December 18, 2025
Bumper Contents
Year In Review plus
E.O.I. Strategies that Work
Multi Agent – Off Market Works
Buyer Advocacy that Works
Buy Sell & Sell Buy Successes
Architectural – A Great Reno
Giving that Works
Ratings – How it Works for You
Christmas New Year Message
Year In Review
Volatility signals the turn
Buyers are no longer sitting completely on their hands.
Sellers can no longer just wait for “their number.”
As we wrap up the year and head toward Christmas, let’s be clear: 2025 was a turning point.
Not a boom. Not a bust. But a genuine shift, volatile, messy, and meaningful.
We’ve been tracking this market week in, week out – on the street, at opens, on the phone, and around the auction ring. And what we’ve seen is a pattern that tells a bigger story than just one weekend or one suburb.
From Dropping to Bouncing
From 2022 through to 2024, the market was in steady decline. 2025 changed that.
We started to bounce along the bottom—and in some quarters, began to edge back up. That’s not speculation. It’s visible in the numbers, the buyer energy, and the emotional temperature of the market.
But this wasn’t a clean or comfortable rebound.
A Volatile Year, in Real Time
The story of 2025 was written in spurts:
- February: We came out flying. Open for inspections were full, buyers were confident, bidding was strong.
- Easter to Winter: The momentum slowed.
Buyers didn’t disappear, but they hesitated.
Deals needed more work. - August to September: We fired again. Big results, especially on quality homes. The market felt alive.
- October: It all flattened. Energy drained, and campaigns that looked rock-solid suddenly felt fragile.
- December: Was about limping to the finish line.
But under the surface, there’s movement. That’s the rhythm of a turning market. It surges, then stalls, then shifts again. It’s not smooth. It’s not linear. But it’s real.
Why It Matters
Volatility is often misunderstood. It doesn’t mean a bad market – it means a changing one.
Buyers are no longer sitting completely on their hands.
Sellers can no longer just wait for “their number.”
The game now is about timing, strategy, and alignment.
We’ve rung the bell. The era of consistent decline is over.
What replaces it? A market in transition—one that rewards clarity, confidence, and experience.
Final Thought
Whether you’re a buyer or seller, 2026 starts now.
This is the moment to think strategically – not nostalgically.
The story is no longer “we’re falling.”
The story is: we’re shifting.
If you’d like to talk through how this market applies to your situation – your home, your plans, your goals – I’m here. Because in a volatile market, clear thinking matters more than ever.
Mal James
James Marketnews Intel Works
James EOI Strategies Work
Smoke, Mirrors and EOIs
Expressions of Interest
If as a seller you’re still being sold the Expression of Interest fairy tale as the answer to a stratospheric price, via a way of tricking buyers into a higher price, you need to read this.
The EXPRESSION OF INTEREST market is currently in big trouble – and heading toward a pre-Christmas reckoning. Results are being pushed over a waterfall fed by three converging rivers of negative forces:
River One: The Market Dip
We saw a noticeable dip from September to October in Top End buyer enthusiasm. The higher end of the market—where EOI dominates—is always more sensitive to these shifts (due to fewer buyers per property); it’s like a canary in a coal mine.
When the broader market softens, the premium segment feels it first and hardest.
River Two: The Wild West Legacy
The EOI market has always operated like the Wild West: poor rules, poor trust, and poor recording of actual achievements. Unlike auctions, which are public and traceable, EOI campaigns slip away into vague outcomes and sanitised statistics.
River Three: The Price Paradox of 2025
Here’s the contradiction: price expectations have actually improved and realistic prices are more achievable in this market than last year. However, for sellers still chasing a peak price, little has changed—and our study, the only public analysis of 2025 EOI performance, proves this.
The disconnect between above market prices and some seller expectations has never been wider.
The Result?
The EOI disaster is part market retreat, part seller mismanagement, part agent mismanagement.
Too many agents only play the benefits of EOI without confronting sellers with the risks. They cherry-pick results, hide under-priced clearances from the wrong suburbs, and spin the wins.
The machinery still rolls while the trail of destruction their lack of transparency leaves behind.
The Agent Problem
Most critically, many agents lack training in crisis management. They struggle to give hard opinions when securing a listing is on the line.
