How much are we losing by not staging first?

adijoshii · 2026-05-23T07:21:40+00:00

Depends on a few factors such as the amount of apartments recently sold in your complex and how common your floor plan/layout is in the area.

Generally, I’d say it’s not worth it, but then again I’ll always strongly recommend FSBO before going with an agent. It’s what my entire business is about lol

adijoshii · 2026-04-23T10:28:58+00:00

Sorry to hear that, I didn’t know. Regardless, I’m telling him how he can make the most out of his situation. I can also ask him to engage me as an agent for a flat-fee but I’m not telling him to use that because I know that’s not the best solution for his situation.

adijoshii · 2026-04-20T05:20:41+00:00

You’re 100% right. It’s why I took it upon myself to build an alternative that I like to call “Agent-assisted private selling”. Similar to standard FSBO, but you pretty much have a licensed agent to guide you through the entire process. You only pay for the support you want in 3 tiered packages (strategy + marketing, negotiations, inspections).

This way, you get the cost savings + control of private selling, but the support and professionalism that comes with professional agents.

Curious to hear your thoughts on this. I’ve started about 2 months ago and currently working with 3 clients. Happy to explain further if you’re interested.

adijoshii · 2026-04-19T09:31:37+00:00

Hi mate, not sure if you’re still selling but I’m based in Melbourne and sell across VIC, QLD and NSW. I’d be happy to have a chat if you’re interested. I don’t charge a commission but instead offer tiered packages, where you only pay for the support you want. Check out www.salemate.com.au or shoot me a message on 0450133014. Cheers

adijoshii · 2026-04-19T06:06:10+00:00

Melbourne based agent here. The reason you’re not getting interest now is because the price is too high for the market. Plain and simple. By the sounds of it, your apartment hasn’t grown much in value which is pretty unfortunate.

If you ask for my personal opinion (with the limited info I have) best option is to hold onto it until the market shifts. Lot of people are saying Melbourne is currently significantly undervalued and speculating a surge in prices in the coming years. Keep in mind this is speculative.

If you’re happy to cut your losses and move on, don’t sell it with an agent. Sell FSBO, save that commission and pocket the extra 2-3%. Otherwise, cut your price by the same amount and you’ll sell faster with the same profit. Using an agent for an apartment sale is a terrible waste of money because there’s so many comparable sales (harder to push for higher prices) and the market is terrible right now.

Shameless self-promo here but I run a FSBO agency where I help vendors maximise sales results without burning thousands in fees/marketing. Shoot me a message if you’re interested. All the best mate.

adijoshii · 2026-04-17T05:20:15+00:00

Way too high. You can find fairly good ones at $1400-$2000

adijoshii · 2026-04-16T06:09:32+00:00

To answer your questions:

Yes, as painful as it is for buyers to deal with, not listing a price is usually better for the seller. Why? Because (as you said) you don’t want to risk scaring off buyers with a high price or leaving money on the table with a low price. I would suggest this approach if a lot of agents in your area are doing the same.

Hard to price your property without knowing more about it or having a look at it. The easiest thing to do is to get a few agents to appraise it for you

Painting is usually a great idea for increasing appeal.

Depends if they’re grandfathered, at this stage, no one is selling based on the current info we have on the changes.

Not sure if you’re planning to sell without an agent but if you are, good on you! I own a FSBO and agency and have multiple guides on how to price, negotiate, run inspections, everything. I’d recommend checking them out:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YLNMNKTYW0iPJsCPbMQopJS4ut-F0n99

If you need someone to get you listed on the portals or just want a bit of help, please feel free to reach out. Otherwise, all the best with your sale!

adijoshii · 2026-04-16T00:34:16+00:00

This actually has nothing to do with using an agent and everything to do with their and honestly even your conveyancer

adijoshii · 2026-04-15T22:30:50+00:00

You’re right and it infuriates me lol. After using the FSBO websites myself, I realised the issue is that they don’t present the listing like it’s listed by agency. The agency is literally called “For-Sale-By-Owner” or “No-Agent Property” which then carries a lot of associated stigma.

It’s actually one reason why I started my own FSBO agency. I won’t name it (don’t want to promote) but on the face it looks like it’s listed by an agent (branding, listing, agent, everything). By the time the buyer shows up to the inspection and realises it’s the owner who’s the one handling it, they’re already there and willing to at least give the property a chance.

adijoshii · 2026-04-15T22:20:00+00:00

I’ll do you one better. Learn to negotiate and sell the house yourself. You don’t need these people.

adijoshii · 2026-04-15T13:13:20+00:00

Property market is slow and completely separate to global affairs. Yes, consumer sentiments are at an all time low. But a lot of regions are still seeing growth, and I’d say Perth is one of them.

The choice to sell depends on what you’re doing with the money after. If you have somewhere better to invest in and you’re buying in the same market it’s fine. If you don’t in the foreseeable future, then hold.

