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Glen Waverley House Prices Before and After Budget 2026: What Changed Inside and Outside the GWSC Zone? By Concierge Buyers Advocates The 2026 Federal Budget has given the Melbourne property market something it does not enjoy: uncertainty. For Glen Waverley, one of Melbourne’s most watched family suburbs, the immediate question from buyers is simple: Have house prices dropped after the Budget 2026 announcement? And more importantly, has the Glen Waverley Secondary College zone held up better than the rest of the suburb? The short answer is this: Glen Waverley house prices have not collapsed. But buyer behaviour has changed. The best homes inside the Glen Waverley Secondary College zone are still holding up well, while average or compromised homes outside the zone are becoming more negotiable. That distinction matters. Price headlines are usually slow. Without live Boots on the Ground first hand feedback, information regurgitators will have to wait 3 to 6 months before any measurable data starts showing up on their spreadsheets. Buyer confidence moves first. Auction conditions move next. Vendor expectations adjust after that. Settled sales data comes last, often between 2 to 3 months after. Glen Waverley is the homebase of Concierge Buyers Advocates, and that allowed us to give you the first hand update on Glen Waverley property prices. So when we compare Glen Waverley before and after the Budget 2026 announcement, we need to look at the market first hand and factually — not emotionally. What Changed in Budget 2026? The major property headline from Budget 2026 was the proposed change to negative gearing and capital gains tax. From 1 July 2027, negative gearing benefits for established residential investment properties purchased after the Budget announcement would be restricted. In practical terms, investors buying established homes after the announcement would no longer be able to use rental losses to reduce unrelated income, such as salary and wages. Existing investment properties held before the Budget 2026 announcement on 12 May 2026, were protected. New builds were treated differently, with policy support aimed at encouraging investors to invest in supplying new housing. For suburbs like Glen Waverley, this matters because many houses sit in the $1.8 million to $3.0 million range. At these prices, rental yields are usually modest (2-3% at best), holding costs are high. As such, property investors in Glen Waverley often rely on capital growth rather than cash flow. That means Budget 2026 did not make Glen Waverley undesirable, but it made the numbers harder for property investors buying established houses in Glen Waverley for the tax-saving purposes. Glen Waverley Before Budget 2026 Before the Budget announcement, Glen Waverley was already a strong but selective market. The suburb continued to attract three major buyer groups: Local family upgraders wanting school zones, transport and lifestyle convenience Interstate and overseas buyers targeting established quality Melbourne suburbs Investors and land-bank buyers looking for long-term growth and redevelopment potential The strongest demand was for quality family homes: good land, practical floor plans, natural light, quiet streets, school zoning, and walkability to shops, trains or major amenities. Based on current suburb data, Glen Waverley houses were still recording annual growth before the post-budget uncertainty fully flowed through the market. Three-bedroom houses sat around the mid-$1.6 million range, while four-bedroom houses were around the low-to-mid $1.7 million range depending on land, location, condition and school zoning. But as usual, the headline median does not tell the full story. Property prices in Glen Waverley and large parts of the City of Monash are very sensitive to location. A renovated family home inside the Glen Waverley Secondary College zone is not the same product as a the same house outside the zone. And it is worse if the property is an older house, on a busier road, with renovation needs and no prime school-zone urgency. In Glen Waverley, quality stock has been holding up better than average stock. That was true before the Budget. It is even more true now, after the Budget. The Budget makes it beneficial for current property owners to hold on to their quality established properties, and holding on is what most property owners do now, instead of selling. And we had seen this happened almost immediately after the Budget 2026 announcement. Yes, "For Sale" signs were taken off, and these properties were unlisted within days of budget announcement. Inside the Glen Waverley Secondary College Zone Before Budget 2026 Before Budget 2026, homes inside the Glen Waverley Secondary College School zone carried a clear premium. That premium was not only about Glen Waverley Secondary College. It was also about convenience, scarcity and buyer psychology. Families buying into the GWSC school zone (GWSZ) were often not just buying a house. They were buying certainty and convenience. They wanted access to a highly regarded public school, proximity to The Glen, public transport, established amenities and a suburb with strong long-term resale appeal. This created strong demand for houses inside the zone, especially when the property had: Quiet street position Good land size Move-in-ready condition Practical family floor plan Walking access to shops, transport or schools Before the Budget announcement, some buyers were willing to stretch their budget liberally for GWSC-zoned homes due to strong buyer competition. The school-zone premium gave vendors confidence and, in some cases, too much confidence. That is where the market has now changed. Vendors has their expectations brought back to Earth. But the situation have improved over the weeks after the Budget announcement. Properties are now sold largely at pre budget price ranges. Outside the GWSC Zone Before Budget 2026 Outside the Glen Waverley Secondary College zone, demand was still strong, but it was different. Buyers of properties outside the key Glen Waverley school zones were comparing these homes against Brentwood Secondary College zone, Mount Waverley Secondary College, Wheelers Hill, Vermont South, Wantirna South and other family suburbs in Melbourne’s east and south-east. Outside the GWSC zone, the properties in the other good school zones still command a slightly higher premium, but usually had to win on other fundamentals: Better value Larger land Better condition Stronger floor plan Quieter location Better renovation or redevelopment potential Easier freeway access Stronger rental yield relative to price Before Budget 2026, the rising market helped many of these properties perform. Even if a home did not have GWSC zoning, buyer confidence and investor appetite helped support demand. After Budget 2026, that support has become thinner. Buyers are getting more selective, and they can. What Happened After the Budget Announcement? After Budget 2026, the market did not suddenly stop. But it did become more cautious. The most obvious change has been buyer confidence. The first weekend following the Budget 2026 announcement, the market was chaotic. The tax bar suddenly changed, and buyers and investors are trying to understand what hit them. Some investors have paused. Some are recalculating their after-tax returns. Some are shifting attention to new builds, units, townhouses, commercial property, or simply waiting to see where the dust settles. The first weekend after the announcement saw the wildest price swings, and price drops of 30% were seen in some property auctions. The market has since stabilised, with prices largely recovering back within pre-budget price range. This is a sign of confidence with premium suburbs such as Glen Waverley, Wheelers Hill, Mount Waverley in Eastern Melbourne. Owner-occupier, the home buyers, are still active, especially families wanting to buy in Glen Waverley. But they are using the policy uncertainty as a reason to negotiate harder. Buyers who were previously afraid of missing out are now asking better questions: Is this house worth the price, or just the school-zone premium? Is the rental yield strong enough if I turn this into an investment later? How much will the renovation really cost? Are there defects, planning issues or hidden holding costs? That change in buyer psychology and buyer considerations is important. When buyers become more cautious, weaker properties suffer first. Overpriced homes sit longer. Passed-in auctions become more common. Vendors who were dreaming in 2022 numbers start meeting the post Budget 2026 market, sometimes reluctantly and with a level of theatre worthy of a Saturday auction. Has Glen Waverley Become Cheaper? This is where we need to be precise. If you were to ask the best predictive data engines, there is not yet enough post-budget settled sales data to confidently say Glen Waverley house prices have fallen materially across the board. Settlement data always lags the real market. A sale negotiated and agreed today may not appear in official records for weeks, sometimes months. But that does not mean nothing has changed. But not us. You have to ask us. Glen Waverley is our homebase of our property buying concierge service. We are based in the heart of Glen Waverley. We inspect the Glen Waverley properties, speak with agents active in Glen Waverley, watch Glen Waverley auction behaviour, track Glen Waverley buyer sentiment and see the difference between what is quoted, what is passed in, and what is actually negotiated behind the scenes. And based on what we are seeing on the ground, the market has clearly changed. The key change is not a simple suburb-wide price drop. It is a much sharper separation between good properties and average ones. Quality homes in strong positions are still performing well. In some cases, they are holding up better than expected because buyers continue to value Glen Waverley’s schools, transport, amenities and long-term family appeal. But lesser properties, especially those with poor layouts, dated condition, main-road exposure, awkward land, weak natural light or unrealistic pricing, are much harder to sell, but are still sold largely within price expectations. In other words, the market has become more negotiable, but not evenly. Across Melbourne, auction conditions have softened compared with stronger periods. That does not automatically mean prices are falling everywhere, but it does mean buyers now have more leverage than they did in a heated auction market. In Glen Waverley, buyer demand is rarely driven by tax policy alone. This is a prime family suburb supported by strong school demand, established amenities, transport access and long-term scarcity. Negative gearing changes may affect some investors, but the core buyer pool in Glen Waverley is still heavily driven by owner-occupiers and families. And property investors in Glen Waverley, is about supplying a premium property in a blue-chip location. That is why the post-budget market in Glen Waverley is not a simple “up or down” story. It is a split market. Properties in GWSC Zone After Budget 2026 Inside the Glen Waverley Secondary College zone, quality homes remain among the most resilient stock in Glen Waverley. The school-zone premium is still real. Families still want the school zone. Overseas and interstate buyers still understand the appeal. Local buyers still value the combination of school, transport, shops and established community. However, the premium has become more selective. Before Budget 2026, some buyers were willing to pay strongly simply to secure a GWSC-zone address. After Budget 2026, buyers are still attracted to the zone, but they are more disciplined. They are looking harder at: Land quality Building condition Renovation cost Floor plan Natural light Street position Distance to The Glen and train station Resale appeal Planning restrictions Flood, bushfire and other overlays Powerlines, main roads and other physical compromises This means quality homes inside the GWSC zone are still holding up well. But dated, compromised or overpriced homes inside the zone are now more negotiable. The school zone still adds value, but it no longer excuses every weakness. In simple terms: the GWSC premium remains, but the lazy premium is gone. Properties Outside GWSC Zone After Budget 2026 Outside the GWSC zone, the market is more exposed to broader buyer caution. Good family homes still sell, especially if they offer strong land, good condition, privacy, quiet street position and value compared with homes inside the zone. Average homes outside the zone now need to be priced more carefully. Because They do not have the same school-zone urgency protecting demand, investors are also more cautious because the post-budget tax environment makes low-yield established houses harder to justify. This does not mean every home outside the GWSC zone is weak. Some homes outside the zone are excellent purchases, especially if they are better located, better built or better value than an average home inside the zone. But if a property outside the zone has nothing special, no land, no renovation, no rental yield advantage, no transport convenience and no emotional owner-occupier appeal, buyers are now far more willing to walk away. GWSC Zone vs Outside Zone: Practical Market Comparison Market factor Inside GWSC zone Outside GWSC zone Buyer demand Still strong for family homes More selective School-zone premium Still present Not applicable Price resilience Stronger for quality stock More dependent on property fundamentals Investor appetite Cautious but still interested in scarcity More yield-sensitive Vendor leverage Still reasonable for A-grade homes Weaker unless property is well priced Buyer negotiation power Improving for average stock Stronger, especially for compromised homes Main risk Overpaying for the zone Buying a property with no standout advantage Best opportunity Dated but well-located homes with good land Quality homes priced below equivalent zone stock Approximate Premium: Inside GWSC vs Outside As a practical buyer’s advocate estimate, GWSC-zone houses can still command a meaningful premium, but the premium varies heavily depending on land, location and condition. Property type Indicative GWSC-zone premium Entry-level older house $200,000–$400,000 Good family home $300,000–$600,000 Prime land or central pocket $500,000+ Townhouse or unit Usually lower, but still meaningful This premium is not always purely about school zoning. Homes inside the zone are often larger, newer, better presented, closer to The Glen, train station, shops and central Glen Waverley amenities. They may also be on better streets or more tightly held pockets. But the fact remains. To access the Glen Waverley Secondary College, be prepared to pay about $500,000 more. That is why buyers must be careful when comparing prices. A house inside the zone and a house outside the zone may both be in Glen Waverley, but they may be completely different assets. The market does not pay for a postcode alone. It pays for scarcity, utility and future demand. The Rental Yield Problem in Glen Waverley Let's put it this way. Buyers of properties in Glen Waverley, especially in the GWSC school zone, is never about rental yield, negative gearing or CGT tax changes. It is about access to the School, the amenities, public transport and highways. So, it is no surprise that one of the biggest issues for Glen Waverley investors is yield. A typical family house in Glen Waverley may rent well, but the purchase price is also high. That usually produces a low rental yield compared with cheaper outer suburbs or regional markets. For example, a four-bedroom Glen Waverley house may achieve strong weekly rent, but if the purchase price is around $1.7 million or more, the gross yield can still be modest. Gross yields of around 2-3% are considered normal. Once you include interest, council rates, insurance, maintenance, land tax, property management and vacancy risk, the net yield is a lot lower and cash flow can be very uncomfortable for those who rely simply on tax advantages. Before Budget 2026, some investors accepted this because negative gearing