Barfoot & Thompson agent Raewyn Marles helped a longtime owner prepare her West Auckland home over three months before a two-week campaign saw the three-bedroom freehold property sell at auction.
Raewyn first met Janis when the idea of leaving was still only an idea.
Janis, in her early 80s, had lived for decades in a very large hill home up on the ridge. Her husband had passed away, and the home had become far too big for one person. The upkeep was more than she wanted to keep taking on.
She was also considering a move overseas, a daunting project to organise alone. A friend of Janis’s had recommended an agent to sell her house, and she had intended to follow that recommendation until meeting Raewyn changed her mind. She then put the sale of her home in Raewyn’s hands.
A three-month plan before the first open home
The house needed immediate maintenance, some titivating and a major clear-out before it could appeal to its next owners. Raewyn and Janis agreed a plan, then brought in trusted tradespeople Raewyn recommended from other properties she had helped prepare for the market. At Janis’s pace, her home was readied for the market over the next three months.
Raewyn advised on what to do and how to take the home to market.
“The process of readying the house for sale was a long and arduous one and I could not have done it without the help and support of Raewyn,” Janis wrote in a testimonial after the sale.
A compact campaign and a warm handover
The property was a three-bedroom freehold house on a freehold section, with double parking and a long driveway for extra cars.
Raewyn discussed a different selling strategy with Janis. Instead of the standard three-week programme, they designed a two-week campaign that resulted in a sale.
The home sold at auction to a young couple. It was a price Janis was happy with and one the market was willing to pay.
Raewyn then arranged for Janis and the buyers to meet. They hit it off immediately.
“We even had a party at the house to see off Janis and welcome in the new owners, and she invited all the immediate neighbours so they could meet them,” Raewyn said. “It was just fabulous.”
“We gradually cleared and packed the house in time for settlement and Janis, now having reached her goal, is enjoying her new life overseas,” Raewyn said.
The new owners have moved in and love the home. They still keep in touch with Janis and with Raewyn.
About the Agent
Raewyn Marles of Barfoot & Thompson Glen Eden has more than 25 years in real estate. She helps clients through the unknowns of selling and moving on, whether they are downsizing, relocating, handling an estate or starting again after loss. She prepares properties, organises tradespeople, negotiates the best price and stays alongside clients until they are settled in their next home. Visit Raewyn’s website for more information or call Raewyn on +64 272779736.