Melbourne’s auction scene is as iconic as its laneways — and just as unpredictable.

In this week’s episode, The Melbourne Property Podcast hosts Lisa Parker and Cate Bakos, (with over 40 years of combined boots-on-the-ground experience), lift the curtain on what really goes down before, during and after an auction.

They break down the entire auction campaign cycle, decode agents’ tactics, and share true behind-the-scenes stories (yes, including a buyer who bid mid-dog walk 🐶).

If you're bidding at auction this year, this episode is a must!

📌 By tuning into this episode, listeners will:

• 🧠 Understand the full auction campaign lifecycle and how timing affects strategy
  
  
• 🚨 Learn why agents run auctions (even when they know it might not sell)
  
  
• 🕵️‍♀️ Discover exactly what goes on behind the scenes on auction day
  
  
• 📉 Know the dangers of bidding emotionally and how to set a clear auction limit
  
  
• 🎭 Spot the psychological tactics used by agents and auctioneers to push bids higher
  
  
• 🛠️ Learn how to prep contracts, deposits, and conditions BEFORE auction day
  
  
• 🧾 Understand what happens when a property passes in — and how to negotiate post-auction
  
  
• 🤝 Hear how being respectful and strategic can land you access to off-market or follow-up deals

We hope you enjoy!

Lisa and Cate

If you’ve ever wondered what kind of property you can buy in Melbourne on a tight budget, this episode is your blueprint.

With over 40 years of combined, boots-on-the-ground experience in Melbourne's property market, buyer’s advocates Lisa Parker and Cate Bakos unpack exactly how far your money can stretch in today's climate. From inner-city apartments to regional opportunities in Ballarat and Bendigo, they reveal the real numbers behind the minimum viable property purchase....and what to avoid.

Whether you’re buying your first investment property or aiming to enter the Melbourne market wisely, this is the podcast trusted buyers across Australia are tuning into. Forget outdated headlines. This is real-time, expert-backed insight from the people who know Melbourne best.

🎧 Subscribe now and learn what others don’t know....your budget might go further than you think.

✅ Key Lessons & Actionable Insights:

• 🎯 Understand What Budget You Really Need to break into Melbourne or its surrounding markets.
  
  
• 🏘️ Learn the Pros & Cons of Different Dwelling Types (units, townhouses, houses) and which offer better growth or yield.
  
  
• 🛑 Avoid Common Buyer Mistakes—like purchasing in the wrong pocket or overpaying as an interstate investor.
  
  
• 📉 Why Low-Priced Properties Might Cost You More in the long run—especially when capital growth stalls.
  
  
• 🌱 Unlock Value in Regional Hotspots with better capital growth and rental yields than many Melbourne suburbs.
  
  
• 💡 Get Strategic with Your Broker—how incorrect yield assumptions can ruin your serviceability and plans.
  
  
• 🤝 Discover Why Working With a Local Expert is Non-Negotiable for smart, safe, and successful buying.
  
  
• 🚨 Understand Why $650K is No Longer the Magic Number and where the sweet spot really sits now.
  
  
• 🧠 Shift Your Biases & Gain Clarity—it’s not always about being in the capital city postcode.
  
  
• 💸 Explore Realistic Yield Expectations for Melbourne investments from $500K to $2M

We hope you enjoy!

Lisa and Cate

Everyone loves a bargain… but not all “cheap” properties are good value.

In this episode, seasoned buyer’s agents Lisa Parker and Cate Bakos, with 40+ years of combined Melbourne property expertise, break down what actually makes a true bargain, and why some low prices can lead to costly mistakes.

Learn how to spot the difference between an underpriced gem and a ticking time bomb, how market psychology affects buyer confidence, and why the best buying opportunities often show up when no one else is paying attention.

Lisa and Cate also share real bargain stories, (think: $185K under market!) and give you the signs to watch for when bargain season is just around the corner.

🎧 If you want to buy smart and avoid the trap of the “too good to be true” property, this episode is a must-listen.

✅ Listeners will walk away with:

• 📉 The clear difference between a cheap property and a true bargain
  
  
• 🔍 What to look for in “compromised” properties — and when to walk away
  
  
• 🛠️ How to identify high-potential homes that need love but can grow in value
  
  
• 🧠 Why most buyers miss out on bargains due to fear or flawed thinking
  
  
• 🏦 Lending red flags: title types, zoning & strata risks that make “cheap” dangerous
  
  
• 📈 How to know when the market is ripe for good buying (hint: it's not when everyone else is buying)
  
  
• 🧾 The psychology of “it seems too good to be true” — and how to trust your data
  
  
• 🕵️ Real signs from agents that a bargain might be on the table
  
  
• 💬 Real stories from the field: COVID steals, yield-driven buys, and $180K wins
  
  
• 🎯 What to prep in advance so you’re ready to act fast when the right deal appears

We hope you enjoy!

Lisa and Cate

Hey everyone! We’re super excited to give you a first look at something we’ve been working on behind the scenes. It’s called The Melbourne Property Hour; navigating Melbourne property, one episode at a time.... and we created it because we know how confusing, competitive, and honestly overwhelming buying in Melbourne can be.

We’re both on the ground every single day, buying homes and investment properties across Melbourne, and we just kept thinking… buyers need better info. Clearer info. From people who actually know what’s going on out there.

This podcast is for anyone who wants to buy smarter, avoid costly mistakes, and hear real stories from the front lines, not sales pitches.

🎧 Our first episode drops soon, and we’ll be covering bargains. We’d love you to tune in!

Lisa and Cate