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355 | Zero Debt & $2,000 A Week In The Bank: HOW?!

How can property investors reach zero debt AND still hit a four-figure passive income each week?
And what do we mean when we say “retire” the debt, anyway? What does this look like and, importantly, WHEN should you start this process?

Folks, in today’s special Q&A episode we’re circling back to a few basic principles and fleshing out some confusion when it comes to property investing. This includes clearing air (and tidying up our language!) when it comes to being informed of the step-by-step investing process.

For one – you’ve no doubt heard us talk about achieving $2,000 in passive income… well, WHERE exactly does this money come from? Is it just your rental income?

As part of this we’ll also be covering “Failure to Launch” principles and “Investment Remorse” – the latter, which may actually be a more common feeling than you think! So what should you consider if you find yourself second guessing your asset selection?

PLUS, because we’re officially in Spring – this episode comes with a WARNING about this year’s “Spring Selling Season”… ‘cos there’s a critical shift taking place ALL home buyers need to be aware of.

Suss the exact questions we answer below – or, better yet, simply hit play and get the gold now 😊

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

 

The Questions We Answer

Question from Stevo on “Post Purchase Restlessness”
Hi guys 12 months after purchasing an investment property, I’m starting to get this feeling that it might not of been a great purchase and also restlessness about wanting to “go again” and am worried the growth might not be quick enough compared to capital cities. I say that based on an old episode where you mentioned something about the limitations or a price ceiling in certain areas based on the demographics.

Obviously being a regional property, which doesn’t have the same wage potential as capital cities, am I exposed to the idea that the growth has happened and it won’t come again?
The property is available via this link. It’s shown growth over the past 20 years in capital and rental return.

For reference the idea of “inner city” living (albeit in Mildura) has exploded recently and is the driver of the growth over the past five years. The council and state govt have invested to upgrade the riverfront (very close to the CBD) and has completed stage one. Stage two has started to attract funding and small upgrades/extensions have started. Data suggest Mildura will continue to grow in population albeit slower than Geelong and Bendigo for example, however, it is still positive growth compared to other regional towns this distance from capital cities (which are often stagnate or negative). Major industries – agriculture and tourism, health, Govt. Sorry for the long-winded question and info.

Also, is this a normal feeling people get (delayed remorse)?

 

Question from Ebony on “When is the best time to sell your investments?
Hello, I have a question around when is the best time to sell your investments? My husband and I are mid 30s and have two investment properties. Right now, in our town the property market is a sellers’ market and prices are crazy. Our accountant has recommended that we should seek advice from a financial advisor and possibly sell both investments because they are positively geared and that we would be better off building a new home as an investment or investing elsewhere. I am really unsure about this because I think that we already have 2 great investments, and we would be potentially paying more down the track for land should the market stay the same. However, we have had one property for 2 years and the other for 1 year and could look at earning $100K off the sale of each investment. I guess it’s hard to know if the market will stay at these prices or crash when interest rates rise. Really after some advice from someone who is knowledgeable about property investments. Thank you.

 

Question from Paul on Retiring Debt
Can you elaborate on what you mean when you talk about retiring your debt? I’m confused by what you mean by this.

 

Question from Chris on “$2,000 per week in passive income”
Hi Ben and Bryce, Love your work. 👍 I’m not sure if you’ve mentioned it before, and you probably have, but I would like to know where the $2,000 a week comes from? Is it pure rental income (taxed) above expenses for the portfolio or is it accessing equity against capital growth (is this now defunct with new lending criteria?) or is it a combination of both? Thanks in advance. This is a major thought blocking me from moving forward. 👍

 

Rest, Recovery & High-Performance Graphic

Here is the graphic Bryce was referring to in today’s Life Hack:

 

 

 

165 | Royal Commission’s Role in the Lending Sector and Q&A on Improving Loan Serviceability, Sell v Hold Strategy and Investing in Shares

Just a heads up, folks: we’re tackling a couple of serious topics today!

Because, not only are we diving into the world of the Banking Royal Commission (and what they do), we’re also answering a few voicemail messages about how to best service your loan, what to look out for if you considering investing in shares and having a crack at the million dollar question: should you sell or hold??

Yep, Ben will be donning on his Chair of PICA hat to address some of these topics, especially when it comes to choosing your mortgage broker wisely and making sure, as property investors our assets and financial wellbeing are well protected!

 

As part of this, we will be dropping the “F” word… Fraud.

It should go without saying, DON’T go there… but if you find yourself taking dodgy advice, you could find yourself in boiling water too. And remember — for the folks that haven’t signed up yet — you can get an individual Membership of PICA for as little as $5 to lobby government regulations and help us get rid of the “bad eggs” and spruikers responsible!

