Would it be more to my benefit to select a broker locally or is it feasible to go with someone like yourself who knows and understands property investing albeit from Melbourne ?
I was suggesting Sharin as he's based in Sydney. If you get to Canberra, have a chat with Jamie_M. It's always good to be able to meet people in person if possible and both are excellent brokers.
That said, a broker doesn't need to be local to you, it's more important that they understand what they're doing and make sure the finance meets your objectives in the best possible way. Cross collateralising tends to be counter productive for investors so it's a huge red flag. There's a handful of scenarios where it's quite useful, but I can't see that this applies to the scenario originally outlined.
I'm more than happy to assist, but you'll find thousands of posts from great brokers on this forum. Our track records are laid out in our posts. IMO about 80% of brokers can get the loan approved, but you're getting a loan, not advice. It's just as important to get the right finance as it is to get the right property, so good advice is critical to investors.
It's my observation that brokers on this forum are either very good at what they do, or they get good very quickly, or don't last given the quality of competition here. The local broker might be great, but the brokers on this forum with a long track record definitely are great at what they do.