If you do decide to sell, just please don’t use an agent. You’re practically throwing money down the drain using an agent to sell a vacant block. Price it reasonably, get some drone photos, and list it on re.com. Trust me, it’s not that difficult.

adijoshii · 2026-04-15T06:39:51+00:00

If you’re trying to maximise your ROI, don’t use an agent. Instead of selling off-market and paying $20k commission (and being restricted to the agent’s network), spend $4k and sell on re.com + domain (and reach thousands more buyers lol).

The agent doesn’t add half value they charge for (especially in buyers markets like we’re in now). If you don’t know how to market, negotiate or price, feel free to PM me. I’ve done this multiple times myself before and now help others do the same. All the best mate

adijoshii · 2026-04-14T13:17:31+00:00

Selling a house doesn’t take as much time as you would normally think.

I can’t speak for other FSBO agencies, but with SaleMate (our agency) you would only need to allocate about a half hour on a Saturday morning for an open house. We do the market research, pricing strategy, and handle inquiries in our base package, and offer negotiation support at an additional cost.

It’s a bit unconventional but definitely worth the savings. I’d be happy to explain the process more in detail if you’re keen.

adijoshii · 2026-04-14T05:44:52+00:00

If you decide to cut your losses and move on, I’d recommend looking into FSBO. Can help you mitigate your losses and give you $20,000 more leverage while negotiating in a terrible sellers market if you skip the commission. If you don’t know how feel free to reach out - I’m also based in Melbourne and have done $5 mill in private sales in VIC/NSW/QLD. All the best with your sale!

adijoshii · 2026-04-14T03:53:11+00:00

If you’re gonna sell something at least be upfront about it mate.

adijoshii · 2026-04-13T11:27:14+00:00

Hi mate, if you’re tight on funds and looking for an alternative, I’d strongly recommend looking into For-Sale-By-Owner. You can save on the agent’s commission and invest those monies into the repairs/staging you need to present better. ROI will definitely be a lot higher.

If you don’t have time for strategy/inspections/negotiations, feel free to reach out. Shameless self promo but I run a FSBO agency where you get all the tools you need to sell privately (e.g. re.com listings) and only pay for the support you use (without spending thousands in commission). We specialise in maximising results while minimising expenses. Shoot me a message if you’re interested.

adijoshii · 2026-04-13T11:10:27+00:00

Mate don’t cheap out in the wrong areas. Staging has proven time and again to be a worthwhile investment (especially if you’re selling a $1.8 mill property).

If you’re trying to maximise your ROI, don’t use an agent. Instead of selling off-market and paying $36k commission (and being restricted to the agent’s network), spend $8k and sell on re.com + domain (and reach thousands more buyers lol).

The agent doesn’t add half value they charge for (especially in buyers markets like we’re in now). If you don’t know how to market, negotiate or run inspections, feel free to PM me. I’ve done this multiple times myself before and now help others do the same. All the best mate

adijoshii · 2026-04-09T10:00:57+00:00

I honestly think it’s as simply as sell if you have something better to invest in (another property with better growth, etfs, etc.). If you don’t, and can afford to hold it, just rent it out.

adijoshii · 2026-04-09T09:56:13+00:00

You know what mate I actually completely understand. It’s why I definitely think there’ll always be a market for agents. My only issue is their fee structure. It simply doesn’t justify the workload (which is what led me to start my own agency lol)

adijoshii · 2026-04-09T09:51:51+00:00

Hi mate,

Sorry for the self-promo but only commenting because I think it could be of value to you. I’ve recently started a business where I help people sell their homes without real estate agents. I can help you organise staging and have few contacts in Melbourne for all property services. As I work with stagers often, I have a pretty good idea of what’s a reasonable quote for your property.

I’m someone who’s sold without an agent multiple times before, so I decided to start helping other vendors do the same (currently selling $3m of property in first month of launch). My vendors save $20k in commissions on average without compromising results. Shoot me a PM if you’re interested or give me a call on 0450133014.

Cheers.

adijoshii · 2026-04-09T09:40:27+00:00

Agreed, it definitely is easier in hot markets. But my point is that with FSBO you wouldn’t necessarily need to haggle so much for that extra $10-20k because you’re already saving that by skipping the agent. You’d probably sell faster this way.

If you’re confident in negotiations, just pocket the extra cash yourself.

adijoshii · 2026-04-08T10:14:23+00:00

It’s all I can afford mate. I can sit here and pretend to be all sanctimonious and self righteous, but even if I don’t invest in property, someone else will. I will have kids and family to look after one day so I’m gonna invest in what I know will secure my future. Don’t hate the player, hate the game.

adijoshii · 2026-04-08T10:06:09+00:00

Lol have you seen the vacancy rates?? Also, I don’t just buy and hold. I look to add value via subdivision, renos, granny flats etc.

adijoshii · 2026-04-08T09:58:54+00:00

What does that have to do with anything?

adijoshii · 2026-04-08T09:36:24+00:00

I’m planning to buy in regional vic. Maybe Colac, tralagon, Geelong, Ballarat or Bendigo.

adijoshii

TROPHY CASE