softened the holding-cost pain. After Budget 2026, that equation becomes harder for new investors buying established property. This does not destroy the investment case for Glen Waverley. But it raises the investor's expectations. Investors now need to buy better assets, avoid emotional overpayment and understand that tax policy is not a substitute for fundamentals. Inside the GWSC zone, the long-term resale argument is still stronger. Outside the zone, the numbers need to work harder. Why is the Glen Waverley Property Market Different Despite the policy changes, Glen Waverley is not just another suburb on a spreadsheet. Its long-term appeal is built on real fundamentals: Strong school demand Established family housing Major retail amenity at The Glen Train access Good road connectivity Large blocks in selected pockets Strong Asian buyer appeal Multi-generational family demand Long-term scarcity of well-located land These fundamentals do not disappear because tax rules change. However, what changes is the price buyers are willing to pay for weaker assets. In a rising market, almost everything looks clever. In a cautious market, bad properties lose their makeup very quickly. Pre-Budget vs Post-Budget: The Practical Comparison Pre-Budget vs Post-Budget: The Practical Comparison Market factor Before Budget 2026 After Budget 2026 announcement Buyer confidence Stronger, especially among investors and family buyers More cautious, especially investors Established house demand Solid, supported by school zones and land value Still present, but more selective GWSC-zone premium Strong and sometimes emotional Still real, but more quality-dependent Outside-zone demand Supported by broader Glen Waverley confidence More exposed to negotiation Investor appetite Higher tolerance for low yield Lower tolerance for poor cash flow Vendor expectations Often ambitious Starting to adjust Auction conditions More competitive for good homes More passed-in opportunities and negotiation Quality homes Still resilient Still resilient Compromised homes Could still sell with enough hype More exposed to discounting Negotiation power Often with vendors Moving back towards informed buyers What Buyers Should Do Now For home buyers, the post-budget Glen Waverley market is not a market to fear. There is no different before and after the Budget 2026 changes. But for most investors who do not rely on depreciation, "instant" negative gearing offset, nothing significant has changed, other than CGT calculations methods. But for other tax-sensitive investors, it is not the market to get in, without understanding it. The worst move is to assume every property is now a bargain. It is not. The second worst move is to assume every property will fall. It did not, and will not. The smarter strategy is to separate the suburb from the asset. Glen Waverley may remain a strong quality long-term suburb, but not every house in Glen Waverley is worth buying. Some properties deserve a premium. Others deserve a polite nod and a plan-B. Buyers should now focus on: Recent comparable sales Accurate school-zone checking Land quality and street position Building condition Renovation cost Rental yield and holding cost Long-term resale appeal Auction competition Vendor motivation Planning, flood, bushfire and infrastructure overlays If buying inside the GWSC zone, do not just pay for the zone. Pay for the right property inside the zone. If buying outside the GWSC zone, do not automatically dismiss it. A better house outside the zone can often be a smarter purchase than a compromised house inside the zone, especially if you do not need the school zone. Proper due diligence matters. What Sellers Need to Understand For sellers, the message is simple: the 2026 buyer is more analytical. They are not just asking, “Can I afford this?” They are asking, “Does the price still make sense?” That means quoting low to create a crowd may not work as well if the property has obvious issues. Buyers are more likely to walk away. Investors are sharper with numbers. Families still want Glen Waverley, but they are less willing to ignore defects, poor layout or overpricing. Inside the GWSC zone, sellers of good homes should still have confidence. But they should not confuse school-zone demand with a blank cheque. Outside the GWSC zone, pricing discipline is even more important. If the property is good, show the value clearly. If it is compromised, pray that the market will not notice. Final View: Has Budget 2026 Changed Glen Waverley House Prices? Budget 2026 has not destroyed Glen Waverley house prices, but it has changed the balance of power. Before the announcement, Glen Waverley was already expensive, competitive and quality-driven. After the announcement, buyers are more cautious, investors are more selective, and vendors can no longer assume that all demand is equal. Inside the Glen Waverley Secondary College zone, the best homes remain resilient. The school-zone premium is still there, but it is now more selective. Outside the GWSC zone, buyers have more room to negotiate, especially where the property is average, overpriced or compromised. In plain English: Inside GWSC, quality stock is holding firm. Outside GWSC, buyers have more leverage. The premium remains, but the lazy premium is gone. For serious buyers, especially home buyers or buyers who are after quality investment properties with good fundamentals, that creates opportunity. Not a free-for-all. Not a crash. But a better market for those who know how to read the numbers, test the property properly and negotiate before the crowd realises what is happening. As Sun Tzu would say, victory is won before the battle. In property terms, that means the real win happens before the auction, before the offer, and before the agent knows how serious you are. The best purchase is not the cheapest house in the suburb. It is the right property, bought for the right reason, at the right price. FAQ - Glen Waverley House Prices After Budget 2026 Did Glen Waverley house prices fall after Budget 2026? There is not enough settled-sales data yet to say Glen Waverley house prices have materially fallen after Budget 2026. However, buyer confidence has weakened, auction conditions have softened, and investors are becoming more selective. Are homes inside the Glen Waverley Secondary College zone holding up better? Yes. Quality homes inside the Glen Waverley Secondary College zone appear to be more resilient because family demand remains strong. However, dated or compromised homes inside the zone are now more negotiable. Is the GWSC school-zone premium still real? Yes. The GWSC-zone premium is still real, but it has become more selective. Buyers are no longer paying the full premium for every property simply because it sits inside the school zone. Are homes outside the GWSC zone weaker? Homes outside the GWSC zone are generally more exposed to buyer caution, especially if they are overpriced or compromised. However, a quality home outside the zone can still be a better purchase than a poor-quality home inside the zone. How much more do buyers pay for the GWSC zone? The premium varies depending on land, location and condition. As a practical guide, houses inside the GWSC zone may command anywhere from $200,000 to more than $500,000 above comparable homes outside the zone. Is Glen Waverley still a good suburb to buy in? Yes. Glen Waverley remains a strong long-term suburb because of schools, transport, shopping, established housing and land scarcity. But buyers must be selective. The right property matters more than the postcode alone. Should investors still buy in Glen Waverley after Budget 2026? Investors need to be more careful. Glen Waverley can still make sense for long-term capital growth, but high purchase prices and modest yields mean the numbers must be tested properly before buying.

Amidst the doom and gloom of multiple interest rates hikes, savvy buyers are snapping good deals. Good deals are still selling fast, and a fantastic deal will still sell within 3 days. And this is one such property. It was bought within 3 days of listing. Here is our story of one of our recent buys. In the Melbourne real estate market, people say you must be crazy to sell your house over the Christmas period. Many buyers (and agents) are away on holidays, and it is pointless selling when no-one is buying. This is one-such property. It was listed the week before Christmas. And we took it off the market within a week. Deal Snapshot Location: Northern Victoria Buyer type: Investor Strategy: Private sale Campaign timing: Day 3 inspection, multiple offers pre-inspection end Purchase price: $430,000 Vendor ask / guide: Guide range: $415,000–$425,000 Negotiated outcome: we paid above price guide - read why below Settlement: Feb 2023 Land / dwelling: 3 bed | 2 bath | 900 sqm Conditions: confidential Now, here is the story. How Do Buyers Advocates Select The Properties We Buy? We're always monitoring the market for good deals, and this caught our attention. Due diligence showed this property is within 5 minutes of major universities (yes, 2 universities), major shopping mall, and hospital. A second set of shopping malls and hospital is a short 15 minutes away. The bonus is, it is on a large 900sqm block of land, with an outstanding potential for further manufactured growth. Research data also showed the location has already experienced 40-50% growth in 3 years, and it has another 20%+ more growth potential in the near future. It is what our client was looking for, and it ticked all boxes. We presented this property to our client and we were given the go ahead to acquire it. We expected strong competition for this regional property in Northern Victoria — but not this strong. The inspection was held on just the third day of the campaign, and eight other buyer groups were already through. That’s serious heat, especially after seven interest rate hikes in seven months and with Christmas around the corner. This is exactly why regional buying demands stricter due diligence than metro. Regional property purchases operate on a different level of complexity. It is best left to the experts, if you’re not 100% confident in what you’re doing, it’s easy to miss the risks, and overpay for them. Our checks flagged this as an A-grade investment property, so we knew it would move fast. And it did. Before the inspection even wrapped up, two offers had already landed with the agent. Because the selling agent knows our process and track record, we secured an extra 18 hours to prepare a properly structured offer — and we used every minute of it. How Do Buyers Advocates Made Offers For the Properties? When our Buyers Advocates inspects a property, we include a preliminary assessment of its condition. We are trained builders and our buyers advocates have the right experience to assess the condition of the building. This one passed our walk-thru inspection, and with our green-light from a subsequent formal inspection, our client had given us the go-ahead to purchase it. We know this is grade A investment property, and we were expecting a few other offers. So we had to be different. While our Principal Buyers Advocate, Rayson, was driving back to Melbourne, he was mentally putting together an offer strategy. It has to be creative, and something different. That evening, we discussed a few offer strategies with the clients. This strategy was so specific to this client and property that we are unable to disclose the details. Some parts of the offer strategies were also untested, but following discussions with our network of finance, legal and real estate professionals, we are pretty certain that it can be done. Our offer price was going to be fair. We are always after the best deal for our clients, and we do not want to overpay. Thus, price is not going to be our strong selling point in this offer. The next day, we presented our offer. The agent confirmed there are 7 other offers, and our offer price wasn't the best. There were other higher offers. But our offer was "the most attractive". Outcome of Our Offer Just two days before Christmas, the agent called. Our offer was accepted at $430k! For our investor client, it was the perfect Christmas gift, timed to perfection. The selling agent expressed relief that the offer came from a professional Buyers Advocate, acknowledging that "BAs like us aren't sitting around." They understood that when we present an offer, it's backed by thorough buyer qualification and market knowledge. We know the true value of the property, and we ensure our clients are fully prepared and financially capable before the offer is even made. This level of professionalism reassures the sales agents that they won’t be wasting time with unqualified or unprepared buyers. With our clients, the only hurdle was potentially the price. It wasn't the most attractive price, but the professionalism by being represented by a professional buyers advocates and the preparation of the offer package and deal make our offer the easy choice. The property was successfully settled in February 2023. We then handpicked one of the top property managers in the area to oversee the rental, and it was leased within a week—thanks to the prime location and extreme low vacancy rate in the area. Why Did We Overpay for the Property? A question many buyers have in this market is: “Did we just overpay?” And if we paid above the asking price, how can that still be a good buy? First, asking price isn’t market value. In competitive campaigns, the asking price is often just a starting point. What matters is whether the final price stacks up against other factors, such as, the property’s fundamentals, and the buyer’s strategy. And secondly, we didn’t “overpay” in the way most people assume. Our offer was strong and attractive, and yes, it was above the asking price, but it wasn’t the highest. Another higher offer came in and the vendor didn’t choose it. The benefit of being represented by a Buyers Advocate When you’re represented by a professional career buyer, the selling agent and vendor gain confidence that your offer is real, qualified, and low risk, with a far higher chance of going unconditional without drama. In plain English: it’s not just about price. It’s about certainty. That certainty can beat a higher offer, and in this case, it did. Now, here's the reason and why we paid above asking price for it, and the proof why this strategy is appropriate. It's not a wild guess. It's not a gamble. It's a calculated move, with the right insights Here's the Reason Why We Paid More Prices are Growing for Good Properties In just two short months, by March 2023, similar properties in the same neighborhood were selling for $480k to $500k—a remarkable 10% growth in value in 2 months. But our client isn’t selling just yet. They have bigger plans, and we’re working closely with them to unlock the full potential of this property and maximize their investment. Price update in 2026 Fast forward to September 2024, and the property is now valued at nearly $600k, marking an impressive 40% increase in just 18 months. Even more remarkable is that this growth occurred during a period of rising and high interest rates, proving that with the right strategy and expert guidance, significant gains are possible, even in challenging market conditions. Price update in 2026 In June 2026, 3 years after the purchase, this property is now worth $700k, in its original form, as is. a 63% increase in 3 years. Renovate examples are easily selling for around $850k in the area. The best news? At a weekly rent of $580, this is a high-growth positively geared property. So, did we overpay? Maybe we did. But look at the returns. Help for Home Buyers and Investment Property Buyers This is just one of the examples of how we turn property dreams into reality, combining expertise, timing, and a commitment to our clients’ success. If you are after a similar good deal, get in touch. While we cannot guarantee every property will be as good or similar, you can be certain that we will get the property for the best price for you. Get in touch now if you want the confidence to grab your prime property in this hot market. More home and investment property buying news and tips here.

