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546 | The Frankenstein Portfolio That Lost $159K—And How to Avoid It

By in Case Study, Podcast, Property Investment

We’ve heard it time and time again from investors who look back and say, “What was I thinking?” 

In Ep 546, Bryce is joined by returning guest David Robertson—Head of Property Wealth Planning at Empower Wealth—to dive deep into one of the scariest (and most common) traps in property investing:

The Frankenstein Portfolio. 

These portfolios are stitched together from forums, free seminars, and flashy Finfluencer advice… but lack one crucial ingredient: a plan. 

👉 If you missed our intro to the concept, check out Ep 543: What Is a Frankenstein Portfolio?   

This week, we’re going one step further. 

We’re showing you how to fix it—with 3 real-life investor case studies: 

✅ Ryan & Claire: 4 underperforming properties—including a $159K loss on a rental-guaranteed unit 

✅ Steve & Elisa: Two good assets, but poor sequencing and a big debt dilemma. Should they hold or sell? 

✅ Mark & Tracey: A calm, boring, strategic portfolio built with intention from Day 1 (and zero stress) 

This is your crash course in avoiding—or correcting—a portfolio without a plan. 

Because activity ≠ accomplishment… and in the long game of property, boring wins. Tune in now! 

Free Stuff  

  • Over 5,000 lives changed through strategic property planning 🎉
    Our financial advisory, Empower Wealth, has officially created 5,000 Property Wealth Plans—that’s thousands of aspiring Aussies, their families and future generations gaining clarity, structure, and a clear path toward financial peace.This means:

    • 💼 More than $10.5 billion in property recommendations
    • 🏡 Over 9,400 investment properties suggested through strategic planning, and
    • ✅ Countless lives changed with structured, tailored roadmaps to wealth!A huge thank you to our brilliant advisory team and clients who’ve trusted us with their journey. 🙏
      Want to see how a property plan would look with your goals? Book in a free intial chat with our team today >>
        
  • Want a copy of How to Retire on $3,000 a Week — before it hits bookstores?
    To celebrate Bryce’s 50th birthday and raise funds to restore eyesight for 100 people in Indonesia, we’re gifting a copy of the new book to anyone who donates $100 or more to the John Fawcett Foundation.✔️ 100% of your donation goes directly to sight-saving surgeries
    ✔️ You’ll receive the book before it hits shelves
    ✔️ We’re halfway to our $10,000 goal — with just days to go. Every donation counts!

    Simply:  

    1. Donate $100+ at 👉 thepropertycouch.com.au/donation 
    2. Forward your receipt to 📩 [email protected]
       
  • Guests & Episodes Mentioned:  

Timestamps  

  • 0:00 – The Frankenstein Portfolio That Lost $159K—And How to Avoid It   
  • 1:25 – More than 5,000 aspiring Australian households helped!  
  • 7:54 – Want a free copy of How to Retire on $3,000 a Week?  
  • 9:58 – Mindset Minute:  The gold in your cracks  
  • 13:51 – Welcome, Dave!  
  • 14:22 – Refresher: What is a Frankenstein Portfolio?  
  • 17:37 – Case Study 1: Ryan & Claire (The Frankenstein Portfolio)  
  • 18:28 – Why most folks do well selecting their PPORs  
  • 20:41 – Property #1: Over a decade yet a decline of $150K? 🙁  
  • 24:16 – Why Rental Guarantees are one of the biggest red flags to run from   
  • 26:24 – Property #2: A repeat unit offender 
  • 29:22 – Property #3: The market they jumped into too late  
  • 31:25 – The development block project: Interest rates & reno plans  
  • 36:01 – Why did they seek help?  
  • 37:04 – Fixing their Frankenstein portfolio  
  • 41:45 – Boring vs. “Exciting” property plans  
  • 44:49 – Case Study 2: Steve & Elisa (The “Needs Work” Portfolio)  
  • 45:48 – Property #1: The high volume game  
  • 48:22– Property #2: No science in the asset selection 
  • 49:49 – Property #3: The Tassie house they bought at the peak of the cycle  
  • 51:55 – Growing the family home: What properties should they keep or sell?  
  • 54:35 – Should they buy a new home or redevelop their PPOR?  
  • 56:40 – “Planning is not just about your next investment property”  
  • 59:04 – Case Study 3: Mark & Tracey (The Successful Portfolio) 
  • 1:02:03 – What a calm, strategic plan looks like!  
  • 1:04:05 – “If you want adrenaline, go bungee jumping. If you’re investing, it should be boring.”  
  • 1:06:37 – Wrap up: Similarities & Red Flags (And how to avoid them!

