These days if you’re renting in Raglan, you’ve almost certainly come from another country or at least another part of this country. The best person to talk to then would be someone who moved here from overseas themselves, and now knows the place like the back of his surfboard.

That person is Russ Adams, who popped into Raglan for a beer and a surf while visiting from the UK in 2005, fell in love with the place and moved here with his wife, Liza in 2009.

But it’s not just Russ’s personal experience of renting, buying and living in Raglan that makes him such a successful property manager. Before moving to New Zealand he was managing a prestigious private estate in the UK with wife Liza. So, Russ knows all about keeping an immaculate property immaculate, and how to deliver the highest standards of customer service.

Beyond that, Russ has also gained a good reputation among the best trade and maintenance people in Raglan. That’s because Russ is not only a good manager he’s a real hands-on person, having spent his first year in Raglan working with the team that built the Te Uku wind farm. While there he worked in roles that covered surveying, road planning and concreting. Making sure a well-constructed property remains exactly that is now second nature for him.

All of which takes up most of his time. And yet Russ still manages to get the best of living here in Raglan. He’s up at dawn surfing most days, he’s off photographing the stunning West Coast scenery & countryside whenever he can, Russ & Liza have two boys and are out and about most weekends and after school.

Given that you’ll find him in the office at 8:30am sharp Monday to Friday, it’s a wonder he fits it all in. But then, Russ would probably tell you that living in Raglan is so fantastic, he doesn’t want to waste a minute of it.