Posts by Cate Bakos

For many Australians, buying a home is both an emotional milestone and the largest financial decision they will ever make. It is the place where memories are made, families grow and life unfolds. However, while lifestyle considerations naturally influence purchasing decisions, it is equally important to recognise that a home is often the cornerstone of…

Yesterday I caught up with a good friend of mine, Max. We met almost two decades ago, when I assisted Max and his partner with a property acquisition. As a lawyer who saw the paperwork side of property transactions, Max was ntrigued by the auction process., In fact, he was so intrigued that he asked…

If you’ve spent any time house-hunting in Melbourne’s inner-west, you’ll know the usual suspects by heart. Yarraville has the gorgeous village, restaurants, parklands and the Sun Theatre. Seddon also offers the cafes and restaurants, and superb Victorian cottages. Footscray boasts the food scene, with plenty of bars, restaurants and incredible Indian, African and Vietnamese food,…

Some of the greatest challenges buyers face when inspecting established homes is an inability to visualise simple changes. From paint colour, to a different arrangement of furniture. Not every buyer is able to visualise what the property could become. In fact, staging companies have made a living out of furnishing property to showcase each one…

It’s the question I’m getting asked almost every day right now. And I understand completely why. In just a matter of weeks, Melbourne’s property market has shifted gear. We started 2026 with genuine momentum; strong investor enquiry, first home buyer activity, and a sense that the city was finally turning a corner after some lean…

I popped up a post the other day on socials and I got a lot of responses. Some people reached out, and it made me appreciate that what I have is very special. Not only that, many people wish they could have this kind of affinity with their own home. When people think about buying…

When policy settings shift, behaviour follows. In property markets, that behavioural change can ripple through entire segments and reshape outcomes in ways that aren’t always initially obvious to those who reshape policy. The proposed removal of negative gearing and changes to capital gains tax for established property are significant policy levers. While much of the…

On Tuesday 12th of May, at 7.30pm, our Federal Treasurer announced some significant tax change proposals. Two in particular, negative gearing and capital gains tax, will have an impact on our property markets. Last week, I wrote a blog about both of these tax arrangements. The proposed changes are significant. And they will absolutely skew…

There’s a common misconception that auctions end when the hammer falls. In reality, some of the most important moments begin after the crowd disperses. Yesterday was a perfect example. We attended an auction where we were not the highest bidders. We competed against two other buyers, but the property was passed in to another party…