Bribie Island’s record sale price has been blown out of the water, with RE/MAX Advanced Bribie Island agent Claire Uttley’s sale of a home at Seaside Drive, Banksia Beach, surpassing the previous record for the island by almost $2 million.
As a resident of Bribie Island, which is just over 100km north of Brisbane, Ms Uttley is familiar with its unique property market, but her focus is on the island’s premier homes that gained her the listing of the stunning Kwilena.
“I have a strong network of buyer agents and invited a group of them to come to Bribie Island and look at some of the upper-end properties after I’d made contact with agents who had good listings in that top level,” Ms Uttley said.
As it happened, one of buyer’s agents, Ryan Haller from Cohen Handler, introduced her to Kwilena’s owner.
“We were in the street and it turned out that he was thinking about selling. I’m so thankful to Ryan,” Ms Uttley said.
The homeowner agreed to a meeting but told her firmly ‘don’t show me any paperwork, no glitz, just come for a chat and don’t bring anything with you’.
“I had to commit everything to memory – market information, facts, figures, what’s on the market, previous sales and so on. I had to completely focus on listening to him and taking in what he wanted.”
She said she quickly realised the entire decision to have her on board as the listing agent was based on trust. The total marketing budget was about $20,000, but it had to be negotiated.
“Initially, it was a very moderate expenditure, especially in relation to the property,” Ms Uttley explained.
“The vendor was not a fan of print media and wouldn’t agree to any originally; plus, being a ‘smart home’ of the highest order, the marketing would be tech-based.”
She hired a social media company to manage the campaign.
After initially directing her focus on the international market, she had to change tack when COVID restrictions came into play.
She said working the data coming from the social media campaign, and using that to best direct retargeting campaigns, contributed to overall success.
When marketing the property, Ms Uttley said: “Kwilena will make a significant mark in real estate history that you do not want to miss”.
The new owners, from New South Wales, ensured they became part of that history.
Ms Uttley credited her team, which included Brianna Howe, George Hayes Walsh, Brianna Wereszczuk, Mitchell Day, who featured in a social media video, as well as agents Ming Body and Rob Levy and buyer’s agent Klein Hunter, for helping her get the deal over the line.
“And, of course, Ryan who well-deserved his referral fee,” she added.
Including this property, Ms Uttley has sold three of the four biggest Bribie Island sales since May 26, 2020, attaining prices of $1.95 million, $1.85 million, $2.1 million and this record sale.
All were waterfront, two-storey homes with four or five bedrooms and a pool.
