Best Real Estate Agents on the North Shore
We assessed 19 real estate agents on the North Shore and ranked the top 5 on public rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The businesses listed below hold 1,683 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 22 August 2026. How we rank →
Before you hire
The agent who achieves the best price is not always the one who quotes the highest appraisal, whichever agency they work for. Ask agents about their recent sale prices relative to appraisal, their average days on market, and how they plan to market your specific property, not just their general approach.
Top 5 Real Estate Agents on the North Shore
The top 5 real estate agents on the North Shore are #1 Barfoot & Thompson Browns Bay, #2 Ray White Mairangi Bay, #3 David Ding, #4 Matt Corin Realty, and #5 Harcourts Cooper & Co, ranked by Top5 score. Scroll for our take on each, plus what to ask before you choose.
-
1
Barfoot & Thompson Browns Bay
★ 4.9 585 reviews +18 Top5 Score 181 +15★ 552 4★ 22 3★ 4 2★ 1 1★ 6Barfoot & Thompson Browns Bay guides first-home buyers, downsizers, and vendors through sales and purchases, with agents like Leo, Frank, Rita, and Jessica each working specific campaigns from open homes through to auction. Agents follow up over months to match buyers with suitable properties, and those selling in a soft market have seen agents hold firm on price rather than accept early low offers.
location_on 35 Clyde Road, Browns Bay, Auckland
-
2
Ray White Mairangi Bay
★ 5.0 348 reviews Top5 Score 1765★ 342 4★ 5 1★ 1Ray White Mairangi Bay gets vendors through sales and buyers to settlement, with agents like Nikki, Shane, Leila, Brad, Michael, and Stella each running campaigns from staging advice through to auction night. What stands out across the team is a habit of giving straight market assessments rather than telling clients what they want to hear, paired with thorough post-open-home updates that keep vendors informed throughout each campaign.
location_on 425 Beach Road, Mairangi Bay, Auckland
-
3
David Ding - Harcourts Cooper & Co, Real Estate Agent
↓ 1★ 5.0 208 reviews +5 Top5 Score 174 +15★ 203 4★ 4 1★ 1David Ding moves properties quickly, with several sellers reporting sales within one to three weeks, and his team's preparation advice, pre-market buyer sourcing, and daily updates making the process tangible at every step. Clients navigating emotionally difficult sales or complex mid-transaction problems have found him steady under pressure, working through negotiations rather than stepping back.
location_on Harcourts Glenfield Office 438 Glenfield Road, Glenfield, North Shore
-
4
Matt Corin Realty | Partnered with eXp | Auckland Real Estate Agent
↓ 1★ 5.0 135 reviews +4 Top5 Score 167 +45★ 134 4★ 1Matt Corin runs both buyer and seller campaigns, covering off-market negotiations, auction strategies, and first-home purchases through to settlement. Where he stands out is in long-haul client relationships built over years before a listing, combined with weekly campaign updates, digital reporting tools showing buyer interest, and hands-on staging input that keeps vendors informed and prepared at every stage.
location_on 4/61 Constellation Drive, Rosedale, Auckland
-
5
Harcourts Cooper & Co - Browns Bay
↑ 1★ 4.7 117 reviews +3 Top5 Score 156 +35★ 103 4★ 8 1★ 6Harcourts Cooper & Co covers buyer searches, property sales, and simultaneous sell-and-buy campaigns, with agents like Julie, Grant, Brylee, Ann, Cecilia, and River each working their clients through from first viewing to settlement. When timelines are tight or transactions get complicated, agents here have stepped in to resolve consent issues, locate properties before they hit the market, and keep unconditional dates on track.
location_on 15 Anzac Road, Browns Bay, Auckland
Other suburbs
Before you choose a real estate agent on the North Shore
Drawn from 300 customer reviews collected for this page. The first answer is what it costs.
What does a real estate agent typically charge in New Zealand? expand_more
Commission in New Zealand is structured on a sliding scale, most often around 4% on the first $400,000 and roughly 2% on the remainder of the sale price. On an $800,000 home, that works out to approximately $24,000 before GST, so always calculate the dollar figure rather than fixating on the percentage alone.
