In this episode, Micky Limmer from Bayleys Canterbury joins the show to discuss how to get the most money possible when selling your properties. Along with the standard tips about ensuring the property tidy and clean, and the gardens well maintained, Micky also adds a few extra tips: paint the front step. When potential buyers come to your property they first thing they will do is bend down to take off their shoes. Their first impression will literally be of your front doorstep, whether they realise it or not use Barkeeper's friend to make stainless steel basins and shower glass look like new replace the rubber at the bottom of your shower door, which can discolour over time. Together, these small actions make a big difference. You should also consider staging the property. For a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home this may only cost $2,000 (including gst). And consider hiring a company to complete an external wash of your home, which may cost as little as $350. Conducting other maintenance on your home, such as buying new carpet can make a difference. a 3 bedroom home may only cost $3.5-$4k to be recarpeted. However, buyers often overestimate these costs and will factor it in when they make an offer. Younger buyers will also need these costs capitalised into the value of the property as they may not have the funds to complete these themselves. We also mention the Opes Partners Instagram. Every second day we publish a new carousel that educates you about the property market. Follow us there to stay up to date.

In this episode, we discuss whether you can vote left and still be a landlord. We acknowledge that while National has more landlord-friendly policies, we vote for parties because of a wide range of policies. Even if one of those policies (or several) aren't in our direct interest, we can still identify with that party more than the other. We also mention the Opes Partners Instagram. Every second day we publish a new carousel that educates you about the property market. Follow us there to stay up to date. 

In this episode, we discuss gentrification. Gentrification occurs when a suburb or town begins to become more trendy and upmarket because the type of people who live in that area changes.  This is often the cause of long term social change, but also because of the fundamentals of the suburb or area.  Take Auckland's Ponsonby. Decades ago the suburb was considered a place for blue-collar workers to live. Because of the suburb's proximity to Central Auckland, higher-income workers began moving to the suburb. Shops got nicer and more trendy and people renovated their homes.  This attracted more higher-income workers into the area and the process continues.  We also discuss the areas we believe could be open for gentrification in the future both in Auckland and in Christchurch.  We also mention the Property Investor Quiz. This 7-question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe' answer about whether you are in the position to invest in property.

In this episode, we discuss how to set buying rules for yourself. Buying rules are a concept in property investment where you set some restrictions about the sort of properties that you will and won't buy. Because property investment can become emotional, some investors will think 'but, I really like this house' and buy it anyway ... even if the purchase doesn't stack up from a numbers perspective. Setting buying rules before you look at investment properties will save you time because you won't bother looking at properties that don't meet your criteria. They will also make your property portfolio more appropriate for you because you're less likely to make a bad buy. You can set buying rules about: Maximum purchase price The amount of work needed to make the property tenantable Whether the property is brand new and requires a lower deposit, or an existing property Where the property is located, i.e. in a city near you or whether outside of the city you live in The gross yield or net yield you want to attract The projected capital growth you think the property will achieve And many other potential buying rules. We also mention the Property Investor Quiz. This 7 question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no' or 'maybe' answer about whether you are in the financial position to invest in property.

In this episode, we discuss whether using equity in your home to purchase an investment property will increase your mortgage repayments.  When you use equity frim within your home to purchase an investment property, you typically take out a separate loan against your property, which is sometimes in the structure of a mortgage top-up.  You then use this loan as the deposit for your new investment property.  Because you have taken out additional lending, there will be additional repayments against that mortgage. However, these extra repayments will be structured so they fall against your investment property.  That is because, from a tax perspective, the purpose of the loan is for the investment property and so falls within your investment property's financial statements.  The rent from your tenant will cover the majority of the rental property's expenses. However, there may be a small top-up required from the investor to make the cashflow balance.  So while you may contribute a small amount of cash towards the property as an investor, perhaps $50-$75 a week, there won't be additional mortgage repayments you have to make against your own home.  We also mention the Property Investor Quiz. This 7-question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no' or 'maybe' answer about whether you are in the financial position to invest in property.