They fail to implement bespoke alternative strategies when a campaign gets into trouble. And most importantly, they treat every sale like a sprint—rush to the starting barriers, jump, and race the finish line—when in fact, many campaigns are often a marathon requiring patience, strategy, and constant recalibration.
Unlike auctions, which are public and traceable with clear outcomes, EOI campaigns slip away into ambiguity. Their pitch analysis focuses primarily on the agents—not the method or the outcomes—and transparency holds the key to success and failure.
The EOI market feels like it will stay in trouble until Santa arrives at least end in 2026, who knows.
The statistics over the page explain exactly why.
You don’t see EOI clearance rates published—funny that.
EOI: What It’s Meant To Be vs What It Actually Is
Meant to be: a clear, comparable, deadline-driven tender where real offers compete and the best buyer and price emerge.
Actually: is smoke and mirrors in the ask, the process, and the result.
For many, EOI is simply a lie—at the start, during, and at the end.
Our Facts
60 random EOIs closing before mid-November: 20 Boroondara, 20 Bayside & Port Phillip, 20 Stonnington.
See our full list over the page. And we have no financial interest in any of the properties.
We analysed where properties were allowed enough post-close for the full 7-day span of buyer decisions.
Consistent lack of success across regions (Port Phillip the relative standout). Sub-30% clearance.
For every three selling, seven are not.
Why are so few selling?
Pricing: campaigns launched above market, when in fact the market has eased back this last month (but is still way better than this time last year).
Lack of trust: buyers and sellers don’t believe what they’re told.
Domination by some BS agents: the loudest EOI pushers often have the worst records.
Lack of effort and innovation: cookie-cutter campaigns, zero strategy.
Why EOI Campaigns Are Failing Sellers
The pitch sounds great—skip auction pressure, keep value, create “competitive tension.”
The reality: with more stock and more choice, if you’re above market you won’t sell—the method doesn’t save you. EOIs can make it worse:
Start: untested, unrealistic pricing; little to no multi-opinion groundwork.
During: deliberate opacity; buyers get fluff, sellers get filtered truth.
End: fail publicly and you wear the digital scar. Value and momentum slip. Plus as a seller you have wasted time, lost buyer goodwill and often there’s no return. ZIPO.
And you have likely hurt future potential buyer worth of what your home is NOT worth.
The Agents Not Selling: Hidden Results
Some high-profile agents keep pushing EOI while their actual results are poor, and keep the spin strong. EOI clearance gets published—funny that. If a BS agent gets 10 jobs and tells you, “we’ve sold 5,” ask for the list. The actual list. With street names, with prices, and endless timelines. Transparency matters.
For Buyers: Navigating the EOI Minefield
Key questions you must nail:
Who is the real competition—agent expectations, seller position, or genuine buyers? What will it actually take to secure it? Is the deadline real or theatre?
Waiting till close is pressure-packed. This year, we secured a just-over $4m property on Cup weekend by engaging early, testing the landscape, and moving before the official end. Advocacy helps you decode signals, test the seller, and structure well.
Many who go alone either miss out or pay too much.
A Smarter Approach for Sellers
Test before you advertise. Short off-market to gather real intel without public damage.
Get multiple opinions. Don’t bet the farm on one voice; consider seller advocacy or multi-agent input.
Respect the stakes. If you’re not price-confident, stay off-market until you are.
Our analysed properties are either sold or held quietly until the price or buyer is right. That’s how we “test the market.” The goal is to sell—on terms that work for you.
A Smarter Approach for Buyers
EOI is opaque (and many auctions aren’t much better—sold before, sold after). Start early. Test properly. Work out whether your competition is the agent, the seller, or other buyers.
You can’t do the day after an EOI closes. Remember: more than two out of three EOIs aren’t selling. Many that do are single-buyer outliers. Was the tension real?
The Bottom Line
EOI isn’t a magic trick. With 29% clearance, it’s more likely to fail than succeed (without proper pricing and research), leaving sellers with a damaged online trail and buyers guessing in the dark.
We cop heat for pushing openness in EOI and for advocating planned, transparent campaigns. Fine.
Our involvement ends one of two ways: sold, or held quietly off-market until the buyer or price is right.
The Smarter Way Through EOI
James Buy-Sell Advocates exist for one reason: to make EOIs work for you, not against you.
