I admit it. I’m a Christmas tragic. I LOVE this season! Indooroopilly Shopping Centre carpark notwithstanding, there is an unmistakeable sense of merriness in the air – a feeling of work winding down, schools breaking up and kids growing very excited. Even for those of us still working (and yes, our office will be open for most of the Christmas/New Year break), this is a good time to take the foot of full-speed and ease up a little in order to enjoy the many blessings we may at times overlook throughout the year: family, friends, community spirit and the many lifestyle benefits of residing in Brisbane’s leafy western suburbs. Putting me right in the festive swing last weekend was the second annual Kenmore Rotary Community Christmas Carols, an event launched last year by Cr Margaret de Wit to once again put a song in the heart of Kenmore at Christmas time. I was very privileged to compere Saturday night’s wonderful union of local talent, ably led by the Major Laurie Young Concert Band and given voice by the brilliance of opera talent Karen Gaydon and the “back-up” of several hundred merry revelers. A fantastic night! Please excuse a short blog break ... am taking some long overdue time off with Allison and the kids. Can't wait! I hope you and yours have a wonderful, safe festive season and I look forward to "seeing" you again in the new year. Cheers!
All roads lead to home
29.11.2007. Two recent sales by my agency, one via auction and one via Express Sale, give cause for fresh discussion about the relative strengths of different selling methods. The first home, a three-bedroom entry-level property in Kenmore, sold under the hammer for $455,000. It attracted more than 72 people to the auction site in Gilruth St, of which 14 were registered bidders. The excellent price result clearly reflects the growing demand for entry-level buying within 10km of the CBD. The second sale, a prestige property in Jamieson Place, Brookfield, sold for a record-breaking million-dollar-plus price within hours of the first open home inspection. Thanks to expert targeting of the growing market for spacious prestige property just out of the inner-city circle, this home also attracted a large amount of interest, with three buyers talking offers straight away. Why an auction for the Kenmore house? Why Express Sale for prestige in Brookfield? The answer in fact has nothing to do with the properties themselves and everything to do with the needs of the seller and the movement of the market. All real estate agents, whether they admit it or not, have preferences about particular selling methods (and, okay, mine is for Express Sale – an exclusive service of Century 21 that consistently achieves fantastic results), but to exercise this preference at the expense of truly meeting the current market does everyone a disservice. At the end of the day, the most appropriate method for any home is the one that matches the market, is precisely timed and meets the needs of the seller. Handled correctly, any method should deliver a fair and reasonable price result. Still in doubt? Ask an expert!
