The Biggest Mistake I’m Seeing Sellers Make Right Now!
We are in what I’m calling The Great Property Grab of 2026.
As I write this, there are only 255 properties available for sale across the entire Capricorn Coast on realestate.com.au — and many of those are already under contract.
Buyer demand is intense.
Stock is tight.
Competition is real.
And yet… I’m seeing something that genuinely concerns me.
I’m watching homeowners quietly sell their properties off-market — to a friend of a friend, a neighbour’s cousin, someone from the golf club, or a buyer who approached them directly.
It feels easy.
It feels convenient.
It feels like a “sure thing.”
But here’s the hard truth:
You will never know what you left on the table.
And when we’re talking about your biggest asset, that should matter.
The Instant Gratification Trap
There’s a famous behavioural study from Stanford University in the 1970s, often referred to as The Marshmallow Experiment.
Children were given a choice:
- One marshmallow now
- Or two marshmallows if they waited 10–15 minutes
Years later, researchers followed up.
The children who were able to delay gratification tended to have better life outcomes — higher academic achievement, better financial stability, stronger decision-making skills.
Why?
Because they resisted the pull of immediate reward in exchange for greater long-term benefit.
Right now in real estate, I’m seeing the adult version of the marshmallow test.
A buyer approaches.
An offer is made.
It feels safe.
It feels certain.
“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” people say.
But what if there aren’t two birds in the bush?
What if there are twenty?
You Cannot Create Competition in Private
As professionals, our job is simple:
- Cast the net as far and wide as possible
- Leave no stone unturned
- Create genuine competition
- Leave no money on the table
In this market, I can sell properties off-market easily.
That is not the issue.
The question is:
Is that in the seller’s best financial interest?
When a property is exposed strategically — with professional photography, strong positioning, buyer information packs, targeted database calls, social media reach and realestate.com.auexposure — something powerful happens:
Buyers compete.
And competition changes numbers.
Offers Over vs. Sale Price – A Critical Difference
One of the biggest misunderstandings I see is around “Offers Over” pricing.
When we list a property at “Offers Over $X,” that is a marketing strategy — not a ceiling.
It’s designed to:
- Spark interest
- Invite competition
- Encourage multiple offers
The sale price is often very different.
In fact, according to recent internal data, Team Natalie properties are currently selling on average $38,000 above the Offers Over price.
Some are less.
Some are significantly more.
But here’s the key:
That premium only exists because buyers are competing.
If you sell privately to one person, you remove the competitive tension entirely.
And you will never know whether someone else would have paid $20,000… $40,000… or $60,000 more.
“But I’m Saving on Commission…”
This is the argument I hear.
“I’m saving on marketing.”
“I’m saving on commission.”
But here’s the bigger question:
Are you saving $15,000…
Or are you losing $50,000?
If you undersell your home by even $40,000:
That’s a new car.
That’s a significant chunk off your next mortgage.
That’s a year of school fees.
That’s an overseas holiday.
That’s investment capital.
That’s equity your children could inherit one day.
Your home is not a Facebook Marketplace item.
It is likely your largest financial asset.
Treating it casually in one of the tightest seller’s markets we’ve seen in years is — quite frankly — risky.
The Great Property Grab Is Happening
Buyers know stock is low.
They are circling quietly.
They are approaching owners directly.
They are trying to secure properties before competition forms.
And I don’t blame them.
It’s smart strategy — from a buyer’s perspective.
But if you’re the seller, you need to ask yourself:
Am I taking the one marshmallow…
Or am I willing to wait 10 minutes for two?
This Is Not About Fear — It’s About Strategy
There are absolutely situations where off-market selling makes sense.
But in a low-inventory, high-demand market like this?
Delaying gratification just long enough to create structured competition can dramatically change your result.
And as someone who takes my fiduciary duty seriously, I cannot ignore how much money some homeowners are potentially leaving behind.
If you’re even remotely considering selling this year — or if someone has approached you directly — please at least have a conversation first.
Understand your options.
Understand the demand.
Understand what proper exposure could achieve.
Because in The Great Property Grab of 2026…
The winners won’t be the ones who rushed.
They’ll be the ones who positioned properly.