Posts by Cate Bakos
The Elephant in the Room: Episode 23 | How to negotiate for property like a professional
How to negotiate for property like a professional
If rain doesn’t deter bidders, what does?
Yesterday’s auctions in Melbourne were a challenge for agents and auctioneers when our skies turned grey and rainfall struck. Some auctioneers battled the rain as it came in sideways, with staff offering umbrellas and buyers taking cover under eaves and garages. Others chose to take the buyers inside, with their auction calls held in vendor’s…
Read MoreWhy we don’t rely on ‘verbal’ offers….
Years ago as a young real estate agent I had a great boss who reminded us all that an offer was never an offer until it was on a contract. He also used the line “strike while the iron is hot”, and while these were good pieces of advice for selling agents, they are ingrained…
Read MoreFocus on period grandeur in Ballarat – On A Budget – Australian Property Investor
When a property passes in
Auctions are high adrenaline environments and a buyer’s blood will be pumping if a property passes into them. Pass in’s can create mixed emotions. For a buyers advocate it’s an ideal scenario, but for a some it can invoke a sinking feeling of self doubt. Without the ‘social proof’ of competition, people tend…
Read MoreSpotting a red flag….
When searching and shortlisting for property in a familiar area, our strike rate for spotting an investment-grade property on the internet is around 25%. Out of a possible hundred properties, we can filter the off-the-plan options out, recognise main roads and reject them, spot a busy neighbouring allotment and skip past, recall a less desirable street, steer…
Read MoreTurning residential market puts pressure on developers and investors – Financial Review
Why we like train stations to be within walking distance…
When we facilitate our strategy session with our new investor clients, we spend time discussing the importance of criterion. Any past client could cite me including ‘proximity to train station’ as a must-have criteria for a good investment property. And those who quiz me about locations in a public transport ‘blackspot’ will get my all-too-familiar “nope,…
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