Sell the unit..and the car!

13/32 Camfield Street, Alexandra Headland
Sold by Reuben Park on 9 November for $422,000

As they say, there is a first time for everything, and Ray White Maroochydore agent Reuben Park admits that the recent sale of a beachside apartment at 13/32 Camfield Street in Alexandra Headland was the first where he has included a car in the sale price!

Hailing from New Zealand, the vendors had owned the beachside unit for 10 years and have been enjoying spending the mild winter months on the Sunshine Coast every year.

However, with the uncertainty surrounding international travel at present, they made the decision to put the property on the market.

“We didn’t have a previous relationship with the vendors but they had been following our path for a few years. So when the time was right, they emailed and said, ‘can you please sell our apartment, you will find the key in this location’,” says Reuben.

“They then told me the unit was furnished and there was also an immaculate Ford Falcon muscle car in the garage, all of which they also wanted to include in the sale!”

Seeking a straightforward, stress-free sale in a timely manner was the brief from the vendor and the reason why Reuben advised them to take their property to auction.

“The owners had already made up their mind that they wanted to sell the unit so by the time they made contact with us it wasn’t a long discussion about marketing or timing or prices it was simply a case of  ‘we want the unit sold with the least amount of stress’,” says Reuben.

“For us, it was about making sure it was sold in a timely manner in a way that would generate the most amount of money for them. Going to auction gave us peace of mind we were doing the best thing for them and they were happy to be guided by us.”

Not surprisingly, given its prime location and beautiful views of the headland, the apartment attracted a lot of interest as soon as it hit the market, with 10 groups coming through on the first weekend of the open home.

“Straight away we had offers from the mid to high 300,000’s and that gave the owners a sense of where most of the buyers saw value,” says Reuben.

“Having the car as part of the sale added a bit of a novelty too and was met with a lot of laughs and interest, so that added a fun element as well.”

It was during the second week of the campaign that Reuben met the lady who he knew would become the proud new owner of the apartment, which was perfect fit for what she was looking for.

“We met a lovely lady from outside the area who was moving to Alexandra Headland for a lifestyle choice. She was retired and had taken up surfing and because the apartment was up two flights of stairs, she thought it would be great to keep her fit!”

The vendors accepted her offer prior to auction and the apartment sold unconditionally for $422,000 on the 9^th of November, with a short settlement period, which ticked all the boxes for both the vendor and the buyer.

“This lady needed a place to purchase straight away, she couldn’t wait until the auction and so she put her best offer in. We knew it was going to be the best outcome for the owner based on the other offers we had and he was happy we had achieved the best possible price,” says Reuben.

So what happened to the car I hear you ask?

“It worked out perfectly as the new owner works at one of the local Salvation Army stores, so she donated a lot of the furniture and clothes to the local charity,” says Reuben.

“She didn’t need the car so she sold it on to a friend. It was nice to see the sale of the apartment affected so many people.”

Although there were a few disappointed buyers who missed out on the apartment, Reuben says there will be more property coming on to the market over summer, but the key is to act quickly.

“There is a lot of competition at auctions and open homes at the moment, due to the strength of the market so it’s disappointing for those who miss out on a property they love,” he says.

“But there will be more opportunities coming up and my biggest advice to prospective buyers is if you see something you like, don’t be afraid to act.”

Written by Ingrid Nelson