X
The Property Couch Logo

547 | Sell or Hold? Retirement, Rooming Houses & Real Regret-Free Decisions

By in Podcast, Property Investment, Q&A

Subscribe On Itunes Subscribe On Android

What would you do if your investment property hadn’t moved in value in six years… but your gut says, “Just hang in there a bit longer”? 

In this week’s Q&A episode, we’re answering four big listener questions — and unpacking some of the trickiest real-life property dilemmas out there today:  

Here’s what we answer:

🔹 Sam is stuck with a unit in Penrith that’s underperformed for years. Should he sell and start fresh… or is it worth holding for Western Sydney’s future growth?  

🔹 Scott is in his mid-50s with a $2M home, healthy super, and a positively geared investment property in Logan. He’s downsizing soon… but is his plan the right one? 

🔹 Ethan, a past guest, just lost a property to demolition — and he’s now looking into rooming houses. High yield, low vacancy… but what’s the catch?   

🔹 Viv owns four rooming houses, returning 10%, but wants to know: Can she exit smoothly, or will semi-commercial status tie her hands in retirement? 

Whether you’re navigating poor-performing properties or plotting your next big pivot — this one’s packed with practical, real-world advice. Listen now!  

 

Free Stuff  

  • FINAL WEEK: Give the gift of sight
    Next week, the team heads to Bali to visit the John Fawcett Foundation and see the impact your donations are making — restoring eyesight for those who need it most.But there’s still time to be part of it! If you’ve been meaning to give but haven’t yet — this is your chance.Every $25 donation funds a cataract surgery, and every surgery changes a life forever. 👉 Donate now!
  • The RBA has cut interest rates! Could this be the start of a new rate-cut cycle? 
    Tune in to Ben’s LIVE cash rate announcement, where we cover this and deep dive into the local and global trends shaping Ben and Evan Lucas’ outlook. Listen now >>

 

Questions We Answer

Q1) “Selling or Holding an Underperforming Investment Property?” from Sam
“Hey guys, just found you on Spotify a few weeks ago. The information I’m getting is phenomenal—keep up the great work. Really appreciate it, along with everybody else. 

Just have a bit of a situation that I’m in. My wife and I purchased our first home—a townhouse—15 months ago in Penrith. We’re planning to stay here long term. However, my brother, mum, dad and I purchased an investment property back in 2018—also in Penrith. 

The error we made was that we bought a unit. Over the past six years, it hasn’t performed all that well. If we’re lucky, we’re up about $100,000. It’s negatively geared, so we’re putting money into it each week.   

I’d like to get another investment property. But I’m not sure if we should sell this one and start fresh—maybe even get a couple. Or whether we should hold onto it and hope it increases in value. 

We do have a bit of equity in it. So another option is to pull that equity out and buy again without selling. 

The main question is—should we sell or should we hold? 

The property’s performance hasn’t been great. I think I’m trying to convince myself to hold because of the new airport being built in Western Sydney. Hoping that it will help push the value up. But I’m probably holding on to a bit too much hope there. 

Can’t wait to hear what you guys think. Have a good one!”  

 

Q2) “Seeking Advice on Selling Investment Property & Downsizing Strategy” from Scott 

Hi boys, long-time listener of your podcast—really good stuff. 

I’ve got a question for you. 

My wife and I are in our mid-50s. We’ve got a principal place of residence worth about $2 million. There’s a $170,000 mortgage on it, with $87,000 in offset. We also have an investment property we bought 20 years ago for $195,000. 

We’re looking to sell it now for around $700,000. There’s still a $95,000 mortgage on it. It’s positively geared, generating about $15,000 per year. We’ve got a combined super of about $1.5 million. We’ve kind of already started actioning a plan—but we’d love your thoughts to see if we’re on the right track. 

The plan is: Sell the investment house in Logan (south of Brisbane). 

Yes, we know we’ll have to pay capital gains. Then reinvest the funds into a unit, apartment, or townhouse in Brisbane. The idea is eventually to downsize our principal place of residence in Brisbane (worth $2 million). Then reinvest that into a unit on the Gold Coast. 

So, by retirement, we’d ideally have: One unit in Brisbane and one on the Gold Coast. Potentially rent one out for a while but ideally, not have to rent either of them out. Just use one as a Brisbane base and the other as a Gold Coast bolt-hole. 