 

So, let’s jump into the SpeakPipe Q’s:

Question from Nick (from New Zealand) about Selling or Holding a House and Land Package:

I purchased a house and land package in Landsdale, Perth in 2012. It’s next to the parks, next to the school; it’s a beautiful place with nice places around it — should I play the long game and hold onto it? Or should I look at selling it & placing my money elsewhere? It’s cash flow neutral, so it’s not costing me anything. It’s rented out, I’m paying the debt down through my own cash flow… the only other thing is, I’m at university so if I sell it, I won’t be able to get another place — I wouldn’t be able to get a mortgage — for 2 years until I graduate. I know it’s a million dollar question — but should I sell it or hold it?

 

Question from Will about serviceability concerns with current lending regulations:

We’ve got a current portfolio of currently 3 properties, looking to buy our 4th and final property in late 2018. I’m a little bit concerned about serviceability since the new APRA rules? have been brought in with the big banks. I was wondering if there were any practical things we could do to improve our serviceability? The second part to the question: Is there anything we can do to increase serviceability with second-tier lenders and third tier lenders?

 

Question about shares from Jamie:

Through your podcast, Rich Dad, Poor Dad. In the book, it talks about using shares to raise a deposit to purchase property. I was wondering if you were aware of any podcasts or books or any other resources that are similar to your own podcast but talk about trading shares? It’s something that is less tangible than property and I have a harder time understanding it.

 

p.s. Make sure to check out PICA’s website: www.pica.asn.au

p.p.s. And the video that we talked about is called, Becoming Warren Buffet.

124 | Q&A – 20 Minutes Saved 20 Years of Regret, Investing in Airbnb, Property Spruikers, Buying Cash Flow Only and the Cost of Commission

Alright folks, it’s that time again… you ask, and the boys answer!

After receiving a tabletop full of new topics, we’ve taken our cue this week from an anonymously-sent testimonial.

Turns out an earlier episode of Why You Shouldn’t Invest in Property saved a listener from being “sold a lemon by a spruiker”! Yep. Unfortunately guys, the property spruikers are still out there, so Bryce & Ben will be answering similar questions on the red flags to look out for, like:

  • How to sniff out the so called “educators” and get your trust back
  • What your next move should be to fix bad property advice
  • How 20 minutes stopped 20 years of regret
  • What the consequences are with ‘fee for service’ and ‘working for commission’
  • Why the right asset selection can flip spruikers on their heads
  • What finance in the first two stages of property investing are
  • Why negative gearing is really only a moment in time
  • How long and how many properties you need in the accumulation phase
  • What ‘buying only for cash flow’ is, and its risks and rewards
  • Investing in regional areas and factors to consider
  • How to spot the difference between a genuine property educator vs a spruiker

and (SUPER TOPICAL)

  • Airbnb Investments: Are they worth considering?

This is a goodie, especially for those who don’t want to feel the sting of bad investing!

(For those who want to know the website Ben talks about, it’s PIPA.)

Questions from this episode

Anonymous Listener (as continued from their nightmare situation, which the boys will read out):
… We have about $200,000 of available equity, but we are now not sure what our borrowing power is as our previous broker was also linked to the spruikers and we don’t trust what they’ve told us. In your opinion, what should our next move be? Ideally we’d like to invest in Melbourne or Sydney but are not sure if it’s the right time to get into these markets.

Andy:
Can you guys talk about finance in the first two stages of property investing? How do we go about understanding the numbers e.g. loans, consolidation and what is involved – how  everything works with the finance and loans, what to do with the loans from accumulation stages to consideration stages and onwards?

Jonathan:
Hi guys. I’ve recently started listening to your podcast and think it’s great. I’ve recently attended a seminar with ‘XYZ’ company, ‘XYZ Education’ they call themselves. Just wanted to know if you had heard anything about them? I understand there are many of these ‘mentors’ out there — those that are ‘fee for service’ and those that work off commission. These guys are the latter. Any thoughts, comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Kate:
What do you think about the idea of buying for cash flow only? I live in Adelaide and there are many areas within 60-90 mins of Adelaide where you can buy quality character properties for less than $250,000. If only earning an average income, and planning to buy and hold for 15-20 years, do you think a larger portfolio of properties like this may be less risky than one or two closer to the CBD, which will have substantial holding costs?

Eddie:
Hi. I am an avid listener to your podcasts and I started listening to them since 2015, but I have stopped for a year. I have recently bought another investment unit and have started listening to them again. I am currently at Episode 51 and it is great because I can listen to them nonstop without having to wait for the next one to arrive in my podcast. Great work, I really enjoy your shows.

I have a question regarding Airbnb. I know it is not aligned with your property investing strategy and overall investing mantra. But recently, it has taken the property market by storm and there are many investors who are doing this to become positive cash flow. It is sort of the elephant in the room and there is a lot of talk about it out there, whether it is in high-rise holiday resorts, or brick and mortar family homes. People are doing it. I have recently bought an apartment (yes: high rise, high density, tourist destination, lifts and caretaker) and so far I am cash flow positive, after netting all costs including cleaning, rates and body corporate. I only manage the bookings of the apartment and outsource everything to a cleaner who doubles up as my meet-and-greet host. I also have insurances to cover those times when needed, and I do everything above board.

