Select Property Advocates

Select Property Advocates We take the stress out of buying & selling property, our intimate market knowledge ensures you a competitive advantage whilst avoiding the common pitfalls.

Select Property Advocates work throughout all of Melbourne advising people on how to buy and sell property. We are successful because we take the time to understand our clients needs and are highly skilled and passionate about property. We work strategically in applying all of our property skills to ensure our clients achieve their property objectives, without the stress and hassle often associate

d with buying and selling. If you require support and expert advice on buying or selling, then Select Property Advocates is your solution. Contact us today to discuss your property goals.

It’s very common for auctions to start slowly as very few bidders want to be the first to play their card. So everyone w...
04/06/2026

It’s very common for auctions to start slowly as very few bidders want to be the first to play their card. So everyone waits.
This is typically when the auctioneer can place a vendor bid to rev things up.
If the vendor bid is below your ideal purchase price, feel free to bid so the property is passed into you as the highest bidder and you have the first right to negotiate on the reserve price. However, do not get into a bidding war with just yourself and the auctioneer. If there are no other bidders the property should be passed in to you.
If there are other bidders, but the property is not yet on the market or reached the vendors reserve , you should aim to make the final highest bid again giving you priority to negotiate after the auction.
If there are multiple bidders and the home is on the market, proceed with bidding against the other genuine buyers.
Your goal with vendor bids is to not allow the auctioneer to keep bidding against you and inflate the price above market expectations—or your budget.

What does it mean when a home is listed as ‘under offer’? You may see online listings or front yard signage with the lab...
02/06/2026

What does it mean when a home is listed as ‘under offer’?
You may see online listings or front yard signage with the label ‘under offer’ on a property. This means that the vendor has accepted an offer, but conditions apply. This may mean that the buyer is arranging finance, or it is subject to a building and pest inspection. There is also a three clear business day cooling off period if the property is not purchased under auction conditions.

Can you still purchase a home that is under offer?
You can only purchase if the sale conditions are not met and it falls through. If you are keen on a home that is under offer, speak to the agent and let them know you’re interested if the conditions are not met or the buyer cools off. And keep searching and don't get your hopes up, as it’s unlikely the contract will not be fulfilled.

Why work with a buyer's advocate? We work with homebuyers just like you to help them find the right-fit property, naviga...
31/05/2026

Why work with a buyer's advocate?
We work with homebuyers just like you to help them find the right-fit property, navigate the process of buying a home and make the entire process less stressful.

We bring extensive knowledge of the real estate industry including:
✔️a strong network of connections with top agents in all Melbourne suburbs
✔️insider knowledge on how agents operate and how to negotiate
✔️strength in bidding at auctions and if necessary, negotiating after auctions
Understanding how expressions of interest and private sales work and how to navigate them for success
✔️access to market insights, property planning information and sales data
✔️the ever-fluctuating shifts in the market—the combination of demand, supply, buyer sentiment and economic forces that intertwine to influence the market
✔️extensive experience in nurturing, supporting and giving buyers a competitive edge during the process of planning, searching, negotiating and buying the right home

“We recently worked with Carly as our buyer’s and seller’s advocate, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the experience...
28/05/2026

“We recently worked with Carly as our buyer’s and seller’s advocate, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the experience. Her support and guidance throughout both the purchase of our new home and the sale of our current one made an enormous difference. What is usually a stressful and uncertain process felt smooth and manageable because we knew we were in safe, experienced hands.

“Carly’s confidence, knowledge and many years in the real estate industry were evident from the start. We trusted her implicitly. She took a huge psychological load off our minds—no second-guessing, no worrying about whether we were being misled, and no feeling of having to navigate things beyond our expertise. She removed that stress entirely.

“On top of her professionalism, she’s warm, likeable and genuinely easy to work with. We’re incredibly thankful for everything she did for us and highly recommend her to anyone buying or selling.”

Many buyers choose a home for what they need now—and forget about the future. When your child is in kindergarten, you fe...
19/05/2026

Many buyers choose a home for what they need now—and forget about the future.

When your child is in kindergarten, you feel like high school is years away, and you focus only on the primary schools in the area. But ask any parent — kids grow up fast. Soon they’ll be starting Year 7 and you want to ensure the high schools in the area are suitable.

