Whether as an investment or your dream home, buying a property can be time consuming and daunting in equal measure. Enlisting the help of a registered buyer’s agent is a sure-fire way to achieve your property goals without the stress. Melanie Rosettenstein gets the inside track from Murray McCarthy.
As an ardent fan of the people and lifestyle of the Sunshine Coast and armed with a passion for the real estate industry, it was natural for property expert, Murray McCarthy, to become a registered buyers’ agent. Murray earned his stripes as a highly qualified senior property executive with prominent companies such as Stockland, Multiplex, and Walker Corporation. Having served as Project Director for the Maroochydore City Centre, he brings a unique and highly experienced perspective to the local real estate landscape, especially ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Purchasing, developing and renovating property is his passion, and as a newly registered buyer’s agent, Murray brings all the property prowess people need to get the most out of what some would call the biggest, most expensive purchase they’ll ever make. Ultimately, he wants to help people make their property dreams come true! A buyers’ agent is a licensed person who acts on behalf of a buyer to source potential properties to buy.
The Sunshine Coast has for several years had a small number of buyer’s agents but they have become increasingly active in local property transactions as more people become familiar with the service and how it adds value and an inside edge to the competitive property buying process. Murray exclusively sources residential properties for his clients, saying that traditionally, the purchase of a home or investment property was stacked in favour of the seller so there were numerous reasons why people should enlist the help of a buyer’s agent.
These include knowing which suburbs and areas within the suburbs are better; having the inside track on the best on-market, pre-market and off-market opportunities; saving time and money on research, sourcing, evaluation, negotiation, and settlement of property; and at the end of the day, saving the buyer money. When Murray takes on a new client, he says it’s important to sit down with them to fully understand their ‘dream home’ requirements and create a comprehensive brief.
“This includes budget, preferred locations, land size, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, building types, school catchment areas, and other preferences like a pool or shed,” Murray explains. “We use this information to then speak to agents and others to source a suitable property.
“My clients can rest assured they are in safe hands and that they can leverage off my knowledge and experience as a proven expert to get a competitive edge when purchasing a property.”
And the proof is in the property pudding.
With his ability to spot a good deal, and with his wife Angela’s excellent eye for decor and interior design, the savvy duo recently smashed the record price for Sunbird House, a property they renovated in the Parrearra and Kawana Island areas. The team have now moved onto a beautiful new Buderim property, which they’ve named Villa Cascata for the charming waterfall in front of the house.
They plan to renovate Villa Cascata in the coming months using a new scanning technology by Capture All which maps the property to exact measurements making it easier and quicker to plan a renovation – another one of Murray’s business ventures. Clearly used to working together, the couple bubble over with excitement about their new home’s potential which includes adding a double garage, fencing the property and an array of exciting interior changes. Angela though, is adamant to hang onto its warm terracotta and Moroccan tiles. When quizzed about what he loves about the real estate industry, Murray says he loves all things property.
“From sourcing quality houses on the market to identifying a renovator with huge potential to understanding people’s real estate needs, every day brings a new opportunity to change someone’s life by finding them a terrific property,” he said. “When it comes to the current state of the local property market I feel there are different markets within markets.
“I have found the sub-$1.2million market to be very buoyant for good properties so therefore it’s a sellers’ market. These properties go very quickly once listed, especially in premium locations.
“On the other hand, the upper end of the market is definitely slower with buyers taking their time hence the standoff between buyers and sellers.”
Operating within an idyllic location like the Sunshine Coast where the real estate market is strong, the sky’s the limit for Murray and he’s keen to be the key to your property-related success.
