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How Five Aussies Took Control and Sold Their Own Homes — In Their Own Words
At PropertyNow, we believe that learning how to sell your own home and successfully selling a house privately isn’t just possible — it can be empowering, profitable, and even enjoyable. But the best way to tell that story is by hearing directly from the people who’ve done it.
We asked five recent sellers to share their experiences using PropertyNow’s trusted tools and services. Below, you’ll find their full answers in their own words, along with summaries and insights that bring each response to life.
What helped most when selling a house privately?
A successful experience when selling a house privately often comes down to support and tools. Here’s how each seller felt PropertyNow helped them sell their own home:
Maya: “PropertyNow provided fantastic mentoring by Andy, prompt and helpful responses, and the ability for me to sell my home my way. Leading from the front, instead of behind as I would be engaging a real estate.”
Luigi: “Apart from the obvious in getting an outstanding sales result in the price and terms, PropertyNow offers a seamless customer service experience. I get fast responses to enquiries, and great FAQs that answer almost every question about using the PropertyNow website and App, and how to list and market my property for sale.”
Nancy: “PropertyNow allowed us to advertise our property on the major websites (realestate.com.au and Domain.com.au) without the exorbitant fees charged by real estate agents.”
Gary: “Website listings, brochures and open house sign. $980 in total, super great value.”
Brenda: “The initial phone call was helpful with confidence. Forwarding enquiries to my email address that were mistakenly sent to PropertyNow.”
Overcoming hesitation to sell your own home
Taking the first step in selling a house privately can feel overwhelming. Here’s how these sellers overcame hesitation (if they felt it) and made the decision to sell their own home:
Nancy: “We were very hesitant because like all new things, we didn’t know what to expect and how people would react. However, the poor experiences we have had with real estate agents made us determined to at least try this out.”
Maya: “I didn’t feel hesitant as I didn’t rate my previous experiences with real estates. Always feeling I was in the dark with them promising the world and not following through.”
Luigi: “This wasn’t my first time selling and marketing my home or investment property for sale with PropertyNow—it’s my fourth. I was initially sceptical on my first. I’m definitely an advocate for self-sell now and PropertyNow is and will remain my first choice. Never again will I rely on a traditional real estate agent to sell my property.”
Gary: “No, [I didn’t experience any hesitation] I did my research. Saved over $80,000 in agent commission and marketing.”
Brenda: “My future son-in-law sold via PropertyNow. He encouraged me to do the same. I was hesitant as it seems like such a complex process but with his encouragement and offer of support I decided to give it a go. We also have a very good team of solicitor and paralegal. The paralegal sold their own home via another platform and mentioned how easy it was.”
If you’re feeling hesitant, you’re not alone. But it’s worth noting that private sales are increasingly popular — and successful. Just take a look at the many properties our sellers have sold via PropertyNow on Realestate.com.au. You can view hundreds of active and sold private sale listings on our PropertyNow Realestate.com.au page and see for yourself how many Australians are choosing to sell their own home with great results.
Favourites moments of selling a house privately
When you sell your own home, there are bound to be memorable moments. These stories capture what selling a house privately is all about:
Maya: “I contacted one of your clients who is selling locally before I engaged with you to anonymously assess her experience. She spoke very highly of you and was excited about it.”
Luigi: “I’d say that the people you meet in selling your own home or investment makes the self-sell experience fun and uniquely personal.”
Nancy: “Most people really liked the idea that we were selling the property ourselves. They also acknowledged the fact that agents can be difficult and so understood why we were doing it ourselves. We also sold the unit before the other agents selling units in the complex which is a great win and validates our decision of doing this ourselves. We did this with the highest interest rates in 10 years and a pretty subdued market. I can’t wait to do this in a hot market with one of my other rentals.”
Gary: “Over half of the people who viewed the house never knew you could do it yourself and save so much money. The agents we got in prior to going with PropertyNow called after we listed with PropertyNow and said they would cut their commission by 20-25%. This was a $20,000 saving even if we then decided to use an agent.”
Brenda: “I had 3 appraisals with real estate agents as we were cleaning out (decluttering) mum’s home of 27 years. The highest appraisal was $870K if we painted and emptied the house (he appeared to look down at mum’s property). I stated that he was incredibly short-sighted as it’s 10 minutes to the beach, close to all services, etc. I enjoyed informing him when he rang to check if I needed assistance to sell, that we received 3 offers over $1M.”
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How does it feel to sell your own home?
