Experience is Key

When it comes to selling high-value coastal property – experience is key.

Before coming to live in Omaha, I worked for 25 years in commercial brokerage in Auckland city, which was very different to residential sales.

It’s a very analytical process, based on yields and returns on investment. The focus was on, for want of a better term, hunting in packs of agents and you tended to get assigned a specific task. I’m more of a rounded person and wanted to do things my way.

Plus I was getting sick of having to fight for everything in the city — fighting for car parks, fighting to get from A to B – I wanted a better balance in life – it was time for a change.

I had a few connections in the Omaha area and I really liked it around here, so I migrated north about ten years ago. Since then, and living here full-time, I’ve been the top individual agent for a number of years and amassed a substantial database of contacts, buyers, other residents and potential vendors.

You have to work hard to get the results – it’s really important to be a good listener and to understand where your vendor is coming from and what they really want. I jokingly say to my friends that selling property is a bit like being a counsellor, but it really is. You are listening to people and trying to resolve issues.

But it also about knowing the market, knowing the trends, the best way to sell a property in varying market conditions – and certainly having lived in the community for a long time helps this.

My advice to vendors is to always choose/research for the best successful agent that knows the area. Get their appraisal and listen to them. You need to be patient for the right buyer to come along. In this market, buyers make it their business to be informed, and if you ask for significantly more than your experienced agent’s current appraisal, you could be waiting for a very long time.

My advice to buyers. If you see a property that ticks most of your boxes, make an offer. Prices rarely go down, and high-quality coastal property will always remain a good investment in the short and long term.