In this episode, independent economist, Tony Alexander joins the show.  Tony is one of the most respected economic writers in the country and for almost 25 years was the Chief Economist at the BNZ. He has arguably written more than any other person about the New Zealand economy and our property market. During this episode, Tony argues that despite the rhetoric often heard from the government, the reserve bank and the treasury, they want your house price to increase. Why? Because higher house prices increase homeowners confidence.  And right now the New Zealand economy needs additional confidence to ward off or limit the economic impacts of a recession.  Falling house prices will conversely lead to a decrease in consumer confidence and make any recession potentially worse.  Increasing confidence will also benefit the coalition government in an election year. We also make mention of the Property Investor Quiz. If you've been an avid listener of the show, then you may be thinking about becoming an investor. If that's you, take the quiz.  This 7-question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe answer about whether you are in the financial position to invest in property right now. 

In this episode, independent economist, Tony Alexander joins Ed and Andrew to discuss how long interest rates can stay low.  Many listeners will think back to the 80's and remember how high interest rates were at the time. Some even treat it like a competition.  It was not uncommon at the time to see interest rates of 18-26%. Naturally, anyone who ever paid interest at that level is likely wondering 'how low can interest rates stay low?' In Tony's view, interest rates will stay as low for at least a decade. He's predicting that we are in a low interest rate environment and that the previous high interest rate periods were a one-off due to rampant inflation at the time.  In other words, low interest rates are the norm. The high interest rates previously experienced were the exception.  Borrowers and investors can, therefore, take heart and have confidence that they will not likely face higher interest rates for some time. If you've been listening to the show for a while and are considering becoming a property investor. Then check out the property investor quiz. This 7-question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe' answer as to whether you are in the financial position to invest in property.

In this episode, Tony Alexander, an independent economist, joins the show to answer: do we have a housing shortage in New Zealand? Being the good economist he is, Tony identifies that, as long as there isn't government interference in a market in the form of price controls, a free market can never have a technical shortage. Why? Because the market price will adjust to balance supply and demand.  If there aren't enough houses for the number of buyers, some buyers will miss out and bid up the price of houses. That reduces the total number of buyers active in the market and brings new sellers into the market. Eventually, we'll find ourselves at an equilibrium where there is no longer a shortage. However, Tony also identifies that there is likely a shortage compared to the number of properties we appear to want to have in society.  In particular, Tony identifies that the proportion of homes built at the lower-priced end of the market has decreased to about 5% of all homes (down from approximately 25%).  This means that there are fewer and fewer homes available for the most vulnerable in society. If you've been listening to the show for a while and are wondering whether you are in a position to become a property investor, why not try the Property Investor Quiz. This 7-question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no' or 'maybe' answer about whether you are in the financial position to invest in property. 

In this episode, independent economist, Tony Alexander joins the podcast. Tony was the Chief Economist at BNZ for almost 25 years before striking out on his own. Here, Tony looks at the primary factors that lead to increases in house prices. The primary factors include: decreases in interest rates. As interest rates decrease, taking on more bank lending becomes cheaper and more affordable. That decrease encourages more prospective home buyers to take on more debt and bid up house prices. Tony takes care to stress that this effect will come 'eventually' as opposed to right away. Increases in net migration (total number of people migrating to the country as opposed to moving away) will increase the population and increase demand for housing. If this flow outnumbers the number of new buildings completed (and available on the market) this will will eventually increase house prices. Changes in financing. As credit becomes more available, more people will take on borrowing, bidding up prices. Make sure to tune in for tomorrow's episode where Tony will join the show again. And don't forget to test out the Property Investor Quiz. This 7-question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe' answer as to whether you are in the position to invest in the housing market or not.

