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It is not uncommon to see a 10 to 20 per cent difference in values based on timing alone. Buyers who entered during the period of uncertainty often find themselves well ahead within a relatively short period. Those who wait for clarity frequently end up paying a premium for the privilege.

Acting during uncertain conditions is not the same as buying without discipline. Uncertainty is largely sentiment-driven, based on how people feel about the market at a given moment. Risk relates to fundamentals like location quality, supply and demand, infrastructure investment and long-term population and employment drivers.

RELATED: Buyers snap up homes for $200,000 under asking price as ‘fear and mystery’ hang over property market

Experienced buyers focus on fundamentals and use uncertainty as a tool rather than a deterrent. They do not attempt to call the exact bottom of the market. Instead, they recognise when conditions have shifted in their favour and move decisively when the numbers support the decision.

Market psychology plays a significant role in how the V effect unfolds. When uncertainty is at its peak, fear tends to dominate. Buyers hesitate, delay decisions and second-guess their position. Once confidence returns, that hesitation quickly converts into urgency, and in some cases, FOMO.

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It is this emotional shift that drives the speed of the recovery phase. By the time the average buyer feels comfortable re-entering the market, the opportunity has often already passed. Timing based on sentiment is consistently unreliable. The moments that feel the most uncomfortable are frequently the ones that offer the best value.

For first-home buyers in particular, this dynamic is even more important. Rather than waiting for ideal conditions, the more effective approach is preparation. Understanding your borrowing capacity, having finance in order and being clear on your criteria allows you to act when conditions move in your favour. In uncertain markets, vendors are more open to price adjustments. Contracts become more negotiable. Days on market extend. These are conditions that simply do not exist when competition is intense and confidence is high. Those windows do not stay open indefinitely.

Property is a long-term asset class. Short-term uncertainty is a feature of the cycle, not a reason to stay away from it. The V effect is a reminder that markets move quickly in both directions.

Buyers who wait for certainty tend to buy on the way up. Those who act during uncertainty give themselves the chance to enter at a better price, and in property, getting ahead early is what allows you to grow equity and expand your portfolio a lot faster.

Abdullah Nouh is the founder of Mecca Property Group and a Melbourne-based buyers’ advocate specialising in long-term, fundamentals-driven property strategy. He works with families and investors to build sustainable wealth through strategic residential and commercial acquisitions. He holds a Master’s in Property from the University of Technology Sydney.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — As the school district works to rectify potentially decades of inaccurate accounting, two finance employees with Fayette County Public Schools are on paid leave. At the same time, two external reviews continue for Kentucky’s second-largest school district.

FCPS Superintendent Demetrus Liggins said he’s been made aware of troubling and deeply concerning information.

“I’ve spoken with several of our district’s financial advisor and our external audit firm and have conducted our that’s conducted our routine audit. and those conversations have also revealed issues that I was unaware of,” Liggins said.

One review is from accounting firm Weaver and Tidwell, hired by the district, and another, which Liggins said he requested, is being conducted by the auditor of public accounts.

While those reviews are ongoing, and based on preliminary reporting, Liggins said he’s been informed of both inaccuracies and improper accounting practices that date back to 2008.

Last month, the district hired Kyna Koch, a former associate commissioner of finance for the Kentucky Department of Education, as the interim chief financial officer.

Since taking on the task, she said she doesn’t have confidence in the numbers she’s been asked to review.

“Federal and state requirements may not have been followed, and our accounting procedures may not have been aligned with acceptable practices,” Koch said.

Koch said inaccuracies were found in revenue collection, record-keeping, invoicing, and that spending guidelines may not have been followed.

Now she’s helping set new measures, like additional reviews, to dig deeper and provide a clearer financial picture.

“It’s clear that these practices are sometimes nuanced and not easily identified through routine financial reports that are provided to the superintendent and the board. Some of these things would not have been readily apparent based on the information typically generated,” Koch said.

Koch is also recommending that the district get a short-term loan to cover expenditures until next fall’s property taxes are collected.

Though the district is not releasing names at this time, Liggins did comment on the status of some finance administrators.

“We currently have three administrators in our financial and accounting office. Two are on paid administrative leave, and one is on medical leave,” Koch said.

Those on paid administrative leave are pending an investigation.

Liggins said while they are still awaiting finalized reports from those outside audits, they’re aiming for accuracy and transparency in their next moves.

“As we continue this work, I’m committed to following the facts wherever they may lead, and whatever they may uncover, we’re only after the truth,” Liggins said.

Liggins was asked on Thursday whether property taxes would increase for the 2026-27 school year. He said they are not currently planning to ask the board to raise property taxes any more than they typically have in years past.

On Monday, Koch will present her latest findings to the board at its regularly scheduled finance meeting.

Koch also said the district plans to have a loan proposal ready as soon as next month.

SEATTLE — The King County Regional Homelessness Authority’s governing board approved a hiring freeze on Friday and ordered a finance committee review after an audit revealed millions of dollars in unaccounted taxpayer funds.

The vote came late Friday afternoon amid growing calls to disband the agency.

RELATED: City, county councilmembers move to dissolve KCRHA after audit flags $13M unaccounted for

KCRHA CEO Kelly Kinnison told the board there are “no missing funds,” despite the audit indicating about $13 million could not be accounted for. The report also found the agency lacked a chief financial officer, had missing receipts, and allowed purchasing card use with little oversight.

Mike Nurse, a certified fraud examiner with Clark Nuber, detailed the independent audit during a presentation that lasted more than an hour. He said the agency’s structure as a “pass-through entity” for the city and county, combined with weak internal controls, contributed to financial issues, including a negative cash balance and funds that may not be recoverable.

The governing board is co-chaired by King County Executive Girmay Zahilay and Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson. Wilson attended the meeting remotely and briefly addressed the board, reiterating earlier comments that all options remain on the table.

Wilson declined to comment when approached by a reporter earlier Friday.

Zahilay led much of the discussion, and the board unanimously approved the finance committee review. Wilson’s office, represented by Deputy Mayor Brian Surratt, supported the measure, including the addition of a hiring freeze.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: $13M missing: Seattle leaders call attention to ‘egregious’ regional homelessness audit

Just 24 hours earlier, Seattle City Councilmember Maritza Rivera and King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski announced they were sponsoring a joint resolution to eliminate the KCRHA and unwind the agency over the course of the next year.

Zahilay did not go that far when asked about the possibility on Friday.

“This is not a light switch that can be turned on and off,” he said. “We have to think through all of the ramifications. There are contracts, there is federal funding at risk, there are people’s jobs, and most importantly, we don’t want to disrupt services.”

Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, who previously worked as a director at KCRHA, now serves on the governing board. Speaking after the meeting, she said she left the agency three years ago in part because of concerns about its operations.

“I left three years ago primarily because of the dysfunction I was witnessing within the agency,” Mercedes Rinck said.

She said her focus now is on understanding the full scope of the situation.

“My focus in this moment is ensuring that we really sort out what the truth is in this matter,” she said.

Asked whether it is time to dissolve KCRHA, she urged caution.

“It’s important that we don’t take any knee-jerk reactions when we’re talking about immediate changes,” she said.