Posts by Cate Bakos

There is plenty of talk about imminent interest rate rises, heightened petrol prices, inflation, Federal government budget decisions and the impact on the property market, but if we have learnt anything about forecasts and predictions over the last three years, we’ve seen that the banks and many economists’ forecasts haven’t really got it right. Negative…

I am often asked for my thoughts on properties that people are contemplating. Whether it be a BBQ talk, a call from a friend or an enquiry via my email from a prospective client, it happens quite a bit. No property is perfect, but sometimes the imperfections are glaringly obvious at the first click, and…

As Bernard Salt coined in a fantastic lecture a couple of years ago, the HOBO, (home office/broadcasting outlet) emerged rapidly as part of our changing needs once working from home was thrust upon us. Our property searches have changed markedly since COVID struck, but in fact, our search criteria was experiencing significant change for the…

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…

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…