An Auckland real estate agent is running a competition for homeowners in his patch. The prize isn't a new car or a holiday, but the agent himself.
Harcourts salesperson Ben Gibson is giving away five hours of outdoor labour for free to roughly one house on every street in Orewa. And, he wants nothing in return.
He has already clocked up 70 hours of free labour since starting this project in November, and has done everything from weeding, water blasting, cleaning gutters and painting to building a petanque court, trimming and removing trees.
Some requests requiring consents have been a bit beyond him and when he was asked to build a shed, he knew his wife would do a better job, so he got her along to help while he painted a fence. “I try to keep it outdoors because my aim is to meet the neighbours and just to keep it above aboard.”
Start your property search
Read more:
- Buy the beach house and get the Rolls-Royce for free
- What a cracker: Auckland apartment with egg-stra incentive sells for $1.013m
- He’s the mayor of Wimbledon Way, she’s the Queen of Spring Place
Gibson came up with the idea when he was doing work outside his father’s house for a week and kept meeting all his neighbours. "I was like, this is a much more authentic way to meet people”.
About every three to four weeks, he chooses a street to drop flyers off in letter boxes offering people the chance to win five hours of free yard work. Those who email him the flyer or drop it off in his letter box then go into the draw.
“Typically the people I end up helping really need it, they may have lost a loved one or are on their own. I’m just there to help where I can,” he said.
“Every single time I get to know them and there is a story behind why this is a blessing for them. They’ve just had a rough run and then you come along and can kind of brighten up their week.”
Ben Gibson has been doing everything from weeding, water blasting, lawn mowing and painting. Photo / Supplied
The aim wasn’t to get more listings, he said, but instead to build up a reputation of being trustworthy and being part of the community. “It’s good for my soul and it’s good for my kids to see I’m doing something for nothing. You’re not expecting anything from it. It’s such a good feeling," he said.
“It’s very easy for agents to pay for something to be done in the community, I prefer to put the work in, so I thought I am going to do manual labour”.
He still has 30 streets to go before he has offered his services to every street on the flat in Orewa and once he’s done that he plans to start all over again. “I’m not going to stop.”
As well as helping neighbours, about 10 of his free hours have gone into doing things in the community.
Gibson painted the bathroom in the local Girl Guides den after a neighbour won his time and nominated the group.
He also decided to move 1.2 metres of shells blocking the Moana Avenue accessibility ramp to Orewa Beach when nothing had been done to clear it five weeks after Cyclone Gabrielle hit.
Gibson has clocked up 70 hours of free labour including lawn mowing. Photo / Supplied
“I just did it with a wheelbarrow and a spade and did 55 loads of shells and just spread it out in a 300m along the beach.”
Eventually, he hopes other locals will join him in giving up some of their free time to help with a community project once a year.
Gibson will ask for nominations of what needs doing, but says it could be anything from painting a community hall or a beach clean-up. “I’ve got all my friends up here that are tradies – you could actually get quite a lot done and it would be a good-feeling thing to do.”
Overall, the response has been positive and, he adds, most of the time he’s ended up helping people who really need it.
While there has been the odd keyboard warrior questioning his motive or why he would have time if he was a good salesperson, other real estate agents have also contacted him to copy his idea. “Every single time I say ‘100% just do it, it’s awesome’,” he said.
“I feel humbled they ask in the first place as it's not mine to own but just a good thing to do in your local community.”
His advice to them is that it doesn’t have to just be yard work and they should choose something they enjoy and would be happy to keep doing.
“I love doing outdoor work, I get time to think and I come up with ideas while I’m doing it. I would keep doing this forever because I actually love doing it.”
Earlier this week first-home buyers were given a year’s supply of free eggs after buying a Mount Eden home, while a house in Whitianga currently for sale comes with a free Rolls Royce.
- Click here to find properties for sale in Orewa
