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PROPERTY INVESTOR September 2013 FREE TICKETS FAST-TRACK YOUR PROPERTY INVESTMENT SUCCESS WITH THE LATEST STRATEGIES 5 FATAL PROPERTY INVESTOR MISTAKES & How to Avoid Them How Daimien made $260K from Only 10 Hours Work (And you can too) How to Think Like the Successful Property Investors Do 13 Rules to Avoid Being Ripped Off TRAINING COURSE

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Fast track your property investment success with the latest strategies from this magazine and get access to Daimien Patterson's complimentary training.

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Page 1: Property Investor Training

PROPERTY INVESTOR September 2013

FREE TICKETS

FAST-TRACK YOUR PROPERTY

INVESTMENT SUCCESS WITH THE

LATEST STRATEGIES

5 FATAL PROPERTY

INVESTOR MISTAKES

& How to Avoid Them

How Daimien made $260K

from Only 10 Hours Work (And you can too)

How to Think Like the

Successful Property

Investors Do

13 Rules to Avoid Being

Ripped Off

TRAINING COURSE

Page 2: Property Investor Training

REGISTER ONLINE NOW FOR

YOUR FREE COPY OF

SAFE AS HOUSES Scan the code with your smart phone or go to propertyinvestmentmentor.com.au/download-ebook-page | Valued at $19.95

What Clients Say…

“I have found Daimien Patterson to be a man of his word. He has integrity and is honest. He has

good property investment knowledge, and an understanding of how his advice might fit with the individual who has or wants to have a self managed super

fund. If his clients cannot attend a physical meeting, Daimien is prepared to use other tools like

Skype. Daimien provides property investment coaching that is

tailored to each one of his clients. I am surprised that he does not charge more bearing in mind the

quality of his advice.”

Dr. John Stewart, Packenham

“I have known Daimien for many years. His frank and honest

advice helped a great deal in the purchase of my latest property. With his continued guidance I hope to have another property before the end of next year.

Cheers Daimien for your advice!”

Richard Andersen, Brisbane

Welcome G‟day,

It‟s Daimien Patterson here.

Don‟t be fooled by the fancy

printing and glossy pictures.

I‟m just your average Aussie

bloke, with a pretty average

background, and I have had

to work hard for everything I have today, but most importantly I have

worked “smart”. You can read more about me on page 3.

My point is that when I first started investing, like most Aussies, I had no

idea what I was doing. I thought I had all the knowledge I needed, and

as a result, I made a lot of mistakes. Looking back, I can see all the

missed opportunities, and where I really cost myself a lot of money.

Instead of giving up though, I learnt from my mistakes, and eventually

“cracked the code” for property investment, and I got really good at it.

What I‟m saying is that anyone can invest in property and do it really well

if they use the right strategies and take the right approach. The problem

is that no one‟s teaching it properly until now! I trust that you find this

magazine useful and inspiring for your property investment dreams.

To your success,

The Property Investors’ Training Course Magazine. To register call 1300 372 677

Page 2

GET YOUR FREE COPY OF DAIMIEN’S BOOK TODAY

Page 3: Property Investor Training

“It‟s not very often that you can attend a training course with such

high quality content. Lots of information to digest!” Angela M, Aspley QLD

“The course was an eye opener,

the material was brilliant and Daimien delivered it in a very easy to understand manner.”

Bill S, North Lakes QLD

“This was the best investment I could have made in my path to

securing financial freedom for my family. The training is fast paced

and highly motivating.” Renee M, Caboolture QLD

“Before I attended the course I

didn‟t know that much about the property investment market, but after the course I felt empowered that I would be able to make the

right choice for my future.” Mandy P, Strathpine QLD

"The property investment training Daimien provided was insightful, relevant and a reflection on his personal passion he has for his clients' success in securing their

financial future.” Robbie T, Canberra, ACT

Daimien Patterson grew up in the Western Suburbs of Sydney. As the son of a single mother with four kids living in a working class community he went without many things as a child. He saw his mother struggle with money trying to raise four children and work full-time to support them. This had a profound effect on him.

