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TPC Gold | Why Women Must Prioritise Financial Independence (Before It’s Too Late!)

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This snippet is from one of our previous episodes: The Voice Behind “The Female Investor”! 

For far too long, women have faced systemic financial challenges—from the gender pay gap to lower superannuation balances—and the long-term impact can be significant. 

In retirement, more women than men experience financial insecurity, with many returning to the workforce, selling their homes, or facing unexpected financial struggles. 

That’s why in this TPC Gold soundbite, Ben is joined by Nicola McDougall—successful property investor and passionate advocate for women’s financial security—to discuss why financial independence is crucial for women at every stage of life. 

About Nicola McDougall 

  • Co-author of the best-selling book The Female Investor – Creating Wealth, Security & Freedom Through Property and Property Investing For Dummies (3rd Australian edition) 
  • Multi-award-winning property and finance journalist, industry spokesperson & business owner 
  • Chair of the Property Investment Professionals of Australia (PIPA)  

For Women, Property Investing is About More Than Just Wealth 

It’s about security, choice, and independence. It’s about having options, no matter what life throws your way. While women face unique financial challenges, the good news is—there are steps to take control.

Want to Build Long-Term Security & Independence? 

Grab a copy of Nicola McDougall’s best-selling book The Female Investor – Creating Wealth, Security & Freedom Through Property. 

Ready to take it a step further?

Join our LIVE webinar next week to discover how to build a property portfolio and retire on $3,000 per week. 👉 Register here!

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If You Enjoyed TPC Gold | Why Women Must Prioritise Financial Independence (Before It’s Too Late!) You Might Also Like:

Transcript

Ben Kingsley
Obviously there are lot of property investment books out there but this one’s been close to your heart because you’ve been telling me about this passion to write this book for a long period of time, so this is probably where I want to give you the mic to sort of tell us what’s important to you about teaching other women – potentially single women as well – what’s the backstory there in terms of what makes this such an important project for you to be able to write this book. 

Nicola McDougall
Thanks, Ben. Well, interesting that you say single because I actually had the idea for the book in 2018. And at the time it was called the Single Girl’s Guide to Property Investment. I don’t remember if there was an epiphany of sorts or anything like that. But I guess it’s because I have written a million words about this stuff, but I also have lived and breathed it. And I am the product of all this, everything that we talk about in the book.  

I only got married a few years ago, and prior to that, I bought three properties by myself, notwithstanding the one tenant in common with my little brother, which only lasted a couple of years. So as someone who classes themselves as a feminist, I also believe in financial independence. And I really wanted, when I look around now, and I’m of a certain age where my nieces, my stepdaughter, they’ve all finished high school, they’re at uni, or they’re starting jobs. And at the other end of the spectrum, I have friends with the family or within my own family (where there are) women who are retiring now and things like that. And I’m smack bang in the middle here.  

I just really wanted to pass on everything that I’ve learned, everything that I’ve written about after all of these years to other women, whether they are young and just starting out, whether they’re around my age and in a relationship, but maybe they have a partner who is conservative risk-wise when it comes to investing. Maybe they are separated, divorced, or even widowed, unfortunately. And then there are women who are at retirement. I know I’ve spoken to a number of them who would like that their stories could have been different, which is that, you know, whilst we all would like to hope that our relationships with our significant others are still around when we’re retired, for 40-50% of us, that won’t be the case.  

Could well be that you may be a single woman in retirement who has their own property that they live in but they’re still surviving on the pension. They don’t have any additional funds, they don’t have any super. One in three Australian women have no super. You know, the demarcation between the male and female super balance starts (which it was horrific when I found this research for the book), starts when we’re in our late 20s. That difference between male and female super balances starts to move apart at that point, and it never, ever, ever catches up.  

And so to answer your question in a really roundabout way…hand on heart would love for women of all ages to prioritise their own financial futures and prioritise potentially having financial independence throughout their lives. Because no one wants to wind up in poverty; no one wants to wind up in poverty in retirement. But more elderly single women than men do. More elderly single women have to return to the workforce. More elderly single women have to actually sell the family home, and go renting in retirement and things like that. And I know it can be hard for younger women to think about that sort of stuff when they’re in their 20s and 30s. But now thanks to you guys and many others, there is so much opportunity for them to work with bonafide experts to improve their education and start forging their own financial path earlier which will give them more choices later.  

