She Renovates

Introduction:

Dive into this eye-opening episode of the She Renovates Podcast!

Where Bernadette sits down with experienced real estate agent Con to unpack one of the most overlooked deal-makers (and deal-breakers) in renovating for profit the strata report.

While many renovators focus on kitchens, bathrooms, and styling, buyers often make their decision long before auction day, quietly judging a property based on what’s inside a document they may never talk about out loud.

In this episode, Bernadette and Con reveal how strata reports influence buyer psychology, property value, financing, and renovation profitability sometimes overriding even the most beautiful renovation.

From hidden red flags and special levies to why “clean strata” beats cosmetic upgrades every time, this conversation delivers real, on-the-ground insights from the coalface of selling strata properties.

💡 If you’ve ever wondered why a stunning renovation struggled to sell or how to spot strata risks before you buy this episode is essential listening.
Tune in to learn how understanding strata reports can protect your profit, shape smarter buying decisions, and help you renovate with confidence.

“You can have the best renovation in the world, but at some point the strata report will come out and unless the buyer is emotionally attached, that document usually wins.”

-Bernadette Janson

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 – Welcome & Why Strata Reports Matter More Than You Think
02:00 – What Buyers Really Judge First (Before Renovations)
04:30 – Levies, Sinking Funds & Buyer Red Flags
07:00 – Why ‘Clean Strata’ Sells Faster
09:30 – Special Levies, Unknown Costs & Renovation Risk
12:00 – Developer vs Builder: What Actually Matters
14:30 – Can a Great Renovation Beat a Weak Strata Report?
17:00 – What Renovators Must Check Before Buying to Flip
20:00 – Practical Strategies to Protect Your Exit Price

Resources

The School Of Renovating: https://www.theschoolofrenovating.com

She Renovates Podcast: https://www.theschoolofrenovating.com/podcasts-page/

Connect with The School of Renovating

ASK BERNADETTE: https://sherenovates.com.au/podcast/

Subscribe to She Renovates Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3faoWlT

Subscribe to Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSchoolOfRenovating

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renovatingsc

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_school_of_renovating

Episode 271

10 Tips for Clearer Trade Communication
Dive into the latest She Renovates podcast episode!
Ever come home from a renovation trip to find something very different from what you imagined?
That’s exactly what happened to Bernadette, a tiling mix-up that left one of her bathrooms looking nothing like the plan. 😱
In this candid episode, she shares what went wrong, what it cost, and the practical systems she’s now built to make trade communication foolproof, even when renovating remotely.

From WhatsApp groups to the “Single Source of Truth” document, you’ll learn the simple tools that can save your sanity (and your tiles).

🎧 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 – When grouting goes wrong: the story behind the bathroom disaster
02:45 – Why remote renovating is not for the faint-hearted
04:10 – How scattered messages caused a costly misunderstanding
06:30 – Creating one clear communication channel
08:15 – Introducing the “Single Source of Truth” spec doc
10:40 – Visuals that save you from lost-in-translation moments
13:00 – Keeping trades aligned with WhatsApp and project schedules
15:30 – How to debrief and learn from every project
17:00 – Download Bernadette’s Trade Spec Template + 10-Point Checklist

Resources

The School Of Renovating
https://www.theschoolofrenovating.com

She Renovates Podcast
https://www.theschoolofrenovating.com/podcasts-page/

Connect with The School of Renovating

ASK BERNADETTE:
https://sherenovates.com.au/podcast/

Subscribe to She Renovates Apple Podcast:
https://apple.co/3faoWlT

Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSchoolOfRenovating

Follow on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/renovatingsc
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_school_of_renovating

Episode 270

She Renovates Live: Should It Go Ahead in 2026? You Decide!

Dive into the latest She Renovates podcast episode!
After five unforgettable years of running She Renovates Live, Bernadette is facing a big question: Should it return in 2026?
In this heartfelt episode (recorded from a forest in Croatia 🌲), she opens up about the highs, heartbreaks, and hard-won lessons behind last year’s event, including a near-disaster with an event manager that almost derailed the entire thing.
Now, Bernadette is turning the tables and asking YOU, the renovating community, to decide whether She Renovates Live 2026 should go ahead.

Discover the story behind the new 24-hour “proof test,” why it matters, and how you can help shape the future of this much-loved event.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 – Welcome from Croatia 🇭🇷 — sailing, forests, and reflection
02:00 – Why She Renovates Live is Bernadette’s favorite event of the year
04:00 – Storytime: how 2024’s event almost didn’t happen
06:00 – The event manager experiment that failed spectacularly
08:30 – How a free-ticket sprint filled the room in 10 days
10:00 – The aftermath: pride, scars, and lessons learned
11:30 – Why 2025 was skipped — and the plan for 2026
13:00 – The new validation experiment: a 24-hour “proof test”
15:00 – How it works: 50 tickets in 24 hours = She Renovates Live 2026 is ON
16:30 – Why it’s like running feasibility on a renovation deal
18:00 – How this process honours the community’s voice
19:00 – The psychology behind the waitlist and VIP members
20:00 – How to join the waitlist and shape the future of She Renovates Live
21:00 – Final words: “You get to decide whether this dream lives on.”

