Harcourts is excited to announce the appointment of Aaron Davis as the new Head of Auctions Australia.
With over 10,000 auctions called, he will be sharing the lessons learned along the way, in addition to continuing to operate as an elite level auctioneer.
“We could not be prouder to welcome the auction force of nature that is Aaron Davis,” commented Adrian Knowles, CEO Harcourts Australia.
“A second generation Harcourts team member, his expertise and energy are unmatched in the auction realm.”
A kiwi, in 2006, Mr Davis bought into the family real estate business in Marlborough.
With a proven track record as a sales consultant, owner and auctioneer, he was a pioneer in his market for embracing being No.1 online, and initiatives like the ‘Dress for Success’ campaigns which would often see him swapping his suit for overalls to help get properties ‘market ready’.
Moving into auctioneering, Mr Davis made it to the finals of New Zealand’s national championships eight times, and in 2019 he won the REINZ National Real Estate Auctioneering Championships and was appointed National Auction Manager for Harcourts New Zealand.
Many awards later, he’s bringing his auctioneering skills to Australia.
Mr Davis is clear that he is not coming to Australia to tell people how to run auctions.
“I’m here to add value to a great business and its incredible people.”
“I’m ready to help take Harcourts’ auction business to the next level. I’ll be sharing both the successes, and the lessons learned.
The mistakes I’ve made weren’t fatal – they’ve shaped my journey to becoming a master of the craft, reminding me to always keep ego in check.
“As someone far wiser than me once said, ‘A fool knows everything, but a wise man knows little.’”
Mr Davis points out that it took time to realize that success isn’t just about volume or a purely transactional mindset.
It’s about fostering collaboration between agents, auctioneers, and owners. Auction day is crucial, but 80% of the work is done before and after.
“And ironically, when you adopt this approach, the volume follows.”
“I’ve worked with three of the top 10 international agents at Harcourts who have embraced this philosophy, and I’m excited to share these insights with the Australian team.”
“In the past, opinions—often the domain of “sales prevention officers”—have stood in the way of progress.
I remember the days of “quoting low and watching it grow,” but integrity-based auctions are now the standard.
My goal is to help Harcourts become the industry leader in marketing and negotiation.”
“Agents are the real heroes. Our job is to support their great work and help sellers move forward with their lives.”