Nicole Carter from McGrath Estate Agents in Robina has sold a five-bedroom Currumbin house for $2.8 million after pivoting from an auction targeting developers to a family-focused private treaty campaign.
Nicole knew the five-bedroom house at 12 Woodgee Street had development potential — zoned accordingly and sitting on a 506-square-metre block. The logical play was targeting developers at auction.
The market had other ideas.
When 52 inspections tell you something
“We had quite a few developers that we targeted as it was zoned for a development,” Nicole explains. “However, it did end up selling to a family who will be renovating it into a new family home.”
The property didn’t sell at auction, but those 52 inspections weren’t wasted effort — they were market research in real time.
“We had a lot of feedback regarding pricing,” Nicole says. “So once the auction was completed, we priced the property and let all buyers know what the owners were looking for.”
Five written offers shift the conversation
The sellers had held the property for over 40 years. Their price expectations remained higher than the market feedback suggested. Nicole brought them five written offers — not opinions, but concrete data showing where buyers were actually positioned.
“The owner’s expectation was still higher than that, but we did bring them five written offers, so we knew where the marketplace was at that time,” she says. “We priced accordingly and sold not long after.”
The buyers who ultimately purchased were local — living nearby but wanting their three children closer to the beach lifestyle. One street from the surf made all the difference.
“The buyers were living close by, but they wanted a family home which was closer to the beach,” Nicole explains. “This property was one street away, so prime location for their three little kids to enjoy walking to the surf and sand.”
What buyers actually noticed
With 52 groups through the property, Nicole heard every possible comment. Two themes dominated.
“The biggest feature was location, being a street away, and the potential that the block had,” she says. “It was owned by one family for over 40 years, so it was in need of an update for a fresh family.”
That’s the kind of insight developers and families both noticed — but for entirely different reasons. The developers saw redevelopment opportunity. The family saw a blank canvas to create their beach lifestyle home.
The beachside pocket
Currumbin’s beachside streets command premium prices for good reason — low-rise coastal character, proximity to Currumbin Beach and Creek, and a neighbourly atmosphere distinct from the Gold Coast’s more commercial hubs. Being one street from the surf represents the lifestyle many buyers search months to find.
Managing the pivot
The sellers had already moved into their next property. Nicole needed to keep momentum without the house sitting vacant longer than necessary.
“Initially, their expectation was still a bit higher, and they wanted to wait out a little bit longer,” she says. “But as the market was shifting, they worked with us, and they had also moved out of the property into their new property, so we didn’t want it to sit vacant for too much longer. We then moved with the current marketplace and got a deal done pretty quickly.”
For Nicole, the outcome demonstrates the value of listening to what 52 inspections are actually telling you, then having the data to back up an honest pricing conversation.
About the Agent
Nicole Carter is a national and international award-winning Gold Coast real estate executive with over 18 years’ experience. As Owner and Selling Principal of McGrath Robina, she has sold more than 400 properties in Reedy Creek alone. Her enthusiastic, passionate and hardworking approach has established her as one of the region’s leading sales agents. Visit Nicole’s website for more information or call Nicole on 0404489545.