Street Talk

If you’d like to learn more about a local Melbourne or Victorian suburb, our Street Talk suburb snapshots explore the schools, parks, restaurants, cafes, general entertainment options and liveability options available in various areas.

Spotswood: An Underrated Suburb Poised For Redevelopment

By Cate Bakos on 28 Oct 2014 No Comments yet, your thoughts are very welcome

Spotswood fascinates me a little bit because it seems quite underrated when compared to its adjacent neighbours; Yarraville and Newport. Seemingly quiet, it is poised for bigger things as its land use changes from industrial to residential and commercial. Significant redevelopment is also on the cards ...

Yarraville: Where Four Bedroom Homes Sell Like Hotcakes

By Cate Bakos on 21 Oct 2014 No Comments yet, your thoughts are very welcome

On Saturday I bid at 20 Fairlie Street in Yarraville for some very special clients of mine. Unfortunately we were not the winning bidders, but I was so moved by the vendors' remarkable market timing, and ability to tap into what the local market needed, that I decided to write about the adventure ...

The Auction in Moonee Ponds That Brought The Entire Street Out

By Cate Bakos on 14 Oct 2014 No Comments yet, your thoughts are very welcome

72 Elginton Street in Moonee Ponds would have to be one of my favorite facades in Melbourne. It encapsulates stunning Victorian architecture. Interestingly though, this house proved to us all that the power of market timing is everything. Because it sold for $1.05 million in March 2009 and then rebounded with a $1.475 million result ...

Clifton Hill: A Suburb That Knows Its Target Market

By Cate Bakos on 7 Oct 2014 No Comments yet, your thoughts are very welcome

This stunningly renovated three bedroom cottage stole more than a few hearts with its sales campaign. It certainly stole my clients’ hearts… but not enough for me to be confident that we were strong contenders on auction day. It was a magnet for media, buyer’s agents and appreciative Victorian cottage buyers ...

Donvale: Understanding The Target Buyer When Selling Your Home

By Cate Bakos on 29 Jul 2014 No Comments yet, your thoughts are very welcome

Usually my articles describe a purchase. Not only does this story not feature a purchase, but it doesn’t feature a sale either. I felt that it would be a good to highlight the importance of understanding the target buyer, and remembering that patience is so important when it comes to property ...

Yarraville: Why Location Means Everything – Choosing the Right Property for SMSF Investors

By Cate Bakos on 22 Jul 2014 2 Comments

I recently had the pleasure of assisting a client with a self-managed super purchase. Knowing that SMSF purchases require a high degree of scrutiny, and also appreciating the restrictions in place for SMSF investors, I had to carefully craft a strategy that would deliver the rental yield nominated by their financial planner ...