You know financial independence is something that women have never had and it’s a bit of a lofty ideal I suppose but why not? Wouldn’t it be great if we had when two people got together regardless of their gender and each were fine; they created things together, but outside of that relationship, they have their own financial independence that retained that way, as my assets do retain mine outside of my marriage. It would be better for everybody. It would reduce a huge amount of legal fees and separations and divorces. And it would reduce the number of people that are really financially struggling later in life, and certainly help the number of women out there who are nearing retirement and worried about actually having the funds to see out their twilight years. And that’s a real problem for many women. 

 

TPC Gold | Is Property Investing Worth It? What to Do When Progress Feels Slow

By in Podcast

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This snippet is from one of our previous episodes: How to Prioritise Your Property Investment Journey and Still Have a Life — Sydney LIVE Podcast ft. Q&A. 

Property investing is a long-term game, but what happens when it feels like nothing is happening?  

When life gets in the way, distractions pile up, and the market isn’t moving as fast as you’d hoped—it’s easy to start questioning if property investing is worth it. 

In this TPC Gold soundbite, we tackle one of the biggest challenges investors face: staying patient, focused, and motivated when progress feels slow. 

Here’s what we cover: 

🕰 Why property investing feels slow & why that’s normal
📉 How fear, media noise & market cycles can shake investor confidence
🛑 Why distractions & procrastination can cost you big time
🎯 How to stay committed to your investment goals—even in the “messy middle”
💡 The importance of understanding your ‘why’ to push through challenges  

So, Is Property Investing Worth It?

Absolutely—but only if you stay the course.  

Property investing isn’t about overnight wins; it’s about playing the long game and making strategic decisions. The most successful investors know how to cut through the noise, ignore the short-term distractions, and keep moving forward—even when progress feels slow. 

Want to Stay Focused & Build a Rock-Solid Property Portfolio?

🎓 Join our FREE Masterclass and learn how to build wealth through property the right way—without making costly mistakes or losing momentum. 

👉 Register here: https://masterclass.thepropertycouch.com.au/how-to-build-a-property-portfolio 

__________________

If You Enjoyed TPC Gold | Is Property Investing Worth It? What to Do When Progress Feels Slow, You Might Also Like:

Transcript

Bryce Holdaway
Hey our first question is from Louise who is one of our guests later today. She says: My single biggest challenge with my property investment journey has been keeping the momentum and not getting distracted or bored along the way. Property investing seems to sometimes move at a glacial speed and it’s easy to get a bit disheartened when you don’t see obvious progress. Ben, I wish I had this printed this a bit bigger.  

Ben Kingsley
I was going to say… 

Bryce Holdaway
It’s also easy to let life get in the way and not prioritise my investment journey. I delayed on a purchase by two years, Louise. Missing out on some great capital growth in Sydney because I was distracted by family and work life. Lou, Ben.  

Ben Kingsley
Lou, there’s a couple of things in there. The first one is, and we’re going to get distracted more and more around the sentiment and the confidence piece that’s happening in the market. We’re already seeing, you know, credit squeeze, Royal Commission, APRA, those types of things are going to get worse and worse. And papers sell on fear, and so we’re going to see more and more of this sentiment and confidence challenge. So what’s interesting for me around that story and around timing and having patience is I’ve always believed that you should invest in property when you can afford to invest.  

And we’ve also talked about there’s different times in the market and there’s different markets within markets. So we still believe that there’s going to be really good buying opportunities but it comes back to this position that if I listen to the noise, I’m like the 95% of people who don’t create financial wellbeing.  

So if I follow that noise and I take my eye off the prize, why should I be taking advice from people who haven’t got successful? Why should I take advice from a journalist who needs to put out a story around that? So if you can maintain the focus on the long journey, and in my case, yes, I’ve been investing, as you know, since I was 23. And here’s an interesting fact for you, because I haven’t publicly stated this before, but I’ve bought six properties, that’s it. Six properties.  

Now a lot of people might be thinking, wow, I would have thought he might have 10, 12, 25, 30, or I could have bought 20 properties on my credit card in Detroit in the GFC, because I could buy them for about $800. But you’ve never heard me talk about my number, because it’s not necessarily relevant to the story of my success. They’re just damn good properties.  

