The longest 10: Three years on the market, and not budging much on price
Many would-be vendors whose properties have been on the market for more than three years are still unwilling to offer deep discounts to entice buyers, notes SQM Research in its latest list of the properties that have been on the market the longest.
"With only one significant discount – number five on the list, which is 290 Viveash Road, Swan View, WA (a property which has also been a regular on our top 10 most discounted properties), the remainder of the homes in this top ten have not been excessively discounted – considering you would assume their vendors may be becoming increasingly eager to sell," notes SQM director Louis Christopher.
Houses are currently taking an average of 56 days to sell, according to RP Data.
SQM's list coincides with a recent report by PRDnationwide that shows that in the Queensland suburbs with the largest drop in residential sales over the six months to June this year, house prices did not fall much. In other words, vendors appeared intent on holding onto their properties rather than selling in suburbs where prices were declining.
Christopher says that many of the properties' owners may be investors who have the luxury of time.
"Potentially some of these homes may be investment properties and if so, their owners may not need to vacate the property hastily or may not have committed elsewhere, so whether their home sells today, tomorrow or next year could potentially be of minor consequence," he says.
However, he suggests that vendors may simply be unwilling to meet the market.
"Alternatively, there is always the possibility that these homes are cases which SQM Research has often referred to as 'stubborn Vendors' – owners who refuse to take any less than a certain amount of money for their property, regardless of the current market position because they are extremely reluctant to lose any money," Christopher says.
"The irony of this, of course, is that the longer their home is advertised the more likely they may have to discount it as house hunters are becoming increasingly cluey about market value and homes that have begun to go 'stale'.
"More often than not, when individuals see a home that has been advertised for an extensive period of time, they are either going to catch onto the fact that it may be overpriced or begin to think that there is something wrong with the property," he says.
1
11 Ottiwell Street, Woorim, Queensland, 4507 (pictured)
On the market since: April 19, 2008
Initial asking price: $560,000
Current asking price: $499,000
Reduction: 11%
Days on market: 1,311
Last Sold For: $125,000
Date of Last Sale: April 12, 2001
2
5090 Tasman Highway, Buckland, Tasmania, 7190
On the market since: May 18, 2008
Initial asking price: $250,000
Current asking price: $195,000
Reduction: 22%
Days on market: 1,283
Last Sold For: $68,500
Date of Last Sale: May 30, 2003
3
19 Wellington Street, Oatlands, Tasmania, 7120
On the market since: May 22, 2008
Initial asking price: $260,000
Current asking price: $205,000
Reduction: 21%
Days on market: 1,279
Last Sold For: $145,000
Date of Last Sale: November 22, 2003
4
1403 Magenta Drive, Magenta, NSW, 2261
On the market since: May 22, 2008
Initial asking price: $600,000
Current asking price: $535,000
Reduction: 11%
Days on market: 1,276
5
290 Viveash Road, Swan View, WA, 6056
On the market since: June 5, 2008
Initial asking price: $2.29 million
Current asking price: $1.45 million
Reduction: 37%
Days on market: 1,264
6
30 Charles Street, Triabunna, Tasmania, 7190
On the market since: June 22, 2008
Initial asking price: $235,000
Current asking price: $195,000
Reduction: 17%
Days on market: 1,248
Last Sold For: $173,000
Date of Last Sale: November 15, 2005
7
22 Beach Street, White Beach, Tasmania, 7184
On the market since: July 1, 2008
Initial asking price: $250,000
Current asking price: $195,000
Reduction: 22%
Days on market: 1,239
8
186 Beenak Road, Gembrook, Victoria, 3783
On the market since: September 5, 2008
Initial asking price: $1.025 million
Current asking price: $850,000
Reduction: 17%
Days on market: 1,171
9
90 Franklin Parade, Encounter Bay, SA, 5211
On the market since: December 1, 2008
Initial asking price: $1.55 million
Current asking price: $1.39 million
Reduction: 10%
Days on market: 1,085
Last Sold For: $675,000
Date of Last Sale: August 23, 2005
10
28 Julia Street, Swansea, Tasmania, 7190
On the market since: February 2, 2009
Initial asking price: $240,000
Current asking price: $215,000
Reduction: 10%
Days on market: 1,019
SQM Research also offers a list of the Top 100 Biggest Bargains in Australia for sale.
