The Wakelin Blog

A comparison of Melbourne auction numbers and clearance rates from the REIV for the 13 weeks of winter 2011 and winter 2010 reveals some interesting insights. Auction numbers were significantly down in winter 2011 compared to 12 months ago. There were around 480 auctions a week this winter, compared to around 590 in winter 2010, a reduction of nearly 20 per cent. Vendors also struggled to get buyers over the line come auction day (click Next Image to see chart)...

Many thanks for all the insightful questions on Hilary Harper's Saturday Breakfast Show. You can hear a recording of the segment at the ABC website blog: http://tinyurl.com/3p8kejq The link also contains 5 questions property sellers should ask an estate agent before engaging them to sell their home or investment property. Photo: tungphoto

Do you enjoy white knuckle rides?  I hope so, because in recent weeks we’ve all been subjected to the high-stakes brinkmanship of the US and EU debt crisis and the accompanying gyrations in Australian and international stock markets, and it has not been for the faint-hearted. Despite the Australian economy’s relatively low exposure to problems in the US and Europe, our stock market has not been spared...

The Block may have been a ratings winner for Channel Nine, but with 3 out of the 4 properties auctioned at the weekend passed in, there were tough lessons for anyone thinking of buying and renovating property. Why were the results so disappointing? To begin with, by paying $3.6 million to secure four properties in a row in Richmond, Channel Nine almost certainly paid a substantial premium...

Please come along to the Telstra Conference Centre, Room 1, Level 1, 242 Exhibition St, Melbourne on Tuesday 16 August at 1.30pm to hear Monique Sasson Wakelin talk on The Outlook for Residential Property, hosted by the Australian Investors Association...