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What was expected to be a 2 week lockdown, to allow the authorities to control the COVID19 Delta variant, quickly turned into a perpetual lockdown, with no end in sight. Despite Lockdown 6 taking hold of the entire month of August 2021.property prices still managed to rise 1.2%. Over the 12 months to August 2021, Melbourne property prices rise "only" 13%, an average of 1% a month, making Melbourne the worst performing property market in Australia. This is not the true story though. If we were to dive deeper and remove the apartments from this chart, and just focus on the suburbs that are in demand, prices have risen between 20 to 30% since last year. That's a price growth of more than 2% every month. Significantly what this tells us is, if you're in the property market to buy your property, every month's delay is costing you 2%. You'll be paying 2% more for a similar property, for every month's failure in buying your property. This leads us into the next question: How long does it take for a typical property buyer to buy his property? A Canstar report suggests it takes a seasoned buyer between 9 to 12 months to buy their properties. And it is, unfortunately, double that, for a typical first home buyer. Ie, a first home buyer can take up to 2 years before they finally bought one. So, if you're in the market to buy your property, be prepared to pay 24% more than your budget, or 50% more, if you're a first home buyer. How do you buy your property faster? Getting the appropriate help from a property professional will definitely help you buy faster. Through our property buyers advocates service, our property buying clients have been buying their properties in under 2 months. That's a savings of between 7 and 22 months. How much can a buyers advocate save you? And if, on average, property prices grow by between 1 to 2 %, that's a savings of between 14% and 44%! It's shocking, isn't it? We were surprised that for a tiny 2% fee, our clients are saving between 14 and 44% of the property price! So, if you're in the market to buy your property, do feel free to get in touch. For a small fee, look at how much you can save, simply because you can buy your property faster.

Everyone understands that property investment is one of the best, and most stable investments in Australia. Track record shows, Melbourne properties grows by an average of 7% annually. Rent or buy? Should you consider Rentvesting? Owning a home is a big part of the great Australian dream. However, with the ever-increasing real estate prices, it has become very difficult for many young Australians to get into the property market, let alone being able to buy in an area where they want to live. As a way of both owning a property and living in their desired location, property buyers are increasingly adopting a practice known as ‘rentvesting’. What is Rentvesting? Rentvesting is the practice of living in a rental property while owning a separate investment property and renting that out. Rentvestors typically rent a property in a location where they want to live in and buy another property where they can afford, and then renting that out as an investment property. For example, while your dream home might be a three-bedroom house in the city, you may not be able to afford it as the prices are usually too high. But because you want to get the benefit of rising property prices, you might want to buy a property in a town further away from the city, where prices are more affordable. You are essentially enjoying the benefits of having an "affordable property" while living where you want to. But is rentvesting a good idea? Here are some key points to think about. Rentvesting Pros and Cons Just like any investments, Rentvesting has its pros and cons. Here are some major benefits and things you need to consider before jumping into Rentvesting. Benefits of Rentvesting 1. What you can afford does not determine where you have to stay in You can finally buy a house you can afford and stay in a place where you like. The best of both worlds? It usually is. But watch for the cons. 2. Enjoy the benefits of Property Growth sooner Remember, property prices has been growing at rate of 7% annually. IE, in a year's time, you will have to pay an average of 7% more for the same house. Ask yourself: When did you last get an annual salary increment of at least 7%? With average salary increments of around 3%, it does suggest that if you're not going to get your foot into the property market now, you will never have the chance to. Note though, in a hot property market, such as now, (2021) property prices have been rising between 1 to 2 % every month. The property you bought will be worth between 10-15% more in a year's time. Or the property you had not bought, will cost you 10-15% more next year. 3. Tax Benefits of owning a Rental property As a landlord, all