I sat at a family table in Gawler East yesterday with a couple who looked exhausted. They had just come off a bad run with another agent. The quote they were given at the start was huge. The outcome? No bids and three months of stress. It hurts my heart to see this because it is preventable.
Real estate in the North isn't just about sticking a sign up and hoping for the best. Praying is not a strategy. Countless sellers get dazzled by agent hype and massive price promises. When the open home is empty, that agent has no strategy. It takes more than a promise; you need a roadmap.
Whether 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. It takes them nothing to say "$800,000" even if the data says "$700,000." This is a promise. Strategy 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 large home in Angle Vale, I know the buyer is likely a business owner needing shed space. The copy speaks directly to that need. Never just list "4 bedrooms"; we list "space for the caravan and the boat." The difference is what gets the click.
Lacking a tailored strategy, you are just fishing in the dark. You could get lucky, but do you want to gamble with your family home? Probably not. Being tactical means controlling the narrative, the timing, and the negotiation leverage from day one.
High Price Traps You Don't See
This makes me angry. The price trap is the worst reason homes in our area fail to sell. Watch how it works: The first agent tells you $750k. Agent B shows you data for $700k. You choose Agent A because you want the extra money. Who wouldn't?
Yet the money isn't real. It never existed. It sits on the market for 60 days. People see the high price and don't even enquire. Listing becomes "stale." Buyers start asking "what's wrong with it?" Later, the agent forces you to drop the price to $680k just to get it sold. Losing $20k and 3 months because of a lie.
Please don't be that seller. I'd rather lose your business by telling you the truth than win it by lying to you. Honest advice might sting for a second, but it saves you your equity in the long run. Verify sold records, not just what the agent says.
How Buyers Think Affects Results
I see buyers at open homes every weekend. Buyers are nervous. Buying home is a huge risk for them. Scared of paying too much. But fear missing out even more. The goal is to trigger that second fear. Known as it FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).
When a buyer walks into an empty open home, they feel safe to lowball you. Believing "no one else wants it, I can offer less." Not good. 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.
It's all psychology. The bricks hasn't changed, but the view 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.
Suburb Experts Across the North
Can't sell a house in the north using a strategy from the city. It doesn't work. Locals 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 a new build in a crowded estate requires pointing out the upgrades that make it better than the display home down the road. Small things matters.
And have a database of locals. Not just email addresses, but real people I talk to. Couples who missed out on the auction last week? Calling them first. Bringing local buyers to your home often happens before we even hit the internet. That is the power of a local agent.
What We Do In the Region
I am 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. You get Andrew McKiggan, not a personal assistant who started yesterday.
Talking is key. Knowing how stressful it is to wait for the phone to ring. I call you after every open inspection. Good news or bad news, you get it straight. If 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. Relaxed. Just a chat about your options. I enjoy talking property, and I'd love to help you get the best result in the north.
Handling low real estate offers