The Victorian Government has signalled significant reforms that would require vendors to publish their reserve price at least seven days before an auction.

In this week's episode, Jarrod McCabe and Jordan Telfer explain why this rule – while well-intentioned – clashes with the commercial reality of auction campaigns, and why a published reserve rarely provides the price certainty buyers crave.

In this episode Jarrod and Jordan discuss:

• The campaign conflict: Why locking in a reserve before the critical penultimate Saturday leaves vendors pricing their assets with incomplete data
• The transparency risk: How early disclosure creates a target for pre-auction offers and opaque 'highest and best' scenarios
• The ‘Certainty’ Fallacy: Why knowing the reserve price offers little protection against competitive emotional bidding on the day
• A better solution: The case for vendor-funded building inspections to reduce buyer costs without distorting the auction mechanism.

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For many buyers, the agent’s quote range is the first filter they use when searching for a property. But in today’s market, relying on that figure as your sole source of truth can lead to missed opportunities or wasted inspection costs.

Residential property is a unique asset class driven as much by human emotion as it is by financial logic. Understanding the difference between ‘market manipulation’ and ‘market unpredictability’ is key to maintaining your sanity – and your budget – during a campaign.

In this week's episode, Jarrod shares recent case studies from the Melbourne market to illustrate why the final sale price often defies the initial data.

• Market Fickleness vs. Underquoting: Dissecting a recent result in the Inner North where fear of missing out (FOMO) skewed the data.
• The unintended consequences of accuracy: Why accurate quotes often lead to failed campaigns in the current climate.
• The ‘Family Premium’ Case Study: How a specific buyer need in the Eastern Suburbs completely distorted the market value of a standard unit.
• Empowering the Buyer: Practical advice on using independent tools and professional advice to set your own limit, regardless of the agent's guide.

We enjoy providing you with free insights into the Melbourne property market and property investment more broadly. Thank you for listening.

If you like what you hear, subscribe, like, rate or follow us and tell your friends and family.

Investing in property makes sense. Investing in the right property takes knowledge.

To learn more visit www.wakelin.com.au | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Email

Victoria’s rental landscape is shifting with a new suite of reforms to the Residential Tenancies Act, effective from 25 November 2025.

These updates aim to raise standards and address poor practices, urging investors to focus on proactive compliance to avoid fines, disputes, or challenges in a competitive leasing market.​

In this week's episode, Jarrod is joined by Wakelin Property Advisor Jordan Telfer to break down the key mandates and share practical strategies for staying competitive as renter protections intensify.​

• The 2021 baseline for rentals and common retrofits like efficient heating systems
• Key energy upgrade rules for hot water, cooling, insulation, and draughtproofing, plus exemptions for challenging properties
• The end of no-reason evictions, highlighting renter screening and manager partnerships
• The rental bidding ban and strategies for setting competitive initial rents without overbidding
• Longer 90-day notice periods for increases and vacating, with case-by-case planning for sales timing
• Pre-advertising minimum standards and defending rent increases through comparables and documentation

We enjoy providing you with free insights into the Melbourne property market and property investment more broadly. Thank you for listening.

If you like what you hear, subscribe, like, rate or follow us and tell your friends and family.

Investing in property makes sense. Investing in the right property takes knowledge.

To learn more visit www.wakelin.com.au | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Email