BUYER MANAGEMENT IS KEY

August is traditionally a very quiet month for the property market, with people heading off overseas or to the snow. This of course isn’t the case this year and as such we’ve actually had an incredibly busy month. Last week we had another strong run of sales as we exchanged 19 properties across nine suburbs.

It’s hard to believe that we’re already launching properties for mid-September auctions. The good news for both buyers and sellers is that we’re continuing to see stable, balanced trading conditions. It’s definitely an environment where properties need to be priced correctly and authentic, insightful engagement with buyers is paramount.

Jack Tinworth recently sold 7 Frazer Street, Lilyfield, a charming character semi with DA approval for significant extension, for $1.35m. Jack comments, “At the time the owners weren’t really contemplating selling or buying however they came across a property we had on the market and it sparked their interest. When they engaged us to sell their home we had to work within a short timeframe in order to facilitate their purchase. We recommended a broker who worked overtime to assist with financing and after some minor enhancements to their property we turned photography and marketing production around in a week. A buyer was secured in just seven days off-market through our database. They inspected on Saturday afternoon and we got them back through on Saturday evening then negotiated over the weekend. We had a building inspection conducted to give them the confidence to move forward. Our purchaser was very time poor so we facilitated an exchange of contracts at 10.30pm to work with their availability and finalise the sale for our vendors, enabling them to move ahead and secure their dream home.”

Ben Southwell and Marcus Hejtmanek recently sold 17 Charlotte Street, Lilyfield for $2.35m, a brand new build house on a 221sqm block with great redevelopment potential. Ben says, ”The house had been listed online with another agent for seven weeks with very little interest and no offers. We were engaged to generate a sale in the background with no marketing at all, and we found the perfect buyer who had been looking for a number of months and had viewed several homes through our team. Over the years we’ve been fortunate to represent some of the best builders in the community which has given us an unmatched understanding of what really goes into a quality build, meaning we could provide valuable advice around the redevelopment scope. We held firm on price and I believe our knowledge around building really contributed to the final outcome.”

Chad Egan handled the sale of 119 Lyons Road, Drummoyne, a Federation family home opposite Drummoyne Park. Chad says, “Being on a main road we knew the property had to present in such a way that buyers could walk in​ and envisage themselves living there with nothing to do. When appraising the property we suggested engaging our handyman to carry out painting and other minor cosmetic updates. We also arranged for our stylist to add some key items and soft furnishings to ensure an appealing presentation. We had an impressive 59 inspections with nine contracts issued, taking us into a multi-buyer negotiation scenario. An offer was submitted prior to auction so we reached out to everyone who had viewed it to give them an opportunity to purchase. The buyer pool was narrowed down and we negotiated with these parties, with the ultimate buyer coming from the online portals. They had been living in an apartment in the area and wanted to make a move to a family home. When they first viewed the property they weren’t really looking to purchase just yet however the house appealed to them on different levels and as a result they ended up purchasing right at the start of their search.”

At Cobden & Hayson we know what it takes to help you through the buying process. We conduct weekend, mid-week and private inspections to ensure potential buyers can view a property at a time that suits them. At C&H we have a centralised database shared between five office locations with an avg of 600 new buyer’s being entered each week. We inform eager buyers of the freshest new property listings through email, text or a phone call providing them with an opportunity to view a property before it’s listed on public real estate portals. We build close relationships with buyers with our aim being to link them with their ideal new home all the while providing them with accurate area information, so each buyer can make a smart buying decision. If you’re looking to make a move, we’d love to help you today.