Alright, folks …. This is a jam-packed episode!! 2 GUESTS, Q & A and some big announcements! So, where do we start?

First up … We have reached our Movember target of $10,000 big ones! A massive shout out to those who have donated, and a little reminder for those who haven’t done so yet: Donate $25 or more and get a FREE book! If we hit $11,000 Bryce will do his own Webinar TOO!!

(Ben’s webinar is coming up soon! You can access his Principle and Interest versus Interest Only Webinar AND his Working Out Your Retirement Shortfall Webinar by Downloading our Money SMARTS SYSTEM here.)

Speaking of Movember, our first guest is Sam Gledhill. He’s the Global Action Plan (GAP) Program Manager at Movember and he has some seriously interesting (not to mention seriously important) stuff to share with you! With a background in nuclear medicine technology — having been with the Foundation since 2012 and now responsible for the overall investments in Testicular Cancer — Sam will explain exactly why your donation is, literally, lifesaving.

Secondly, it’s Q&A day AND we have another guest! Not only are we answering your voicemail messages, but also we’ve bought LocationScore’s director (and data nutcase), Jeremy Sheppard, back to The Couch! This time Jeremy will to tell you the supply and demand for each State and Territory, including the one showing the highest potential for capital growth.

Here’s a snapshot on what we’ll be chatting about today:

• What is a Letter of Authority from a Buyers Agent?
• Do you need a Power of Authority if you’re working with a Buyers Agent?
• Is it a good idea to convert your existing home into an investment property?
• What are the limitations of getting finance for a property under 50sqm?
• Should you spend more if it gets you closer to the city?
• What’s the difference between price and value?
• What’s news in the market?
• Which state holds the highest LocationScore for capital growth?
• Is the “Property Bubble” in Sydney about to “burst”?
• Is there still capital growth in Melbourne?

First Voicemail (SpeakPipe) from “Anonymous”:

“I’m thinking of using a Buyers Agent to secure an investment property. I’m curious to know if I need to give them a Letter of Authority or a Power of Attorney, or both. Can you please explain the difference, and how I can use them? Thanks!”

Second Voicemail (SpeakPipe) from Stuart:

“Hi guys, great podcast. I’ve spent the last year listening to your podcast trying to get as many tips and advice about my property investment journey, which I’ll hopefully embark on very soon. Bit of a ‘spanner in the works’ though — I’d always envisioned starting out with maybe a 1 bedroom, around $300,000 – $400,000, maybe as a borderless investor (I currently live in Victoria). But our current house that we owner-occupy is looking a bit too small for us … my wife has proposed the question that we look at buying a bigger property. So the key to the question is, What are your thoughts on your first rental property actually being the one you currently occupy? I know you guys like detail, so I’ll shoot through to this: Currently it’s a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom property in Chelsea, Victoria about 17 – 20 minutes from the train station and the beach. We bought it for about $505,000 in 2013, we owe $467,000 on it, we pay interest-only — about $1500 a month — and I think it’s worth about $650,000. So I’m really interested to know: what are your thoughts on a 3bd, 2bath house in Chelsea becoming our first rental investment? It’s not really what I’d mapped out listening to your podcast, but we’d probably have to buy a bigger, 4bd in Chelsea/Bonbeach area & I just want to see if this is a viable option in your opinion? I look forward to hearing your thoughts! Thanks!”

Third Voicemail (SpeakPipe) from Nicole:

“I’m from Canberra, woo! Looking at buying our 3rd property (1 PPOR and 2 IP). We’re looking at investing in a 1 br unit, which is 41 sqm in an old 1970s building, 5 km from CBD. It’s in Canberra, I’m aware of the land tax). $200,000 property with a $300 week yield. Husband can renovate it, which I think out ways the land tax issue. Question about banks’ lending money to under 50sqm. There seems to be banks that will lend these days, but going forward if we were to sell this — say in 20 years’ time, if we do sell it — do you think the banks are going to change their lending criteria on smaller places, considering most people, moving forward, will be living in small places? I guess I’m concerned that it’s going to be hard to sell in the future? What are your thoughts on this?”

Fourth Voicemail (SpeakPipe) from Nicole:

“My wife and I have about $180K to invest — we’re looking at buying our first home in Brisbane. Trying to choose between paying, which in our eyes is a premium, about the $600K mark for an older 3 bedroom home somewhere closer to the CBD like Moorooka or the convenient location of Mount Gravatt. Or: Paying early to mid $500K and getting a bigger, 4 bedroom home somewhere further away like Underwood or Springwood and using $120K of our deposit, leaving us about $60K towards our next property down the line. Again, it’s our first home, and we don’t plan on living in it forever. We just want to use this purchase as a stepping stone to our next property. To sum it up: Buying a property closer to the city, which will use up most of our deposit, versus by a home further away, leaving us with a good amount of money to jump into the market again down the line. Would love to know what you think.  I know that you say it’s good to be close to the city as a rule of thumb; but I am worried that this will prolong our next purchase considerably. Thanks guys.”