✨ Join the Waitlist: https://member.theschoolofrenovating.com/event-page

Because just like any renovation project — profit (and purpose) starts with proof.

Resources

The School Of Renovating
https://www.theschoolofrenovating.com

She Renovates Podcast
https://www.theschoolofrenovating.com/podcasts-page/

Connect with The School of Renovating

ASK BERNADETTE:
https://sherenovates.com.au/podcast/

Subscribe to She Renovates Apple Podcast:
https://apple.co/3faoWlT

Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSchoolOfRenovating

Follow on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/renovatingsc
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_school_of_renovating

Episode 263

Mortgage Freedom Before 35: Lessons from Maddie’s Reno Journey

Introduction

Dive into the latest She Renovates podcast episode!

Most 30-somethings are staring down decades of repayments—Maddie and her husband flipped that script and became mortgage-free by 32. On modest incomes (dental assistant + storeman), they used smart buys, tight budgets, and two well-timed renos to unlock freedom—without giving up family life or joy.

From choosing the “doer-upper” in a great suburb to selling at the right moment, resisting the big-house trap, and learning when DIY helps (and when it hurts), this episode shows how ordinary choices—made consistently—create extraordinary results.
You’ll hear how they navigated rising interest rates, why they sold the dream house to buy their freedom, and the money habits that turned equity into options. Plus, what mortgage-free feels like—and how it’s changed the way they parent, plan, and play.

If you’ve ever wondered whether renovating can change your life on a normal income, this is your proof.

“We didn’t stop living—we got smart. Every dollar asked: will this make us money later?”
— Maddie

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 – Welcome & why Maddie’s story matters
01:30 – The first buy: choosing a “doer-upper” in a great suburb
04:00 – Reno #1 realities: young, hands-on, and learning fast
06:30 – Trading up (too far): the beautiful big house during rate rises
09:00 – Hard call: sell the dream to buy freedom
12:30 – Reno #2: finishing well, timing the sale, and agent vs DIY selling
15:30 – Numbers that moved the needle: equity, savings, and living on less
18:00 – DIY truths: when to stop tiling and hire the pro
20:30 – Motherhood & money: sharper risk decisions with kids in the mix
23:00 – Mortgage-free moments: sunsets, yellow, and breathing room
25:00 – New conversations: income plans, splurge rules, and what freedom funds
28:00 – What she’d tell her younger self (and any 20-something listening)
30:00 – Next steps: a flip outside the family home—and holding in the future

Resources

The School Of Renovating
https://www.theschoolofrenovating.com

She Renovates Podcast
https://www.theschoolofrenovating.com/podcasts-page/

Connect with The School of Renovating

ASK BERNADETTE:
https://sherenovates.com.au/podcast/

Subscribe to She Renovates Apple Podcast:
https://apple.co/3faoWlT

Subscribe to Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSchoolOfRenovating

Follow on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/renovatingsc
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_school_of_renovating

Episode 263

Starting Over at 60: Why Jane Proves Age Is No Barrier

Introduction

🎙️ Dive into the latest She Renovates podcast episode!

When most people are thinking about slowing down, Jane Lynch decided to speed up. Kicking off her seventh decade with a brand-new business, Jane embodies resilience, reinvention, and the courage to start fresh at any age.

From navigating life as a single mum and rebuilding after a stroke, to creating wealth through renovating, flipping, and running Airbnbs, Jane’s story proves that it’s never too late to design a life you love.

You’ll hear how she faced health challenges head-on, why tough financial choices with her kids became a gift, and how property gave her freedom, stability, and a legacy.

Plus, Jane reveals why women in their 50s and beyond are perfectly placed to launch powerful second-act businesses.

💡 If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s “too late” to start again, Jane’s story is your reminder that the best chapters are often written after a reinvention.

“I don’t want to be a burden to my kids. That means taking care of my health, my finances, and building a life I love.”
— Jane Lynch

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

00:00 – Welcome & Why Jane’s Story Matters
02:00 – Facing an Autoimmune Diagnosis in Her 40s
05:00 – Becoming a Single Mum & First Steps in Property
08:30 – Teaching Kids Sacrifice and Financial Savvy
12:00 – The Stroke That Changed Everything
15:00 – Building a Digital Business Without a Voice
18:30 – Flipping 16 Properties & Finding Renovation Freedom
22:00 – Launching a Property Styling Business
25:00 – The Power of Community in Wonder Women Renovators
28:00 – From Airbnb to New Ventures: Not Plain Jane
32:00 – Why It’s Never Too Late to Reinvent Yourself
36:00 – Advice for Women in Their 50s, 60s & Beyond

Resources

The School Of Renovating
https://www.theschoolofrenovating.com

She Renovates Podcast
https://www.theschoolofrenovating.com/podcasts-page/

Connect with The School of Renovating

ASK BERNADETTE:
https://sherenovates.com.au/podcast/

Subscribe to She Renovates Apple Podcast:
https://apple.co/3faoWlT

Subscribe to Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSchoolOfRenovating

Follow on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/renovatingsc
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_school_of_renovating