Welcome back to another episode of the 360 Money Matters Podcast!

In this episode, Billy and Andrew sit down with Dimitri Damianos from Buxton in Oakleigh to answer the question every buyer and seller is quietly asking right now: is the Melbourne property market actually falling, or just changing shape?

With ten years on the ground selling in Melbourne's south-east, Dimi cuts through the media headlines to explain what's really happening at inspections and auctions, why "wait for prices to drop further" is some of the worst advice a buyer can follow right now, and what the shift away from negative gearing and SMSF borrowing is doing to investor appetite. They also get into the emotional side of property that no spreadsheet can capture, and why timing your purchase around "readiness" beats timing it around the market.

If you're sitting on the fence about buying or selling in Melbourne, this episode explains what's driving the hesitation, why it might be costing you, and what to watch heading into spring.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights

• Why auction clearance rates have dropped to around 50% and what's replacing the traditional auction

• The apartment slowdown: from four to five buyers per inspection down to one or two

• Why "I'm not buying because prices might come off" is the worst advice out there right now

• How the end of negative gearing and SMSF borrowing changes are pushing investors toward commercial property

• What buyers can do to negotiate respectfully and find out what comparable properties actually sold for

• Why emotional attachment to a home almost always outweighs the numbers, for both buyers and sellers

• Dimi's read on where the Melbourne market goes from here as stock stays low heading into spring

Connect with Dimitri Damianos

• Buxton Real Estate, Oakleigh
• Phone: 0412 092 944
• Instagram: @dim.damianos

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify

Welcome back to another episode of the 360 Money Matters Podcast!

In this episode, Billy and Andrew tackle the question most buyers never ask until it's too late: what does a dream home actually cost once you move past the purchase price? Timed against recent federal budget changes, they break down why more people are pouring money into their own home instead of investment property, and why that decision carries far more hidden expenses than most realise.

They walk through the layers that quietly stack up after settlement: rates, insurance, maintenance running 1 to 2% of property value every year, renovation blowouts that routinely exceed budget by 50%+, and the opportunity cost of what that money could have earned elsewhere. Using real numbers, they show how a $1 million mortgage can mean paying back close to $2 million over 30 years, and why "just buy the dream home" is no longer a safe default strategy in this market.

If you're weighing up whether to upgrade your home, renovate, or invest instead, this episode lays out the real math and why diversifying beyond one asset class matters more than ever.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights

• Why it's not the purchase price that gets people, it's the ongoing cost of owning the property

• The renovation trap: budget for 50% more than you think, because it never stops there

• Why turnkey properties are winning buyers over on certainty alone

• The 1-2% rule: what ongoing maintenance really costs on a bigger, more expensive home

• Insurance, mortgage protection and income protection all climb with a bigger mortgage

• The opportunity cost most buyers never calculate: investing, education, lifestyle

• The real math: a $1M mortgage can mean paying back close to $2M over 30 years

• Why one strategy isn't enough anymore, and how to diversify beyond property

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify

Welcome back to another episode of the 360 Money Matters Podcast!

In this episode, Billy and Andrew tackle a question most business owners have never stopped to ask: what actually happens to the business, and to the people left behind, if something happens to your business partner?

Using their own partnership as a real-world example, they break down why this isn't about replacing a role or keeping operations running. It's about what happens when a grieving spouse suddenly becomes a shareholder, the surviving partner needs to find hundreds of thousands of dollars they don't have, and neither side wants to be in business with the other. They walk through the two-part solution that solves this cleanly: a funding mechanism through life insurance, paired with a buy-sell agreement that guarantees ownership transfers smoothly and both parties get exactly what they need.

If you're in business with a partner and have never had this conversation, this episode explains the blind spot, the fix, and why it costs far less than most people assume.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights

• Why "we'd just replace them" misses the real problem: the value your partner has tied up in the business

• The hypothetical: Andrew's wife Stacey becomes a shareholder overnight, grieving, with two kids, and no interest in the business

• Why time is of the essence when a business valuation can rise or fall after the event

• The funding mechanism: how a modest life insurance premium covers the payout gap

• The buy sell agreement: how ownership transfers smoothly so no one negotiates value while grieving

• Why annual business valuations matter to keep the policy in line with what the business is actually worth

• The real cost: a simple legal setup plus an affordable annual premium, compared to what most people pay for health insurance

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify