Racing against the clock: How you can buy your dream property even when time is against you

Buying a property without support can be stressful.

And even more so, when you are facing tight deadlines.

I recently had the privilege of helping my client transition into a new family home in Sydney's Lower North Shore.

After selling their family home, my client had a tight settlement deadline.

That meant we had to buy before a certain date to avoid them moving multiple times.

But with few properties available and a rapidly changing market, we were racing against the clock.

The Challenge: A Market That Moved Faster Than Expected

As a buyer’s agent, part of my role is to keep clients closely informed about market shifts. 

In this case, it felt like the market was shifting under our feet every week. 

With each new sale, we noticed not only fierce competition but prices edging higher than they had been just weeks before. 

One property in the area that was guiding $3m, sold for $3.6m just around the corner from a home we were looking to purchase.

As a result, one home we were interested in became out of budget. 

Our client’s purchasing power was diminishing rapidly.

This made sourcing more Off Market opportunities crucial, ensuring our client had the best possible chance of buying their dream property at the right price.

Strategy and Success

After several weeks of persistence, we sourced and secured a beautiful property in Riverview. 

Through strategic negotiation and leveraging our strong relationships, we purchased the home under our appraised market value and with ideal settlement terms for the buyer. 

This experience reinforced several important lessons for buyers in the current market.

• Timing is critical. With rising prices, the earlier you can get into the market, the better.

• Relationships matter. Strong connections with local contacts allowed us access to opportunities before they hit the broader market.

• Context is key. Understanding why an owner is selling a home is important to ensure you are not wasting your time on an over-valued property.

The clear lesson for anyone looking to buy in high-demand areas is don't sit back and wait. 

Be prepared, persistent, and act swiftly. 

If you would like an unfair advantage in finding your dream property in Sydney, please get in touch.