Aerial view of Kuranda
Some years ago, when we seemed to have a serious buyer for "Riverbend", I emailed a real estate agent in Kuranda about a property in this "air-conditioned suburb of Cairns". I emailed once; I emailed twice; only my third email got me a reply.
When I finally caught up with her in Kuranda several months later, I asked her why she was so tardy in replying to emails. "Oh", she said, "I always let them email me three times to make sure they're serious."
Our local agents could learn from this because it's the same every holiday season: as tourists run out of things to do or encounter a rainy day, they call on one of the eight (!!!) real estate agents, pretend to be interested in some property, and ask for a guided tour.
The agent rings me, "Hello, we have a family from Melbourne here who are interested in your property. Could we come out in ten minutes?"
"Rather short notice", I reply. "Could they come tomorrow?"
"Oh no, they can't. They won't be here tomorrow." Exactly!
So much for their claim to "Qualify all Buyers Before Showing Them Your Property!" What rubbish! A guy could have "I'm an undischarged bankrupt" tattooed across his forehead, and they'd still bring him out!
Which is why I'm no longer with local agents. I do my own internet advertising through PropertyNow which brings in a couple of inquiries every month, in addition to the usual gawkers leaning on the gate.
I deal with them in my own way: if I see even a glint of a gold ROLEX watch or the LEXUS batch on their car, I know they've already spent all their (or other people's) money and can't afford to buy "Riverbend".
Time-wasters the whole lot of them! It's the chap in the not-so-late-model car which he probably bought at a government auction and who greets me with a calloussed handshake who will eventually become the new owner of "Riverbend".
In this way we've had two serious offers already! Third time lucky!