expenses related to the rental property are tax deductible. With the right investment structure, you will be able to claim all, if not most of these expenses, such as property management, maintenance, travel, depreciation. This is just a generic advice, and does not take into consideration your personal circumstances. Always discuss with your accountant, to understand the best structure applicable to you, and what expenses you can or cannot claim. Disadvantages of Rentvesting 1. You are still living in a rental property While you might have already owned a property, you are still staying in someone else's property at the end of the day. As a renter, you can be forced to vacate the property at the end of your lease if the owner wants to re-occupy or sell the property. They can also increase your rent, subject to prevailing rental laws. You will also need to put up with regular property inspections in the home, which you would not have to do if you live in your own home. Just as you do not want your tenant to modify your investment property, you will also not be allowed to modify your rented home. Good or bad, it is what it is. You will have to live with what you have. 2. The home might not grow in value While property values are rising at an average of 7% annually, remember, this is an average figure. Blue-chip, sought-after areas tend to rise faster than others. What this means is, there will be areas where property prices do NOT rise. There is also a possibility of your property losing value. Good luck if you have bought in one of those areas. Always do your due diligence. If you are unsure, our independent property buyers advocacy service will be able to search and buy the right properties in the right areas. 3. You have to pay both rent and homeownership costs Rentvesting can be expensive. Especially so, if you have bought in the wrong area, or if you have believed the hype of negative-gearing, without understanding that that is. If you are not sure what negative-gearing is, read our guide to negative-gearing. So, once again, buying the right rental property is critical to you being a successful RentVestor. Other expenses you will need to consider include, purchase costs, conveyancing, loan interest repayments, property repair and maintenance costs, property management fees, council and water rates, etc. 4. You might lose access to First Home Owners incentives. Depending on the prevailing First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) and other First Home Owners incentives in your state, you might no longer be eligible for some or all of them, because you were previously a property owner. Having said that, considering a decent property costs between $800k to $1million, the typical FHOG grant of between $10000-$20000 isn't really a lot. Most auction biddings happen in increments of $10000-$20000 increments, just for comparison sake. Is Rentvesting Good or Bad? Rentvesting can be a good strategy to help you build your future wealth through property ownership while maintaining a certain quality of life. Our advice as property buyers advocates are: the success of this strategy is always reliant upon you buying the right type of property. Always have a good understanding of the strategy you are using. Always analyse each property and do your due diligence. No two properties are the same, even if they are right next to each other. The strategy your buddy has used might not be the right strategy. This monkey-see-monkey-do strategy is dangerous. We know many who have gotten into trouble "simply by copying their friend". Read this caution. Bear in mind, just like any investment strategy, this method property investment is not for everyone. Make sure you understand how investing in real estate works and determine if rentvesting could work for you, based on your own time frames and financial objectives. As always, get in touch with our property consultants if you want more information. Our buyer's agents will be able to go through your situation, budget with you and advice which strategies are right for you.

When you are buying your property in the Melbourne property market, you will come across 101 different types of properties. One of the first things that comes to mind when anyone is buying a property in the Melbourne property market is, "what type of property is right for me?" Should you get: Residential property House Townhouse Apartment New House and Land Land then Build Commercial property Retail Industrial Warehouse Brothel Car Park Over the next few weeks, we will discuss the different types of properties, the pros and cons, what you need to know, what you need to watch out for, what you need to consider, etc. If you want our opinion about a certain property type, feel free to comment or email us. Like and Follow us on Facebook page and discussion group and on Linkedin to get the latest tips, news and deals.

