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If Buyers Have the Upper Hand, Why Are Some Still Overpaying?
A market that gives buyers more negotiating power can still produce a poor purchase. Especially when buyers confuse winning the property with buying it well.

Shannon Koetsveld
Oct 124 min read


Approved to Borrow. But Is Anyone Checking What You’re Buying?
For many Australians, saving a traditional 20% deposit has become one of the greatest barriers to home ownership. The Australian Government’s 5% Deposit Scheme can provide eligible first-home buyers with an opportunity to purchase sooner and avoid Lenders Mortgage Insurance. The expanded scheme has no income caps, unlimited places and can be used to purchase an eligible house, townhouse or apartment, subject to the scheme requirements and applicable property price caps. For t

Shannon Koetsveld
Sep 287 min read


Off-Market or Overpriced? The Truth Behind “Exclusive” Property Opportunities
There are few expressions in real estate more powerful or more overused than off-market. Tell a buyer that a property is available online and they will calmly scroll through the photographs. Tell them it is an “exclusive off-market opportunity” and suddenly the same property feels rare, urgent and possibly too good to miss. But let’s clear something up: Off-market does not mean undervalued. It does not mean undiscovered. And it certainly does not mean it is a better property.

Shannon Koetsveld
Sep 216 min read


Buyer’s Agents Under Question: Who Are You Trusting With Your Future?
A buyer’s agent is not simply being paid to find a property. They are being trusted to protect a client from buying the wrong one, in the wrong location, at the wrong price.

Shannon Koetsveld
Aug 3110 min read


When Stupidity has consumed Real Estate
Victoria's latest property reform might be one of the biggest examples of fixing something that wasn't broken.

Shannon Koetsveld
Aug 103 min read


If Your Property Negotiation Strategy Starts With "Let's Lowball Them"… We Need to Talk
Negotiating the purchase of a property isn't about making the lowest offer. It's about understanding the game you're actually playing.

Shannon Koetsveld
Jul 273 min read


Melbourne Didn’t Get the Memo: We’re the World’s Third Most Liveable City!
Apparently, all the doom and gloom forgot to check the actual data. If you have followed the recent headlines, you could be forgiven for thinking Melbourne had packed up its coffee machine, cancelled the footy and quietly closed for business. Government announcements, changing property policies, higher costs and relentless negative commentary have painted a fairly gloomy picture of Victoria. There is just one small problem. Melbourne has officially been ranked the third most

Shannon Koetsveld
Jul 144 min read


Why First Home Buyers Are Getting Played
Buying your first home used to be simple. Our parents bought homes in the 80’s and 90’s with a handshake, a local bank manager and often one income supporting the household. Back then, house prices were far more closely aligned with wages. Today, the average Australian home is now sitting at around 8 times the average household income, with property prices continuing to outpace wage growth year after year. (cdn.finder.com.au) Fast forward to today and the property landscape h

Shannon Koetsveld
May 124 min read
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