So, you saw this well-priced property which looks pristine and fabulous, but you are too far away or too busy to inspect it. And you wanted it so badly that you are considering the leap of faith, trusting the photographs in real estate advertisements and purchasing a property sight unseen. Should you do that? What risks are you exposing yourself to? Can you trust the photographs in real estate advertisements? Real estate photography is a sales tool designed to show a property in its best light. While it is generally trustworthy for getting a feel for the layout and features, you should always expect some artificial enhancements, wide-angle distortion, and carefully framed shots that omit problem areas, clutters and unsightly neighbours electronically removed, etc. We've been inspecting and buying properties for more than 20 years and we've seen it all. One thing is for sure, you simply cannot trust advertisements, real estate or not. While the relevant real estate false advertising guidelines prevents a property from being falsely represented, buyers should always approach any advertisement with a pinch of salt. What you see may not always be what you get. Most real estate advertisements do represent a largely realistic portrayal of the properties. But, like any industry, there are always rogue sales agents and real estate photographers who are "creative" (for a better word) with their photographs. There is often more than meets the eye. We inspect between 10 to 20 properties every week and without fail, each week, we come across real estate photos which does not represent the property accurately, Let's take this Case Study. Case Study: Newish Townhouse in Mount Waverley Take a moment to analyze this property in a sought-after blue chip South East Melbourne suburb of Mount Waverley, right next to Glen Waverley. Photo A: Actual photograph taken at the property Photo B: The Same room in the real estate advertisements How accurate are real estate photographs? Now, let's play a game of "Spot the difference". Compare Photo A and Photo B. Is this clever photography, creative manipulation, or perhaps "generative" photography in modern AI terms? Which version of the room would you prefer? Let's look at the differences: Notice the major omission of the construction right next to the living room. It is missing from the Photo B, the real estate advertisement. A site visit showed the major concern for any property buyer. A new double story townhouse is looming over the property. When completed, the neighbours will be peering over the fence, right into the living room. This is a major privacy concern with most buyers. Other subtle differences like a different wall picture, a resized coffee table, and a lowered ceiling height all contribute to creating an illusion of a spacious living room in the advertisement, when this room is actually smaller than a typical living room. Photo B also appears brighter, which again, gives an impression of space. This can easily be done by post-processing the protograph and increasing the brightness or via slightly overexposing the photograph. So should you trust a real estate photograph? How accurate are the real estate photographs? Are you willing to take the risk of buying sight unseen? The answer is an obvious no. While state regulations require that the photographs must not give a false impression of the property, it does not ban creative use of photography techniques, camera lens, etc As for anything outside the property, it is a gray area, up for interpretation. These are the things we can see in photographs. What about the areas which aren't shown in these photographs? A typical house is much more than the 15-20 or so photographs in the advertisements. Problems That are Usually Hidden in Real Estate Photographs We have also seen real estate agents cleverly hide or avoid photographs of places with imperfections or even defects. We've seen bent lintels over doors and windows which are cleverly hidden behind curtains or with bright lighting. termite damaged and flood damaged floors and walls not showing up in photographs. wood rot which are not usually visible on photographs. overhead high tension power lines which are not captured by smart camera angling. water damage behind toilets. What else doesn't the real estate photographs show? Real estate photographs are only concerned with showing the interior of the property. Plus how the house look like from the outside. While good, some critical information are omitted. The view from the house. Let's put it this way... If you're living in the house, you'll want to know what you are looking at, the moment you look out of the window. You probably don't want to look into a cemetery, the rear of a brothel or some hoarders property. The feeling in the house. This is another critical thing photographs are never able to show. You won't know how airy, how bright or how confined the property feels from a photograph. What can you do to avoid deceptive real estate advertisement? There is unfortunately no other ways to definitively know what the property looks like without an on-site inspection. An on-site inspection may not be as expensive as you think. Investing a small amount upfront for peace of mind could save you from potential surprises down the line. How can Concierge Buyers Advocates help with home inspection? As builder trained buyers agents and advocates, when we inspect properties, we also perform visual checks to assess the structural conditions and common faults. This helps interested buyers avoid engaging expensive formal inspections when there are clues of major defects. Our 3-in-1 property inspection: Assess the property and provide an unbiased appraisal of property value. Assess the property against buyers requirements. Assess the property for aesthetics, common concerns, issues, superstitions, feng shui, etc. After all, what's a few hundred dollars when you are risking a million-dollar home purchase? The choice is yours. How can you get an independent Home Inspection in Melbourne? Due the low cost nature and time needed to organise the home inspection, the service is only restricted to Melbourne. However, we have other options which allow other regional areas to be inspected. Get in touch with us, if you need that home inspection professionally performed.

When searching for an independent buyers' advocate, a medical specialist, BOOM suburbs, or an investment platform and ideas, turning to Artificial Intelligence for an unbiased recommendation feels like a logical first step. AI algorithms have no emotions, take no bribes, and process vast quantities of data in seconds. It seems like the ultimate objective tool. But it is a trap. The assumption that AI is independent and neutral is not just slightly flawed; it is fundamentally incorrect. Far from being an unbiased referee, AI is a mirror of an internet marketplace increasingly distorted by deep pockets, manufactured reputations, and sophisticated digital manipulation. If you rely on an AI to choose an advisor or a service provider or property recommendation, you aren't getting objective truth. You are getting a summary of the highest bidder's marketing campaign. In this digital landscape, it is effectively the blind leading the blind. Or even worse: the thief baiting the naive. The "Pay-to-Win" Internet Economy To understand why AI fails at objectivity, we have to look at its fuel supply: the public internet. AI models do not experience the physical world. They do not sit in on real estate negotiations, verify property settlement figures, or interview past clients face-to-face. They gather information by crawling websites, review platforms, forums, and social media channels. This introduces a devastating structural asymmetry. In high-stakes industries like property advocacy or financial consulting, there are two distinct types of players: The Honest Operator: These boutique businesses charge honest, fair, transparent fees and dedicate their resources to client outcomes. Because their margins are tight, they do not have tens of thousands of dollars a month to spend on search engine optimization (SEO) agencies, content farms, or aggressive online reputation managers. The Predatory "Spruiker": These operators often "double-dip," charging the client an upfront fee while secretly taking massive, undisclosed kickbacks from developers to offload low-performing or "lemon" properties. A single hidden kickback can yield tens of thousands of dollars in pure profit—funds that are immediately reinvested into dominating the digital landscape. Deep-pocketed, shady operators can easily afford to buy hundreds of verified five-star reviews, deploy automated bots to post positive testimonials on forums, and commission dozens of search-optimized fluff articles that praise their "unrivaled expertise." This manufactured digital footprint is known as astroturfing. How the AI Swallows the Lie and Regurgitate as Truth An AI model possesses no human intuition, skepticism, or real-world cynicism. It cannot read a beautifully worded, glowing review and sense that the syntax sounds exactly like an offshore click-farm or a paid copywriter. It cannot pick up a phone to verify if a case study actually occurred. Instead, an AI looks at mathematical consensus, keyword density, volume, and consistency across the web. If five hundred astroturfed blogs, paid articles, and fake profiles state that a particular agency is "ethical, data-driven, and highly recommended," the AI registers that volume as a dominant, objective fact. Consequently, the AI becomes an automated megaphone for the wealthiest liar. It systematically penalises the quiet, honest boutique professional who refuses to play the digital manipulation game, while confidently steering unsuspecting consumers directly into the arms of sophisticated corporate scammers. Why AI Should Never Be Relied Upon for Major Financial Decisions Using an AI to summarise technical concepts or write code is highly effective. Using it to make a qualitative judgment call on who to trust and what to buy with your life savings is incredibly dangerous, for three critical reasons: Total Lack of Accountability: If an AI recommends a predatory buyers' agent or a fraudulent financial advisor and you lose your deposit, the AI bears zero liability. You cannot sue an algorithm, and the tech conglomerate that built it is shielded by standard "informational purposes only" disclaimers. The Illusion of Authority: AI models are masters of languages and express themselves with absolute clarity and confidence. They do not say, "I am recommending this firm because they bought 400 fake reviews on Trustpilot." Instead, they present the recommendation with structured, authoritative prose that mimics a seasoned human expert, disarming your natural skepticism, often without even quoting the source of information. The Feedback Loop of Falsehoods: Once an AI starts recommending a highly visible, shady player, automated scrapers and blogs copy that text and republish it elsewhere. Future AI models then crawl those new pages, reinforcing the original lie. Consequently, the scammer's paid footprint becomes permanently baked into the internet's infrastructure. We are already seeing this play out: shady buyers' agents with almost zero real-world experience are managing to boast hundreds of flawless reviews across the web. The Human Blueprint for Safety In an era where the internet can be bought and AI models can be easily manipulated, the only true defense is to treat all online consensus as marketing fluff until proven otherwise. Never let an AI do your vetting. Instead, strip away the digital noise and look strictly at un-fakeable, real-world metrics: verify active state licenses on government databases, cross-reference professional histories via corporate registries, and demand legally binding, written contracts stating that your advisor receives zero third-party kickbacks. Your safety lies in hard contracts and human skepticism, not algorithms. Look at AI as your super-sized Google. It is no different. It is not your 100%-correct professor. Source of this Article You might be surprised if we disclose this is what Google's very own AI engine, Gemini, said. But it is. Even the AI model knows AI can't differentiate the truth. Kudos to Google Gemini.

