I have a special admiration for anyone brave enough to take on the challenge of renovating. No matter how many times you do it, renovating remains a formidable yet immensely rewarding task.
I have done it several times both personally and professionally. Sometimes simply small cosmetic updates and other much more extensive projects. I love guiding clients into buying property with fantastic fundamentals, that they can add value to over time. Ideally spending a dollar and making three!
Read MoreBrunswick
Brunswick is a vibrant and eclectic inner-city suburb that has long been a hotspot for property investors in Melbourne. With its proximity to the CBD, excellent public transport options, and a rich cultural scene, Brunswick attracts a diverse range of residents, including students, young professionals, and families. The suburb's strong café culture, trendy bars, and boutique shopping add to its appeal, while the mix of period homes, modern apartments, and townhouses provides varied investment opportunities. Its popularity with renters ensures a high demand for rental properties, contributing to stable and strong rental yields.
Read MoreThere’s a general consensus amongst buyers in the market and people in the industry that apartments are bad investments…. And who can blame them really, from a capital growth perspective they haven’t performed well for years, they can be riddled with issues when it comes to build quality (combustible cladding anyone?), and body corporate fees and special levies can be a costly ongoing problem to manage.
But that hasn’t always been the case....
Read MoreYou had your hopes up, building inspection paid for, contract checked and budget set… you’d told your friends and family. You were ready to be the buyer. The one putting the sold sticker on the board… this is the one.
But there’s another buyer prepared to pay more than you, now you’re clapping while the agent walks over to shake their hand, walk them inside to sign contracts, and take their picture in front of the house. It’s a tough pill to swallow, being the underbidder. But it happens, even for professional bidders like us.
Read MoreHere’s the question we’re asked most often: where is the most undervalued suburb in Melbourne?
And our response every time is the same: Brunswick. It's always been the poor cousin to Northcote and Ascot Vale, both of which took off years ago. But Brunswick is nestled right in the middle, with fantastic access to public transport and plenty of parklands. It also still has large family homes for sale, while they’ve been razed in most other northern suburbs to build tiny rows of townhouses. Sydney Road is starting to thrive with new bars, cafes and lifestyle shops, while Lygon St is well on its way.. But let's delve into why we think it's one of the best.
Read MoreTo buy first then sell, or sell first then buy… that is the question echoed around the world. Particularly for vendors/buyers transacting in hot markets!
It’s something we advise many of our clients on, the answer is often different for each person and is completely dependent on their individual situation. Largely related to financial circumstances, stress management, whether they have somewhere else they’re able to go should there be a crossover and suitable timing of a move.. Or two!
Read MoreAn ‘off-market’ property that’s for sale, but not listed on the traditional real estate platforms so most people don’t know about it. The allure is that prices are often lower with less competition, which leads a lot of clients to ask us the same question: How many off markets will you show me?
The fact is, we can show clients off-market opportunities until the cows come home. But not all of them are good. In fact, we’d probably recommend only one in 10. And that’s because once we scratch the surface, we almost always find problems.
Read MoreYou've found the perfect home. The keys are in your hand, the mortgage is settled, and you're ready to start your new life in a space that's entirely your own. But there's a lingering temptation that can derail your newfound domestic bliss: staying glued to real estate websites like RealEstate.com.au or Domain.com.au. This habit can be surprisingly detrimental, much like staying on dating apps after finding "the one."
Read MoreWinter in Melbourne brings more than just chilly weather and cosy evenings by the fire. It also ushers in unique dynamics within the real estate market. If you’re considering buying or selling property during this season, understanding these trends can help you make informed decisions. Here's a look at how Melbourne's real estate market behaves over winter, particularly in terms of stock availability and off-market sales.
Read MoreWe’re going to preface this by saying that when it comes to property and building inspections, everything is relative.. Relative to the property type, age, renovation, location, price point etc etc. What’s important is how you interpret the information.
We expect 99% of the reports we get to come back with some form of defects.. Some are more problematic and expensive than others. Instead of being thrown or turned off by the long and intimidating reports which literally point out everything that’s wrong with the property.. It is important to take into consideration if you were expecting the issues, if they are fixable, what the cost would be, if it’s then still a viable option in terms of budget and future planning, and are they typical for a like for like property of the same age and value.
