Alocalstory,notacorporatestrategy.
Meet Jen
Jen Bhati didn’t set out to build a brand — she came home to help. After a global career in leadership and social impact, Jen returned to Featherston and realised something powerful: real estate in small towns needs more heart, not more hustle.
Local by Jen began as a conversation — and became a commitment to doing things differently.
Why We Exist
"Home is more than a property. It's the people you know, the places you love, and the community that welcomes you in. My role is helping people stay connected to what matters most—wherever their next chapter takes them."
The Long Way Home
From Featherston, around the world, and back again.
The shortest version of Jen's story isn't a résumé — it's a path.
Then
A Featherston beginning
Born and raised in Featherston, Jen grew up with a strong connection to the community she proudly calls home today.
Career
Building experience
From leadership and business management to international development and entrepreneurship, Jen built a diverse career helping people, organisations, and communities navigate change and growth.
Away
A world of experience
Working across New Zealand and internationally broadened Jen's perspective and shaped the people-first approach she brings to her work today.
2016
The road home
In 2016, Jen returned to Featherston, bringing valuable experience, fresh perspective, and a renewed appreciation for the place that had always felt like home.
2021
A new way into real estate
Jen entered real estate with a simple belief: buying and selling property should be built on trust, genuine relationships, and local knowledge—not pressure or transactions.
Now
Local by Jen
In 2025, Jen launched Local by Jen, creating a real estate business that reflects her values and her commitment to helping people find their place in the community she loves.
What We Stand For
Four ideas. One way of working.
These aren't taglines on a wall. They're the small decisions made at every kitchen-table conversation, every open home, every late-night phone call.
Grounded in Featherston
Lived, not listed.
Trust Over Transaction
We're here to help, not hustle.
People Before Process
No scripts, just real conversations.
Belonging Matters
Everyone deserves to feel rooted.
Community Is the Client
We work for the whole town, not just the contract.
What You Can Expect
No suits. No spin. Just real estate grounded in relationships, not reach.
We listen more than we talk. We guide, we don't push. And every decision is made with your best interest — and your community's — in mind.
Local by Jen
Jen Bhati
Local Real Estate Specialist
Meet Jen
Part of the fabric of this community.
Born and raised in Featherston, Jen is more than a real estate agent. From school days at Featherston Primary to leadership roles around the globe, her journey has always been about helping people navigate change with confidence and care.
"Moving home shouldn't mean losing your sense of home."
In 2021, after years in business management, international development, and entrepreneurship, Jen returned home and launched Local by Jen — a real estate approach built around trust, relationships, and deep local knowledge.
Her clients know her for honesty, empathy, and straight-up advice. Whether she's supporting long-time locals looking to downsize, helping families return to town, or simply offering a no-pressure chat over a cuppa, Jen brings both strategy and heart to the table.
A collective of NZ's most forward-thinking property professionals.
We've partnered with
The Network
The Network partners with innovative Real Estate Entrepreneurs with a shared vision to revive value in the exchange of NZ's largest asset: property.
Together, we are The Network — just look for the trustmark.
- Pre-qualified agents — values & skill both required
- Heart surgeons of Real Estate, not GPs
- Centralised national design, marketing & ops team
- 50,000+ developer hours in tech, automations & AI
- Bulletproof compliance — 6 years, zero REA complaints
- One-on-one business coaching, no middle management
- Industry secrets, openly shared