Bachelor of Business, Master of Commerce (Finance), Graduate Certificate in Property Investment

Chair

Lachlan Vidler is a former Naval Officer and is the founder and Director of Atlas Property Group. Atlas Property Group is an investment focused residential buyers agency that helps clients from around Australia to invest on a national scale.

As a former military officer and management consultant, Lachlan identified an opportunity to create a buyers agency that focused on a long-term strategic approach for clients. Lachlan is the co-author of A Military Guide to Property Investing and was a finalist for Buyers Agent of the Year and Rising Star in the 2022 REB Awards.

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Registered Tax Agent, Diploma of Business Management (Real Estate), Bachelor Construction Management, and Masters in Property

Director

Mike is a leading figure in tax depreciation, actively contributing to reforms for the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors by presenting their new industry whitepaper. With extensive experience as an expert depreciation consultant for major firms like McDonald’s, Canberra Airport, Hilton Hotels, and Stockland, Mike has crafted thousands of depreciation schedules for both commercial and residential properties.

He is sought after as a public speaker and frequently appears in the media as a property investment analyst, offering unique insights into investor behaviour and tax depreciation. Mike’s deep expertise and enthusiasm for maximising depreciation entitlements consistently deliver outstanding results for MCG’s clients.

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QPIA®, Licensed Real Estate Agent, Bachelor of Science (Chemistry Hons)

Director

Cate Bakos completed a degree with honours in Chemistry at Monash University in 1996, but she held a passion for property long before her career in science. Winning both 2013 and 2018’s #1 National Buyer’s Agent of the Year Award marked high watermarks for Cate.  Cate has since amassed multiple industry awards.

Cate also holds a mortgage broking qualification and considers her financial services training 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 as a Buyer’s Advocate.

Cate has worked as a Buyers Agent since 2011, having held a directorship at a large Melbourne firm until launching Cate Bakos Property in 2014.  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 has assisted over 2,000 clients with their property purchases, strategies, and decisions over this time.

Cate is a regular commentator in the media, and contributes weekly to newspapers, live television, podcasts, and publications including Domain, Australian Financial Review, The Australian, Your Investment Property, Herald Sun, Fox Business, Smart Property, and commercial television. 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 was President for REBAA (Real Estate Buyers Agents’ Association (national body) from 2019 – 2023 and served as Vice President two years prior. Cate is a co-host on the podcast series, “The Property Trio” alongside her industry friends, David Johnston and Mike Mortlock. Cate is publishing her second book (co-authored with Pete Wargent) following her 2016 publication, “Successful Property Investment”. At a personal level, Cate has continued to build a sizeable property portfolio alongside her husband and the pair have vast experience with renovating and value-adding.

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QPIA®, Licensed Real Estate Agent, Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication), Masters of Commerce (Marketing)

Director

Veronica is co-founder of Home Buyer Academy, co-host of Your First Home Buyer Guide podcast and The Elephant in the Room property podcast, co-host of Foxtel’s Location Location Location Australia & Relocation Relocation Australia, Buyers Agent Mentor.

Veronica is also principal of Good Deeds Property Buyers in Sydney, co-founder of Surburb Help, and author of “Auction Ready: how to buy property at auction even though you’re scared sh!#less.”

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QPIA®, Licensed Real Estate Agent, Diploma of Financial Planning, SMSF certification, and an active property investor

Director

Richard is the Founder and Managing Director of the ASPIRE Property Advisor Network.  After an extensive career in corporate finance and through his personal investing experience, Richard identified the need to create a system and framework that supports ethical, independent property investment advisors who operate in the new property market. 

The ASPIRE Property Advisor Network now supports independent property advisers across Australia by providing their business engine and acquisition process, designed around concepts of future compliance in the brand new property sector.

Richard together with the ASPIRE team have also developed a complete end-to-end software platform, which is leading the way to deliver property investment advice in the new property space.

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Bachelor of laws (University of Glasgow), Australian Lawyer admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia

Director

Richie is the legal director at lawlab, a leading national property law firm that has reimagined the conveyancing experience making property transactions simpler and more secure for customers and more transparent for property professionals.

Richie has extensive experience in the residential and commercial property law sectors and provides legal and compliance advice to property professionals, developers, real estate funds, proptechs, fintechs and home buyers and investors across multiple jurisdictions.

As a leader of a team that has managed over 45,000 property transactions throughout Australia in the last few years, Richie brings a depth of legal and service delivery experience to the PIPA board.

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QPIA®, Licensed Real Estate and Business Agent, Diploma of Finance and Mortgage Broking Management

Director

Buying his first property at only 19, Managing Director Matthew Hughes has a long-standing passion for wealth creation through property investment.

Like many buyer’s agents, Matthew began his career as a selling agent only to realise quite quickly that his passion lay in working in the best interests of the buyer, rather than for the seller. Matthew has been working exclusively with buyers for over 10 years, guiding them towards achieving their objectives through sound and unbiased strategies.

Capital Property Advisory represents the culmination of this experience and Matthew’s passion for working as an independent adviser, providing the highest level of personal service. Matthew initially meets with all new clients, then coordinates with his experienced team to ensure every client need is met.

Matthew is also founder and Managing Director of Capital Lending Advisory – National Finance & Mortgage Broking Team, Matte Black Real Estate – Perth-based Luxury Home Buyer’s Advocacy & Property Management Team, and CEO of Hunter Capital – Residential Property Development Firm.

Outside of property, Matthew is a dedicated husband and father with a passion for tackling difficult challenges – each year he sets himself a new goal, in previous years having completed marathons, ultra marathons, Iron Man triathlons and even competing in a boxing match – often aligned with and raising much-needed funds for various charities along the way.

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