Bridget knew there would be a challenging journey ahead when her husband, James, accepted a new job in Sydney. 

The job meant uprooting their young family from the Melbourne home and moving back to their hometown of Wollongong.

Having to sell was a stressful prospect for Bridget. "I’m not going to lie, I cried because it was just so overwhelming, and I just didn’t know where to start," she explained. 

Buying a house felt familiar; selling one—especially in a cooling market—was foreign territory. The couple had never listed a property before, and the online advice they found was patchy and often contradictory.

Discovering a service they could trust

Feeling like she lacked clarity on how to move forward, Bridget used OpenAgent’s free agent shortlisting service, and a consultant reached out straight away.

Bridget was provided with tailored reading on everything from preparing a family home for sale to negotiating commission. 

“[OpenAgent] sent me a whole bunch of articles that were really relevant … even the questions to ask the agent when you’re interviewing them.”

Because the baby usually napped during business hours, Bridget relied on flexible email support rather than phone calls—something she found “really valuable.” 

Armed with knowledge and clarity around how to choose an agent that would meet their needs, the couple started making the next steps on their selling journey.

Meeting the right agent

As first-time home sellers, Bridget and James were on the lookout for an agent who could guide them through the process from start to finish. 

They also wanted somebody who knew how to identify and spotlight their home's key features in order to maximise their result. 

But, perhaps most importantly, Bridget said "I was looking for an agent that was honest."

One candidate, Joe Horton, stood out from the moment he walked through the door.

“He made us feel comfortable. He gave the information in a really accessible way—no agent talk—and he was really fair on commission," Bridget said.

Ultimately, Joe made Bridget and James feel confident that they were going to sell their home and achieve a result they would be happy with, so they decided to move ahead with the partnership. 

A swift campaign and pre‑auction success

Although market sentiment was subdued at the time, Joe advised a four‑week auction campaign to create urgency. Just days before the auction, a motivated family tabled an offer that hit the couple’s target price.

“We sold just before the auction, but for the price that we really wanted," Bridget revealed. "The outcome of our sale was fantastic."

When the deal was finalised, the emotion of the journey caught up with Bridget.

“I burst out crying because this is the home our little ones have grown up in, but I was also so relieved that we’d had that help and that it was over.”

Bridget and James are now settled into their new house in their hometown of Wollongong with their two kids, ready for the next chapter. 

OpenAgent helped them achieve that dream sale price and navigate the otherwise-daunting process of selling their first home. 

"I didn't know what information to trust on the Internet, what I should ask agents, whether I just had to accept everything that they told me at face value … and OpenAgent really helped provide that clarity," Bridget said.

"I would recommend OpenAgent to anyone who needs that extra support. It’s free, they provide the most detailed information in one spot, and made me feel a bit more confident in how to choose an agent to sell my home.”