In this episode, Tony Alexander joins Ed and Andrew on the podcast.  Tony Alexander was the Chief Economist at BNZ for almost 25 years and is one of the most highly regarded economists in the country. After leaving the bank late last year, Tony became an independent economist and now provides commentary around the country and is a highly sought after speaker. During this first episode, Tony breaks down how the Christchurch property market compares to the rest of the country.  On the 24th October 2019, Tony released a series of graphs comparing each region's median house price with the long term average with the rest of the country.  That analysis shows that Canterbury is currently about 20% below its average position compared to the rest of the country.  If Canterbury's fundamental underlying value remains constant, then we would expect there to be a correction in the Canterbury market allowing room for "catch up growth".  Catch up growth occurs when one region looks relatively cheap compared to others, so investors and prospective property buyers begin to bid the price up.  Of course, you need to take these types of analyses with a grain of salt, so Tony walks us through what to watch out for when considering this analysis. If you'd like to learn about how to get a mortgage and pay it off in 2020, then check out the Epic Guide to Mortgages. This 9,500 word guide will teach you how to get a mortgage and pay it off in 2020.

In this episode, we discuss how to transition from a capital growth property portfolio into a positive cash flow portfolio.  This is a topic Andrew recently covered on a webinar with the Auckland Property Investors Association.  An investor would typically start to transition their portfolio as they near retirement, and in the episode, Andrew suggests that you should allow about 5 years for the transition.  Allowing several years allows you the ability to sell at the most convenient time in the market.  The reason your property investment portfolio will likely need to transition is that when you start in property investment, most investors will focus on capital growth properties.  These properties increase in value quickly but produce weaker rental yields. These properties are good for long term investors as they will grow wealth more quickly.  But, as investors near retirement, your time horizon shortens. That means that investors want their portfolios to begin producing passive income. Hence, the transition to higher-yielding properties that can provide that income most efficiently.  We also mention the property investor quiz. This 7-question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no' or 'maybe' answer about whether you are in the financial position to invest in property. 

In this episode, we discuss the turnaround time it takes to get a mortgage approved in New Zealand.  Right now the banks can take up to 7 business days to open your email to and start to process your mortgage. They are incredibly short-staffed, but demand is also increasing.  Typically due diligence on a brand-new off-the-plan property will last 10 days. That means that there are only three days left for the bank to approve your mortgage for an investment property. Landlords and property investors should, therefore, work with experienced and knowledgeable mortgage brokers who can ensure that the mortgage application will go through BEFORE the application goes to the bank.  If the banks have questions about your application, then it may be another 7 days (after you get back to them) where the bank can finally approve your application. This is important since developers are getting tighter on 10-day due diligence periods, and are refusing extensions. They can do this because the property market is so hot at the moment.  We also mention the Property Investor Quiz. This 7-question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe' answer about whether you are in the financial position to invest in property. 

In this episode, we reveal exactly how property coaches get paid and a few common misconceptions about property coaches.  There are different types of property coaches. Some like us source properties on your behalf and therefore will earn a commission when you choose to invest in a property. Others will charge you a fee to teach you how to do that sourcing and any renovations yourself.  While we at Opes Partners do not charge a fee for our service, some in our industry do charge you a fee to put together your strategy. We also make mention of the Opes Property Investor Quiz. This 7-question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe' answer about whether you are in the position to invest in property right now.

In this episode, we discuss another fear that holds people back from getting start as investors – fear of the unknown. Perhaps there's something in the back of your mind holding you back from investing. This is common for first-time investors. It's the fear of the unknown. You might think: What happens if I suddenly lose my job? Or what happens if I don't have a tenant for a long time? Or just what if something bad happens? In this podcast, we discuss 5 tactics you can use to protect yourself against this situation. They are: 1. Set up a Buffer Account with a Line of Credit 2. Get the Right Type of Insurance for You in Place. This could include both income protection insurance and landlords insurance 3. Work with experts such as a property coach, accountant, lawyer and property manager who can help see things you might not see. As they say – you don't know what you don't know. 4. Remove the emotion and know the numbers – get a property investment analysis 5. Get educated. The more you learn, the more you will remove the unknown. We also mention Opes' Property Investor Quiz. This 7-question quiz will give you a 'ys', 'no' or 'maybe' answer about whether you are in the financial position to invest right now.

