Posts by Cate Bakos
First-home buyers find success at Highton auction
Callan Baldwin and Zalie Allen bought their first home in Highton. A slight easing in conditions for homebuyers and professional help has landed an Anglesea couple their first home at a Geelong auction on Saturday. Zalie Allen and Callan Baldwin were emotional after they secured a renovated three-bedroom house in Highton’s Roycroft Ave. The couple, who said…
Read MorePre-auction offers key in seller’s market
Being brave enough to make a pre-auction offer could be the key to securing a property in the current market, according to a buyers advocate. “In this kind of environment, where you have increased volumes and a declining clearance rate, there is an appetite for pre-auction offers,” Melbourne-based advocate Cate Bakos told AAP. But she…
Read MoreWhy this is our most popular blog
We’ve been writing weekly blogs for over a decade now and in this time, we’ve documented trends, various clients’ property adventures, our coal face insights and market updates. From the lows of the 2012 and 2019 market to the highs of our 2013-2017 run, the credit-squeezed pre-May 2019 period to the turbulence throughout COVID lockdowns……
Read MoreInterest rate speculation
This week’s blog is delivered following popular demand. Many consumers misunderstand the interest rate news right now, and there are two common elements that are getting confused; interest rate increases: currently only fixed rates, not variable rates increased buffer rates, as initiated recently by APRA Back to the first point…. So many people are feeling…
Read MoreThe best kind of moral support
We get to enjoy so many exciting journeys with our clients. Many come to us for assistance because the task of finding a home can feel daunting or overwhelming. A large proportion of our clients are first time buyers, yet even for those who are upgrading, the enormity of the task can often trigger these…
Read MoreWhat Sydney’s median unit price of more than $800,000 can buy you in other cities – Domain
Sydney unit prices are now higher than the typical house price in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and Darwin. Sydney apartment prices have reached a record high, climbing past the $800,000 mark and outstripping house prices across most of the nation’s big cities. 4 Edro Court, Bundoora VIC 30834Beds1Bath1ParkingView listing Buyer’s advocate Cate Bakos, of Cate…
Read MoreMaking good decisions
I recently listened to a great documentary on ABC National radio’s Ockham’s Razor. A marine science expert, Paul Hardisty spoke about the plight of saving the Great Barrier Reef. “Every day we make hundreds of choices, big and small, that build to become the story of our lives – the friends we make, the careers…
Read MoreHouse rental yields fall as property prices soar across the country: Domain Rent Report
Rental yields are falling in all capitals except Darwin. Photo: iStock Rental yields have dropped in most Australian capitals, new data shows, with booming house prices clipping rent profits and forcing investors to rethink where they will buy. Though many have traditionally looked to invest close to their own capital cities, some are now looking further afield,…
Read MoreVictorian Homebuyer Fund explained: Toorak gets nod, but popular regional spots left out
Elite suburbs like Toorak are eligible for a new state housing affordability initiative, but many popular regional spots are out. Here’s what you need to know about the Victorian Homebuyer Fund. Portland is one of the most affordable coastal spots cleared for the HomeBuyer Fund, meaning eligible buyers could get government support to buy homes…
Read MoreSpooky: A third of homebuyers forgo building and pest inspections
A new survey of house hunters reveals 55% of Aussies spend less than 60 minutes checking out the property before they purchase. Research from ME Bank shows the lack of inspection time led to 61% of Australian home buyers discovering issues with their property after moving in. The survey of 1,000 property owners found around…
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