will continue to excel in this area and will continue to produce many more exceptional events. I believe that Harcourts has a fantastic chance of being a finalist in the 2011 Australian Event Awards, so watch this space!” said Mr Green.

Being positive, caring members of our communities is an important part of who we are at Harcourts. The Harcourts Foundation, established in 2008, enables us to better support our team in the way that they wish to support their communities. Thanks to the generosity of our staff, business owners and the Tasmanian community we are now calling for grant applications to enable us to distribute funds to recipients throughout the state.

Our Purpose:

To provide support that helps, grows, and enriches our communities.

Our vision – what we want to achieve: 

We have a clear focus on providing grants in areas where Harcourts offices operate to reputable community-based organisations which need funding for projects and initiatives designed to benefit as many people as possible.

Applications are open to all organisations that are looking for assistance with a specific event, project, item or initiative.. Visit The Harcourts Foundation and download a Grant Application Form. Grant applications close Thursday 30^th September 2010.

Contact  Candice Gillies

         Business Development Manager

         Harcourts Tasmania

Address  187 Brisbane Street Launceston

Phone        03 6331 5111

Email        candice.gillies@harcourts.com.au

The survey, which was completed by over 500 sellers and property purchasers in July 2010, showed significant positive increases in all service areas since July 2009.

Harcourts received an almost 300 per cent overall increase in repeat vendor business from 7 per cent of respondents having used the company more than once in 2009 to 19 per cent in 2010.

The Harcourts brand is set to keep on growing with an amazing 94 per cent of survey respondents indicating that they would recommend the company to their friends and family, with around 70 per cent indicating that they were ‘highly likely’ to recommend Harcourts.

In 2010, Harcourts sales consultants also presented more sales methods, including auctions, as marketing options to their sellers with 68 per cent of marketing presentations including information about the auction option, compared to 44 per cent in 2009.

Harcourts consultants also seem to be presenting auctions in a more effective and informative manner with 100 per cent of all auction presentations rated as either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ in 2010, compared to 91 per cent in 2009.

Local Harcourts offices across Australia have also increased their ratings over the past year in all areas, including office presentation, professionalism and customer service, with close to 100 per cent of all respondents rating these offices as either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’.

Harcourts International Managing Director, Mike Green is extremely pleased with the results and believes that the outcomes are a testament to the brand and its hard-working, dedicated team.

“The results are fantastic and really demonstrate the professionalism, commitment and enthusiasm of our talented sales consultants, as well as highlighting the continued growth and momentum of the Harcourts Group as a leader in the Australian real estate market,” said Mr Green.

Established in August 2008, The Harcourts Foundation aims to provide financial support that helps, grows and enriches local communities, and has received well over $685,000 in donations from Harcourts staff, offices and clients around Australia and New Zealand in its first two years of operation.

According to Harcourts International Managing Director, Mike Green, two charities in Queensland will receive a combined total of $19,000, five charities in South Australia will receive a total of $16,200, two charities in Western Australia will receive a total of $15,000, one charity in Victoria will receive a total of $8,000, and two New South Wales based charities will receive a total of $4,000.

Amongst the grant recipients for the April to June 2010 quarter are the Starlight Children’s Foundation, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Cancer Council of South Australia.

To date, all funds have been raised by dedicated Harcourts team members and clients in the form of fundraising events, auctions, workplace giving, individual donations or ‘off the top’ giving (calculated from each sales commission).

Mr Green said he was extremely proud of the extent to which The Harcourts Foundation has been supported by Harcourts staff and their clients throughout Australia and New Zealand.

“The generosity and spirit of the Harcourts people will benefit a number of charities and organisations around Australia that do extremely valuable and necessary work in their local communities,” Mr Green said.

“The next round of grant applications has already begun, with the closing date being the 30^th of September, 2010.”

“I encourage all Australian charities to jump online at www.harcourtsfoundation.org and download the grant application form. We look forward to funding as many applicants as possible,” Mr Green said.

Be sure to look out for grant application deadlines:

• 1 July – 30 September 2010
• 1 October – 31 December 2010
• 1 January – 31 March 2011

With a reputation for straight forward and forth right advice and the delivery of excellent service, Roy’s wealth of knowledge of the region, expertise with real estate marketing and negotiating combined with the power of the Harcourts brand, will provide unequalled opportunities for his clients and staff alike.

“We saw an avenue for our business to continue its growth with the backing of the fastest growing real estate group in Australasia. The training, systems and networking opportunities that Harcourts provide we believe are the best in Australia and we look forward to offering our clients the ability to market their properties locally, nationally and on the global stage.” said Mr Cummings

A resident of the area since 1967, Roy’s passion and commitment to the region has long been displayed in his many community based activities. A founding member, Division Commander and Regional Captain of the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol now Air Sea Rescue, Roy also served as President of the Sorell Chamber of Commerce and maintained an interest as the Public Officer for the Chamber up until the recently formed New Business Organisation.