And… 

  • 1:09:35 – Why boring is the goal!  
  • 1:11:03 – Dedicated to Ben’s father-in-law  
  • 1:12:38 – Life By Design hack: The #1 parenting skill we forget: Listening. 
  • 1:17:09 – WMPN: The average Aussie inheritance  

 

545 | Burnt-Out Vans, Mouldy Eaves & Broken Trust: A Cautionary Buyer’s Agent Tale

By in Case Study, Podcast, Property Investment

When long-time listener and four-property investor Jayson reached out to Bryce on LinkedIn, we knew this was a conversation worth having on the couch. 

Why? 

Because he’s been through something many won’t talk about publicly:  

What happens when you put your trust—and your money—in a so-called “top tier” buyer’s agent…  

And things go bad. 🙁  

In this candid, courageous chat, Jayson walks us through:

✅ The real story behind his borderless investing experience
✅ What went wrong with not one—but THREE—properties
✅ The moment that shattered his confidence in the professionals he hired
✅ And how he rebuilt that trust and bought interstate (successfully!) on his own terms. 

We also unpack:  

📌 What to look out for before signing on with a buyer’s agent
📌 The clauses in a contract that could cost you thousands
📌 Why yield alone should never be your north star
📌 And how to spot red flags that might not show up on a spreadsheet. 

Folks, this one’s a cautionary story with a positive ending.  

It’s for anyone considering hiring a professional—and a reminder that communication, transparency, and trust must be non-negotiables when building a property portfolio. 

Free Stuff  

    • Just 3 WEEKS Left to Help Us Restore Sight! 👁️
      To celebrate Bryce’s 50th birthday, we’ve teamed up with the John Fawcett Foundation to give the life-changing gift of sight to those in need in Indonesia through cataract surgeries. Thanks to our generous community, we’ve already raised $4,184.93 – but we’ve got 3 more weeks left to hit our $10,000 goal by 27th May. Whether you’re a long-time listener of The Property Couch or simply believe in giving back — every dollar counts.Here’s what your donation can do:
      👁️ $100 = Restores sight to 1 person
      👁️👁️ $200 = 2 people
      🖐️ $500 = 5 people
      ✋✋ $1,000 = 10 people
      Donate now and help us to transform lives!
       
    • Time’s Running Out to Pre-Order & Save!
      Our brand-new book — How to Retire on $3,000 a Week — is almost here! With just weeks to go before launch, now’s the perfect time to lock in up to 10% off and be one of the first to get your hands on it. Pre-order today from these retailers: 

  • (RRP is $32.99 — so whichever option you pick, you’re ahead!). Or join the waitlist for exclusive behind-the-scenes updates, bonuses, and sneak peeks you won’t find anywhere else!
  • MyKNOWLEDGE Has Landed! 🚀
    This episode isn’t just packed with evergreen lessons— it also marks the official launch of MyKNOWLEDGE, our brand-new digital learning hub designed to fast-track your property, finance, and MoneySMARTS. As a special thank you to our podcast community, we’re offering 50% off MyKNOWLEDGE — but only until 31 May! Simply create or log in to your Moorr account, and you’ll see MyKNOWLEDGE on the sidebar.
    👉 Redeem your discount here
    💬 Or use code: ACT50 at checkout 

