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178 | Q & A : Is that 4th Bedroom Such a Good Idea? APRA’s Affect on Credit Cards & What’s The Secret to a Career in Property Investment?

If you’ve got a question about investing in property, then it’s in your best interests to listen to this episode!

Why? Because it’s our favourite day, folks… Q & A Day! And, not only is today just a couple of days away from the end of Financial Year, but also we’ve got some new, timely SpeakPipe Questions to answer! Which means … 1. It’s probably a bit too late to get your Depreciation Schedule into your accountant, BUT 2. You’re in for a high-powered learning session!

This Q & A is great for folks who…

  • Want to know how APRA’s regulations have impacted your ability to get a loan AND a credit card?
  • Are you seriously interested in getting a career in property investing and want to how to land a job?
  • Aren’t sure what tenants are REALLY looking for in your area, but want to maximise your returns?
  • Thinking about renovating tips, but don’t know if you should add a bedroom or where to put the toilet?
  • Wondering if it’s a good idea to live in your property BEFORE you rent it out?

 

So if this sounds like you, you better strap your headphones in!

 

But, as routine has it, before we tell you EXACTLY what the questions are that’ll give you all this invaluable information, we’ve got some housekeeping to get out of the way, like…

Our Melbourne LIVE Podcast has SOLD OUT!!!

We even did a dance about it! WATCH OUR FLOSS DANCE!

Yep, it’s true, folks! But if you’re lucky, another local listener might have something come up on the night, so you COULD land their ticket. CLICK HERE if you’re keen to join the waitlist, or find out more details.

 

We’re hiring!!!

Our company is currently looking for new members, so if you’re qualified, passionate and prepared to do what it takes to help other people, we’re looking for:

Interested? Send in your Resume and Cover Letter to [email protected]

 

We want your Money Hacks

If you’ve got a great Savings Tip or a way to make your dollar go that extra mile, we want to know about it! Let us know here.
If you have implemented the Money Smarts System where do you feel most vulnerable? Let us know here.
If you want to be a Case Study and you’d like to know how Money SMARTS can help you, let you know. Let us know here.

Remember to leave us your SpeakPipe Questions.

 

Question about Ideal Rooms and Features of Investment Properties from Joel:

Hey Bryce, Ben and Stiggy. My name’s Joel, from Adelaide. The question I’d like to ask is what kind of rooms and features do Australia’s want in the rental market at the moment? The property I’m looking at the moment is a 3BDR, open living area & a large home entertainment, or cinema, room. Now, looking at the plans, I’d probably convert that room to a bedroom, add some wardrobes, because it’s quite large, but I don’t know what other Australians would want. So I’d live there for a couple of years before renting it out, but I don’t know what Australian’s would prefer another bedroom, or that extra room for activities and stuff like that? Any input would be great, thanks!

Have a Similar Question? These Episodes will also help:

 

Question about Bank Assessment of Loans from Matt:

Hey guys, Matt from Canberra … via sunny London here! First up I can tell you our architecture and Land Tax in Canberra is just to make sure not too many of you and the other Capitals turn off the Hume Highway and discover Australia’s best kept secret. So thanks very much for helping to keep our secret safe there! My question is about the banks and them having to assess us against increasingly restrictive assessment criteria. But do they have to do that when they are looking at non-mortgage lending criteria? The Money SMARTS System works best with a nice, big credit limit with maximum interest free days and there’s sometimes great deals on car loans that are cheaper than the interest savings on our offsets this is often still with APRA regulated providers. But do they only assess you against the lending criteria for the lowest common denominator, essentially, when you’re applying for a mortgage vs non mortgage finance? Do they have to assess you for the same criteria with their other products? Thanks so much guys for everything you do!

Have a Similar Question These Episodes will also help:

 

Question about getting into a career as a Buyers Agent and Property Investment Advisor from Francis:

I know that this topic has been touched on in the past but I would love to hear Ben and Bryce give a few pointers to people (like myself) wanting to make a career in property investment, Buyers Agents and financial planning. In my case, I have done the REIQ (QLD) registration course but wondering if I need to complete the full license? Also, if I want to help people buy property in every state and territory in Australia, do I need to go and complete that course for each and every state / territory to become registered, or does the buyers agency take on that responsibility? Other than the QPIA course, are there any other ways to learn the industry while still working, so that people can transition into their new career relatively seamlessly? I just thought I would send this to support my recorded message and give a little more context to the question. Thanks again for everything you are doing!

