WE had been painstakingly negotiating with a buyer for several weeks on a property.
He started off with a low-ball offer which was immediately knocked back, and then came back to us every week with another $10,000.
And every week our seller said no.
Several weeks in, and we have gone on a much-needed vacation to far north Queensland.
Under the palms, sipping pina coladas in the balmy north.
It was idyllic. Until it wasn’t!
The Department of Meteorology issued a cyclone warning.
So gradually, the rains and winds came in and it was feisty outside.
And amid this, our buyer calls with yet another $10,000 addition to his offer and has hit the magic sale threshold.
Woo Hoo!
Quick as a flash, the Martins jump into their car and drive an hour into Cairns to the Officeworks store to sort the paperwork in the middle of a cyclone.
The power went out in the store, and we had to wait in the dark for their auxiliary power to kick in.
It was at this moment that the buyer called quite angry that we were taking our time getting the paperwork to him to sign.
He quietened down quickly once we told him we were in the middle of a cyclone.
The great thing about having a real estate business is that you can operate from anywhere under any conditions.
We have sold homes from overseas, on domestic holidays, and even from the pool.
If we have a phone and a laptop handy, we have been able to do business.
Indeed, we sold a home one year early on Christmas morning.
That’s because we are all-in when it comes to looking after our clients.
So, if you are selling your home, you need to ensure that the agent you choose will go the distance and is working for you the seller.
After all, you are the one paying them.
In the current buoyant market, some agents get a bit lazy and only want to show a home during scheduled open homes.
They may lose the perfect sale doing this as it is all about finding the ideal buyer at the absolute best price at the ideal time.
Lorraine and Brian Martin are proud owners of ONE AGENCY The Martins Real Estate Bayside, located at Capalaba Park Shopping Centre near the Chemist Warehouse.
