A first home buyer came to me wanting a property she could see herself in for the long term. She works from home full-time, has a pet, and needed more space than the average unit provides.
Early on, we had to weigh up the classic trade-off: location vs. property. In her case, location wasn’t the priority. She wasn’t commuting, had friends spread across the Inner West, and was open to neighbouring suburbs. That gave us flexibility to focus on space and renovation potential instead.
Setting the Brief
We created a strategy to target the right property from the outset: More important than suburb premium was larger internal space than a typical apartment, and an unrenovated property she could update to her own taste. Renovated apartments often carry a premium. In her case, paying extra for finishes she didn’t like would only have left her undoing work later. Buying in original condition meant two things: better value up front, and the freedom to create exactly the home she wanted.
The First Round of Inspections
I reached out to agents across the target suburbs and quickly found that around 80% of the options were off-market. The proportion on off-market property was unusual but because we were flexible on location yet decisive on what property we were targetting, there were more options. With a decisive brief many owners are more open to selling off-market to avoid paying for advertising or running a full auction campaign. I inspected a number of these properties myself before taking her through a shortlist. At this stage, the idea was to narrow down what felt right and eliminate anything that didn’t match the brief.
The first group of properties didn't quite suit. Some were too small, and some had tricky layouts. Still, that process was useful. Each inspection sharpened the brief and gave us more clarity about what really mattered: size, flexibility, and potential.
The One that Stood Out
Not long after, I found a large apartment off-market, closer to the size of a small house than a typical unit. It was in original condition, exactly what we’d been hoping for. The sticking point was price. The vendor’s expectations were above my client’s budget. I made it clear to the agent that it was above our budget. But I also kept the door open because sometimes those situations shift.
Through further conversations, there was a small chance that the vendor might compromise on price. They were motivated by a quick, straightforward sale. Selling off-market meant no advertising fees, no auctioneer, and no waiting weeks for a campaign to run. For the right buyer, that could save them time and money.
Negotiating the Purchase
I positioned my client as the ideal buyer: finance ready, ready to move quickly, and flexible on settlement. This gave the vendor confidence to move forward. This positioning was almost as important as the price itself. Vendors weigh up certainty alongside the price.
In the end, the price came down into her budget range. It wasn’t easy as we went back and forth several times, but both sides reached a point that worked. She even ended up with some budget to spare, giving her more budget for the renovations.
The Result
She now owns an oversized apartment with more space than she thought possible at her budget, scope to renovate and make it entirely her own, and a purchase price that still left room for updates.
The key was deciding a clear strategy of what properties to target upfront i.e. property over suburb, space over convenience, and sticking these priorities through the search and negotiations. This meant we could rule out the wrong options quickly, only spend time on the right ones, and my client had more confidence throughout negotiations.