In the Media - 2023

Victoria housing affordability: Less than a fifth of Victorian homes are cheaper to buy than rent | PropTrack

Less than a fifth of Victorian homes are more affordable to buy than rent, with new PropTrack data revealing one major difference between the state and the rest of the nation.

However, Property Mavens chief executive and buyer agent Miriam Sandkuhler said she would caution property investors to buy in these areas, as a high proportion of these “homes” were very small units in precincts dominated by tightly congested development.

“Calling these ‘homes’’ can be quite misleading,” Ms Sandkuhler said. Click here to read more.

Overinflated or set to fly? The factors driving property in 2024

Will Sydney continue to inhabit its own property universe? Can Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide deliver even more stellar capital growth? Is Melbourne the next big thing in real estate?

There have been a range of factors driving house prices this year but where is it all headed in 2024?

Let’s take a look at the four major factors driving the market’s trajectory and see how things are likely to develop in the new year. Click here to read more.

Melbourne homes snapped up after less than 20 days on the market

Homes in Melbourne’s outer east are flying off the market in fewer than 20 days as young families fight for affordable abodes.

Property Mavens chief executive and buyers advocate Miriam Sandkuhler said that pocket of Melbourne was a great option for young families to get into the market under $1m.

Ms Sandkuhler said investor activity in the suburbs was also high as houses typically attracted an about 3.5 percent rental return — and it could rise next year. Click here to read more.

State-by-state: where property prices will be driven by infrastructure projects

Australia is in the middle of an infrastructure boom that is driving capital growth in property markets around Australia but knowing which projects deliver property investment value is essential. 

After decades of underinvestment, state governments have bet large on the social and economic impact of infrastructure spending.

Australia is in the middle of an infrastructure boom, with the Federal government’s Infrastructure Market Capacity report saying the pipeline has grown by $15 billion in the last 12 months.  Click here to read more.

Melbourne house prices: Daniel Andrews’ 800,000 housing target to dampen price growth

Victoria’s housing shake-up risks dampening property price growth.

Victoria’s plan to build 800,000 new homes over the next 10 years has the potential to flood some areas with housing supply that could dampen capital gains and investment returns over the long term, property experts say. Click here to read more.

Best places to invest as interest rates stabilise

Interest rates, short-term accommodation, migration; many variables are shaping the property market and influencing exactly where real estate investors should be focusing their attention. 

It was the worst of times; it was the best of times.

It was supposed to be the year where a combination of rising interest rates and a slowing economy would dampen real estate prices.

So, are higher interest rates crushing the market? Well no, real estate in Australia has just recorded its sixth straight month of price rises, according to CoreLogic, and there’s no sign of prices falling. Click here to read more.

RENTAL CRISIS - Landlords AREn't All greedy

 Watch Miriam Sandkuhler's  interview with ABC Breakfast News.

  Click here to watch the video.

Melbourne house prices: Calls for vendors to advertise reserve prices at auctions (theage.com.au)

John was sick of wasting time on properties he couldn’t afford. He found a fix

When John and Margaret Joughin sold their Macedon Ranges home last year, they made an unusual choice.

The couple decided to advertise the reserve price for 370 Lancefield-Tooborac Road, Lancefield, so buyers knew what they would need to pay before they turned up to the auction.

Property Mavens buyers agent Miriam Sandkuhler said the reserve price of a home should be advertised. “That would level the playing field for all,” Sandkuhler said. Click here to read more.

Melbourne house prices: Real estate agents accused of widespread underquoting (theage.com.au)

Don’t trust property price guides? The misleading tactic making Melbourne buyers fume

It’s a common story for frustrated Melbourne property buyers, who are raising concerns about the prevalence of underquoting, the complaints process, and the legal loopholes that allow questionable behaviour.

Property Mavens buyer’s agent Miriam Sandkuhler said she had made 10 complaints to Consumer Affairs over the past 10 years about underquoting. Click here to read more.

Hotspotting: Victorian property investors could be better off buying an apartment instead of a house, experts say

The best opportunities for property investors across the state this spring have been revealed in a new Hotspotting report.
And some experts warn not to overlook a particular type of home.