In this episode, we discuss how you can make your voice hear in regards to the proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act. The Auckland Property Investors Association saw that 363 people submitted on the ringfencing legislation. About 110 of those submissions were against ringfencing. So very few people participate in the legislative process. That means that your submission represents a large proportion of submitters. You can submit by: Submit on time! Midnight on 25th March Answer the questions and stick to the topics Share a personal story Demonstrate early on and that you have skin in the game. Specifically, identify how you will respond to the changes as a landlord, including the consequences on others, like your tenants and neighbours of your rental properties Don't copy and paste from other's submissions; they won't be given weight. The episode wraps up with a discussion about how society views landlords. Landlords are sometimes seen to be unfairly profiting off of a perceived human right (housing). But, typically, landlords have no interest in meddling with their tenant's lives. Most landlords don't become property investors to be a landlord, but rather to better their future through this property investment business. We also mentioned APIA's toolkit, which you can use to guide your submission. You can view and download this here.

In this episode, we are joined by Sarina Gibbon from the Auckland Property Investors Association (APIA). APIA and the New Zealand Property Investors Federation are currently representing the interests of landlords and property investors as part of the proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act. Sarina walks us through the significant changes and what they mean for landlords, including: The end of 90 day no cause notices The process landlords and property managers will need to follow to evict a problem tenant in the future Some of the unintended consequences of the bill, e.g. the eviction of quality tenants before this bill passes, as protection for landlords Our conclusion is that while the purpose of the act appears to be to safeguard tenants, the unintended consequence is that landlords will: increase rents to 'price' in the additional risk of not being able to get rid of problem tenants evict tenants before the bill to secure lower-risk tenants be less willing to take on a tenant that is considered risky, like younger tenants with little record of renting exit the lower-end of the rental market and move to the higher end, further increasing the shortage of affordable rental accommodation at the lower end of the market. We also mention the property investor quiz. This 7-question quiz will give you a simple, 'yes', 'no' or 'maybe' answer as to whether you are in the financial position to invest in property.

In this episode, we discuss what real estate agents think about the current state of the NZ property market.  This is based on a survey of Barfoot and Thompson Real Estate Agents conducted by independent economist, Tony Alexander. It showed that real estate agents increasingly have a positive view of the market and are seeing more activity at auctions and open homes.  We also discuss the Property Investor Quiz. This 7-question quiz gives a yes, no or maybe answer about whether you are in the financial position to invest in property today.

In this episode, we discuss that you shouldn't always believe the data you read ... or rather that you should take the time to read into it more.  This is based on an article Ed provided comment on for Westpac. They wrote an article that suggested that gross yields for 1-bedroom apartments in Parnell were about x2 that of 3-bedroom homes. We discuss when you should read into more data and what actually lies behind this story. We also discuss the Property Investor Quiz. This 7-question quiz will give you a full report about whether you are in the financial position to invest in property right now. Take the property investor quiz here. 

In this episode, we discuss another difference between investing in small towns and larger cities – deferred capital maintenance. Every investor accepts (and hopefully budgets for) the fact that their properties will require maintenance throughout the year. However, we also know that from time to time investment properties will require capital maintenance, especially if the property is older.  This could be the replacement of a roof, painting the outside of the property, rewiring the house, or some other major works. These are often not budgeted for and the payment for these works are often made by leveraging the property.  But, the cost of this maintenance is more expensive (as a proportion of the house price) for properties in smaller towns than in large cities. That means that a small-town property that appears to be cashflow positive can actually have a poor cashflow once this capital maintenance is factored in. We also mention the Property Investors Quiz, this 7-question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe', answer as to whether you are in a position to invest in property right now. 

In this episode, we discuss a couple of recent stories that have developed in the media where young first home buyers were on the wrong end of a sunset clause.  A sunset clause is typically used in a sale and purchase agreement to protect the buyer of a property that has not been built yet. Using this clause, if a developer has not completed the build by a certain date, then the purchaser has the right to cancel the contract.  However, in the stories that have developed in the media, the developer has used the sunset clause to legally cancel the contract and resell the property at a higher price. If the market has increased in value throughout the duration of the build, the developer can then make significant gains, and the purchaser is left having to purchase at a higher price.  That's why in this episode, we discuss how to protect yourself by using a robust sunset clause that only the purchaser can invoke, not the developer.  We also discuss the Property Investor Quiz, this 7-question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe' answer about whether you are in the position to invest in property or not. 

