Former Miss Universe New Zealand Holly Cassidy and her grandmother Cheryl Whiting have always had a close bond. So, when real estate agent Holly was approached about being part of the new Bravo series Rich Listers, she knew she wouldn’t want to do it without Cheryl at her side.
While Cheryl, who works at Ray White Parnell as an executive marketing manager, was happy to oblige, she admits it took her weeks into filming to realise she wasn’t only there as support for Holly – but one of the stars of the TV show.
Good genes! The 2013 pageant winner with a proud Cheryl.
“I didn’t think about it much,” she laughs. “Then when we were down in Queenstown, one of the other guys asked me, ‘Are you in the line-up?’ I said, ‘No, I’m just an extra. I’m just supporting Holly.’ That’s when the director told me, ‘Cheryl, you’re in the cast.’
Adds Holly, “When they came and filmed the ‘meet the family’ dinner at the house, I thought, ‘She’s too good not to be on the show.'”
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The local series follows New Zealand’s top real estate agents who sell some of the country’s most exclusive and expensive properties.
And if there’s anyone who knows about landing a deal, it’s Cheryl.
She became a realtor 34 years ago after her brother Colin, who ran a successful property development company, convinced her it was time to leave behind the world of fashion for property. When she finally took the leap, Cheryl’s only regret was that she didn’t do it sooner.
“I should have done it 10 years before I got stuck in,” tells Cheryl. “It was the best thing I ever did. I was like a duck to water.”
An unstoppable force in the industry ever since, she has owned and managed several successful branches, was named New Zealand’s number-one salesperson three years in a row and, in 1993, was ranked top for the most auctions listed and sold in the entire country.
While she worked her “tail off” for everything she has, Cheryl says the secret to her success is her husband Les, who she met not long before she made the move to real estate. Whether it was helping with her accounts or having a hot meal ready at the end of a long day, he has always been her biggest supporter.
House that for a birthday cake!
“I would never have done this without him,” enthuses Cheryl. “After five months of doing this job, I told him I was quitting. I was selling really well but I was sick of putting signs up in the wind, rain and bad weather. So, he started doing it. They used to call him the president of the Sign Erectors’ Association.
“I told Holly, ‘When you’re in this job, you need support at home.'”
Growing up watching her grandmother’s success, Holly, 31, always knew she would follow in her footsteps. When she was 24, she landed a job as a PA to one of Auckland’s top realtors and has since worked in almost every part of the business.
Cheryl always knew Holly had potential, so pushed her hard when she started out.
“She was quite harum-scarum when she first started and I was tough on her,” admits Cheryl. “But she’s well respected now. She looks after her vendors and I take full responsibility for showing her the way.”
Holly has found her own special someone in her partner Ross, who also works in real estate. They’ve only been a couple for a year, but already they live and work together, and Holly adores his three sons.
“We never planned on working together, but he saw what I could do and he couldn’t find anyone right for his business, so he said, ‘You’re it!'” Holly says with a grin. “Most of the time, we work well together. We always try and have lunch together every day. We make time for each other.”
After all these years, Cheryl is as passionate as ever. Even if Holly allowed her to retire, Cheryl says she can’t imagine a day where she stops selling houses.
Two peas in a pod: Cheryl has taught her granddaughter the ropes.
“I thought about it, but Holly wouldn’t let me,” tells Cheryl. “Then Covid came along and showed me what it would be like staying home, and I did not like it. I drove myself crazy and everyone around me. Most mornings, I get out of bed and I can’t wait to go to work.”
Rich Listers screens 7.30pm, Thursdays on Bravo.
