Nathan Campbell has set a suburb record for a two-bedroom villa in Oak Flats, achieving $865,000 for a single-level property at 1/16 The Esplanade after 28 days on market.
The preparation detail that mattered
Nathan Campbell has set a suburb record for a two-bedroom villa in Oak Flats, achieving $865,000 for a single-level property at 1/16 The Esplanade after 28 days on market. The campaign turned on meticulous preparation — his vendors replaced the oven and cooktop knobs to ensure buyers could move in with zero maintenance.
“Getting those little maintenance items out of the way that you may have been putting off will ensure that you get the right result, reducing your days on market,” Nathan said.
“My owners cleaned this unit from top to bottom to make sure presentation was absolutely spotless, faultless, and as new.”
The two-bedroom, one-bathroom villa with double garage sold via private treaty, setting both the block record and the suburb record for a two-bedroom villa.
The buyer profile
The successful purchasers were a local couple from one suburb over who knew the area well and had specific requirements: an outlook and a double garage.
“The key element for success here was not only the great natural light the property had and the covered alfresco area, but also the double garage, which is a real rarity,” Nathan said.
Other inspecting buyers commented on the cozy internal floor plan, which prioritised outdoor living areas over internal space — a layout that suited the lakeside lifestyle positioning.
The database advantage
Nathan had built buyer momentum through recent villa sales in Oak Flats, including three brand-new villas sold off-market on Watson Street and unit 3 in the same Esplanade block earlier in the year.
“Whilst we already had an active buyer pool and a quality database of our villa buyers, it was important to make sure that we went a little bit further afield to ensure we got the best possible result,” he said.
The strategy combined database marketing with premium advertising and a marketing video to attract buyers beyond the immediate area. The winning buyer came from the existing database.
The location story
The Esplanade address sits directly opposite the lake with Panorama Oval just 50 steps away, offering the lifestyle appeal that attracts retirees and downsizers to this Oak Flats pocket. The suburb’s unit market has shown solid momentum, with values up 11% over the past 12 months according to local market data.
The emotional transaction
For the vendors, the sale marked the next chapter of their retirement strategy. They had purchased the villa brand new in 2018 through Nathan and had family living there over the years.
“Bringing this property to market was a bit of an emotional one for my vendors, having purchased it originally as part of their broader retirement strategy,” Nathan said.
“The home was just more than an investment. It was a really important part of their family.”
The settlement required patience while the purchasers finalised their own transaction, but the outcome has enabled the vendors to move forward with retirement travel plans.
The forward view
Nathan’s advice for other Oak Flats property owners reflects current market realities.
“The current market is one where we have to get price right from day one. Presentation is absolutely key,” he said.
“Reducing exposure to what is potentially a rocky market if you’re not careful and without the right advice” depends on eliminating deferred maintenance before listing.
Villas remain rare stock in Oak Flats, and Nathan’s track record of finding the right retiree buyers for this property type has established him as the local specialist in the segment.
About the Agent
Nathan Campbell is a Sales and Project Development Executive with Illawarra Estate Agents, bringing strong local knowledge and a service-focused approach to real estate. Born and raised in the Illawarra, he combines market insight with clear communication and a detailed understanding of residential sales and project development. Known for his integrity, energy and practical advice, Nathan supports a wide range of clients, from first-home buyers to investors and developers, through well-managed property campaigns. Visit Nathan’s website for more information or call Nathan on 0488000663.