Read MoreStarting this off with an important reminder that we are fully aware that we are not lawyers. Property lawyers and conveyancers are the best people to turn to on matters like covenants and property contracts in general. We rely completely on their guidance and advice when it comes to matters of the law. They are the ones who (if given the opportunity prior to purchase) will alert you to any covenants you need to be made aware of.
However, as a buyer, there is some ground-work you can do (before you start throwing contracts their way for formal review) to get an idea of the state of play. From there, engage the experts to formally advise on how best to proceed.
Read MoreWe know you’ve been preparing your outfit in preparation for your big social media announcement, visualising yourself popping bottles in celebration… But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's prepare for game day first shall we?
Specifically, what you plan to do if you are the highest bidder, but the auction has not yet reached the vendors reserve and the property is passed in to you. The agent approaches and leads you inside to negotiate…. It’s a very daunting moment for those who have not experienced it before.
Read MoreWe uncovered this townhouse pre-market for a client, it wasn't in the right area for them unfortunately so we didn’t pursue.. However, we saw what it could be, and so did the eventual buyer! There are so many takeaways in this transformation... So let's get into it!
Read MoreYou’ve all heard the term ‘downsizing’, and you’ve likely also heard of ‘upsizing’.. A client recently referred to both processes as ‘Right Sizing’ .. and it was a light bulb moment for us! Whether you’re busting at the seams of your current abode, or rolling around a big ol’ mansion using 2 of the 10 rooms.. It’s a daunting task to buy and sell property in the same period and can often seem like a mountain too big to climb.
Here’s a few key points we talk through with our clients before embarking on the journey of right sizing their home….
Read MoreWe've got our ear to the ground when it comes to Melbourne real estate, we hear first hand from agents all around the city. The word on the street is landlords are putting in the call, looking to offload their investment properties...
There are likely a number of reasons behind the influx of landlords looking to exit the rental market. Increased land tax fees probably topping the list for many investors. Along with increased rates, new laws favouring the tenant and an increase in compliance. It could also be a case of wanting to sell because of personal circumstances of course.. Whatever their reasoning, we’re excited for the increase in stock that’s likely to follow. For our buyers that is, not so much for tenants looking to rent quality property at a reasonable price! Which seems to be a thing of the past these days.
Read MoreDo they stand to increase the appeal of a house or area?
Electric Vehicle purchases are on the rise globally, which poses the question of whether property is going to need to keep up with the growing need for on site charging stations, or risk the possibility of being less desirable to future buyers.
With exciting models launched in 2023 there were more electric cars registered in Australia than ever before, accounting for a total of 7.2% of all cars registered last year. Those figures are set to increase again in 2024 as more people transition to lower carbon lifestyles.
Read MoreBuckle up for a real estate tale that’s got it all — killer purchasing strategies, a bit of elbow grease, and a house that went from 'meh' to 'cha-ching'! We're going to spill the beans on one of our awesome clients who turned a property into an investment goldmine, with a whopping 17% growth over just three years of ownership. They did it all with just a few nifty tweaks and a solid property foundation.
The key factor to this success story was buying a house that had the goods from the start. North facing living and outdoor entertaining areas, solid brick construction, free flowing floor plan and renovations that still made sense, all sitting pretty on a decent-sized block in a sought after area. These are the fundamentals that we focus on that help ensure the property is going to perform no matter the market conditions.
Read MoreIf you're itching to give your home a fresh new look without breaking the bank, but also adding overall value to the property, you're in the right place!
Let's talk about four easy and budget-friendly ways to 'glow up' your home
Read MoreWe are officially on a sleigh ride towards Christmas and even though we’ve still technically got just over 7 weeks until the big day…. In the real estate world, if you’re not ready to take photos by the second week of November, you’ve officially missed the boat for an auction campaign.
If you’ve been sitting on the fence about whether or not to push your sale through this side of the new year, or wait until the dust has settled and everyone’s back from school holidays next year… we thought we cover a few pros and cons of both.
Read MoreProperty is considered a stable vehicle to build wealth and has long been viewed as a milestone of financial success. Tenure can be linked closely to profitability, as holding property for longer periods of time means you generally avoid the risks of market volatility over shorter time frames.
Tenure measures the number of years that a property is owned before being resold. In Melbourne, the current average house tenure is nine years, eight years for apartment owners. If we localise that figure further into individual suburbs, the average can be as short as 7 years and as high as 13 years in some areas.
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