In recent times, Australian home buyers have grappled with the challenges of hidden prices, inaccurate guides, and the shroud of secrecy surrounding property sales. This frustration led real estate veteran Tori Huxtable and tech expert Tamsin Lapointe to develop a groundbreaking solution – the Auction Snitch app. Geared toward empowering property buyers and sellers with vital inside information, the app has recently been launched in Sydney, with plans for a national rollout.
Tackling the Sydney property market, known for its complexities, the Auction Snitch app aims to ease the nine-month average property search process, involving countless listings and inspections. Lapointe emphasizes the app’s unique approach, leveraging crowdsourcing to provide real-time data on property price guides, sale prices, and auction results – information often kept confidential by agents.
“Auction Snitch stops the secrecy. The transparency it offers on price and sales history ensures potential buyers are well-informed.”
Tamsin Lapointe
With 72% of Australians expressing frustration over listings without prices, the app seeks to level the playing field by offering users a platform to anonymously share essential property information.
Real estate agent and experienced industry professional Tori Huxtable highlights the app’s benefits for both buyers and vendors. Beyond empowering buyers, Auction Snitch provides vendors with an accurate understanding of their property’s value, aiding in refining marketing campaigns. Huxtable emphasizes how the app facilitates correct property pricing, benefitting agents and improving overall market transparency.
In a bid to address underquoting, a practice forbidden by law in New South Wales with a potential $2,200 fine for non-compliance, Auction Snitch emerges as a corrective force. Despite legal constraints, some agents persist in advertising misleading price ranges. Huxtable explains that the app leverages the power of a vast user base actively engaged in property transactions, allowing them to anonymously share information and encourage industry-wide participation.
Since its soft launch in August 2022, the Auction Snitch app has garnered an overwhelmingly positive response, with 42,000 contributions to date. As the app gains traction, it promises to transform the real estate landscape, offering transparency and accountability in property transactions.
