Blog

Is it quality time with your family? When you’re tied up with work, school plays, swimming lessons, guitar practice and basketball training all week, your only option is to get out there with everyone else in Melbourne and fight the Saturday traffic to find your dream home. Dragging your kids along with you, Ipad in the back of the car just to avoid a tantrum as you cross the city to make it to the next inspection on time… Only to then invest yourselves emotionally in a property that goes $200k above your budget at auction the following week. Not quite what dreams are made of. We do the running around for our clients, pre-inspect any potential contenders and ensure they’re going to be within an achievable price range before you even get into your car.

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Here are some great suggestions for investors wanting to invest in a slice of Melbourne real estate. Of course, like anything, you need to make sure it fits your individual scenario, and please don’t forget to read our recent blog around portfolio diversification.

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So you’ve decided to sell your property, if you’re hoping to get it done before the end of the year then time is definitely not on your side. The task may feel completely overwhelming but we assure you, it is absolutely possible.

Outsourcing is going to be the key to success and sanity. As the old saying goes.... in order to make money you gotta spend it!

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So, you want to be a property mogul and have a bunch of investment properties. We love it and we support you.

Asset diversification (aka – not having all your eggs in one basket) should be part of the conversation when you are on your property purchasing journey to help with risk minimisation.

While we’re on the topic of risk minimisation we want to quickly chat about over leveraging. Some brash property investment strategist will speak highly of leveraging people up so they can own as many properties as possible, as quickly as possible. This is called the ‘I own 20 investment properties which total $8m, of which I owe $7.99m on’ model. We have seen globally now more than ever that people need to be careful overextending themselves.  

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Whether you bought a home to live in and now it doesn’t fit your requirements due to location or accommodation. Or you bought a property and your strategy was to turn it into an investment property after you’ve lived in it for a year (thank you first home buyer stamp duty concessions). We thought it might be helpful to compile a guide of things to consider.

 First of all, emotionally detach yourself from the property. This is where we see a lot of people go wrong. They have lived in the property and loved it, but what you like and what others like may be different. What ‘quirks’ in the property you may tolerate, others won’t. We want to help you have a smooth transition from a place you call home, to a place which is for investment generating purposes. Let’s go.

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So you have your deposit in your pocket and your pre approval ready to go….

Think you’re ready to sign a contract? Think again.

There are seemingly endless costs associated with buying a home, it can feel overwhelming to say the least. Though the list looks extensive, it’s nothing to be afraid of. Here we break down all the costs along the way to make sure you’re completely prepared.

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I thought about trying to make this palatable for those of us with wavering attention spans. But in truth, this is important stuff. And if you’re looking to buy, you should really be across all your options. Particularly if you’re a first home buyer.

 We work closely with our clients on figuring out what government subsidies and grants they may be eligible for. Of course we always refer safely to our trusted accountants for the final check but we find buyers are often unaware of what is available to them and bamboozled by the amount of information out there.

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This week we interviewed Patrick Gregory from Gregory Finance around some common questions we get from a getting finance point of view.

There is gold in here, so make sure you read it through carefully.

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Luke Mase, Financial Adviser at Inovayt, is passionate about helping young people get ahead with their finances. Having been in the industry for close to 7 years, he is keen to empower people to take control of their finances and give them the confidence to do the things they enjoy the most.

We chatted to Luke recently to understand a little more about what he does and how he can assist people with planning and managing their finances better.

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I get it, motivation levels are fading… we’re coming into month 372 of lockdown and I’m over it. I have also completely overhauled my house over the last few months and I’ve never felt better! So come with me on a little journey that will get you off your couch and into action. Because we may as well increase the value of our property with our own two hands while we ain’t got nothin but time!

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WFH (working-from-home) over the past however many months (we’ve lost count), has shown some of us our space is just not big enough. Whether it’s the fact you don’t have the dedicated workspace you want or require. Whether it’s that the kids don’t have a dedicated play area and you just can’t step on another piece of Lego. Or it’s the need for a Zen room before you kill your husband.. Over the past few months COVID has many Melbournians craving an upsize.

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You’ll hear a lot of people in the real estate industry referencing ‘off-market listings’. But what exactly are they? Are they all they’re cracked up to be?

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Established in 2016 by brothers Peter & Matt, Fernebuilt is a boutique building company specialising in extensions, architectural renovations and new build construction for residential and small-scale commercial projects. They pride themselves on delivering quality, cost-effective, sustainable homes that are built safely and on time (!). We sat down with Pete to talk all things property and how to get the best out of your builder!

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Put simply, we take the pain and guesswork out of selling your home. 

We do not replace the selling agent, we act as an independent consultant through the process, from start to finish. 

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Since moving into my first property in St Kilda East almost 8 years ago, I have seen the transformation first hand... Though the colourful characteristics I have come to know and love are still very much there, enough gentrification has occurred to see the property prices skyrocket and the local coffee perfected. 

With neighbouring St Kilda often featuring on the top 10 lists of most searched suburbs in Melbourne, St Kilda East has typically been considered the poor cousin. But with the perfect mix of small-town community and inner-city lifestyle and accessibility, it has fast become a sought after destination for new families, young professionals and empty-nesters alike. 

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Orientation is a key factor in how desirable a property is perceived to be. You may have heard agents spruiking the north facing aspect of a home but what does it actually mean and why is it so important? 

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Are you a suburb snob? You may be missing out on some of Melbourne’s best kept secrets! 

We all know the draw cards of affluent beachside suburbs like Brighton and Albert Park… and the benefits of being city fringe in Richmond & North Fitzroy. But with their notoriety comes a hefty price tag.

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So you’ve decided to park your money in real estate as your investment of choice. Smart. 

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Bidding at online auction… not for the faint hearted. 

With all the off market sales that are being offered at the moment, we are seeing a rise in vendors who are cautiously ‘testing the market’. Buying a property under online auction conditions can be a great way to purchase from a vendor who is committed to the process and prepared to meet the market on price.

Even in this new environment, many of our usual bidding strategies remain imperative to securing the sale. Though not being able to see your opponents and read their body language does add a new layer of complexity to the practice. 

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You know what... there’s something to be said for online auctions. I mean, you get a front row seat to one of Melbourne's favourite past times from the comfort of your own home. Bake banana bread while you buy a house.. Has your competition even got pants on? Who knows!  

I have a 2yr old hanging off my leg, glass of wine in hand and dinner on the stove while I watch Sam from Jellis Craig sell what is arguably one of the most beautiful homes in Northcote. I’m playing voyeur… a nosey neighbour… 2020 COVID style. 

They are using 'Auction Now’ the live streaming online auction platform where you register to view or bid and watch it all unfold on your computer. If you have inspected or enquired on the property through the campaign, the agents will send you the link a few days prior to auction. The link can also be found on the listing itself. 'Auction Now' is easy enough to navigate, if you’re planning on only watching, you just need to ‘follow' the property and you will be notified once live streaming starts. 

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