Spend time with award winning Barfoot & Thompson premium real estate agent, Leila MacDonald, and within minutes you’ll learn you’re in the presence of a woman of substance. What you see is what you get – strong values, genuineness and congruency.
In an industry where it’s the norm to flaunt sales data, Leila prefers to be more discrete. “It’s not the quantity sold, it’s the quality,” she says. “We don’t go on about what we’ve sold, it’s all about making the client happy and getting the best price.”
You would never know that she is a ‘Hall of Fame’ recipient in her industry – the first agent ever to receive it in 90 years.
Leila is shy to speak of herself and her accolades, however as a proud mother-of-three and a hands-on grandmother of six, once the discussion is turned to family it is a whole different story.
According to Carolyn Vernon, branch manager of Barfoot & Thompson Remuera, for someone who has spent three decades at the top in the business, Leila has the work capacity of a 30-year-old with incredible market knowledge to match. “Her whole ethos is family-based too,” Carolyn says. “It’s non-negotiable that every Thursday night Leila and David with their entire family have dinner together – from teenagers to adults they all get together to enjoy Leila’s specially cooked meals.”
It’s clear that relationships are very important to the MacDonalds — a value that’s strongly embedded in the family DNA. So is a passion and aptitude for the residential market — it’s intergenerational.
First her husband Angus, a former missionary became an agent, then Leila closed her antique store to follow suit over 30 years ago. Leila individually held #1 in the Remuera Office for 25 Years, and #1 in all of Barfoot & Thompson for 13 years. Now their son, David with a successful real estate career of his own has united with his mother.
Leila and David both chose to work within the Barfoot & Thompson brand because it is a family orientated business, that holds strong family values similar to their own.
Together the duo has proven to be an impressive combination by selling some of the most landmark properties in Remuera. For both it’s all about serving clients with integrity and honesty. “It’s not just about a transaction sale, selling homes is emotional and affects the whole family.” she says.
Leila credits her maternal Lebanese grandmother for instilling bedrock values and principles. “She was very black-and-white.” Then she recounts a story about giving advice to a client knowingly to lose a sale. Leila’s honest, straight up feedback paid unexpected dividends.
Asked what home means and Leila says: “Loving and caring for each other is most important. Making sure whatever problem they’ve got, you’re always there for them and will support them”
It doesn’t take much to see that this philosophy anchored from a foundation based on family is also extended to clients.
Leila & David’s most recent achievements for the FY 2021, were:
#5 Sales Partnership in all of Barfoot & Thompson | #2 Sales Partnership in the Eastern Suburbs Region
Leila MacDonald
021 928 926
l.macdonald@barfoot.co.nz
David MacDonald
021 650 901
d.macdonald@barfoot.co.nz
