Simon Abbott, Victoria block of units specialist, walks vendors through each major sale strategy.

1. Auction

Best when you can generate real competition—multiple qualified buyers, transparent open-inspection campaign. Drawbacks: upfront marketing costs, public price discovery, and possible pass-in if investor/portfolio buyers aren’t out in force.

2. Private Sale

More flexible on timing, easier for sales involving complex finance or long due diligence. Simon says this suits blocks where only select buyers (not the general public) have a serious interest—eg, syndicates, developers, or out-of-area funds.

3. Off-Market

Simon’s favored approach for most block sales: database-driven, targeted buyer-matching, no open advertising, lower costs, and privacy. Most suitable for tenanted blocks or sellers wanting discretion. Not ideal for “one-of-a-kind” trophy blocks that need open-market competition.

Scenario

Case: A vendor tried auction twice with no sale, then sold privately to a developer via Simon’s investor network—no public listing or marketing spend required.

Conclusion

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but Simon’s consistent message: weigh buyer type, desired timing, advertising budget, and privacy. Request a tailored strategy from Simon Abbott here.