It taught him to never take the things you have for granted, but also made him determined to never have to struggle like that when he had his own family to support.

Unlike most kids, Daimien moved out of home when he was sixteen. Staying at school to complete Year 12, he worked his weekends and school holidays as a labourer to support himself. Working as a labourer had another profound effect on him. Daimien quickly realised that the people working ‘physically’ the hardest, weren’t the ones making all the money. It was the „smart‟ ones.

On completing school Daimien „ran away‟ and joined the Army. He went on to serve for 14 years in the services, including operational tours in East Timor and Iraq. On returning from his overseas service he knew he had to do something smart with his deployment money. So he decided he would invest in property. But not just invest. With the memories of his childhood foremost in his mind and plans to start a family with his new wife, Daimien decided he was going to learn everything there was to know about property investment.

In the following years Daimien consumed all that was ever written

or said about property investment, buying and reading every book and magazine, and attending every property seminar or event.

Studying and then trying practically every strategy he could for himself, and in the process turning himself into an expert. When he made $260,000 in a single year from investing, he soon found others were coming to him for advice on how they too could profit from property.

Soon Daimien was offered a job working as an understudy to one of Australia‟s most experienced property investment experts. So Daimien took the plunge and left the Army to focus full-time on property investment and helping others to succeed too.

Daimien is the author of Safe as Houses and the soon to be released book Wealth Through Property.

Daimien is now known as Australia‟s Most Trusted Property Investment Strategist, and the owner of Integrity Investment Properties, an independent company to help others to gain financial freedom through property investment.

Page 3

DAIMIEN – EX-ARMY MAJOR,

FATHER, AUTHOR, INVESTOR, CEO

Daimien and his wife Fern

The Property Investors’ Training Course Magazine. To register call 1300 372 677

Page 4: Property Investor Training

The title of this article may sound outrageous but it is true and I did it through property investment. Quite simply, all I did was buy two investment properties in a place that at the time was Australia‟s most booming property market. Every year hundreds of thousands of Australians buy investment properties but do not get such results. Why? Because they buy in the wrong location. If you are buying an investment property, and there are hundreds of thousands of properties to choose from, why shouldn‟t your property be one of the best properties, in the best location in the country? If you buy in the right location, you will very soon be buying your next property. Buy in the wrong spot and it could be years before you are going again. The truth is that most people are lambs to the slaughter when it comes to choosing their investment properties, and only the very best investors do well. Why? Because only the best investors know where to buy and when, and the rest fall into the classic traps.

The Traps People Fall Into

A major mistake is to buy through a fly-by night seminar company. There is a nasty truth about the property investment industry that unfortunately many people don‟t understand – it‟s that most property wealth creation companies are really just marketing machines for property developers. Very few

of them, and there are some, are genuinely interested in finding properties for you in the very best locations. People go along in good faith to these seminars so they can educate themselves, and before they know it they have purchased a property in a location that has no real merit in the short term.

What I did When I started out I had purchased properties in different parts of the country. I even made the same mistakes outlined above. Then one day the penny dropped. I soon realised that there was only a few key things you needed to do to acquire the right investment property, and then other people will take care of the rest. Basically I concluded it was about 5 hours of work per property on my behalf, and then other professionals like real estate agents, mortgage brokers, conveyancing solicitors, building and pest inspectors, insurance brokers and rental managers do the rest. All I had to do was find the right location and buy there! I worked out that all you needed to do was spend a total of one hour researching the best location according to a strict checklist, a total of one hour finding the right property (again in accordance with a strict checklist), a total of one hour dealing with the real estate agent, a total of one hour dealing with the mortgage broker, and then a total of one hour dealing with the insurance broker, signing up a rental manager and other miscellaneous tasks.

