Hi ,
 

Real Estate.  It's a funny business. 
You have at your disposal experts you can call on to help you on the journey and save you money. We're talking big money, not small change you can find down the back of your couch.
Yet it is probably still one of the few industries where people feel they can have a crack at it themselves (or call on Uncle Bob) and do a better job.
If your toilet backs up, are you calling a plumber or slapping on the rubber gloves to dive in there yourself?
So I ask you again, what could you do with $133,505? Because that is what I would have saved the first home buyer that purchased a home at auction a couple of Saturdays ago.
Let me explain.
I was working with a client looking to buy a home. Armed with my client's criteria, I rang a local agent that I know very well, who specialises in that particular suburb. I've known him for years and bought properties off him for other clients. So he knows that I'm serious when I ring and ask him "what have you got?". 
Turns out, he had just listed a home that could suit.  It was off market, so no photos and floorplans available yet. The home was going to be auctioned down the track, but the vendors were happy to sell it prior privately.  The agent said the vendors would be happy to take $750,000 for it.  Great.  So, for this home, I could buy it for a client for $750,000, without any competition, and everyone would be happy.
In this particular case, my client decided the home didn't suit. So we passed and moved on.
Some weeks later, this home appears online and goes to auction. Six bidders tussle it out on auction day. At $750,000 the home is declared on the market.  The final bid increments go up in $100 lots.  It eventually sells under the hammer to a first home buyer for ... $889,500. 
That is $139,500 above what I could have bought this home for, for my client.  A first home buyer bought it. I charge my first home buyer clients $5,995. 
Therefore we arrive at $133,505 - that's the saving I could have made for this purchaser. My industry relationships save my clients money. It's simply a fact.
So are you snapping on your own gloves or is it worth exploring how I just might be able to save you or your clients a little bit of money too?

I've been seeing it for a few months now and it looks like the stats now support it. 

Prices in the Melbourne property market are on the way up again. Domain called me for comment yesterday (grab Saturday's paper), as new data confirms home price falls have eased.

I've been seeing far more people out at open for inspections and a lot more bidders at auctions. There were nine bidders at a recent auction I attended, with the home selling for $690,000.  So the sub $1M price point seems to be becoming buoyant again.  Homes prices in higher brackets will follow suit over time.

So if you're in the hunt for a home, now is the time to act.

Conveniently offering a choice of areas to entertain friends and family, all on one level, this welcoming spacious 4 bedroom family home on 697m2 is perfect for families looking for room to grow. 

Wendy has been invited back as a guest speaker for Midday Panorama with Vilma Formosa on Friday 13 September. Tune in North West FM to hear Wendy discuss the current property market.