Melbourne Property Buyers Blog
Property market commentary and buyer advice for Melbourne's west
Honest market commentary and buyer advice for Melbourne's property market. Written by Trish and the Hidden Gems team based on what we're actually seeing, not what the headlines say.
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Relocating to Melbourne. Finding the right suburb and settling in
Relocating to Melbourne is one of the best decisions you can make, but it comes with genuine challenges that catch most newcomers off guard. The biggest one? Understanding where to live. Melbourne sprawls across nearly 10,000 square kilometres with over 300 suburbs, and each one has its own personality, price point, and lifestyle. Getting this wrong means commutes that drain your soul, neighbourhoods that don't fit, or paying too much for the wrong location.
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Off market property in Melbourne, find hidden listings others miss
An off market property is simply a home or investment that's for sale but isn't advertised on the major portals like Domain or Realestate.com.au. No signboard out front. No open homes on Saturday. No online listing with professional photos. The owner wants to sell, but they're doing it quietly, usually through word of mouth, agent networks, or direct approaches.
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The questions that actually matter at open homes
Walking through an open home without a plan is like going to the supermarket hungry. You'll get distracted by the shiny stuff, forget what you actually need, and probably make decisions you'll regret later. I've seen buyers fall in love with a kitchen splashback while completely missing the crack in the foundation. I've watched people get swept up in 'Saturday open home fever' and forget to ask a single question. And I've helped clients unpick purchases they wish they'd thought through more carefully.
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What does buying a property actually cost in Victoria?
The price on the listing is just the beginning. When you buy a property in Victoria, you'll pay tens of thousands of dollars on top of the purchase price before you even get the keys. For a typical $850,000 Melbourne home, expect to add somewhere between $40,000 and $70,000 in additional costs. That's money you need available, and it's money that doesn't build equity in your property.
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Downsizer contribution to super, how selling your home can boost your retirement
If you're thinking about selling your family home and moving somewhere smaller, there's a significant financial incentive you should know about: the downsizer contribution to super. In simple terms, it lets Australians aged 55 and over contribute up to $300,000 from the sale of their home directly into their superannuation, and it doesn't count toward your usual contribution caps. For couples, that's up to $600,000 between you.
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