SELLERS – James Buy-Sell Advocates: 1-2-3
Reality Check
Multi-agent price read, comps, and risk map. No spin before an EOI.Quiet Test (7–14 days)
Controlled off-market campaign to gather real buyer data—no public damage.Execute With Clarity
Sell privately at the right number or go public with a plan, not a hope.
BUYERS – James Buyer Advocates: 1-2-3
Early Intel
We profile the agent, the seller, and real buyer depth—before the deadline noise.Structured Path to Yes
Tired of strategy (terms, timing, price bands) that tests without overpaying.Decide With Discipline
Secure it on your terms—or step away cleanly and fast.
James Multi Agent Seller Advocacy Works
James Buyer Advocacy Works
The $300,000 Decision
The setup:
We were engaged to buy a home @ $2 million—a space we operate in often.
The client’s first instruction:
“Offer $2 million pre-auction and get it for me now.”
What we did:
We called the agent. He wasn’t open to offers. Didn’t care how motivated we were. So we didn’t push yet. We also didn’t reveal our client. We also didn’t show our hand $ wise.
What happened next:
We turned up on auction day with a clear strategy. We made a single bid.
Result:
Purchased the property for $300,000 less than our client had told us to offer pre-auction. That’s the power of restraint, strategy, and timing.
The Townhouse They Didn’t Know They Wanted
The setup:
Client was fixated on a period home in Surrey Hills. Believed that was all they could afford.
What we did:
We rated a Hawthorn townhouse. They hadn’t considered it, didn’t think it was in budget, didn’t think it would fit.
Result:
They bought it within 48 hours of us suggesting it.
They got a better location, a better home, and a better deal than they thought was possible.
Their lives have changed dramatically and it was less than they would have bid on a period home.
Speed Wins in EOI
The setup:
EOI campaign, expected to run for weeks. Our client thought the property was out of reach.
What we did:
We approached the agent directly, with honesty and clarity. We offered value to them, and in return, they opened a door.
Result:
We brought the deal forward, secured it before most other buyers even knew the rules had changed.
Other buyers were left complaining the process was too fast. We were already done.
That’s the power of timing and integrity.
Privacy as Strategy
The setup:
A high-profile buyer where exposure would kill the deal or inflate the price.
What we did:
We bought in our name to protect privacy. We made a strong but sensible offer below the bottom of the quoted range, and we moved early.
Result:
Secured the home below the range. Protected the client’s position. And again saved significant money. That’s the power of representation.
Next Steps
Let’s talk. Text us. Call. Or send us your search brief.
We’ll tell you in 10 minutes if I think we can help.
Mal James and Simone Clarke
James Buyer Advocates
- BOUGHT HAWTHORN
- BOUGHT BRIGHTON
- BOUGHT PORT MELBOURNE
- BOUGHT CAMBERWELL
- BOUGHT MIDDLE PARK
James Buy & Sell or Sell & Buy Works
This December, amid the usual whirlwind of the festive season, we had the pleasure of guiding clients through a truly enjoyable and meaningful buy and sell in Brighton. Both transactions were handled with care, thoughtfulness, and critically trust. The result? A smooth off-market sale for just over $6 million, and a strategic on-market apartment purchase under $3 million. The icing on the cake: matching settlement dates and virtually zero stress.
From the outset, this wasn’t a typical campaign. For the sale, we bypassed the traditional on-market route. Why? The current EOI (Expression of Interest) landscape isn’t yielding strong results for many sellers, and our clients wisely chose to avoid the noise and cost. We tested the waters with five agents before finding the right fit – Halli Moore from Buxton – who brought a quality buyer at the price we wanted, without a single dollar spent on advertising. The key wasn’t luck; it was mutual trust. We trusted Halli to bring a real offer, and he trusted that if he did, we’d treat it – and him – with exclusivity and fairness. Most importantly the buyer trusted that process too, as did our clients, the sellers. This created an environment where honesty thrived, and so did the result.
