James McElrea

James McElrea

Sales & Marketing Consultant / Licensed Real Estate Agent at Harcourts Wanaka
Salesperson: 20114703
  •   5   (59 reviews)

James' sales performance at a glance

See how James has performed in the last 12 months on RateMyAgent*

11
Reviews
149
Median days on market
13
Properties for sale
17
Sold properties
$1.2m
Average sale price
$18.5m
Total sales value

*Includes all properties sold (last 12 months) where the agent was a part of the transaction and published on ratemyagent.co.nz. It may not be complete and can exclude off-market, private sales and undisclosed pricing and sold dates. Contact agent for full sales history.

About James

As a valued member of the Harcourts Wanaka team, James has a wealth of business knowledge and life experience which brings a special dynamic to our team. James grew up in Auckland and went on to study a Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology (BV&O) at Lincoln University in Christchurch. He travelled extensively and utilised his study whilst learning from the wine regions around the world and experiencing their different cultures. Upon returning to New Zealand, he continued to make his way down the South Island and settled in Wanaka in 2007 to take on a winemaking role with a local family producer. He thoroughly enjoyed this role where he remained for 10 exciting years, making wines from all over the region. Out of his love of winemaking, in 2014 James channelled his inner entrepreneur and embarked on a journey to establish his own label - Black Peak Wines. From then on he has been producing boutique wines which are exclusively sold in restaurants and private cellars mainly within the region. On top of this exciting venture, James and his wife purchased Riverview Lodge, a luxury Bed & Breakfast on the Albert Town Terraces. Whilst running and building this successful boutique business, James and his wife are delighted to host an enormous cross-section of the population from around the globe and have made many friends in showcasing what a wonderful place Wanaka is and all it has to offer. Pivoting from a scientific and artistic career in wine-making, James enjoys the real estate industry as it puts his customer service skills into play. Listening to the needs and wants of their guests has enabled James to obtain the analytical, creative, personable and customisable characteristics to work within this dynamic industry. During his downtime, James enjoys flying, golfing, sailing and fishing. And of course, fine dining which goes without saying. James is extremely motivated, and driven and is a proven communicator which has played a significant role in the success of his previous endeavours. If you need assistance with buying or selling, get in contact with James and reap the benefits that come with choosing a sales consultant that has your best interests at heart.

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James' reviews

  5  
James has 59 reviewsacross 8 different locations, showing 6.
Review James
James' qualities as told by our client reviews: responsive, detail-oriented, supportive, patient, honest, clear communication, local expert.
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Seller review
A very committed professional
9 days ago
A very committed professional

As Vendors, James impressed us from the start of our sale process. Before our first meeting, James did extensive homework on our property and presented to us having a surprisingly good knowledge of our property and of both the current property market and of selling properties. This all proved most helpful in the process. James was consultative over all decisions made in our sale process. Nothing was ever too much trouble. He was always available, responded quickly to all queries and gave us really good feedback throughout the process. We felt he was always working for us as the Vendors. We had met James previously with another property transaction and did like his manner and low key approach, never pushy or aggressive with prospective purchasers. He was very knowledgeable and responded to all requests. We have no hesitation in recommending James to any prospective vendor and are happy to discuss our experience with any potential client. Pamela de Beer and Jeff Couch

Seller review
Professional, proactive and excellent communication throughout
3 months ago
Professional, proactive and excellent communication throughout

James recently sold my section in Ōkuru and was excellent to deal with from start to finish. He kept me well informed at every stage of the process and communicated clearly and promptly, which made the whole experience straightforward and stress-free. He provided good market insight and realistic advice around pricing and buyer interest, and I always felt he was being honest and transparent. Any questions I had were answered quickly, and he made sure I understood what was happening and what the next steps were. James was professional, organised and easy to work with. I appreciated his steady approach and the way he kept things moving without unnecessary pressure. I would happily recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell property.

Seller review
A challenging sale handled with Due Diligence!
3 months ago
A challenging sale handled with Due Diligence!

What turned out to be a challenging sale of our fairly high end Wanaka home couldn't have been handled more expertly than it was by James McElrea and his colleagues at Harcourts, Wanaka. This was one of those properties that had to wait for "just the right buyer" and it took quite a long time for that buyer to arrive. On the market for a little over a year meant a great deal of input by James. Many, many open homes for him to attend, many interested parties to follow up on and report to us about and a great deal of interaction and strategising with us as the process evolved. James handled all aspects of this tricky process with grace and enthusiasm and never wavered from the ultimate goal of achieving an appropriate outcome for us, his clients. Well done James and thank you - it took a while but we got there! Rik & Juliet Deaton

Seller review
I rate James Mc Leary
5 months ago
I rate James Mc Leary

Very expertenced and informative through the whole process of selling our property. A pleasure to work with. Would recomend.

Buyer review
Easy To Work With
6 months ago
Easy To Work With

Quick and Sharp Deal

Show all 59 reviews
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James' properties

James has 13 properties for sale and sold 17 properties in the last 12 months, showing 4, sorted by most recent activity

SoldApr 20, 2026
Price not available
11B Kidds Way
Albert Town Otago
2
1
Townhouse
SoldMar 13, 2026
Price not available
19 Fox Moth Drive
Haast West Coast
Land
For Sale
Price by Negotiation
3 Wairau Road
Albert Town Otago
4
1
1
House
SoldFeb 24, 2026
Price not available
29 Fox Moth Drive
Haast West Coast
Land
Show all 30 properties

James' sold properties

James has sold 17 properties in the past 12 months, showing 4.

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Property imageAddressBedroomsBathroomsCarparksProperty TypeClosing PriceDate Sold
11B Kidds Way, Albert Town, Otago
11B Kidds Way
Albert Town Otago
2
1
TownhouseUndisclosed PriceApr 20, 2026
19 Fox Moth Drive
Haast West Coast
LandUndisclosed PriceMar 13, 2026
29 Fox Moth Drive
Haast West Coast
LandUndisclosed PriceFeb 24, 2026
33 Fox Moth Drive, Haast, West Coast
33 Fox Moth Drive
Haast West Coast
LandUndisclosed PriceFeb 23, 2026

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