Proudly celebrating 100 years in real estate

It was back in 1923, when Val Barfoot bought a rundown land agency in Newmarket for 75 pounds, that our company’s tiny seed was planted. Shortly joined by his brother Kelland and later by Maurice Thompson, the business would become what we all know today as Barfoot & Thompson.

Since 1923, the same two families have grown the company to 80 branches and over 2800 people. Times have certainly changed over the last one hundred years, however, our family values remain. A century on, these values are still at the hear t of everything that we do, and Barfoot & Thompson is widely recognised as one of New Zealand’s foremost real estate companies.

Proudly celebrating 100 years in real estate

We are proud of our history and look forward to the future.

1920s - 1940s

1917

2nd Lieutenant Valentine Harding Barfoot

1926

250 Broadway Newmarket

Free map Val gave out to attract buyers

Val's first advertisement

1924

Val's brother Kelland joins the business

1925

Val and Christine Barfoot shortly after their wedding

1927

Christine Barfoot passes the REINZ exam

1929

The brothers move to larger Queen Street premises

1930

The brothers get top marks in the REINZ exams

1934

Maurice Thompson is employed by the Barfoot brothers

The company rent book

1935

An advertisement for a property in Remuera

The brother's request for a further rent reduction is declined

Typical villa on a large section

1939

An advertisement on 3rd September

1942

Maurice is posted to the South Pacific with the RNZAF

1942

A photographer is employed so buyers can view photos at the office

1943

The Land Sales Act freezes land values and stops the market in its tracks

1945

An advertisement in the Auckland Star on 15 August

1946

The firm sells only six properties

After Maurice returns from war the name changes to ‘Barfoot Bros & Thompson’

The firm’s master keys could open most front doors in Auckland