More than 1,400 Ray White members, industry partners and leaders travelled from Invercargill to Kaitaia for the group’s 2025-26 annual awards in Auckland, marking a year in which the network recorded its highest-ever share of the national residential market.
Ray White New Zealand CEO Daniel Coulson said the turnout reflected the scale of the achievement.
“The energy in the room truly reflected the momentum and pride of a group that has a deep understanding of the expectations of market leadership,” he said.
“Over the past 12 months, parts of the real estate market have shown signs of steady improvement, despite the relative unpredictability of the broader economy. Against this backdrop, the results achieved by our members are even more meaningful.”
Daniel said the group’s 202-office network now accounts for one in four residential sales nationwide, a result he attributed to the trust the community continues to place in Ray White members.
He pointed to the group’s customer satisfaction programme, which engaged 22,988 property listings this year, and the 23,166 properties the network manages for owners across the country, as evidence of that trust.
He said continued investment in proprietary technology was supporting that position, describing the tools as giving members and clients “greater clarity, transparency, and confidence, enhancing our members’ relevance, improving decision-making, and ensuring our group remains at the forefront of innovation in real estate.”
Ray White Managing Director Dan White reflected on the network’s broader growth.
“Great things don’t come without great courage and effort. The vision we’re in now didn’t just happen because we had a brand, or a large network, or a good year last year,” Dan said.
Ray White Remuera was named the number one business nationally for the 12th consecutive year, with Ray White Manukau and Ray White Howick recognised as the next top-performing offices.
“Twelve years is no accident. Twelve years is done by sheer determination and grit,” said Kendall van Straalen, who is responsible for business performance at Ray White Remuera.
Richard Thode of Ray White Epsom was named the network’s top national salesperson.
“To win these sorts of awards, to be number one, doesn’t happen alone, it happens with a team standing behind you,” Richard said.
Robyn Ellson and Rachel Berry, both of Ray White Mt Eden, were acknowledged as the next-leading salespeople.
Four members received Ray White New Zealand Life Membership, an honour reserved for contributions built over decades rather than a single year of results. Mary Taylor and Pat Taylor were recognised for more than three decades building a property management business, Peter Best for a real estate career spanning more than 35 years, and Tony McPherson for more than 35 years across residential sales, business ownership, leadership and property management.
The group’s CEO Cup went to Anton Huang, who joined Ray White Howick from a position of personal market leadership. Since the start of last year, Daniel said Anton’s leadership had helped lift the office’s collective market share by nearly 20 per cent, to 44.8 per cent of the $2.6 billion market.
Full list of 2025-26 winners:
- Office of the Year: Ray White Remuera (also No.3 International Office)
- Residential Salesperson: Richard Thode, Ray White Epsom (also No.3 International Salesperson)
- Commercial Salesperson of the Year: Paula Raine, RWC Christchurch
- Group Businesses: Ray White A T Realty (also No.2 International Group – Number of Sales, and No.2 International Group)
- Rural Salesperson of the Year: Alan Thorpe, Ray White Gisborne
- Life Members: Mary Taylor, Pat Taylor, Peter Best, Tony McPherson
- CEO Cup: Anton Huang, Ray White Howick
- Administrator/Personal Assistant of the Year: Janet Watters, Ray White Whangarei
- Administration Team of the Year: Ray White Tauranga
- Rising Star – Property Manager: Rachel Frass, Ray White Co-Lab Property Management
- BDM of the Year – Property Management: Jessica Currie, Ray White 360 Property Management
- Property Management Office of the Year (Small): Ray White Upper Property Management
- Property Management Office of the Year (Large): Ray White Beach Realty Rentals
- Property Manager of the Year: Jack Hu, Ray White Taylor Rentals (also Joint-No.2 International Property Manager)
- Leading Referring Office: Ray White Pukekohe
- Leading Referring Salesperson: Rachel Findlater, Ray White Invercargill
- Rising Star: Daniel Huang, Ray White Flat Bush
- Digital Marketer of the Year: Rachel Berry, Ray White Mt Eden (also No.9 International Salesperson)
- Auctioneer of the Year: Cameron Brain, Ray White Titirangi
- Excellence in Auction – Office: Ray White Whangarei
- Excellence in Auction – Salesperson: Tom Harbott, Ray White Gisborne (also No.5 International Competition Creator)
- Market Share – Metro: Ray White Beach Haven, Ray White Milldale, Ray White Pegasus
- Market Share – Regional: Ray White Masterton, Ray White Opotiki, Ray White Pukehina
- Business Growth: Ray White Mangere Bridge
- Salesperson Growth: Scott Wither, Ray White Grey Lynn
- Community Award – Office: Ray White Whangarei
- Community Award – Salesperson: Jadyn Dixon, Ray White Glenfield
- Customer Experience – Office: Ray White Grey Lynn, Ray White Napier, Ray White Papamoa, Ray White Rangiora (also International Clients’ Choice), Ray White Whangarei (also International Clients’ Choice)
- Customer Experience – Salesperson: Estelle Johnson, Ray White Papamoa; Habeeb Urrahman, Ray White Parnell; Justin Hartley, Ray White Pegasus; Shaan Joshi, Ray White Mangere Bridge; Stuart Morris, Ray White Rangiora