The ELITE Edit 09/26

By Jordan Lund

Open-home attendance has dropped and buyer enquiry has slowed. But the people coming through open homes are more qualified and we feel are more serious than they were three months ago.

We’re seeing a gap of around 5–10% between seller and buyer expectations. Negative Australia wide headlines are influencing those conversations, but what matters most is how a property is priced, and being able to educate buyers as to why we as an agent see the value there. This is usually with recent comparable sales, particularly those since the budget.

Where owners’ expectations align with a realistic price point, we’re still seeing good results — including sales within the first 90 days on the market.

Presentation is also making a difference. Homes that are well maintained, staged and properly prepared are attracting stronger demand and enquiry. There is less for buyers to pick apart, and less reasons to negotiate.

Another conversation that keeps coming up is the cost of building. When buyers add the land price to construction costs, the numbers aren’t always stacking up. We’re seeing completed homes offer better value than buying land and going through a build that could take two years.

For sellers, realistic pricing and preparation matter. For buyers, there is value in looking closely at what is already built and available and acting now.

Open on the edge of Kawana Marina, from the family behind The Boat Shed at Cotton Tree — a waterfront room built for long lunches that roll into afternoon drinks, and a seasonal menu made for sharing. Twenty-five years of Maroochy River hospitality, moved to a new view five minutes from Buddina.