In this episode, we discuss the proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act, which are being brought forward by the Labour government. The proposed changes include: Revoking the ability for landlords to request a tenant to vacate with no cause (currently 90 days) Limiting rent increases to once every 12 months, rather than once every 6 months Taking away the ability for landlords to solicit bids for rents. We also make mention of the Property Investor Quiz. This 7 question quiz will give you a yes, no or maybe answer as to whether you are in a position to invest in property. 

In this episode, we discuss the 6 things that can go wrong with investing in brand new properties and how to solve them. 1. Overpaying for a property – solve it by getting a valuation before going unconditional 2. Not being able to secure a tenant because of too may properties coming on market at the same time – solve it by investing in a staged development 3. Can't get started straight away – realise that this is a misconception because although you won't have a tenant straight away, you still have  4. What if the property isn't completed on time – have a robust sunset clause, but still be willing to stay in the development even if it is overdue 5. The gross yield is likely to be lower than an existing property – realise that gross yields and net yields are different. A brand new property is likely to have a higher sale price but lower ongoing maintenance costs. We also mentioned the property investor quiz. This 7 question quiz will tell you exactly whether you are in the financial position to become a property investor or not. And, if not it will tell you exactly what you need to do to get there.

In this episode, we discuss how long it takes to sell a property in different regions around New Zealand, along with a few surprising insights for property investors around New Zealand.  The West Coast region, for instance, has a total of almost 4 years worth of properties already on the market. No additional West Coast properties could come on the market, and there would still be properties available for buyers for another 4 years, given today's sales volumes. We also mentioned the property investor quiz. This 7 question quiz will give you a yes/no or maybe answer as to whether you are in the position, right now, where you could invest in property.

In this episode, we discuss whether you should not buy property, or put off that decision because of Coronavirus. In general, the answer is no. While the media has made a big deal of the potential impacts the likelihood of a widespread outbreak is still low-to-medium in New Zealand. On top of that, we expect a decrease in the OCR, which should stimulate spending and help property buyers and homeowners.  We also mentioned our property investor quiz, where you can find out in just 7 questions whether you are in a position to become a first time property investor. 

In this episode, we discuss why it is preferred to have a mix of owner-occupier and investors within your development.  This is generally for three reasons: You want to sell your property to an owner-occupier in the future, who is likely to be more emotionally invested than an investor, so you want a property that is going to appeal to an owner-occupier When the properties are finished, you don't want your properties to be untenanted because all the properties come on to the rental market at the same time owner-occupiers are more likely to look after the neighbourhood than tenants However, we also discuss how this will change based on the type of property. For instance, a high-end development of apartments or stately homes will likely have a higher proportion of owner-occupiers, all other things being equal, as these properties will likely be too expensive or low-yielding to make the property work for an investor.  As usual, we also gave a wee shameless plug to the Epic Guide to Mortgages. This is the most comprehensive guide that is freely available in New Zealand that teaches you both how to get a home loan and pay it off more quickly. 

In this episode, we discuss the four different titles that are used in the New Zealand property market. These are: Freehold, also known as fee-simple. This is the most common type of ownership in New Zealand where you own the land and you are generally free to do what you like with it, subject to any caveats, covenants, or local bylaws Leasehold – this is where you own the building on the land, but you rent the land from another party. Under this type of title, you pay a ground-rent to the landowner every year and these are subject to review within an agreed timeframe Unit Title – this type of title is common for apartments and townhouses. You own your own property and an undivided share of the common areas Cross lease – where you jointly own the land with another landowner and you both rent the land (at the same time) from the other landowner.  As usual, we also gave a wee plug to our Epic Guide to Mortgages. This is the most comprehensive free guide in New Zealand that teaches you how to get a home loan from the bank and pay it off more quickly.

