Determined couple cold-call 200 owners before they land dream home

A couple determined to leave Brisbane and break into the overheated Gold Coast property market cold-called 200 owners to land their prized home.

A gutsy couple landed their ideal home after a three-month off-market blitz that included hundreds of cold calls and a doorknocking campaign.

Sanath and Grace Hettiarachchi had never thought of leaving their family home at Moggill, in Brisbane's south west, until the pandemic hit.

Their house had been conveniently located between Grace’s position, as an occupational therapist, in Logan and Sanath’s as a legal professional in the Brisbane CBD.

However, after a year of working remotely, they realised they could move to the Gold Coast, for a better lifestyle near the beach, without compromising their incomes.

Grace and Sanath Hettiarachchi (with Millie) made the move from Moggill to Hope Island as working from home allows them the choice of a more relaxing lifestyle. Picture: Adam Head

“If it wasn’t for Covid we would not have thought about making the move,” Mr Hettiarachchi said.

“Our family home was always Moggill, but that plan changed when everyone started working from home and without being able to travel, moving to a quieter area near the beach was the next best thing.”

It was one thing to agree to move, but finding a place to purchase on the Gold Coast where there was a serious supply-demand shortage where house values have soared, was another matter, he said.

Grace and Sanath Hettiarachchi cold-called hundreds of home owners. Photo: Adam Head

Then, after going to open homes and seeing mature and seemingly cashed-up competitors winning properties, they changed tactics.

They decided to cold-call hundreds of Gold Coast homeowners to land their ideal property off-market.

“We needed to think outside the box and take risks and that was doorknocking, sending letters and making phone calls, so it was a real hustle,” Mr Hettiarachchi said.

Grace and Sanath Hettiarachchi cold-called some 200 owners or body corporates looking for their dream home. Pics Adam Head

“We made up to 200 calls, sent close to a 100 letters and doorknocked about 50 homes and most people to told us to get lost.”

Their perseverance paid off when they secured a near waterfront townhouse at Hope Island for well under the suburb’s median price of $525,000 for apartments.

“We got the property we wanted in the end and we couldn’t be happier,” Mr Hettiarachchi said.

“If you really want it, you go for it and be determined.”

The median house price at Hope Island is $990,000 off the back of an 11 per cent rise over the past 12 months while the median price for apartments has risen five per cent.

Originally published as Determined couple cold-call 200 owners before they land dream home