The Reserve Bank has raised the cash rate again, to 4.6 percent. It’s the fourth increase this year and the highest level in around 15 years. Add ongoing global uncertainty, and a lot of Brisbane homeowners are asking the same question: should I still sell?
If you’ve been thinking about selling, the latest rate news might have made you pause. Maybe you’ve been planning a move for a while, whether that’s more space for a growing family, a smaller home that’s easier to live in, or a fresh start somewhere new. Wanting to get it right is a good instinct.
The good news is that you still have options. The market is different from a few years ago, so the approach needs to be different too. With the right plan and someone experienced beside you, selling now can be a confident, well-managed move. Some real estate agents have never worked in a market like this, and you don’t want to be their first lesson. This is your home, your equity and your next step. You deserve an agent who has been here before and won’t pretend it’s easy.
At LOYLE, we work with sellers across Brisbane’s Inner North-West, including The Gap, Ashgrove, Ferny Hills, Ferny Grove, Everton Park, Keperra and all the way out to Samford. Our job is to set sellers up for success in the market we have, not the one we had in 2021. Conditions are more demanding, but a well-prepared and well-priced home still sells.
The market has changed, and that is okay to say out loud
You might have planned to sell in six months, and now the market is shifting and it’s making you nervous. Maybe you’re wondering whether you’ve missed your window, or whether you should wait and see what happens next. Buyers are still out there, but they’re comparing homes carefully and expect to see value for the price.
Our best advice
When you sit down with an agent for the first time, pay attention to what they say. If they won’t risk losing your business by telling you something uncomfortable at that first meeting, they won’t do it when it counts.
At LOYLE, we’d rather give you the honest version at the start than the flattering version that leaves you with a stalled campaign and a sinking feeling six weeks in. Sometimes that means a price conversation you didn’t want to have. It’s also how you end up with a result you can feel good about.
Your action plan for selling now
1. Price accurately
It’s tempting to hold out for the number your neighbour got 18 months ago, heck, even 3 months ago! But buyers today are comparing carefully, and an overpriced home loses momentum fast. The first few weeks on market are when you’ll get the most attention, and chasing the market down with price cuts usually costs you more, in dollars and in stress, than pricing correctly from day one. In a declining price market, the best time to get the best price is today, and hoping and waiting for the ‘right buyer’ ends with disappointment and missed buyer opportunities.
2. Act quickly
The Reserve Bank has said it will keep raising rates if needed, and the next decision is due on 3 November. Every increase reduces what buyers can borrow and also affects how banks will value property going forward. If you go to market while buyers are still active, you’re in a stronger position, and there’s real peace of mind in having your sale underway rather than waiting to see what happens next. The early bird really does get more worms in this economic scenario.
3. Prepare your property
In a cautious market, buyers notice flaws and use them in negotiation. Fixing the small things takes that leverage away from them. Patch and paint, repair loose fittings, tidy the garden, deep clean and declutter. These jobs cost little compared to the price reductions they can prevent, and they help buyers walk in and picture themselves living there. This goes for presentation as well. This is not the market to skip on decluttering and asking for advice on what will prepare better for the market against your competition.
4. Use strong marketing
When buyers are selective, your marketing has to work harder. You want to attract serious, pre-approved buyers, not just browsers. Quality and accurate photography, clear presentation, correct descriptions and targeted online advertising all help put your home in front of people who can actually proceed.
5. Review offers carefully and act early
After weeks of open homes and uncertainty, it’s natural to want to hold out for something better. In a slower market, a clean, conditional contract from a qualified buyer is often worth more than waiting for an offer that may not come. Ready buyers can disappear if a sale drags on. Your agent should help you weigh price, conditions, finance strength and settlement terms so you can decide with confidence.
Why local experience matters
Every suburb behaves differently. Buyer demand in Ashgrove is not the same as in Everton Park, and Samford has its own rhythm again. Pricing, presentation and timing all depend on local knowledge, and in a harder market small misjudgements cost more.
LOYLE is a boutique agency, which means you deal with experienced people who know these suburbs and will give you honest advice from the start. We would rather tell you what you need to hear at the first meeting than tell you what you want to hear and watch your campaign stall.
Thinking about selling?
If you are weighing up your options, a conversation costs nothing. We can walk you through current conditions in your suburb, what buyers are doing, and what a realistic plan looks like for your property.
Contact LOYLE today for an honest appraisal and a clear plan for selling in today’s Brisbane market.
Sales Director
Kathleen co-founded LOYLE with her partner Stephen after spending two decades building a reputation entirely on word of mouth. She brings firsthand knowledge of real estate success and an honest, grounded approach shaped by years of doing real estate the right way.
