Michael Ford

Michael knows the local property market very well. Commencing in the Government Valuation Department in Wellington in 1977, he graduated as a Registered Property Valuer. He joined Trevor D Ford Real Estate in Feilding in 1983, establishing a valuation practice, and enjoyed many years working with his Father. That firm became Trevor D Ford First National and then Michael Ford First National, before selling to Watson Real Estate in 2010.

Michael qualified as a fully Licensed Real Estate Agent, topping New Zealand in the subject of Real Estate Practise, and worked for 13 years in both the valuation and real estate fields. He enjoys the win - win people outcomes in real estate for Clients and Customers, and decided to specialise in sales and marketing from 1996, but retains registration as a non-practising Valuer.

Michael enjoys a range of real estate work from residential and lifestyle to commercial and industrial. He has extensive experience with subdivisions and development project work

Tania Osborne and Michael commenced a residential and lifestyle business partnership in 2010. This has proved very successful, with both partners having complementary strengths and different spheres of influence in the community. After Watsons restructuring in 2017, Tania and Michael were delighted to be invited to continue their partnership at Bayleys Coast To Coast Limited at 49 Manchester Street, Feilding, opposite the stock saleyards. The partnership provides real benefits for Clients, and great back up.

Bayleys is New Zealand’s largest full service real estate company with outstanding brand strength and reputation. Michael was attracted to the Bayleys value of:

1. Client -centric
2. Innovate & Evolve
3. People Power
4. Accountability

With approximately 40 years property industry experience, mainly in the Manawatu based in Feilding, Clients will struggle to find anyone with the local and property knowledge that Michael has. He prides himself on his appraisal, marketing and negotiation expertise, which all benefit his Clients.

Ethics are important to Michael, and for many years he chaired the Complaints and Disciplinary Committee of the Manawatu Wanganui Branch of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, and also served on the Wellington Regional Disciplinary Committee.

You don’t remain successful in the property industry for 40 years without a real passion for the job, which Michael has in bucket loads. His energy and enthusiasm are contagious.

Community involvement has been full since the 1980’s, and Michael currently holds the position of Deputy Mayor of the Manawatu District Council, and serves the community as a Justice of the Peace. He strongly believes that Council needs full time business people who understand business issues working as Councillors.

Working tirelessly to make Feilding a vibrant, attractive and growing country town and the agri business capital of the Lower North Island has been Michael’s ‘hobby’ since the late 1980’s, serving 20 years as Chairman of the high achieving Feilding Promotion organisation, and 11 years as a Trustee of Manfeild Park Trust. Michael also served on 3 school boards of Trustees including FAHS Feilding High School, and was Chair of Colyton School.

Project highlights include building the Feilding Clock Tower, all of Feilding’s town centre streetscape redevelopment, Drover & Dog Sculpture, Boer War Memorial restoration, Great Home Giveaway, Farmers Market, Manfeild Stadium, Manfeild pit lane suites, garages and control tower, redesigning Manchester Square, Feilding’s residential and industrial growth strategy, advocating for the community and particularly the business community, and devising the boulevard link from inside Manfeild Park, up Fergusson Street to Feilding’s attractive town centre in order to attract visitors to town to leave a dollar behind.

Michael chairs the Economic Development Committee at Council, and has a leadership role in making sure that Feilding gets a successful outcome from the challenges associated with having so many earthquake prone buildings.

Michael’s project and Council work has resulted in population and business growth in Feilding, which is why local property values have performed better than in most other parts of our region, and so his ‘hobby’ relates very closely to being a successful Real Estate Agent.