And I’ve timed them out accordingly and you never hear or see our business gloat about 500% returns on investment and all those types of things. Because each of you are in different stories and every property that we try our best to buy is a challenge. And it’s usually under competition because if we’re buying property that aren’t under competition, we’re shopping in the wrong location. So I think from that point of view is: be patient. The greatest investors are patient; but strike when you’re in the position to strike and that means don’t procrastinate, don’t let the noise disrupt your view. And there was another great question from Nick. We read the questions guys and so I don’t know whether we’ll get to Nick’s question… 

Bryce Holdaway
We will. 

Ben Kingsley
…but it was about how do you cut that noise out? Simple, don’t be a sheep, don’t follow everyone else. The trailblazers are the people who see opportunity in these markets. And that’s what’s going to be happening because yeah, if we take a macro generalistic view, I think property is going to be sluggish for probably the next 36 months. Now if it’s like that, well do I just wait? The answer to that is no, because I’m not buying the Australian property market. There’s still going to be opportunities inside that market that if it meets my brief, I go.  

Because if I’m going to be buying, I know that economic cycles are real. They’re based in academia, they’re proven, they move in cycles. We’ve come off the top of the cycle in Sydney, we’re getting to the top of the cycle in parts of Melbourne, so that’s okay. And then once the next cycle moves through, because remember, we’re not speculating in property. We’re buying property for the long term so we can live off the passive income that it’s going to generate for us once we get the debt in order.  

Bryce Holdaway
How many people in the room are goal setters? I mean, sort of set them at the beginning of the year, write them down, and follow them. So we’ve got a few, which is great.  

Ben Kingsley
It’s probably consistent with most people who plan to become what they plan to become.   

Bryce Holdaway
But I guess the reason for saying that is because I’ve been a frustrated goal setter for about 20 years now. I remember my little Datsun 323 at university. Air conditioning…we had the windows down and the roof open down the freeway. And I had a little Zig Ziglar tape. Who’s Zig Ziglar? Anyone? Yeah, put it in. It was goals. And I remember listening to that. And I thought he had the framework, the way that you’d set it out, what you had to do. And I thought, this is it. I’m going to do this. And because I’m a perfectionist, I thought, well, I’ve got to fully plan it out and make sure I know what I’ve got to do… and by nature that was a frustrating exercise and I never got around to it but I think each year I’d have to do it.  

Long story short I finally nailed the process this year. I’ve set nine goals – they’re all date stamped, they’re specific, they’re measurable, they’re actionable, they’re results driven. And what the difference was for me is part of that process is I had to go to the why of each goal and really drill down into the why of each goal, because there comes a time when you get to what’s called the messy middle. And that’s where you’ve got all this enthusiasm when you start your investment property journey. We love it, we’ve read the books, we’re fired up, we see it’s a better future. And then at the end of it, we hopefully get to passive income. But somewhere in the middle, Louise, is the messy middle.  

And so what happens is I now review those goals every day. It takes me 90 seconds. But then once a week, I look at them at length. And what I do is I go through these four or five bullet points on every goal. And it reminds me why I’ve set those goals. And it helps me when I get to the messy middle to remember why they’re there in the first place. So what I’d say is a lot of people come into our business and they see our book and it’s got $2,000 per week and they go, that’s what I want. And we can get to work and say, okay, let’s do what we need to do to get to work, but we need to realise that at some point you are going to hit the messy middle. So we need to ask better questions, right? So if someone comes in and says, I want $2,000 a week passive income; it’s our job to go: What for? Well, I want financial freedom. Okay, what for? I want to spend more time with my kids. We’re starting to get close now. We go, okay, so next question, if we’re skilled enough, we’ll go, what for? And the person will come in.  

Ben Kingsley
They don’t go exactly like this by the way.   

Bryce Holdaway
It’s a bit more subtle than that. But ultimately we’re trying to peel back the layers, right? So the person who comes in and says I want $2,000 a week, who then wants financial freedom, who then wants to spend more time with their kids, if we get to the crux of it, it’s because my dad never spent any time with me and I don’t want to be that dad with my kids, right?  

And I’ve just described a little bit of my own journey and my own why, because my dad was born in 1939. He’s a very wonderful father but he wasn’t around, right? And so I make it a priority each morning; I’ve decided that the breakfast meal is the meal that I want to spend with my kids every day because they’re most energetic, they’re most vibrant and they’re most up and about versus dinner at night where my wife is in the front row. She has to deal with that every single day.  

