Sunday Blog - Expert property investment insights

RECHARGE & RELOAD YOUR PROPERTY GAME.

Builder Square

Why I don’t like buying brand new dwellings

By Cate Bakos | March 15, 2026

In my role as a buyer’s agent, I’m often asked why I rarely recommend brand-new property to my clients. It’s a fair question. New homes look appealing, they represent low-maintenance, and the marketing around them is very persuasive. But after nearly two decades of buying property for clients, I’ve learned that brand-new means more risk,…

Termites

Does your building and pest inspection clause really protect you?

By Cate Bakos | March 8, 2026

We face this question every single time we assist a purchaser with an offer that is subject to an acceptable building and pest inspection being done within a short timeframe following the acceptable offer. Building and pest inspections offer buyers peace of mind, and in a lot of circumstances we arrange them prior to making…

Melb Map

What does the price ratio between Melbourne’s fringe suburbs and middle ring suburbs tell us about the value proposition that is emerging?

By Cate Bakos | March 1, 2026

For the last two years, Melbourne’s outer-ring, fringe suburbs have been delivering outperformance capital growth in the house market category. While we have incentivised first home buyers with the broader rollout of the Federal Government’s 5% deposit guarantee, and stamp duty concessions remain in place, there is another reason why these areas have delivered growth.…

Header Off The Plan

One of my early, (and tough) lessons in property investment

By Cate Bakos | February 22, 2026

I’ve talked extensively about my personal experience in property long before my career in Buyer’s Agency began. I’ve shared plenty of ups, and plenty of downs. Most importantly, I have enjoyed sharing my learnings, because there is a lot of merit in saving someone else the hard lesson, (and the repercussions). I have purchased not…

Cate Period House

Some of the methods we employ to shortlist great properties

By Cate Bakos | February 15, 2026

Earlier this week, I was asked by a client, “Cate, how do you and your team shortlist my properties?” Our client was wondering how there are so many out there, yet we have just provided her a detailed list of only two properties that meet her criteria. Is her search particularly fussy? No, not at…

Monopoly

Equity Is Not Liquidity: The Costly Assumption Many Investors Make

By Cate Bakos | February 8, 2026

One of the most common mistakes I see property investors make is assuming that equity equals liquidity. It doesn’t. Just because your portfolio has grown in value doesn’t mean you can access those funds to buy again. Equity is the difference between what a property is worth and what is owed to the bank. On…

PEXA Pic

What actually happens on settlement day?

By Cate Bakos | February 1, 2026

For most homebuyers, settlement day feels like an enigma. After the excitement of the purchase, the contract signing and execution, the finance approval and all of the planning for the big day, settlement mysteriously happens behind the scenes. Many buyers ask us whether they need to ‘be’ anywhere on settlement day. But PEXA takes care…

Auction Pic Cate

Victoria’s latest on Underquoting Reform

By Cate Bakos | January 25, 2026

Underquoting has been one of the most corrosive issues in Victoria’s residential property market for well over a decade. It frustrates buyers, erodes trust, and for omany buyers, it has spelled an emotional guessing game. In response to the State Government’s recently proposed legislative changes, the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) has released its…

Celebration

My seven best tips for finding your home sooner

By Cate Bakos | January 18, 2026

We help our clients find their property, every day, every week, every month. Many come to us after they have been searching for over a year. In fact, some clients we’ve assisted have been searching for over two years. The surprise they experience when we locate them a property that meets all of their requirements,…

Frankston LGA Square 1

Melbourne’s Highest-Performing Suburbs of 2025: Why Median Data Doesn’t Tell the Full Story

By Cate Bakos | January 11, 2026

Melbourne’s median value property data throughout 2025 consistently showed a modest recovery. The only month to record a negative pace was December, albeit 0.1% for the month. Otherwise, the city’s growth in spite of the headwinds was encouraging. Melbourne’s annualised growth figure, (according to Cotality) was 4.8%. However, median value movement is merely generalised. Segmenting…

Cate Why

A Strong “Why” Is the Cornerstone of a Successful Property Plan

By Cate Bakos | January 4, 2026

I’ve been creating property investment strategies now for over fifteen years. I meet investors from far and wide, and their questions are always abundant. But one key question is missing for so many, and I often have to strip back the layers of motivation to get past what they want to achieve and how they…

Renovator Square

A Forward Look at Victoria’s Property Market in 2026

By Cate Bakos | December 28, 2025

Over the past twelve months, many have asked m when the best time to buy would be. My answer was simple. “In 2024”, is what I told them. This years’ recovery for the Victorian market has been modest. Melbourne hasn’t outperformed the capital city markets by any means, but unlike the previous three years, every…

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