10 Bloomfield Rise, Stanmore Bay sold under the hammer at auction for $1,291,000 — $166,000 above its CV of $1,125,000 — after a three-week Harcourts Cooper & Co campaign by Karin Blaauw drew 46 buyer groups and three competing bidders.
When I first met this Stanmore Bay family, they were at a crossroads. An exciting job offer had come through — the kind you don't turn down — but it meant relocating to Sydney. Sell or rent? It's a question I hear often, and the answer is never one-size-fits-all.
We sat down together, talked through their situation honestly, and looked at both options carefully — what renting from across the Tasman would actually involve, and what a sale could set up for the move. Ultimately, selling made the most sense for where they were headed. And once that decision was made, we got to work.
The home, and what it needed
Their home was something special. Elevated on a freehold site in Stanmore Bay, this weatherboard home had the hallmarks buyers look for — four bedrooms, two lounges, two bathrooms, extra-high ceilings, quality finishes, and an indoor-outdoor flow that made every space feel connected. It presented well. It just needed a little polish to truly shine.
After walking through the property thoroughly, I put together my recommendations. I don't believe in overpromising to win a listing — I'd rather give an honest picture and then work hard to exceed it. My appraisal reflected exactly that.
Preparation, not promises
My first recommendation was partial staging. Not a full house transformation — a carefully considered lift, bringing in key pieces to elevate the living spaces and help buyers emotionally connect from the moment they walked in. I connected the vendors with my trusted staging contacts — STAGY Home Staging Co. — quotes were organised quickly, and the stager was booked within days of signing the agency agreement.
My second recommendation was the outdoor areas. The interior was ready; the garden and outdoor spaces needed attention to match. To their credit, the vendors rolled up their sleeves and got it done — a cohesive, well-presented property from the street all the way through to the back garden.
Once the staging was in place and the gardens were at their best, the media team from matrx media came through. The photos captured exactly what made this home special — and set the tone for everything that followed.
The result
We launched to market and the response was immediate: forty-six groups through the property across just three weekends. Buyers were engaged, feedback was strong, and it was clear early on that genuine competition was building around this home.
Auction day confirmed it. Three motivated, well-prepared bidders went head-to-head, each determined to make this home theirs. The bidding was competitive, the energy was high, and when the hammer fell we had a sale price of $1,291,000 — $166,000 above the CV of $1,125,000, and above the vendors' reserve.
My clients were over the moon. The result gave them the financial confidence to step into their Sydney chapter without looking back — and the buyers couldn't have been more excited to move into their new home.
Why preparation pays
This is exactly why I take preparation so seriously. The right advice at the right time, the right connections, and a genuine commitment to presenting a home at its best — it makes a measurable difference. Not just to the sale price, but to the entire experience.
Honest advice. Considered staging. The details done properly. That's the same approach behind every home I take to market on the Hibiscus Coast.