GST of 15% is added on top of the commission rate, which pushes the real cost meaningfully higher than the headline figure suggests. All commission terms must be written into an agency agreement before marketing begins, and under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008, regulated by the Real Estate Authority (REA), you have the right to negotiate the rate, the agreement type, and the duration before you sign anything.
How do I check if a real estate agent is licensed in New Zealand? expand_more
Before signing anything, search the public register at rea.govt.nz, run by the Real Estate Authority (REA), which shows every licensed salesperson, branch manager, and agent in New Zealand in real time. There are three licence classes: salesperson, branch manager, and agent, each requiring different qualifications, so the register also tells you what level of licence the person holds.
An unlicensed person cannot legally carry out real estate agency work in New Zealand, so if someone cannot or will not provide their licence number, that is a reason to walk away. The search is free, takes less than a minute, and also displays any disciplinary history, which is worth checking before you commit to an agency agreement.
How transparent is the process when there are multiple offers? expand_more
Under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008, agents must tell you when other offers exist, but they are not required to disclose how many offers there are or what terms competing buyers have put forward. The Real Estate Authority (REA) oversees agent conduct in these situations, and you can access plain-language guidance on multi-offer processes at rea.govt.nz if you want to know exactly what agents must and must not do.
As a buyer, submit your strongest offer from the outset rather than expecting room to negotiate upward, since the seller may simply accept the best offer presented. Sellers should confirm with their agent upfront how competing offers will be managed, because reviews from North Shore vendors show that agents who gave clear, structured reporting and presented offers without pressure or games earned the highest levels of client trust.
What are the warning signs of a real estate agent you shouldn't use? expand_more
- –Poor communication after the listing is signed is a clear red flag: one North Shore review described an agent who handed work to undertrained team members and left the vendor without reliable contact.
- –Lack of disclosure is serious: one buyer only discovered a roof leak and a Body Corporate conflict of interest after settlement, pointing to an agent who did not volunteer material information.
- –An agent who fails to report buyer feedback after open homes leaves you unable to adjust pricing or presentation while the campaign is still live.
- –Vague or absent marketing strategy at the appraisal stage suggests the agent is focused on winning the listing rather than planning the campaign.
- –Delegating key tasks to junior staff without telling you who is actually doing the day-to-day work creates gaps in accountability at critical moments.
- –An agent who pushes for a quick sale without exploring all offers may be prioritising their own timeline over your financial outcome.
What should you ask before hiring a real estate agent? expand_more
- –Ask how they arrived at the price estimate and request comparable sales data so you can assess whether the figure is grounded in the current market rather than set high to win your listing.
- –Ask for a specific marketing plan: which platforms, what budget, whether staging is included or vendor-funded, and how digital and social channels will be used, since several North Shore vendors credited targeted digital marketing with attracting stronger buyer pools.
- –Ask how often they will report back after open homes and what format that feedback takes, because vendors who received structured weekly updates felt far more in control of their campaigns.
- –Ask who will handle the work day to day: some teams operate with a lead agent and junior support staff, so confirm which person will be at open homes, handling offers, and taking your calls.
- –Ask how they manage the offer and negotiation process, including how they handle multi-offer situations and whether they will present every offer to you without filtering or pressure.
- –Ask for their recent sales history in your specific suburb, since North Shore reviews consistently showed that deep local knowledge, not just general Auckland experience, was what delivered strong results in difficult markets.
Also recommended real estate agents on the North Shore
Ranked 6 to 10 on the same public review record.
-
6
New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty Auckland Takapuna
↑ 1★ 4.9 48 reviews +9 Top5 Score 154 +25★ 47 1★ 1NZ Sotheby's International Realty Auckland Takapuna puts named agents at the centre of each campaign, covering property sales, purchases, and investment portfolio work across North Auckland. Agents like Matt, Malcolm, Mustan, Nico, Kathy, and Shona have each drawn both local and international buyer interest, held off early low offers to secure better results, and kept clients updated at every step from listing through to settlement.
location_on Shop D/159 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland
-
7
Ray White Pinehill
★ 4.6 108 reviews Top5 Score 1545★ 97 4★ 1 3★ 1 1★ 9Ray White Pinehill runs vendor sales, buyer searches, and simultaneous sell-and-buy campaigns, with agents like Fiona, Liliane, Elizabeth, Richard, Cindy, and Glen each handling campaigns from preparation advice through to auction day. Agents here have repeatedly recommended auctions to hesitant clients and delivered strong results, while also coordinating pre-sale renovations, staging input, and post-open-home feedback to keep vendors informed at every step.