Timestamps  

  • 0:00 – Burnt-Out Vans, Mouldy Eaves & Broken Trust: A Cautionary Buyer’s Agent Tale 
  • 1:32 – Footy Banter: Is Bryce questioning his support for Freo? 😮  
  • 7:48 – Federal Election Results  
  • 13:23 – Join the waitlist for our latest book: “How to Retire on $3K a Week”  
  • 15:13 – Bryce’s 50th: Just 3 WEEKS left to help us restore sight  
  • 16:37 – MyKNOWLEDGE has just launched! Get 50% off for a limited time only 
  • 21:22 – Mindset Minute:  The painful cost of overthinking  
  • 25:12 – Welcome, Jayson!  
  • 25:58 – Why he turned to a buyer’s agent—and what he was chasing 
  • 26:54 – Money Story: Invoices, QuickBooks, and watching mum & dad invest 
  • 33:47 – From tradie to investor: DIY confidence & an aggressive approach 
  • 37:14 – Jayson’s Safety Net  
  • 39:08 – “Accidental investors” and building their property portfolio  
  • 44:28 – Why did they decide to engage a “top-tier” buyer’s agent?  
  • 45:51 – Property #1: Mould, misdirection & a burnt-out caravan next door 😬 
  • 51:05 – Cooling-off confusion: The clause that could’ve cost thousands 
  • 57:20 – Property #2: Shaky walkthroughs, low yield & misleading comparables 
  • 1:00:49 – Property #3: The final straw that broke the camel’s back 
  • 1:05:46 – After the two burns, why did they go back for a third swing?  
  • 1:08:19 – The refund request 
  • 1:13:53 – A surprising response from the CEO 
  • 1:16:11 – The Walkaway Test: The overlooked fourth component 
  • 1:21:22 – How Jayson rebuilt confidence!  
  • 1:23:02 – The red flags & real lessons learnt 
  • 1:26:39 – Jayson’s North Star: Freedom, flexibility & financial springboard 
  • 1:28:20 – The true power of lived experience 

And… 

  • 1:30:57 – Life By Design: The best way to teach your kids about taxes  
  • 1:32:18 – WMPN:  The most common landlord insurance claims…  

 

539 | CASE STUDY: “Their Forever Home Might Change… BUT Their Plan Didn’t” – Chat with David Robertson

By in Case Study, Podcast, Property Investment

Back by popular demand…

We’re bringing you another powerful Case Study episode featuring someone who lives and breathes property, finance, and wealth planning every single day. 

It’s none other than David Robertson, Head of Property Wealth Planning at Empower Wealth!  

And yes, he’s just as passionate as we are about helping Australians achieve financial peace… no matter where they’re starting or where they want to end up. 

In this episode, we’re unpacking a scenario that proves you DON’T need to have all your ducks in a row to start planning. 

Tune in to learn…

✔️ How to plan for future expenses even if you don’t have exact dates
✔️ Why flexibility can be your biggest strategic advantage
✔️ How this couple optimised their portfolio and cash flow
✔️ Why just TWO investment properties is enough to reach $3,000/week in retirement
✔️ How to “trade through” short-term negative cash flow
✔️ Which Forever Home they chose — the $2.1M or $1.1M option — and why 

🎯 Plus, stick around for Ben’s “What’s Making Property News” segment, where he shares a solution that could save property buyers hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

Whether you’re still figuring out where you want to live or want to see how flexible planning actually works — this episode is packed with practical insights to help you get clear, get confident, and get started. 