Just interested in your thoughts— Are we making the right call selling the investment and reinvesting it? 

Or are we better off just hanging onto it? 

We wouldn’t ever live in the Logan property.  Thank you! 

 

Q3) “Thoughts on Rooming House Investments After Unexpected Property Loss” from Ethan 

G’day legends,  

Ethan from episode 471 here.  I’ve got a question regarding rooming / boarding houses. 

I recently had an incident at one of my investment properties. The property is going to be fully demolished. Thankfully, no one was injured and insurance will cover it. 

This event wasn’t part of the plan, but it’s led me to try and create a new opportunity out of the misfortune. That’s led me to do a deep dive into rooming houses. 

From all the research I’ve done, it seems like a very attractive investment. We’re talking ROI of 9% plus, and extremely low vacancy rates. Other properties in the area doing similar setups look promising.  

The Victorian government isn’t applying land tax to rooming houses. And the location I’m considering is under one kilometre from the centre of town. 

I’m fully aware of the extra costs and risks involved. Higher overheads, higher management fees, higher insurance, cleaning costs, and higher build costs—just to name a few. But the pros seem to outweigh the cons at this stage. 

Is it too good to be true? I’m still in full research mode and looking at a few other options too. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this type of investment. I know you guys are like me—you prefer to buy fully established rather than build. Keep up the good work, guys. 

 

Q4) “How to Sell Rooming Property Effectively?” from Viv  

Hi guys, 

I’ve invested in four rooming accommodation properties that have good income. They’re returning around 10%. 

I’m trying to figure out how to transition them into retirement. Do I sell them? Do I hold them? 

They’re a bit different from a standard rental because they’re semi-commercial. So they’re not as easy to sell at the drop of a hat like a regular investment property. I don’t want to feel restricted by that. 

Just wondering—have you had any experience with rooming accommodation? 

Two of the properties are built-to-rent. They’re five-bedroom, five-bathroom setups, with each room like an individual apartment. The other two are in my self-managed super fund. I converted those from existing properties already held in the fund. 

I’d really love to hear your feedback on rooming accommodation and where it fits into a retirement strategy. Thanks very much—love your show! Bye. 

 

Timestamps  

  • 0:00 – Sell or Hold? Retirement, Rooming Houses & Real Regret-Free Decisions 
  • 1:37 – Winners are grinners 😉  
  • 2:49 – LAST WEEK before Bryce’s 50th birthday!   
  • 3:20 – RBA Cash Rate: Could this be the start of a new rate-cut cycle?   
  • 5:27 – Mindset Minute:  What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? 
  • 7:32 – Q1) “Selling or holding an underperforming investment property?” 
  • 9:29 – Purpose, unit uniqueness & recycling costs: Why these are key!  
  • 12:43 – Future infrastructure = investing failure 
  • 16:54 – 2 critical behavioural heuristics  
  • 17:58 – Q2) “Seeking advice on selling investment property & downsizing strategy”
  • 20:02 – Held your PPOR for over 10 years? You may be eligible for this!  
  • 24:12 – What is your passive income goal?  
  • 29:05 – Romance vs. Reality 
  • 31:47 – Q3) “Thoughts on rooming house investments after unexpected property loss” 
  • 33:45 – Q4) “How to sell rooming property effectively?” 
  • 35:05 – Why room design matters here  
  • 39:05 – The 3 questions you should be asking… 
  • 41:37– Folks, this isn’t a “set-and-forget” strategy! 
  • 44:28 – Water & property don’t mix 😉  

And… 

  • 47:49 – Life By Design hack: If your kids want to do something, put it on paper!  
  • 49:44 – WMPN: The latest bonds data: 24,384 properties lost in Victoria?!  

 

TPC Gold | Property Due Diligence: What to Know Before Buying an Existing Unit

By in Podcast

Subscribe On Itunes Subscribe On Android

This snippet is from one of our previous episodes: Is Now The Right Time to Buy a High Rise Apartment? 

When it comes to buying an existing apartment or unit, doing the right due diligence can save you from years of costly surprises. 

In this TPC Gold snippet, Bryce and Ben break down the must-do checks every buyer should know before purchasing a strata or medium-density property.  

From digging into the body corporate minutes to having quiet chats with the neighbours, they share the practical (and often overlooked) steps that separate a smart buyer from a regretful one. 