In this episode, we discuss that it is often thought that smaller towns will deliver yields that are x2 as high as bigger cities. While that might be true for gross yields, this is generally not true of net yields.  That is because smaller town properties often have higher costs as a proportion of the rent. For instance, if you were to buy two properties that are exactly the same, one in a small town and another in a big city, you would likely spend the exact same amount on maintenance. That means that maintenance takes up a bigger proportion of rent in a small town than it does in a big city.  This show specifically discusses rates. Small towns often have rates (property taxes) that are just as high (in dollar terms) as bigger cities. That is because smaller districts have smaller population bases so need to charge more. This means investment properties in small towns often face significantly more cost.  Generally speaking, once all costs are taken into account, small-town investment properties will still have a higher net yield, however that additional net yield might be as little as 1%.  We also discuss the Epic Guide to Mortgages. This is a 9,500-word guide that teaches you how to get a home loan from a bank and then pay it off more quickly. 

In this episode, we discuss the 3 different types of property trading strategies you can use.  Previous listeners have asked whether renovation is the same thing as trading. The truth is that renovation is a type of trading, but there are other types of trading also used by property investors. These are: Renovating existing properties and selling them back on to the market Buying a property and selling it to another investor at a profit Buying a property and selling it straight back on to the market There are different circumstances that would lead to each of these strategies being used, which we discuss on the show, as well as what you would need to have to execute these three different strategies.  We also discuss the Epic Guide to Mortgages, this is a 9,500-word guide that teaches you both how to get a mortgage and then pay it off in today's market. 

In this episode, we discuss a report released a few years back by the Financial Markets Authority, with research conducted by Colmar Brunton.  The report looking into what regular Kiwis wanted out of their retirement. The report found that: 86% of people surveyed wanted to have enough money to meet their every day to day financial needs and fund lifestyle aspects such as travel or a new car And only 38% of those surveyed wanted to leave an inheritance. This suggests that most Kiwis want to have a "well-off" lifestyle in retirement and therefore will need about $100,000 of passive income every year.  We also talk through the other findings of the report.  The final report we mentioned was the Epic Guide to Property Investment, which is our 16,000-word guide to investing in the New Zealand property market. 

In this episode, we discuss bank lending on apartments, and the minimum square metre size requirements to get a home loan.  Each bank has slightly different lending regulations, but as of the publishing date the minimum standards are generally: 40 metres squared – KiwiBank and ASB 45 metres squared – ANZ 50 metres squared – BNZ 60 metres squared – TSB A bank may also not lend on your apartment if they've already met their internal lending limit on a building. So if one bank has 25% market share, they generally won't want more than 25% of the lending on that apartment block while it's in development. That's because if something was to go wrong with the development, the bank would have too much exposure.  We also plugged our 9,500-word guide to mortgages, the Epic Guide to Mortgages. This is the guide that will teach you both how to get a mortgage and pay it off in 2020. 

In this episode, we discuss which suburb prices grew the fastest in the Auckland property market over the last 20-odd years.  We discuss the trends in house price growth, specifically identifying that suburbs in the inner-city tend to grow the slowest on average because they are full of apartments, which don't grow as quickly. There are hot spots in the inner-west suburbs, and that tends to be true for most central Auckland suburbs. On the other hand, suburbs on the outskirts of Auckland tend to grow more slowly.  We also go through individual suburbs to highlight the amazing property price growth Auckland has had over the last few decades.  To view the interactive map discussed in the show, be sure to go to our report.

In this episode, we discuss 8 places we get our data from so we can make better property investment decisions. The 8 sources are: Statistics NZ for broad demographic data, showing changes in New Zealand's population Figure.nz for nice graphs that we can use in presentations Infometrics for population-based data REINZ for sales data Core Logic and QV for valuations data News Articles from Stuff, the NZ Herald and from industry publications Reports, from the likes of the world economic forum and the FMA Anecdotal evidence All of these sources put together help us to build a picture of where we should invest, and what sorts of properties should be recommended to every day Kiwis.

In this episode, we discuss the concept of buying property with "no money down". This is where you are able to use the equity within your own home to secure the deposit for an investment property.  This means that you will not have to put in any cash as the deposit to purchase an investment. Popular as part of property investment infomercials from our child-hood, we discuss how this property investment strategy actually works and how to make the most of it.  We also mentioned our equity calculator, where you can see how much use-able equity is available within your property. 

