Buyer's advocate Anissa Cavallo of Eda Property knows first-hand how life and finances can be turned upside down.
After building a 10-property portfolio, she lost nearly everything in a divorce and had to start over as a single mum of two. Today, she owns 15 properties, has rebuilt a multimillion-dollar portfolio, and has helped thousands of others do the same.
As a passionate advocate for single women, particularly mothers, Cavallo works to help them overcome the systemic barriers to property investment. She says her own experiences have made her acutely aware of the two key hurdles: equity and serviceability.
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"I'm very passionate about helping women invest in property. One of the biggest issues they have, post separation or divorce, especially in later life, is their borrowing capacity. There are two parts to borrowing: equity and serviceability. Single women often fall down on both of those, but particularly on serviceability."
Cavallo says too many women are left financially vulnerable after a break-up.
"The number of women I see who are full-time carers and are trying to juggle work, and they get virtually nothing at all from ex-partners, is astounding. Child support and financial assistance for single women to assist them on their property journey needs to be completely overhauled."
For many young Australians and single parents and older women starting again, the traditional path to homeownership feels out of reach. Cavallo often recommends an alternative approach: rentvesting.
"We've been talking about rentvesting for 10 years," Cavallo explains. "The only reason is because many Aussies can't afford to live in a property that's going to be growth-oriented, but they want to."
The strategy allows people to rent in a location they love while investing in a more affordable area with high growth potential.
"It's actually cheaper to rent where you live and buy for investment. You've generally got two reasons why you buy property: one is to live in it and enjoy it, and the other is to make as much money as you can out of it. If you try to combine the two, you'll often compromise a bit on both."
While teaming up with a friend to buy a home may seem like another creative solution, Cavallo warns against it.
"The risk of buying with a friend is twofold. The obvious is, what happens if you have a fallout with your friend? The other thing a lot of people don't realise is the impact on your borrowing capacity. The bank will say, 'You both owe the full amount,' and that can massively affect your borrowing capacity going forward."
Talk to a mortgage broker today to understand your borrowing capacity
Where are the next Australian investment hotspots?
Cavallo believes the Victorian property market remains one of the most undervalued in the country, and that now is the time to act.
"Last year... I was saying that Melbourne is undervalued, particularly compared to many other cities and states in Australia. The fundamentals that drive property prices over the long term hadn't changed in Victoria, and yet purely because of sentiment, prices had remained very low. That presented an incredible opportunity to get in at a very good price."
She says negative sentiment about Melbourne was overblown.
"Even last year when everybody was talking about the population decreasing in Victoria and people leaving to go interstate, it simply wasn't true... I was thinking, 'Nobody is listening; look at the ABS figures.'"
Now, Cavallo says sentiment is shifting.
"We're seeing a lot of investors from interstate. People in Queensland, in WA and New South Wales saying: 'Oh my God, it's expensive here. What are we doing? Let's go to Melbourne'."
Where to buy under $700,000
Cavallo's advice is clear, choose affordability and long-term potential over prestige.
"My investment strategy is to avoid buying overly expensive properties, I don't buy million-dollar properties, and I don't recommend them to my clients.
"Almost all of my clients' purchases are under $1 million. Instead of buying just one high-priced property, they might buy two more affordable ones.
"There are several reasons for this, but one of the biggest is ongoing affordability. If you buy a property that's difficult to afford over time, you're more likely to sell it sooner, and that can hurt your long-term gains.
"The real magic in property investing is time in the market, so I want my clients to hold onto their properties for as long as possible, which means they need to be affordable."
Cavallo says she focuses on lower-priced areas with a larger pool of potential buyers and less market volatility.
Top Suburbs Under $700k - Anissa Cavallo's Picks
Western Melbourne
Deanside - Emerging pocket next to Caroline Springs with strong yields and growth potential.
Cobblebank - Major infrastructure including a new hospital and six-storey retail/community hub.
Fraser Rise - Already grown in value but still solid for long-term investors.
Regional Victoria
Bendigo - Already starting to move; strong buying opportunities now.
Ballarat - 12-month window for recovery, offering good entry prices.
For Cavallo, helping clients start over, build financial literacy and get on the property ladder is about more than securing a single transaction.
"I'm passionate about helping people get into the property market without having to go through the pain that I went through. Property is really a very important tool for middle-class Australians to get ahead and to accumulate a decent retirement in the future."
"We find the areas that suit the client, the type of investment that suits their needs, and then help them invest in locations that are going to achieve their long-term goals."
Her message is simple: with the right strategy, a clear focus on affordability, and smart location choices, even those starting over after a major life change can build a strong property portfolio.
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