So for me, I’m always trying to work out the why. So that would be the first thing I’d be working with you Louise, is what’s the why? And I know that’s a real sort of statement “what’s your why?” but I’d really want to drill down as to why it is you’re building portfolio and what it is that’s driving you, so that we could remind you of that when you get into the messy middle. 

 

How Much Land Tax will I pay? (2025 Update)

By in Free Resources

Last updated: 1 March 2025

Land tax in Australia is a state or territory levy on land ownership, calculated annually based on the unimproved land value. Generally, it doesn’t apply to owner-occupied homes (principal place of residence) but does impact investment properties, commercial properties, and vacant land.

On the podcast, we get heaps of questions about land tax—how it’s calculated, whether investors should be worried, and which states have the trickiest rules. In fact, back in 2022, we saw a flood of questions when Queensland announced a new land tax, only to scrap it a month later after major backlash. 😌

 

Is Land Tax the same as Property Tax?

A common question we get is whether land tax is the same as property tax. While they might sound similar, they’re actually different. Land tax is based on the unimproved value of the land (excluding buildings or improvements) and is typically levied on investment properties, commercial properties, and vacant land.

Property tax, on the other hand, is a broader term that can refer to different things depending on the context. Internationally, it often refers to a general tax on the total value of a property (land + buildings), paid annually by both owner-occupiers and investors. In Australia, we don’t have a broad-based annual property tax across all properties, but some state-specific property taxes do exist.

 

Australian Land Tax Breakdown: How Much Will You Pay?

Since each state and territory has different thresholds, rates, and rules, we’ve pulled together all the key details  in one spot for our borderless investor community. Keep in mind that land tax rates can change depending on how the property is owned (e.g., individuals, trusts, or companies). Below is a state-by-state summary of land tax regulations for individual owners, including links to get more details.

 

State/
Territory		 Thresholds and Rates More Information
New South Wales (NSW) General threshold: $100 plus 1.6% of land value above the threshold, up to the premium threshold.
Premium threshold: $88,036 plus 2% of land value above the threshold.
Land tax is applied for the full year following the taxing date of 31 December, and no pro-rata calculation applies.From 2024 onwards, the general threshold is $1,075,000 and the premium threshold is $6,571,000.		 Revenue NSW
Victoria (VIC) From 2024 land tax year, the general rates are:

  • Less than $50,000: Nil
  • $50,000 to less than $100,000: $500
  • $100,000 to less than $300,000: $975
  • $300,000 to less than $600,000: $1,350 plus 0.3% of amount above $300,000
  • $600,000 to less than $1,000,000: $2,250 plus 0.6% of amount above $600,000
  • $1,000,000 and above: Click here.
 State Revenue Office Victoria
Queensland (QLD) For individuals:

  • Less than $600,000: Nil
  • $600,000 to $999,999: $500 plus 1 cent for each $1 more than $600,000
  • $1,000,000 to $2,999,999: $4,500 plus 1.65 cents for each $1 more than $1,000,000
  • $3 mil and above: Click here.
 Queensland Revenue Office
South Australia (SA) 2020-21 General Rates:

  • Does not exceed $732,000: Nil
  • Exceeds $732,000 but not $1,176,000: $0.50 for every $100 or part of $100 above $732,000
  • Exceeds $1,176,000 but not $1,711,000: $2,220 plus $1.00 for every $100 or part of $100 above $1,176,000
  • $1,711,00 and above: Click here.
 RevenueSA
Western Australia (WA) General Rates:

  • Up to $300,000: Nil
  • $300,001 to $420,000: $300
  • $420,001 to $1,000,000: $300 + 0.0025 dollars for each $1 in excess of $420,000
  • $1 mil and above: Click here.
 Department of Finance WA
Tasmania (TAS) General Rates:

  • Up to $124,999.99: Nil
  • $125,000 to $499,999.99: ​$50 plus 0.45% of value above $125 000​
  • $500,000 and above: ​$1 737.50 plus 1.5% of value above $500 000
 State Revenue Office Tasmania
Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Marginal rates that apply to property AUV (Average of the Property’s Unimproved Value over up to 5 years)

