9 Surprising Things First-time Home Buyers Should Know

People who have been homeowners for a long time tend to forget how exciting and nerve-wracking it feels to buy a home for the first time. Once you’ve been through the process, you know what to expect and aren’t surprised by the second (or fifth) go-around. But for new homeowners, the road is filled with […]

Should I Renovate My Home Before Selling It?

This is a very common question I get from home owners considering selling, especially if their home is not shiny and new and has not had an extensive renovation in the last few years. Ultimately the question goes to whether it’s worth investing the money and time to do a major renovation, with the goal […]

Should I Sell My Home Now Or Wait For A Better Price?

Note: For the best video viewing experience, click the Full Screen mode button. Additional Resources A common theme around questions I get from home owners considering selling is timing. In other words, when’s the best time to sell their home &/or buy a new home. Largely, these questions come back to a matter of dollars. […]

Where should I spend cosmetically to get the best price when selling my home?

One question we get a lot of times from home sellers is whether they should spend extra money improving their home before putting it on the market for sale. The driver behind the question is always – how much of an increase will they get in their final sale price *IF* they spend money increasing […]

When Selling, Will I Be Squeezed Out Of The Property Market Due To Rising Prices?

A common concern or fear for home owners thinking about selling is whether they won’t be able to buy their next property due to rising prices. While it’s been easy to sell properties here in Melbourne over the last few years since Covid-19 hit, the big risk has been that with prices rising almost every […]

When Is The Right Time To Sell My Home?

A common question from home owners is around when is it the right – or best – time to sell their home. And truthfully, there is no PERFECT answer, because I don’t have a working crystal ball to determine when you are best to sell & buy your next home. HOWEVER, there is a really […]

I Want To Downsize. When Is The Best Time To Sell?

There’s a lot of home owners that are looking at downsizing these days. Whether it’s due to a desire to move into a smaller, easier-to-maintain property (perhaps an apartment or lifestyle village accommodation), or just not needing as large a home as you have now, one of the biggest questions I get asked is around […]

When Improving My Home For Sale How Do I Avoid Overcapitalising?

Perhaps one of the most common questions I get asked by home owners considering selling is whether they should make improvements to their property before selling. For example, renovating the kitchen or bathroom, etc. The idea being that if the home is improved significantly, then it has the potential to increase the final sale price, […]

What’s Causing The Current Housing Market Boom?

There’s been a lot of questions and “noise” (including outrage from home buyers) around the topic of what’s been causing the boom in house prices over the last few years. Now for home sellers, it’s largely been great news because their home is worth more, but buyers have definitely not been happy with rising home […]

Will A Good Garden Improve My Chances Of Selling My Home?

Another common question (FAQ) I get from home sellers is about their garden. They frequently ask should they spend extra money to bring their garden up to scratch or just tidy them up. In this video, I discuss the pros & cons of spending time & money on improving your garden before selling, and when […]

Should I Renovate Before Selling Or Leave It For The New Owner?

A common question I get asked by homeowners considering selling is whether it’s worth renovating before selling or not. The reasoning behind this question is pretty simple: Will renovating increase the final sale price of the property enough to make it worth doing. So as an example, if you spent $20K on a small (but […]

Will I Get The Best Price Selling My Home Off Market?

A common situation I run into with home owners thinking about selling is whether they should go the whole 9 yards with staging, home opens, advertising (etc.) vs selling off market. The idea behind selling off-market is that you don’t do all the expensive marketing & advertising that’s normally involved in selling a home and […]

Should I Buy Now Or Wait Until The Property Market Drops?

Note: The video was filmed in portrait mode rather than landscape, which is why it is narrow rather than wide. For the best viewing experience, I recommend you click the Full Screen mode button. Additional Resources An extremely common message I get given from potential home buyers is something along the lines of “I think […]

How Safe Is It To Have Strangers In My Home During Open For Inspections?

When you put your home on the market to sell it, one thing that always happens is people have to come and visit your home to see it in person. It’s rare (but thanks to covid, not quite as rare these days) for a buyer to purchase without having seen inside and outside the property […]

How Do Real Estate Agents Provide A Property Price Estimate Sight Unseen?

