Sunday Blog - Expert property investment insights

RECHARGE & RELOAD YOUR PROPERTY GAME.

#shopping

Staying true to your own home-purchase criterion

By Cate Bakos | September 1, 2018

Over the years I’ve helped several hundred buyers with their search for their home. Every single journey has been different, and some of the adventures have remained as terrific memories. Whether they anticipated it at the beginning or not, every single client had to work with me to initially formulate a plan. A road map.…

#houseandland2

Why do some investors insist on a house on a FULL block?

By Cate Bakos | August 25, 2018

There is a strong investor consensus that houses on full blocks out-perform units or strata properties. In the same quality street within the same suburb this may be true, but this long-held investment philosophy has many angles. And often this philosophy is wrong. The four common reasons that influence buyers to hold this firm view…

#insideauction

If rain doesn’t deter bidders, what does?

By Cate Bakos | August 19, 2018

Yesterday’s auctions in Melbourne were a challenge for agents and auctioneers when our skies turned grey and rainfall struck. Some auctioneers battled the rain as it came in sideways, with staff offering umbrellas and buyers taking cover under eaves and garages. Others chose to take the buyers inside, with their auction calls held in vendor’s…

##contract Signing

Why we don’t rely on ‘verbal’ offers….

By Cate Bakos | August 11, 2018

Years ago as a young real estate agent I had a great boss who reminded us all that an offer was never an offer until it was on a contract. He also used the line “strike while the iron is hot”, and while these were good pieces of advice for selling agents, they are ingrained…

#main Road

Spotting a red flag….

By Cate Bakos | August 5, 2018

When searching and shortlisting for property in a familiar area, our strike rate for spotting an investment-grade property on the internet is around 25%. Out of a possible hundred properties, we can filter the off-the-plan options out, recognise main roads and reject them, spot a busy neighbouring allotment and skip past, recall a less desirable street, steer…

#trains Map

Why we like train stations to be within walking distance…

By Cate Bakos | July 28, 2018

When we facilitate our strategy session with our new investor clients, we spend time discussing the importance of criterion. Any past client could cite me including ‘proximity to train station’ as a must-have criteria for a good investment property. And those who quiz me about locations in a public transport ‘blackspot’ will get my all-too-familiar “nope,…

Highrise

SMSF Lending… why are the banks worried?

By Cate Bakos | July 21, 2018

This week’s excitement included an appearance in the Australian Financial review and while it was novel to get some industry peer acknowledgement, the topic itself was very relevant for a lot of past and present clients of ours. Duncan Hughes (the journalist who wrote the article) asked me to comment on some of the reasons…

##barwonriver

Suburb Profile – Belmont 3216

By Cate Bakos | July 15, 2018

This Sunday’s blog could be forgiven for appearing like a foodie’s write up (except I am no foodie.) Yesterday I enjoyed my observations in sunny Belmont. The recent changes within this nine square kilometre patch just south of Geelong’s CBD, and home to over 13,000 people is a fascinating case study. Geelong has experienced impressive…

#1nailbiter

Timing the Market and Gaining the Advantage?

By Cate Bakos | July 8, 2018

Bear Markets always create a change in emotion for buyers. Those who have been anxiously pushing themselves at auction during a Bull Market seem to forget the desperation they felt to just secure their property, sometimes anyproperty in the face of what felt like a brick wall between them and their acquisition plans. Fast-forward the…

Cate Bakos and two other persons standing in front of a 'Sold' sign for a Ray White property auction, celebrating a successful home purchase. The group poses happily in front of a modern home, with clear skies in the background.

Our “Patchy” Property Market

By Cate Bakos | July 1, 2018

This descriptor is used by agents a lot these days. What they really mean is that we have an unusual Melbourne property market right now. The days of auction results consistently setting new price records, auction clearance rates in the heady 70’s and 80’s, and multiple bidders at almost every property are literally yesteryear. Our market…

#auction Crowd

Luck, Budget or Tactics?

By Cate Bakos | June 23, 2018

Auctions. Usually dreaded, sometimes feared and often avoided. But when a buyer has success at auction, can they ever put it down to Tactics? Absolutely. Of course we know that some auction results are a perfect correlation with budget. A willing buyer who is prepared to fight in a price war will always have an…

#auction Day

Is Your Property Risk Appetite Different to your Partner’s?

By Cate Bakos | June 16, 2018

Whether the property plan is a home or an investment purchase, most couples are not completely aligned. In fact, sometimes couples are so misaligned that issues can strike. Whether it be fear of debt, a disbelief in property as the most suitable asset class to tackle at the time, anxiety around the proposed price tag or concern…

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