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471 | How He Built His $2.3M Property Portfolio After Leaving School At Just 16 – Chat with Ethan

 

Folks, today marks the first episode of our much anticipated 2023/24 Summer Series!

We’re extraordinarily excited to sit down with some amazing listeners and dig into their money story, explore the steps they took to build their property portfolios and ultimately unpack the intriguing question (which is also the theme of this series…)

“What does money mean to YOU?”

As our 6th Summer Series, we’re spending this season digging deep into the psyche of the investor, understanding what motivates us ultimately as humans and understanding how we can use this knowledge to bolster us on our property journeys.

 

 

To start us off, we’re welcoming an incredibly hardworking and humble guest who realised at a young age that if he wanted anything in this life, he would have to make it happen himself. 

Ethan, today’s Summer Series guest, grew up with a younger brother with Down Syndrome and at just 16 years old,  was diagnosed with depression. Knowing that the school teaching system wasn’t working for him, he left school shortly after.

Over the next 14 years, Ethan has completely transformed his circumstances and now owns a 5-property portfolio worth 2.3 million dollars. 🤯

Tune in to discover how he bought his first property at 18 while earning apprentice wages (He was on $6 an hour folks!), why he continues to invest in Wodonga and the benefit of having a strong network and great tenants.  

Ethan was recently diagnosed with Aspergers, adding another layer to his incredible journey.    

 

Thank you for blasting off our 2023/24 Summer Series Ethan, what a truly motivational tale that showcases the importance of hard work and highlights that young people can get onto the property ladder! 

 

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

 

Timestamps

  • 0:00 – How He Built His $2.3M Property Portfolio After Leaving School At Just 16
  • 1:40 – Welcome Ethan!  
  • 2:39 – Money background & growing up with a brother with down syndrome  
  • 4:58 – The pivotal moment with Dad that transformed his world  
  • 8:35 – Same circumstances, two very different responses  
  • 10:35 – How was Ethan affected by his recent diagnosis?  
  • 11:40 – The life changing reason he left school  
  • 13:21 – Ethan’s golden advice to those who don’t thrive in the school system  
  • 16:09 – “You save for a house; you won’t have to pay for…”  
  • 17:35 – He’s NEVER used spreadsheets. Here’s how he budgeted instead. 
  • 18:44 – He was on $6 an hour?!?  
  • 19:15 – How no social media actually benefitted Ethan!  
  • 20:52 – How his Aspergers has helped him on his property journey 
  • 22:10 – The first property he bought at just 18!?  
  • 23:58 – Moving into his property & the wild gap year  
  • 26:48 – A death, using community brokers & his next property purchase  
  • 30:08 – Renovations and flipping properties 
  • 31:55 – Buying at Mortgage Auctions and the true benefit of networks!  
  • 33:51 – Ethan has always based his calculations on THIS… 
  • 34:49 – Why Ethan keeps choosing Wodonga  
  • 38:47 – Renovating his PPOR and his most recent property purchase  
  • 40:55 – The property he bought… from his neighbour?! 
  • 42:45 – Having great tenants (including one who’s renovated his property!)  
  • 45:20 – How has interest rates affected him?  
  • 47:19 – What does money mean to Ethan? (+ his next steps)  
  • 50:36 – The total value of his portfolio!  
  • 51:30 – Why did he decide to come onto the podcast?  
  • 53:02 – Relocating to Regional Towns: Benefits & Integrating into communities  
  • 57:13 – Thank you Ethan! What an awesome way to kick off our series! 🤗  

 

RBA Cash Rate Dec 2023 | Market Wrap and Property Trends in 2024

Welcome to the final Economic and RBA report for this year! In this edition, Ben delves into crucial topics:

  • Has the US concluded its Interest Rate tightening cycle?
  • Unpacking the Governor’s recent slide deck on inflation and the signals outlining the problem.
  • In the extensive property update, Ben recaps the 2023 Property Market and shares initial insights on the ten Macro forces shaping different property markets in 2024. Stay tuned for this at the end of the update!

