Posts by Cate Bakos

Melbourne’s inner 10km radius suburbs boast many beautiful properties; specifically turn-of-the-century worker’s cottages within the suburbs closer to the CBD. Back in the late 1800’s our inner suburbs were not necessarily home to the wealthy. Our more affluent families sought their family homes on larger blocks in the likes of Malvern, Armadale and some of…

We assess properties every day, including rigorous comparable sales analysis. Many properties we spot have a standard array of attributes that are easy to compare to others’, however sometimes we spot a property that has a really special offering. Assigning a value-weighting can be challenging, but in cases like these, they deserve a weighting. The…

We are often asked this question, and whether it be a buyer’s market or a seller’s market, auction cancellations can strike for various reasons. In this current COVID lockdown climate, it isn’t a surprise to see auction cancellations strike, but what are the driving forces that often initiate an auction cancellation? Today’s Sunday Blog explores.…

This question has been on my mind for quite some time. One of the advantages a Buyer’s Agent gets is market feedback in real time. Unlike those who have to wait it out for delayed data reports, we are fielding buyer calls and getting a gauge of sentiment from the coal face, every single day.…

Every.single.day we are approached with requests for help. In this challenging climate, buyers are reaching out for professional assistance to help navigate our current seller’s market. Many of these buyers could technically prepare their own brief, back-test the feasibility of their purchase strategy and go out to the open for inspections themselves, however in many…

Now that half of our country’s population are in lockdown, real estate, (like many other industries) have had to adapt historically standard practices in an effort continue trading. From digital contract execution to virtual inspections, many agents have embraced such methods for some years, but the truth is that COVID-19 lockdowns have shaken up how…

There is so much more to property investment than merely buying a property and watching its capital value movements. From rental yield to outgoings, vacancy rates to tax considerations, the elements are all inter-twined and all important. What is often missed is the strategy. Our long term property investment strategy underpins our approach and our…

For those who have glanced across disused rail yards while driving over Melbourne’s north on the Citylink freeway, many may not realise that a new suburb is underway. Considered a bit of a rarity for a central city location, a large area of land, (approximately fifty hectares) wedged between Kensington and North Melbourne’s streets is…