ABOUT ME

Cate Bakos completed a degree with honours in Chemistry at Monash University in 1996, but held a passion for property long before her career in science. Winning 2018’s #1 National Buyer’s Agent of the Year Award marked a high watermark for Cate.

Purchasing her first property at 21, Cate continued to invest in property whilst developing her career in sales and marketing with Orica (formerly ICI). In 2003, Cate won a marketing and bursary award, however her passion for real estate saw her make the decision to move into the property industry as a sales agent in Melbourne’s Bayside. Qualifying and working as a mortgage broker after the birth of her daughter and throughout the GFC has become one of the most valuable ‘apprenticeships’ she could have served. Her appreciation of lending policy, loan restrictions, borrowing capacity calculation, and cashflow analysis is what sets her apart from her competitors.

Cate’s role as a co-director of a large Melbourne firm from 2011 was instrumental in introducing their Buyer’s Agency arm, where she guided her clients through their various property journeys until she left in 2014 to launch Cate Bakos Property; a boutique and independent Melbourne Buyers Agency firm. Cate’s extensive asset-selection experience not only in Melbourne metro suburbs but also in Victorian regional markets including Ballarat and Geelong has given her a valuable point of difference to offer her cashflow-driven clients. Cate has assisted over 2,000 clients with their property purchases, strategies and decisions over this time.

Cate is a regular commentator in the media, and contributes weekly to newspapers, live television, podcasts, and publications including Domain, Australian Financial Review, The Australian, Your Investment Property, Herald Sun, Fox Business, Smart Property and commercial television. Cate shares her knowledge and experience regularly at seminars, volunteers her bidding skills often, and enjoys mentoring young people in the industry she so loves.

In addition to YIP Magazine’s Buyers Agent of the Year Award in 2018, Cate was a finalist in both 2019 and 2013 for the Telstra Business Woman of the Year, the National Winner of the Buyer’s Agent of the Year for Sterling Publishing 2013, and currently a finalist for the REB National Thought Leader 2023 award.

Cate currently held the position of President for REBAA (Real Estate Buyers Agents’ Association (national body) for four years from 2019 - 2023 and is a proud PIPA member with a QPIA (Qualified Property Investment Advisor) status.

Cate is a co-host on the podcast series, The Property Trio, (formerly "The Property Planner, Buyer and Professor") alongside her industry friends, David Johnston and Peter Koulizos. The trio bring regular property topics to light for their listeners and they enjoy separating fact from fiction.

At a personal level Cate has continued to build a sizeable property portfolio alongside her husband and the pair have vast experience with renovating and value-adding.

Cate’s book “Successful Property Investment” was published in 2016 and features 48 real life adventures for readers to digest and glean tips from. Cate has another work in progress and is focused this time on assisting investors with recognising the right particular strategy for their own particular scenario.

Cate enjoys her spare time (especially Sundays) with her husband and daughter in Yarraville’s village and is a supporter of Melbourne’s Inner West Community.