Property Mavens founder Miriam Sandkuhler warned just because there was an uptick in sales in certain suburbs,
that didn’t necessarily make them good places to invest.
“You need multiple growth drivers in one location; every property has to be assessed on its own individual merits,”
Ms Sandkuhler said. Click here to read more.

Where property prices are likely heading in 2024, and why

A recent holiday and time spent with friends reinforced one thing – the fixation on where property prices are heading is as strong as ever.

Market sentiment now can best be described as indecisive.

Over the last three months price trends has been inconsistent around the country as people’s expectations of a long term growth contend with the ramifications of rising interest rates.

While politicians bicker and grandstand, the residential market remains primed for significant rental growth and capital growth in select capital city and regional areas. I expect rental growth to hit double digits in 2024 says Miriam Sandkuhler, CEO of Property Mavens. Click here to read more.

Property market stalls; recession risk warning

Property Mavens founder and buyer’s advocate Miriam Sandkuhler said that growth probably reflected a two-speed Slow recovery at this rate market operating across the city, with bigger units suited to downsizers and family homes in higher-end areas doing well. First-home buyers and those needing bigger mortgages to buy their next homes were less likely to drive strong results, tempering the speed of growth. Those seeking value could consider homes in West Footscray, Maidstone, and Maribyrnong, Ms Sandkuhler said.

Australia's multi-speed property market testing investors

It's a tale of two property markets emerging in Australia, as the outer suburbs show signs of struggling while the more affluent markets produce the capital growth.

While reports of a rise in homes being sold for less than what was paid for them roll in, home price indexes are showing a continuing rebound from this year’s lows. Record prices are being paid at auction each week, at the same time as a leap in mortgage arrears. Click here to read more.

A family dropped $1,821,000 to buy this modest Bentleigh East home on a spacious block of land ripe for redevelopment in an hour-long auction on Saturday

The 1950s classic brick three-bedroom home at 11 Gladwyn Avenue drew five bidders, was on the market for the first time in 60 years, and came with decorative ceilings, a sunny back courtyard, and a well-kept kitchen that had scope to update.

This was an extraordinary result for my lovely 93-year-old vendor Guy on Saturday. As a vendor advocate, my role is to secure the best agent, with the best strategy and an exceptional skillset for the job. But this day was different. Ying Goh and I got our hands on and worked the crowd for our client and in conjunction with Simons' brilliant auctioneering, it sold for an incredible $221k OVER the reserve. Now, we have the privilege of finding Guy his new downsizer home. Click here to watch the auction video.

Landlords to be targeted by ATO after dodgy tax deductions

A recent review has found nine out of 10 landlords are making dodgy deductions on their tax returns, but chief executive at Property Mavens, Miriam Sandkulher believes it’s not entirely deliberate.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily deliberate, I think most of it will be errors that people make from a lack of understanding,” Ms Sandkulher told Neil Mitchell. Click here to listen.

Endure economic wild cards through long-term investment planning

An unpredictable property market is surprising agents with unexpected sales highs and lows, while economic wild cards are a source of uncertainty, but a winning strategy for buyers is long-term planning.

The nation’s economists sat glued to their screens while journalists confidently predicted interest rates would not rise in April. As far as they were concerned, the next move would be towards the end of the year and that move would be down. Click here to read more.

Melbourne auctions: Modest Bentleigh East house soars to $1,821,000 in hot auction

A family dropped $1,821,000 to buy a modest Bentleigh East home on a spacious block of land ripe for redevelopment in an hour-long auction on Saturday.

The 1950s classic brick three-bedroom home at 11 Gladwyn Avenue drew five bidders, was on the market for the first time in 60 years and came with decorative ceilings, a sunny back courtyard and a well-kept kitchen that had scope to update. Click here to read more.

Are interest rates the only game in town when it comes to property prices?

Much has been made of the link between interest rates and property prices, but will home values necessarily go up if interest rates peak and start to decline over the coming 12 months? 

While the sharp rise in rates has certainly moved the property market backwards, many commentators are telling us that interest rates alone can predict where the market will be in a year or two.

Is that correct? Click here to read more.

Buyer's agent Jack Henderson's links to selling agent raises questions about perceived conflicts of interest in sector

Miriam Sandkuhler, a buyer's agent in Victoria, said it could be challenging for consumers to distinguish between qualified buyer's agents and other industry players.