Once the sale was in motion, we turned to the purchase. Our clients needed a specific type of property, and we found it. This time it was an EOI through Julian Augustini from Hodges. Normally, EOIs can be discouraging for buyers. The process often lacks transparency. Buyers make offers and feel ignored, even vilified, while all the energy goes into chasing those who haven’t made a move. But Julian handled it differently. He set clear expectations. He said if we came in strong, we’d be treated fairly. And he kept his word. We offered well – because the property fit our clients’ needs, and because missing out would have meant spending $750K to $1M more on an alternative. It was a rational, values-based decision, and again, trust was central to it.
What stood out in both the buy and the sell was that when all parties trust each other – agents, buyers, sellers, and advocates – good outcomes can flow naturally. These were not transactions filled with gamesmanship or ego. They were purposeful, calm, and efficient. And that’s the point. Real estate doesn’t have to be a pressure cooker. It can be strategic and human at the same time.
Too little is said about trust in this industry. But when it’s there, it can become the most powerful lever of all. These two transactions showed that buy/sell or sell/buy can work beautifully when trust is built early and maintained throughout. For clients, agents, and advocates alike, it’s a lesson worth carrying into the new year.
If you’re looking to make a move and want the process to be clear, calm, and client-first, we’d love to hear from you.
- SOLD BRIGHTON OFF MARKET
- BOUGHT BRIGHTON EOI
James Architectural Advocacy Works
The $4.2M to $11.3M Masterclass – Lessons from 17 Manning Road Malvern East
Welcome to a special report on how to put together one of the best renovations I’ve seen in years.
No, this isn’t TV shows. There are no fake over-the-top reveals, borrowed emotion and false drama. Its all 100% real.
This is about smart decisions, long-term thinking, and the quiet confidence of people who knew what they were doing.
And let’s be clear — I don’t know these people. I’ve never met the owners, the architect, or the builder. I am simply an admirer of what has been achieved. I’ve walked through the home, seen it sold, and read/reworked here what’s publicly available.
These are my observations. If you’re thinking about a major renovation, there’s a lot you can learn from this one.
The People Behind It
The owner, Ben Cooper, isn’t your average renovator. He’s the Managing Director of Cameron Real Estate, one of Victoria’s largest commercial and industrial agencies. In short — he understands deals, structures, and timing. And it shows.
Learning #1: Your background matters. When you understand property as a business — not just a place to live — you make different decisions. Better decisions. Ben’s commercial real estate experience meant he could see past the emotion and focus on value creation.
What’s impressive here isn’t just that Ben and his family achieved a top-tier result — it’s how they did it. They didn’t knock down and start again. They read the home. They saw its bones, its orientation, its north-facing rear, and its inherent beauty. They didn’t get seduced by noise — they planned, consulted, and then quietly executed one of the best balanced renovations of a period home I have ever seen.
Learning #2: Sometimes the best move is restraint. The most expensive decision isn’t always the smartest one. Reading what’s already there and working with it — rather than against it — takes skill, patience, and confidence.
Buy the Right Home to Begin With
The owners bought 17 Manning Road, Malvern East, in 2014 for $4.2 million.
This week, it sold for $11.3 million, with six bidders above $10 million.
That didn’t happen by accident.
The block was north-facing, flat, and beautifully proportioned, sitting in one of Melbourne’s most prestigious period precincts — the Gascoigne Estate. The original home had strong bones and good flow. The parking was tight, but everything else ticked the right boxes.
Learning #3: Start with the fundamentals. You can’t renovate your way out of poor position land. You can renovate your way out of a poor floorplan, but why start behind? You can’t renovate your way out of poor position land and floorplan at a smart price or time frame —you need to get all your PPPs right.
Position. Property. Price.
Learning #3a: Capital growth starts with what you buy, what you add and what you don’t.
Have a Clear Vision — and Don’t Get Pushed Around
From what I can see, the owners had a plan and stuck to it. They likely interviewed multiple architects and chose carefully. The result speaks volumes.
Learning #4: Not all architects are created equal — and not all collaborations work. Many people get led by architects and led right up the garden path. You can tell by the result this was a genuine collaboration of two parties who knew what they wanted and how to get it, and they got along. Great renovations happen with collaboration and synergy — YES I KNOW IT SOUNDS WANKY BUT IT’S TRUE.
They went with Cera Stribley Architects, and their approach was restraint. The home was extended by just two rooms. They respected the existing and introducing modern where it mattered most — the kitchen, dining, and ensuite. Look at the side by side floor plans I have put together.
