It all starts here: How she knows what you’ll buy before you do
Sharon Donnelly can have one conversation with a buyer and know which property they’ll buy before she’s shown them a single one. Host Sarah Wood, Chief Executive of realestate.co.nz, talks with the Bayleys’ number one salesperson who has spent 25 years selling across Central Otago. Sharon grew up with three brothers, and she learned early how to read a room.
She talks about the one-bedroom house where she raised four kids, why some mansions feel empty, the home her grandchildren now let themselves into to enjoy her pool, and why, 25 years in, she still wakes at 4am wishing she was at work.
Highlights#
- Growing up in “the party house” with three brothers and a relaxed mum meant a constant stream of different people. Sharon says it taught her to speak her mind and read the room, which has helped her career in real estate.
- She knew as a child she’d be an agent. Location, Location, Location was the programme she remembers most, and she was “completely in awe” of the presenter, deciding that one day she’d be that person.
- Her favourite home was the smallest: a board and batten house that was basically one bedroom, with four kids. The family slept in the open-plan lounge, her eldest had a room the size of a cupboard, and they stayed there for ten happy years.
- Her read on buyers is uncanny. From one conversation she can tell which property someone will buy before she’s had them in her car, a skill she traces back to the house full of people she grew up in.
- Her tip for first home buyers is to research the agent, and to look at how many listings they hold rather than the sales shown online: “the more listings an agent has, the more buyers, the more they sell.”
How a childhood home full of people taught Sharon to read a buyer.
Learning to read a room#
For Sharon Donnelly, a love of property started long before she began her career in real estate.
Growing up with three brothers and a relaxed mum, Sharon describes her childhood home as “the party house", a place where people were constantly coming and going and everyone was encouraged to speak their mind.
Being surrounded by so many different personalities taught her how to connect with people and read a room - skills that would later become an important part of her career.
Knowing from a young age#
While some people stumble into their careers, Sharon says she always knew real estate was where she would end up.
As a child, she was captivated by Location, Location, Location and remembers being “completely in awe” of the presenter.
“I thought one day, I’m actually going to be that person.”
Sharon eventually began selling real estate in Wānaka, building a career that has now spanned 25 years.
“I’ll wake up at 4:00 in the morning and wish I was at work. And that’s 25 years later.”
The smallest house with the biggest memories#
Of all the properties Sharon has lived in, her favourite was a small board-and-batten house where she lived with her four children for 10 years.
“A home for me is just when you’ve got people around, your grandchildren, your family. That’s what a home is about.”
Reading buyers before they know themselves#
Sharon's ability to understand people also plays a big part in how she works with buyers.
After an initial conversation, she says she can often pick the property someone will eventually buy before they've even headed out to view homes.
It's a skill she traces back to growing up in a home filled with different people and learning from an early age to understand the personalities around her.
Sharon's advice for first-home buyers#
For first-home buyers starting their property search, Sharon has one practical piece of advice: rather than focusing only on an agent's previous sales online, research the number of properties they currently have listed.
“The more listings an agent has, the more buyers, the more they sell.”
In Sharon's view, an agent with plenty of listings is likely to have strong knowledge of what's available and can use that experience to help guide buyers towards the right property.
If Sharon’s story has you thinking about the house that shaped you, follow It all starts here wherever you get your podcasts.
Guest bio#
Sharon Donnelly began her real estate career 25 years ago while raising four children, driven by determination and a commitment to succeed. That same work ethic continues to underpin her business today.
People remain at the centre of her approach. “I build relationships by being curious about people on a personal level,” she says. “I love hearing their stories and making them feel comfortable in their own home.”
Across residential homes, lifestyle properties, luxury estates, development opportunities, and everything in between, Sharon has built a reputation for tailored marketing, trusted advice, and consistently exceptional results.
Year after year, Sharon continues to set the benchmark, not only for what success in real estate looks like, but how it is achieved. In 2025/2026, she was named Bayleys’ #1 salesperson nationwide for the second consecutive year, marking an extraordinary fourth time holding the overall national title. Her results have placed her ahead of not only her peers, but entire teams across the country. Sharon’s success reflects deep experience, high standards, and quiet determination behind the scenes.
Host bio #
Sarah Wood is the CEO of realestate.co.nz, New Zealand’s longest-standing property portal, running since 1996, before Google even existed. Today it connects millions of Kiwis with homes, rentals and commercial spaces every month, and she’s leading its move into AI-powered property search. She is a regular commentator on the property market and the economic conditions shaping it, including the Official Cash Rate (OCR) and what each decision means for buyers and sellers.
