Dickens Street, Pascoe Vale South
We partnered with James Hardie to test, on a real home, which preparation can impact the final price, and how much first impressions really count. Here's what we found in Pascoe Vale South, and what it cost.
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409m² · House
Same house. Two experts. Two completely different plans to sell it. Here's what each would do ↓
INDEPENDENT APPRAISALS
Two agents. Two verdicts. Both published unedited.
There's no honest valuation without a plan to get there - so we published both agents' full strategy, not just their number.
Sam Noorbakhsh
Partner & Auctioneer
Agent's appraisal
To ground this, a couple of recent comparable sales in Pascoe Vale South: a 4-bed, 2-bath, 1-car home on 445sqm sold around $1.25M, and a 3-bed, 1-bath, 2-car on 670sqm around $1.17M - both largely original, selling close to land value.
On this home, my view is that sold as-is today it sits in the $1.2m - $1.3m range noted in your written proposal.
With a considered prep strategy, façade/cladding plus the works below - I'd look to position it into the $1.4m’s range, as per my written proposal.
These are my opinion for this specific property, drawn from the comparable evidence, and every figure is confirmed in writing.
Preparation to maximise
By no means are we doing a full renovation, that's just not necessary. This is for the purpose of the sale, to maximise the price.
What that includes is possibly a coat of paint, styling, landscaping, cladding, floors if necessary, and decluttering.
These are the things that contribute to the end result and the sale price, and buyers will absolutely value it.
The most crucial thing is presentation, and more importantly, the feeling and the emotion a buyer gets when they walk into the home.
That's the differentiation between an average price and a premium price. Everything should be prepared for them. Anything they'd want to change after they purchase is personal, and we can't choose that for them.
Sale method & marketing strategy
Strategy comes down to the marketplace itself and how it's performing, and it really depends on when we launch.
If we're launching now, before spring, I'd recommend a private sale. An auction campaign is strictly driven on competition, and with current market conditions I don't think the timing is right for an auction. Buyers are a bit more reserved.
If we're launching around springtime, when there are more properties coming onto the market, that's when you need a point of difference, you need to take the traffic from the other opens. That's when I'd recommend an auction.
Buyer profile
The target audience would be your typical family.
A family of four, which is quite normal for that demographic in the area. They'd be drawn to the amenities and facilities, the public transport, and the private schooling.
Timing
Timing is very personal. As an agent, we can only go by what your plans are, it comes down to when the right time is for you.
But if you want my professional opinion: the best time is now. The reason I say that is that come springtime there'll be an influx of properties coming onto the market. They won't all be comparable, but right now there's less product, there's a supply problem, and the buyers are out there. That's our time to try.
Insights
My job as an agent isn't simply to sell your home. That's an important part of it, but I should be accountable for the whole thing, preparing the property, doing the marketing, presenting it to the best of our ability, and launching it. That keeps me accountable for everything.
When it comes to putting work into a property, more is not necessarily better, and less isn't better either. It's about doing the right amount of work to get the maximum return on investment. That's what I pride myself on.
I know what it takes to take a property to market: exposure, and strong presentation, to get the maximum return from the marketplace.
Christopher Macey
Licensed Estate Agent & Auctioneer
Agent's appraisal
Taking comparable sales into consideration, and given today's marketplace, as-is the property would reach in the vicinity of $1.1 million.
But with a few improvements, you can enhance that. A facelift to the front for great kerbside appeal, some minor landscaping, a renovation through the bathroom, and perhaps knocking out the wall between the kitchen and dining room.
That would certainly enhance the value and we'd probably see it in the vicinity of $1.25 million, subject to those improvements.
Preparation to maximise
The successful sales I've seen over the years come down to a few principles: preparation for the sale, choosing the right agent, selecting the correct method, and timing.
For this home, that means a facelift to the front to lift the kerbside appeal, some minor landscaping, a bathroom renovation, and opening up the wall from the kitchen to the dining room to improve the flow.
Those are the improvements that move the price.
Sale method & marketing strategy
Sales method is all about getting buyers to commit, and in today's environment that comes down to a timeframe.
So Expressions of Interest, or auction, would be my recommended method. It gives both vendors and purchasers clear timeframes, and it ensures the best possible sale price.
Buyer profile
The target market for this property would be young professionals or young families. It's a great location - zoned for both primary and secondary schooling, with real lifestyle options - so the buyer pool is a strong one to take advantage of.
Timing
Timing is always important for maximising the sale price. The market relies on supply and demand, and winter is a great time to sell, because supply is generally down compared with spring.
But it ultimately comes down to personal motivation and when the property is genuinely ready for sale.
Insights
I've been in the game 26 years and seen a real variety of markets. What holds true across all of them is that the fundamentals decide the result: preparation, the right agent, the right method, and the right timing. Get those four right and the market does the rest.
Fine Print: The appraisals, valuation estimates and recommendations shown here are the independent professional opinions of the individual licensed real estate agents named, given in their own capacity. They are not the opinions, advice, recommendations or endorsement of James Hardie™, which is a paid promotional partner of this experiment only. Estimates are indicative only, are not formal valuations, and are not a guarantee or promise of any sale price or price increase. Property values depend on many factors and can go down as well as up.
Every recommendation you've just heard has been priced. No guesswork, nothing hidden - the full picture.
SEE YOUR VERSION
This was Pascoe Vale South. What's your home worth?
Selling is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make, and most people only get one shot at it. Most owners never see what their home could really be worth until an agent's standing in their lounge room. We'll build your number privately, before anyone's involved.
Inside your free SellSmart account:
Your AI Home Maximisation report - what to do, what it costs, and what it returns.
Your digital twin - see your home before and after.
Two independent agent appraisals, by video - remain anonymous until you're ready.
Itemised costs from real local trades - 3 quotes in 24 - 48 hrs.
FULL TRANSPARENCY
The cost - itemised, nothing hidden
Every dollar, every trade, every day. This is what it actually costs to transform a facade.
| CATEGORY | DETAILS | COST |
|---|---|---|
| James Hardie | James Hardie Linea™ 180 Weatherboards (4200mm) – To all render facade. Every board, screw and tube of sealant on that facade – excluding labour. | $2,400–$2,700 |
| Hardie™ Install | Based on a straightforward installation, they have allowed for: 2 Carpenters across 3 days and a weeks hire of scaffolding | $4,080 |
| Staging | Full house styling | $3,400 – $4,400 |
| Gardening | A general tidy up of gardens and mulch to garden beds, pressure cleaning. | $1,000 – $2,000 |
| TOTAL | | $10,880 – $13,180 |
Every cost except the cladding materials and install is a range, because we took multiple quotes from real local trades, not one fixed price. The range is the spread between them. The cladding figure is the itemised bill of materials at trade pricing, materials only. These are the numbers for this home - yours will differ.
THE METHOD
Selling for more, made simple.
Three free tools to see your real numbers before you sell - get clarity before you commit.
The real cost of selling
Fees, marketing, styling, legals - your true net before you decide a thing.
What your home’s worth
Anonymous appraisals from independent local agents. No details shared.
What’s possible for your home
Your digital twin and maximisation report - see the uplift before you lift a finger.
THE EXPERIMENT
Other reveals in this series
10 properties. 10 facade upgrades. 20 independent agent appraisals. All published.