Selling a house privately brings pride and satisfaction. Here’s how these sellers describe the moment they realised they could sell their own home:
Maya: “It feels very empowering to sell my home myself. By choosing to do it this way I consciously felt it was a way of validating its worth and in turn my worth. Even when others weren’t behind me.”
Luigi: “Most definitely empowering! Once I sold my first property with PropertyNow, I felt in control of the sales process end-to-end. I spoke with prospective buyers and negotiated the best outcome for both parties. Buyers seem more interested when they’re speaking and negotiating with the property owner versus the BS that often comes dealing with traditional real estate agents.”
Nancy: “Yes, very empowering and gives us more confidence to do it in the future again. We intend to now build a house up in QLD.”
Gary: “Felt great, as some close friends and some of the agents we spoke to tried to put doubt and fear in my mind. Trust the process, it works.”
Brenda: “Settlement was today at 2:30pm. I think I am in a state of disbelief but was silently thrilled when I pushed ‘marked sold’ on our listing. I gave myself a little clap and stated ‘I did it!’. Sitting here, hours later, I am immensely proud that I believed and backed myself. We will celebrate when we are together and are looking forward to our next adventure.”
Advice on how to sell your own home
Experience is the best teacher when you sell your own home. Here’s what these sellers wish they’d known before selling a house privately:
Maya: “Back myself, stand firm in my decision to do it this way. Be a little flexible with price and biggest one of all: if a potential buyer wants to come and discuss their offer face to face, be prepared as it places me in a vulnerable position.”
Luigi: “I had done my research of the local market, therefore, would recommend doing that part of the sales campaign early and thoroughly.”
Nancy: “Be as honest as possible with prospective buyers. Most people relax more when they realise that you are not an agent. Only take people’s details once they show an interest. We found doing follow-up calls didn’t result in any leads and makes you appear more desperate than you really are.”
Gary: “Trust the process. Agents talk up the value of your house to get the listing, then once you sign, get you to lower the price. Once you understand this is their operating model you’ll be fine.”
Brenda: “Don’t trust people on face value. We were mucked around for 3 weeks by a couple who never had finance. I allowed them to do this as they were the highest bidder by $70K at that time. I would advise myself not to put all my eggs in one basket.”
The hardest part of selling a house privately
Selling a house privately comes with challenges. Here’s how these sellers overcame obstacles and successfully sold their own homes:
Maya: “If a potential buyer wants to come and discuss their offer face to face, be prepared. It placed me in a vulnerable position.”
Luigi: “Hardest part? There wasn’t one. I enjoyed the process, liked the outcome.”
Nancy: “The hardest part was when someone would want to negotiate us down given the state of the current market. We didn’t know whether we would get another offer and we were being pigheaded or whether this was the best we could do. However, patience and keeping an eye on the market got us through it.”
Gary: “We listed at a higher price as suggested by agents and got only minimal attendance at the open house. We lowered the price to comparable recent sales and the open house was busy. The internet has the clients, agents do not. Trust the process. Buyers are very smart and know the market very well.”
Brenda: “The hardest part was dealing with deceptive buyers who ghosted us after offering over $1M. I overcame it by going back to all previous parties and continuing to hold open homes. A beautiful little family bought the property — the best result.”
Last words on selling a house privately
Before you start selling a house privately, hearing these parting words from those who have done it can inspire confidence:
Maya: “The support team were extremely knowledgeable, prompt and clear in their responses. Andrew’s experience, wisdom and guidance I felt were far superior to my previous experience with agents.”
Luigi: “The people you meet and the personal involvement in negotiations make the self-sell experience truly rewarding.”
Nancy: “I would love PropertyNow to advertise more so that more people become aware of the services. The number of people we encountered who asked us how we were doing this means people are interested in this option. Awareness and fear are the barriers.”
Brenda: “I have recommended PropertyNow to many who are about to sell. I encouraged my cousin Sally to sell via PropertyNow, and her home is already nearing under offer. During our telephone conversation tonight she stated I should be on commission!”
Key Takeaways on Selling A House Privately
Across all these stories, one message is clear: selling a house privately puts you in control, helps you save thousands, and leaves you feeling proud and empowered. While there may be moments of uncertainty, the right guidance and tools make all the difference. What’s more, benefits can include:
- Save thousands on agent commissions
- Take full control of the selling process
- Gain confidence and personal satisfaction
- Sell your own home with expert support from PropertyNow
- List on Australia’s leading property platforms with ease
Ready to sell your own home?
These sellers did it — and so can you. If you’re ready to take control, save money, and experience the satisfaction of selling your own home, PropertyNow is here to help. We’ll support you every step of the way.
Start your journey to selling a house privately today at PropertyNow.com.au.