Showing your hand

I came across a place in Evatt that was up for auction. I’m spending a lot of time driving around the suburbs. With the street directory in hand, steering wheel in the other, I’m slowly ambling along the quite suburban streets looking at the lie of the land, looking at the houses, and the environment. Just getting a feel for what’s out here. I think it’s all very well to check out the newspapers, but until you drive down the street and see the neighbours fighting over the side fence, see the houses with dumped car bodies or engine parts in the yard, and eye the cheeky looking kids (and adults), and depending upon what you see you might mark the suburb as one to avoid or one to keep an eye on if any new properties come onto the market. This detail can’t be picked up from newspaper ads. I’ve been marking my street directory by pencilling circles around streets or areas that I think might be nice areas to live, should something come up. It’s also good to note things you spot in the newspaper, that you might otherwise forget, like suburbs where the mobile phone coverage is poor, or where broadband hasn’t reached yet.

I was driving in Evatt, as I said, and was noting the auction details from the for sale sign of a house I spotted. As it happened the owner was tidying up the yard and he came over to chat. He must have spotted me making some notes. He said he’d bought a place interstate and had to sell this house, and invited me in to have a look around. I declined, saying I’m not ready to buy, which was true. Our house wasn’t on the market yet. He said his house felt like a millstone around his neck. (To me, this is like telling me he was desperate and might well accept any offer. I think it’s a mistake to say anything like that if you’re selling. I don’t think that sort of information should be told to anyone, including your own real estate agent.) It was a nice looking place. With the details duly noted, I’ll return to see how the auction goes. Could this be my new house; with the benefit of this ‘insider information’ I might get a good deal.