Sunday Blog - Expert property investment insights

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Who does the best appraisal?

By Cate Bakos | February 20, 2022

There is a difference between a valuation and an appraisal. It is defined by the qualification held by the person conducting the task, and whether their report can be relied upon in a court of law. An appraisal is the opinion of someone who is experienced and familiar enough with the local area and it…

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Interest rate, cash rate, buffer rate – what’s the difference?

By Cate Bakos | February 13, 2022

We all know of and understand lender interest rates. They come in a combination of formats depending on whether we are paying principal and interest, interest only, a fixed interest rate or a variable interest rate. Our interest component within our loan repayments schedules is the cost of borrowing the money. The interest portion all…

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Why is it harder for first home buyers to buy a fixer-upper?

By Cate Bakos | February 5, 2022

First home buyers certainly have their challenges and it’s a well-worn path of any property journalist’s when it comes to documenting the tough plight of the firstie. Beyond the task of saving an adequate deposit, or that of managing a fun lifestyle on a tight savings regime, the less spoken-of challenge relates to their broad…

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The four best formulas for investors

By Cate Bakos | January 30, 2022

As our treasured January hybrid-break comes to a close, this Sunday blog reflects on the most used, most valuable, and, (at times) the most overlooked formulae. Property investing is not always black and white, in fact it requires a blend of science and emotion, but when it comes to reliable formulas, here are my top…

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What trends do our highest performing holiday hotspots have in common?

By Cate Bakos | January 23, 2022

A really delightful time exploring some of our gorgeous Victorian regions is how I best describe my summer holidays. It’s a work in progress, because I’m accompanied by my laptop and, well, real estate never really stops. I consider each stay a hybrid rest/field trip. We’ve enjoyed little stays in varied locations and each have…

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One of the biggest blockers

By Cate Bakos | January 16, 2022

There are plenty of reasons why aspiring property investors and home buyers don’t get their plans off the ground. From analysis paralysis to falling prey to negative bias, the list is long. But one of the most common reasons isn’t what people imagine it could be. Not being on the same page as your partner…

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A key reason why Victoria will perform well long-term

By Cate Bakos | January 9, 2022

The end of 2021 reports are out, and as predicted by more than a few, and both Hobart and Brisbane’s colossal house price growth pipped other states’. Our national capital growth rate of 22.1% for the past 12 months has been the greatest since 2003. The slowdown in the growth rate in the final month…

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The most valuable ingredient

By Cate Bakos | January 2, 2022

The Penny Challenge is an old quiz that highlights the power of compounding growth. What would you choose? A magic penny that doubles in value every day for a whole month, or a million dollars cash immediately? Studies found that most people who aren’t familiar with the quiz will choose the million dollars. With smartphones…

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Our year in review

By Cate Bakos | December 19, 2021

As the real estate year comes to a close, I circle in on the Victorian property market and ponder the highlights, lowlights, surprising trends and I ask myself what could be in store for our capital city and regional markets next year. Melbourne, along with Sydney and Canberra had a challenging year with protracted lockdowns,…

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Has the market peaked?

By Cate Bakos | December 12, 2021

According to the media, yes…. but I think not. There is much more to measuring the peak of the market than auction clearance rates. We are experiencing a tiny window of eased buying conditions, and when we take a careful look at the data, the story becomes quite clear…. The planets have aligned perfectly this…

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Gazumped?

By Cate Bakos | December 4, 2021

We often hear sad stories out of the England and Wales about gazumping efforts and ‘chains’, (their intricate balance of consecutive property sales contracts from vendor to seller to vendor.. and so on). Unlike Australian property law, contract execution in these two countries can be held up by other processes in the ‘chain’ that are…

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A case study: patience and planning

By Cate Bakos | November 28, 2021

Back in 2011 I met a young prospective investor at a first home buyer event I participated in alongside a lovely industry buddy. Steve Cruz and I teamed up and ran a series of small seminars over a few weeknights for buyers who were keen to explore the idea of property investing or home-buying. The…

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