You see, at any one time there is somewhere in Australia that is booming, so I found out where. I had the money to put down two deposits, so I purchased two properties in that location. Using my checklists that I had developed, and my strict criteria for selecting the professionals I would deal with, I did about five hours of work on each property and acquired the properties. Within 12 months the properties each increased in value by about $130,000 each and I had made $260,000. I then used the equity generated and kept building the portfolio from there.

Page 4

HOW I MADE $260K FROM ONLY 10 HOURS WORK

“I have known Daimien for many years. His frank and honest advice helped a great deal in the Purchase of my latest property. With his continued guidance I hope to have another property before the end of next year. ”

Richard Andersen, Brisbane “I would highly recommend this company to anyone, I have known this guy for ages and he is the most honest individual you will ever have the pleasure of dealing with.”

Chris Flear, Brisbane “Daimien is a person of integrity and professionalism. I have worked with him for several years within the Australian Defence Force and have no hesitation in referring him”

Shaun Fisk, Townsville

The Property Investors’ Training Course Magazine. To register call 1300 372 677

Page 5: Property Investor Training

Congratulations you have won $500,000 in the lotto! Well not really, but what would you do if you won $500,000? Everyone talks about this at some stage, but this little exercise will help you to start thinking like a seasoned property investor right away! Many people would say that they would pay off their house or buy a new house outright with no debt. In fact the great majority of people would do that. Almost every new client that I help says the same thing when they start out. You can probably hear your parents now in the back of your head. “Buy a home and own it outright” they would say to you. That sounds like very good advice doesn‟t it? Well actually, it‟s not. Let‟s look at would happen if you did follow that advice. Let‟s say you purchased a $480,000 home and used the remaining $20,000 to cover your stamp duty and other costs. In seven years time, if the property market stays true to form, the property will be worth $960,000. If we also say that you managed to save $25,000 a year because you didn‟t have to pay a mortgage, then you would also have a total savings of $175,000. Therefore you would be worth about $1.135 million. That sounds like a fantastic result doesn‟t it? Well any savvy property investor would beg to differ. An experienced property investor wouldn‟t do that. A seasoned property investor would buy as

many properties as they can handle. Because you see a property investor understands the difference between „Good Debt‟ and „Bad Debt‟. To put it simply… Good Debt is debt used to buy an asset that goes up in value. Bad Debt is debt that is used to buy an asset that goes down in value. Most people in business understand what good debt is. For example, Let‟s say I am a shopkeeper and I have a shop with no stock and no money to buy more. But I know that if I can get some stock I will sell it for a profit. So I go to the bank and borrow $100,000 and used it to buy stock. I sell the stock for $200,000, pay the bank back its $100,000 plus $10,000 in interest and I pocket $90,000! So I go from nothing to

$90,000 just buy using good debt to my advantage! Now let‟s say I buy a top of the line 4WD vehicle for $80,000 and 10 years later it is worth $10,000. That is a classic example of bad debt. The key point to note is that cars and holidays etc are „lifestyle‟ decisions not „investment‟ decisions. It is perfectly fine to spend your money on cars and holidays and other lifestyle decisions, after all that‟s often part of what we really want the money for! And that‟s fine just as long as your investment decisions are making you more money than you are spending with your lifestyle decisions. That way you will continue to move forward financially. So what would the property investor do with the $500,000 lotto win? Let‟s work through one example.