Harcourts Tasmania CEO Tony Morrison said “We welcome Roy and his team to the Harcourts Group and have great confidence in the strength of his team to continue the growth of the Harcourts brand throughout southern Tasmania.”

Long established as the PRD franchise in the pristine Tamar Valley, this successful crew has rebranded and acquired the high profile Harcourts office in Legana. With over 40 years in the real estate industry, Kate, Vaughan and Kaylene have forged a reputation of straight talking agents managing the needs of their clients for all real estate transactions.

They are joined in their new office by already established property consultant Jacqui Allen, who is a West Tamar local with nearly two years in real estate. Joan Carroll  and Danielle Guy comprise the administration team.

“We were very familiar with the Harcourts brand as they have been our major competitor in the West Tamar for some years now.

“We recognised an opportunity to link with a high profile established brand in a company that offered incredible systems, training, and resources and the potential to continue the growth and development of our business, with the huge benefit of more exposure for our Vendors. We are very excited about the future,” said Ms Worley.

Harcourts Tasmania CEO Tony Morrison said “We are delighted to welcome Kate, Vaughan, Kaylene and the crew to the Harcourts team. They have a work ethic and drive to succeed that melds perfectly with Harcourts growth plans. We know they will continue to dominate in their market and capitalise on the advantages of joining the number one real estate group in Tasmania.”

Co-directors, Tony Morrison, Kate Littlejohn and Jeremy Wilkinson lead their team on a night of triumph, beginning with the office taking out the Top Office Revenue Award.

Office individuals then received further accolades with Jeremy Wilkinson being awarded

Property Consultant of the Year, Top Exclusive Lister of the Year and David Hernyk Rising Star of the Quarter.

The awards were presented at the annual Harcourts Gala Awards function held at the Grand Chancellor in Hobart and coincided with the inaugural Harcourts Foundation Charity Auction, where over $10,475 was raised on the night.

The Harcourts Foundation was established in 2008, with the aim of providing financial support that helps, grows and enriches local communities.

CEO of Harcourts Tasmania, Tony Morrison, said, “We are extremely proud of the Harcourts Team in Tasmania and for the Launceston office to claim so many awards within the group of 21 strongly performing offices is just incredible.

In addition, the Charity Auction was a first and we were hoping for a great result, but none of us predicted we would raise over $10,000 for the Harcourts Foundation from a room of 127 staff members and partners”.

Grant Stephens of the Sorrento/Benowa office on the Gold Coast was top consultant in October. He has become a business owner of this particular office and is hoping to continue his success this year.

Carmen Briggs of the Inner West won top consultant in November, achieving stellar results for the inner Brisbane area.

Jim Ryan of Coorparoo achieved the great honour of top consultant in December, blitzing sales in his area throughout the month.

Harcourts Queensland CEO Aaron Brooks said the awards ceremony was a grand display of the knowledge and years of experience Harcourts employees have.

“It was a fantastic Gold Coast success, with Grant achieving significant sales results for the month,” Mr Brooks said.

“What a pleasure it is to see members of the Harcourts family go from strength to strength.

“Grant recently became a business owner of the Sorrento/Benowa office, and is a testament to Harcourts’ level of professionalism and ethics,” Mr Brooks said.

Grant has worked in the local area for more than 10 years, so his local knowledge is invaluable to the many residents and investors in the greater Gold Coast region.

“It gives me great pleasure to be able to reward these high performers with the recognition they deserve for their achievements.

“We at Harcourts are incredibly proud of Grant’s achievements as well as the Brisbane winners, and will continue to watch their careers with excitement,” Mr Brooks said.

The Harcourts Foundation was set up just over a year ago, with the aim of providing financial support that helps, grows and enriches local communities, and in that short time has already received over $400,000 in donations from various fundraising events, auctions and Harcourts office support across Australia and New Zealand.

Together with the funds donated to the Red Cross Victorian Bush Fire Appeal earlier this year, The Harcourts Foundation has donated over $265,000 to 41 charities in its first year of operation.

In addition to the recent grants made, The Harcourts Foundation has welcomed the 100^th Harcourts office to their ‘off the top’ giving support network.  These offices support The Harcourts Foundation by donating a set figure from commissions they receive from every property sale.

According to Managing Director of Harcourts International, Mike Green, the support shown by Harcourts people indicates a changing direction in society’s business and personal priorities.

“As we are very quickly approaching a new decade, it seems that society’s sentiment is changing with a view that places a much greater emphasis on supporting their community, rather than focussing solely on their own personal interests,” he said.

“Early last year, we recognised this  desire among our own people  as well as Harcourts’ clients, and realised that it was important for us to create an avenue for  both to give something back to those in need within our community. It was with this in mind that The Harcourts Foundation was born.”

Mr Green said he was delighted, but not surprised, at the extent to which The Harcourts Foundation has been supported by Harcourts’ people and their clients throughout Australia and New Zealand since its inception.

“ All businesses have a corporate social responsibility to do more than just engage in their business, but must take a wider and more proactive role in supporting and helping the communities they work in” he said.