The Property Trio (formerly The Property Planner, Buyer and Professor)

Hosted by Cate Bakos, David Johnston and Mike Mortlock

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389

Latest episode

Nov 2026

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About the show

Formerly The Property Planner, Buyer and Professor, our show rebranded in 2023 to The Property Trio. Residential property is the only asset class we live in, it is where we raise our families, and it is our most expensive investment, yet property advice remains unregulated. Our objective is to educate time-poor professionals through deep insights from our experts who have provided thousands of Australians with personalised advice and education spanning two decades. In a climate where we are overloaded with information and one size fits all recommendations from the media, well-meaning friends and family and so-called advisers, we will distill the raw truth from the ill-informed. So join the Property Planner, David Johnston, The Property Buyer, Cate Bakos and the Quantity Surveyor, Mike Mortlock as they take you on a journey of discovery through the maze of property, mortgage, and money decisions to empower you to create your ideal lifestyle! Links to your hosts: https://www.catebakos.com.au/ https://propertyplanning.com.au/ https://www.mcgqs.com.au/

Listen to episodes

60 recent

November 9, 202634 min

#387: France Tried Tax Breaks to Boost New Housing - What Went Wrong and Lessons for Australian Investors

🎙️Cate, Dave and Mike revisit the May Budget reforms through the lens of France’s Pinel scheme, a decade-long experiment offering investors tax reductions of up to 21% for buying new builds. 🇫🇷 The results were sobering: roughly one in two investments would not be profitable after nine years, buyers paid around 40% more than for established homes, and the scheme cost €7.3 billion in foregone revenue. The Trio explores why buyer-side incentives fail to fix supply-side constraints such as planning delays, labour shortages and rising costs, and what this means for property investors weighing up new versus established property in Australia. The Property Trio is: David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/ Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/ Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/ 📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/ Shownotes: https://www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/11/09/france-failed-experiment/

November 2, 20261 hr 3 min

#386: The Rental Reality Check – Why Slower Rent Increases Doesn’t Mean Improved Affordability

Cate, Dave and Mike look at the latest rental data. National rents rose just 0.5% in the September quarter, and the vacancy rate climbed to 2.1%. The Trio ask whether that means the rental crisis is easing, or whether households have simply hit the limit of what they can afford. They unpack Everybody’s Home’s No Room to Move report, where 76% of respondents said an extra $20 a week would force sacrifices. They also explain suppressed household formation and the construction paradox that could slow new supply. It’s a sharp reminder that a healthier-looking rental market doesn’t always mean renters are better off. The Property Trio is: David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/ Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/ Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/ 📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/ Shownotes: https://www.propertytrio.com.au/wp-admin/post.php?post=2272&action=edit

October 26, 20261 hr 3 min

#385: Buying a Renovated Home - What You Need to Know About Permits, Certificates, Liability and More

Cate, Dave and Mike tackle a listener question about buying a Melbourne home renovated within the last two years, where the certificates are missing and the only paperwork is a visual-only Section 137B owner-builder report. What should a Victorian buyer expect in the Section 32, and does the risk disappear once the disclosure window closes? The trio unpack permits, owner-builder warranty cover, insurance, title insurance and whether any discount makes missing certificates acceptable. Then they head around the country to compare disclosure and owner-builder rules state by state. A beautiful renovation is only as sound as the paperwork behind it. The Property Trio is: David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/ Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/ Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/ 📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/ Shownotes: https://www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/10/26/buying-a-renovated-home/

October 19, 202649 min

#384: Smart Mortgage Strategies to Stay Afloat When Interest Rates Hit a 15-Year High

🎧 Cate, Dave and Mike return with practical strategies to make your mortgage work harder now the cash rate has hit a 15-year high. Dave flags a costly trap for home owners converting their home into an investment property, before the trio unpacks the credit card and offset strategy, fixed rates, loan splitting and break costs. With values softening, could your LVR push you into Lenders Mortgage Insurance, or is the valuation lag still working in your favour? Debt consolidation, cashback offers and household cash flow round out an episode proving smart mortgage strategy is rarely about chasing the lowest rate. The Property Trio is: David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/ Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/ Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/ 📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/ Shownotes: https://www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/10/19/smart-mortgage-strategies-to-stay-afloat/

