532 | Hold or Sell? How to Decide if Your Property Is Worth Keeping

Free Stuff  

• FREE MASTERCLASS: How To Buy an Investment Property Without Impacting the Family Budget
  As mentioned in Q2, Secret #1 in our free Masterclass teaches you how it’s possible to invest in property without sacrificing important moments today.
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• WAITLIST: Bryce’s 50th Charity Event!
  We’re thrilled to share that all spots for Bryce’s Charity Event have been filled! (by an amazing group of folks) In partnership with the John Fawcett Foundation, this special trip is designed to give those in need their eyesight back – and we couldn’t be more grateful for all the support and interest we received.
  If you missed out but would love to join, simply sign up for the waitlist now! >>
   

• COMING SOON: “How to Retire on $3K a Week”! 🚀
  After months of hard work, we’re SO excited to unveil our third book – “How to Retire on $3,000 a Week”! Packed with thousands of updated calculations, proven strategies, and expanded case studies, this is your ultimate guide to fast-tracking your passive income through property. Be the first to get your hands on it. Register now for exclusive release notifications and get ahead of the crowd! Join the waitlist today >>
   

• Guests & Episodes Mentioned:  
  • Never heard about a Finfluencer? Listen to Ep 489 | The Rise of the Finfluencer: Who’s at Risk? 
  • Episodes related to Q1:  
    • 220 | Sell or Hold? The $64 million dollar question 
    • 408 | Is It Time To Sell Up?! 
    • 435 | Should I Sell or Hold Right Now?! 
    • 496 | Don’t Sell the Goose That Lays the Golden Egg

Questions We Answer

Q1) To sell a negatively geared apartment or to ride out the wave? From Hanh 

“Hi guys.  

My name is Hanh. I’ve been binging on all your podcast episodes since I started researching on the topic of property investment over the last couple of months.   

The reason why I’m leaving you a voicemail is because I can’t seem to find an episode that covers my question, although I do love the learnings that I’ve had along the way so far. A bit of background about me. I’m 46 years old, and I currently live in suburbia Melbourne. I have two daughters, a 5 year old and a 6 year old. I own a studio apartment in Melbourne CBD for the last 20 years.  

It’s negatively geared and it has barely increased in value. I bought it for $315k and the agent currently values it at $380k. I seek financial advice they’re telling me to sell it to avoid further potential capital losses. My financial planner has also told me to cut my losses and to sell it and invest in something else that is more likely to go up in value. Not really sure what to do. My thoughts for this property were to initially live off in retirement, I would give it to my daughters as they get older or sell it if I ever to get sick again.  

In 2020 I was diagnosed with breast cancer so I don’t really have any income protection so in the event if it reoccurs, I would like to keep that as a bit of a buffer or a Plan B should I need it. Now with the government in Victoria capping international students, I feel that it might limit my rental yield and also property market, especially apartments in Melbourne is a bit saturated at the moment.  

I’m not sure if that will change in time, so I’m really undecided as what to do with this property, whether to sell it or to ride out the wave for the next 15 years or so. I’m a bit torn because I wanna like I have high hopes for this property, I’ll be very willing to give it up if there is a better alternative elsewhere.  

If you can help, that would be great. Thanks.”  

Q2) Time for taking action from Brad  

“Hey Team TPC! 

Having only been referred to your podcast by my colleague (and one of your clients) in March this year, I’m currently working my way past Episode 500 of your podcast. I’ve contacted your team and I am hoping 2025 is the year to ‘act on it!’ (especially since I’m 45 next October)!

My PPOR purchased in 2011 for $315k is currently valued at around $800-850k, with a loan balance of around $345k, with payments of ~$2500/month (after previously refinancing and fully renovating the house internally – added a 4th bedroom, Kitchen, Bathrooms, Tiles, Carpets, Paint etc.)  

After listening to your podcast,  I understand that it’s wise to start on the investment journey with a buffer of at least 6 months worth of savings.

I am currently paying off a car loan ($15k at around $150 a week) and thanks to YOUR MoneySMARTS system, I have been saving (a minimum of) $300 a week since the start of FY25.

