About

25616701-88ff-42d8-85e0-cd14171e00c5

Sales - Last 24 months

22
$28.1M
(+ 1 sales to be confirmed)

Sales - All time

91
$91.2M
(Confirmed sales)

Donna Hewitt is a Queenstown real‑estate innovator and the founder of Connect Realty backed by The Network. Known for her 50/50 commission model and no‑refusals policy, she invites every agent to participate in each sale and puts people before profit.

Donna Hewitt never planned to become a real‑estate agent. During the global financial crisis she worked on a mortgagee recovery team in the UK, guiding families through distressing home‑foreclosure cases. That experience taught her how to listen deeply, stay calm under pressure and help people navigate life‑changing transitions.

When she relocated to New Zealand she started as a personal assistant to a top agent, soaking up every lesson. Within eighteen months she had sold 37 houses – not through slick sales tricks, but through empathy, discipline and an unwavering commitment to fairness.

Out of these experiences she created Connect Realty: a brand built on generosity, transparency and community. Donna’s model shares commissions 50/50 with any agent who introduces a buyer, welcomes every qualified buyer, and cultivates a nationwide network of agents who collaborate rather than compete. She writes regular guides and resources to educate vendors and agents about the unseen cost of non‑collaboration. Donna’s goal isn’t just to sell homes; it’s to make real estate fairer and more human for everyone involved.

Experience real estate sales like never before. Connect Realty's collaborative approach ensures every licensed agent in the market is working to sell your property.

Testimonials

Sue and Chris

""I met Donna Harris after contacting her to do a free appraisal on our home in Queenstown. I was immediately impressed with Donna's straight up honesty and openness. I was expecting a 10 min walk through and quick chat but instead Donna was happy to answer all my questions regarding selling etc. Donna was at our house for over an hour. When she left I phoned my husband and said how impressed I was with her. We arranged a time for her to come meet Chris and from there we signed her to sell our home. Donna helped us get a couple of matters sorted with the council. All done with a smile and assuring us not to stress! We had been living in our home for nearly 30 years so it was quite a big deal! From day one Donna was booking viewings and constantly kept us informed of what these people thought etc. Donna is very thorough and professional - constantly explaining the reasons for rules etc.""

David

"My dealings with Donna where always a pleasure she is very professional and great at what she does. We had a home in Hope Ave, Lake Hayes Estate which she knows well. I had the choice of other agents but Donna stood out from them all as a real estate professional. I trusted her advice and she proved our choice, I believe in marketing a property and as Donna said "you can't sell a secret". Thanks Donna and wish you all the success in the world!"
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