If you're in the market looking for a property, you would have asked yourself, who are buyer's advocates or buyer's agents? How are they different from your usual selling agents? How do you find the right buyer's agent? Does the property buying reality TV show, House Hunters ring any bells? When we first started out as property investors over 20 years ago, buyer's agents are rare. Very rare. And only the mega rich or professional investors can afford the services of the buyer's agents. 20 odd years later, and after traded and accumulated over $500million worth of properties, the Melbourne property market is very different. Property buying has become a complex investment vehicle, with lots of strategies, options and methodologies. Of course, if all you are after is just a property to stay in, and if do not mind if you're wasting months and months on property inspections, not worried if you're going to pay too much for the property and buying in the wrong area, you do not necessarily need a buyer's agent service. Who are Buyer's Advocates? Or Buyer's Agents? A buyer's advocate (commonly known as buyer's agent), as the name suggests, is someone who works for the buyers. He/she is someone who makes sure you buy the right property at the right price, and suits what you need. How are Buyer's Advocates different from Selling Agents? Selling Agents are required by law, to look after the interests of the sellers. In layman's terms, they help to make sure they get the highest possible price for the property, and on the terms asked for, by the seller. Unlike selling agents, Buyer's Advocates, are required by law, to work for the buyers. They have same knowledge and skillsets, but they work solely for the buyers. They help ensure that buyers are not taken for a ride by the selling agents. They ensure you are not unknowingly overpaying for the property. Of course, if you decide if the property has a special reason for paying a bit more, you will still get their support. The buyer agent will also ensure the property suits what you are looking for, and suits what you intend to use it for. In short, they are your personal property consultant. Are all Buyer's Advocates the same? Now that you know who are buyer's advocates, are they all the same? Short answer is NO. They are not the same. Many are selling agents masquerading as buyer's agents. Many promise financial freedom through property investing. Which is possible, but... They would only recommend properties which they have a monetary interest in. They are in fact, paid directly or indirectly by the vendors, and marketers to sell their properties. Some masquerade themselves as property experts, property investment consultants, claiming to have reached financial freedom nirvana, have sufficient income from their 20-property portfolio, and are now in retirement, so they have some free time to help share their knowledge. However, you have to sign up to their mentoring program, before you are eligible to access their premium, paid services to help you 'fast-track' your investment portfolio. Ask yourself... If they are out urging everyone to sign up to their mentoring program, are they really in retirement? Or are they, in fact, working? Who is really funding their so-called retirement? Who paid tens of thousands of dollars to attend their mentoring program? Why are they only recommending new properties from their 'select' team of developers? Are they are, in fact, marketing agents, helping to sell developer stocks, getting paid commission by the developers, and at the same time, charging you a premium for these "premium", "fast-track" "mentoring" membership services? Any licenced real estate agent would know, charging the client a fee, and getting an incentives to sell, is illegal. But, how do they get away with that? Easy. Many aren't licenced at all. How do you find the right Buyer's Advocates? Buying a property is easily one of your biggest investment in life. Engaging an expert to help you invest these money is definitely a wise choice to ensuring you are getting a property that suits your needs. Ask yourself this: You would invest on a financial advisor to invest $100,000. Why wouldn't you engage an advisor when you invest on a $1,000,000 property? Finding a buyer's agent is not difficult. Google it, and you'll get pages of listings and ads about buyer's advocates. However, finding the right buyer's advocate for you can be tricky. Many wrongly believed, if the buyer advocate listing appear in the first couple of pages in Google searches, they are automatically the best. Many are not aware that advertisers can pay top dollar, for Google to display their listing on the first page of google. They paid thousands a month on search engine optimisations (SEO), so that their listings appear in the top 10. Guess where their advertising budget comes from and who funds them... So, what about word of mouth in popular social media and forum pages? You'll be surprised that they aren't that independant anymore these days as well. Businesses can now engage services whereby people recommend their services on social media and forum pages. Again, guess where their million dollar advertising budget comes from. Here are some pointers to help find the right Buyer's Advocates: Let's assume they are legally registered real estate agents and fully licenced. It is a non-negotiable legal requirement. 1. They have the Necessary Experience Isn't this obvious? The more experience the agent has in real estate, the more experience he/she will be. From experience, I find a minimum of 3 years as a buyer's agent and over 10 years of property investment experience as a guide. 