“If you’re buying into a building, you’re buying into a community—and sometimes that community has stories you won’t find in the contract. – Bryce” 

Whether you’re a first-home buyer, upgrading, or planning your forever home, this is a must-listen if you’re considering purchasing an existing property. 

Want Help Finding Your Dream Home—Without the Guesswork?

Due to popular demand, our sister company Empower Wealth has recently launched a brand-new Owner-Occupier Buyers Agent division. 

Where our existing Buyers Agents have helped thousands of investors find the right property to build wealth, this new division is specifically designed for everyday Australians looking to find their dream home. 

So—why engage a Buyers Agent when buying your home? 

✅ Clarity and confidence: Cut through the overwhelm with guidance tailored to your exact needs and lifestyle.
✅ Save time and stress: Let a seasoned professional handle the search, shortlist, inspections, and negotiations.
✅ Avoid costly mistakes: With experience across different property types, our agents know what to look for—and what to avoid.
✅ Access off-market opportunities: Get access to homes that never even hit the open market.
✅ Emotional balance: Stay objective in one of life’s biggest decisions with a calm, strategic expert by your side. 

Book a free consultation with one of our Buyers Agents today and take the stress out of your next home purchase! 

__________________

If You Enjoyed TPC Gold | Property Due Diligence: What to Know Before Buying an Existing Unit, You Might Also Like:

Transcript

Ben Kingsley
So what’s the DD, what’s the due diligence we need to do, Bryce? What’s the number one thing?  

Bryce Holdaway
Number one due diligence is you go and have a look at the past track record of body corporate minutes, because what does that tell you? You’ve got a community of people coming together saying the body corporate’s got a responsibility for X, Y and Z and if there’s something wrong with the building they’re going to let you know, or if there’s something wrong with a defect or a person who’s living there or something that is affecting the peaceful enjoyment of that community, it is usually going to be in those minutes. And I would go back as many as you can possibly get your hands on, minimum two, but it’d be nice to see three, so you can see if there’s anything back in the past where there might have been an issue. Now I’ve got a beware on that Ben, because based on what we’ve been talking about today, would there be an incentive Ben for… 

Ben Kingsley
…the body corporate not to disclose, Bryce? 

Bryce Holdaway
Correct.  

Ben Kingsley
Yes. 

Bryce Holdaway
Because what’s one of the biggest challenges that you’re going to have with the current issue around the crisis is people protecting the value of their asset. And how do they protect the value of their asset? They have an off-record chat, Ben, about some issues that they do not put on the minutes because they know this is what the diligent people will do. But first of all, that’s what I would do, Ben. Notwithstanding there’s an issue.  

And secondly, I talked about it before, but do you have a body corporate that is proactive about realising that a building will need some maintenance done? And are they going to be reactive or proactive? And reactive means that they will just deal with stuff as it happens versus people who go: Hey here’s our 10-year maintenance plan. Here’s that divided by 10; here’s that divided by the 18, the 16, the 12, the 8 owners. Here’s your contribution each year, so that you make that. Have they got a sinking fund balance for a rainy day? 

Ben Kingsley
A healthy sinking fund balance is a good sign of a couple of things, Bryce; a well-built building as well. Because if they haven’t had to do anything with it, and I’ll give you a good example. Where was I? I was in Brisbane, and I was looking for an apartment for a client of ours and I came across this one in about six kilometres out of Brisbane and I went and had a look at it and I thought, okay, it’s really well-priced, good floor plan. I did notice a couple of cracks, so I’m like, okay. So everyone goes, well, can you still get a building and pest inspection on the building? I go, yes, you can. And you can even get them on high rises.  

Now, some building and pest inspectors will say there’s a limited scope in terms of the external work they do, especially if it’s 20 or 30 stories, they’re not gonna be able to get up on a scaffold and go and have a look at it. But they can still do the underground car parks, they can still do that, because most stuff comes from the foundation and works up. So in this particular case, I got a building and pest inspection done and I was like, oh, a couple of cracks there I’d like an engineer to have a look at. As soon as he said that, I said, no, no, don’t even worry about it. As soon as you say that I’m out. That’s it, I’m moving on to the next block because you can pay $400, $500, $600 and you get that and all of sudden it’s like, okay, if that’s worse than I thought it was because it’s structural in an area… I don’t even need to engage in an engineer; I’m not gonna buy that for my client. It’s like, next property please. Even though I thought it was a good buy, I’m moving on.  

