Their Offer Was Accepted. The Only Problem—the House Wasn’t for Sale.

Q: Have you ever found yourself in a real-estate deal with a stone-cold criminal?

Katin Reinhardt, real-estate agent, The Oppenheim Group, Orange County, Calif.

My client was looking for a house in Floral Park. We struck out on a couple, and then one pops up on the market. He sends me the listing and says, “I absolutely love this house.” It’s big, it’s got a pool—everything he wanted. It needs some work, but for $2 million it was pretty darn good.

I contact the agent, from a reputable company, and he says there are no open houses for the weekend. My buyer wants to put in an offer on the house so no one takes it, contingent on inspection, and the agent is like, “Fine. You guys come here, we’ll do the inspection on Monday.”

We drew up an offer and they accepted in four hours. It was an all-cash offer, with a 10-day contingency. I kind of knew something was weird when I got a text from the listing agent saying, “Hey, would you mind wiring the money directly to my seller’s account?”

It was a $2 million house; the deposit on it was about $70,000. I say, “Absolutely not—let’s all get on the phone.”

The seller sounds absolutely normal, like, “Hey, I’ve been burned before when someone has backed out.” We said it had to be a verified escrow account, and the seller says, “OK, that’s fine, I don’t mind.”

On Monday, we get to the house for the 5 p.m. inspection, knock on the door, and some guy comes out in his underwear. No shoes on. I’m like, “Hello, sir, we’re here to do the inspection.”

And he says, “What are you talking about?”

I said, “Didn’t your agent inform you? We’re in escrow with you guys.”

I pull out the contract—it had his name and everything—and he was like, “What in the actual hell? You guys gotta leave. I’ve never listed the house. I just bought it two years ago, and I’m not planning on selling.”

We called the agent, like “What’s the deal, bro? Did you ever go inside the property and verify the seller?”

So what happened was, the scam guy called the broker’s assistant and said, “I’ve worked with you guys before. I’m out of town. I need to sell my house. Let’s put a listing together.”

The agent’s only contact with him had been via email and one or two phone calls. The guy sent pictures from the last time the house was listed, doctored to look brand-new. The agent calls the seller—this scam artist—and can’t get hold of him. No communication. My guy was ready to wire $70,000 to this escrow. Thank God he didn’t.

I had to do a full police report. I went over to the house and apologised. I said, “We had no clue, and my client absolutely loved your place, yada, yada. I know you’re not trying to sell your house but If you ever want to, we got somebody here that would pay cash for it.”

Scott McManaway, broker, The Agency, Denver

I got a call, this couple wanted to sell their house. I went over there and met with the husband; the wife was out of town. We toured the house, had some good conversations and he said, “OK, you’re the guy for the job, let’s do it.”

One of his caveats was, no sign in the yard. He was like, “My neighbors hate me and I hate my neighbors. I don’t want them to know my business.”

We get it on the market, get the ball rolling, get it under contract fairly quickly. The buyers are going through inspections, when the title company calls me and says, “Scott, we have a problem—there’s a bond lien on the property.”

I call my client, and he goes, “Oh [expletive], they put a bond on the house.” And then, as simple as you and I are talking now, he goes, “I’m out on bond for murder. I didn’t realize they put that on my house.”

It turns out he had killed a guy in the house. Later, I googled the address of the property, and it had been all over the news. I tried to keep my composure. I said, “All right, we can get through this. We’ve got to figure out what the bond is worth. Do we have court dates we have to worry about?”

Then, unbeknown to me, he takes a plea deal and gets locked up right away. It turns out his wife, who was somehow involved in this, had fled the state. She got arrested and was brought back to Colorado. So both of my clients—the husband and the wife—end up in jail at the same time during our transaction.

They got shifted around to different correctional facilities. There was delay after delay. I finally had to let the buyers know what was going on, like, “Crazy scenario! Both my clients are in jail, but I promise we are going to get this closed.”

Two different jails, two completely different processes. I called in some favours from attorneys. I’m able to get the wife’s side of the paperwork signed, but I had to wait till the husband got to his final spot, if you will. I brought a mobile notary with me to the prison. We did the whole walk-into-prison, empty-your-pockets, walk-through-the-X-ray-machine.

We go into the visitation room and two minutes later, this big metal door buzzes open and in comes my client, big smile on his face. He says, “Hey Scott! You got it done!” Comes over, gives me a big bear hug. We signed the closing docs and he stood up and hugged me
again and said, “When I get out of prison, I’m going to reach out to you. I want to do real estate.”

—Edited from interviews

Melbourne is considered Australia’s most liveable city. In fact, Melbourne competes on the global stage, consistently ranking among Time Out’s top cities to live in the world and ranking fourth in 2025. Melbourne is a cultural mecca filled with arts, x, and the country’s best sporting events.

It’s the lifestyle factor that has seen Melbourne’s population grow by over 142,000 people over the 23/24 financial year, largely driven by overseas migration. With increased population comes increased demand for properties, particularly in the rental market.

Akin to Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, Melbourne’s South Eastern suburbs, towards Bayside and the water, dominate the most expensive suburbs listed to rent across the Victorian capital.