October 12, 202649 min

#383: Market Update September 2026 – Melbourne Prices Stabilise as Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth Nose-dive & Rental Growth Eases

🎧 In this month’s Property Trio market update, Cate and Dave unpack the latest September figures and focus on some of the leading indicators to understand what is happening across Australia’s property markets. The Property Trio is: David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/ Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/ Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/ 📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/ Shownotes:https: //www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/10/12/ep-383-september-2026-market-update/

October 5, 202655 min

#382: The Bear Market Reality Check – Why Buying or Selling Right Now Is Tougher Than It Looks

With Dave away, Mike and Cate tackle a common assumption: that a softer market makes life easier for buyers. Cate explains why a bear market is harder work for everyone. Buyer's agents see enquiry dry up, low-ballers risk alienating vendors, and forced sellers battle both losses and bruised egos. Selling agents face tough weekly conversations with clients as values slip, while upgraders and downsizers wrestle with whether to buy or sell first. First home buyers, despite less competition, are often rattled by negative headlines and quiet open inspections. Could the best buying conditions in years be hiding in plain sight? The Property Trio is: David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/ Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/ Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/ 📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/ Shownotes: https://www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/10/05/the-bear-market-reality-check/

September 28, 202652 min

#381: Investor Sentiment Under the Microscope – What's Really Driving Investor Decisions Since the Budget

With Cate away, Dave and Mike unpack the 2026 PIPA Annual Investor Sentiment Survey. Investor sales have risen for a fourth straight year to 18.3%, while only 27.8% plan to buy again, down from 41%. Just 12.4% of sellers sold to a first home buyer, 62.3% of portfolios are now negatively cash flowed, and 87% doubt future governments will keep tax settings stable. Melbourne tops the list of places to invest at 38.7%, despite Victoria ranking near the bottom for investor friendliness. If investors keep stepping back, what does that mean for renters and the rental pool? The Property Trio is: David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/ Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/ Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/ 📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/ Shownotes: https://www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/09/28/pipa-investor-sentiment-survey-2026-under-the-spotlight/

September 21, 202650 min

#380: What It Takes to Get a DIY Purchase Right when Buying in a New Location or Interstate

🎙️In this episode, Dave and Cate answer a listener question from Nikhil, who has bought five properties, (four through buyer's agents) and wants to start buying interstate himself. The pair set out what it actually takes to buy well somewhere you don't live. Cate explains why unfamiliar markets are hard to read, how contract legislation differs between states and territories, and where to research a suburb's socio-economic story. They also weigh up the real cost of flying in and staying for inspections against a buyer's agent fee. Cate finishes with a four step framework: pick one market, build a small local team, do your legal and data homework early, and time your trips deliberately. It's one not to miss! The Property Trio is: David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/ Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/ Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/ 📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/ Shownotes: https://www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/09/21/propertytrio-getting-an-interstate-diy-purchase-right/

September 14, 202650 min

#379: Market Update August 2026 – A Buyer's Market Emerges as Medians Slip Below $1M, Investor Lending Retreats as Rents Keep Climbing

🎧 In this month’s Property Trio market update, Cate, Dave and Mike unpack the latest August figures and look beyond the headlines to understand what is actually happening across Australia’s property markets. The August market update covers city price falls, rental increases, listing numbers, interest rates and the forces shaping the next phase of this property cycle nationally. 🏠 Tune in to hear more!... The Property Trio is: David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/ Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/ Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/ 📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/ Shownotes:https: //www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/09/14/ep-379-august-2026-market-update/

September 7, 202652 min

#378: Property Investors Pivot to Yield and Diversification, But Is It the Right Call?

Dave, Cate and Mike dig into the immediate investor reaction to the negative gearing changes and the trends taking shape in their wake. Is the shift toward yield over growth a genuine strategic rethink, or is it serviceability and higher rates forcing investors' hands? Cate shares what she's hearing from buyers week to week, while Mike unpacks why resi investors are increasingly eyeing commercial property, small retail, offices and warehousing, and how differently that asset class behaves once you move past the headline yield. The Trio weigh up what investors might be compromising on when they chase yield over growth, and whether that trade-off is fully understood. The Property Trio is: David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/ Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/ Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/ 📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/ Shownotes:https://www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/09/07/propertytrio-property-investors-pivot-to-yield/