HOW WE GOT HERE
Almost a decade ago, Anne-Maree was working in a large brand name real estate agency, styling up the homes that she was selling. The HR Manager said to Anne-Maree “you can’t be a stylist AND a real estate agent, you will need to make a choice, in order to continue in real estate. You should not be spending your time on the presentation of the property, the property will sell no matter what. You should be spending that time getting more listings for the agency”.
The following day, Anne-Maree resigned from that real estate agency, marched down to the Office Of Fair Trading and registered Cape Cod Residential (a name similar to her previous work as a homewares supplier and Stylist – Cape Cod Designs). Anne-Maree has never looked back. This was a pivotal moment in her real estate career … pioneering a unique and innovative new real estate model that favours the seller (and ultimately the seller’s sales outcome) … not just the real estate agency.
"You can either be a real estate agent or a stylist, you can’t be both"
Defying old-school thinking, Cape Cod Residential is proud to have moved away from out-dated and traditional real estate models.
Offering higher value, and a better sales process, simply out-performs on so many levels.
Like so many things in business, the decision to accumulate a dedicated, in-house property styling inventory and styling team (something no other real estate agency had previously actioned), was driven by early stage external challenges that have subsequently resulted in one of the best collections of designer furniture and accessories in Queensland.
Serendipitously, it was the behaviour many years ago of a less than charitable home stager, acting in concert with a large furniture hire firm, who consciously worked to restrict Anne-Maree’s ability to hire large furniture pieces.
Although challenging at the time, Anne-Maree used this opportunity to pivot, and subsequently build a substantial in-house property styling inventory … something no other real estate agency had previously done.
Never again would Anne-Maree be at the mercy of external furniture hire firms, where securing the right furniture and accessories at the right time will always be a challenge for home stagers without their own inventory.
Cape Cod Residential now has a styling inventory which is the envy of even dedicated home staging firms … more than $1,000,000 worth of high-calibre furniture, artwork and accessories for the exclusive use of Cape Cod Residential clients.
"Never again would Anne-Maree be at the mercy of external furniture hire firms"
Cape Cod Residential has also challenged the real estate prospecting paradigm and triumphed at a level unequalled by their colleagues, who spend countless hours cold calling and mass-producing advertisements to a disengaged audience. Cape Cod Residential is now widely recognised as the leading presentation-centric real estate agency in Australia.
A significant portion of the firm’s success has been achieved through Anne-Maree’s expert use of online social media strategies over the past decade, in particular Instagram and Facebook.
"We’ve broken all of the out-dated prospecting and marketing rules"
With over 30,000 highly engaged, predominantly Australian followers, across multiple Facebook and Instagram accounts, and a database of thousands of potential buyers across more than 60 suburbs, Cape Cod Residential is able to sustain its ability to expose and share its beautifully presented properties to the widest audience possible.
Cape Cod Residential is genuinely at the forefront of social media expertise and social media strategies, which is evident across Anne-Maree’s 3 core accounts: @capecodresidential; @capecodresidentialstyling; @thenexthousethatambuilt, where these followers are deeply connected to Anne-Maree’s authenticity, message and value proposition.
As a former Scientist and Dietitian, Anne-Maree has applied her analytical skills, as well as her artistic talent, to the task of crafting the most consistent residential real estate sales process.
If the sales statistics are anything to go by, the Cape Cod Residential sales process is arguably now the most reliable way to identify and secure above-market buyers in the shortest possible time.
Joined by her husband, Luke (also a former Scientist, and a domestic and international Financial Services Specialist), and a wonderful team of in-house and outsourced specialists, Cape Cod Residential is raising the bar on professional advice, high impact real estate value and real estate sales outcomes.
"Raising the bar on professional real estate advice and value"
CAPE COD RESIDENTIAL
Instagram Account
Shop local this Christmas!
Support all the little businesses that were deemed ‘non essential’ when Bunnings, Dan Murphy’s, Harvey Norman and Kmart were allowed to stay open back in the day.