Have a Similar Question These will also help:

 

P.S. Have you cut a full lap of The Property Couch yet? If not, and you’re too strapped for time, just make sure you MUST WATCH the first 20 episodes. Because they are FOUNDATIONAL episodes.

CLICK HERE to listen to our very first Episode

 

 

176 | How to Prioritise Your Property Investment Journey and Still Have a Life — Sydney LIVE Podcast ft. Q & A

If you’re reading this, you’re probably keen on property investing — regardless of whether or not you’re a beginner or a multimillion-dollar property portfolio owner… or somewhere in between.

And chances are you also like to have a life too, right? Because folks, at the end of the day, while hard work’s rewarding and a passive income’s exciting, there are also other factors competing for your time and attention, and — let’s face it — other things you’d prefer to do, like put your feet up (and watch the Pies and the Dockers if you’re us), or simply relax with your loved ones doing what YOU love most.

Realistically folks — if you invest in property the right way from the get-go, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your life. It’s that simple. But it’s not always easy to get this balance right.

So, that’s where today’s VERY SPECIAL episode comes in. Yep, it’s very special because…

  1. It’s OUR LIVE SHOW IN SYDNEY where we answer our Property Couch Tribe’s questions… which just might be very similar to the ones YOU have!
  2. It’s a LIVE GUIDE to help you prioritise your property investment journey AND still have a life!!

 

Yep. Reclaim market confidence, get through the “messy middle”, cut the noise and let’s get some good ol’ honest advice!

 

*** Oh, and folks — make sure you tune in till the end for a special announcement from Ben! ***

Back to today’s questions answered at OUR LIVE SYDNEY PODCAST…

Question about Staying the Distance from Louise:

My single biggest challenge with my property investment journey has been keeping the momentum and not getting distracted or bored along the way. Property investing for the long term seems to sometimes move at a glacial speed and it’s easy to get a bit disheartened when you don’t see obvious progress. It’s also easy to let life get in the way and not prioritise my investment journey. I delayed on a purchase by two years (missing out on some great capital growth) because I was distracted by family and work life.

 

Question about Location and Investing in Cashflow from Yuna:

Ben and Bryce always talk about how location is the key and that most of the time 80% of the lifting is done by location. If my property investing strategy is cashflow rather than capital growth due to my circumstance; how do I apply the location theory to this equation? Or does location come first or my strategy during the suburb research?

 

Question about Off the Plan and Exit Strategies from Jeremy:

A ‘friend’ (who may or may not be me…) has purchased an off-the-plan, high-density unit, in Brisbane’s middle ring northern suburbs — 10km from the city. The area has a Westfield, a hospital and a bus line, but isn’t within walking distance from any of the new transport infrastructure projects. The build date has been pushed back from 2018 to 2019, because the developer, who was also the property spruiker, had difficulty getting pre-sales. Since that time I (or my friend) have discovered The Property Couch and have listened to as many back episodes as possible. It’s obvious to us that we can pretty much check off every mistake in the book. The spruiker was selling in Sydney with a focus on bling, tax depreciation and yield. The suburb is not investment grade. The property is not investment grade. Lifestyle drivers are not there. Income is lower than the QLD average. And so on. The unit was sold with a vendor discount: “stamp duty paid,” (yes we know…now), so on settlement is likely to be valued significantly less than the purchase price. With the over-supply situation that exists in Brisbane and Brisbane-North’s very low population growth rate (1%), what, if any, exit strategies exist?

 

LIVE Question about Knowing When to Stop:

How do you know when to stop investing in property? Because it’s pretty addictive!

 

LIVE Question about The Budget Changes to Tax Depreciation:

This is a bit more of a specific question, around the latest budget changes around tax depreciation. I have 2 properties that were purchased prior to the changes— so I have depreciation reports, and claiming all that’s all good. But I have bought 1 that settled with the changes the latest budget. I’ve heard on various podcasts about being able to claim the cost of plant and equipment as capital gains at the end if you sell, but I don’t understand the connection between these? Do I need a tax depreciation report for a property purchased after the budget last year to know what I owned when I purchased it to at the end when I sell it?