And folks, anticipate more charts in this edition compared to our previous release too. We recommend checking out the video version of this release here: www.thepropertycouch.com.au/rba-cash-rate-dec-2023

Before we get started, we’ve recently unveiled two brief videos on property selling. If the rate hikes are impacting your cash flow, explore these videos below:

Now, let’s delve into this month’s update!

Note: Apologies for the technical glitch occurring at the 7-second and 5-minute marks of the video. Rest assured, our team is actively addressing this issue and working towards a swift resolution. Thank you for your understanding.

 

 

 

470 | What Money Means to YOU!

 

Folks, as the LAST episode for 2023 before we kick off our inspiring 2023/24 Summer Series, we’re focusing on a question that looks at the heart of what we do (and not just as a podcast but through our advisory business):  

What Does Money Mean to YOU!?  

To properly dig into this question, we’re unpacking the psyche of the investor through one of America’s greatest psychologists and combining it with data from THOUSANDS of respondents to explore…  

👉 The #2 biggest reasons that investors seek money (+ why they’re critical to our overall wellbeing)

👉 54 of the most common reasons people want to build their wealth

👉 How an individual’s financial freedom fits into Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

👉 How Time Wealth drastically improves your life

👉 The #1 thing that will ALWAYS lead to financial stress

👉 What does financial independence really look like?

👉 If you don’t know your cashflow, you risk… 

 Plus tons more gold! As rates and cost of living continue to rise, this super topical episode will help you remember – and solidify – your why. Listen in now!  

Free Stuff Mentioned

  • We’ve supercharged Moorr’s engine room! Check out the newest MyFinancial feature to help you track and manage those rising costs now >>  
  • See Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs below
  • Check out Victoria’s reducing rental prices from Ben’s “What’s Making Property News” Segment below (Another CLASSIC example of what happens when investors are treated like second-half citizens 🙁)
     

Timestamps

  • 0:00 – What Money Means to YOU!  
  • 2:50 – We’ve added a new feature to Moorr’s financial engine room!  
  • 12:30 – Mindset Minute: Where are the Client’s Yachts? 
  • 17:03 – We use THIS planning exercise to understand success  
  • 20:31 – Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs & the Top 10 Reasons We Hear!
  • 26:17 – Reason 1: S_c_ _it_ – Why does it matter?  
  • 31:31 – Reason 2: F_ _ed_m  
  • 37:55 – You will ALWAYS be stressed if you do this… 
  • 39:18 – Safety Nets, Opportunities & Options!  
  • 43:24 – The complete compilation of reasons what investors want from money!  
  • 45:12 – A trusted advisor should actually be pulling you up on these things… 
  • 48:51 – If you don’t know your cash flow, how will you know… 
  • 50:52 – What the data reflects about the investor’s mindset  
  • 54:08 – THIS is the best financial asset you can have  
  • 56:51 – These 2 reasons ranked surprisingly low😮  
  • 57:29 – Bryce & Ben were surprised by these findings!  
  • 1:01:24 – Summer Series starts NEXT WEEK!  

And… 

  • 1:03:18 – Lifehack: Why do some people succeed more? 
  • 1:07:57 – WMPN: Victoria’s rental numbers are going backwards…  

Jan Somers: How this Housewife Built Her Multimillion-Dollar Property Portfolio from Scratch

Please Note: This episode is a re-run. The original air date was on February 16, 2017. 😊  

In our FINAL bonus episode for 2023, we’re replaying an awesome episode with one of Bryce’s all-time property-investing heroes…  

Jan Somers!  

She is an incredibly humble housewife who is the author of 4 bestselling property books and is a successful property investor and educator extraordinaire.  

With her property portfolio spanning more than 40 years, we follow Jan’s motivational story from her first venture into property investing to her inspiration for writing her bestselling books, Building Wealth.   

Tune in now to hear her evergreen wisdom from the secret to improving your borrowing power, cultivating the right investing mindset, the types of properties Jan prefers to invest in, and much more!  