In this article, we’ve examined the six most expensive suburbs to rent a house in Melbourne right now, according to property data analytics firm Cotality (formerly CoreLogic).

Brighton

Median purchase: $3.15m
Median rent: $1,353

Brighton is Melbourne’s most expensive suburb to rent a house, and it’s easy to see why. A blend of grand period homes and modern architectural builds line the wide, tree-filled streets. The suburb is synonymous with luxury, and rental properties—especially those close to the famed Brighton Beach and its iconic bathing boxes—are snapped up quickly. Vacancy rates sit at a tight 0.9 per cent.

The Neighbourhood

Brighton offers an enviable mix of a beachside lifestyle and convenient shopping and dining. With access to top schools like Brighton Grammar and Firbank, plus Church Street’s boutiques and the Royal Brighton Yacht Club, the Bayside suburb is the complete package for Melbourne’s high-end renters.

Malvern

Median purchase: $2.8m
Median rent: $1,313

Long known for its timeless Victorian and Edwardian homes, Malvern is a leafy inner suburb with prestige appeal. Many properties here are fully renovated period homes, featuring extensive gardens and original features that appeal to families and executives.

The Neighbourhood
Malvern boasts a refined atmosphere with a strong community feel. Glenferrie Road and High Street offer upscale cafes, boutiques, and grocers, while schools like De La Salle and St Joseph’s make the suburb particularly attractive to families.

Black Rock

Median purchase: $2.29m
Median rent: $1,253

Nestled along the Bayside coast, Black Rock has seen steady growth in both house prices and rents in recent years. Larger blocks and a quieter, more laid-back vibe than neighbouring suburbs make this a coveted spot for renters seeking both space and lifestyle.

The Neighbourhood
Black Rock is home to the picturesque Half Moon Bay and scenic cliffside walks. The suburb blends beachside charm with village convenience, offering local cafés, golf courses, and direct access to some of Melbourne’s best coastal trails.

Sandringham

Median purchase: $2.21m
Median rent: $1,199

Sandringham, next door to Black Rock, offers more of the same as its neighbouring suburb, at similar prices. Sandringham too ticks the box for laid-back waterside recreation, with the majority of homes in walking distance to the sand and charming village shops.

The Neighbourhood
This is a family-friendly suburb with a strong community vibe. Sandringham Village, with its mix of cafes, wine bars, and boutiques, sits just a short walk from the train station and beach. The area also offers excellent sporting facilities and parks. Sandringham Harbour is the local landmark, a popular destination for boating, fishing, and waterfront views from Sandringham Yacht Club.

Canterbury

Median purchase: $3.15m
Median rent: $1,179

Canterbury is the innermost Melbourne suburb on this list. It is considered one of Melbourne’s most prestigious suburbs, defined by grand family homes, generally over-the-top opulent new builds with French Provincial façades behind gated entries.

The Neighbourhood
Canterbury is anchored by the exclusive “Golden Mile” precinct and is surrounded by elite private schools such as Camberwell Grammar and Strathcona. Maling Road provides a quaint village feel, while the area’s lush green spaces complete the picture of prestige.

Hampton

Median purchase: $2.3m
Median rent: $1,171

It’s back to Bayside for the sixth and final suburb on the priciest rental areas in Melbourne. Hampton is not too dissimilar to Brighton, with a main High Street providing convenience and the beach rounding out the relaxed lifestyle found on the bay. The suburb has undergone significant gentrification, with many original homes replaced by contemporary builds.

The Neighbourhood
With a stretch of clean, family-friendly beach and the bustling Hampton Street shopping strip, Hampton has everything renters could want—from stylish cafes to gourmet grocers and boutique fitness studios. Its proximity to Brighton and Sandringham only adds to its appeal.

Melbourne’s Cheapest Suburb: Melton South

Median purchase: $460,000
Median rent: $430

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Melton South—roughly 40km west of the CBD—offers the most affordable rental market. With a median rent of under $450 a week, it’s less than a third of the weekly rent in Brighton. The suburb attracts families and first-home renters seeking value and larger land lots.

Melbourne’s Best Suburb: Toorak

Toorak is considered the Point Piper of Melbourne. Boasting even more billionaires than Sydney’s harbourside hotspot, Toorak is home to Melbourne’s most expensive houses, and reportedly Australia’s most expensive house sale if the 1860s Italianate mansion Coonac settles at over $130 million.

The suburb has some of the best educational institutions in Melbourne, as well as luxury homes on the Yarra, two train stations, and a central shopping precinct undergoing a full transformation with several mixed-use retail and residential developments. It is definitely the place to be.

Where is Melbourne’s most expensive suburb to rent a house?

As of May 2025, Brighton is Melbourne’s most expensive suburb to rent a house.

Where is Melbourne’s cheapest suburb to rent a unit?

As of May 2025, Melton South is Melbourne’s most expensive suburb to rent a house.

Where is Melbourne’s most expensive suburb to buy a house?

As of May 2025, Toorak is Melbourne’s most expensive suburb to buy a house.

Where is Melbourne’s most expensive suburb to buy a unit?

As of May 2025, Beaumaris is Melbourne’s most expensive suburb to buy a unit