With respect to the savings buffer and borrowing capacity, I know that is it wise to pay down consumer debt (i.e. my car loan) first, because the loan period (and therefore the interest paid) will reduce significantly.

My question for the community is:

If I wanted to buy an IP and I was in a position to release ~$280k equity from my PPOR, do I still need to have (recommended) 6 months of savings as a buffer, or can I act SOONER?

I understand that there is a huge opportunity cost of not ‘taking action’ now… and building that savings buffer could take me (and others out there) potentially up to another 2 years before I can act! Apart from taking on another job, (which is definitely not off the cards) I’d be keen for your feedback!

I hope that this question helps others who might be finding themselves in a similar situation.

You are directly impacting the lives of the community AND their loved ones, as a result… Thanks for all of your incredible work!

PS: With a few exceptions to the rule (like Victoria and Canberra) your borderless and well-informed approach to investing really makes some of the “spruikers” out there look like they are generalising on markets, influencing people with intent to benefit themselves!

(As entertaining as finfluencers like GH and JH are, you need not be concerned – they don’t hold a candle to the TPC Team… They are no competition!)”  

Q3) Are Property Finfluencers Fuelling FOMO and Market Manipulation? From Jen  

“Hi Bryce.  

 Finfluencer follow up….And maybe another question/request for the podcast? 

Here is my question… 

In the battle of the property finfluencers, I can see it comes down to a few investing strategy frameworks – with the top two being; 

1. The conservative, tried and tested – buy location, then the land and dwelling type, and go long.
2. The new age “we have found something that the conservatives haven’t” – buy hot spots, ride the short term wave, then rinse and repeat your way to financial freedom.

I can appreciate the compelling story with #2 as it feeds into the notion of get rich quick and feeds the ego with bias around investing in a way that others can’t see.  

For the 2nd model to work, here are two possible constants or constraints (depending on the way you look at it):

1. Reliance on a buyers agent model that hasn’t been around for ‘long’ which requires said buyers agent to tap you on the shoulder when it’s time to buy and sell in a particular area.
2. Manipulation of property prices from such buyers agents who have their clients flood into a particular hotspot area within a certain time frame, driving a certain degree of artificial demand and price uplift.

Number 2 is a concern, from the perspective that all the new buyers agents are interpreting the same info from the same data sources yet they think they are the only ones to see it. And then sell these so called ‘insights’ to their followers based off this premise… ‘we are doing something and seeing something that others aren’t’. 

But in true terms, it’s a younger, wider movement based on all the same data sets, which leads to FOMO and possible sub market price manipulation.”

Timestamps  

• 0:00 – Hold or Sell? How to Decide if Your Property Is Worth Keeping  
• 1:18 – Thank you to our inspiring Summer Series guests! 
• 4:03 – Mindset Minute: Approaching 50 does something to you… 
• 8:38 – Incoming Projects: Our third book, huge upgrades to Moorr & more… 
• 15:57 – Q1) To sell a negatively geared apartment or to ride out the wave?  
• 19:27 – Why not invest in Studio Apartments?  
• 24:00 – “Owner-Occupier appeal is EVERYTHING.” 
• 25:05 – You need to ask, “Will the banks like it?”  
• 28:14 – How to escape the loss aversion trap  
• 30:55 – Q2) Time for taking action 
• 33:53 – How professionals would unpack this problem 
• 35:30 – Using equity to act sooner: Is it a good idea? 
• 36:20 – Do you need a buffer?  
• 38:42 – Don’t look down: How to redefine how you see debt! 
• 41:21 –  Masterclass Secret #1: How to adjust your family budget to release surplus 
• 41:37 – Q3) Are Property Finfluencers Fuelling FOMO and Market Manipulation? 
• 43:47 – How GameStop’s short squeeze is the same as property spruikers 
• 48:16 – The 10,000 hours matter…  
• 52:54 – Are you buying into a cyclical or fundamental movement?  
• 57:48 – Thank you to this week’s question-askers & 2025 Property Market Outlook at the end of the month!   

And… 

• 58:36 – Lifehack: How to use AI to get your kids to do homework!  
• 1:01:37 – WMPN: Climate risk is growing; what does it mean for insurance?