Listen now for an awesome blast-from-the-past episode! 🚀 🚀 🚀 

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

  • Check out Jan Somers’ bestselling books and software here >>  

 

Timestamps

  • 0:00 – Jan Somers: How this Housewife Built Her Multimillion-Dollar Property Portfolio from Scratch 
  • 3:29 – Mindset Minute: Beware of highlight reels!  
  • 4:55 – Welcome Jan Somers!  
  • 7:10 – The secret formula that led to success 
  • 8:25 – Her first mentor!  
  • 12:14 – Jan’s Golden Investing Principles 
  • 15:39 – The foolproof loan strategy Jan uses 
  • 18:01 – She was one of the first to do THIS!  
  • 21:33 – From humble beginnings: The origin of her first book  
  • 29:24 – Investing & Family  
  • 33:49 – “Security provides you with happiness”  
  • 37:31 – The biggest mistakes she made…  
  • 40:33 – Accumulating properties, tenants & investing Interstate 
  • 46:12 – Why do some properties perform better than others?  
  • 50:18 – The “living off equity principle” and retiring debt  
  • 54:26 – Financial messages Jan taught her kids  
  • 56:04 – Jan’s top tips for property investors  
  • 58:23 – Extra resources!  

And… 

  • 1:02:09 – Lifehack: Get 15 minutes back by turning off your notifications?!  
  • 1:03:51 – WMPN: Inside a $250M Bel Air house…

 

469 | How Auctions Really Work: The Hybrids, Negotiations & Courageously Uncomfortable Reserve Prices – Chat with Justin Nickerson

 

What are the best auction strategies for buyers when the hammer drops?   

Why should buyers use “Courageously Uncomfortable” reserve prices?  

And who do auctioneers really work for??  

 

Folks, these are just a few of the big questions we’re tackling today in an episode that’s all about the art of auctioning in Australia.  

Here to shed expert intel into this world is Justin Nickerson, Director of Apollo Auctions, the largest auctioneering business in Australasia, and the only Australian to win the Australasian Auctioneer of the Year 3 times in the award’s history.  

Justin is also the 5-time winner of the REIQ Auctioneer of the Year award, again being the only auctioneer in the state to achieve this distinction.   

Today, he’ll be using his knowledge earned at the coalface of auctions in Queensland (aka. some of the most challenging auctions) to share secret Buyers’ strategies that win from bidding quickly to keeping the pressure on to why online bidding might just work for you.  

He’ll give us a rare look into the Buyers experience of winning auctions, the crucial skills needed for those wanting to become an Auctioneer PLUS his craziest auction which saw 24.8M under the hammer 😮  

Yep, we know we blew this episode over our 1-hour mark, but BOY is it jam-packed with so many nuggets of wisdom. Seriously folks, tune in now!  

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

 

Timestamps

  • 0:00 – How Auctions Really Work: The Hybrids, Negotiations & Courageously Uncomfortable Reserve Prices 
  • 3:04 – Mindset Minute: Things don’t just happen, they happen just. 
  • 6:03 – Welcome Justin!  
  • 7:31 – Money Backstory: How he learned the power of compounding!  
  • 12:34 – The pivot into property 😊  
  • 17:13 – Should property be part of your wealth creation vehicle?  
  • 20:30 – From AFL to Auctions?!   
  • 25:38 – So you want to be an Auctioneer? These are the skills you need! 
  • 31:43 – Who do Auctioneers work for?  
  • 35:57 – Justin’s 2 fundamental beliefs & do Hybrid Auctions work?   
  • 38:22 – 15 Auctions in 1 day?! The Logistics behind Auctions 
  • 42:03 – Reserve Prices: Why you should be working with “Courageously Uncomfortable” Prices!  
  • 44:26 – Building trust during the auction 
  • 46:52 – Justin’s Top Bidding Strategies to Win  
  • 50:22 – Why bidding quickly works  
  • 53:08 – You should be watching the Buyers! Here’s why.  
  • 55:15 – $24.8M Under the Hammer?!  
  • 59:10 – What’s it like working in Prestigious Auctions?  
  • 1:02:00 – The Artform of Passing In at Auctions  
  • 1:04:49 – Online Bidding: “It’s all about choice.”  
  • 1:08:12 – Let’s Role Play: What would Justin do as a Buyer to secure a win  
  • 1:15:10 – Keeping an Open Mind  
  • 1:18: 24 – Thank you Justin! What an eye-opening episode 😊  

And… 

  • 1:22:04 – Lifehack: How to take notes for podcasts…  
  • 1:25:28 – WMPN: What’s really happening with Auction clearance rates??  