Bryce Holdaway
That’s what we call self-selection, Ben.  

Ben Kingsley
I don’t need to spend a few grand to have the engineer tell me what’s wrong with it.  

Bryce Holdaway
Yeah, so there you go folks. And the last one is, I apply this particular one, Ben, even if it’s a house, if it’s a townhouse… I go and talk to the neighbours.  

Ben Kingsley
Yeah.  

Bryce Holdaway
Because they are only too willing to tell you.  

Ben Kingsley
Well, it comes back to that story about whether the body corporate is fully disclosing right? So if you are buying into a medium density; again, owner occupiers could be listening to this saying: I do want to live here and that is the price point to get me into that suburb and there are lots of apartments with 30 or 40 apartments in them now, so go and door knock. You know how they’ve still got the security that you can’t get through the front door? Just door stop them. I’ve done it before, my door stop is: Oh excuse me do you live here? 

Bryce Holdaway
But what happens if you’re not a Collingwood supporter…?  

Ben Kingsley
There’s a nice way of doing it, and here’s the approach. It is as simple as: Oh hi. Because what they do is: Oh do you need to get in? And it’s like: No actually, I’m interested in apartment number 31. But I would love to have a chat with you. Do you own or rent here?  

Bryce Holdaway
“Ohhh, you’re buying the one that Jessie’s divorcing in, eh?” 

Ben Kingsley
Thank you, tick; nice bit of information. “Oh lovely couple, didn’t know what happened there.” Especially the old folk who have been in the building forever. Some of them ask you up for a cup of tea. “Would you like to come up and have a look at my place as well? Are you a buyers agent? Oh you can probably value it, what is my property worth?” You get the whole thing right. And “are you on the body corp? Oh you’re on the body corp? What’s happening?” Oh it’s just unbelievable. I would stop three or four people to get the information that I need to get to. 

Bryce Holdaway
That could cause a crisis Ben because people are wondering if they’re gonna buy this they might get stopped by you for a little chat and they might not buy anymore, so yeah. 

 

519 | How He Left Johannesburg at 19 with £400 to Now Owning 18 Properties! – Chat with Gavin van Zyl

By in Podcast, Property Investment

Subscribe On Itunes Subscribe On Android

Today’s guest has a remarkable story whose lessons span international borders and redefines risk, resilience and what it means to build a real-estate empire… 🌍🏠 🔑 

Meet Gavin van Zyl, Founder of White Rhino Property and a leading property expert in Canberra and NSW’s Queanbeyan market.  

With an entrepreneurial drive and a fearless approach to property investing, Gavin has risen to prominence, ranking as Rate My Agent’s top salesperson in New South Wales and securing a spot in Australia’s REB Top 100 Agents list.  

In this episode, you’ll hear:

  • Essentials for ACT Property Investors, including how to navigate ACT’s land tax 📈
  • Finding “Real Estate Gold”: How he seized the opportunity to buy the worst house on the best street 🥇
  • From 4 to 18 Properties: Gavin’s strategies for managing risk and high debt to launch White Rhino Property. 📊
  • The 3-Month “Holiday” That Changed His Life: Hear the pivotal trip that sparked the fire for his prosperous career in real estate. 🛫
  •  His jaw-dropping global experience from share houses in London to landing in Canberra, and more! 🇬🇧

Tune in now for a fascinating discussion with one of the boldest names in NSW real estate.   

Free Stuff  

 

