Most start with too many ideas.
“Something near the beach.”
“A solid investment, but maybe a home later.”
“Just something in Melbourne that will grow.”
All good starting points, but none are clear enough to act on.
That’s exactly what The Shortlist Method is designed to fix.
Before you even think about suburbs, you need to define what you’re buying and why.
Because once you’ve done that, everything else becomes easier, faster, and more strategic.
Define What Matters Most
This is the foundation of every successful expat purchase.
You’re creating a buying brief, a focused description of your ideal property that makes every future decision simpler.
When you define it, the noise disappears.
The right listings stand out.
Agents take you seriously.
And even off-market opportunities start to surface.
1. Start with One Clear Purpose
Is this purchase a home, an investment, or a bit of both?
For now, choose one. Trying to optimise for both at once is the biggest cause of buyer paralysis.
If your goal is a home → focus on lifestyle, layout, and liveability.
If it’s an investment → focus on tenant appeal, growth potential, and yield.
Once the purpose is clear, everything else lines up.
2. Fix Your Exact Price Point
No ranges - pick one number.
Distance blurs judgment, so precision is protection.
🎥 Watch training: How to calculate your property’s true cost to hold.
Learn how to factor in rates, insurance, maintenance, and vacancy buffers before setting your final number.
3. Build 2–3 Clear Property Concepts
Each concept is a “mini brief” you’ll test later in Step 2.
For each, define:
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Purpose: Home / Investment
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Price Point: (the fixed number above)
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Property Type: House / Apartment / Townhouse / Heritage
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Bedrooms/Bathrooms: minimum required
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Must-Haves: outdoor space, parking, study, storage, accessibility
🎥 Watch next: How to Build and Compare Two or Three Property Concepts That Fit Your Goals
This video walks through examples of how to structure your concepts for clarity.
4. Use Numbers to Cut Through Emotion
When you can’t physically inspect a property, data is your anchor.
Estimate: rates, insurance, maintenance, expected rent (if investment), and loan servicing at a conservative rate.
If the numbers don’t work, nothing else will.
5. Understand the Trade-Offs
House: Land and growth potential, but more maintenance.
Apartment: Easier to manage, but less land value and higher fees.
Townhouse/Heritage: Balanced option, but check strata and renovation limits.
Define your non-negotiables now for a targeted search, not a guessing game.
6. Clarify Your Five Essentials
Every effective brief answers five questions:
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Purpose (home/investment)
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Price point (exact amount)
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Property type
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Bedrooms/bathrooms
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Must-have features
Being specific here is what makes remote buying possible.
7. Future-Proof Your Plan
Keep buffers for change: interest rates, family needs, relocation plans.
Shortlist clients who plan conservatively, sleep better, and buy smarter.
8. Don’t Start with Suburbs (That’s Next)
It’s tempting to scroll through suburbs, but don’t.
Not until you’ve defined your property concepts.
Once you have your brief, you’re ready for Step 2 – The SMART Filter: How to Decide Where to Buy from Overseas →
Tools to Help You Define Your Brief
🎥 Watch the Holding Cost Calculator Video
Understand what your property will really cost to hold.
📘 Read Newsletter 1.1 → From Idea to Brief
See how these 8 steps fit into the bigger Shortlist Method.
Real Examples: From Vague Idea to Defined Brief
1. The Family Returner – Future home focus → clear shortlist in Bayside.
2. The Investor Abroad – Yield and growth focus → targeted search in Mornington.
3. The Downsizer in Dubai – Lifestyle apartment focus → shortlist in Hawthorn & Camberwell.
All three started vague, then used these steps to create actionable briefs.
The Bottom Line
Clarity is power. When you know what you’re really buying, you can move faster, make better decisions, and buy confidently, even from overseas.
Join The Shortlist
Gain access to worksheets, calculators, training videos, and case studies that guide you through every stage of buying from overseas.
👉 Join The Shortlist Community and get your free copy of Home in Sight – A Melbourne Guide for Remote Buyers.