Most buyers think the hard part is securing finance. In reality, the biggest financial impact often comes from the negotiation itself.

We recently helped existing Pristine clients, a couple who are both medical professionals with a young family, secure a property in Waterloo for $1.58 million, despite being prepared to pay around $1.7 million, with the owner reportedly hoping to achieve closer to $1.8 million.

After searching on and off for several years, the clients attended an auction for a property near their children’s daycare, not expecting things to move quickly. When the property passed in at auction, an opportunity opened to put in an offer. They knew it was the kind of home they could see their family growing into long term.  As things moved quickly following the auction, the clients leaned heavily on support to help navigate the negotiations.

In their own words, “There wouldn’t have been any negotiation at all from us.” They also reflected on the fact that while they are highly trained medical professionals, property negotiation is not something they do every day, saying: “There are things we’re good at.. and this is not that.”

Over the following 48 hours, the deal was managed end-to-end, including communication with the selling agent and coordinating with the solicitor.

While the clients were mentally prepared to pay significantly more, the property was ultimately secured for $1.58 million. The result was a saving of approximately $120,000 against what the clients were prepared to pay, and more than $200,000 below the vendor’s expectations.

Reflecting on the experience, the client described it simply: “Marinko did an amazing job… he handled all the hard parts.” They also recalled bathing the kids one evening when the call came through that the deal had been secured and it was time to open the champagne they hadn’t even realised everything had officially come together that quickly.

This story reflects something that has become increasingly clear over the years, while securing finance is important, choosing the right property and negotiating the deal can often have the biggest financial impact.

Behind the scenes, this purchase involved constant communication, after-hours calls, and coordination with agents and solicitors. The negotiation also involved dealing with a selling agent who was overseas throughout parts of the process. It’s this level of care and involvement that has naturally led more clients to seek support not just with finance, but with the property journey itself.