In luxury real estate, the ability to connect local expertise with extensive market reach can make a significant difference. For more than a century, Barfoot & Thompson has built its position in New Zealand’s property sector around this principle. Founded in 1923, the family-owned company combines an established regional presence with a collaborative business model that serves buyers, sellers, landlords, and investors. Its inclusion in the Luxury Lifestyle Awards TOP 100 for 2026, under the Top 100 Agencies of the World category, brings international recognition to a business with deep roots in New Zealand.

A Family Business with Enduring Influence

Barfoot & Thompson is New Zealand’s largest privately owned real estate company, with more than 80 branches and over 1,800 salespeople operating across Auckland, Northland, the Bay of Plenty, and the Waikato. The company remains owned and managed by the families who founded it, maintaining a direct connection between its origins and present-day leadership.

Current Directors Peter Thompson, Stephen Barfoot, and Henry Barfoot are grandsons of the original owners. With third- and fourth-generation family members involved in the business, its leadership reflects a continuity that is increasingly distinctive in a changing property industry.

The company’s position as a market share leader in Auckland reflects the scale of its operations and its longstanding presence in one of New Zealand’s principal property markets.

The Strength of a Connected Network

One of Barfoot & Thompson’s defining characteristics is its non-franchised structure. Rather than operating as separate franchises, its branches and salespeople work within a connected organization, allowing salespeople to collaborate across locations and property requirements.

This model brings together local market understanding and the resources of a substantial regional network. For clients navigating Auckland’s residential market or exploring opportunities elsewhere in the upper North Island, the structure provides access to expertise beyond an individual branch.

The company’s reach also extends internationally through its membership in Leading Real Estate Companies of the World and its broader network of national and international partners.

Property Expertise Across Multiple Sectors

Although residential property sales remain central to its operations, Barfoot & Thompson provides services across several areas of real estate.

Its residential property management division oversees more than 22,000 rental properties, supporting landlords with administration and day-to-day management responsibilities. The company’s lifestyle and rural specialists work with properties ranging from smaller rural holdings to agricultural land.

Commercial services include sales, leasing, asset management, and business sales, supported by more than 80 dedicated commercial salespeople. Its Projects team specializes in residential developments, including apartment buildings, terraced homes, and subdivisions across Auckland.

The company also provides body corporate services for multi-unit properties, extending its involvement beyond transactions into ongoing property administration.

Together, these capabilities allow Barfoot & Thompson to serve clients with different property requirements through one established organization.

People, Community, and Local Understanding

For Barfoot & Thompson, property is closely connected to the people and communities it serves. The company’s stated values emphasize people, family, community, and diversity, reflecting its approach to relationships across its business.

Its team speaks more than 50 languages, an important capability when working with New Zealand’s diverse population. This linguistic breadth supports communication with clients from different cultural backgrounds and reinforces the company’s local presence.

Community involvement is another established part of its identity. Barfoot & Thompson supports sports, charities, arts, and cultural activities through a diverse portfolio of local, regional, and national sponsorships, maintaining relationships that extend well beyond property transactions.

International Recognition and Future Positioning

Recognition among the 2026 TOP 100 Agencies of the World places Barfoot & Thompson within an international luxury real estate context. With a strong foundation and growing presence in Auckland’s luxury property market, this recognition further strengthens the company’s standing on the global stage.

Its participation in the Luxury Lifestyle Awards TOP 100 also highlights the relevance of a business model built on family leadership, extensive geographic coverage, and cooperation across a substantial sales network.

As Barfoot & Thompson enters its next chapter, its longstanding ownership structure and broad property expertise remain central to its identity. More than 100 years after its founding, the company continues to connect New Zealand property markets through the combined strengths of local knowledge, global connections, organizational scale, and family-led management.

Discover more about Barfoot & Thompson and its real estate services in New Zealand.