Siva and Sheila Batu
6 Columbia Rd, Sandringham 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 carparks
The Batus’ four-bedroom, 1910s villa sits on 608sq m of mixed housing and urban zoned land. It is also close to Edendale Primary, Mt Albert Grammar and Sandringham village. The couple bought the home in 2014 for $976,000, according to One Roof, and it now has a council valuation of $1.24 million. The family listed the property for sale on November 14.
Why use a real estate agent?
and his family lead busy lives. They hoped Bayleys’ real estate agents could get the best price for their home with minimum stress.
The story so far?
The Batus had six open homes across three weekends last year with about 30 people through the first weekend and 16 the next. They had six offers to buy the house and were in the process of settling one when they got a seventh and even better offer. They expect to settle by January 18, two months after listing.
What has their agent done for them?
● Advertise their home online, through the company’s network and in the media.
● Negotiate with buyers, prepare a sales and purchase agreement and step the Batus through the regulatory process.
● Inspect the property and offer tips
on how to make it appear more valuable. This included painting the fence, waterblasting the driveway, tidying the garden and connecting it better with the backyard decking by adding stairs and removing a partition.
What have the Batus done?
Siva Batu said he and his wife had little to do besides tidy their home. They have been comfortable letting their agents guide them through the process, draft legal documents and handle the marketing.
How are the stress levels?
Having received the first offer for their house just days after their first open home, and now being close to settling, Siva Batu said the process had been “stress-free” so far. He said he gets on with his agents, they are never pushy and always answer his questions.
What have you learned?
“Let the experts do the job,” Batu said. “Sometimes we think we can save money but we also might miss out on potential buyers interested in our house.”
Top tips?
● Choose an agent you feel comfortable with and trust.
● Choose a local real estate agent, who knows the area you are selling in.
● Making little changes to your home can make a big difference to the sale price.