Case Study: A Two-Week Return Road Trip to Alice Springs That Was Worth Every Kilometre Buying a holiday home in Alice Springs isn’t hard to shop for online. It’s hard to buy properly when you’re interstate, can’t inspect easily, and don’t want to rely on sales agents for the million-dollar decision. In 2024, a returned client approached us after struggling to find an experienced buyers agent willing to support a purchase in Alice Springs. They wanted genuine buyer-side representation — not advice filtered through the vendor’s agenda. For a $1 million purchase, that’s not paranoia. That’s good risk management. We accepted the brief. And within three weeks, we secured the right property for them. The real challenge: boots on the ground Shortlisting remotely was the easy part. The bigger challenge was doing the job properly: inspection, due diligence coordination, location, safety and managing the purchase process end-to-end while being physically present when it mattered. So we did what serious buyer advocacy requires sometimes: We got in the car. We embarked on an epic two-week return drive from Melbourne to Alice Springs, combining essential on-site work with a route through iconic outback towns and regions including Port Augusta, Woomera and Coober Pedy, plus the Barossa and Riverland on the way through. Long drives of 300-700km legs, big skies, zero shortcuts — and the confidence that comes from seeing the property and location, firsthand. And yes, this is exactly why Rayson loves the work. Road trips included. Results required. Brief Snapshot Client goal: Buy a high-quality holiday home in Alice Springs with true buyer-side representation Purchase price: ~$1,000,000 Engagement to shortlist success: 3 weeks Distance travelled: 7,500 km Duration: 13 days Costs: Confidential at the client’s request What we delivered Interstate buyer advocacy and strategy Property shortlisting and suitability assessment (remote + on-ground) On-site inspection support and risk checks Negotiation and purchase management End-to-end coordination through to settlement Why this matters (for buyers) If you’re buying interstate — especially for a premium home or investment — you need more due diligence than listings and opinions. You need an advocate who: works exclusively for buyers, can assess property with discipline, and will do the hard yards when the purchase demands it. If you’re looking for an experienced buyers agent or buyers advocate to purchase a property in Alice Springs (or anywhere interstate), talk to Concierge Buyers Advocates. We’ll quickly tell you what’s realistic, what’s risky, and whether we’re the right fit — no fluff.

Buying your first home is a thrilling milestone, but let’s be honest - it can also feel like navigating a maze. The good news? The First Home Guarantee benefits are designed to make that journey smoother and more affordable. If you’ve been wondering how to get a leg up in the property market, you’re in the right place. I’m here to walk you through how the first home guarantee scheme works, who qualifies, and how you can make the most of it. What Are the First Home Guarantee Benefits? So, what exactly are these benefits, and why should you care? The First Home Guarantee is a government initiative aimed at helping first-time buyers get into the property market with a smaller deposit. Traditionally, lenders want you to put down at least 20% of the property price to avoid paying lenders mortgage insurance (LMI). That’s a hefty chunk of change for many. Here’s the kicker: with the First Home Guarantee, you can secure a home loan with as little as 5% deposit without having to pay LMI. That’s a game-changer. It means you can buy your dream home sooner, with less upfront cash, and keep more money in your pocket for moving costs, renovations, or even a celebratory dinner. How Does It Work? The government guarantees up to 15% of the property price. You only need to provide a 5% deposit. The guarantee applies to new or existing homes, including off-the-plan properties. There’s a cap on the property price depending on the location. Imagine you’re eyeing a $600,000 home in Melbourne. Normally, you’d need $120,000 for a 20% deposit. With the First Home Guarantee, you only need $30,000 upfront, and the government backs the rest of the deposit gap. Pretty neat, right? Who is Eligible for the First Home Grant in Australia? Eligibility is a key piece of the puzzle. Not everyone can jump on this bandwagon, but if you tick the right boxes, you’re in luck. Here’s who can apply: Australian citizens aged 18 or over. Sorry, permanent residents and visa holders don’t qualify. You must be a first home buyer - meaning you haven’t owned or had an interest in a residential property in Australia before. Your household income must be below the set threshold. For singles, it’s $125,000 per year; for couples, $200,000 combined. The property you’re buying must be your principal place of residence. The property price must be within the regional caps. For example, in Melbourne, the cap is around $700,000 (this can vary, so always check the latest figures). If you’re planning to buy with a partner, both of you need to meet the criteria. Also, you can only use the guarantee once, so it’s a one-time opportunity. How to Apply and What to Expect Applying for the First Home Guarantee is straightforward but requires some preparation. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started: Check your eligibility. Use the official government website or speak to a mortgage broker. Find a lender who participates in the scheme. Not all lenders offer loans under this guarantee, so do your homework. Get pre-approval for your home loan. This helps you understand your borrowing capacity. Submit your application for the guarantee through your lender. They’ll handle the paperwork with the government. Once approved, proceed with your property purchase. Keep in mind, the scheme has limited places each financial year, so timing is crucial. Don’t wait until you find the perfect home to start the process. Tips for a Smooth Application Gather your documents early: proof of income, ID, and any other paperwork your lender requests. Work with a trusted mortgage broker or buyer’s advocate who knows the ins and outs of the scheme. Stay within your budget and property price caps to avoid surprises. What Are the Limitations and Things to Watch Out For? While the First Home Guarantee is fantastic, it’s not without its quirks. Here are some things to keep in mind: Limited spots: The government only offers a set number of guarantees each year. If you miss out, you’ll have to wait until the next round. Property price caps: These vary by region and can limit your options, especially in hot markets like Melbourne. Not for investment properties: The scheme is strictly for owner-occupiers. You still need to cover other costs: Stamp duty, legal fees, inspections, and moving expenses aren’t covered. Loan conditions: You must meet your lender’s criteria, which can include credit checks and serviceability assessments. Understanding these limitations helps you plan better and avoid disappointment. Making the Most of the First Home Guarantee Benefits Now that you know how the scheme works, how can you leverage it to your advantage? Here are some practical tips: Start saving early: Even with a 5% deposit, you’ll need funds for other upfront costs. Get professional advice: A buyer’s advocate or mortgage broker can help you navigate the market and the application process. Research property prices: Stay within the caps and look for areas with growth potential. Consider new builds: Sometimes, new homes qualify better under the scheme and may come with additional incentives. Plan for the long term: Think about your future needs and how the property fits into your lifestyle and investment goals. Remember, this scheme is a stepping stone. It’s about getting your foot in the door and setting yourself up for success. If you’re ready to take the plunge, the first home guarantee scheme could be the key to unlocking your dream home sooner than you think. With the right preparation and guidance, you’ll be turning the key to your new front door before you know it. Happy house hunting!

Some briefs are normal. This one came with rules. In late 2025, we helped a buyer with a $1.5M budget purchase in Glen Waverley — but the home had to meet strict Feng Shui and Bazi requirements and still stack up as a strong long-term asset. No “close enough”. No compromises that would be a forever annoyance. The brief (non-negotiables) Location: Glen Waverley (family pockets, school considerations) Property: House, move-in ready, strong natural light Feng Shui + Bazi Priorities: Front door placement, good internal flow, avoid obvious negatives (busy roads, T-intersections, powerline presence) Deal-breakers: compromised blocks / access, awkward slopes, pools, dark layouts In Glen Waverley, that filter wipes out a large chunk of available stock immediately. That’s where most buyers burn time, get tired, then overpay for something they don’t fully love. A Crash Course on Feng Shui and BaZi in Property What is Feng Shui? Feng Shui (风水) is about how a home and land feel and function — light, airflow, layout flow, street influence, and how the environment “pressures” the property. Many Feng Shui principles overlap with plain common sense: good natural light, quiet streets, usable land, and a layout that doesn’t fight you. What is Bazi? BaZi (Four Pillars of Destiny - 八字) is different. It’s not about the house — it’s about the person. In properties, this is usually the main breadwinner of the household. BaZi looks at a buyer’s birth data (year/month/day/hour) and uses it to assess personal energy balance and favourable elements (e.g., Wood/Fire/Earth/Metal/Water). In property terms, some buyers use BaZi to help guide preferences such as: Favourable directions (which can influence preferred facing/sitting orientations) Timing (when to buy, renovate, move in, or avoid big decisions) Element balance (e.g., a preference for brighter “Fire” energy homes, or calm “Water” energy environments) Is Feng Shui a Superstition or Science? Feng Shui is best considered as an ancient pseudo-science. It is not a hard science because it relies on metaphysical concepts like "chi" (energy) that cannot be empirically measured. In real estate terms, “chi” is often what people describe as a property’s feel. The sense of comfort, flow, and ease you experience in a space. That said, it is not mere superstition. Many of its core principles are rooted in centuries of observation and overlap heavily with modern environmental psychology, ergonomics, and evidence-based design, especially when you focus on practical factors like natural light, airflow, layout flow, privacy, noise, and how a home relates to its surroundings. Calling Feng Shui “just superstition” without understanding it is a bit superficial. While it originated from ancient Chinese beliefs, many of its ideas aren’t purely mystical once you look closely. Not everything can be explained by hard core science, but it just sounds logical. In that sense, Feng Shui is less a strict hard-core science and more a collection of long-observed patterns about what tends to feel comfortable, functional, and liveable over time. If you’d like, we can publish a Top 10 Feng Shui Principles for Property Buyers — leave a comment below and we’ll put it together. Feng Shui, Bazi and Properties In most Asian and some South Asian believes, the Feng Shui and Bazi has to work together with the property features to achieve the best home buying outcome. Best Prosperity, Best Luck, Best Health, etc. Because these criteria are closely related to the buyer or the main breadwinner of the household, a "Good" property for one buyer, may not be the best for the next. Our approach: Feng Shui +Bazi + fundamentals So, back to our client. We treated Feng Shui + Bazi as a hard constraint, then layered in fundamentals that protect resale and lifestyle: quiet, owner-occupier streets light and layout that actually works overlays/risk checks and contract discipline comparable sales to keep pricing honest agent intel on vendor motivation and competition Instead of inspecting everything, we ran a ruthless shortlist. The goal wasn’t “find a property”. It was find the right property. Almost 99% of the properties are ruthlessly rejected. The turning point A home came up that hit the sweet spot: correct orientation, great light, clean flow, strong street quality, and no obvious compromises. The client loved it — which is usually when unguided buyers make expensive mistakes. We separated emotions from execution: we priced it off what the market tells us, set a clear walk-away price, then put together our offer and decisively negotiated with clean terms and confidence. Result The buyer secured a home that met the Feng Shui + Bazi requirements without sacrificing fundamentals — and without paying a “scarcity tax” just to get the property. The best outcome wasn’t just the purchase. It was the feeling after: “We didn’t settle for second best.” Key Takeaways for Feng Shui Property Buyers in Glen Waverley Feng Shui matters — but street quality, light, layout, and resale still rule. Tight briefs demand a ruthless filter, not more inspections. Scarcity is real, but overpaying is optional. Glen Waverley Buyers Advocates Rayson, our Principal Buyers Advocate, is builder-trained and has a strong working understanding of Feng Shui principles as they apply to real homes and real streets. While he is not a Feng Shui practitioner, he can connect clients with trusted practitioners — both locally and overseas — when specialist advice is required. If you have specific Feng Shui requirements and you’re buying in Glen Waverley (or nearby suburbs), we can help you shortlist the right homes faster, avoid compromised stock, and negotiate with confidence, while keeping your Feng Shui brief front and centre. FAQ - Feng Shui, Bazi and Properties Does Feng Shui affect resale? Yes, but not indirectly. Many Feng Shui “rules” line up with what the wider market already pays for: good natural light, a quiet street, a practical floorplan, and a sense of openness. Homes that avoid obvious negatives, such as busy roads, harsh T-intersections, powerlines in view, awkward internal flow, typically attract more buyers, which supports resale. The “superstition” narrative is optional — the livability isn’t. Which front-door directions are most common in Glen Waverley? There’s no official dataset that reports “most common” door direction by suburb. In practice, Glen Waverley is a mix of older street grids, crescents and court pockets, so you’ll see properties facing every directions. For most buyers unfazed with Feng Shui and Bazi, what matters more than the directional labels (N/E/S/W) is the result: light into living areas, privacy from the street, and a layout that flows. What are the most common Feng Shui deal-breakers we see? The repeat offenders are usually very practical issues avoided by most buyers: Busy roads (noise, dust, safety) T-intersections or sharp road alignment toward the home Powerlines/large poles dominating the frontage or view line Front door “shoot-through” (front door aligned straight to rear door) Dark interiors (especially living zones) Awkward blocks: severe slope, heavy retaining, poor drainage, battle-axe access