Free Stuff  

Timestamps  

  • 0:00 – CASE STUDY: “Their Forever Home Might Change… BUT Their Plan Didn’t” – Chat with David Robertson 
  • 1:11 – Bryce has seen the Freo movie too many times 😉  
  • 2:54 – Donate today and give others the gift of sight! Bryce’s upcoming 50th charity 
  • 4:46 – Free webinar replay: How to retire on $3K a week
  • 5:47 – Spruiker feedback: “Can you show us some sales to justify $620K?” 
  • 10:13 – Mindset Minute: Be careful who you ask advice from!  
  • 14:02 – Welcome back, Dave! 
  • 15:23– The consistent market theme Dave and his team see in property wealth planning 
  • 17:15 – Case Study: John & Jodie’s backstory  
  • 20:18 – A strategy for those that “don’t have all their ducks in row” 
  • 22:44 – Long-term goals & the starting positions  
  • 26:22 – Future expenses: How to plan even if you don’t know the exact dates 
  • 30:21 – The Golden Strategy: Only two investment properties needed?! 
  • 33:11– Considering rentvesting? Listen to this first  
  • 34:15 – Digging into the numbers: Surplus & buffer drops  
  • 36:04 – How investors “trade through” a negative cashflow position 
  • 38:36 – The Forever Home: Should they choose the $2.1M or $1.1M option? 
  • 44:44 – Is it in today’s dollars?   
  • 46:21 – Diving into the debt & short drops in loans  
  • 47:47 – Retirement income source: The balance between super and passive income 
  • 51:48 – Their wealth projection overview 
  • 52:31 – “… and that’s what financial peace looks like.”  
  • 56:33 – Want more great, in-depth case studies? Join the waitlist for our third book! 

And… 

 

538 | Property Spruikers 2.0: The Latest Tactics Designed to Trap You

By in Case Study, Podcast, Property Investment

“History doesn’t repeat itself—people repeat history.”  

Folks, today’s episode is on an issue that’s very close to our hearts and remains just as crucial today as when we started the podcast ten years ago… 

The alarming rise of the new-age Property Spruikers. 

We’re talking about the same tricks but in a new disguise designed to serve one purpose: their own interests at the expense of aspiring Australians. 😮   

Today we’re exposing the updated playbook of today’s spruikers, highlighting the deceptive strategies you need to be wary of.

Here’s what we cover…

⚠️ Rapid mortgage payoff schemes, like the “debt-free in 7 years” illusion 

⚠️ Overloading investors with multiple off-the-plan properties 

⚠️ Reckless “risk-free” promotion of supercharging your Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSF)  

⚠️ Emotional manipulation through high-pressure webinars and seminars

⚠️ Huge advertising budgets of $100K–$220K a week driving aggressive marketing campaigns

⚠️ PLUS, we reveal real case studies of spruikers who’ve been caught, unpacking the tactics these operators use, and the sad consequences for investors who fall prey to them

This is our updated, essential consumer awareness episode, aimed to give ALL investors (and to-be investors) the knowledge and tools to avoid being burnt by “$10 haircuts.”  

P.S. We also answer the crucial question: “If you’re already wealthy, why continue working?” and explain our motivations for starting—and continuing—The Property Couch podcast and Empower Wealth, our advisory business.  

Free Stuff  

FREE LIVE WEBINAR: How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $3K per Week (Even in a Changing Interest Rate Environment)

📅 When: 7:30pm AEDT, Tuesday, 25th March

It’s our FIRST live event of 2025, folks—and with interest rates shifting, it’s the perfect time to revisit your property strategy. Join us as we reveal 3 powerful secrets to help you start living your lifestyle by design, including:

  • 🔑 Secret #1: How to build a multi-million-dollar portfolio—without impacting your family budget.
  • 🔑 Secret #2: How to retire on $3,000 per week as a passive investor, with 5 properties or less!
  • 🔑 Secret #3: How the world’s best investors think—so you can block out negative market noise.

🎁 BONUS: Everyone who registers scores a FREE copy of our guide, “Our Top 5 Frameworks for Property Investors”—your essential resource for smarter investing!

Spots are limited! Reserve yours now 👉 (IMPORTANT: You’ll receive an email to confirm your email address once you’ve registered. Make sure to complete this step to receive your unique webinar access link and registration bonus.) 