2. They have a Good Honest Network With experience, comes a good connection into good network of connections, support services and property database. This is critical if you only want a good reliable service that truely supports you. You need someone who is prepared to tell you, honestly , everything you have to know about the property. How many times have you heard a selling agent say, "we have a good conveyancer, building and pest inspector who will give you the best service"? Really? Remember, the role of a selling agent is to help the vendor sell the property. Would they be prepared to recommend a conveyancer or building and pest inspector who will tell you EVERYTHING you have to know, even if there is a problem with the property which can eventually affect its value and potentially your decision to proceed with the purchase? 3. They have a Good Property Portfolio You pay for their experience. Only a person with years of hands-on experience would know what to anticipate, what is likely to happen and know how to manage it. So, have they done it themselves? I would be more prepared to trust my buyer's agent's lead if they have done it themselves. 4. They Specialise in Properties in the Area Again, this is what I would pay for. We pay Buyer's Agents for their expertise in the area and region. They know about the region, the suburb, the good areas. We engage them for their experience and expertise in the area. A lot of Buyers Agents I come across are willing to buy from Darwin, Cairns to Tasmania, from Sydney to Perth. We know some so-called buyer's advocates who fly from Brisbane or Sydney to Melbourne occasionally, and claimed they are area experts in Melbourne. You would have heard of the saying “When you are a Jack of all trades, you are a Master of none”. You paid for the expertise and specialised experience in your Buyers Agent, make sure you get a specialist, not a General Practitioner. 5. They are Truly Independent They should be truly independent and not be paid by any other selling agents and developer / marketers to push their listings. They should be able to prove they are independent and open to answering any questions about the property. I would also want to ensure they are working 100% for me and they are focussed on achieving my goal. Our clients have brought to our attention, evidence of some so-called Buyers Agents recommending properties from one of their affiliated developers, getting paid commissions and also charging you for their services. A Toyota salesperson wouldn't recommend a Honda to you, even if a Honda model suits you better, would he/she? Would you pay that sales person a service fee, for recommending one of his/her cars to you? I wouldn't. I have also seem some Buyers Agents recommending properties and then farming it out to their database. This is not really independent. It is not working in your best interests. They probably short listed the property knowing someone else would buy, if you don't. Summary So, while some selling agents call themselves a Buyer’s Agent, and simply push what they have, the Real, independent Buyer's Advocates are more difficult to find. If you are buying in an popular location, a good buyer's advocate should have the experience to better educate you and guide you in your decision-making process, to provide an honest opinion of the property and to provide alternate views, recommendations and options. You definitely want someone who has the experience and years of property investment experience to be working with you.

Property investment is all about yield and capital growth. Would you prefer Yield? or Growth? or Both? While we all want the best of both worlds, high yield AND capital growth are usually mutually exclusive. You get one or the other, not both. Although, under rare circumstances, you might be lucky enough to get both. So, which one is better? High Yield or Capital Growth? There are no right or wrong answers to this. It all depends on the investor's personal and financial circumstances. Throw in a mix of preferred investment strategies, and you would end up with 101 different right answers for 101 different people. What is Capital Growth? Capital Growth might be suitable for most people, because of the possibility of generating long-term capital growth, when you sell. The bad news is, while you are holding on to these properties, at least during the initial 5 to 10 years, they tend to be negatively geared (rental income is less than interest and other expenses). IE, while this allows the investor to pay lower taxes, using the "loss" from the investment expenses to offset their income, they will be out of pocket each month, until there is sufficient growth or when the property is sold. In the current lending climate, this is the fastest way to stall your investment plan as it is almost certain to reduce your borrowing capacity. You will also be hit with more Capital Gains Tax (CGT), when you sell. What is Yield? High Rental Yield, also known as a positively-geared or cash-flow positive property, is when the rental income is sufficient to pay for its interest, and expenses. The investment property is essentially paying for itself, and it may even produce excess cash. Such properties are providing constant income, and has less impact on your borrowing capacity. The downside is, such properties tend to have low capital growth potential. There is less capital gains (and thus less capital gains tax). Can we have both Capital Growth and Good Yield? Why can't we have the best of both worlds? The answer is simple. Everyone wants a property with high yield and high capital growth. And such properties are ultimately going to be in high demand, thus they tend to be more expensive to acquire, which is going to reduce the yield. It is a supply vs demand thing. So, whilst it is possible to have both strong capital growth and a high rental yield, it is very rare. It is often a choice between one or the other. And what you choose, or what is best for you, comes down to what best fits your property buying objectives, risk profile and what you can affordable.

