Posts by Cate Bakos

Market sentiment is a powerful force indeed. Reports in the media of lower auction clearance rates and slight drops on the median price of houses could give any nervous investor reason to be cautious. December figures for our two biggest capital cities certainly caught reader’s attention, but seasonality wasn’t broadly discussed.  And it should have been. In…

Every January (and without fail) I field questions from new and past clients about my thoughts on their holiday house acquisition ideas. And every year I learn more about why this is such a well-trodden path for so many. The reasons are always emotional and never pragmatic, ever. But when is it OK for emotion to rule?…

Having just returned home from a beautiful family trip to Sri Lanka I am feeling refreshed and excited to take in 2018 and all that it offers. Sri Lanka is a glorious island and the scenery, history, cuisine and culture is superb. As foreign visitors we had an itinerary, pre-purchased tickets, a Guide for some of our days, a…

2017 has been a mixed year for the Victorian housing market. With 100% Stamp Duty Concessions on offer for eligible Victorian property first home buyers up to $600K and subsidised Stamp Duty up to $750K purchases, the market has seen a dramatic resurgence of first home buyers since the concessions took effect on 1 July…

Property searches can span weeks. Sometimes they can span months. When preparation is not in place or expectations are unreasonable, the search can span years.  But sometimes… when plans are solid, planets align and the property presents itself, the search can take a matter of days. These can be the experiences that are quite stressful…

One common mistake buyers often make is assuming that there are set rules that can’t be broken when negotiating for a property. From negotiating a passed-in auction with a finance clause to facilitating a sale that allows them to collect the keys and move in before settlement, there are many twists and turns that can…