Established or New Build? The $900k Melbourne Investor Question One of the biggest questions Melbourne property investors are asking right now is simple: “Should I buy an established property or a brand-new build?” It used to be a simple question, until the Budget 2026 announcement. It is now no longer a simple question. You almost need an accounting degree and a crystal ball to answer that. After the 2026 Federal Budget changes, where negative gearing benefits are being reshaped to favour new residential properties. The Government’s Budget explainer states that negative gearing benefits are being limited to new residential properties, while losses on established residential properties purchased after the relevant cut-off may no longer be immediately offset against salary and wage income. That sounds like a win for new builds. But property investing is not just about tax. It is about rent, land value, tenant demand, holding cost, resale depth, scarcity, depreciation, maintenance risk and long-term capital growth. Tax benefits can help you hold the property. They do not automatically make it a good property. Let’s look at the numbers. The Scenario: $900k Purchase, $130k Income For this comparison, let’s use a realistic Melbourne investor profile. Assumptions Assumption Figure Investor income $130,000 p.a. Purchase price $900,000 Loan $720,000 Loan-to-value ratio 80% Interest rate 6.25% interest-only Inner-metro established rent $700 per week Outer-ring new build rent $600 per week For someone earning $130,000, the investor generally sits around the 30% marginal tax bracket, before Medicare levy, under current Australian resident tax rates. For simplicity, we will use an approximate 32% tax benefit, allowing for Medicare levy. Disclaimer: This is not tax advice. It is a practical investment modelling exercise. Option 1: $900k Established Inner-Metro Property Let’s say the investor buys an established townhouse, villa unit or modest house in an inner or middle-ring Melbourne suburb. It costs $900,000 and rents for $700 per week. Annual Rental Income Item Amount Rent: $700 x 52 weeks $36,400 Estimated Annual Holding Costs Item Estimate Interest on $720,000 at 6.25% $45,000 Property management, approx. 7.7% incl. GST $2,803 Council, water, insurance $4,500 Maintenance allowance $2,500 Land tax estimate $2,050 Total annual cost $56,853 Victoria land tax is based on the taxable value of landholdings, not the total purchase price of the property. Investment properties are generally assessable unless an exemption applies. Established Property Cash Flow Item Amount Rental income $36,400 Less holding costs -$56,853 Pre-tax cash shortfall -$20,453 p.a. Weekly shortfall -$393 per week Under the new policy direction, if this is an established residential investment property purchased after the relevant cut-off, the investor may not be able to immediately offset that rental loss against salary income. Industry summaries of the Budget measures describe this as established-property rental losses being quarantined rather than freely offset against wage income. So the investor may need to carry the full cash shortfall. That is roughly: $20,453 per year out of pocket About $393 per week Not catastrophic. But not loose change either. Option 2: $900k Brand-New Outer-Ring Property Now let’s say the investor buys a brand-new house-and-land package or new townhouse in an outer-ring Melbourne suburb. Same purchase price: $900,000. But the rent is lower: $600 per week. (optimistically) This is common. A brand-new property can look attractive on tax, but the location may not command the same rent as a stronger inner or middle-ring suburb. Annual Rental Income Item Amount Rent: $600 x 52 weeks $31,200 Estimated Annual Holding Costs Item Estimate Interest on $720,000 at 6.25% $45,000 Property management, approx. 7.7% incl. GST $2,402 Council, water, insurance $4,500 Maintenance allowance $1,000 Land tax estimate $1,475 Total annual cost $54,377 New Build Cash Flow Before Tax Item Amount Rental income $31,200 Less holding costs -$54,377 Pre-tax cash shortfall -$23,177 p.a. Weekly shortfall -$446 per week Before tax, the new build is actually worse. Why? Because it rents for $100 per week less. That is $5,200 less rent per year. The slightly lower maintenance and land tax estimate does not fully offset the weaker rental income. So before tax, the new build is approximately: $2,724 per year worse than the established property This is where the conversation gets interesting. Tax Changes the Story The major advantage of the new build is that it may still qualify for negative gearing. The 2026 Budget reform package is centred on limiting negative gearing for residential property to new builds, while changing capital gains tax treatment more broadly. That means the new build may still allow the investor to offset rental losses against salary income, subject to the final rules and personal circumstances. Scenario A: New Build Without Depreciation Item Amount Cash loss -$23,177 Approx. tax benefit at 32% +$7,417 After-tax cash shortfall -$15,760 p.a. Weekly after-tax shortfall -$303 per week Compared with the established property, the new build could be around: $4,693 per year better in after-tax cash flow About $90 per week better This can be significant for an investor earning $130,000. Scenario B: New Build With Depreciation Brand-new properties may also provide depreciation benefits. Let’s use a simple example of $10,000 per year in depreciation. Depreciation is not a cash expense. You do not physically pay it each year. But it may increase the taxable loss, which may improve the investor’s tax position. Item Amount Cash loss -$23,177 Depreciation allowance -$10,000 Taxable loss -$33,177 Approx. tax benefit at 32% +$10,616 After-tax cash shortfall -$12,561 p.a. Weekly after-tax shortfall -$242 per week Now the new build looks much better from a holding-cost perspective. Compared with the established property, the new build may be around: $7,892 per year better in after-tax cash flow About $152 per week better This is the number many project marketers and property spruikers will focus on. To be fair, they are not completely wrong. The new build may genuinely be easier to hold. But that does not automatically mean it is the better investment. What About the Resale Value? This is where most investors do not think deeply enough — and it is almost never properly factored into the purchase decision. The picture becomes even murkier when you start considering the future resale value of the property. Under the old system, many investors did not need to worry too much about whether a property was established or brand new from a resale perspective. Or at least, the difference was not as significant when comparing similar property types. An investor buying an established property and an investor buying a new build could often access similar tax treatment, so the resale gap was less obvious. Under the new Budget 2026 changes, buying a new property is a bit like buying a new car. The new property can only be new once. The tax benefit attached to a new property may disappear the moment it is resold. Once the first owner sells it, the property becomes just another established property in the eyes of the next buyer. At that point, future buyers will compare it against other established properties in the market. And when that happens, the property with the stronger fundamentals will win. That means location, land value, scarcity, build quality, rental demand, owner-occupier appeal, school zones, transport, amenities and resale depth become critical. The property with better fundamentals is more attractive, and thus tends to fetch better resale price. In simple terms: A new build may win on tax when you buy it. But the better property wins when you sell it. The Real Question: Cash Flow or Capital Growth? Here is where investors need to have a goal. What do you want from the property? How does the property fit into your portfolio and goals? The new build may save the investor roughly $5,000 to $8,000 per year in after-tax cash flow. But what happens if the established inner-metro property grows faster (which it usually is)? On a $900,000 property, a small difference in annual capital growth can completely wipe out the new build’s cash-flow advantage. Extra capital growth from established property Dollar difference 1% p.a. stronger growth $9,000 per year 2% p.a. stronger growth $18,000 per year 3% p.a. stronger growth $27,000 per year This is the part investors often miss. A new build might save you $7,000 a year in tax-adjusted holding cost. But if it underperforms by 1% per year in capital growth, the established property may still come out ahead. And in Melbourne, a 1% growth gap between a scarce, well-located established property and an outer-ring new build is not hard to imagine. It is available from data sources. In fact, it is often the difference between buying a real asset and buying a glossy brochure with a floor plan. In Summary: Established vs New Builds in Melbourne Category Established Inner-Metro Property Brand-New Outer-Ring Property Purchase price $900,000 $900,000 Investor income $130,000 p.a. $130,000 p.a. Loan amount $720,000 $720,000 Interest rate assumption 6.25% interest-only 6.25% interest-only Weekly rent $700 $600 Annual rent $36,400 $31,200 Annual interest cost $45,000 $45,000 Pre-tax cash shortfall -$20,453 -$23,177 Negative gearing benefit Limited/quarantined under new rules Likely available Depreciation benefit Lower Higher After-tax shortfall, no depreciation -$20,453 -$15,760 After-tax shortfall, with depreciation Not modelled -$12,561 Cash-flow winner New build Likely capital-growth winner Established 10 Year Scenario This is where things can get exciting. Give, most property owners hold on to a property for about 10 years, let's look at what happen in 10 years: 10-Year Wealth Impact Example Let’s assume the new build saves the investor around $7,000 per year in after-tax cash flow. That gives the new build a $70,000 cash-flow advantage over 10 years. But if the established property grows faster, the story changes. Growth Difference in Favour of Established Extra Capital Growth Over 10 Years New Build Cash-Flow Advantage Net Position 0.5% p.a. better Approx. $45,000 $70,000 New build ahead by $25,000 1.0% p.a. better Approx. $90,000 $70,000 Established ahead by $20,000 1.5% p.a. better Approx. $135,000 $70,000 Established ahead by $65,000 2.0% p.a. better Approx. $180,000 $70,000 Established ahead by $110,000 This table is deliberately simple. It does not compound growth, and it does not include selling costs, tax on sale or loan principal changes. But it makes the point clearly. If the established property grows only 1% per year faster, it may overtake the new build’s tax and cash-flow advantage over a long-term hold. Why Established Properties Can Still Win Established properties can still be excellent investments when they have the right fundamentals. The key advantages are: 1. Better land component In Melbourne, long-term growth is often driven by land value. A well-located established townhouse, villa unit or house may have a stronger land-to-asset ratio than a brand-new apartment or outer-ring townhouse. Investors should always remember: Land appreciates. Buildings depreciate. 2. Stronger tenant demand The example shows this clearly. The established inner-metro property rents for $700 per week. The brand-new outer-ring property rents for $600 per week (and it is a very optimistic estimate). Not many outer ring tenants can afford to lease a $900k house. That $100 weekly gap tells us something important: location still matters. Tenants pay for access, convenience, schools, transport, jobs, lifestyle and amenity. They do not just pay for stone benchtops. Inner ring properties have them all. Outer ring properties are usually in the early stages of development, thus, the lesser amenities. 3. Better resale depth Established inner and middle-ring locations often have deeper resale demand. You are not only selling to investors. You may be selling to: first home buyers young families downsizers professionals school-zone buyers owner-occupiers wanting location That owner-occupier demand can support prices during softer markets. Outer-ring new builds often compete with other new builds. When you sell a five-year-old property, your competition may be a brand-new version nearby with better incentives. That is not a fun auction room. 4. Less developer premium Many new builds are sold with the tax benefit baked into the price. In plain English, the developer may already have captured part (if not all) of your future tax advantage in the purchase price. The marketing spew says “tax saving”. The contract price says “thank you very much”. Why New Builds Can Still Make Sense To be clear, this is not an anti-new-build argument. New builds can make sense. But they must be qualified and bought carefully. A new build may be suitable if: the investor needs better after-tax cash flow serviceability is tight depreciation benefits are meaningful the property is genuinely scarce the suburb has strong population, income and infrastructure drivers the land component is reasonable the build quality is strong the price is not inflated by developer margin the resale market is not flooded with similar stock A new build should not be bought just because it is new. It should be bought because it is a good investment that happens to be new. It is a Big difference. Side-by-Side Summary Item Established Inner Metro New Build Outer Ring Purchase price $900,000 $900,000 Rent $700/week $600/week Annual rent $36,400 $31,200 Pre-tax cash shortfall -$20,453 -$23,177 Negative gearing benefit Likely limited/quarantined under new rules Likely available Depreciation Lower Higher After-tax shortfall, no depreciation Around -$20,453 Around -$15,760 After-tax shortfall, with depreciation Not modelled Around -$12,561 Cash-flow winner New build Likely land/scarcity winner Established Likely long-term growth winner Depends on asset quality, but often established Our Melbourne Buyer’s Advocate View For a $130,000 income earner buying a $900,000 Melbourne investment property, the new build may be easier to hold after tax. While this may be the honest answer, the established property is still usually the better long-term asset, if you can afford the holding costs. Established properties in good locations, tends to: appreciate faster attract better rent higher rental growth attract better tenants The key question is this: Will the established inner-metro property outperform the new outer-ring new build by more than roughly 1% per year? If the answer is yes, then the established property may still be the better investment, even with weaker tax treatment. If the answer is no, or if the investor cannot handle the holding cost, then a carefully selected new build may make more sense. This is why investors should not blindly follow tax policy. Tax policy changes. Property fundamentals remain. My Practical Recommendation For a $900,000 Melbourne investment budget, I would generally rank the options this way: 1. Quality established townhouse, villa unit or house in a proven suburb This is still my preferred option where the investor can handle the cash flow. Look for land value, scarcity, owner-occupier demand, transport, schools, low supply and strong resale depth. 