Marian Tolich
Marian joined Barfoot & Thompson in 1999 as a full-time Auctioneer and has never looked back. She’s one of around five female auctioneers in New Zealand, and has earned a reputation as an ‘Auction Goddess’ - being able to expertly manage multiple bidders while integrating online auction capabilities.
Born and raised in Auckland, her expansive knowledge of the region has enabled her to have an auction sale success rate envied by many. She has a keen ability to read the body language of bidders, is quick-witted and thinks on her feet. Her years of experience are an asset to both buyers and sellers who can ask for her advice and guidance on how to best navigate the auction process. She prides herself on crafting an auction space that is both comfortable and encouraging. Her world-class auction talent keeps things lively, while getting the job done.
Marian takes pride in supporting charities such as Hospice and local schools, and is also actively involved with many of Barfoot & Thompson’s in-house initiatives.
In 2023, Marian was admitted to the Barfoot & Thompson Hall of Fame!
David Johnstone
For nearly five decades, David has worked in the auction industry. In the last 23 years, he has called over 31,000 auctions for Barfoot & Thompson, selling billions of dollars’ worth of property under the hammer.
The advantages of running an auction campaign are clear and backed by the facts and figures. Regardless of what the market is doing, auctions encourage competition and remove the uncertainty of fixed-price marketing.
Selling your home is one of the most important financial transactions you will ever make. Make sure you give yourself the greatest chance of success – always auction!
Don’t leave the price to chance – auction it.
Murray Smith
Murray is an outstanding auctioneer with 35 years of experience in real estate. Over that time, he has called more than 24,000 property auctions and innumerable auctions for various charities.
An associate of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand and holder of a Diploma in Business Studies (Real Estate), Murray brings a wealth of marketing knowledge and personality-plus to his role as an auctioneer with Barfoot & Thompson.
He is a former National Auctioneering champion and has been a finalist in the National Auctioneering Championships on numerous occasions.
Murray understands people and has the ability to put others at ease. He understands the importance of each auction and how it can impact the lives of his clients. He tries to exceed their expectations.
He also has a great sense of humour. He holds the attention of his audience with his wide knowledge of all sorts of topics, including a smattering of Mandarin.
Murray understands people and has the ability to put others at ease.
Tony Loughran
Tony has been working in the real estate industry since the year 2000, and over this time has amassed extensive experience. Tony spent a number of years operating as a successful salesperson, before moving into auctioneering, both locally and nationally.
He also has experience in real estate office management, business development and training. Tony works closely with the salespeople in his area to ensure they are truly providing the best service to their vendors. A sense of humour, honesty and integrity have helped make Tony a well-respected auctioneer amongst his clients, colleagues and peers.
Craig McNair
After six years as a salesperson with Barfoot & Thompson, Craig decided to join the Auction team. His experience in sales, combined with his diverse work background gave him a wide range of capabilities, the most important being, people skills.
Craig’s ability to quickly connect, build trust and establish a positive relationship with those he works with typically ensures a positive result for all involved.
To remain sharp and grow his craft, Craig likes to compete in Auctioneering Championships, and has been a winner of both the Barfoot & Thompson and the LVD World Auctioneering Championships!
He describes his auctioneering style as being one of high enthusiasm and energy and rest assured he is committed to giving his very best to all our clients.
Ross Paterson
Ross is a graduate of the prestigious Melbourne School of Auctioneering, run by the Real Estate Institute of Victoria. He has sold many prime New Zealand homes under the hammer. He takes pride in being one of the best and most highly regarded auctioneers in New Zealand.
Ross has called over 9000 auctions. On a personal note, he does a large amount of work in the community and specialises in charity auctions. He's also the creator of the Inter Secondary Schools Auctioneers Championships, which builds confidence and oratory skills in Northlands youth. This has seen a life-changing impact on the lives of the students he has worked with over the last ten years, and gives him a great pride in their accomplishments.
The art of gaining maximum value for premium properties requires somebody who has a positive and proactive mindset. This is Ross and he believes to achieve the best price means having the maximum number of motivated buyers on auction day.
Anthony Van Gessel
Anthony has been in the real estate industry for six years focusing on the Commercial sector. With over 20 years of sales experience and an affinity for numbers, Auctioneering was the obvious next step for him to take. The Barfoot & Thompson Future Auctioneers programme gave Anthony the grounding to support a deep industry knowledge and a successful introduction to Auctioneering.
His ability to connect and build rapport quickly has been a key success factor in working with clients and salespeople. A proud supporter of the National Secondary Schools Auctioneering competition, he is also comfortable on the charity auction circuit. Having bought and sold property at auction himself, Anthony can identify with the range of emotions buyers and sellers are experiencing - he uses this to conclude negotiations with a win-win result.
Away from the office, Anthony can be found with his family or on his boat in pursuit of that fish of a lifetime!