 

LIVE Question about Spruikers and Not Knowing How What to Do:

I’ve got a friend who is helping people buy property in Brisbane — they’re friends of ours — and they’re Off the Plan stuff, just terrible stuff really, and he works for a company where they deliberately fence people in, cross-collateralise, deliberately put them to their Buyers Agents who are hooked up with developers, and it gets me a bit angry. I can’t do anything about it because I have no credentials — I’m a Tradie — but I’ve been listening to your podcast for a number of years and I do have a lot of knowledge. Do you have any advice for someone who is witnessing these terrible things happening to people that I care about?

 

P.S. Want us to come to your city? Let us know what state/territory you live!
(We promise not to stalk you)

P.P.S. Want our industry to be regulated so we can get rid of the spruikers and dodgy investment advice? Join PICA  it’s only $5 for 1 Year Membership!

 

 

175 | Five Foolproof Ways to Conquer your Finance in this Changing Landscape

What an episode we’ve got for you today, folks!! We’re letting you in on the 5 FOOLPROOF WAYS to conquer your finance!! Yep, we’re dead set serious. Why? Because we know in this day and age it can be a little more challenging to get a loan than it used to be!

With APRA’S handbrake on the lending sector, what banks look for can mean you’re jumping through a few more loops just to get approval…  so are there ways to make getting finance easier??

… We think there ARE.  And that is what today’s episode is all about — ways to boost your lending potential. We’ve scoured the corridors of our business to give you some Mortgage Broking Secrets AND a few little odds & ends of our own!!

So … what do you need to know?

 

 

Also folks, don’t forget,

… we’re chasing your MONEY HACKS and FEEDBACK on The Money SMARTS System (good & bad) so you can get the biggest benefit from our new book coming out!!!

CLICK HERE to send us your Money Hacks & Feedback

 

 

 

 

174 | Stop! Don’t sign the contract until you’ve listened to THIS! – Chat about Strata, Body Corporates & Legal Stuff with Tim Graham

Folks, it’s a SERIOUS episode today… jam-packed with nothing but serious GOLD!! (Please no contract-signing until you’ve swallowed this stuff first.)

Why? Today we’ve got Tim Graham, Partner at HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, to discuss all things Real Estate Law … especially Strata!!

Strata? What do we mean? Think Off the Plan. Subdivision. Owner Corporate (Body Corporate). Townhouse. Apartment. Unit.

 

Yep. Tim practices exclusively in the areas of strata and subdivision law, Owners Corporation and dispute resolution with almost 20 years of experience! He’s the President of the Australian College of Community Association Lawyers (ACCAL), a Fellow of the College, named in Best Lawyers™ Australia for Real Property Law and has been recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a Leading Property and Real Estate Lawyer. He is also a Council Member of Strata Communities Australia. It’s enough to make your jaw drop, especially when you think about his know-how when it comes to domestic and commercial construction law, contractual advice and building defects claims, insurance reviews, repair & maintenance and Water Act cases in the VCAT and the Courts (and then some)!

Basically, Tim’s a heavy hitter who absolutely knows his stuff (Which’s exactly what you want from someone dealing with the “the fourth form of government”).

Quick heads up, folks: You might need to put this one back to 1 speed because there is some GOLDEN but TECHNICAL tips flying around. At the end of the day though, it’s crucial you know this stuff (why spend hundreds of thousands of dollars only to throw more money at a legal dispute?!)

 

Sensible disclaimer: Folks, the gold you’re about to hear is general advice only. So, please DON’T do anything rash, make sure you seek professional advice before making any legal or property investment decision!

 

Your dot point debrief….

 

We’ve also threw in a few Case Studies for Tim to comment on as well:

  • What can you do if someone’s having loud parties on your block?
  • Who’s responsible for cleaning the outside windows?
  • Can you erect a pergola in the backyard of my townhouse?
  • The visitor carpark is always empty, can I use it?
  • What if the complex has a pool and you don’t use it … do you still have to pay?

