15 April, 2011

Auctions attracting motivated buyers

on Sunshine Coast

Sunshine Coast home owners are turning to auctions to achieve the best results for their property sales, according to Raine & Horne Mooloolaba principal Shelley Plummer.

Ms Plummer said research showed home owners in their region believed auctions were a successful way to attract motivated buyers.

"Most properties listed for auction are selling either pre-auction, at auction or just after auction," Ms Plummer said.

She added that homes that sold at auction were achieving fair and reasonable prices, and for this reason Raine & Horne Mooloolaba was in the process of converting several property listings to auction sales.

“We are committed to getting good results for our vendors, so this is why we have chosen the auction process for our committed sellers,” Ms Plummer said.

This decision is confirmed by highly successful Jason Andrew Auctioneers (JAA), a Queensland-based auction firm that reported that the Sunshine Coast real estate market was the strongest performer in the state during the March 2011 quarter, achieving total clearance rates of up to 79%.

In keeping with this shift in its approach to property sales, Raine & Horne Mooloolaba is staging a combined in-room auction showcasing up to eight properties.

The event will be held 18 May 2011 at the Mooloolaba Surf Club, kicking off at 6pm with JAA’s leading auctioneer Gordon McDonald brandishing the hammer.

“We see a big benefit to staging an in-room auction, which gives investors and homebuyers the chance to bid on several properties under the one roof.

“This is different to a regular auction, because even if you miss out on one property, you still have a chance to buy a home.

She added that a forecast for extended periods of rain in coming months made an ‘in-room’ auction a sensible option.

“This prevents environmental factors impacting buyer turnout and interest on the day.”

The auction will present a diverse mix of properties, including acreages and a range of residential homes, as well as the appealing 23 Bailey Street, Nambour, a land development with building approval for 10 allotments, located close to the recently upgraded Nambour Hospital.

Another property sure to attract investor interest is the five bedroom home at 21 Bateman Street, Sippy Downs, which is currently returning $880 a week in rent.

“This home has data points in all the rooms and has been converted to tenant accommodation by the current owner, to cater for the student population attending the nearby University of the Sunshine Coast.

Ms Plummer said properties of this ilk were already attracting knowledgeable investors back to the market.

“We are fielding buyer enquiries from Brisbane and Ipswich, Townsville and Mackay, as well as Victoria and NSW, with many attracted by the fact that Mooloolaba doesn’t suffer some of the extreme weather patterns of other parts of Queensland,” Ms Plummer said.

Mooloolaba’s pristine white beaches, easygoing lifestyle, affordable consumer prices and family dynamic were also big drawcards for potential buyers and investors.

“The term location, location, location is used a lot in real estate, but in Mooloolaba this is absolutely true,” Ms Plummer said.

For all your property needs contact Raine & Horne Mooloolaba on (07) 5444 3099.

Raine & Horne is an iconic Australian property firm, with more than 360 offices worldwide. Also an established Superbrand along with the likes of Qantas, Vegemite, Woolworths and Myer, the company has four distinct property service brands including Raine & Horne Residential, Raine & Horne Commercial, Raine & Horne Financial Services and Raine & Horne Rural.

-ENDS-

For further media information contact:

• Shelley Plummer, Principal Raine & Horne Mooloolaba on (07) 5444 3099 or 0448 226 737
• Anna Truman, National Marketing & Communications Co-ordinator on (02) 9258 5448