Page 22 - Tropic Magazine Issue 19

TROPIC • REAL ESTATE

Agent’s view

PROPERTY SALES
Nicholas Slatyer from Belle 8 Cribwood Close, Mount Sheridan
Property Cairns is busy
listening to the market. happened a handful of times in the last
month across all price ranges. No action
Sales businesses are all about targets. on a property and then a tweak by just
Weekly, monthly, quarterly and the big a few percent in the pricing and we get
one - yearly. For 12 months, we work multiple offers. I don’t think that means
towards our goal and then the day you need to start a campaign at a low BEST FOR BEACHFRONT
comes… June 30. And it’s all over. It can price, but you do need to listen to what is The best street in Cairns? The
feel a bit anti-climactic because nothing (or isn’t) being said by the market. beachfront on Hibiscus Lane has
actually happens except that the slate is We get a bit of a grumble from some certainly been good for me. We have
wiped clean and you start from scratch. buyers when we say that we only present just sold numbers 2, 38 and 40 and I
We were lucky in FY19. We exceeded our offers on a contract. The perception is got to thinking… how many have I sold
expectations both personally and as an that there is some gamesmanship by on the street? Another five properties!
office - it’s the first time in a long time us, but I was reminded again (twice) in And we have just listed number 30 -
that has happened. What made it even the last month why we (should) always which is one of the best blocks on the
better was that it was against the flow do it. We had shown a buyer a house street. Why is it so popular? It’s proper
of the market. It is very nice to see five three times. We received an offer via an beachfront, so close to town and has
odd years of doing the “little things” email with all the terms. We forwarded a really great community feel. Great
starting to pay off. buying if you really want that
the email to the seller. Everything was tropical experience.
basically in order but, as always, a few It’s a tricky market. If you want to
IMPRESSIONS more dollars would be nice. We went
One of the things I like to ask property back to the buyer and asked if they could discuss, even just to “shoot the breeze”,
owners when they are looking to sell is pay a bit more which they said was fine my phone is always on.
“what is your impression of the market?”. and they would come back to us the next
There’s been a big change in sentiment day. We got a text message early the next
in the last six months - even though the morning to say they were making an
playing field is almost exactly the same offer on another property… all within the
(except for lending conditions which aren’t space of 18 hours. Unfair on our seller in MORE: belleproperty.com/cairns
Cairns specific). For quite some time, my opinion. or call Nicholas on 0409 002 233
local owners attributed strong southern
markets with ours - either in the hope
those buyers were looking here or that our
cycle was also on an upswing (neither was
actually happening). Now though, most
sellers recognise the challenges because
they are Australia wide. Our market is
stable and relatively predictable and for
that we should be thankful.

PRICING POINTS
It is becoming increasingly apparent
that unless properties are priced well,
buyers just won’t engage. It’s a hard thing
for sellers to wrap their heads around
because it seems ridiculous - surely 30 Hibiscus Lane, Holloways Beach
buyers will just make offers, right? It’s

22 • Tropic • Issue 19