Before the budget, about half of Kev Tran's new clients were first-time investors. Now most already own two or more properties. Experienced investors with equity and buffers are moving while others wait for the all-clear, and the gap is widening. Tran breaks down four very different plays for four kinds of investors, and why waiting for certainty can leave you six months behind.

On this episode of The Smart Property Investment Show, editor Liam Garman sits down with Kev Tran of KTG Property Advisory to unpack why the post-Budget market is splitting buyers in two: those who are acting, and those who are waiting.

Tran says the mood is squeezed and confidence is low, yet his seasoned clients see opportunity in a softer market. His first rule is to review your portfolio before you look at a single property: rates, equity, loan-to-value ratios, holding costs, and buffers. For some, that review ends with a clear "hold off".

For those who are ready, Tran breaks down four plays for four kinds of investors, with real deals:

• Tighter budget or cash flow: Melbourne's brick walk-ups, where Tran shares an example of a recent Thornbury apartment and Pascoe Vale villa, plus the due diligence watch-outs on roofs, levies, and insurance.
• A bigger budget: a Narre Warren house bought for less than a comparable vacant block nearby, with granny flat upside.
• Regional: Victorian houses yielding around 5 per cent gross.
• An established portfolio: why he's cautious on commercial if you're not ready – but for those who are, he shares the example of an industrial unit he bought at a 6.7 per cent net yield.

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