Anyone considering selling their home will usually start the process by contacting a real estate agent to find out how much their property is worth in today’s real estate market. Often called an ‘appraisal’ or price update, this is where your agent lets you know what they think your home might sell for. Thanks largely […]

How Much Commission Does A Real Estate Agent Charge?

The #2 question I get asked by home sellers as a real estate agent is: “How much is your commission?” Aside from the #1 question (How much can you sell my home for?), it is the most common and important question vendors ask, so I thought I’d give you a rough breakdown of agent commissions […]

What Are The Costs Involved With Buying And Selling Property In Melbourne?

A large part of my role as a real estate professional is discussing costs involved for both buyers and sellers. Like it or not, there’s no free options in real estate so it makes good sense to understand what you might need to budget for, regardless of whether you’re a seller or a buyer. This […]

Is Renovating Sensible When Selling If Your House Is Well Maintained?

A surprisingly common question I get asked by homesellers is whether they should renovate BEFORE selling, especially if their home is already well maintained and not dated and tired looking. The main reasoning behind this question is the idea that renovating will improve the final sale price of the home, which will bring in more […]

How Do I Find The Right Home For My Lifestyle?

A common question I get from people looking to buy a home is how do I find (or choose) the right home for my lifestyle? In particular, if they are selling as well and can’t decide what kind of home to buy next, they often lack some clarity on the topic. So this is my […]

Will The Real Estate Market Crash?

This video discusses a very popular question I get asked a LOT! In it, I talk about what I think will happen in the (Melbourne) real estate market in the next year. This video segment was pulled from a long interview I did back in Feb 2022, where I answered a heap of frequently asked […]

What Will Happen To Melbourne Property Prices In 2022?

On a daily basis I get asked about what I think is going to happen to Melbourne property prices this year. So, I decided I’d share my thoughts on the topic in an interview I did in February. While my crystal ball isn’t working that well (whose is?) I did highlight some factors I do […]

Victoria’s Property Tax Hikes: 2 Of The 3 Are Pretty Good

Victorian treasurer Tim Pallas’s three-pronged strategy to raise an extra A$2.7 billion in property taxes over the next four years is a case of two out of three ain’t bad.

It’s Harder To Pay Off A Home Loan Now Than It Looks and Why

So you think it’s the right time to dive in and buy a home.

I can’t tell you you’re wrong. I can tell you it would have been better to do it before prices began soaring, and that if they keep soaring it will get worse still.

When the year began, the typical Sydney price was $872,000.

How To Buy A Home When Buyer Competition Is High

Every buyer wants to avoid a multiple offer situation if possible.

We prefer to negotiate directly with the owner, one on one. It’s programmed into our genes to want to start off low, see what the seller comes back with and maybe meet in the middle if it works for us.

Why Pricing Your Home Correctly Is Critical

Home buyers are becoming better educated all the time. Online value estimates and all manner of market statistics are now just a few clicks away. Experienced purchasers can spot an under-priced home from a mile away.

Conversely, when a home is priced even 5-10% too high, buyers notice immediately. As a result, home open attendees can be surprisingly quiet, even in a raging hot market.

7 Tips To Get Your Mortgage Application Approved

Are you planning to apply for a mortgage in the near future?

If so, there are 7 steps you can take in advance to increase your chances of getting a YES from the bank.

Ready To Move Home But Not Sure What To Do Next?

Think back to when you bought your first property. Was it everything you ever wanted?

For most of us, the dream of homeownership was the driving force in our buying decision and we were happy to compromise on certain features to get our ‘foot in the door’.

How To Sell Your Home For The Best Possible Price

You can maximise the value of your home by making the right choices in a few key areas.

You certainly don’t need to undertake extensive renovations or replace every old fixture. That old vinyl in the bathroom isn’t going to make all the difference to your end result.

5 Ways To Add Value To Your Home This Weekend

Are you looking for cost-effective ways to add value to your home? Would you like to increase your potential selling price or valuation without spending the earth?

