Jason Barnett has sold a three-bedroom brick veneer house in Whittington, Victoria for $578,000 after just 12 days on market, with eight competing parties submitting 37 offers through a transparent online platform.
Jason Barnett walked into this campaign knowing exactly which buyers to call. He’d just sold a property 100 metres away at a similar price point, and those relationships became the foundation for what turned into a 37-offer competition.
The three-bedroom brick veneer house at 160 Wilsons Road sat on a 650-square-metre block with a single garage and one bathroom — nothing flashy, but presented as move-in ready. That detail would prove critical.
The competition strategy
Jason chose a transparent online offer platform that ranked submissions without disclosing exact amounts. Buyers could see they were competing and where they sat relative to others, but couldn’t simply leap-frog by a few thousand dollars.
“The reason I like using it is it ranks the offers,” Jason said.
“It doesn’t disclose the exact amount, but it tells the prospective purchaser that there is competition. It shows them where they’re sitting in regard to other offers.”
The vendors had seen the approach work on that nearby sale, so they were on board from the start. Jason ran one open home and seven private inspections. Eight parties eventually submitted 37 offers before the deadline.
The buyers
The successful buyers were young first-home buyers from the greater Geelong region who had been searching for several months. They’d been stretched getting into the market and didn’t have spare cash for major renovations.
What sealed it for them was simple: the property was ready to move into without needing significant work.
“They liked that the property was pretty much ready to move into without needing lots of major work to be done,” Jason said.
Reading the Whittington market
Jason’s confidence in the timeline came from his daily ground-level read of the market. The $500,000 to $600,000 bracket had been running strong for months, particularly with first-home buyers.
“I have seen that that section of the market between 500k to 600k has been very strong for the last few months,” he said.
“So I knew that the property would appeal.”
For vendors considering listing in Whittington over the next few months, Jason’s advice is clear: first-home buyers are the active market, and they need properties they can walk straight into.
“Try and prepare your property to be as ready to move in as possible without going through full overhauls,” he said.
“The more attractive it can be, such as just moving straight in, is really going to appeal to first home buyers because they’re already stretched to get into the market. So they don’t have the extra money to do the improvements a lot of the time.”
About Whittington
Whittington sits within the Greater Geelong region, offering a quiet suburban character with convenient access to local schools including Whittington Primary and Newcomb Secondary College. The area appeals to families and first-home buyers seeking low-maintenance properties with essential amenities nearby, positioned between Geelong’s CBD and the Surf Coast.
The relationship advantage
The vendors had worked with Jason many times over 20 years. That trust meant they backed his strategy without hesitation — and the 12-day timeline proved them right.
About the Agent
Jason Barnett is Managing Director of Barnett Real Estate, bringing over 27 years of experience to Geelong’s property market. A fully licensed estate agent and accredited REIV auctioneer, Jason has guided hundreds of sellers through major life transitions with a focus on integrity and exceptional results. Visit Jason’s website for more information or call Jason on 0417585221.