About Us

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 Registered 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. With 45 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 45 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.

Michael chairs the District Planning Focus Group at Council, and has leadership roles with the Feilding Town Centre Refresh, and in making sure that Feilding gets a successful outcome from the challenges associated with having so many earthquake prone buildings. He has taken on a national leadership role in that regard on behalf of all councils struggling with the time frames for strengthening or demolition and is working with the Building and Construction Minister. He serves on the Economic Development, Infrastructure and Community Development Focus Groups, as well as Mana Whakahaere which is a governance group for the Orous River. He serves on the national Oversight Group of Communities 4 Local Democracy which is a group of 31 councils which opposed the previous Government’s model for three waters reform, and helped the current Government with their new approach. Michael’s project and Council work has resulted in well managed population and business growth in Feilding and the Manawatu, which is why local property values have performed better than in many other parts of our region, and so his ‘hobby’ relates very closely to being a successful Real Estate Agent.