In this episode, we discuss the Reserve Bank's decision to leave the OCR unchanged at a record low of 1.0%.  There were 3 factors identified in the decision: An expectation that households will spend more given that interest rates are extremely low already Increased spending signalled from the government through the recently announced $12 billion infrastructure package Improving terms of trade with our trading partners – which signals that exports are going well. All of these factors are considered inflationary and are having a positive impact on economic growth. Decreasing the OCR further would likely add more inflationary pressure than the Reserve Bank would like, given that it is currently meeting its inflation and employment targets.  We also discussed the Epic Guide to Mortgages, this is a 9,500-word guide which teaches you both how to get a mortgage and pay it off in today's market. 

In this episode, we discuss the three ways to make money in property investment. These are: Capital gains – changing market conditions increase the value of your property. This happens slowly but it is consistent. That is why capital gains will often give you the greatest gains, even though you don't have control over it.  Instant equity – this is where you actively do something to the property to create an instant initial equity gain. This can be through renovations that add value or through buying the property under its value. This gives you an initial equity hit, but it is not ongoing. It will bring you more value than cashflow, but less value than long term capital gains. Cashflow – this is where your property earns money each week. This is usually a small amount after expenses are taken into account and over the long term it is likely to bring you the smallest returns from the three ways to earn money through property.  We also mentioned our property investor quiz, this 7-question quiz will show you whether you are financially in the position where you can invest. 

In this episode, we review the book "20 Properties in One Year" by Graeme Fowler. In the book, Graeme talks about yield v.s. capital growth, and we discuss this dynamic.  We also discuss some of the key principles discussed in the book. We also mention the property investor quiz, where you can get an instant answer about whether you are in a position to invest, based on your numbers right now. 

In this episode, we discuss the crucial elements of a property investment cashflow statement and compare 2 different cashflow statements for the same property – one for a standard residential lease and the other as an AirBNB. The core costs on any cashflow statement are: interest costs property management rates maintenance accounting  insurance body corporate / residents association fee letting fees Airbnbs will also have internet and electricity, as well as higher maintenance and interest costs as you will need to provide additional chattels within the property.  We also talk about the property investor quiz, this 7-question financial quiz will give you a full report on your numbers, as well as a 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe' answer as to whether you are in a position to invest in property right now. 

In this episode, we discuss 7 things you can look for when choosing to purchase an investment property from a developer.  It's increasingly popular for investors to add new properties to their portfolio. You can do this either by using a property coach, or through a property developer. Here are the 7 things to look for if you decide to do it yourself: If they are in a secure financial position so they don't fall over throughout the project What their quality of finish of their previous builds are like, and if they are consistent with the plans Whether they are good to deal with and are likely to come to the party if a disagreement occurs Whether their building design is diverse. You don't want them to flood the market Whether their builds finish on time, so you aren't lumped with higher interest costs if using a progressive payments model Whether their company has been in business for a while, and If their company has a good reputation  We also mention the property investor quiz. This 7-question quiz can give you a yes, no or maybe answer about whether you're in a position to invest in property. It will also generate a full report about what your numbers mean. 

In this episode, we discuss why you need to make more money ... and why building your wealth is not a bad thing.  Some people in modern society think that building wealth is a bad thing ... something that's not desirable. We suggest thinking about your long term goals and considering whether you'll be able to achieve them without building your wealth – and if not whether you can do something about it.  We also mention the Property Investor Quiz, these 7 questions will give you an indication of whether you are in a position where you can invest in property – along with a full report about what your numbers mean. 

In this episode, we discuss the 7 instances where landlords insurance can protect you. These 7 instances aren't available through all insurance policies, but many are common between them: Hidden gradual damage Loss of rent from uninhabitable due to an earthquake or act of god Unpaid rent arrears from your tenants Loss os rent if you have had to evict your tenants or if they have left without notice Malicious damage caused by tenants Theft of chattels Meth contamination We also discuss the Property Investor Quiz. This 7-question quiz will give you a 'yes', 'no' or 'maybe' answer as to whether you are in a position to invest in property right now. 