I would like your views on how your look at Airbnb investment as part of an investment strategy—if it is something that you are interested in discussing. Thanks.

If you enjoyed this Q&A episode, don’t forget to rate us on iTunes (The Property Couch Podcast) and our Facebook page. Any questions or ideas? Feel free to drop us your thoughts here: http://thepropertycouch.com.au/topics/

096 | Building a Positively Geared Property Portfolio – Chat with Prue Muirhead, Property Investor of The Year (2010)

Joining us on our first online recording today is Prue Muirhead!

Prue is the co-founder of Muirhead Property Management, 2010’s Property Investor of the Year, teaches property investment and property management at TAFE Adelaide, and is an active investor with 18 positively geared properties under her belt.

So in today’s episode, Bryce and Ben will be chatting with her about how she build her positively geared property portfolio, as well as:

  • Her journey as a sophisticated property investor, the hurdles she faced along the way and how she overcame them
  • Understanding different risk profiles and property investing risks when building a portfolio
  • Lending challenges faced by the self-employed and how she used equity in her current home to build up her portfolio
  • Her investment strategy and her definition of manufactured property growth
  • The importance of continuous learning, research and taking initiatives for an active investor
  • Self-management versus using a property manager
  • Potential for upgrades and renovations from the perspective of a property manager
  • The mindset and preparations required for property developments
  • Mistakes made along the way and her top tips for other property investors

If you liked this episode of “Building a Positively Geared Property Portfolio – Chat with Prue Muirhead, Property Investor of The Year (2010)”, don’t forget to rate us on our iTunes channel (The Property Couch Podcast) and our Facebook page.

If you have any questions or ideas, feel free to drop us your thoughts here: https://thepropertycouch.com.au/contact/

 

079 | Q&A – Underquoting, New Developments Next Door, Fixing an Overly Negatively Geared Portfolio and more

It’s the first day of Spring and a perfect time for a Question and Answer episode! Bryce and Ben started off with some of their auction stories on underquoting and a general market update.The property market had been rather cold this winter but with that over, what will we be expecting these coming months?

 

Here are the questions for today’s podcast:

  • Question on new developments next door from Jesse: My question is regarding to the current development boom that has exploded all over Melbourne as it relates to my property in bayside Melbourne. My wife and I bought a town house in Cheltenham about 8 years ago. It is on a reasonably busy road that goes from Nepean Highway down to the beach in Sandringham. We have been diligently paying it off as quickly as we can in order to give ourselves some freedom (we are both freelance) and now we are looking to buy our first investment property. This week the house next to us and the next seven houses along have all got ‘For Sale’ signs up in front. Our understanding after a brief chat with the next door neighbours is that they have all been approached by a developer who wants to build a large mid level apartment block right next to our house. Our concern is what impact this will have on our property value. We are now planning to move out and ‘rent-vest‘ as we don’t want to stay there through this construction phase.
    Our main concerns are:
    (A) How this will impact the value of our property when it comes to us getting a loan for an investment property.
    (B) The impact this will have on our ability to rent out our townhouse if this new development goes ahead. In light of this are we better off trying to sell now and cut our losses or stick with it as a rental.
  • Question on cash flow from Sonia: Hi Bryce and Ben, I am a big property fan and have been listening to every single episode of the property couch. I have a few investment properties in the Sydney inner city suburbs. Besides that I also have a decent amount of savings in cash. I just quit my job to study interior design, hoping to set up my own business later on. I am a typical rich in assets and poor in cash flow example. Just wondering what is your investment advice for people like me. Thank you. Sonia
  • Question on property portfolio fromKhai:
    • Q1) Is it better to pay off the mortgage or keep buying Investment properties?
    • Q2) I have forecasted passive income of $60,000 (as a couple) in next 10 years (assuming 5% annual price rise and if I sell down my 6 properties to fully own 3 including PPOR). How do you increase this to 100,000? Keep buying 3-5 more properties in next 5 years.
    • Q3) How do I fix a severely negative cash flow portfolio (minus $25k annually for 6 properties)? Options I have in mind are: building a granny flat, refinancing to lower interest rates, raising rents, converting car space in townhouse to LUG (costs probably $10,000 per townhouse but increase rents $1k per year), converting car space in townhouse to LUG (costs probably $10,000 per townhouse but increase rents $1k per year)
  • Question on develop or buy from Adam: I own a positively geared corner property in North Sunshine in Victoria, I am ready to take the next step in building my portfolio, does it make better sense to develop my existing property into three town houses, or to go and buy another investment property keeping in mind that property price growth will most likely exceed building costs ?

 

If you like this Q&A episode (Underquoting, New Developments Next Door, Fixing an Overly Negatively Geared Portfolio and more), don’t forget to rate us on our iTunes channel (The Property Couch Podcast) and our Facebook page. Any questions or ideas? Feel free to drop us your thoughts here: https://thepropertycouch.com.au/topics/

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