McDonald Real Estate was founded in 1912 by Michael McDonald Senior, who having immigrated from Ireland in 1899 and worked on farms throughout New Zealand began negotiating land deals as well as livestock and butterfat from his farm based on the outskirts of Stratford.
Michael McDonalds journals show land sales from as low as £10.00 per acre and butterfat from 1 shilling per pound. He continued to develop his one-man band until his son Tom joined him in the mid forties and together they continued as a father and son partnership until Michael McDonald retirement and subsequent death in 1961.
McDonald Real Estate began operating from premises situated at 288 Broadway, Stratford in 1921 and still occupies that same spot 80 years later. Tom McDonald continued the business as a sole practitioner for several years after his fathers retirement and in the late 1960s formed a partnership with Mr. W.l. (Joe) Witton and together they operated McDonald Real Estate concentrating on the Stratford market.
In 1976 Tom McDonald's son Peter, then 22 years of age joined his father in the family business and in 1981 another son, Michael (31) also joined the firm. The father and sons team proceeded to be big success for McDonald Real Estate and the blend of experience and youthfulness saw the market place soar to the extent that McDonald Real Estate were consistently handling 75 - 80% of the entire rural market for Taranaki. With the growth in sales came expansion and the company opened further offices in both Inglewood and Eltham and soon became the major operator in both these areas.
The rural sales team was developed and expanded and the companies market share has been maintained even in today's extremely competitive market place. Michael McDonald retired from the firm in 1999, leaving his father Tom and brother Peter to continue with the business while he tried his hand at dairy conversion in Southland. Michael has now successfully converted over 400 hectares and has one of the top performing dairy units in Southland.
The McDonald Real Estate operation now totally services Taranaki with offices at Stratford, New Plymouth, Bell Block, Oakura, Waitara, Inglewood, Eltham and Hawera. McDonalds also service Opunake, Manaia, Waverly and Patea. There are ten full time rural sales people who live in the districts that they serve therefore providing valuable local knowledge to both buyers and sellers.Likewise the benefits for a person intending to purchase through McDonald Real Estate are considerable.
Michael McDonald Senior
The original founder of McDonald Real Estate in 1912. Michael McDonald worked originally from his home until the early 1920s when he established an office on Broadway, Stratford. He remained involved in the business up until his retirement in the late 1950s and he died in 1961, aged 82. The photo on the right shows Michael McDonald Senior shortly before his death in 1961 and is a facinating portrait when compared to the photo above taken in the 1900s.
Tom McDonald
Tom joined his father, Michael in the late 1940s and continued to be fully involved in all aspects of the company until his death in April 2001. At the age of 78 he was among the oldest, most respected members of the Real Estate Institute. Tom was made a fellow of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand in 1965. Among Toms other interests were his racehorses and his pedigree Hereford stud. Tom enjoyed great success with his horse "All In Fun". He was also a president of the New Zealand Hereford association and achieved considerable success with his Hereford cattle both in the sales ring and the show ring. Tom was very much the family man and his influence can be strongly felt in all dealings with McDonald Real Estate.
Peter McDonald
Peter has been the managing director of McDonald Real Estate since 1979 and has been a major influence in the growth of the company. Peter joined his father Tom, in 1976 at the age of 22 and was at that stage one of the youngest people in New Zealand to hold an associate of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand. Under Peter's directorship the company has grown from a 2 person partnership in 1976 to a company with a staff of 46 and a turnover in excess of $100 million. Peter bases himself at the Stratford offices, which still occupies the same spot that his grandfather, Michael set up in 1920. As a third generation owner Peter sees his main aim as ensuring the company remains among the top performers in the industry and that it continues to grow and prosper until the forth and possibly fifth generation of the family take over the reins. Peter was awarded a fellowship of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand in 1998, in recognition of his services to the Taranaki real estate industry.
Rodney Perrett
I have been involved in real estate for the last five and a half years having come into the industry from a farming and chef background. Recently I have completed my AREINZ qualifications at Massey University and am now responsible not only selling Rural Real Estate in South Taranaki but also for managing the Rural Team, the Hawera Branch and have taken on the position of Managing Director of McDonald Real Estate working alongside Peter McDonald. I have been happily married to Sheree for three years and outside of real estate we both have sporting and farming interests.
Our Mission Statement
"To provide a Real Estate Service that is second to none."
McDonald Real Estate Ltd. will conduct business in a manner that will display professionalism, integrity and honesty.
All customers will enjoy the experience of using our services and will feel confident in referring us to friends and family.