2. Quality new or near-new townhouse in a strong middle-ring suburb This can work if the price is fair and the location is not compromised. The problem is not “new”. The problem is overpriced, mass-produced, investor-targeted stock. 3. Outer-ring new build only if the numbers and fundamentals genuinely stack up Do not buy it just because the tax treatment is better. The property still needs to perform without the tax sugar hit. 4. Most new apartments and generic house-and-land packages Be very careful. Many look good in a depreciation schedule and ordinary in the real market. Final Verdict For this example: Established inner metro at $700/week gives better rent and likely stronger land-value fundamentals. New outer-ring at $600/week gives better after-tax cash flow, especially if depreciation is available. The new build may save around $5,000 to $8,000 per year in after-tax holding cost. But the established property only needs to outperform by about 1% per year in capital growth to potentially offset that benefit, and this is 1% target is very achieveable. Typical capital growth in Melbourne hovers between 4-10%, depending on location and property. So the answer is not simply: “Buy new because negative gearing.” That is lazy advice. The better answer is: Buy the better asset. Then model the tax, with your income tax bracket. For investors who can handle the holding cost, a quality established Melbourne property is usually still the stronger long-term play. For investors with tighter serviceability or cash flow, a carefully selected new build can make sense — but only if the property is genuinely good, not just tax-friendly. Because in property investing, the tax benefit might help you survive the hold. But the asset quality determines whether the investment was worth holding in the first place. Decision Matrix Should you buy an Established or New Property? Investor Priority Better Fit Why Lowest holding cost New build Negative gearing and depreciation may improve after-tax cash flow Stronger rent Established In this example, the established property rents for $100/week more Better land value Established Usually stronger land component in established areas Lower maintenance New build Newer property should have fewer short-term repairs Better tax benefits New build More favourable under the proposed negative gearing changes Better long-term scarcity Established Established inner/middle-ring locations often have deeper demand Easier tenant appeal Depends New build has modern finishes; established may have better location Better resale depth Established More likely to attract owner-occupiers, not just investors Lower risk of developer premium Established New builds can include pricing premiums and marketing margins Best for tight serviceability New build Better after-tax cash flow may help the investor hold the asset FAQ Established vs New Builds Is an established property still worth buying after the negative gearing changes? Yes, it can be. Established properties may have weaker tax treatment under the proposed rules, but they can still offer better land value, rent, scarcity and capital growth potential. The key is whether the property can outperform the new-build alternative enough to justify the extra holding cost. Are new builds better for investors now? New builds may be better from a tax and cash-flow perspective, especially if negative gearing and depreciation benefits are available. But that does not automatically make them better investments. A poor-quality new build in a weak location can still underperform badly. What matters more: tax savings or capital growth? For long-term investors, capital growth usually matters more. A tax saving of $5,000 to $8,000 per year can be useful, but a 1% difference in capital growth on a $900,000 property is worth $9,000 per year. Should I buy a new apartment for depreciation? Usually, be careful. Depreciation can improve cash flow, but apartments often have lower land content, higher owners corporation costs, and more resale competition. Depreciation should be a bonus, not the main reason to buy. What is the best $900k investment property in Melbourne? There is no single answer, but a quality established townhouse, villa unit or modest house in a strong suburb is often a better long-term investment than a generic new build in an oversupplied outer-ring estate. The right property depends on cash flow, borrowing capacity, location, land value and the investor’s goals.

In an environment where interest rates and cost of living expenses are high and rising, more and more property owners are finding themselves struggling to service the mortgage repayments. While some lucky property owners have the option of tightening their belts and cutting back on expenses to keep mortgage repayments up to date, others may find themselves reacting too slowly or inadequately, leading to precarious situations. If you have a mortgage, having the bank or lender repossess your property is one such situations where no property owners want to be in. So, what happens when you are late on payments and when you receive a call or notice from your bank or lender, indicating your property will be repossessed? This blog article will help property owners understand what goes on during the repossession process, and help you explore ways to avoid being caught in one. This article is a broad representation of a typical repossession process used by the Australian banks and lenders, and it is specific to the Australian property market. And as usual, each of bank or lender will have different variations of this process. What is a Mortgagee in Possession? A Mortgagee in Possession, in Australia, refers to the situation where the lender, typically a bank, financial institution or private financier / financer, takes possession of the property and / or collateral, due to the borrower's inability to meet their mortgage repayment commitments. Essentially, it means the property will be repossessed by the lender because the borrower has defaulted on their mortgage obligations. This Mortgagee in Possession process is initiated by the lender to recover the outstanding debt owed by the borrower, after several missed repayments, and over an extended period of time. In Australia, when the lender decides to initiate repossession orders, it usually means the lender no longer believes the borrower will be able to resolve the situation. This also means the borrower might have a debt so high that the lender are unable to recover without selling the property or other collaterals. It can also mean the lender and borrower are unable to work collaboratively to avoid a repossession situation. What Happens Before a Property is Repossessed? Before a repossession is initiated, the lender will usually try to be fair and work with you to define a plan for you to catch up with the arrears. This could be restructuring the mortgage, agreeing to give you a pause in repayments (repayment holiday), etc. It is in your best interest to work with the lender to either resolve the outstanding debt or define a way forward with the lender. If this fails, or if the borrower could not agree to a way forward, the lender would be left with no choice but to initiate the repossession process. What is the Property Repossession Process in Australia? When all else fail, and the lender decides to proceed with the repossession, this is what usually happens. As usual, different lenders and different circumstances would have a slightly different process. But here's what typically happens when a property is repossessed: Notice of Default: The lender issues a Notice of Default to the borrower, informing them that they are in breach of their mortgage agreement due to missed repayments, etc. They will encourage the borrower to work with the lender to arrive at a solution agreeable to both parties. Attempted Resolution: The lender will usually attempt to work with the borrower to find a solution to the delinquency, such as renegotiating the terms of the loan or offering a repayment plan. Most lenders will usually try to work with the borrower before sending a notice of default. Legal Proceedings: If the borrower fails to rectify the default or comes to an agreeable solution, the lender may commence legal proceedings to repossess the property. This involves obtaining a court order for repossession. Repossession: Once the court grants the repossession order, the lender takes possession of the property. This may involve physically evicting the occupants, if necessary. And you may come home one day with the locked changed or the doors sealed. If it is a rental property, the renters would usually be allowed to complete the lease term, within a reasonable time frame, or they may also be evicted after serving a notice of eviction. Sale of the Property: After repossessing the property, the lender typically seeks to sell the property, in order to recover the outstanding debt owed by the borrower. Depending on the lender, situation and the property, the property may be sold through auction, private sale, or other means. Auction is usually the preferred method, as it is usually seen by the legal team as the most transparent and least biased. Debt Settlement: If the proceeds from the sale of the property do not cover the full amount owed by the borrower (including the outstanding mortgage balance, interests, late fees, penalties and any debt recovery, management, legal and associated costs, etc), the borrower is usually still liable for the remaining debt. In some cases, the lender may pursue further legal action to recover this debt, including seizing any other securities, properties, etc. Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI): If the borrowers have lenders mortgage insurance, the lenders will recover the shortfall from the insurer. But that does not mean the borrower get off scot free. The LMI insurer can and do, in turn recover this shortfall from the borrower. The LMI is not the get out of jail free card. It is buying time to repay the mortgage. Surplus Funds: If the sale of the property generates more proceeds than the total debt by the borrower, the excess funds (surplus) may be returned to the borrower, depending on the specific circumstances and applicable laws. Bankruptcy: If the sales did not cover the mortgage and cost of repossession, and you are unable to find funds to cover the outstanding debts or reach an agreement to repay the debts, the creditors may be forced to apply to make you bankrupt. How long does the Repossession Process take? In Australia, the repossession process usually takes between 2 to 3 years. IE, most mortgagee in possession properties will hit the buyers market after a lengthy 2-year process. It's important to note that the process and duration of repossession and sale of a property can vary significantly depending on factors such as the terms of the lenders' internal processes, lenders' mortgage agreement, state laws, negotiations between lender and borrower, lender's and the borrower's circumstances, etc Does Bankruptcy End Your Debt? Contrary to popular belief, being bankrupt DOES NOT wipe your debt. You are still liable to repay your debts. Your income, salary, other properties and possessions of value may also be garnished, force sold and the returns distributed to your debtors. Your name will also be recorded permanently in the National Personal Insolvency Index (NPII), and you will also face travel restrictions, inability to run a business, difficulty obtaining future credit, insurance, etc. You may also be excluded from certain employment. Your debt is only wiped after the bankruptcy ends, which can vary from 3 years + 1 day up to 8 years. The credit scar, however, can stay with you forever. The NPII record is searchable by anyone. How Can You Avoid a Mortgagee in Possession (Repossession) Situation? To avoid ending up in a mortgagee in possession situation, you need to go back to investment and money making basics. By being prudent with your spending and borrowing, you can usually avoid ending up in such a difficult situation. Mortgagee in Possession situations almost never happen overnight. The repossession process is lengthy and expensive. It can cost the lender tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. This cost is usually recovered by adding to your total debt balance. Repossessing the property is usually the last stage of managing a debt in default, and it is a stage where no mortgagee wants to get to. The lender is only keen to recover the debt, and they will work with you to recover the debt. As a borrower, here are a few very simple and basic concepts to prevent yourself from getting into the repossession situation: 1. Avoid Overextending yourself Never stretch yourself beyond your means. Assess your financial capacity meticulously. While a mortgage broker may suggest you can borrow a certain amount based on your income and expenses, you still have to responsibility to borrow prudently. Before committing to any further debts, ask yourself essential questions: Do you need to buy a property worth that amount? Can you comfortably manage the monthly mortgage payments? Is investing that amount in property the best choice for your financial situation? What if you lost part or all of your income? Can you still comfortably afford the mortgage? As much as mortgage brokers tries to help you find the best mortgage, no mortgage brokers or financial experts know you better than you do. Always remember, mortgage brokers earn commissions based on the amount you borrow, so some unscrupulous mortgage brokers will push you to borrow more. Be cautious and prioritize your own financial stability. 2. Be wary of Free Property Investment Seminars by Spruikers We get it. Free property investment advice sounds like a steal. But let’s be honest: we know there is no such thing as a free lunch. We’ve sat in rooms where smiling “property gurus” hand out coffee, snack and promises, only to push you towards developer-funded property "deals" that line their pockets, not yours. They’re banking on your naiveness, excitement (and your budget) to drive their commissions. Often, it’s the very property investors and buyers who cannot afford a loss who get caught in these traps. And this brings us to the next point. 