 

How to Manage your Money in 10 Minutes a Month (On Parenthood Podcast) Part 2

In this week’s bonus episode, we’re back with Part 2 of Bryce’s appearance on the Parenthood Podcast featuring its Founder and Host, Leonie Akhidenor. 

Continuing last week’s theme, Bryce and Leonie are unpacking how new parents can get onto the property ladder despite today’s high-interest rates and heated property market.

They’ll be exploring Bryce’s fail-proof money management system, deep diving into how folks can use this to manage their money in 10 minutes a month and unpacking the options investors have once they’ve trapped this surplus.  

A super insightful episode that reveals how new investors can afford home ownership. faster. Tune in now!  

  

Free Stuff Mentioned

  • Discover how to start trapping surplus today. Download our best-selling book, Make Money Simple Again (MMSA) for FREE here >>  
  • Once you’ve trapped this surplus, start putting it to work through property! Get MMSA’s sequel, The Armchair Guide to Property Investing here >>   
  • Manage your money in 10 minutes a month! Get Moorr on your desktop or smartphone. Automate our award-winning money management system from our MMSA book: Start trapping more surplus and pay off your mortgage quicker today.  

 

Timestamps  

  • 0:00 – How to Manage your Money in 10 Minutes a Month  
  • 1:12 – How to save for your new family home  
  • 2:06 – Bryce’s fail-proof money saving system  
  • 7:42 – It’s a simple philosophy folks! 
  • 8:40 – How to manage your money in 10 minutes a month 
  • 12:13 – Ideas to get onto the property ladder… 
  • 13:32 – Using rentvesting to afford your dream lifestyle  
  • 14:34 – The pros & cons of Rentvesting  
  • 17:07 – Bryce always recommends doing THIS to avoid giving away money  
  • 18:01 – What to do once you’ve trapped surplus…   
  • 19:07 – Warren Buffet isn’t the best investor. Here’s what he does have.  
  • 21:17 – Here’s a quick win to save more on your mortgage.  

468 | Why Don’t We Start with Property First and the Hidden Power of Building a Moat

 

 

In this week’s episode, we’re back with our final Throwback Thursday episode focusing on our last. three foundational pillars from our Four Pillars of Property Investing Mastery!  

Folks, these pillars are absolutely critical for anyone wanting to build a stable property portfolio which is why we’re revisiting and unpacking these concepts with today’s market conditions.  

From APRA’s 3% buffer rate to rising interest rates and its impact on Asset Selection, we’ll be tying together our cornerstone principles from 2015 with our top strategies to hold and afford new properties today. 

We’ll be covering… 

⚡ Ep 4. Borrowing Power: How to smash glass ceilings, why finance is like a game of chess and the top #3 solutions to maximise your leverage 😊   

🔬 Ep 5. Asset Selection: Why we don’t start with property first, the telescope vs microscope view and applying the Buyers Decision Quadrant today.  

🛡️ Ep 6. Defence: The most important asset, why you need to build a moat and the critical elements of defence 

A topical episode that ties into our evergreen investing strategies, tune in now!  

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

  • Get your hands on our free Binge Guide! This contains the First 20 Episodes – which are our foundational episodes – of The Property Couch. Get it here >>  
  • Read the article from Ben’s “What’s Making Property News?” here >>  

 

