Tall Poppy Real Estate

Meet Janet O’Shea and Susan Northey, the team behind Tall Poppy Tauranga: proud Bay of Plenty locals who love what they do and the Tauranga lifestyle.

Janet O’Shea

When Janet O’Shea isn’t listing, showing or selling a home, you’ll find her in her gumboots on her lifestyle block.

“I love spending time on our land with our dogs and chickens. I especially enjoy riding the two horses we rescued a few years ago – that’s the great thing about the Bay; we can enjoy the best of both worlds”.

Janet’s real estate career began almost two decades ago, and she says she’s never wanted to work for a ‘traditional’ agency. “The way these agencies approach real estate has never sat well with me. Money and numbers come before people – and I believe people should always come first,” she says.

Janet’s desire to deliver a fairer and less stressful real estate experience led her to join Tall Poppy in 2017 as a business owner covering Tauriko, The Lakes, Pyes Pa, Greerton, Bethlehem, and Gate Pa.

“The first thought I had when I discovered Tall Poppy was ‘finally, someone gets it and speaks my language!’. Real estate isn’t about buying and selling houses – it’s about building relationships and helping people through good and difficult times,” she says.

Tall Poppy is also the first real estate agency to carry the NZ Made certification, a recognition that speaks to the company’s values and mindset.

“Ingenuity and innovation drive what we do – and we’re all about finding clever solutions while being down-to-earth in how we operate. Being honest and fair is fundamental – in today’s digital world, people shouldn’t be paying more for outdated ways.”

Susan Northey

Susan Northey is a Tauranga ‘local’ having grown up here and like many, returned with her husband to raise their family. Her passion for people led her to real estate a decade ago, after three years as the local franchise owner for the Her Business Network, founded by fashion designer Anna Stretton.

“I loved organising networking events for women, with high-powered and inspiring talks from successful business people – many who were my personal business heroes. Learning about their experiences and knowledge while empowering other women was amazing. It confirmed for me that I thrive when working closely with people,” she says.

Susan first gained her real estate license in the early 2000s but didn’t make the leap until 2014. She joined Tall Poppy in 2018 as the business owner for Tauranga Central and says its genuine commitment to innovation and fairness was a big drawcard.

“When real estate is done right, it can change people’s lives for the better – I love being the person who can make a real difference in someone’s journey. I still have the same absolute excitement and enthusiasm for it as when I first started,” she says.

Susan says she’s always looking ahead and asking where the market’s heading and what can be done better.

“I always aim to exceed expectations in all I do. Whether you’re buying or selling, my role is to work closely with you, solve any problems along the way and deliver the best results possible. It’s the best job ever,” she says.