There’s a version of property advice that looks like this: a recommendation based on a developer relationship, a suburb report someone printed last month, and a gut feeling that the market is moving.
We’ve seen the outcomes. Clients who bought in the wrong location because someone told them it was “the next big thing.” Clients who overpaid because no one ran a proper comparable sales analysis. Clients who didn’t find out about the flood overlay until after settlement.
The 24-factor process exists to make sure none of that happens to our clients.
What We’re Actually Evaluating
We assess every property across four domains before it gets in front of a client.
Location factors look beyond the suburb headline. We’re assessing infrastructure pipelines, population projections, employment diversity, school catchments, proximity to amenity, and the underlying economic drivers of the area. A suburb can look attractive in last year’s data and be showing early signs of softening today.
Property factors examine the asset itself. Construction quality, land-to-asset ratio, orientation, floor plan liveability, potential for renovation or development uplift, body corporate health where applicable. We’re not just buying a postcode — we’re buying a specific asset that needs to perform.
Financial factors cover yield analysis, comparable sales, days on market, vacancy rates, depreciation schedules, and projected holding costs. A property can look cheap and prove expensive. We model the numbers honestly, including the scenarios most salespeople don’t mention.
Risk factors include flood and fire mapping, heritage and easement checks, zoning overlays, insurance costs, and liquidity — how quickly the property could be sold if circumstances changed. Risk management isn’t pessimism; it’s discipline.
Why Process Beats Instinct
The property market is full of confident opinions. Anyone can point at a chart and tell you a suburb is growing. What’s harder is being systematically, verifiably right — and being able to show your work.
Our 24-factor framework isn’t a checklist for its own sake. It’s the result of working through enough client engagements to know exactly where deals go wrong, and building a process that catches those risks before they become problems.
Not every factor matters equally for every client. A client focused on yield weights cashflow factors more heavily. A client building long-term wealth leans harder on location and growth drivers. The framework is consistent; the weighting adapts to the individual.
What It Means for You
When Stonehhart recommends a property, we can show you exactly why — factor by factor. You’re not being asked to trust a gut feeling. You’re being shown a reasoned, evidenced case.
And when a property doesn’t make the cut, we’ll tell you that too. We’ve talked clients out of purchases they were emotionally committed to. That’s not comfortable in the short term. But it’s the job.
Want to see how the 24-factor process would apply to a property you’re considering? Start a conversation — we’re happy to walk you through it.