3. Avoid Negatively Geared Properties Negatively geared properties involve incurring losses with the hope of future profits. It effectively means you're losing money, hoping to make money in future. This strategy is usually suitable for wealthy investors who can absorb losses without significant impact to their lifestyle. Unfortunately, spruikers and fake property investment "strategists" and real estate project marketers often use such free property investment seminars to target individuals, selling massively negatively geared properties, promising "potential future growth". While negative gearing may sound good, it should be used with caution. Negative gearing can bite you very hard during a property or economic downturn and when interest rates are rising. Before diving into negatively geared investments, consider whether you can afford the risk: Can you afford to potentially lose the property? Assess the implications of high-interest rates on such investments. It's concerning that some individuals explore negative gearing when interest rates are high, without fully understanding the implications. Negative gearing is effectively losing more money to save on taxes. It's akin to losing a dollar to save 30 cents – a scenario nobody should desire. In the Australian investment environment, if you like losing $1, to save 30 cents, let us know. I'll send you our bank details. For every dollar you deposit, I'll return 30 cents to you. Okay... Let's make it 35 cents, for every dollar you send us. 4. Chase Quality not Quantity Choose your investment properly. Go for quality, not quantity. There is no need to chase X number of investment properties. The idea of more investment properties equates to greater wealth is used by property spruikers for marketing purposes. The reason? They earn commission for every property you buy. Do they really own those property? No. As long as they have a mortgage on them, the bank has control of it. 5. You Only Need 3 Properties to Retire Planning for retirement? Don't be suckled in by advisors telling you need 100 properties to retire. You do not need hundreds of houses to retire. You only need 3 good, strategically selected ones to retire. This article explains and shows what it takes for you to retire. By being careful with the properties you select, you can be a step ahead of everyone else, without overextending yourself, and stay out of debt. Bottom line: Stay within your means, dodge the hype, and buy smart. By adhering to these principles and making informed decisions, you can safeguard yourself from the risks associated with Mortgagee in Possession situations and ensure a more secure financial future. What Should You Do, if You Think Your Property May Be Repossessed? If you're concerned that your property may be repossessed due to financial strain, it's essential to take proactive steps to mitigate the situation:: Review your expenses: Conduct a thorough review of your expenses to identify areas where you can cut back. Look for non-essential expenses that can be eliminated or reduced to free up more funds for mortgage repayments.. Increase your income: Consider ways to boost your income, such as taking on a second job or pursuing opportunities for higher-paying employment. Generating additional income can help alleviate financial pressure and improve your ability to meet mortgage obligations Assess Troublesome Properties: Evaluate which properties in your portfolio are causing the most financial strain. Identifying these properties allows you to prioritise them for action, whether through restructuring loans, refinancing, or selling the property. Explore Refinancing: It might be too late, as the banks would have tightened their lending, so, you might not be able to refinance. But it is worth a try. If you're using a mortgage broker though, be wary of the information you share with them. Shady as they may be, most mortgage brokers have connections looking for cheap properties. They will be low balling your properties. Use someone you trust. We have a few honest brokers with integrity. Let us know if you need one. Talk to the Bank or Lender: This might be counter-intuitive, but remember, the banks are not in the real estate business. They want their money back and they will be keen to work with you to try to recover what you owe them. Explain your situation to them, and if you are sincere and cooperative, they might be able to work out a payment option with you. They may allow you to delay your payments, or restructure your mortgage to lower your monthly payments, or allow you to try to sell the property before they do. Explore Selling Your Property: If you're struggling to maintain multiple properties, consider selling the properties that are causing the most financial stress. OR selling the properties with the most equity in them. Liquidating assets can help alleviate financial burdens and prevent / slow further escalation of debt. There is no single best solution, but if you would like to have a chat with us, we can help you assess your best option. Seek Professional Assistance: Reach out to professionals such as buyers advocates and property investment advisors like us, or financial advisors who can provide guidance and support during this challenging time. Consult with financial advisors or property experts to explore viable solutions and navigate the repossession process effectively. Be Proactive: This may be a stressful moment for you, but it is not the time to be emotional. Do not delay seeking assistance if you anticipate repossession. Acting promptly allows you to explore options and take necessary steps to protect your financial interests before the situation escalates further. You need to avoid getting yourself into a repossession situation. Be Proactive. Act before the bank does. What Should You do to Avoid the Mortgagee in Possession Situation? Borrowers facing financial difficulties should seek advice from a financial counselor or legal professional to understand their rights and options. Consider selling some or all properties, before the bank does. If you are selling, selling through a real estate sales agent is NOT the only way to sell your property. Consider using effective, low-cost options, such as selling it yourself, to your friends and relatives. Also explore our vendor advocacy options, where we can either match a buyer for your property, at no cost to you. We help to find the best agent to sell your property, plus keeping them honest, saving you from paying excessive sales commissions, or help you find the best sales agent and keep them honest. Can You Negotiate with the Mortgagee to Avoid Repossession? Yes and no. It depends on how far you are behind in repayments, how cooperative you had been with your Mortgagee, your relationship with the Mortgagee and your personal circumstances. If you have been proactive, chances are, you can avoid getting yourself in this sticky situation. And if you do find yourself in a potential repossession situation, your mortgagee is more likely to work with you for a mutually beneficial situation. But if you (or your mortgage broker) had been dodgy and lying to the mortgagee, you can be sure they will be the least cooperative when you needed them. Always be proactive, upfront and honest with your mortgagee. How can You Negotiate with Your Mortgagee? If you are early in the process and your mortgagee allows it, here are some tips to negotiate with your lender. Things You Should Remember When You Negotiate With the Mortgagee There is one fundamental thing you need to remember when you negotiate with the lender. The business model of the major banks and lenders is not about owning properties or selling properties. They lend you the money for your properties on the premise that you can repay the principal plus the agreed interests. Thus, within reasons, banks will try their best to negotiate, and accommodate your needs, so they can avoid having to force sell your properties. If all things failed, and they have to force sell your properties, it means they believe it is too late, and they do not see you recovering from your debts. This also means they will not be the happiest person. It is a business transaction to them, with no emotions attached. If they have to take possession or your property, you can be sure they will send their best team to do it, in the shortest time possible and with the highest possible fees, interest rates and charges. Always remember, interests on your debt do not stop accruing until you pay it off or until they make you bankrupt. What Happens After Your Property is Repossessed and Sold? After your property is repossessed and sold, the best you can hope is for the sale to clear all of your debt. This gives you the opportunity to start afresh, sooner. If you are in a negative equity situation, you're in big trouble. Your property will be force sold and you'll be left with the balance of the debt. Thus, low deposit schemes, and high yield properties (which usually means very low or negative growth), should be avoided where possible. After Selling, Can You Ask for Early Release of Deposit to Pay Off Your Debts? In some states, such as Victoria, you, as the seller might be able to ask for an early release of the deposit after selling your property. In Victoria, the Section 27 for allows the sellers to make this request. However, as a person with debts in default, trying to ask for an early release of deposit is a tricky question. The answer is yes and no. There is no straight forward answers. It depends on how cooperative you had been, how honest and upfront you had been, and the reason / purpose for asking an early release of your deposit. This request needs inputs from the mortgagee and the buyer's conveyancer / solicitor. The mortgagee/s will include information such as: Amount you owe, and at what interest rates Are you in default (ie, have you missed payments) Mortgagee's inputs (advice) to the buyer's decision process. When the buyer's conveyancer or solicitor realise the debt is in default, chances are, they will reject the early release of money. As the buyer will be assuming the responsibility of losing the deposit, if the settlement does not proceed. That said, money from the sale of your property has to go towards paying off your mortgage and debt. So, the money technically, does not belong to you. It belongs to the mortgagee. Any money that is released early has to go off paying the secured debt as a priority. So, while you might hope you can use the deposit to relieve your debt situation, you might realise you might not see a cent of it. However, if you had been upfront and honest dealing with your mortgagee, you would have built up enough trust with the mortgagee, the mortgagee might let you access some of the funds to pay off your other debts, if they are confident there would have sufficient funds remaining in the proceeds of the sale to cover your debts. This is why, if you find yourself struggling to service your debt, it is in your best interest to to be honest with your mortgagee. Mortgagees will usually dislike borrowers who are not honest with them. How Long Does It Take to Repossess Your Property? The repossession process may take up to 2-3 years of more, and your debt does not stop accruing interests, even when you no longer have access to your property. You are usually liable for any interest accrued until your debt is completely paid off. If your debt still remains after the property is sold, the court may grant the mortgagee the right to garnish any other assets, monies from your savings, and / or income or salary. Mortgagee will usually not stop, until they recover every cent you owe or until they make you bankrupt. How Can Buyers Advocates Help You Avoid Repossession? Buyers Advocates can play a crucial role in helping you avoid repossession by providing timely assistance and access to potential buyers for your property: Access to a Pool of Ready Buyers: Buyers Advocates have established networks and connections with qualified buyers, ready to buy properties. By reaching out to them, you gain access to a pool of interested buyers who are ready to purchase your property. Swift Action and Response: If you suspect that your property may be at risk of repossession, it is essential to act swiftly. Buyers Advocates can provide immediate assistance and support, offering guidance on the best course of action to protect your property interests. Opportunity to Sell Before Repossession: By engaging with Buyers Advocates early in the process, you have the opportunity to explore selling your property before repossession proceedings begin. This proactive approach can help you avoid the negative consequences associated with repossession. Potential Cost Savings: Selling your property through Buyers Advocates may result in significant cost savings compared to traditional real estate transactions. Because these buyers have already paid the buyers advocates a service fee, they will not charge you any sales commissions. With no commissions involved and access to qualified buyers, you can usually sell your property fast and saving tens od thousands of dollars in commissions, fees and expenses. Expert Guidance and Support: Genuine Independent Buyers Advocates offer expert guidance and support throughout the selling process, helping you navigate complexities and make informed decisions. Their industry knowledge and experience can be invaluable in securing a favorable outcome. SPEED Prevents Further Financial Strain: Debt interests do not stop accruing until the debt is paid off. By selling your property fast before repossession occurs, you can prevent further financial strain and minimize the impact on your credit rating and financial stability. Buyers Advocates can help expedite the sale process, ensuring a smooth transition and resolution. Timely Intervention: Seeking assistance from Buyers Advocates at the earliest indication of financial difficulty allows for timely intervention and mitigation of potential risks. Their proactive approach can help you address challenges effectively and protect your long-term financial interests. If you are in a no-return situation, the earlier you sell, the less interest and debt recovery costs you will owe your bank/lenders/creditors. Talk to us Before the Bank Repossess Your Property We hope our readers do not find themselves in such a situation. But if you do, talk to us. Our Buyers Advocates will discuss how we can offer proactive and effective solutions for avoiding repossession by facilitating the sale of your property to qualified and ready buyers. Our expertise, network, and timely intervention can make a significant difference in preserving your financial well-being and securing a positive outcome for you. We have a constant pool of buyers who are ready to buy your properties. If your property meets the criteria our buyers are looking for and they buy it, you can save yourself over $30k-$100k or more in sales commissions and other expenses. This is quite a substantial savings, but you will need to come to us before the bank initiates their debt management and repossession process. Disclaimer: Information provided here and anywhere in our website is general information only, and should not be taken as financial or legal advice. It does not take your personal circumstances, needs and requirements, etc, into consideration. You should always seek formal legal and financial advice for solutions to suit your individual circumstances.