As property owners or investors, there will be a time when you look at selling your property. One of the key decisions you will have to make is how are you going to sell? Generally, there are 3 main ways of selling: Selling it yourself - manage your own marketing and sales process. Engage an agent on a non-exclusive listing. Engage an agent on an exclusive listing. Unless you are familiar with marking your own property and the entire sales process, engaging an agent to do it help sell your property is probably the only way to go. Finding the right real estate agent is tough. As such, time-poor sellers wanting to engage a good agent, are turning to the services of a vendor advocate to help them source and engage a good agent. You can do it either way, but each has its pros and cons. Here are the key advantages and disadvantages of exclusive vs non-exclusive listings, to help you understand and decide which method of sale is best for sellers. Non-Exclusive (Open) Listing A non-exclusive listing agreement means the responsibility of selling your property is distributed across multiple agents. When the property sells, commission is only paid to the agent who brought in the buyer. Advantages of open listing Creates competition between agents, and heightens the urgency to sell in theory. This is good for properties which are in demand, and which have to be sold in the quickest time. More agents equates to more potential buyers. In theory, each agent and agency will have their own list of potential buyers. However, we all know buyers search across ALL agencies in the area. So, the same buyer will more likely than not, be in touch with all, if not most agents and agencies in the region. AND, there are more serious consequences, which may not be obvious to you. We will cover that in the section below. You are not committed to using only one agent. You can part ways with no further obligations. You are free to market the property yourself as well. And many times, you have to do that, as we will explain below. If you find the buyer on your own, you don’t pay commission to any of the agents. Disadvantages of open listing: Remember, the key advantage of a non-exclusive listing is to allow you to create a competition amongst the agents to sell your property faster. Each agent is, therefore, eager to bring a buyer to you, as you would commonly expect. Now, remember, also, the same buyer will be talking to a few agents in the area. So, two things can happen: You might not get the price you want. Let's assume the best case scenario where the buyer is only interested in your property, out of the hundreds in the market. And if they become aware that your property is being sold by a few agents, a savvy property buyer will be talking to all of these agents. What is likely going to persuade them to buy from an agent instead of the other? PRICE. The lower the price, the easier it is to sell. Yes, you have just created a selling competition, with each agent bidding against each other to find a price (usually lower) that the buyer is willing to pay. High risk of NO marketing from the agents. Consider the second scenario where the buyer is open to considering other similar properties. What would a smart selling agent do? They would usually use an open listing to lure the customer towards their exclusive listings. When this happens, the open listing is usually being painted as the 'lesser' property, so that the buyer will be persuaded to purchase one of their exclusive listings. Why would they do that? They know, their commission is tied to how the selling price. An open listing usually leads to a lower selling price, as there is risk that the buyer will purchase from another agent who can offer a better price. So, rather than actively marketing your property, the smart agent would encourage the buyer to look at one of his exclusive listings, as there is no risk that they would lose the commission. As mentioned above, because agents know you can part ways anytime, with no obligations, they are unlikely to actively market your property. They are also unlikely to recommend your property, knowing the buyers can (and they usually will) approach another agent who is prepared to work against them. I.E, as cruel as it may sound, you are in charge of marketing the property yourself which can be a very difficult task, especially during a down market or if the property is not in demand. Potential purchasers may interpret having multiple agents as a sign your property is difficult to sell, implying there is something wrong with it, or it’s overpriced. It is not unheard of, for agents to prioritise their exclusive listings over the open ones (for reasons mentioned above). This means your property will be on the market for much longer, and in turn this may drive the price down. Not a good idea for a property that is not in demand in the first place. Exclusive Listing An exclusive listing is whereby you grant a single agent and agency the right to sell your property. The real