In this episode, we discuss the seven things you should look for within a rental property. These are:  There is a good mix of capital gain and cashflow You need to decide who your end buyer is going to be when you plan to sell the property  That the property is in a high population area That there are amenities around the property, like jobs, parks, schools and pools The price of the property and whether you're getting a good price relative to its market value That it fits within your strategy Can you hold the property long term These are the 7 things to look out for within your rental property and you can use this as a checklist when looking for your next rental property.  We also discuss our property investor strategy quiz. This 6 question quiz will recommend and give an indication of the right strategy for you.

In this episode, we discuss what the Rule of 20 is in retirement planning and how it works.   This is a rule of thumb, which says that once you decide the level of retirement income you want, multiply it by 20 and that is the number of freehold assets you need to produce the income you want.  That means if you want to live on $100,000 a year, you'll need roughly $2,000,000 worth of assets to produce that level of income every year in perpetuity. That's based on your portfolio producing a 5% gross yield every year.  We also mention our property investor quiz. These 7-questions will give you an indication about whether you're in a position to invest and gives a full report based on your numbers.  

In this episode, we discuss all the different types of valuations. These include: CV – Council Value / RV – Rateable Value / GV – Government Value e-value  Registered Valuation Sale Price, and Real Estate Agent Appraisals We also discuss how these valuations impact your ability to get lending from the bank for the property you want to buy, and also how to use these valuations to grow your investment portfolio.  If you're interested in investing yourself, take our property investor quiz. This gives you a yes, no or maybe answer as to whether you are in a position to invest in property right now. 

In this episode, we discuss what happens if a natural disaster hits your property and how the Canterbury earthquakes have impacted building standards across the country.  We specifically discuss the differences between TC1, TC2 and TC3 land and what that means in terms of the risk of liquefaction on the ground beneath your property. Risk-based insurance pricing also makes a feature and we discuss how this can be used as a proxy for the risk of your property.  If you are keen to find out whether you're able to become an investor, why not take our property investor quiz? This 7-question quiz will give you an indication of whether you're in a position to become a property investor.

In this episode, we discuss how BNZ is no longer offering pre-approvals to non-bank customers. This has some far-reaching implications for property investors and mortgage brokers.  It likely means that investors and homebuyers will find the property they want first and sign it conditional to finance before taking the property to the bank. This means that the bank will prioritise the deal.  It is also an indication of strength in the banking and property sector ... if the bank is turning down potential business it is likely because they have been inundated with applications, suggesting that there is even more activity in the market. It also means it is more likely that mortgage brokers will become more important as prospective purchasers consult them for advice.  We also mentioned the Epic Guide to Mortgages, a 9,500 word guide that teaches you how to get a mortgage and pay it off faster in 2020.

In this episode, we discuss why properties are sometimes more expensive when you buy a property through a property coach than if you look on a developer's website.  The reason this is sometimes the case is that developers will exclude some parts of the property from that price. For instance, you might see a property for $499K, but it might exclude the driveway, landscaping or the letterbox. If you wanted it all included, it might cost $525K.  A property coach, on the other hand, will only list the price that is all-inclusive and ready to rent.  We also mentioned the Epic Guide to Property Investment, this is our 16,000 word guide that will teach you how to smash your property investment goals in 2020

In this episode, we discuss how to figure out what you want in a property investment strategy. Andrew and Ed go through a model that Opes has created to think about the sorts of needs you have as an investor.  It is based on a triangle model with the most important property investor needs at the top, and the functional needs near the bottom. Here is the link to the model that was discussed throughout the show.  You can also take this quiz to figure out which strategy is right for you based on this model. 

In this episode, we discuss the top problems and issues that investors usually come across when investing in property (and how to solve them). We discuss potential solutions and risk mitigation for each of the following: Issues with lending, broken down into – Interest rates rising increasing your expenses, not being able to get borrowing from the bank, and not being able to have interest-only loans renewed Vacancy and tenancy problems – what if your rental property is turned into a P-lab or attracts unsavoury tenants? Maintenance and unexpected costs The Market – what happens if the market goes down and stays down?  You – What happens if you lose your job or are forced to sell the property early? We also discuss the Epic Guide to Mortgages – this is our 9,500-word guide that teaches you how to get a mortgage and then pay it off more quickly than you naturally would.