 

(Not Free) Join PICA: Australia’s independent voice run BY investors FOR investors
Become a member of the Property Investor’s Council of Australia (PICA) for just $5! This not-for-profit organisation shares essential updates, tips and resources against property spruikers, legislative changes and more with the goal of protecting property investors.

 

Articles from Ben’s “What’s Making Property News”: Corelogic’s Bellwether markets point to signs of recovery 

 

Guests & Episodes Mentioned:  

 

Timestamps  

  • 0:00 – Property Spruikers 2.0: The Latest Tactics Designed to Trap You
  • 1:28 – Full disclosure & WHY we started the podcast 10 years ago  
  • 9:51 – Free Webinar: How to Retire on $3K a Week  
  • 10:55 – Mindset Minute: Are you holding on to these leashes or are they holding on to you?
  • 14:01 – The evolve & dissolve story: “History doesn’t repeat itself—people repeat history.”  
  • 16:48 – What is a property spruiker?  
  • 19:33 – Beware this #1 spruiker myth!  
  • 20:40 – The playbook for how spruikers operate 
  • 26:31 – $100k to $220K a week on advertising budgets?!  
  • 29:19 – Strategy #1: “Buy 6, Sell 3” 
  • 35:22 – Strategy #2: “Debt-Free Illusion”  
  • 40:05 – You’re paying for your own guarantee  
  • 41:34 – Strategy #3: “Supercharged SMSF”  
  • 45:01 – Folks, SMSFs aren’t light to set up!   
  • 47:38 – Strategy #4: The “High-Pressure Webinar/Seminar Funnel” 
  • 49:15 – The ASIC process: How they try to defend the everyday investor  
  • 53:21 – “If we’re so wealthy, then WHY are we still working?”  
  • 1:00:20 – Real Case Studies: A) The Institute  
  • 1:03:42 – B) Buy a house for a buck 
  • 1:05:45 – C) The “risk-free” SMSF investments 
  • 1:08:16 – D) New social media-savvy spruikers 😮  
  • 1:10:16 – E) The “Targeting Grieving Homeowners” Scandal 
  • 1:12:58 – Final takeaway: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 
  • 1:14:20 – “You pay for my independent valuer”  

And… 

  • 1:16:26 – Lifehack: Does your kid want a phone? Ask them to demonstrate these 8 things first!  
  • 1:21:46 – WMPN: Bellwether markets point to signs of recovery 

 

(Replay) FREE LIVE Webinar: How to Build a Property Portfolio & Retire on $3K Per Week

By in Case Study, Free Resources, Podcast

This Webinar Replay Has Now Expired

Thanks for your interest in our recent webinar!

The replay has now officially expired, and access to the exclusive bonuses is no longer available.

But don’t worry—there’s still a way to stay in the loop.

👋 Want to Be Notified About Future Live Webinars?

We’ve got more events and live trainings in the works! If you’d like to be notified next time we go live, just pop your details in the form below and we’ll make sure you’re the first to know.







 

🎓 Can’t Wait? Watch Our Free Masterclass

If you’re ready to start learning now, we highly recommend checking out our free, on-demand Masterclass: https://www.thepropertycouch.com.au/webinar

You’ll learn the fundamentals of smart property investing—straight from Ben and Bryce.

—–

FREE LIVE Webinar: How to Build a Property Portfolio & Retire on $3K Per Week

The property market is shifting, and with interest rates changing, many investors are asking: What’s the best strategy now?

That’s exactly what we’re unpacking in our FREE LIVE webinar, where we’ll reveal how to build a property portfolio that funds $3,000 per week in passive income—without overstretching your budget.

When? Tuesday, 25th March 2025 at 7:30 PM AEDT
Where? Online – join from anywhere!

What’s inside?
✔️ How to invest without sacrificing your lifestyle
✔️ The 5-property strategy to achieve $3K per week
✔️ The mindset shifts that separate smart investors from the rest

 

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