estate agent represents the vendor for the sale, and will work in the vendor’s best interests to get the best price possible for the property. A signed agreement will set out the length of time the agent has to sell the property – 30 days, 90 days, six months or one year - after which the agreement usually rolls into a non-exclusive arrangement, or you can cancel their services with no charge. Advantages of an Exclusive Listing You build a relationship with your agent. Your agent will be someone you trust and they will be working for you, rather than for the purchaser. Working with one agent is much simpler and easier, as there’s only one person to discuss details with. You form a relationship with them, and you will be in constant contact. The agent will be open about how many people came through the property, whether any offers were presented, and whether an offer should be considered. Remember, the agent wants to get a better price for you, not a price the buyer is willing to pay, just to close the deal. The agent will put more resources into marketing, managing and selling the property. The agent is guaranteed their commission, so will prioritise the sale of your property. And it is in their interest that your property is sold at the highest possible price. The agent will go above and beyond to help ensure your property is ready for sale. This could mean they recommend ways to ensure the property is presented in the best possible form, and could mean recommending having slight touch ups, bringing in experts to help stage the property, to furnish and decorate the property. It’s likely you’ll get a higher sale price as the agent is more eager works for you, and will be trying to find the best price, rather than the quickest price to close the deal. The buyer is also unable to shop between agents who are willing to negotiate the best price for them (yes, for the negotiating the best price for the buyer, not for you, the vendor). You have more control over the sale, as your agent is working with you, not against you. Disadvantages of an Exclusive Listing When there is a down turn in the market it can be much harder for one agent to find potential buyers willing to pay high prices. This is also an advantage, as you do not have multiple agents trying to give the same buyer a better price for your property. Sometimes there can be long periods of time without offers, if the property is not in demand, and the productivity of your agent can come into question. If you find down the track you do not like your agent and wish to switch, you’ll usually have to wait until the agreed exclusivity expires to change agents without incurring a fee. You might still be liable for fees, if subsequent agents introduce the same buyer to you. In summary, an exclusive listing allows the agents to work harder for you, not the buyer, as buyers are unable to shop across multiple agents. Exclusive agents are also more willing to put in more work to find the right buyer and the right price, and will not be concerned with just making a quick sale. As buyer's agents working for the buyers, we know which type of listings we would target. Now you know. 😉 If you are planning to sell your property, get in touch to find out more about our vendor advocacy service, whereby we help you select the best agent to sell your property, at not cost to you.

As Melbourne starts to relax its strict stage 4 COVID-19 restrictions, the Melbourne property market has, once again, seen a surge in buying interest. This is not unexpected, given that the Melbourne property market has just emerged from its forced 3 month hibernation. What does this mean for the Melbourne property market? How will this impact the Melbourne property market? What should you do, if you are looking to get into the property market? Savvy property hunters were buying throughout the lockdown. Should you have bought? Is it too late for you? The story so far Just like any other states in Australia, Melbourne property market sprung back to life after the General Elections in 2019. Buying interest was strong, and house prices grew. Unfortunately, COVID-19 got into Australia, and the spikes in COVID-19 infection numbers triggered lockdowns across most parts of Australia. Melbourne wasn't spared. If anything, Melbourne was one of the worst hit cities, and we suffered 2 lockdowns. Real estate inspections were banned in the second lockdown, and the real estate market was put on induced coma for 10 weeks, to limit people movements. Sales were, however, still possible. But with most buyers not willing to buy any properties without physically seeing and touching them, there isn't a lot of property transactions in the 2.5 months. Only a handful of properties were transacted, and we are pleased to acknowledge that one of our clients managed to secure an investment at 20% under market value, through our property buying service. A savings of close to $200,000! Melbourne Property Wrap-up Jul-Sep 2020 If you recall our July 2020 update, we've