  • Up to $150,000: 0.54% of the AUV of the property
  • From $150,000 to $275,000: $810 plus 0.64% of the part of the AUV that is more than $150,000
  • From $275,001 to $1,000,000: $1,610 plus 1.24% of the part of the AUV that is more than $275,000
  • From $1,000,000 and above: Click here.
 ACT Revenue Office
Northern Territory (NT) The Northern Territory does not currently impose land tax. Territory Revenue Office

It’s important to note that land tax generally applies to investment properties, commercial properties, and vacant land. Owner-occupied properties (principal places of residence) are typically exempt from land tax. However, specific exemptions and thresholds vary by state and territory. For detailed information on exemptions and specific calculations, please refer to the respective state or territory revenue office websites linked above.​

 

How are they calculated?

Land tax is calculated annually based on the combined unimproved value of taxable landholdings. Each state and territory has its own method of valuation and assessment. Generally, the process involves:​

  • Valuation of Land: The unimproved value of each parcel of land is determined by the state’s Valuer-General or equivalent authority.​
  • Aggregation of Landholdings: The total unimproved value of all taxable land owned by an individual or entity is aggregated.​
  • Application of Thresholds and Rates: The aggregated value is compared against the state’s land tax thresholds, and the applicable rates are applied to calculate the tax payable.​

For precise calculations and to understand how land tax may apply to your specific situation, it’s advisable to consult the relevant state or territory revenue office or seek professional advice from a qualified tax accountant.

 

Are there any Land Tax Exemptions and Relief?

There are several land tax exemptions and relief measures available across Australia, but they vary by state and territory. Common exemptions include land used as a principal place of residence, primary production land, and certain non-profit or charitable uses.

Some states also offer relief for properties affected by natural disasters or hardship. Since eligibility rules and application processes differ, it’s best to check directly with the relevant state or territory revenue office for the most up-to-date information.

 

Need expert guidance on land tax? Our sister company at Empower Wealth offers specialised tax accounting services to help property investors navigate land tax obligations, optimise deductions, and build sustainable tax structures that support your future goals. Get in touch today here!

Disclaimer: The information in this blog is intended for general informational purposes only and is based on current land tax rates and regulations at the time of writing. Land tax laws and thresholds are subject to change, and rates may vary over time. We recommend checking with the relevant state or territory revenue office or consulting a qualified tax professional for the most up-to-date and personalised advice.

 

How to Retire on $3k Per Week

By in Free Resources

The Wait is Over—The Book is Out Now!


The Property Couch’s Playbook for Passive Property Investing

Bryce & Ben are back with their latest game-changing book, breaking down the exact strategies to build a property portfolio that delivers a passive income of $3,000 per week.

This isn’t just another investing book—it’s a step-by-step playbook filled with real-world strategies, frameworks, and expert insights from two of Australia’s most trusted property and finance experts.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to fine-tune your existing portfolio, How to Retire on $3,000 Per Week gives you the full game plan. You’ll discover the same frameworks Bryce and Ben have used to help thousands of Australians map out their journey to financial peace and time freedom.

From understanding your money behaviours to mastering asset selection and building a recession-resilient portfolio, this book is your practical guide to replacing your income with property—without the stress, guesswork, or hype.

You’ll get real-world case studies, step-by-step strategies, and the tools to create your own passive income plan—tailored to your personal goals, lifestyle, and timeframe. Plus, you’ll learn how to avoid the biggest traps and myths in today’s property market.

If you’re serious about achieving financial independence through property, this book is your must-have roadmap.

This waitlist is now closed, and we’re thrilled to share that How to Retire on $3,000 Per Week is officially available in major bookstores and online retailers.

Grab your copy today!

Available on all bookstores. Here are the direct links:

Want to meet Bryce & Ben in person?

Join us for a special live book launch event at Dymocks Sydney!

🗓 Tuesday, 1st July
🕕 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Dymocks Flagship Store, George Street, Sydney
🎟 Tickets available here → thepropertycouch.com.au/dymocks

Spaces are limited—secure your spot and celebrate with us!

TPC Gold | What Makes Vendors Sell Before Auction?

By in Podcast

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Ever wonder why a vendor would choose to sell before auction day? 🤔 

If you’re a buyer looking to understand the psychology behind pre-auction sales, today’s bonus episode is for you! 