My core advice is to find a location that has a multitude of options for high school. This means you’ll be spoiled for choice when finding the right placement for your son or daughter. And one day you’ll likely have adult children living in the house too – will the property accommodate those needs?

Another area buyers overlook is considering their changing needs as they get older. You might be happy to drive up and down a steep road for now, but what if you can’t drive in the future?

Stairs are also a big factor, double storey homes that offer a downstairs bedroom and bathroom option are always recommended over those that don't (for resale value too).

I encourage many buyers to purchase properties that are within walking distance of amenities and public transport. It’s not fun to accept that we are all getting older, but many clients are grateful that I recommended these considerations years down the track.

My big rule for buyers? Never buy off the plan. Here’s five reasons why1️⃣When buying off the plan, you get no chance to...
17/05/2026

My big rule for buyers? Never buy off the plan. Here’s five reasons why

1️⃣When buying off the plan, you get no chance to stand in the rooms and experience the atmosphere, the room dimensions, the view or the general vibe of the property. Display suites aren’t enough and can be misleading.

2️⃣If you are hit with a delay, or even during the original timeframe expected, the real estate market can change in that time. This is especially true in our current patchy market.

3️⃣There’s simply far too many off-the-planproperties on the market at the moment. Oversupply leads to lower prices. If you decide to sell in five years’ time, you could be competing with even more brand new apartments.

4️⃣Your lovely balcony view (and your resale price) can be ruined if a development crops up next door. Admittedly, this can happen anywhere. But, it’s more likely in high-growth areas earmarked for future development.

5️⃣The developer promises you it will be built in twelve months. But once you’ve signed the contract, you could find that it’s delayed. It’s very common for developments to fall behind schedule. You could be waiting years for your property to be built. Builders and developers often go broke, which causes further delays.

What to buy instead?
Look for rarity and scarcity. Established properties often have better bones—larger rooms, more land component, higher ceilings, well built and have stood the test of time.

We were very happy to support our first home buyers with the purchase of their new home in Ringwood! This couple had onl...
14/05/2026

We were very happy to support our first home buyers with the purchase of their new home in Ringwood!

This couple had only been looking for a short time and this was the first property they liked, and the first they went for—success! Three bidders competed but the property was passed in to us. Negotiations after the auction were hard and fierce, and we were glad to come away with the property for our clients at a great price. They even had change leftover in their budget to make some minor cosmetic changes.

Keen to buy at the bottom of the market? It’s a nice idea in theory, but can be difficult to execute well. It’s always ...
14/05/2026

Keen to buy at the bottom of the market? It’s a nice idea in theory, but can be difficult to execute well. It’s always important to ensure you are buying the right property, not just because the market is low.

We only really know we’re at the bottom of the market with the value of hindsight. This year is expected to be patchy, so we are expecting some good buying conditions but due to uncertainty in the market the quality of homes in these times are often not high-grade.

Don’t buy a house just because it’s a bargain – it may cost you in repairs or be difficult to resell later on. We can buy quality property in this market at good value with the right strategy. But if it looks too good to be true it usually is due to factors that are reasons you should be steering clear.

Upsizers have the best chance of taking advantage of the current market due to the concession being higher on the higher value property therefore increased buying power.

We recently looked after a client to secure an A-grade investment property in Elwood His review said, “Ian was superb. H...
11/05/2026

We recently looked after a client to secure an A-grade investment property in Elwood

His review said, “Ian was superb. He was always available to give his opinion on properties and selected a great property that met all of our requirements. He is a great listener but also adds his own expertise. Would highly recommend him.”

How much does it cost to run a marketing campaign when selling my home? Most marketing campaigns will cost anywhere betw...
09/05/2026

How much does it cost to run a marketing campaign when selling my home?
Most marketing campaigns will cost anywhere between $6,000-$20,000. The majority of that price is spent on online listings. It is worthwhile investing for a premium listing, which will appear higher in search results.
Other costs include photography, design, printing, copywriting, boards and other expenses. Marketing costs are separate from the agent commission.
You can opt to pay your real estate marketing costs as a flat upfront fee, or later with interest.
Selling your home off-market will reduce your costs, but may result in a lower final sale price—we usually recommend giving it your best shot with a strong campaign from the start.

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