How it works
Unlike traditional franchise models, Tall Poppy franchisees do not need to be level 5 qualified agents. Our advanced systems, safe practice framework, and robust supervision model allow franchise owners to focus on what truly drives success - growing, mentoring, and leading talented salespeople, both experienced and aspiring, to bring the Tall Poppy way to life in their region.
The Tall Poppy Way
Because of our list-and-sell approach, streamlined systems, and industry-leading technology, we eliminate internal competition and typical conflicts found in other models. Instead, we enable a clear, supportive cultural foundation where hardworking people can manage their real estate business on their own terms, with flexibility, freedom, and all the ingredients needed to succeed at scale.
The Tall Poppy Story
Tall Poppy didn’t emerge by accident, it was a response. For too long, the big corporate real estate brands, run from boardrooms and driven by commission targets, celebrated how much they charged, not how well they served. Awards were handed out based on total fees earned, not customer experience, transparency, or innovation. That model depended on complexity – percentage commissions no one could quite calculate, promises that couldn’t be verified, and marketing packages that sounded impressive but were often little more than logos and jargon. It thrived on image, not evidence. The result? Trust in real estate fell. Agents were often perceived as charming, but hard to believe. The public learned to brace themselves, to negotiate, to double-check, and to wonder, “Who’s really working for me?”
Tall Poppy was built as the antidote, a company founded on fairness, honesty and proof, not just presentation. We wanted to remove the smoke and mirrors, show people what they were paying for, and deliver real value, backed by real tools. Our transparent fixed fees. Our real-time offer platform. Our My Tall Poppy portal. All designed so that trust isn’t just promised, it’s visible. Our founder, David Graves, felt real estate could be smarter, cleaner, and more human. That belief led us to rebuild how the industry works, from the fees people pay, to the tools agents use, to the experience vendors and buyers receive. Instead of rewarding agents for protecting information, we built systems that reward transparency. Instead of focusing on image, we focused on evidence, what we could show, prove, and measure. Being independent and New Zealand-owned meant we could make bold decisions. We pioneered free Trade Me marketing when others said it “wasn't possible.” We built technology in-house, not borrowed from overseas. We challenged the traditional commission model by telling people, upfront, exactly what they’d pay and why. Then came our biggest step forward: My Tall Poppy. A real-time platform that gives sellers full visibility, buyers a faster and fairer way to make offers, and agents the power to manage transactions transparently and digitally. No more mysterious updates. No more “trust me”. It changed everything. Today, Tall Poppy is not just a real estate agency. It’s a movement built on: Fairness and transparency Technology designed for real people Tools no one else has A culture where integrity counts more than image While others built offices, we built platforms. While others repeated scripts, we rewrote how real estate works. Tall Poppy wasn’t created to compete with the old model. It was built to replace it. We exist so people can trust the process, understand the costs, see the value, and believe in real estate again. That’s our difference. That’s our purpose. That’s Tall Poppy.