The Real Comparison Between Victoria, Queensland and WA Investors love asking: “Should I buy in Melbourne, Queensland or Western Australia?” It is a Fair question. But the wrong answer is usually the loudest one. Some people will say, “Perth is booming, buy Perth.” Others will say, “Brisbane has the Olympics, buy Brisbane.” Melbourne loyalists will say, “Melbourne is undervalued, buy Melbourne.” The truth is more useful than the hype: Melbourne is the value-and-recovery market. Queensland is the balanced growth-and-lifestyle market. Western Australia is the momentum-and-yield market. Each can work. Each can burn you. The winner depends on your strategy, tax position, borrowing power, risk tolerance and the specific property you buy. In 2026, with higher interest rates, new tax changes and a softer national outlook, investors need to stop buying headlines and start buying fundamentals. The 2026 Investment Landscape Has Changed The biggest mistake investors can make now is using old rules for a new market. The RBA cash rate was lifted to 4.35% in May 2026, after increases in February and March. That has reduced borrowing capacity, pushed repayment pressure higher and made investors more sensitive to cash flow. On top of that, the 2026 Federal Budget introduced major tax reforms. Negative gearing will be limited to new builds from 1 July 2027, while rental losses on established residential investment properties bought after 7:30pm AEST on 12 May 2026 will generally be quarantined rather than offset against wages or salary. The CGT reforms will apply to gains accruing after 1 July 2027. That changes the investor equation. Previously, some investors could tolerate poor cash flow because negative gearing softened the pain. Now, especially for established property bought after Budget night, investors need to ask a much harder question: Does this property work under the new negative gearing and CGT treatment? That one question changes how Melbourne, Queensland and WA should be compared. Melbourne: The Value and Recovery Play. Melbourne has been the underperformer. Compared with Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, Melbourne’s price growth has been weak over recent years. For many investors, Victoria has felt too hard: higher land tax, weaker sentiment, slower capital growth and more political risk. However, the good news is that weak sentiment can create opportunity. Melbourne remains one of Australia’s deepest property markets. Melbourne is the most populous capital city in Australia. Plus, major employment hubs, global universities, medical precincts, established transport networks, strong migration appeal and broad owner-occupier demand. It is not a one-industry town. It has economic breadth and depth. But Melbourne is not a “buy anything” market. Cotality’s April 2026 Home Value Index showed softer conditions in Melbourne, with values retreating, softer auction clearance rates and more advertised supply giving buyers more choice. That means buyers have more room to negotiate, but also more room to make mistakes. The opportunity in Melbourne is not in generic investor stock. It is in quality assets that nervous vendors may now be willing to sell at fair value. And these are: established family homes on good land, scarce villas or townhouses in tightly held suburbs, properties near strong schools, transport and employment, middle-ring suburbs with genuine owner-occupier depth, locations where supply is limited and long-term demand is proven. Melbourne suits investors who are patient, analytical and willing to buy against sentiment. If you are an investor after a quick punt, stay away. Possibility of you getting burnt is high. It is not the market for people who need instant gratification. If you want fireworks in the next six months, Melbourne may feel like watching paint dry in winter. But for investors who care about long-term asset quality, Melbourne is still very much alive. Queensland: The Balanced Growth and Lifestyle Market Queensland has had a powerful run. Brisbane and South East Queensland benefited from interstate migration, lifestyle demand, relative affordability, tight rental markets and improving economic confidence. Compared with Melbourne, Queensland has offered stronger recent growth and generally better rental yields. KPMG’s 2026 Residential Property Market Outlook expected Brisbane house prices to grow strongly in 2026, with Brisbane forecast at around double-digit growth in that earlier outlook. But investors need to be careful. The easy money in many Queensland markets has already been made. Buying after a strong run is not necessarily wrong, but it requires discipline. You need to know whether you are buying future growth or paying for yesterday’s growth. Queensland also has very location-specific risks. Flood risk matters. Insurance matters. Building quality matters. Local supply matters. Some outer corridors and townhouse-heavy pockets can look affordable but have weaker scarcity. Some coastal markets are lifestyle-driven and can become volatile if affordability gets stretched. Queensland’s strength is that it offers a cleaner balance than Melbourne for many investors: better rental yield, strong population growth, good lifestyle appeal, less land tax pain than Victoria for many individual investors, and broad demand from both renters and owner-occupiers. But do not confuse “Queensland is strong” with “every Queensland property is good”. That is how investors buy a flood-prone, investor-heavy townhouse and then call it a “growth asset” because someone mentioned the Olympics. Western Australia: The Momentum and Yield Market WA, especially Perth, has been the strongest momentum story. Perth has offered strong rental pressure, lower vacancy, better affordability compared with the east coast, and stronger yields. KPMG’s January 2026 outlook forecast Perth house prices to rise by almost 13% over 2026, the strongest among capital cities in that report. From a cash-flow perspective, WA has been hard to ignore. For investors hit by higher rates and tax changes, stronger yield matters. If negative gearing benefits are being reduced for established properties, investors naturally become more interested in markets where the property can carry itself better. This is where Perth has an advantage over Melbourne. But WA has its own risk. Perth has a history of sharper property cycles. It can run hard, then go sideways for long periods. The WA economy has more exposure to resources, mining sentiment and commodity cycles than Melbourne or Brisbane. That does not make Perth bad. It means the entry point matters. Investors buying WA now need to be careful not to buy late in the cycle simply because the recent numbers look good. A market can be strong and still be dangerous if you overpay. Good WA investing requires: strong local knowledge, careful suburb selection, avoidance of inferior stock, understanding of employment drivers, and a realistic view of whether current rent growth is sustainable. WA is attractive for yield and momentum. But momentum is not a moat. What about the Broader Regional Victorian Market? The regional Victorian market is an interesting one. Regional Victorian market had been very resilient in recent year, despite the perceived gloom in Melbourne and higher land tax. Major regional cities had been experiencing consistent growth of between 15-25 annually. Yes, we've been saying, Melbourne is good, but regional Victoria can be better for you. Rental Market Comparison Rental tightness is one of the biggest reasons Queensland and WA have attracted investor attention. SQM Research reported Australia’s national vacancy rate rose to 1.2% in April 2026, still very tight by historical standards, with national asking rents up 7.3% over the year. Cotality also noted that every capital city was recording a vacancy rate below 2%, with Perth among the tightest markets in March 2026. In simple terms: WA generally wins on yield. Queensland usually offers better yield than Melbourne. Melbourne often has weaker cash flow but stronger long-term depth in selected quality locations. Regional Victoria usually offers better yield than Melbourne. This is where strategy matters. If an investor needs stronger holding income, Melbourne can be hard work. Land tax, rates, insurance, maintenance and interest costs can eat into returns quickly. Hwoever, if an investor has strong income, long-term patience and wants quality land in a deeper market, Melbourne may still be attractive. Different investor, different outcome. Tax and Holding Cost Comparison This is where Victoria takes a beating. Victoria’s property taxes have made investors nervous. Land tax has become a major complaint, especially for investors holding multiple properties or properties with higher land value. Queensland and WA are not tax-free paradises, but for many investors they feel more manageable than Victoria. This has pushed some investor demand away from Melbourne and into Brisbane, Perth and regional markets. However, there is a contrarian angle. When investors abandon a market, prices can soften. When prices soften, disciplined buyers can negotiate. When everyone hates a market, that market can start producing value. That does not mean investors should blindly buy Victoria. It means the best opportunities often appear when sentiment is poor. Melbourne’s tax pain is real. But so is its long-term potential. The smart investor should consider both. Capital Growth Outlook: Who Wins? At the start of 2026, many forecasts were still positive. KPMG expected national house values to rise 7.7% and national unit values to rise 7.1% in 2026, supported by tight supply and strong rental dynamics. But with the recent Budget 2026 taxation changes, it has become more cautious. ANZ expects capital city prices to grow only 2.8% in 2026 and 2.1% in 2027, with Sydney and Melbourne expected to underperform in 2026 and Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide likely to lose momentum in 2027 after strong previous growth. The Budget 2026 also tried to shift investor demands to a certain market segment. That tells us something important: The market is shifting from broad growth to selective growth. WA may still lead on momentum. Queensland may still offer the best balance. Melbourne may be the contrarian value play. But as with any investments, none of these markets should be bought blindly. A good property in a weaker market can outperform a bad property in a stronger market. Investors forget that because charts are easier to read than streets. So Which Market Is Best? Ranking isn't straightforward. But if you must have it, here is the honest ranking. Best short-term momentum: Western Australia WA, especially Perth, has the strongest current momentum and better rental yields. It suits investors who want cash-flow support and are comfortable with a more cyclical market. Best balanced market: Queensland Queensland offers a good mix of population growth, rental demand and lifestyle appeal. It suits investors who want a balance between yield and growth, but suburb selection is critical. Best contrarian value: Melbourne Melbourne is softer, more negotiable and unloved by many investors. That can create opportunity for buyers who are focused on long-term asset quality rather than short-term hype. Best long-term depth: Melbourne Melbourne’s economy, population base, education sector, employment diversity and owner-occupier depth remain powerful. The challenge is buying the right asset at the right price. Best cash flow: WA Perth generally offers stronger yields than Melbourne and many parts of Queensland. Highest policy and holding-cost pain: Victoria Victoria’s land tax and investor sentiment remain major issues. Investors must factor this in properly. What Our Buyers Advocates Would Tell Investors If you are a cash-flow-focused investor, look seriously at WA, but do not chase the market blindly. Perth is hot, and hot markets attract lazy money. Lazy money usually buys the wrong stock. If you want a balanced growth-and-yield market, Queensland is very compelling, especially where flood risk, insurance cost, infrastructure, employment and supply are properly assessed. If you want long-term asset quality and are prepared to be patient, Melbourne should not be written off. In fact, Melbourne’s weakness may be exactly where the opportunity sits. But Melbourne must be bought with a sniper mindset. You do not buy “Melbourne”. You buy a specific property, on a specific street, with a specific tenant profile, school zoning, transport access, land component, planning risk, rental competition and resale market. That is where most investors go wrong. They buy a city story. Professionals buy an asset. Final Verdict: Melbourne vs QLD vs WA There is no single winner. It depends on your risk appetite and goals: WA is strongest for momentum and yield. Queensland is strongest for balance. Melbourne is strongest for contrarian value and long-term depth. But if I had to summarise it in one sentence: WA is where the numbers look best today, Queensland is where the story looks most balanced, and Melbourne is where the patient investor may find the best mispriced opportunities. The key is not choosing the hottest state. The key is choosing the right property before the market fully understands its value. That is how good investors win. Savvy investors do not follow noise. They do not chase headlines. They do not buy whatever a spruiker is pushing this month. In fact, if you must know what not to buy, look at what spruikers are pushing. There is obviously a reason why spruikers are pushing so hard. Good properties in good locations market themselves. Smart investors win by doing the work others are too lazy to do. Very Sun Tzu: do not fight where the crowd is charging — position yourself where the advantage is quietly forming. FAQ Is Melbourne a good place to invest in property in 2026? Melbourne can still be a good long-term investment market, especially for buyers targeting quality assets in established suburbs with strong owner-occupier appeal, transport, schools and employment access. However, investors need to be selective because Victoria has higher holding costs and weaker short-term momentum compared with some interstate markets. Is Queensland better than Melbourne for property investment? Queensland may offer stronger short-term momentum and better rental yields than Melbourne in some areas, particularly in Brisbane and South East Queensland. However, investors must carefully assess flood risk, insurance costs, local supply and whether recent price growth has already been priced in. Is Western Australia better for rental yield? Western Australia, especially Perth, has generally offered stronger rental yields and tighter vacancy conditions than Melbourne. However, WA can be more cyclical because the economy has greater exposure to mining and resources. Which state is best for property investment in 2026? There is no single best state for every investor. WA may suit cash-flow-focused investors, Queensland may suit investors seeking a balance between growth and yield, and Melbourne may suit patient investors looking for long-term value and mispriced opportunities. How do the 2026 tax changes affect property investors? The 2026 tax changes make asset selection more important. Investors can no longer rely as heavily on negative gearing and CGT benefits to compensate for poor cash flow or weak capital growth. Properties need to work on their own fundamentals