I sat at a family table in Gawler East yesterday with a couple who looked tired. They had just come off a bad run with another agent. The quote they were given at the start was huge. The reality? Silence and three months of stress. I hate my heart to see this because it is unnecessary.
The market in the local area isn't just about placing a sign up and hoping for the best. Hoping is not a strategy. Many sellers get dazzled by big smiles and big price promises. But when the open home is empty, that agent has no answers. You need more than a promise; you need a battle plan.
When you are selling a cottage in Gawler or a house in Munno Para, the principles are the same. The market is smart. They use data at their fingertips. Should you try to trick them with a high price and no strategy, they leave. My goal is to help you avoid that trap.
Why Strategy Matters More Than Promises
Agents can give you a high price estimate. Taking them nothing to say "$800,000" even if the data says "$700,000." It is a promise. A plan is showing you *how* we find the buyer who pays the premium. If an agent gives you a number, ask them: "How specifically will you find the person to pay that?" Should they stumble, run.
Our plan involves finding the buyer before we take the photos. If we are selling a lifestyle property in Angle Vale, I know the buyer is likely a family needing shed space. The ads speaks directly to that need. We don't just list "4 bedrooms"; we list "space for the caravan and the boat." That focus is what gets the click.
No tailored strategy, you are just guessing in the dark. You might get lucky, but do you want to gamble with your financial future? I doubt it. Strategic selling means controlling the narrative, the timing, and the negotiation leverage from day one.
High Price Traps Hidden from Sellers
It makes me angry. The appraisal trap is the main reason homes in our area fail to sell. This is how it works: Someone tells you $750k. The honest agent shows you data for $700k. You pick Agent A because you want the extra money. Naturally?
However the money isn't real. It existed. The house sits on the market for 60 days. Buyers notice the high price and don't even enquire. It gets "stale." People start asking "what's wrong with it?" In the end, the agent forces you to drop the price to $680k just to get it sold. Costing you $20k and 3 months because of a lie.
Avoid being that seller. Better to rather lose your business by telling you the truth than win it by lying to you. The truth might sting for a second, but it saves you your equity in the long run. Look at sold records, not just what the agent says.
Buyer Psychology Changes Outcomes
I watch buyers at open homes every weekend. Buyers are nervous. Buying home is a huge risk for them. Fearing paying too much. However they fear missing out even more. The aim is to trigger that second fear. Calling it it FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).
If buyer walks into an empty open home, they feel safe to lowball you. Thinking "no one else wants it, I can offer less." A problem. I structure open homes to create a crowd. Once buyers see another couple measuring the fridge space, their competitive instinct kicks in. Suddenly, they aren't thinking about a low offer; they are thinking about a winning offer.
That is all psychology. The house hasn't changed, but the feeling of value has. Order takers just unlock the door and stand in the kitchen. I work the room, talking to buyers, and building that sense of urgency. This is how we get record prices in Gawler.
Local Expertise For Northern Suburbs
One cannot sell a house in Munno Para using a strategy from the city. Fails to work. People here are different. They look about shed clearance, school zoning, and how close the train station is. I live here. Buying my coffee on Murray Street. I understand what makes this community tick.
E.g., selling a heritage home in Willaston requires explaining the "character" value to buyers who might be scared of maintenance. Selling new build in a crowded estate requires pointing out the upgrades that make it better than the display home down the road. Nuance matters.
Also have a database of locals. Not merely email addresses, but real people I talk to. People who missed out on the auction last week? I ring them first. Bringing local buyers to your home often happens before we even hit the internet. That is the power of a local agent.
Service Area Across the North
I remain with you from start to finish. It's not a "sign and see you later" service. Managing the appraisal, the strategy, the photos, the negotiation, and the settlement. Having Andrew McKiggan, not a personal assistant who started yesterday.
Communication is key. I know how stressful it is to wait for the phone to ring. Updating you after every open inspection. The good or bad news, you get it straight. When we need to tweak the strategy, we do it together based on real feedback.
When you are thinking of selling, or just want to know what your place is worth in this current market, give me a call. No stress. Simply a chat about your options. Enjoying talking property, and I'd love to help you get the best result in the north.
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