When a property sits on the market with little movement, the silence can be unnerving for vendors, and stressful for agents.
While a slow campaign isn’t unusual, especially in fluctuating market conditions, it can feel like a dead end.
But as Buxton sales consultant Kym Williams explains, a stalled listing doesn’t have to spell failure.
With the right approach, strategy can reset the momentum, restore vendor confidence, and lead to a successful result – even in a softening or saturated market.
Kym recently managed a campaign in Brighton, Victoria that had been sitting idle for five months with another agency.
“The vendors were exhausted,” she says.
“They’d been through months of opens, minimal traction, no result. They were ready for a different approach.”
The key to reviving the property wasn’t slashing the price, she said first and foremost, it was about believing in the product.
“We knew the home was worth every bit of what we were quoting. It had quality, location, and appeal. It just hadn’t been positioned the right way.”
So what changed? Presentation came first.
The property was restyled and rephotographed, then relaunched with a refreshed campaign.
Rather than relying solely on online exposure, Kym and the Buxton Brighton team also leaned into their local knowledge and contact base.
“We worked our buyer list hard; past vendors, long-time contacts, people who knew the value of a turnkey home 300 metres from the beach.”
While the previous campaign had used a passive Expressions of Interest process, the new approach was highly targeted and agent-led.
Within 20 days, the property sold within its quoted range. No heavy discounting. No gimmicks.
Just sharper execution and a clearer understanding of what the market needed.
But what happens in situations where a listing is still active and simply not gaining traction?
For Kym, the process begins with a careful review.
“We look at comparable properties and ask: what’s the market telling us? Are we overpriced? Are we misaligned with buyer expectations? Or is it just a quiet time?”
Sometimes, she says, the answer is to pause.
“If the listing’s gone stale online, we might pull it down for a while. Give it a rest. Then bring it back when conditions improve … better weather, more buyers, less competing stock. That way, you’re coming back with renewed visibility.”
Importantly, that doesn’t necessarily mean cutting the price.
“We’re calling our vendors every day – even if there’s no new buyer. We share feedback, names, what people are thinking. That kind of transparency builds trust. And when you’ve got trust, the vendor feels confident in the process, even if the result isn’t immediate.”
For newer agents handling a slow campaign for the first time, Kym’s advice is simple: don’t go it alone.
“Lean on your colleagues. Talk to your directors and be honest with your vendors. If you’ve built trust from the start, those tough conversations about strategy and timing become much easier to have.”
Avoid the Spring rush
As spring approaches, a season typically seen as the peak for listings, many vendors are holding off in the hope of a sunnier, more active market.
But Kym suggests getting in before the rush: “We always encourage vendors to launch in early to mid-August.
That way, they’re ahead of the wave. Once spring hits and listings flood the market, buyers are spoilt for choice. It’s harder to stand out.”
Seasonality isn’t the only factor to consider. Local dynamics play a role too.
“In Brighton, school holidays really quieten things down. Foot traffic drops off. So we try to avoid launching during those weeks.”
Meanwhile, as talk in the industry often focuses on interest rates and buyer hesitancy, Kym says business has continued steadily at her end of the market.
“For the price points we’re dealing with, it’s largely been business as usual. There’s always some uncertainty, but once rates stabilise, especially if we get the expected cut in August, we’ll see more buyers out and about.”
As for what those buyers are looking for? The answer is clear: turnkey homes.
“People don’t want to wait two years and spend big renovating anymore. They’re willing to pay more for something that’s already done, or nearly done. There’s still an appetite for cosmetic updates, but the days of everyone chasing a big reno are easing off, at least for now.
