Posts by Cate Bakos

Investors like to keep an ear to the ground when it comes to market performance, but in a transitioning market, buyers and investors sometimes make some terrible mistakes. We currently find ourselves in a transitioning market now, after 2022’s downturn which was triggered by aggressive interest rate rises. These rises were initiated over consecutive months…

As the saying goes, knowledge is power. We often talk about the need for buyers to familiarise themselves with market values in their search area, but knowing the agents in their area is important too. When it comes to private sales and negotiating prior to auction, agents can determine the negotiation rules. From “best and…

We often hear suggestions that rents have increased as a direct result of interest rate increases. It isn’t that simple though, and anyone who owns an investment property will know that they can’t just pass on rising costs to the tenant when they feel like it. However, this CoreLogic chart shows a correlation between the…

We use plenty of portals, (mostly paid subscriptions) when conducting our property research and due diligence. One free portal is particularly handy when focusing on amenity, and that is walk score. While there are many more important elements that we must take into consideration also, the ‘walkability’ of an address, in tandem with streetscape and…

I get this question often. In fact, last night I was at a dear friend’s 50th birthday party and one of her other guests asked me “Cate, you’re in property. What are your hotspots? Where should I buy this year?”. I corrected him immediately and explained that I don’t do hotspots. I reminded him that…

How do we discount or add on a premium when something noteworthy is impacting the property positively or negatively? Property appraising is a delicate balance of art and science. But how do we apportion a premium or a discount when a feature is a stand out or a significant detractor? And how do we know…

This last of my three own investment examples isn’t what I’d call an accidental purchase, but nor was it primarily an opportunistic purchase. It was more of a safety purchase… but it’s worked out to be a great investment. Back in 2008, as the depths of fear peaked during the GFC, we purchased a short-term…

This is the second of a set of three Sunday blogs that look into some of my own property investments. I’ve penned this to share my mistakes and my outcomes…. and to demonstrate the power of patience and time. This particular purchase was opportunistic on my part. Our property portfolio was largely consumed by houses,…