The Victorian Government has signalled significant reforms that would require vendors to publish their reserve price at least seven days before an auction.

In this week's episode, Jarrod McCabe and Jordan Telfer explain why this rule – while well-intentioned – clashes with the commercial reality of auction campaigns, and why a published reserve rarely provides the price certainty buyers crave.

In this episode Jarrod and Jordan discuss:

• The campaign conflict: Why locking in a reserve before the critical penultimate Saturday leaves vendors pricing their assets with incomplete data
• The transparency risk: How early disclosure creates a target for pre-auction offers and opaque 'highest and best' scenarios
• The ‘Certainty’ Fallacy: Why knowing the reserve price offers little protection against competitive emotional bidding on the day
• A better solution: The case for vendor-funded building inspections to reduce buyer costs without distorting the auction mechanism.

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For many buyers, the agent’s quote range is the first filter they use when searching for a property. But in today’s market, relying on that figure as your sole source of truth can lead to missed opportunities or wasted inspection costs.

Residential property is a unique asset class driven as much by human emotion as it is by financial logic. Understanding the difference between ‘market manipulation’ and ‘market unpredictability’ is key to maintaining your sanity – and your budget – during a campaign.

In this week's episode, Jarrod shares recent case studies from the Melbourne market to illustrate why the final sale price often defies the initial data.

• Market Fickleness vs. Underquoting: Dissecting a recent result in the Inner North where fear of missing out (FOMO) skewed the data.
• The unintended consequences of accuracy: Why accurate quotes often lead to failed campaigns in the current climate.
• The ‘Family Premium’ Case Study: How a specific buyer need in the Eastern Suburbs completely distorted the market value of a standard unit.
• Empowering the Buyer: Practical advice on using independent tools and professional advice to set your own limit, regardless of the agent's guide.

We enjoy providing you with free insights into the Melbourne property market and property investment more broadly. Thank you for listening.

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Investing in property makes sense. Investing in the right property takes knowledge.

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Victoria’s rental landscape is shifting with a new suite of reforms to the Residential Tenancies Act, effective from 25 November 2025.

These updates aim to raise standards and address poor practices, urging investors to focus on proactive compliance to avoid fines, disputes, or challenges in a competitive leasing market.​

In this week's episode, Jarrod is joined by Wakelin Property Advisor Jordan Telfer to break down the key mandates and share practical strategies for staying competitive as renter protections intensify.​

• The 2021 baseline for rentals and common retrofits like efficient heating systems
• Key energy upgrade rules for hot water, cooling, insulation, and draughtproofing, plus exemptions for challenging properties
• The end of no-reason evictions, highlighting renter screening and manager partnerships
• The rental bidding ban and strategies for setting competitive initial rents without overbidding
• Longer 90-day notice periods for increases and vacating, with case-by-case planning for sales timing
• Pre-advertising minimum standards and defending rent increases through comparables and documentation

We enjoy providing you with free insights into the Melbourne property market and property investment more broadly. Thank you for listening.

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Investing in property makes sense. Investing in the right property takes knowledge.

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Melbourne's spring property market is heating up, with first-home buyers returning thanks to federal incentives slashing deposits to 5%.

While inner-suburb houses stay out of reach for many, apartments are gaining traction as an accessible entry point – but only if you focus on the right ones for long-term growth.

In this week's episode, Jarrod explains why notional land value – your proportional share of the site's underlying land – separates thriving apartments from stagnant ones, drawing from Wakelin's buyer advisory experience.

As development intensifies and supply tightens, understanding this unlocks apartments that capital growth:

• The power of notional land in driving appreciation, versus the pitfalls of high-rises with diluted shares
• Step-by-step guide to calculating your land entitlement and its proportion of the purchase price
• Top apartment types: Boutique older blocks like Art Deco and 1950s-70s builds on under-capitalised sites
• Melbourne's value hotspots in eastern and south-eastern suburbs like Boroondara and Stonnington
• Developer trends targeting these blocks for redevelopment, and hurdles like owner consensus
• A case study of four apartments sold as a site for 125% uplift, from $1M units to $9M total

We enjoy providing you with free insights into the Melbourne property market and property investment more broadly. Thank you for listening.

