Registered valuer Zara Crutchley at work in her Gore
office. Photo by Sally Rae.
Zara Crutchley was always destined for a career in the
rural sector.
Brought up on Shortlands Station, near Kyeburn, in the
Maniototo, she was the only girl studying year 12 agriculture
at St Andrews College in Christchurch and, the following
year, topped the agriculture class.
While she toyed with the idea of becoming a vet, she went on
to study at Lincoln University, completing a BCom Ag, with a
valuation farm management major. After stints with the Bank
of New Zealand in both Golden Bay and Hokitika, she returned
home to the farm and worked for a year, before deciding how
to use her qualifications.
She worked for Quotable Value in Dunedin from the end of 2003
until July 2007, and then the Landward Group, where she was
involved in high-country management and valuation.
She joined Macpherson Valuation, the Dunedin-owned valuation
and property consultancy, last February, and is helping to
expand and develop the rural side of the company's business.
She recently moved from Dunedin to South Otago, living at
Clydevale and working out of an office in Gore.
She covers a large area from south of the Waitaki River, into
the Hakataramea Valley, the Maniototo, and throughout Otago
and Southland, specialising in rural, lifestyle and
residential valuation services.
She particularly enjoys the contact with rural people and the
privilege of being able to see "some great countryside".
"Every day is different, every property is different and it
is a good challenge."
People tended to think of valuers as someone to go to if they
were planning to buy or sell property, or wanting finance,
but the job was much wider, she said.
Living in Clydevale was ideal for the keen horsewoman, with
just a 30-minute drive to Gore to work and not far to drive
home to the Maniototo.
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