Posts by Cate Bakos

A recent survey conducted by the Property Investment Professionals of Australia (PIPA) supported what we’ve been experiencing at the coalface; we have a burning issue in our nation, and the driving force is not softening. It’s getting worse. We have a rental crisis gripping many cities, (both regional and capital) with ultra-low vacancy rates, huge…

Today’s auction win in sunny Clifton Hill got me reflecting on all of the attributes of the property that made it a high-scorer. Our clients came to us with one specific intention; to help them secure a period house in Melbourne’s groovy inner-north in an effort to optimise the capital growth potential. The house has…

We feature ratios everywhere, from science to economics, health to politics. But there are two ratios in the world of property investing that can make or break success for an investor. When scoring well, each on their own, the investor can anticipate some positive end results, but when scoring well in tandem, the investor is…

Yesterday was busy in Melbourne, and likely in our regional cities too. The sad passing of the Queen initiated yet another public holiday in our already short week, bolstering up the need for vendors and agents to make the most of the weekend preceding the Grand Final. Melbourne’s auction clearance rate (as at early Sunday…

Recently my fellow-podcasters and I recorded a two part podcast episode about the seven things that we sometimes see buyers getting wrong. We initially thought we could cover these seven things in one episode, but as recordings often go, we had so much to expand on, we quickly realised this would span well over an…

Just recently we received an enquiry from a prospective client who was asking about our services while he navigates his property search. He wasn’t so phased about assistance with the negotiation, bidding and searching, and just wondered if we’d just assist with sourcing off-markets. While most prospective clients enquire about the full range of services…

The final inspection is a buyer’s opportunity to check that the property is in the same condition that it was on the day of sale before it is too late for them to have any recourse. Sometimes final inspections are also an opportunity for a buyer to ensure that the vendor has completed a task that they…

A lot of things have changed in our landscape over the past year. Interest rate increases have precipitated a new wave of buyer and vendor jitters, and return-to-work has reignited an appreciation of our city. These two, powerful elements have created significant change across our day-to-day dealings in real estate. This retrospective compares vendor, buyer…

As a property investment adviser, there is one common behavioural trait I often see buyers exhibit when markets turn a bit bear-market, (in other words, when markets favour buyers more than sellers). Many buyers suddenly develop a sharp sense of a quest to buy a bargain. After all, markets have softened, vendors must be desperate,…