MELBOURNE SELLERS SAY WHY WAIT?

Semi retired panel beater Darren Pay and his wife Sarah have become ‘expert’ photographers and drone pilots under lockdown in Melbourne.

The Pays decided to seize the opportunity and take their own photos and drone videos, plus style their home for sale.

Their home at 5 Garden Court, Narre Warren South has been online now for almost three weeks with marketing agent Anne Haynes of Ray White Berwick.

“Lockdown allowed us more time at home than normal so we had about three days of intense photos. We were encouraged to do it as we know that buyers are looking online in big numbers. So for every negative, there’s a positive,” Mr Pay said.

“We also wanted to get on the market before there is a flood of stock that will inevitably come after the lockdown is over. It’s like getting your bait in the water early, and even if we need to freshen up the hook with more pro photos down the track we can.”

“We are selling a lifestyle home and we have had the best 28 years here raising our three sons. Our agent Anne gave us a crash course on how to take pictures and what to be mindful of regarding the light.

“We had help from our three boys in their 20s and their partners – they all helped us to ‘style’ a room. Everyone became a stylist and were very helpful, draping a lot of throw rugs,” he said.

“It was action stations and became a bit stressful as the sun would come out and then the dog would turn up at a critical moment! We took a fair few photos, and then Anne’s photographer narrowed it down and we had a bit of reshoot madness. It was full on.

“Anne was very helpful and her photographer cropped the shots and loaded them all up online.

“We know the garden will look a lot better in a few weeks when the deciduous trees fill out but we wanted to get the property online.”

The Pays are downsizing to their house on the water at Yarrawonga, some three hours drive away.