Learning #5: The genius wasn’t in the drama of change, but in the discipline of what they didn’t change. This is the hardest lesson to learn. This is so hard to be this classy.
Build with Precision and make sure you have a Grand Room – in this case they added 2 “Rare Grands”
Fortem Projects delivered the build — blending heritage with quiet precision.
They added many things but for me the 2 Grands 1) double car stacker, and 2) outdoor living zone.
Learning #6: Your builder is as important as your architect. A great design poorly executed is worth nothing. Fortem understood the brief — luxury without showing off, heritage without feeling dated, modern without jarring.
The project went on to win HIA and Master Builders Awards for best renovation, best kitchen, and best bathroom.
Finish with Landscape that Feels Like Living
Landscaping is too often an afterthought. Here, it completed the story.
Learning #7: Landscaping isn’t decoration — it’s integration. Get this wrong and even the best home feels disconnected. Get it right and the whole property lifts.
Ben Scott Garden Design Greener Visions Landscaping
Learning #8: Light is currency. When your garden design floods the interior with natural light, you’re not just improving amenity — you’re adding value to every room in the house.
I loved the sanctuary of the whole of Manning Road – and outdoor complimented indoor.
Selling Campaign — From False Start to Record Result
When the owners of 17 Manning Road, Malvern East first launched their campaign, they entered a tough market in 2024. Despite the property’s quality, the initial attempt didn’t strike the right chord on price or, in my opinion, there were simply no $10m+ buyers there.
Learning #9: Timing isn’t everything, but it’s not nothing either. Even the best product can miss its moment. The key is knowing when to pause, recalibrate, and try again.
But rather than retreat, they believed in their product — they trusted the architectural integrity, the landscaping, and the position within the prestigious Gascoigne Estate — and they refocused, using the same strategy, but different agency/agent a year later: known agency but specialist out of area high-end agent — in this case Scott Patterson.
Learning #10: Back your own judgement. When you’ve done the work properly — bought well, planned well, executed beautifully — don’t panic when the market wobbles. Hold your nerve.
The result? Six serious bidders, offers topping the trigger of $10 million, and a final sale of $11.3 million.
What Can We Learn
If you take one thing away, it’s this: a great renovation isn’t about money — it’s about clarity.
- Buy the right home that matches your needs, can be “fixed’ and makes $ sense. Buy quality PPPs.
- Form a vision.
- Include a Grand Room or two like a view, a garden, a special oversized room or a garage if you are thinking of resale
- Hire people who understand class is not always with a bulldozer.
- And then stick fat to what you want – not move in the wind to others wants.
Renovations aren’t about doing everything. They’re about doing the right things — in the right order, for the right reasons.
This family bought well, planned well, and executed beautifully.
That’s how a $4.2 million purchase becomes an $11.3 million success story. As opposed to a $4.2 million purchase being knocked down and costing $11 million after building but selling for a false $8 million “unsuccess” story – and that is disguised by dinner party talk as “capital growth”.
If you’re thinking about your own version of this — not a copy, but your own calm, high-performing renovation — I’m happy to share what I’ve seen over the last 25+ years, what works, and what to watch for.
Well done to all involved and particularly to the owner Ben Cooper, you are one talented real estate human. Well done, my hats off to you!
Mal James 0408 107 988
Letter to/from potential client after visit; post Marketnews Renovation Article
This last fortnight 5 families have called us in to their homes wanting advice about renovate or sell; directly from the 19/10/2025 marketnews article.
30th October 2025
Dear Mal and Simone,
I hope you have both had a wonderful week.
My apologies for the delayed reply. We were reflecting immensely on our meeting and this needed a few days further reflection and composition.
We appreciate your insights and frankness, I think through the years living here we lost ourselves a bit and you helped us realise the potential, heart soul and character already herein this home. Too many agents say too many things and I loved your openness and honesty, so thank you again. I have made a substantial donation to the Rotary Child Surgeries today, what a great cause that you are championing here Mal & Simone.
I’d love to further pay it forward with any of or contacts and colleagues, and look forward to keeping in touch and having you both over to ?? on completion.
Be well,
C & J
23rd October 2025
Dear C&J,
It was genuinely lovely to meet you today at your beautiful home at ???, Armadale.