predicted a rather stagnant property market in the July-Sep 2020 quarter. When doom-sayers and so-called market experts predicted a fall of 40-60% in Melbourne, we've forecasted a price fluctuation of between a window of (+/- 2-3%). We were laughed at, and ridiculed. But we trusted our market analytics, and stood by our forecast. The verdict is out. Have a look at the the infographics released by Corelogic in Oct 2020 above. Prices in Melbourne over the quarter, fell 3.3%. Our forecast were almost spot-on. It was 0.3% off, not 10 or 20 times off the mark. What's going to happen in the Melbourne Property Market for the rest of 2020? The property market outlook for Oct-Dec 2020. The property market outlook for Oct-Dec 2020 is going to be exciting. And exciting is an understatement. It can probably be described as "EXPLOSIVE" in some market segments. We're forecasting a potential 10% surge in house prices in some areas. And up to 20% in some segments of the market. Why so? Oct-Dec 2020 is the traditional real estate buying season in Melbourne (and most parts of Australia, really). Pent-up demand from the strict lockdown. Finance-ready buyers, especially first home buyers who had been locked out of the market during the lockdown, are rushing into the market. Low stock. Seriously low stock level. Many home vendors had been holding off selling their properties, in anticipation of the 40% drop in prices which never happened. Low Stock, Strong Demand. The supply and demand has tilted strongly in favour of sellers. Since the restrictions were relaxed 2 weeks ago, we're seeing buyers willing to pay $100k-200k over the price guidance for good properties. The FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) monster is definitely coming back into the market. This, combined with first home buyers rushing to take advantage of the various first home buyer incentives, such as first home owners grant, first home loan deposit scheme, and the home builders grants, for first home buyers, meant that new or newish properties priced within reach of first home buyers will be snapped up pretty quickly. We've already seen properties being snapped up, at over 20% more than the price guide. These are properties which we have told our clients to "stop chasing". However, the same cannot be said for some segments. Prices in working class suburbs are not likely to enjoy such growth. They are likely to enjoy a much smaller grow in prices of around 3%. What is a good deal in the Melbourne property market? What are the good areas to buy into? It depends on what you are buying, where you are buying and why you are buying. There are some good areas, and some better areas to buy into. Have a chat with us, to discuss your personal situation.

** Almost fully sold! Limited units left. ** Great location, situated right in the middle of Rowville, near shops and supermarkets. This 4 bedroom, 3 ensuite, 2 car garage townhouse is a dream to purchase. It's a great deal, in a suburb where 4 bed townhouses are going for $800k. At this price, this won't last too long. Other configurations: 3 bed 2 bath 2 car - $640k 2 bed 2 bath 2 car - $590k Get in touch to find out more.

Did you know renting can be more expensive than buying? Yes, here in Melbourne, there are suburbs where mortgage repayments are less than your monthly rent. And some are in prime blue chip or inner city areas, such as Southbank, Windsor, Carlton, Toorak, Prahran. Have a chat with us, to find out more. Do remember, if you were to buy, you'll need to factor in purchase costs such as conveyancing, building and pest inspections, and the annual council and body corporate rates, insurance, etc. But you do enjoy the equity appreciation when property prices go up. Is it a right time to buy? Yes. Prices in Melbourne have stopped falling, and in some instances, have risen. Auction clearance rates are well over 70%, stocks are reducing. And with a triple bonus of low interest rates, relaxed lending, tax refunds, prices will only trend up in the coming months. But there are still bargains around metropolitan Melbourne. We regularly list selected discounted properties in our blog : Property of the week Cheaper to buy than rent

If you've been following our blog and posts, we've been telling every to jump in before it's too late for over a month. With the surprise Coalition win in the elections, the rate cuts and the proposed banking relaxation, it's not surprising that competition has heated up. You don't have to feel edged out. Your best strategy is to get a professional property buyer to work for you. We're offering special, discounted fees for the first home buyers. Our full service package will work with you to identify your goals, and put together a plan for you, help you find and buy the property. Have a chat with us urgently. The competition is only going to get tougher, if you wait. https://www.domain.com.au/news/first-home-buyers-report-increased-competition-after-apra-signalling-change-and-rba-rate-cut-846579/