Meet our CBRE After Hours Property Edition panellists

Next week, we’re heading to the CBRE offices in Sydney for a special Property Edition of our Afters Hours Networking Night.

On the night, we’ll be joined by a panel of three experts to help us all understand the property market. You’ll have the opportunity to hear their insights and ask the panel all your burning property questions from financing to buying your first home to investment opportunities.

Facilitating the discussion is editor of WHIMN, Melissa Shedden along with panellists Caroline Fagerlund, Sarah Willsallen and Nancy Youssef. Read on to find out more about each of these epic women, and if you’re in Sydney on Wednesday 24th July, we’ve just opened up more spots (this previously sold out in two days) so book now if you want to come along!

Mel Shedden

Editor, WHIMN

‘Ever since she won the Good Sense of Humour award in kindergarten, Mel has loved telling stories – and she’s spent over a decade doing just that – in newspapers, glossy mags and on your newsfeed now as the editor for whimn.com.au. Outside of work, she gets satisfaction from people watching, 9 pm bedtimes, playing obscure board games and her life’s work of finding the perfect pink rosé.

Q: Why should someone take property advice from you?

I recently sold an investment property and own another one bought in a hurry, so I’ve made the mistakes along the way, so you don’t have to. I’m the middle management, avocado-eating, rentvesting Millennial newspapers love to hate. I’m your woman if you want to trade property or career stories and advice.

Q: What is your money vice?

Online shopping. Eek! From high end to hot trends, I have more shopping apps on my phone than I do money management ones.

Q: What do you hope to learn from the panel?

With my first baby due at the end of the year, I want to know when’s the right time for my forever home, versus the investment.

Caroline Fagerlund

Director, CBRE Residential Agency

Caroline spends Saturday mornings driving her two sons to soccer games in between openings for the inner city and Eastern Suburbs most spectacular apartments. Her 15 years’ experience has witnessed the market biggest ups and downs. Caroline’s gusto for life is infectious making an invite to a midweek dinner party a highlight to anyone’s month. When she isn’t donning an apron, Caroline is out sourcing some of Sydney’s finest interior paraphernalia.

Why should someone take property advice from you?

The repeat clients are thanks to relationships is why you should take advice from me. My longevity in the industry, through peaks and troughs, have given me an ability to forecast trends and understand the direction of many suburbs and communities in Sydney.

What is your money vice?

Clothing, art, furniture, and travel but that to me is a big part of what I love in life.

What do you hope to learn from the panel?

To be honest, I look forward to learning from the audience. I already feel inspired to know that there are so many women who want to learn, build independence and consider taking the plunge into the world of owning property – making connections with women in the audience.

Sarah Willsallen

NSW/ ACT State General Manager, Westpac

Sarah has over 18 years’ experience in commercial businesses across product, technology and B2B services and solutions in both Australia and the Asia Pacific region, but it wasn’t until an expensive divorce in her mid 30’s that became the impetus for buying her first investment property.

Sarah’s career has had a focus on service capability and culture, operational excellence and strategic planning. She brings a depth of experience in market-leading sales and service environments from her time at Kmart, coupled with complex channel management in a time of industry change during her 8 years with Fuji Xerox Australia. Now working in lending for a major bank, staying close to what’s happening in the property market is vital for Sarah both professionally and personally.

Q: Why should someone take property advice from you?

I had never even owned an investment property until an expensive divorce in my mid 30’s had me needing to rebuild my financial independence and property was one of the routes I have chosen to do this.

Q: What is your money vice?

I like a good glass of wine or three. Following my divorce, I have got better at hunting out Happy Hours and getting wine from Dan Murphy’s rather than as an impulse buy, but drinking water would be much cheaper, though a lot less fun!

Q: What do you hope to learn from the panel?

I now work in lending for a major bank so staying close to what’s happening in the property market is vital for me both professionally and personally.

Nancy Youssef

CEO, Classic Finance

In her mid 20’s, Nancy fumbled her way (her words, not ours!) into her first property purchase after hearing the advice, “a man is not a financial plan”. Fast forward to a few years later, Nancy set up her own finance business to help educate more people (especially women) to take the plunge into financial independence. When not talking about money, property, and banks, Nancy is focused on legacy and has over the last eight years mentored close to 150 new finance business start-ups to give back to her industry. As if running a business, mentoring and charity weren’t enough, she has recently become an author and released her first book ‘Fear Money Purpose’ – a book to help small business owners identify and overcome their common money fears to ultimately find their true purpose.

Q: Why should someone take property advice from you?

Over the last two decades, if there is a mistake to be made around when and where to buy or sell with property…then I have made it. In saying that I have also set up two businesses which I bootstrapped on the back of being a property investor. Apart from that, I know where to find the money to fund these purchases!