You already know how we feel about your home — it’s simply special. It has a soul, a calmness, and a sense of balance that you can’t recreate easily. It’s one of those rare homes where the longer you sit, the more it feels right.
And honestly, based on what you told us, you’d be unwise to leave. You’re happy there — in the home, in the location, and in the way it makes you feel. That’s a rare trifecta in property, and not something to walk away from lightly.
If you’ve found yourself questioning it, I suspect it’s not the house — it’s everything else that’s changed around you. We’ve all been through COVID. Costs shifted, routines broke, and the world tilted slightly off its axis. Many great homeowners found themselves wondering if the grass might be greener somewhere else.
Simone and I both believe your home is one of those timeless “less is more” properties -because it already has a lot. It doesn’t need reinvention — just refinement.
A few thoughts:
- The car stacker idea — brilliant. It’s smart, efficient, and adds genuine functionality.
- The garden — absolutely keep it. If you want your dream cellar or entertainment space, build beneath it. The integration works beautifully, especially with the stacker at the front.
- The three-bedroom scenario is workable. Reimagine the study and formal room combination — that could create flexibility without adding walls of stress.
- Upstairs, J, you already said it best — it’s about discovery and finishes, not structural overhaul. Keep the magic there.
- And that rear room — don’t overthink it. Some subtle shelving or storage, and it’s perfect.
In other words — very little to do. Just thoughtful steps to enhance what’s already exceptional.
Don’t be spooked by the south-facing bedroom — it’s not a weakness. With light materials, intelligent glazing, and good flow, it can be a strength.
C with above its a straightforward execution, and I think zero chance of overcapitalisation
When your work at ?? is finished, we’d love to see it. You’ve both got a great eye, and it will be a joy to see how that project unfolds.
But more than anything, I truly hope you don’t move. If you ever do — please call us first. We’d have buyers for your home in a heartbeat. But I’d prefer not to, because some homes are better kept by the people who already understand them.
Not now but in a couple of weeks if this all resonates and you want to pay it forward then please look at the morechildsurgeries program and make a tax deductible donation via Rotary – its at the bottom of marketnews
Good luck J you will do a great job we can feel it
Warm regards,
Mal & Simone
James Buyer Advocates
Principal Buy Sell Agent
0408 107 988
Making it happen today!
More Reading on Heritage Renovations
James Giving Works and Yours Does Too
Writing this makes me nervous. Because if I get it right, children like Marian may live. If I get it wrong, they may not.
Marian was found by an African outreach program. A tumour was growing inside her, untreated for years. Her father had been searching for help. She would have died without surgery.
This isn’t abstract. If you’re reading, you’re part of the decision. You can walk away, as many do when something feels too real. Or you can stay and help.
This past year, the More Child Surgeries program has changed lives. Not in theory, in reality. I’ve seen children stand upright, breathe freely, return to school because someone stepped up.
My own year didn’t start well. A personal loss was still shaking me. Work became heavy, the market unforgiving. But I’d made commitments to children overseas, and I feared I couldn’t honour them. Then I travelled again to Africa with old friends.
What I saw there reminded me: it’s not just the children who are saved. That trip reminded me those kids saved me too. Seeing real, physical change pulled me back to purpose. Slowly, the spark returned in work, in spirit, in life.
Navad is an eight-year-old boy from Kasulu who was injured in a motorcycle accident when he was fifteen months old.
He stayed home for six years without medical care, crawling, until he was found in July 2023. When we met him in his village this year, he was walking.
Many children are not forgotten because they were never noticed in the first place.
Nothing I’ve faced compares to the moment a child dies unseen and unknown, and knowing that if we didn’t help, no one else would.
This is the quiet power of staying. When you don’t walk away, you not only help the child, you grow deeper. You reconnect. You remember why you do the work. My own family and colleagues have travelled to see this firsthand. It ripples.
Corruption exists, yes. But the solution isn’t to withdraw. It’s to build better systems. That’s what is being done, through Child Surgeries Tanzania, a fully African-run NGO. They are now active in Tanzania, Ethiopia, soon Uganda. Local doctors, real-time data, shared sheets and weekly Zoom calls keep everything transparent and fast-moving.
