THE LIFESTYLE COLLECTIVE by

Cathy Baker

Belle Property Central Coast’s multi-awardwinning principal is taking the marketing of luxury property and holiday homes to a new level for her many local and international clients.

WORDS SALLY MACMILLAN PHOTOGRAPHY JOSEF NALEVANSKY

“We often hold launch events in a property,” Cathy says. “It’s a discreet way to introduce the property to a qualified buyer pool, which includes clients on my database who have been waiting for this type of property and buyers’ agents. Sampling the market allows the vendor to decide whether we’re in the right price bracket, and whether to then launch on all local and international portals for a short campaign or stay longer off-market.”

Styling a property for maximum buyer appeal is all part of the process and The Lifestyle Collective's team can style a house with furniture that can be bought if it is going to be a holiday rental. This not only saves clients time and money, but also means that the photography and videography used for the sales campaign can be used to publicise the holiday home – in this magazine as well as online and through other channels.

Belle Property Escapes manages an impressive portfolio of holiday rentals, and The Lifestyle Collective provides services that range from property investment advice to housekeeping, gardening, and expert tradespeople – “or anything that’s required,” says Cathy. Clients have loyalty cards for use at the new Life & Style store in Hardys Bay, the base for interior design and concierge services as well as stockists of high-quality homewares, furniture and artworks.

“To maximise the reach of a targeted campaign, Cathy works with local and international buyers’ agents, engages with influencers and market-specific social media, and collaborates with luxury brands”

Cathy has worked with renowned architect Darren Tye, of Architexture, on 18 different real-estate transactions over the past 10 years and says their relationship typifies this holistic way of working.

“I help sell properties Darren has designed and had built, manage them as holiday rentals for an established clientele, look after their styling and maintenance and next sale. We have both met new clients and friends through our relationship.” (Turn to page 34 to see two superb properties Darren has designed.)

Darren says, “It’s really beneficial working with one dedicated team that ensures every little thing is covered. Cathy has incredible knowledge of what’s needed to sell a property for its maximum potential – she knows the area, the potential buyers and the tradespeople you need.

“Once you get to know Cathy, you realise you’re not just dealing with a real estate agent – she’s in it for the long term and almost becomes part of your family. She gets to know you and your needs and it’s a really refreshing way to do business.”

Contact Cathy Baker on 0414 241 005, email cathy.baker@belleproperty.com