Elle Ritson has set a street record and 2026 sales record in Helensburgh with a five-bedroom house that sold prior to auction for $1.845 million after just nine days on market.
Elle knew the property at 50 Old Quarry Circuit was coming to market well in advance and used that lead time to coach the vendors on presentation and prepare her buyer database. When the marketing was ready, she moved fast — sending photos and video to waiting buyers and creating a social media reel that delivered 20,000 views and 17 shares.
“As soon as I had the marketing done, we created a reel which had 20,000 views on it, giving the property a full walkthrough.” Elle said.
The social media strategy that created real buzz
The reel was a full property walkthrough highlighting Elle’s favourite features and positioning the home as a dream property in a dream location. The response confirmed strong buyer interest before the first inspection.
“I had 17 people share the reel as well, which showed me there was going to be real interest in this property,” Elle said.
That interest translated into four negotiating buyers. Elle managed the competitive process with transparency and speed, knowing the hot Helensburgh market rewarded quick decision-making.
“Being open and transparent with all buyers moved things along quickly,” Elle said.
“It’s a quick market, and I wanted to make sure when we started getting great offers that things progressed quickly, and they did.”
The buyers who had been searching for the right fit
The competition came down to two buyers — one local and one relocating from the Kiama area. The winning buyers had been searching for some time and recognised the property as a rare opportunity.
“They had been looking for quite a while and they just knew that this home ticked every one of their boxes and it wasn’t likely to come up again,” Elle said.
The location and multiple living spaces sealed the deal. For buyers who had been patient in their search, this property offered everything they needed in a package unlikely to come up again soon.
Location and market context
Helensburgh sits in a family-oriented pocket of the Wollongong local government area, with a low-density streetscape dominated by owner-occupied detached homes. The suburb’s appeal centres on its strong school catchments — including Helensburgh Public School and Heathcote High School — and its community-oriented character. Domain data shows the median for five-bedroom houses in Helensburgh at approximately $1.725 million, positioning this result well above the local benchmark.
Relief as the price crept past $1.8 million
The vendors had placed their trust in Elle’s strategy and gave her room to execute. As negotiations pushed the price past $1.8 million and toward the final $1.845 million result, that trust paid off.
“They put their trust in me and they were happy for me to do my thing,” Elle said.
“But as the sale price crept past $1,800,000, they were very relieved.”
The result — a street record and the highest sale in Helensburgh for 2026 — demonstrates what preparation, strategic social media, and a hot market can deliver when they align.
About the Agent
Elle Ritson is the No.6 Regional Sales Agent across NSW and ACT, bringing in-depth knowledge of the Sydney and Northern Illawarra markets. A Psychology graduate with postgraduate qualifications in Communication and Counselling, Elle combines skilled negotiation with local expertise. Her awards include 2026 Rate My Agent Agent of the Year for Helensburgh and Elite Performer status in 2023/24 and 2022/23. Visit Elle’s website for more information or call Elle on 0408512306.