location_on 537A East Coast Road, Browns Bay, Auckland
-
8
James Liu Real Estate-Harcourts
★ 5.0 46 reviews +5 Top5 Score 150 +25★ 46James Liu Real Estate-Harcourts covers property sales, off-market deals, and buyer searches, with James building relationships in neighbourhoods over years before a listing and then moving fast when it counts, including one home sold unconditionally within three days. A structured calendar, proactive pre-market buyer matching, and detailed campaign updates give both sellers and buyers a clear picture at every stage.
location_on 15 Anzac Road, Browns Bay, Auckland
-
9
Team Trayne
★ 5.0 46 reviews Top5 Score 1505★ 46Team Trayne pairs Tracy and Wayne across the full sale process, covering open homes, contract negotiations, and sales method changes when market conditions shift. Their willingness to persist through drawn-out or emotionally taxing campaigns, while keeping sellers calm and clearly informed at each stage, is what repeat clients point to when explaining why they came back.
location_on 438 Glenfield Road, Glenfield, Auckland
-
10
Andrew Harley - Harcourts Cooper & Co Real Estate, North Shore, Auckland
★ 4.9 42 reviews +2 Top5 Score 149 +35★ 41 1★ 1Andrew Harley brings first-home buyers, repeat purchasers, and vendors through the full process, from open homes and auction preparation through to settlement, with a habit of sourcing off-market properties that match what buyers have told him they need. Vendors have noted he keeps them updated after every viewing with buyer numbers and specific feedback, and hesitant clients have found his auction explanations clear enough to make confident decisions.
location_on 15 Anzac Road, Browns Bay, Auckland
About this ranking
What the 10 real estate agents listed above hold, at the 22 August 2026 check.
We first assessed real estate agents on the North Shore in March 2026 and have rechecked the ranking three times since. Two different businesses have held first place; Barfoot & Thompson Browns Bay has held it since July 2026. David Ding has been in the top 5 at every check. Across the 14 locations we assess real estate agents in, the 140 businesses listed have a median rating of 4.9, and one-star reviews are 2.2% of their total.
What has changed since March 2026? expand_more
- Aug 2026
Ray White Mairangi Bay entered the top 5 at #2. Harcourts Cooper & Co entered the top 5, up from #6. Ray White Pinehill entered the list at #7. Team Trayne returned to the list at #9.
- Jul 2026
Scoring method updated. New first place: Barfoot & Thompson Browns Bay. Barfoot & Thompson Browns Bay entered the top 5 at #1. Matt Corin Realty returned to the top 5 at #3. Harcourts Cooper & Co and James Liu Real Estate-Harcourts entered the list, at #6 and #8. Andrew Harley returned to the list at #10.
- May 2026
Scoring method updated. NZ Sotheby's International Realty Auckland Takapuna entered the list at #8.
- Mar 2026
First check. David Ding #1.
How are the top real estate agents on the North Shore chosen? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for real estate agents on the North Shore. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out, and a business whose main Google category is a different trade is held back until a person has checked what it does. A business whose website no longer resolves and that has had no Google review for six months is treated as dormant and left off the page until either changes. Every category and city is rechecked on a rolling cycle, about every two to three months. A location with a subscribing business is rechecked every month, and the whole page updates with it. See how we rank for the full method.
What does a business subscription offer? expand_more
No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Claiming and verifying a listing is free. It adds a phone number to the card and a small trust bonus (+3 points) to its score, for confirming a real operator stands behind the listing. The owner also gets a dashboard showing how their score is made up. A paid subscription provides an enhanced card with more ways to reach the business, including a website link and a detailed profile page. It also refreshes this page monthly and adds ranking history and competitor analysis to the owner's dashboard. The subscription adds nothing to the score. Claim your listing or see what a subscription includes.
Why isn't my business listed? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for real estate agents on the North Shore. The usual reasons for missing out are a Google Business category that does not match, too few reviews to score near the top, or an address outside the area we cover. Sometimes we miss a business that should be here. Check where you rank first. If you are not there and think you should be, get in touch.