A Decade Revolutionising Ray White’s Property Management Business

In late 2022 Ray White New Zealand passed through 20,000 properties under management through Ray White network members, and behind the scenes of Ray White New Zealand’s property management success is Head of Property Management Zac Snelling.

In 2013 when Zac joined Ray White as a business development executive in our property management division, there was talk of the property management industry changing shape through the deregulation which took place in 2010. The proliferation of the property management industry was occurring through non-licensed entities forming quickly in the market across New Zealand as opportunity and lower barriers to entry beset the industry. Many questions were raised about where the property management industry was going to go and how it would be shaped in the future.

In joining Ray White, Zac came from his own property management business and had previously been in roles with significant Ray White members as a property manager since 2007. He was well aware of the changes that had occurred and had thoughts on where the industry could improve and how that value could be applied in Ray White.

Thereby 10 years ago started Zac’s journey as part of the Ray White team, now head of the Ray White New Zealand national property management business. Its trajectory and growth path have been consistently strong. While the industry in the first number of years remained proliferated, Zac worked first to understand and develop a path for Ray White but, just as importantly, was aware of the opportunities and also, in part, the weakness in the structure of the offering that the property management industry was delivering.

Confidence, trust and respect have built a platform for Zac to be able to provide a path of change for Ray White members that have aligned the growth and success of the Ray White New Zealand property management business today, managing close to $20 billion worth of real estate for property owners/landlords across New Zealand.

Adam Thomson of Ray White Manukau 360 Property Management, one of Ray White’s largest property management businesses, said that Zac’s impact on the business has been extraordinary.

“He provided Ray White with a direction of confidence and belief in our delivery of service which has, in turn, allowed us to invest and grow our business with surety. His property management strategy is well-defined, and his ability to communicate and implement successful change is extraordinary,” Adam said.

In the Waikato region, Fraser Coombes is the managing director of Ray White Hamilton and Cambridge, which has a significant property management business.

“We are proud to be part of the Ray White group, and the leadership which Zac continues to display for our property management business is extraordinary,” Fraser said.

“He provides stability, confidence and, most importantly, a pathway for our business to succeed and grow. “Property management is a business about service and looking after the various stakeholders of our business. “Zac has provided infrastructure documents and real-time information that is given us a strong guide to success for our business.”

Change in the property management business has come in waves during the past five years, including the announcements of the healthy home standards and the outlining of responsibilities with respect to property management and better housing across New Zealand. In addition, the requirements of both landlords and tenants have changed and provided a more balanced and understood relationship between all parties. Zac has been instrumental in providing Ray White with an outstanding level of communication that has kept Ray White members at the forefront of these changes and provided confidence to our members at the implementation and execution stages.

Ray White New Zealand CEO Daniel Coulson said Ray White New Zealand’s property management business was one of the most successful in the company, largely due to Zac’s leadership and direction.

“Property management is an area of speciality, and Zac has implemented strong guidance for our business, and this has been a hallmark of his success,” Daniel said.

“He stays at the forefront of the industry and is recognised as one of the very best in New Zealand in property management.

“He provides our company with great expertise, but more importantly, as part of our team, he brings so much balance and, with that, also a degree of fun.

“He has been a leader in the area of well-being, instigating significant change in this area as well as implementing qualification expectations for property managers across our group, which is unmatched in the industry.”

In reaching his 10-year tenure with Ray White, Zac has developed as one of the true leaders within Ray White and the property management industry.

He often called on for specialist advice and, more broadly, presentations to industry bodies which shows his passion for the direction and success of the industry overall.

In 2022 Zac released the Ray White Property Management Strategy, which provides a defined direction of offering and service from our Ray White team.

It gives a high degree of focus on growth with the alignment of providing options to landlords and tenants in an ever-changing environment.