Kieran Clair: A Career Defined by Property Expertise
Kieran Clair is a multi-award-winning journalist and registered valuer whose three-decade career has positioned him as one of Australia’s foremost authorities on property investment. His work blends technical valuation expertise with accessible financial journalism, creating a unique niche at the intersection of real estate analysis and personal wealth management.
Career Trajectory: From Valuation to Editorial Leadership
- 1990s–2000s: Valuation Foundation – Began as a property valuer at Australia’s largest independent valuation firm, developing ground-level understanding of market dynamics.
- 2010–2015: Journalism Ascension – Transitioned to Australian Property Investor magazine, rising from staff writer to editor while winning the 2015 REIQ Award for Best Real Estate Report.
- 2016–Present: Media Entrepreneurship – Co-founded Bricks and Mortar Media, providing PR services to property professionals while continuing investigative reporting for News Corp and other outlets.
Defining Works: Articles That Shaped Industry Conversations
- The Inside Story Of Property Magazines and Valuations In this 2023 podcast interview, Clair demystifies bank valuation processes through case studies of residential refinancing scenarios. The discussion reveals how subdivision potential and infrastructure projects impact valuation outcomes, using Brisbane’s Cross River Rail project as a case study. His explanation of Valex—a property data system used by 85% of Australian valuers—provides rare insight into industry-standard methodologies.
- “The ability to come up with a figure has to be based on real science, but there’s still an art to understanding a home’s emotional resonance.”
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- About Bricks & Mortar Media As co-founder, Clair shaped the consultancy’s evidence-based approach to property communications. The site’s resource library demonstrates his commitment to data transparency, featuring downloadable market reports and policy analysis templates used by ASX-listed developers. This work bridges academic research and mainstream media consumption.
Pitching Recommendations: Aligning with Editorial Priorities
1. Lead with Policy Impact Analysis
Clair prioritizes stories explaining legislative changes’ practical effects on homeowners. His 2024 analysis of Queensland’s land tax reforms for Bricks and Mortar Media demonstrated how to quantify policy impacts using CoreLogic data models. Successful pitches should include comparable datasets and expert access.
2. Focus on Regional Market Nuances
While avoiding hyper-local reporting, Clair seeks regional trends with national implications. His 2023 podcast highlighted Newcastle’s infrastructure-driven price surges as a model for secondary city analysis. Pitches should contrast regional data against capital city benchmarks.
3. Provide Valuation Case Studies
With 20+ years valuation experience, Clair favors stories demonstrating appraisal methodologies. A successful 2022 pitch from a Brisbane buyers’ agent compared three valuation approaches for renovated Queenslanders, later featured in News Corp publications.
Awards and Industry Recognition
- 2015 REIQ Award for Excellence (Best Real Estate Report) Won for investigative series exposing valuation discrepancies in flood-prone Brisbane suburbs. The Queensland Real Estate Institute cited its impact on improved disaster disclosure practices industry-wide.
- 2021 API Membership Recognition Australian Property Institute awarded Clair for advancing valuation literacy through journalism, acknowledging his work explaining complex concepts like depreciation schedules to retail investors.
