Six years ago, Ben Roberts’ passion for football (soccer) led to a career opportunity that ignited a second passion for him – commercial property valuation.
Whilst Ben was studying his property degree at university, he worked part-time as a football coach. Coincidentally, the manager was a valuer at Opteon. Later that year, Opteon offered Ben a part-time research assistant role, inputting sales and leasing data for the commercial team. ‘I’d always thought I would work in residential valuations, but that part-time role helped me understand a bit more about the commercial markets – and the work instantly captured my interest,’ said Ben. ‘I’ve always loved working with numbers and had an interest in property. Specialising in the commercial industry, I now work across a diverse range of assets. I really enjoy the variety and nature of my work.’
After graduating university, Ben started working full-time in Opteon’s commercial team in Auckland and is now a Registered Valuer with the company. Across commercial and industrial assets, Ben’s areas of expertise cover mortgage valuations, pre-sale and pre-purchase advice, rental assessments, insurance valuations, tax depreciation valuations and asset valuations for financial reporting purposes.
Six years on, Ben’s getting ready to take on a new challenge. He is moving to Tauranga to expand Opteon’s local offerings in the region, which have previously been focused on rating valuations. Ben will now expand those services to include commercial valuations in Tauranga and the neighbouring cities.
Opteon’s mission is to provide value for its customers through trusted advice, insights and solutions, enabled by global thinking and local expertise. Ben’s move to Tauranga is a great example of how Opteon expands its offering to new markets by investing in its people and technology.
Tauranga is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty region and is New Zealand’s fifth-most populous city. ‘Tauranga is a beautiful city with amazing beaches, and my wife and I are really looking forward to moving there. Luckily, she’s been able to transfer to the area with her work too,’ said Ben. ‘During our search for a new home, my wife has been admirably tolerant of my detours to look at various commercial properties around the city.’
‘Opteon has always been very supportive of me and my career. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to build the commercial side of the business in the fast-growing Tauranga region. While I am sure I’ll miss my Auckland colleagues, I’m excited to work alongside the Tauranga team in June. I look forward to the challenge of learning a new market, expanding my expertise, and meeting new people in the industry.’
Ben is also excited by what the move means outside of work. ‘My wife and I are excited to be settling in Tauranga, and we’re especially looking forward to beach walks with our full-of-beans toddler and crazy Cocker Spaniel. We’re keen to spend more time with friends who already live in the area – they’ve been encouraging us to make the move for years.’