From agent strategies designed to create urgency, to sentimental sellers seeking the comfort of a quick sale, this episode reveals it all.  

You’ll also get the scoop on how market conditions, interest rates, and emotions can tip the scales in your favour! 

For the full episode, tune in here: Episode 145 | 8 Reasons Why Vendors Sell Before Auction 

__________________

Buying Before Auction? We’ve Got You Covered!

We hope this snippet helps you strategise your pre-auction offer with confidence! 

But if the auction day showdown is unavoidable, why not bring in the experts? 

Experienced Buyers Agents from our sister company Empower Wealth can guide you through every step, helping you: 

✅ Save Time – We handle the research, inspections, and negotiations.
✅ Gain Market Insight – Get insider knowledge on property values and trends.
✅ Reduce Stress – We’ll bid on your behalf, so you don’t have to!
✅ Avoid Overpaying – Secure the best deal with expert negotiation strategies. 

Buyers Agents can take the pressure off, so you can focus on landing your dream property! 🏡 Book in a free initial consultation today >> 

 

If You Enjoyed TPC Gold | What Makes Vendors Sell Before Auction, You Might Also Like:

Transcript

Bryce Holdaway
Ben, we’ve got a framework. We’ve got a framework.  

Ben Kingsley
No, are we unpacking a framework today?  

Bryce Holdaway
We’re going to unpack a framework. Here’s the deal, right? The amount of times that someone comes up to me and says: Bryce, tell us a strategy about buying properties prior to auction. And so there’s a bit of a technique. And then they say to me: why would someone sell prior to auction? And I’ve given up trying to come up with all the answers that people do, because sometimes it’s just you know, circumstance. So we decided that we’d actually give a framework. 

Ben Kingsley
Brainstorm it, yeah, brainstorm it, throw a few ideas out.  

Bryce Holdaway
So we threw a few around.  

Ben Kingsley
So you want me to lead off?  

Bryce Holdaway
I do.  

Ben Kingsley
Mate, I’m gonna start with an actually marketing ploy.  

Bryce Holdaway
Ooh. 

Ben Kingsley
So this is a little bit different. I sort of look at it like this where I’m basically talking about if for whatever reason there’s a time issue, and we’ll talk some about some other time issues as well I reckon, but this one is about marketing. Okay, so auctions are about creating scarcity and creating an outcome by a set time in a competition sense. So I actually think that agents might say: look, let’s put this under, you know, forthcoming auction or auction set date by this or offers before. So all of a sudden it’s actually a means by which the vendor, and they might be traveling overseas, they might have other commitments, but that’s the sort of thing for me if it is a marketing ploy to basically create that interest and get a result sooner rather than later. So I’m saying the number one is because it is an agent-led ploy to get an outcome quickly.  

Bryce Holdaway
I like it. There’s actually an agent, can’t think of his or her name, I think it was a him, on the central coast of New South Wales has a market that’s around $400 to $450 as typical sale price. And that market’s not typically where you’d expect auctions. He goes to auction, I’m pretty sure it’s a he, he goes to auction on 95% of his listings, right? And in a market that’s not known for going to auctions. Because what it does is it actually timestamps the marketing campaign, which is what you’re talking about if the listener thinks the real estate agent only gets paid for their time. So if they have a private sale arrangement, that could go for eight weeks, it could go for 12 weeks, whereas an auction campaign has got usually a finite time.  

Ben Kingsley
Because we know, don’t we, that when a property’s been hanging on the market for a while: What’s wrong with it? If it stays on too long, and we know it happens in Queensland as well, doesn’t it?  

Bryce Holdaway
The power shifts, doesn’t it?  

Ben Kingsley
Yeah, yeah. 

Bryce Holdaway
To the buyer. But this particular agent uses that as a timeframe to create scarcity, to create urgency, so that they can get through all their campaigns. So I think you’re absolutely spot on. You gotta think about: it’s not just does the vendor wanna sell to me? It’s the agent whose got ambition and goals and they’re trying, because if they do private sales all year, their income will probably be a third of what they’ve done, because they’ve got these rolling campaigns. They get the deal done before the auction, but it creates the urgency in the time frame.  

Ben Kingsley
I love it, I love it. 

Bryce Holdaway
So I think opening with that one’s a good one.  

