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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Caitlin Cassidy

Price baiting: the ‘blatant’ and sometimes illegal tactic frustrating Australian house hunters

An aerial image shows houses located in the suburb of Matraville, in the New South Wales city of Sydney.
Would-be homebuyers have spoken of their frustration at investing ‘time and money’ into inspecting properties only for them to sell for far above the advertised price range. Photograph: Sam Mooy/AAP

When Jack Sukhen checked out a property for sale in western Sydney, he decided to put in an offer before auction. It was a nice place – renovated, four bedrooms, with solar panels and a pool.

The real estate agent’s price guide ranged from $999,000 to $1,098,000, based on “prospective buyer sentiment” gathered from people who had visited the property.

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