Author: Ash Marton

We’ve always been a forward-thinking agency but the current global circumstances have pushed us to be more innovative than ever and vastly increase our use of technology. We knew when the National Cabinet banned physical auctions that it was just another opportunity to expand on this.

Our agents Daniel Robinson, Ayden Collins and Leon Zuidema worked closely with Ash Marton to pioneer the process. The group worked collaboratively with some of our other team members to figure out the logistics and host test auctions. Our incredible operations team ensured the process was airtight and was guaranteed to run smoothly.

On the day, we had the help of a quality auctioneer with extensive negotiating experience. Zoom was utilised to ensure all bidders could see him and our other involved agents and vice versa. The team sought to use the program’s chat functions to receive bids in order to ensure clear communication.

Potential buyers were largely supported throughout this process with agents discussing the auction and encouraging bids. This was very important to us, it was our top priority to ensure our buyers felt completely comfortable during this experience.

9 Irvine Crescent was sold under the hammer, without a single bidder leaving their lounge room. We’re extremely proud of our team for being so enthusiastic to adapt to the challenges in the current Real Estate environment.

The Real Estate climate is changing, and we are too. As a result of the current global circumstances, we’re doing things a little bit differently at Ash Marton Realty. We’ve moved sales online, taking full advantage of the plethora of innovative technologies available to continue creating a memorable experience for our clients.

A South Australian investor was able to buy completely online, purchasing 5 Bordeaux Court, Frankston from the comfort of her living room. Nancy had never stepped foot in the property, virtually inspecting and navigating the buying process with the guidance of agent Ash Marton.

It’s no secret that the world moves more online by the minute. Digital Marketing is the industry’s current favourite buzz word, but is it really as important as it is made out to be? Is print marketing the next victim of cancel culture?

Real Estate websites like Realestate.com and Domain have taken over the advertising game.

Despite this, we still have clients opt to spend big on print advertising. Which beckons the question, is print advertising a thing of the past or still worth the investment?

According to Appnet, 100% of purchasers look online for real estate opportunities, proving the vendor optimal exposure. In comparison, 6.9% sift through the paper in hopes of finding their dream home. Utilising both platforms increases your chances of finding that perfect purchaser, however, is it really worth the extra splash?

From our experience in real estate, the campaigns that integrated print advertising are successful, however equally successful as those employing exclusively digital methods.

So while how you sell is your choice, we suggest you redirect the money your spending on print advertising to a more impactful marketing solution. Maybe a digital tour or an increased social media spend?

We’re (slowly but surely) working towards leaving paper behind and moving all document processes online.Why? Great question!

Transferring documents online rather than physically handing them around saves so much valuable time! An email can be sent in minutes but mailing documents or even walking them around the office is not as timely. We’d rather be spending our time in more valuable ways.

Ditching the printer and physical paper storage systems opens up so much room in the office! With this you can store higher priority goods or even just give your space a sleeker look which we are all about.

Storing documents in password protected online systems rather than physical boxes increases security dramatically. You’re able to easily decrease risk of confidential information being leaked and thus the trust your clients have in you.

However, we’re genuinely in this for the environment. As a company we are constantly looking for more ways we can increase our sustainability. Eliminating paper usage in the office will further decrease our carbon footprint. More specifically we’re saving water, trees, pollution, and the effects of transportation.

At Ash Marton Realty we ensure our clients are at the centre of the selling process.

1. Preparing for sale: We’ll diligently guide you through what you need to do to make your home a hit the market, with expert advice on how to style and flow your home so potential buyers can’t say no.
2. Marketing & Launch to Market: Professional photography is vital to a successful marketing campaign of your property, so here at Ash Marton Real Estate, we settle for nothing but the best in imagery when it comes to showcasing your home to your potential buyers. You also have the opportunity to customise your marketing schedule in order to sell your home, your way. We have a plethora of options including virtual tours, drone shoots and open home refreshments
3. On Market: Once your property is on the market, we’ll facilitate the open for inspections along with keeping you informed on offers or interest continuously shown, so you feel up to date across the entire journey. You’ll have contact with your agent regularly, so you have a comprehensive understanding of market trends, open home stats and how your property is tracking as well as any offers you receive.
4. Settlement: After the sale has gone through and been agreed upon, we’ll be there to help you all the way through settlement until the final papers are completed.