 

Pheww! What an episode, huh??

And a quick shout out to our previous guest, Nicole Faid, for sending the legendary Tim our way! (You can suss out her episode after: How to Avoid the 7 Costly Mistakes when Buying a Property – Chat with Nicole Faid)

 

P.S. Folks, don’t forget…
Send us your Money Hacks

Let us know if The Money SMARTS System has worked for you!
Tell us what SPENDING HABIT YOUR MOST STRUGGLING WITH

… basically, fill us in on what will help you most & we’ll include it in our new book 😉 [email protected]

 

 

173 | Q & A – The BATTLE ROUND: “This” vs “That”

It’s a “BATTLE ROUND” Q & A Day, folks!!

In other words… This vs That.

Yep. After 4 solid weeks of some seriously special guests interviews — starting with Alan Oster and ending with Stuart Wemyss — we’re finally in the ring for a good ol’ Q & A Session!

The Battle Round includes…

 

Resources to help if you’re battling a decision right now…

Demand vs Supply…

 

But before we hear the crowd roar (Stig stay silent) as we battle it out…

… we need YOUR answers!!!

For our brand new book coming out, we want to help as many Aussies as we possibly can!! So before we put the sprinkles on the icing of the cake/book… can you help us out?? (Especially if you’ve implemented The Money SMARTS System!)

  • What are your “Money Temptations”?
  • Where do you feel tempted to deviate with the Money SMARTS System?
  • What do you struggle most to manage with money?

TELL US your Money Temptations here.

 

And finally, don’t agree with Labor’s policy on Negative Gearing? Sign the PICA Petition here.

 

Question from Mal:

My question to you is about growth, and buying either into the Melbourne and Brisbane markets given their different position at the moment in the property market. If you had $650K to spend, in terms of growth on a house would you buy a smaller property further out of Melbourne or a larger property closer in Brisbane? With a buy and hold strategy of 15 – 20 years. Thanks, looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

 

Question about Costs vs Gains from Jennifer:

Hey Ben and Bryce. I’m a huge fan of your podcast and The Armchair Guide to Property Investing, and am very much looking forward to your new book. I’ve recently read another finance book, and their recommendation was that investing for the long term wasn’t a good investment because, although property prices do almost always increase, the costs associated with property investment like interest, property management fees, repairs and renovations are so high that it makes for a poor investment. And you’d likely get a better return with something like a shares portfolio. I’d just like to know your thoughts. Thank you.

 

Question about House vs Beach Apartment form Dennis:

Hi Bryce and Ben, my name is Dennis, living in Melbourne with my fiancée, in our early 30s. We are fans of your podcast, very informative. I have some equity from my family home I co-paid with my parents and after borrowing, our budget is about $500k.

First consideration is a 3 – 4 bedroom house in Ballarat because the Ballarat West Economic Zone is up and coming, aimed to create 9000 jobs.

Second consideration is a 2 bedroom beachfront apartment within 10 min of Apollo Bay/Lorne central area. We plan to rent it out as an Airbnb?, however our concern is the long vacancy periods during the colder months. What are your thoughts on both options? Which is a better first investment property? We are looking to hold it long term, unlikely to sell within 5 years.

 

Question from Steve:

Hi guys, my question is, “When do you know when the right time is to sell in an area?” Like they say in the stock market, no one rings a bell at the top … and I wouldn’t expect to be able to pick the top… but how do you decide when is the best time to sell? Is it data driven? Where yields are low and it’s had years of growth and now there isn’t as much affordability when mortgages are say 40% of the average income loan? Or is more of a sentiment-driven thing where the market’s now too crazy … people are bidding way over reserve, so you should just sell into that? The reason I’m asking is because I bought a Gold Coast 4×2 house for $350K in 2014, worth around $420K now, and at some stage the Goldy’s run will end and it will level out and this may be one earmark to sell. I mean, it’s very easy to look back and chart the price growth to see where you ”shoulda, coulda, woulda” sold; but it’s much more difficult when you’re in the middle of it. I think Geelong and Hobart are good examples of strong markets now. And they’d be optimal studies to see when would be a good time to sell into. I worked in Perth for 10 years, go the Dockers and (more footy talk!)

 

 

 

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