When it comes to renovating, costs can spiral out of control if you are not careful. So this list has been prepared with frugal-ness top of mind!

How To Sell A Rental Property

Investing in property is a proven way to build and store long-term wealth. But there may come a time when the money you have tied up in that rental property could be used for better things.

We have helped many clients through this exact situation and their reasons for selling a rental property vary, but common answers include:

5 Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Real Estate Agent

When a real estate agents comes to your home and compliments you on every single aspect of its nature, it’s easy to get swept up in the moment and sign a contract without asking the right questions first.

Here are 5 key questions you should be asking before you hire any real estate professional.

5 Key Features Of A Great Investment Property

Many homeowners fall into property investment, almost by accident. They end up buying the home next door when it comes on the market, or they buy a home from a family member who is looking to sell.

Or sometimes, when an owner moves to a bigger home, they keep their existing property as a rental.

Styling Your Home On A Budget Before Selling

Styling your home to increase its potential sale value doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.

Start with the following ideas and you will be well on your way to achieving a great result.

Is Now A Good Time To Buy Property?

With all the uncertainty in the world right now, you would be forgiven for feeling a little cautious about jumping into the property market.

One thing stronger than our fear of missing out is our fear of making a bad decision.

How To Buy A Home When You Have One To Sell

The hardest time to buy a home is when you already own one.

Financially, you need to sell your home to buy the next one, but the person you are buying off doesn’t want to be tied down waiting for your home to sell in case things don’t work out.

How To Avoid Overcapitalising When Renovating Your Home

Before we get into the ins and outs of how to avoid overcapitalising, the first question you need to answer is:

How long do you plan to own this home?

Five Ways To Help Your Kids Into A Home

Homeownership rates are dropping around the world and in most areas, it is getting harder and harder to buy your first home.

With property prices as high as they are, many first home buyers are only able to purchase a property with help from family.

Five Mistakes To Avoid When Selling Your Home

You get one chance at selling your home for the best possible price. Avoid these common mistakes to ensure you secure a great result.

Should you trust online property valuations?

Didn’t your mother ever tell you… “You shouldn’t believe everything you read online.”

With the use of price ranges now everywhere, how do home buyers know whether they need to be at the top of the range to even get a look in?

How to be part of a win-win real estate negotiation

There is a common trap that buyers and sellers fall into when negotiating a deal. It’s called the ‘mythical middle trap’ and it’s something to be aware of before you start making offers or put your home on the market.

How to Avoid Underselling Your Home

When it comes to selling your home, there are 4 common traps that many home owners fall into.

Here’s how to avoid these mistakes and maximise your chances of achieving a great result.

5 Minor Home Improvements That Add Major Resale Value

Even if you aren’t thinking of selling anytime soon, it’s important to consider future resale value when making changes to your home.

These 5 cost-effective home improvements will increase the liveability of your home, provide you with a great return on your investment and maximise the value when it comes time to sell & move.

How to convert your garage into a home office

If Covid19 taught us one thing, it was that you may have enjoyed the many benefits of working from home: The 5-second commute, attending ‘meetings’ in your track pants, no one stealing your snacks from the office fridge.

Conversely, you may have discovered that your ‘home office’ is less than adequate and you urgently need to create a space where you can work uninterrupted. Somewhere you can actually hear yourself think.

Can You Buy a House Virtually?

While the article below is from the United States, we are beginning to see confidence building with more buyers being prepared to purchase in the digital world either due to time pressure, or the increased availability of virtual tours and live walk throughs of properties that are on the market currently.

𝐃𝐨’𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞

When it comes to selling your home, there are a number of things you can do to help it appeal more to the buyer’s market. However, there are also things you can do that can work against you. Here are a few dos and don’ts to help you in the process of selling your home.

3 Mistakes to Avoid when Selling a Home in 2020

It’s exciting to put a house on the market and to think about making new memories in new spaces, but we can have deep sentimental attachments to the homes we’re leaving behind, too. Growing emotions can help or hinder a sale, depending on how we manage them.