Book an appraisal today to start your Ash Marton Realty experience.

While building our new lifestyle office, creating a space that facilitated hot-desking was a large priority. We were determined to create a workplace that encouraged moving around the office and sharing workspaces. Although this isn’t a largely common practise in corporate offices, we knew it would be beneficial for our employees, and here’s why…

1. Hot-desking promotes a collaborative working style. This has coaxed our employees to more deeply discuss their work with colleagues, allowing for shared problem solving, exchanging of strategies and further relationship building. We’ve seen our team working together more often so that obstacles are tackled more efficiently and there’s a large sense of office comradery.
2. Although each team member has a base space, to keep all their things and take ownership of, more often than not they’re not there. We usually find our team members spread out through our outdoor office space rather than at their ‘own’ desk. Because they’re constantly moving around the office, they’re taking all their important things with them which means there is way less mess! Our office has never looked cleaner.
3. Each team member has more control over their day, they get to work where they want and move around as they seem fit. It allows them to work in the way that works best for them, so they’re way more productive and enthusiastic.
4. It increases consideration among our team. With our team members constantly crossing paths while they’re moving around or working in new areas, they gain a better understanding of the working style and workload of their fellow colleagues. As a result, they can better understand when there are delays in task completion or their colleague asks for some space to get work done. Understanding = consideration.

Although the concept of hot-desking was a large change for our team, they’ve adapted enthusiastically and couldn’t imagine the workspace without it.

It’s a great idea to spruce up your home before putting it on the market. A couple of hours of work can really elevate your home, making it more attractive to buyers. 

Here’s what we suggest:

1. Clean, clean, clean! Wash every window and scrub every wall because buyers pay attention! It’s really quite crazy how much of a difference those little things make. If you don’t have time to put in the work, try and source a professional. Our complete services division will be able to find you the right fit.
2. Repair obvious problems! This means that squeaky door you never bothered to repair, or the lifting skirting boards need attention. These little jobs shouldn’t take long but will rid your home of ‘fixer-upper’ vibes.
3. Spruce up the garden! Add some stones in your flower beds and weed your grass. A few simple changes should be enough to turn your garden ‘blah’ and ‘yah!’
4. Arrange furniture artfully. Co-ordinate your pillows and fold your blankets carefully to give that styled feel.
5. Ensure your home smells fresh. We’ve all heard the coffee beans in the oven trick but you definitely don’t have to go that far. Grab a few neutral smelling incense or candles and you’ll be set!
6. Bring in the light. Make sure all of your curtains are wide open so that your home is filled with natural light.
7. Make it a comfortable temperature. Ensure your fans aren’t churning on an 18c degree day, you might like the cold, but your buyers are likely to feel uncomfortable in your property meaning they won’t want to buy it!
8. Purchase flowers. Flowers are often utilised to make people feel special

Today marks the end of our second week in our new Lifestyle Office. As you can imagine there have been a few teething issues, but overall, it has been a dream! Here’s why….

• We are completely surrounded by trees both inside and out of our office space. Trees are proven to decrease stress levels and boost your mood which doesn’t go unappreciated in the fast-paced world of Real Estate. More trees = happier employees. 
• Every office has a generous supply of natural light, facilitated by plenty of windows! Increase in exposure to natural light is proven to boost Vitamin D levels and even increase sleep quality.
• The increase of shared spaces and areas to work away from your desk has increased the ability of our team to work collaboratively and freely. We’re moving around more and sharing valuable ideas.
• Ash was able to generate a space with the understanding of how our team works, structuring our office around our habits. Through this, he was able to create more than just a place of work, but a place we want to work. 
• We are able to truly create a memorable experience for our clients, by taking offers under the trees and making them feel at home. 

Our new office has amplified the Ash Marton Realty experience for both team members and clients. We can’t wait to continue growing in this space.