The range of exquisite gifts here at @broadbeachgiftery is absolutely magical. So many gorgeous things for every member of the family … homewares, fashion, jewellery, bath and beauty products, and even socks and jocks for him!
I officially deem everything ‘essential’! 😝
I bought something lovely for you @emmajaneeh ❤️ … and me!
Disclaimer: not sponsored. I just love Mel who owns the joint. She’s a beautiful human. And has amazing taste. In everything 🙏
Dec 5
Shop local this Christmas!
Support all the little businesses that were deemed ‘non essential’ when Bunnings, Dan Murphy’s, Harvey Norman and Kmart were allowed to stay open back in the day.
The range of exquisite gifts here at @broadbeachgiftery is absolutely magical. So many gorgeous things for every member of the family … homewares, fashion, jewellery, bath and beauty products, and even socks and jocks for him!
I officially deem everything ‘essential’! 😝
I bought something lovely for you @emmajaneeh ❤️ … and me!
Disclaimer: not sponsored. I just love Mel who owns the joint. She’s a beautiful human. And has amazing taste. In everything 🙏
191 D’Arcy Road, Seven Hills has now officially sold.
Sold within the first week on the market … a softened market. Less buyers and less sellers, and a cocktail of competing forces (higher interest rates and cost of living, in a post property boom environment) not seen in the last 10 years.
It has never been more important for sellers, as we enter 2024, to optimize every step of the sales process, from presentation, to price positioning, marketing, & the management of very discerning (& fewer) buyers.
If you are contemplating navigating the real estate market in 2024, head to our website (via the link in my profile above) to check out some of our great resources, our free books and some real estate ‘Truth Bombs’ that will help you through the myriad of urban myths promulgated by traditional agencies 👊
#capecodresidential2023
#stagingstylingandselling
#itallstartswithpresentation
#getyourhouseright
#emotionandcompetition
#ourdifferencemakesallthedifference #brisbanerealestate #realestatebrisbane #propertystyling
#brisbanepropertystyling #propertystylingbrisbane #homestaging #brisbanehomestaging #homestagingbrisbane
#capecodresidential
📸Photos by @real.estate.pics
🛋️Furniture and styling by @capecodresidentialstyling
Dec 4
191 D’Arcy Road, Seven Hills has now officially sold.
Sold within the first week on the market … a softened market. Less buyers and less sellers, and a cocktail of competing forces (higher interest rates and cost of living, in a post property boom environment) not seen in the last 10 years.
It has never been more important for sellers, as we enter 2024, to optimize every step of the sales process, from presentation, to price positioning, marketing, & the management of very discerning (& fewer) buyers.
If you are contemplating navigating the real estate market in 2024, head to our website (via the link in my profile above) to check out some of our great resources, our free books and some real estate ‘Truth Bombs’ that will help you through the myriad of urban myths promulgated by traditional agencies 👊
#capecodresidential2023
#stagingstylingandselling
#itallstartswithpresentation
#getyourhouseright
#emotionandcompetition
#ourdifferencemakesallthedifference #brisbanerealestate #realestatebrisbane #propertystyling
#brisbanepropertystyling #propertystylingbrisbane #homestaging #brisbanehomestaging #homestagingbrisbane
#capecodresidential
📸Photos by @real.estate.pics
🛋️Furniture and styling by @capecodresidentialstyling
Our first Summer here at our beach digs. Last summer my brothers hung out here in our little bolthole while we were frolicking in the snow, and the previous summer, as we bought in December and were waiting for a February settlement, we missed the summer here. Delighted to have been able to enjoy the seasons here this year and watch the changes as the tourists now descend upon us over Christmas and the lifeguard set ups grow from one solitary lifesaver in a ute and some flags to marquees with life saving teams and boats and kayaks! Happy summer days! ❤️ #surfersparadise
Dec 3
Our first Summer here at our beach digs. Last summer my brothers hung out here in our little bolthole while we were frolicking in the snow, and the previous summer, as we bought in December and were waiting for a February settlement, we missed the summer here. Delighted to have been able to enjoy the seasons here this year and watch the changes as the tourists now descend upon us over Christmas and the lifeguard set ups grow from one solitary lifesaver in a ute and some flags to marquees with life saving teams and boats and kayaks! Happy summer days! ❤️ #surfersparadise