This is no longer just an idea it’s a movement. From 500 to 1,300 surgeries in two years. 419 children this year (262 male and 157 female). From one hospital to eight. From one country to two, soon three.
A portion of our business funded this for over a decade. But in 2025, others joined: $120,000 in new donations, from people who saw and acted.
One donor gave two $25,000 contributions.
Others gave $10,000, $5,000, $1,000.
Some, instead of sending thank-you wine for “free advice,” chose simply to give.
Australia spends over $7,000 per person annually on healthcare. Sub-Saharan Africa: less than $100.
Your dollar, if directed well, multiplies. It strengthens systems and gives children like Marian a future.
Her surgery, follow-up, and recovery in 2022, cost less than a family weekend here. She’s now a healthy young girl, living near Dodoma, Sub-Sahara.
I met her and her father this year in 2025. Every mile of the journey to see her was worth it.
If you feel moved, act.
- $1,000 covers about two surgeries — two lives changed, and a stronger system around them.
- $10,000–$50,000 can help build out a regional hospital partnership, or sustain a new hub.
- $100,000+? You’d be laying down deep roots. Your own network. Your own legacy.
Giving to others, especially to children in need, isn’t charity. It’s alignment.
James Ratings Works
- Click Address through to Completed James Home Rating
- Passed in - 0 bidders - sold later
James Home Rating 582
Price to Market
Red
Buyers didn’t see value at the quoted range.
Lack of competition meant little to no real engagement.
Property
Amber / Red
Character appeal, but with major functional issues.
No car park (big red for inner Melbourne buyers).
Layout and livability questions—didn’t work for families or downsizers.
Limited buyer pool as a result.
Position
Green / Amber
Strong prestige area in Albert Park.
But location couldn’t overcome the functional flaws.
Buyers want both address and usability.
Snapshot
| CATEGORY | RATING | COMMENT |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Red | Over-quoted for the product offered. |
| Property | Red | No car park and functional issues shrank buyer pool. |
| Position | Amber | Good address, but couldn’t compensate for flaws. |
Overall: A clear non-event this spring. Prestige location wasn’t enough—buyers stayed away. Good reminder: if you don’t have value and functionality, you don’t have action.
- Sold before auction - 4 bidders volcano
James Home Rating 693
Price to Market
Green
Quoted low $2Ms, sold just under $2.65M.
Well-aligned with market expectations.
Represented strong value for quality and location.
Property
Green
Renovated, well-proportioned family home.
Excellent floorplan, natural light, and flow.
No major red flags (e.g. no heritage constraints, no structural issues).
Ready to move in—minimal buyer doubt.
Position
Green
Quiet residential street.
Good access to schools, transport, and amenities.
Surrey Hills continues to attract quality family buyers.
Snapshot
| CATEGORY | RATING | COMMENT |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Green | Aligned to buyer expectations. Triggered urgency. |
| Property | Green | Functional, attractive, and ready to go. |
| Position | Green | Quality location with long-term upside. |
Overall: One of the clearest examples this spring of what happens when price, property, and position are all in sync.
Christmas / New Year Message
As 2025 draws to a close, I want to wish you, your family, and all those dear to you a truly Merry Christmas. I hope the break brings you peace, connection, and a sense of renewal. And for 2026, I genuinely wish you health, purpose, and joy – wherever life takes you.
This year, a few themes have occupied my thoughts more than usual. One of them is self-belief. In a year when my screens were dominated by two very different figures – Donald Trump and Anthony Albanese – I kept thinking about what they do share. Whether you admire them or not, both possess an extraordinary level of self-belief. They stick to their convictions, often in the face of fierce opposition. It got me reflecting on who I see in real estate with that same internal compass.
In Bayside, I admire Joel Fredman. His self-belief in building a boutique agency from scratch, challenging the big brands at the top end of the market, is something to behold. Having walked a similar path myself, albeit not with the same level of success, I understand the grit it takes to get there. Over in Stonnington, Carla Fetter continues to shine. In a male-dominated field, and at a consistently tough price point, her results this year have been testament to her incredible self-belief. She gets the job done – again and again. And in Boroondara, James Tostevin has made a strong return. I imagine he might say he’s always been focused, but from the outside, it looks like he’s pushed through a few quieter years and come back with a renewed force. His self-belief has returned in spades, and the results speak for themselves.
