Harcourts auctioneer Kerry McCormick has finished second at the 2011 REINZ National Real Estate Auctioneers Championships.

'I thought it was great. I competed in the novice section, which is for people who have done less the 10 live auctions for real estate,” says Kerry.

'We were put into lock-up and then brought out one-by-one to auction a home and I did my own.

'I didn't believe my ears when I heard I came runner-up, second in the whole of New Zealand,” says Kerry.

'It's a great opportunity to auction with your peers, but it's better to beat them.”

Harcourts Group communications manager Laura Wilmot says Kerry joined two other Harcourts representatives to compete against 13 others in the national championship.

'Kerry was early on the day avoiding the eight hour wait some contestants had in a lock up, designed to keep competitors isolated from knowing bidding patterns or questions asked by pre-organised bidders in the audience.”