A Minimalist Christmas! … as we are on the move over Christmas. No snow or beautiful Swiss Christmas decorations this year 😢🇨🇭❤️ We are heading into the heat, up to North Qld to be with Brynley and Emma who are both on call working over Christmas and Boxing Day. Never mind, at least we will all be together 🙏 Even for a coffee together before they head into work. Just being there, nearby, closer, sharing the minutiae of daily life even for just a few days will be wonderful. And in exciting Christmas decoration news, the Christmas tree is currently going up in the foyer here at our beloved beach digs. I walked in on all the excitement today and I said to the girls at reception, “have I told you the story of the Christmas Tree Grinches in my West End Digs?” They said, “no you haven’t, but I’m sure you’re gonna tell us”. I did. And they said they were going to make an extra special effort decorating the tree down here seeing we are not allowed one in our West End Residence #bahhumbug #christmastreegate Will post a photo when it’s done 🥰
Nov 30
A Minimalist Christmas! … as we are on the move over Christmas. No snow or beautiful Swiss Christmas decorations this year 😢🇨🇭❤️ We are heading into the heat, up to North Qld to be with Brynley and Emma who are both on call working over Christmas and Boxing Day. Never mind, at least we will all be together 🙏 Even for a coffee together before they head into work. Just being there, nearby, closer, sharing the minutiae of daily life even for just a few days will be wonderful. And in exciting Christmas decoration news, the Christmas tree is currently going up in the foyer here at our beloved beach digs. I walked in on all the excitement today and I said to the girls at reception, “have I told you the story of the Christmas Tree Grinches in my West End Digs?” They said, “no you haven’t, but I’m sure you’re gonna tell us”. I did. And they said they were going to make an extra special effort decorating the tree down here seeing we are not allowed one in our West End Residence #bahhumbug #christmastreegate Will post a photo when it’s done 🥰
Breaking News! … well, we’ve known for years but we are just fed up with the misinformation in this industry.
Mr/Ms Agent, you CAN talk about price for unpriced properties!
Have you seen this on the bottom of real estate listings? From the Property Occupations Regulations 2014.
It’s not true. Agent’s are only prohibited from discussing price if their sellers have instructed them NOT to do so. This is one of the biggest urban myths in Qld real estate.
Section 216 (3) of the Property Occupations Act 2014 is very specific and essentially says the only time an agent can’t talk about price for an unpriced property (eg FOR SALE/BY NEGOTIATION/CONTACT AGENT) is when a seller specifically instructs an agent that they cannot.
Section 216 (3) of The Property Occupations Act 2014 says …
“If the property is not to be offered for sale by auction and the seller has instructed the real estate agent not to disclose the price at which the seller is willing to sell the offered property, the real estate agent must not disclose to a person, other than a person acting for the seller in relation to the sale—
(a)an amount the real estate agent considers is a price likely to result in a successful or acceptable bid for the offered property; or
(b)a price guide for the offered property.”
So the only time the prescribed statement you see here should be used is when a seller has instructed the agent NOT to talk about price.
It’s all rather simple.
We have received legal advice on this matter and we have also spoken to the Office Of Fair Trading who have confirmed when the Prescribed Statement should and should not be used.
It’s very clear.
But so many agents just blindly follow other agents who have no idea what they are doing …. and in doing so, they are doing a huge disservice to their clients in the negotiation and sale of their properties.
Price guidance is allowed for properties marketed without a price … unless forbidden by the seller.
NB this does not apply to auction. And this is not legal advice 👍
Truth.
Fact.
Want to read more juicy real estate truths bombs? They are hidden at the bottom of all my links in my biosite profile above 👆
Nov 22