IN Property Investing

Investing in property isn’t new to Briony and Brett - the young couple have bought and sold separately twice and three times respectively.

You could say the pair is quietly confident about building their investment portfolio, an increasingly common trend among thirty-something’s.

Their most recent acquisition is a Balcatta property, just three streets from the house they sold. But keeping moving costs to a minimum wasn’t the only motivator for the sale.

“We wanted to get in a better and more comfortable financial situation,” said Brett.

As a part-time physiotherapist, Pilate’s fan, ballet dancer and mother to 17-month-old Katia, Briony is not afraid of a challenge. In fact, ‘renovator’ may soon be added to her list of achievements.

“By purchasing a cheaper property with renovation potential, we saw an opportunity to make money,” Briony explained.

“And we decided to sell to use the equity in our home to decrease the mortgage on our new home.”

Like many sellers, Briony and Brett chose to use an agent to streamline the process
“The agent made the whole process as stress free as possible,” praised Brett.

The benefits of having a great agent are not lost on Briony either.

“A good agent that you feel comfortable with is important,” she said.

“No question was ever too silly for our agent and he had a good eye for who was seriously interested and who was not.”

But not every agent is ideal. Briony described how one agent built a great rapport with her as a seller, but lacked experience and market expertise on the buyer side.

“One agent I encountered was lovely when she came to appraise, but I had previously been to a home open she was running and she was abrupt, judgemental and pushy, which put me off using her,” she said.

So what advice can these seasoned sellers give to others wanting to follow in their footsteps?

Brett encourages people to be realistic about the fees involved while Briony has sound advice on making a property appealing to potential buyers.

“An overall good first impression will capture attention,” she said.

“Decrease clutter, clean your property, make sure it’s well lit and maintain temperature at a comfortable level.”

Briony and Brett are just one of many couples in WA choosing smart investment strategies over long-term renting. And with rental prices increasing, and the median sale price on the rise, more and more West Aussies are dipping their toes in the market.

When it comes to getting premium results, choosing an agent that understands the market and knows how to effectively communicate with buyers is crucial.

If you need help selling, buying or investing, talk to Realmark.