In many cases, it happens before the property even goes online.

There’s a common approach right now: start high, “test the market”, and remain open to adjusting based on feedback.

On the surface, it feels safe. In reality, it often does the opposite and leaves you in a significantly worse position months down the line.

Vendors interpret early enquiry as leverage and hold firm, expecting competition to increase, but in this market, buyers are decisive early. They assess quickly, compare options, and move on immediately if they don’t feel vendor motivation – they aren’t waiting for your call.

If the initial positioning is off, you don’t just miss out on offers, you lose your strongest interest because that first week isn’t something that builds over time. It’s telling you exactly where you sit, and you need to act on it fast or risk dragging out a campaign and discounting.

The worst part? By the time adjustments are made, the best opportunities have already passed, and the campaign shifts from creating competition to chasing it.

The properties that perform well right now are the ones that treat week one – and even pre-launch positioning – with motivation and intention to secure a fast, strong result.

The truth is that momentum doesn’t build slowly. It either happens early – or not at all.

For vendors, this is where outcomes are decided. Not weeks into a campaign, not at auction – but in how those first 10 days go, and your readiness to be decisive.

Get it right, and a few months from now you’re moving on with a result that made sense.

Get it wrong, and it turns into a slow adjustment toward a result you never planned for.