Cate Bakos completed a degree with honours in Chemistry at Monash University in 1996, but has held a passion for property long before her career in science.
Purchasing her first property at 21, Cate continued to invest in property whilst developing her career in sales and marketing with Orica (formerly ICI). In 2003, Cate won a marketing and busary award, however her passion for real estate saw her make the decision to move into property. Commencing her new career in an office in Sandringham, Cate’s approach towards home-matching and selection guided her clients through the maze of property. Qualifying and working as a mortgage broker after the birth of her daughter and throughout the GFC has become one of the most valuable ‘apprenticeships’ she could have served. Her appreciation of lending policy, loan restrictions, borrowing capacity calculation, and cashflow analysis is what sets her apart from her competitors.
Cate studied Property Services in 2010 at Swinburne University and obtained her real estate license. She founded Empower Wealth Property Advisory P/L as a director in 2011 and guided over 700 clients through their various property journeys over that time. In 2014 she left her directorship to launch Cate Bakos Property a boutique Melbourne business catering to her loyal clients. Cate’s extensive asset-selection experience not only in Melbourne metro suburbs but also in Victorian regional markets including Ballarat and Geelong has given her a valuable point of difference to offer her cashflow-driven clients.
Cate is a regular commentator in the media, and contributes monthly to publications including Your Investment Property, Australian Property Investor, Smart Property and property Observer. She features in Domain and regularly enjoys interview opportunities on Real Estate Talk with Kevin Turner. Cate shares her knowledge and experience regularly at seminars, volunteers her bidding skills often, and enjoys mentoring young people in the industry she so loves.
Cate Bakos Property was proudly awarded Sterling Publishing’s “high commendation” in 2015, and Cate was a finalist in 2013 for the Telstra Business Woman of the Year, the REIV Buyer’s Agent of the Year, and the National Winner of the Buyer’s Agent of the Year for Sterling Publishing in 2013