Timestamps  

  • 0:00 – How He Left Johannesburg at 19 with £400 to Now Owning 18 properties! 
  • 1:56 – Mindset Minute: To inspire people, don’t show them your superpowers… 
  • 3:13 – Welcome Gavin!  
  • 4:16 – From Johannesburg to Canberra: How did Gavin’s background influence his property investing?  
  • 5:22 – Money Story: “All that glitters ain’t gold”  
  • 8:38 – How the 3-month holiday he never returned from led to a career in property investing 
  • 11:11 – From Pounds to AUD: The big move to Australia and how he met Chelsea  
  • 16:51 – “That put the fire under my belly”: Landing in Canberra and how he got into property  
  • 21:59 – Why invest in freestanding over units?  
  • 25:54 – The loopholes he used to leverage  
  • 30:01 – How he bought real-estate gold: Investing in the worst house in the best street! 
  • 33:22 – From broke to the birth of White Rhino Property   
  • 38:03 – From ACT to NSW: “You can essentially buy three assets in this marketplace before you even get taxed $1.”  
  • 40:03 – The issue with investing in Canberra (Watch this on YouTube!)  
  • 44:19 – Where did Gavin develop his risk appetite?  
  • 48:38 – Ben’s experience in London!  
  • 51:14 – An entrepreneurial spirit and how he picks up the diamonds  
  • 54:49 – Investing commercial & buying in Super  
  • 56:28 – What is the mindset brought Gavin to where he is today?  
  • 59:07 – “The real wealth is freedom”: His North Star now 

And… 

  • 1:06:40 – Thank you, Gavin! What a remarkable story.  
  • 1:09:10 – Lifehack: How to remove Instagram content from someone without unfollowing them.  
  • 1:11:12 – WMPN: Holding Property: Is it a bulletproof investment or not? 

 

493 | $160K Dilemma: Should I Walk Away From Paper Profits?

By in Podcast, Property Investment, Q&A

Subscribe On Itunes Subscribe On Android

 

Emma’s partner has a $160K dilemma: He’s been offered a refund on an Off-The-Plan apartment that’s been delayed for two years. Should he take the refund or ride it out for a potentially higher sell price? 🤔 

Kieran faces the decision of investing in smaller units versus two individual homes. Which is the better investment decision for him, and how can he align it with his goal of helping others? 🌍   

And in Simone’s Retirement Plan: How does this single mum and schoolteacher with 5 properties reach a target of $2,000 per week for retirement? How does this stack up in today’s economy? 📈 

Folks, this is a massive Q&A Day where we link age-old questions in today’s nuanced context.  

From diving into the psychology of Loss Aversion to understanding why “C” is the hardest to achieve in our “ABCD” foundational principles, you’ll want to save this episode for future reference.  

Listen now folks! 😊  

 

P.S. Stay tuned till the end to discover how to type…without typing!?  

   

Free Stuff Mentioned

 

Timestamps

  • 0:00 – $160K Dilemma: Should I Walk Away From Paper Profits? 
  • 1:49 – Interest rates, budget release & TPC survey winners  
  • 8:01 – New Tracking Tools in Moorr! 
  • 16:34 – Mindset Minute: “Just focus your eyes on the captain…” 
  • 23:38 – Q1) Get Deposit back or Wait for Growth 
  • 27:26 – Learning Experience or Loss Aversion? 😱 
  • 28:02 – How to Avoid Loss Aversion: Step-by-Step  
  • 32:55 – “A bird in hand vs two in the bush” 
  • 36:31 – Why Off-The-Plan means YOU are taking all the risk  
  • 37:12 – This refund is a red flag 🚩 
  • 43:14 – Q2) Small Complex vs 2 Individual Properties 
  • 45:00 – When passive investing stops being passive  
  • 47:37 – To help others, you need to be in THIS position 
  • 49:52 – Why houses over units? 🏘️ 
  • 53:53 – Q3) Archive Question: $2k per week in 20 years’ time 
  • 56:41 – How we calculate the $2,000 a week in retirement  
  • 57:31 – The Power of Compounding, Offset Accounts and Qs to ask 
  • 1:00:07 – Why “C” is the hardest to achieve in our ABCD foundational principles 💰 
  • 1:05:09 – Thank you to all our Question-Askers!  

And… 

  • 1:05:45 – Lifehack: How to type…without typing?! 📱 
  • 1:07:20 – WMPN:  The State of the Housing System 

Instagram

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins
There has been a problem with your Instagram Feed.
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins
There has been a problem with your Instagram Feed.

Free Resources

What to be notified when there are
new updates & free resources?

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

© The Property Couch. All Rights Reserved | Terms & Conditions | Privacy | Who Designed This Website?

×

MONEY SMARTS SYSTEM

  • The Best Money Management System Ever!
  • Worrying About Money is a Thing of the Past
  • Don’t “Unconsciously” Overspend Ever Again

Plus We Will Also Notify You When We Release New Episodes

We Only Send You Awesome Stuff

×

SUGGEST A GUEST!

We Only Send You Awesome Stuff

×