Our Process Is the Difference
Most property decisions are fragmented across professionals who never share a single conversation. We built a process that brings every discipline to the same table — because the right outcome demands the complete picture.
James Chee
Chief Executive Officer
One Person. Every Qualification. One Process.
James Chee doesn't just lead Local Knowledge — he embodies the integrated model that makes it different. As a CPA, public practitioner, licensed real estate agent, and mortgage and finance broker, James holds every qualification needed to guide a property decision from first conversation to final settlement.
That combination is rare. It means the person advising on your tax position is the same person who understands your borrowing capacity, negotiates your purchase, and structures the loan. No handoffs. No lost context. No conflicting advice from professionals who've never met each other.
James's vision for Local Knowledge was simple: build a practice where the process itself creates the advantage. When one professional holds every thread, decisions are faster, smarter, and built on a foundation that fragmented advice can never match.
Why Process Is the Difference
Other firms list their services. We engineered a process. Every step is sequenced so that financial, structural, and transactional intelligence compounds — each decision informed by every decision before it.
Financial Clarity First
Before a single property is discussed, we understand your complete financial position — income, entities, tax obligations, existing portfolio, and goals. This is the foundation every subsequent decision is built on.
Integrated Execution
Structure, finance, and transaction happen in concert — not in silos. The entity that holds the property, the loan that funds it, and the negotiation that secures it are all shaped by the same strategic picture.
Ongoing Intelligence
The relationship doesn't end at settlement. Depreciation, CGT tracking, portfolio reviews, and refinancing are managed within the same practice that purchased the property — continuity no referral chain can replicate.
The Integrated Model
All three practices operate under one ownership structure. No external shareholders. No referral commissions to third parties. Your interests are the only interests at the table. Because your accountant, broker, and agent share one client file, every decision is informed by your complete financial picture — not fragments of it.
Local Knowledge Pty Ltd
CPA Public Practice · Registered Tax Agent
Established over 26 years ago, our accounting practice holds your complete financial picture — income streams, entity structures, depreciation schedules, CGT history, and tax position.
Local Knowledge Finance
Mortgage Brokerage · CAR of Global Mutual Funds
$300M+ settled over 20 years. As a Corporate Authorised Representative of Global Mutual Funds (AFSL held since 2001), we structure loans for tax efficiency — not just the lowest rate.
Local Knowledge Property
Licensed Agency · AI-Powered Intelligence
Property transactions executed with full financial context. Our proprietary ASPIRE Intelligence™ platform provides AI-powered market analysis, but the real edge is knowing your complete position.
Why Integration Matters
✕ The Traditional Way
- •Agent recommends a property. Doesn't know your marginal tax rate is 47%.
- •Broker gets you a loan. Doesn't know a different structure saves $12K/year in tax.
- •Accountant does your tax return. Only sees the property after settlement.
✓ The Local Knowledge Way
- •We model the after-tax return BEFORE you inspect a property.
- •We structure the loan for your specific entity and tax position.
- •We time the sale to optimise your CGT position across the financial year.
The Team Behind the Process
Father and son. Both qualified. Both hands-on. When you work with Local Knowledge, you work directly with the principals — the people whose vision built the process.
James Chee
Chief Executive Officer
James is the vision and driving force behind Local Knowledge. Holding qualifications as a CPA, public practitioner, licensed real estate agent, and mortgage and finance broker, he is uniquely positioned to understand every dimension of a property decision.
His belief is straightforward: the process is the product. By bringing accounting, finance, and property under one roof — and one professional — Local Knowledge eliminates the gaps where costly mistakes are made.
Graham Chee
Principal · CPA · Registered Tax Agent · Licensed Mortgage Broker
With 26 years of CPA practice and over $300M in settled mortgages, Graham brings the financial architecture that turns property transactions into wealth-building outcomes. He sees the numbers that other agents can't read.
Graham's experience underpins the process James envisioned — decades of practice that prove integrated advice consistently outperforms fragmented guidance.
Our Five-Step Process
Every engagement follows a structured approach that leverages all three disciplines. This is the process that makes the difference.
Financial Position Review
We start by understanding your complete financial picture — income, entities, existing portfolio, tax position, borrowing capacity, and goals. This happens at the accounting practice level, not over coffee at an open home.
Strategy & Structure
Based on your position, we determine the optimal entity structure, loan configuration, and property criteria. Should you buy in personal name, a trust, a company, or your SMSF? We model each scenario.
Property Intelligence & Selection
Using ASPIRE Intelligence™ and 26 years of market knowledge, we identify properties that meet both your financial criteria and lifestyle requirements. We analyse after-tax yields, depreciation schedules, and growth potential.
Finance & Execution
Local Knowledge Finance structures the loan for tax efficiency. Local Knowledge Property negotiates and executes the transaction. The accountant, broker, and agent are literally in the same room.
Ongoing Management
Post-settlement, Local Knowledge manages the tax implications — depreciation claims, negative gearing optimisation, CGT tracking, and annual portfolio review. The relationship doesn't end at settlement.
Complete Confidentiality
As a CPA practice and licensed financial services firm, we operate under strict professional and regulatory confidentiality obligations. Your financial information, property transactions, and strategic plans are held in the strictest confidence. All three practices are bound by these obligations.