A prequel to The Armchair Guide to Property Investing, this book offers a simple, proven approach that will make money simple again, helping you spend less than you earn so that you can save and invest for your financial future.

Sound interesting?

Well, we’ve got great news for you! We are currently giving away free digital copies of this book! If you’re interested, you can download your free copy at www.MakeMoneySimpleAgain.com.au.

The main idea is that instead of paying down the principal of the loan, all surplus cash is placed into an Offset Account. As the lender only charges interest on the difference between the loan balance and the Offset Account balance, any money in the Offset Account will be reducing the amount of interest payable, but instead of having given the money back to the lender, it’s kept in your own account to be used as you want to in the future. Once the Offset Account balance is the same as the loan balance, you effectively have paid off the loan.

Our modelling shows that people keep money in the Offset Account(s) indefinitely, but it’s unlikely that a lender is going to allow loans to remain active forever, and most people like the idea of being debt-free, so in practice, the loan(s) will probably be paid off in full once the investor is confident they will no longer need access to the money in the Offset Account(s).

The Armchair Guide to Property Investing was written with Australia's property and financial landscape in mind. However, some of the frameworks (for example, The Fundamentals of Property Investing and Buyers Decision Quadrant) are focused on an investor's mindset. Hence they are also applicable to investors outside Australia.

On top of the six case studies mentioned in the book, we realised there weren't any that fit a single 30-something investor. So we produced a 40-minute video on this to give our readers a better overview. The investor profile in this additional case study is:

• A single 30-something person
• Annual income of $90,000
• Currently renting and don’t own any investment properties
• Cash savings of around $80,000

This case study is free and if you would like to gain access to it, just visit this page.

On page 104 of the book, we wrote about asset selection and the characteristics of an investment grade asset. A reader wrote in to ask if he would benefit from getting the help of a Buyers Agent to do this and at the same time, how can he make sure that the Buyers Agent was choosing the right property for him and not looking to just sell one?

First of all, it's important to understand the role of a Buyers Agent. They are licensed real estate agents who represent the buyer. Theoretically, they don't sell properties, but there are some agents out there who dip their toes in both ends of the transaction. We don't recommend you engage these types of Buyers Agents.

Buyers also often get confused between a Selling Agent and a Buyers Agent. In our business, we often hear clients reminiscing about their past purchases and saying, "The sales agent was really nice. We met him at an inspection, and he knew we didn't like that property. Instead, he recommended a few others and even gave us a discount!" Well, the selling agent is paid based on the properties that they sell so, of course, they would try to recommend others to you if the current one doesn't fit. That's the role of a selling agent - to help their client (not you) to sell their property.

And remember, everything is negotiable in a property purchase - from price to settlement dates. And that is why you would engage a Buyers Agent - to leverage the skills and experience of a professional who has bought hundreds of properties and gone through countless negotiations - to help find the best possible property for you.

To learn more about selecting a Buyers Agent, listen to Episode 18 of the podcast.

It's always good to reach out when you are unsure!

Our recommendation is to
1) Get a Certified QPIA partner when it comes to building your property portfolio, and
2) Be very cautious of property spruikers!

Always interview the advisor you are about to engage to make sure they are the right fit and that they don't have any hidden agendas. If you're not sure, Bryce and Ben have discussed ways to determine if the person you are talking to is a spruiker or not in Episode 11 of the podcast.

If you are interested, our sister company Empower Wealth offers complimentary initial consultations. Empower Wealth is a Certified QPIA Partner and has recently been featured in the 2016 BRW Fast 100 Companies in Australia. The process usually starts with a free initial consultation where advisors look at your current situation and discuss any opportunities. There’s no obligation to engage right away. If they think you’re doing a good job, they’ll just shake your hand and congratulate you...but if they believe there is potential for us to help you with building your portfolio, they’ll let you know.

Although Empower Wealth is based in Melbourne, they also work with interstate clients. In fact, more than 40% of their clients are based elsewhere. Meetings are generally held online and you will be able to see your advisor's screen, so you won’t miss out on anything. If you are interested, you can learn more about the initial appointment and get started here: Learn more.

Alternatively, you can also check out the "Find an Advisor Near You" function on the Property Investment Professionals of Australia (PIPA) website: www.pipa.asn.au.