Timestamps

  • 0:00 – Why Don’t We Start with Property First and the Hidden Power of Building a Moat 
  • 1:30 – Some invaluable feedback (Thank you Francis!)  
  • 3:39  – Mindset Minute: “Imagine playing Monopoly and Never Buying Any Assets or Investments…” 
  • 6:08 – Ep 4: Borrowing Power 
  • 7:13 – Do THIS if you feel you’re paying too much interest 
  • 11:40 – Beware! Leverage can cause glass ceilings  
  • 12:26 – The top #2 rookie mistakes property investors make  
  • 15:16 – Why is finance like a chess game?  
  • 18:10 – The critical link with Cashflow Management  
  • 20:07 – The #3 Solution Tiers: Tailoring vs. Off the Shelf  
  • 23:10 – 200+ years of experience?!  
  • 25:20 – Ep 5: Asset Selection  
  • 26:36 – The Veblen (aka. The Envy) Effect & Human Behaviour 
  • 30:48 – Telescope vs. Microscope View 🔭 
  • 31:56 – The Buyers Decision Quadrant  
  • 41:04 – Our evergreen quotes…  
  • 41:44 – Ep 6: Defence 
  • 42:18 – THIS is the most important asset to an investor  
  • 44:58 – The #3 essential components of defence  
  • 50:08 – Folks, this is about building a stable stool!  

And… 

  • 55:13 – Lifehack: We should all live life by our Ikigai 
  • 58:11 – WMPN: A 650% increase on Brisbane Landlords?!  

 

Why You Should Make The Sold Tag Your Best Friend (On Parenthood Podcast) Part 1

The transition into parenthood can be a difficult one with new priorities, greater expenses and less free time.   

During this time, it’s no surprise that many parents start to search for security through that forever family home, however, with today’s tumultuous economy, high interest rates and heated property market, it’s no surprise that new parents are wondering how and if it’s even possible.  

In today’s bonus episode – originally recorded by Parenting Podcast – Bryce sits down with Leonie Akhidenor, its Host and Founder to unpack:  

 📈 How to negotiate a fair price on your family home
⚡Understand this 1 thing about Buyers Agents to reclaim your buying power 
🏠 Know what matters to you! Learn how to identify your top 3 priorities in a property
🔥 How To Out-Smart Real Estate Agents
🤝 Why you should make the sold tag your best friend, and much more! 

 Tune in now folks!

  

Timestamps  

  •  0:00 – Why You Should Make The Sold Tag Your Best Friend
  • 1:44 – The Big Property Question 😮
  • 4:27 – How Bryce navigated early parenthood
  • 5:55 – The auction that did NOT go according to plan…
  • 8:33 – You’ve got to understand THIS about real estate agents
  • 11:28 – Bryce’s Top #2 Tips for this listener!
  • 13:20 – How to Negotiate a Fair Price for Your Family Home
  • 17:06 – What you can do to increase your buying power
  • 18:07 – What Are Your Top 3 Priorities?

467 | Back To The Future: Are Our 2015 Investing Strategies Still Relevant Today?

 

 

Folks, it’s time to strap your seatbelts in and tighten your property investing hats because in today’s episode, we’re doing our own Back to the Future with our first-ever Throwback Thursday!! 🔮

We’re revisiting our best property investing strategies and theories from aaallll the way back in 2015 and asking… 

Are they still relevant today?!?  

We’ll be unpacking (Yep, that’s still a favourite word of ours today 😉):  

🛠️ Ep 1. We Fix Bad Property Investment Advice: The two most common regrets we hear and our cornerstone “Barber Analogy”: Is it still applicable or has it become obsolete?!  

🚀 Ep 2. Regulation vs. Education: How has income vs. Property prices changed? And what makes inner land value 3x higher than land further out? 

🏠 Ep 3. The 4 Pillars of Mastery: Do we still use the same process to set investors up for success? And why is MoneySMARTS still extremely relevant today?!  

To hear all of this, plus some of our favourite quotes of all time from these episodes, tune into our first Throwback Thursday now!!  

