Dozens of auctions have been scheduled throughout the Commonwealth Games to leverage off the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to flock to the city.
Despite road closures and plenty of sporting action, sellers and real estate agents are hoping interstate and overseas visitors will attend auctions to secure their own slice of paradise.
Ray White Burleigh Waters sales agent Brent Hodge said its Gold Coast South Network had organised a marketing campaign around the event.
More than 20 properties will go to auction on April 8, which would be held at one location in Tweed Heads – well away from the city’s chaos.
He said they couldn’t guarantee people were going to “come off the aeroplane and buy property” but thought it was worth a try.
Ray White Prestige Gold Coast agents Sam Guo and Julia Kuo have multiple properties set to go under the hammer over the next two weeks.
Mr Guo said sellers didn’t want to miss out on the influx of visitors.
They had been inundated with requests from buyers to market or auction their homes throughout the Games.
“Our clients are hoping they might take advantage of all the interstate (visitors),” Mr Guo said.
He said they were hoping to appeal to those who wanted to explore the city while they were here and were interested in buying.
“I don’t believe everyone will go to see all the games,” Mr Guo said.
However, some agents remained unconvinced that holding auctions during the event would make much of a difference.
Professionals Mermaid Beach managing director Andrew Henderson said they would continue to market properties throughout the games but would hold off on auctions until May.
“We avoided April,” Mr Henderson, who is also the REIQ Gold Coast zone chair, said.
“It’s a great time to promote, we’ve been putting on as much stock as we can.
“I just didn’t think it was the right (time to) do auctions with road closures.”
Professionals Southport sales consultant Andrew Wright considered pushing one of his properties set to go under the hammer on April 8 back.
He was concerned about traffic congestion but said they had already postponed an auction on the property.
“It came into consideration because we were actually thinking of cancelling … but we just decided to proceed,” Mr Wright said.
“Geographically, that place is a long way from the Southport and Cararra hustle and bustle.
“There’s a lot of locals … that are interested (in the property), there may well be some interstate interest as well. But it certainly wasn’t a marketing plan.”
Burleigh Miami Realty principal Neil Pasley would have changed the April 15 auction of one of his properties if it were close to a big Games sporting venue.
He said the owners chose the date based on personal reasons but it didn’t bother him because it was not near a Games precinct.
He didn’t think many visitors would attend.
“Most people will either be at the Games or watching it on TV,” Mr Pasley said.
“If someone is interested, they’re going to come anyway.”
Auctions during the Commonwealth Games:
– 23 Hill Ave, Burleigh Heads (April 7)
– 47 Gumtree Crescent, Upper Coomera (April 7
– 74-76 The Promenade, Isle of Capri (April 7)
– 38 South St, Coolangatta (April 8)
– 27 Knightsbridge Parade West, Sovereign Islands (April 8)
– 19 Naples Ave, Isle of Capri (April 14)
– 9/17 Marseille Court, Sorrento (April 14)
– 19 Cadence Ave, Mermaid Waters (April 14)
– 32 Emu Court, Sorrento (April 15)
– 13 Glauca St, Burleigh Heads (April 15)
Source: www.news.com.au