From guiding tourists in the Australian outback to property development in Marlborough, Grant brings a world of experience to the Marlborough property market as he launches Tall Poppy Real Estate franchises in Picton, Marlborough Sounds, Blenheim, and Nelson.

Grant has always loved the outdoors, which is why he has always loved living in Marlborough and, in particular, the Marlborough Sounds. After living and working in Japan, America, and Australia, this is the only place he would rather live.

“Between working as a stonemason in my early career to developing property in Blenheim, I’ve always travelled. I’ve spent significant time guiding tourists in the remote Kimberly region of Western Australia and the remote regions of Kakadu/Arnhem Land near Darwin in the Northern Territory, living in a swag, cooking on a campfire every night and exploring vast tracks of land. However, when I had the opportunity to guide people on the Queen Charlotte Track many years ago, I fell in love with the area and knew this was where I wanted to live.

“We feel incredibly privileged to live in such a picturesque area. The Sounds have ⅕ of all of New Zealand’s coastline and hundreds of beautiful bays, yet most homes are within an hour's boat ride into town. You just can’t beat it.”

Grant and his brother established their credentials by running a small company developing land and building houses in Blenheim. He then began his career in real estate in Picton before becoming the owner of the Picton and Marlborough Sounds Tall Poppy franchise in 2019. Grant says owning the Tall Poppy franchise means he gets the best of both worlds. Grant has now gone on to run the Blenheim and Nelson Tallpoppy franchises.

“On any given day, I can come across a pod of dolphins when I’m out showing a client a home, and I often begin the day watching the sunrise on my jetty. It’s exciting to combine my love for the outdoors with my love for property. I chose to go with Tall Poppy because they’re an innovative, forward-thinking company. I’m pleased to be able to offer fairer real estate fees to my community, the place I’ve chosen to call home.”