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

  • We’ve got ONE last spot on our 2024 Summer Series. Share your story with us today! >>  
  • Check out Binge Guide featuring the first 20 episodes here >>  
  • See the graphs from Ben’s What’s Making Property News! Below:  

 

Timestamps

  • 0:00 – Back To The Future: Are Our 2015 Investing Strategies Still Relevant Today?    
  • 2:15 – We’ve got one spot left on our Summer Series!  
  • 3:03 – Mindset Minute: Where the pursuit of Mastery lives…  
  • 7:26 – It’s Throwback Thursday!  
  • 8:55 – Ep 1. We Fix Bad Property Investment Advice  
  • 9:26 – 💈 The Barbershop Analogy 💈 
  • 15:29 – The 2 most common regrets 
  • 16:33 – Is it still relevant today?!?  
  • 19:12 – The Enthusiastic Amateur  
  • 22:40 – “You can get everything you want in life, if you just…”  
  • 26:14 – Ep 2. Regulation vs. Education  
  • 29:09 – These fundamental rules have not changed folks… 
  • 35:58 – The top #3 evergreen quotes 
  • 36:57 – Is buying counter cyclical still a good idea?  
  • 38:21 – What makes this land value three times higher than other land?  
  • 41:36 – Income vs. Property Prices: What’s changed?  
  • 45:55 – We always start with THIS when building our investing strategies… 
  • 47:51 Ep 3.The 4 Pillars of Mastery  
  • 48:56 – How we set up investors for success  
  • 52:12 – Debt Servicing Debt: Did this theory work?  
  • 54:19 – This is what drove MoneySMARTS… 
  • 58:47 – Our favourite quotes  
  • 59:42 – A moment for Ben 🤗 
  • 1:02:32 – Check out our free Binge Guide! >>  
  • 1:03:09 – Here’s to the Stig ❤️  

And… 

  • 1:04:32  Lifehack: Table tennis on the dinner table?!  
  • 1:07:27 – WMPN: Why People Invest in Property!  

 

RBA Cash Rate Nov 2023 | Inflation – Material Enough?

Hey folks, welcome to the November Economic and RBA update. This time around, Ben got his sight set on a few key things:

  • RBA’s November Board Meeting: We’ve all been eagerly waiting to see if the RBA is going to hike the cash rate again. This could mark the 13th time they’ve done it in this upward cycle. Find out more in this episode!
  • Inflation Rant: Hold onto your hats because Ben got a bit of a rant brewing about inflation.
  • Property Market Scoop: Of course, last but not least, the most popular part of Ben’s RBA updates…. the latest data on the property market!

But before we dive into all that, we can’t ignore the elephant in the room – the heightened geo-political tensions and the Middle East conflict. This isn’t just a humanitarian crisis; it’s also making waves in the global economy.

All this uncertainty and instability is putting a damper on global economic confidence, sentiment, and investment. Plus, it’s affecting oil supply, prices, and trade, which is basically throwing a wrench into the works of the world economy.

Let’s cross our fingers for some speedy resolutions in the Middle East and Ukraine to ease these troubles. But for now, the world is feeling jittery. With all this geopolitical drama, the inflation scare, and the rising cost of debt, both the stock and bond markets are rollercoaster rides. Stock markets are taking a double-digit dip, and there’s more downside risk ahead if these issues continue to weigh on developed economies.

We know these aren’t uplifting news to share, but it’s important to acknowledge the economic consequences tied to these global events.

 

And folks, if you’re feeling the pinch with those rate hikes and worried about your cashflow in the next few months, we’ve got a couple of handy resources for you:

A) MoneySTRETCH Tool on Moorr:

This cool tool lets you play around with different scenarios and see how they impact your cashflow and savings right away. For example, you can check out what a 2% bump in your loan might do to your cashflow and figure out how long your current spending can keep going. And the best bit is… This tool is free! Just create your free account on Moorr and away you go 😉.

Learn more about MoneySTRETCH here >

 

B) Free Finance Checkup with our Award-Winning Crew:

If your loan payments are eating up a big chunk of your budget and you haven’t looked into it lately, it might be time to chat with your broker or banker.
Don’t have a broker? Our sister company, Empower Wealth recently snagged the Australian Brokerage of the Year award from the Australian Mortgage Awards, and they would be thrilled to assist you! The initial consultation is free and there’s no obligation to engage after that as well so if you’re keen, please don’t hesitate to learn more about them below.

Learn more about Empower Wealth’s Mortgage Broking services here >

 

Alright, what are you waiting for? Let’s jump into the data for this month!

 

 

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