"There are so-called property advisors, consultants; some of them take the word buyer's agent and misuse it," she said. Click here to read more.

What you need to know when buying a brand-new home off the plan

Investment advisor Miriam Sandkuhler at Property Mavens said off-the-plan properties can suit first-time buyers who are trying to get into a market at an affordable price point, or downsizers who want to remain in the same suburb.

Sometimes an off-the-plan property holds particular appeal, she added.

"It may have been designed in a particular style or by a sought-after designer, or it may have an appealing floorplan or be in a boutique development,” Ms Sandkuhler said. Click here to read more.

How to Spot a Fake Buyer’s Agent

Miriam Sandkuhler, the CEO and Founder of Property Mavens is a multi-award winning buyers agent and vendor advocate with franchised offices in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. Miriam is the best-selling author of Property Prosperity and is an accredited property investment advisor. She is recognized in the real estate industry as both an innovator and thought leader, regularly asked to speak at seminars. Click here to read more.

Real estate agents and insiders expose the secret tactics used to lure buyers and sellers

Property Mavens CEO, Miriam Sandkuhler, spoke with the ABC’s 4Corners about unethical practices in the real estate industry and how consumers could protect themselves.
Miriam has long campaigned to end underquoting, unlicensed advice, and other unethical practices in the property sector and in favour of more consumer protection from poor advice.

"Consumer Affairs in Victoria … are supposed to oversee what happens with thousands and thousands and thousands of real estate transactions every year," Melbourne buyer's agent Miriam Sandkuhler said. Click here to read more.

With one in ten properties worth buying, where should investors be looking in 2023?

With just 8 to 10 percent of properties deemed to be of investment-grade standard, API Magazine columnist Miriam Sandkuhler identifies the suburbs, budgets and property types that investors should be looking at in 2023. Click here to read more.

Australia's hottest family-friendly suburbs revealed

Buyer’s agent Miriam Sandkuhler from Property Mavens selected the suburb - located about 6km south of the Geelong CBD – for its high amenity and convenient location. 

“Belmont saw a big expansion after World War II and is dominated by detached housing in residential streets with only a small industrial area,” she said. Click here to read more.

How much pain can Aussie borrowers tolerate?

Miriam Sandkuhler, CEO and Buyers Agent, Property Mavens, said interest rate rises will lead to more distressed property sales.

“Like Sydney, Melbourne’s trophy home section of the market has been hit hardest, with agents finding that selling multi-million dollar homes in areas like Brighton, Malvern and Toorak is much more difficult,” Ms Sandkuhler, the REIV Buyers Agent of the Year in 2021, said. Click here to read more.

Bargain buys on offer in Australia’s hottest beach suburbs

Australia’s hottest beachside suburbs have been identified by a panel of experts, where would-be buyers and investors can snap up homes in idyllic lifestyle-driven locations.

The inaugural realestate.com.au Hot 100 identified the spots around Australia with the best prospects in 2023 and beyond, based on the insights of industry professionals.

Buyer’s agent Miriam Sandkuhler from Property Mavens nominated Frankston as a Hot 100 suburb. Click here to read more.

Thinking about a switch to buyer’s advocacy? Read this first

Property Mavens chief executive Miriam Sandkuhler noted that the slowdown in property markets had been a driving force for more sales agents to consider a career in buyer’s advocacy, with the sector being flooded with new entrants over the past few years who have no experience and even less professional training.

Oftentimes, she noted that newcomers to the field come from the sales side of real estate and have a misconception that shifting from being a selling agent to a buyer’s advocacy would be a smooth transition.  Click here to read more.

Experts reveal the hottest suburbs for first-home buyers in each major capital city

Buyer’s agent Miriam Sandkuhler, chief executive of Property Mavens, picked Reservoir as a Hot 100 suburb due to its family appeal, amenity, and location. Click here to read more.

Victorian property market update: Who’s best on ground so far in 2022?

Victoria’s 2022 home selling season might have kicked off with vendors in control, but buyers have fought their way back into the contest in a big way.

As we prepare for the final quarter of the state’s first lockdown-free property market in three years, we’ve asked property experts for their view on the state of play.

Find out which parts of the market they think have been the best and worst on ground. Click here to read more.