If you like what you hear, subscribe, like, rate or follow us and tell your friends and family.

Investing in property makes sense. Investing in the right property takes knowledge.

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Selling property from a deceased estate stirs profound emotions and risks disputes among family members. Yet a structured approach can maximise value, provide fair closure, and honour the deceased's legacy.

In this episode Jarrod discusses:

• The key differences between executors and beneficiaries, and why early role clarification reduces tension
• Defining sale goals, from joint ownership to buyouts, with tips on independent valuations
• Balancing legal timelines like probate and capital gains tax (CGT) exemptions with market conditions for optimal timing
• Tailoring property presentation to buyer profiles without overspending estate funds
• Choosing experienced agents and seeking vendor advocacy support to ease the executor's burden
• A real case study of resolving a sibling dispute through transparent auction processes

We enjoy providing you with free insights into the Melbourne property market and property investment more broadly. Thank you for listening.

If you like what you hear, subscribe, like, rate or follow us and tell your friends and family.

Investing in property makes sense. Investing in the right property takes knowledge.

To learn more visit www.wakelin.com.au | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Email

With Spring auctions numbers ramping up and Melbourne's property demand set to intensify, mastering the powerplays between bidders, vendors, and agents is crucial – but how do you adapt to win in this unpredictable arena?

In this episode Jarrod discusses:

• The auctioneer/agent's tools: setting quotes, bids, and vendor insertions to shape the process
• Vendors as ultimate deciders: timing the reserve and using pass-ins strategically for better deals
• Bidders' agility: positioning, increment choices, and observing tells to outmanoeuvre rivals
• Post-auction tactics: walking away credibly to build leverage in negotiations
• A real case study where disciplined strategy turned a pass-in into a winning purchase

We enjoy providing you with free insights into the Melbourne property market and property investment more broadly. Thank you for listening.

If you like what you hear, subscribe, like, rate or follow us and tell your friends and family.

Investing in property makes sense. Investing in the right property takes knowledge.

To learn more visit www.wakelin.com.au | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Email

First-time buyers are driving demand for two-bedroom apartments this Spring, but costly mistakes in the property market can set newcomers back years – so how do you avoid them and build lasting wealth?

In this episode Jarrod discusses:

• Not waiting for finance: start educating yourself early on priorities, locations, and property types
• Using government grants wisely without letting them steer you toward poor investments
• Dropping preconceived ideas about property types to align with your actual lifestyle and goals
• Focusing on potential rather than perfection, prioritising unchangeable factors like location
• Understanding buying processes, from auctions to private sales, and assembling expert help
• The critical need for thorough due diligence, including inspections and independent valuations

We enjoy providing you with free insights into the Melbourne property market and property investment more broadly. Thank you for listening.

If you like what you hear, subscribe, like, rate or follow us and tell your friends and family.

Investing in property makes sense. Investing in the right property takes knowledge.

To learn more visit www.wakelin.com.au | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Email

With remote property investment gaining traction, savvy investors are buying interstate or in other cities to diversify and capture growth in undervalued markets like Melbourne's current landscape. But what are the keys to success?

In this episode Jarrod discusses:

• Why go remote: for diversification, reduced risks, tax benefits, and opportunities in markets at different cycles
• Where to invest: capital cities with strong fundamentals like jobs, education, population growth, and infrastructure
• When to enter: based on your financial readiness and signals from temporarily slowed markets poised for recovery
• What to buy: properties focused on capital growth, with high land value, scarcity, and broad appeal
• How to proceed: adapting to state-specific rules on auctions, disclosures, and processes with local expertise

We enjoy providing you with free insights into the Melbourne property market and property investment more broadly. Thank you for listening.

If you like what you hear, subscribe, like, rate or follow us and tell your friends and family.

Investing in property makes sense. Investing in the right property takes knowledge.

To learn more visit www.wakelin.com.au | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Email