Ben Kingsley
What do you got?  

Bryce Holdaway
For me I’m gonna go, massively, telescope, big picture. Sort of the external micro factors. Think about talk of sentiment change, think about interest rates, think about government changing, think about last year when the negative gearing debate came up. All those things create anxiety and uncertainty in the mind of the vendor and so therefore if any of that exists, I think that’s often one of the reasons why a vendor would be keen to take an offer and accept any reasonable offer.  

Ben Kingsley
We’ve already seen the Sydney market come off and that is changing the sentiment in that market. I mean, we were there a couple of weeks ago and speaking to the people there, they all said, definitely, market’s definitely slowing. So if you are that, you’re sort of thinking, your macro might only be your state or your city, and you’re starting to think well, all right, just if, you know, a bird in the hand as opposed to potentially a couple in the bush, I’ll grab that offer. All led by that particular macro factors that is changing the view and the media, you know. All the sort of boom, bust types cycles we go through in the media, so I think that’s a cracker. Alright.  

Bryce Holdaway
Alright, got another one for me?  

Ben Kingsley
Well yeah, probably the nervous seller. I mean that’s a classic one where you know they’re not familiar with auctions, they don’t understand the process. They don’t want to go through this anxiety burn that’s going to happen when they’re on the day of the auction. You know and usually you know they may be an older vendor or deceased vendor, and they don’t have their partner there anymore with them to sort of give them the confidence and the security. And even though the agent is going to hopefully reinforce that, if they’re still a little bit sceptical about agents, that can certainly be a place in that. I reckon that’s the nervous seller, the one who’s willing to sort of say, all right, well again, if I’ve got a fair price and that’s all I was looking for, that’s gonna be enough to get me moving. I’ll probably move on the sale.  

Bryce Holdaway
Yeah, well, if you think about the auction process, as you know, Ben, the person who wants the auction is the agent. The buyer doesn’t want it. In fact, a lot of the time, the seller actually doesn’t want it because, like you say, it just gives them that internal churn and that internal burn. Yeah, often they get a little bit of stage fright. And the agent is so used to the auction process that it’s so desensitized to them that they will happily take them. They know it’s worth it get it out.  

Ben Kingsley
And it’s amazing to think that some vendors are just happy to get a fair price. I mean, the vast majority and the job of the selling agent is to get the best possible outcome. But in some cases, we’ve talked about this before, where a vendor has sold to the couple that they prefer better. That they’ve got a connection with and this is a beautiful family home and I want you to create your memories there. I don’t care if someone’s gonna offer me more, because we always naturally go to that position that everyone wants the most and if this thing’s gonna sell for $400,000 above reserve, I’m gonna be doing cartwheels because that sets me up financially. But there are some vendors out there who may be nervous and who are saying, you just get me that, because that’s all I need and the job’s done.  

Bryce Holdaway
I think you raised a really good point there because if you’ve got someone who’s got a family home. It’s been their family home for 30 years and they would just love to see another family get that property, versus a developer who’s hanging around at auction.  

Ben Kingsley
Yeah, that’s another reason. Yeah, could be sold before auction.  

Bryce Holdaway
You picked up on a very good point. So I’m nervous or a sentimental seller.  

Ben Kingsley
Yeah, sentimental seller.  

Bryce Holdaway
Yeah. All right. Okay. I reckon this one’s a bit of a no-brainer, but they’re committed elsewhere. 

Ben Kingsley
Forced sales.  

Bryce Holdaway
Whenever given the choice between certainty and uncertainty, they will take it every day of the week. And of course, if they then translate that uncertainty into certainty, they can then maybe line up settlement dates as well. So, you know the classic they’ve bought somewhere else, is one of the reasons that bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.  

Ben Kingsley
Yeah, yeah, and you know in a moving market a lot of people were forced to do that, you know. They were sort of saying I just need to get in and then I’m reasonably confident that my property will get a certain value. So if they’re upsizing, you know they were forced certainly in the Sydney market It’s happening a little bit in the Melbourne market as well as opposed to going the other way around, because we would always say if you’re a conservative person you should sell first and then buy. But if the market’s moving too quickly, you might just jump in. And so obviously, if they have done that and they haven’t sold their property, guess what? Again, a good strong offer early in the campaign could potentially get that property off the market. 

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