Alongside self-belief, I’ve been thinking a lot about trust. I’ve come to believe more than ever that trust is one of the key ingredients in real estate – especially in the current climate where bidder numbers are low, competition is inconsistent, and uncertainty still shadows many decisions. Where trust exists, we see better deals. Not always, but often. When agents trust each other, when buyers feel respected, when advocates are honest with clients – better outcomes are possible. It’s not about manipulation or luck. It’s about treating people fairly and expecting the same in return. The recent talk of seven-day reserves? If that helps build trust across the board, I’m all for it. More transparency can only make things better – for buyers, sellers, and the agents in between. Who do I have a deep respect and trust for? Andrew McCann from Jellis Craig, Scott Patterson from Kay and Burton and the Tomlinsons from Marshall White.
I’m less certain about the direction of the self-help industry these days. It feels like the emphasis has shifted to hacks and shortcuts – ways to get results without doing the work. But I’m not sure results come that way. I’ve done close to 200 public ratings in recent months, and I can count on one hand the number of fellow advocates I’ve bumped into at opens. I’m not sure how the business gets done without being out there. I keep coming back to one thing: I do the work. That’s how our buyer and seller advocacy succeeds. Not because I am a genius (I am not) or our team cuts corners, but because we show up. Who does the work, who do I see at all their opens for jobs they have committed to. Rob Le and Daniel Wheeler, Scarlet Hang from Marshall White, Darren Lewenberg and Grant Samuel from Kay and Burton, Sarah Korbel from Fredman, Romana Preston from Hodges and Warwick Gardiner from Jellis Craig to name a few.
And as we approach our fourth year of using AI meaningfully at James Buy Sell, I want to share something honestly. There’s a lot of negativity surrounding AI, and yes, there are dangers to be managed. But for me, the benefits have been real. It has made me more efficient. It’s freed me up to spend more time on the ground, rating properties, meeting clients. AI doesn’t write for me – it simply helps me clarify my thoughts. These blogs, these reports, the summaries – they’re my views, my words, my values. But they’re cleaner, more accessible, and easier to share. I’m not afraid of AI. Like any tool, it depends on how we use it. Who do I see ahead in the tech …… to be honest I don’t…not in the tech that adds value to the buyer or seller. It’s an industry wide weakness.
Nice guy of the year for me is Peter Vigano, greatly improved auctioneer is David Sciola and young agent of the year who got a heap he did not deserve and whom I encourage to keep going – Tas Bartels.
Lastly, and most importantly, I want to say thank you. To the agents – thank you for allowing me the access to do what we do and for those we were successful with in the multi-agent business and we bought off – congrats. I know not everyone agrees with my views, and that’s more than fair. But the respect shown, even in disagreement, is appreciated.
To our team – Randall, Phoebe and Kathy have added great value this year, as have our fearless auction reporters Aislinn, Catherine, Elle, Jo, Kieran, Rowena and Vanessa (see you at the Xmas party) and finally our CEO Sim, we’ve worked together for 17 years now, continues to be a heartbeat of this business. It’s more enjoyable than ever. And whilst we didn’t continue I enjoyed our time very much with Zali, Danny, Mel and all the Shelter team.
To our clients, referrers, even those that thought about using us but didn’t – thank you – thank you for the opportunity and for those we bought and sold for – well done. Miracles can happen hey!
To our team in Africa – Batro, Light, Macha – thank you for your tireless efforts and for helping us grow the number of children we’re able to support morechildsurgeries.com. And to the donors – one of whom gave $60,000, others $20,000, J&J, M&A in particular and many others who contribute through the work they trust us with – thank you. Your generosity often comes from surprising and humbling places, including even from competitors and the differences that are rippling through parts of Africa are amazing.
And finally, thank you to you – the readers of Marketnews, the people who follow the James Home Ratings, who come up to me at opens, at auctions, who write me D&M’s, who seek our advice or give me “the feedback” who overall challenge us. I appreciate every comment, every handshake, and every conversation.
Merry Christmas. Here’s to a bloody ripper, fulfilling, and positive 2026.
– Mal James
In memory of the lovely Nat’s Mum – Sally, Monty for Annie. Loved and missed.