Page 5

HOW TO THINK LIKE A

PROPERTY INVESTOR

The Property Investors’ Training Course Magazine. To register call 1300 372 677

Page 6: Property Investor Training

Let‟s say the property investor conservatively decides to buy four houses each worth $500,000. They use $100,000 as a 20% deposit, $20,000 to cover the stamp duty etc, and borrow $400,000 from the banks for each of the properties. So each property costs them $120,000 of their own cash, leaving them $20,000 cash ($500K minus 4x $120K = $20K) to use as a buffer to help them handle the portfolio. So they start with a portfolio worth $2 million, and $1.6 million of good debt. They also receive $2,000 total per week from three properties they are renting out. Let‟s just say that those properties don‟t initially pay for themselves and they have to put in $100 of their own money per property on top of the rent. That would mean that their holding costs (loan interest, management fees etc.) would be $2400 per week. And guess what? They couldn‟t be happier! Because, as Sir Winston Churchill said, „They know what‟s going to happen in the future, because they have studied the past‟. Now let‟s see what happens in 10 years time, again assuming the properties double in value that time. The portfolio is now worth $4 million! If worst case, they haven‟t paid off any of the loan, they will still owe $1.6 million. But that‟s OK because they are now worth $2.4 million dollars! ($4 million less the $1.6 million debt) That‟s a far better result than the previous course of action where we were worth about half that at $1.35 million. But that‟s not all! As the properties have gone up in value, so has the rent!

If the rent has doubled too, they now receive $1000 per week on each investment property, or a total of $4000 per week. If we allow for our holding costs to have gone up a little bit with inflation, they are probably going to be a total of $2900 per week. But now instead of being $400 per week negative, we now have a surplus of $1100 per week! And we can spend that on whatever we feel like! Can you see now how property investors manage to retire early? Think about how much they will be getting in another 10 years time, not to mention the portfolio growth! What were you doing 10 years ago? It wasn‟t that long ago was it?

Page 6

Daimien with his son Max

The Property Investors’ Training Course Magazine. To register call 1300 372 677

Loan = $400,000

Value = $500,000

Rent = $500

Loan = $400,000

Value = $500,000

Rent = $500

Loan = $400,000

Value = $500,000

Rent = $500

Loan = $400,000

Value = $500,000

Rent = $500

Loan = $100,000

Value = $1M

Rent = $1,000

Loan = $100,000

Value = $1M

Rent = $1,000

Loan = $100,000

Value = $1M

Rent = $1,000

Loan = $100,000

Value = $1M

Rent = $1,000

Total weekly rent = $2,000

Loan total = $1.6M

Portfolio Value= $2M

Total weekly rent = $4,000

Loan total = $1.6M

Portfolio Value= $4M

10 Years

(Doubled)

Page 7: Property Investor Training

Page 7 THE 5 MOST FATAL MISTAKES MADE BY PROPERTY INVESTORS

…And How To Avoid Them Mistake #1 is to buy

near where you live. Often I get clients come to me and they already have a few properties, and I ask them “Why did you buy there?” Too often their response is “because it was near-by and I could keep an eye on it” and I cringe every time I hear it! There is only one occasion when you should buy your investment property „near-by‟ – and that‟s when you happen to live in Australia‟s best property market at the time! „Keeping an eye on your property‟ is what you employ a Rental Manager for. If you know how to pick a good one, they‟ll do a far better job of it than you will anyway.

Mistake #2 investors make is to buy too many negatively geared properties. In case you didn‟t already know, a „Negatively Geared‟ property is one where the property doesn‟t pay for itself, and as such requires the owner to make a contribution towards holding the property. Obviously an investor can own an unlimited number of positively geared properties, but will soon run out of money if they have too many negatively geared properties. Any property can be made positively geared by reducing the amount of money owed against it, and thus the interest charged against the loan, but why would you do that if you could instead use that money to buy more properties. Two positively geared

$400K properties in an average location earning only 5% average capital growth will still make you more money in total than one negatively geared $400K property earning 7% average capital growth. The only true way to tell if a property is going to pay for itself is to add up all the expenses and compare them to the rent and tax benefits received. The best way to be sure of that is to enlist the help of a Property Investment Strategist, or a property savvy Accountant.

The #3 fatal mistake is to not maintain a cash buffer. Of all the things that can go wrong with property investment, most of them can be fixed by a cash reserve. Successful Property Investors Buy Time Not Properties. They know that the real aim of the exercise is not the buying of properties themselves. It is being able to hold them for a length of time to enjoy the capital growth

they bring. The real aim is to buy time! And the main way to buy time is to maintain a healthy cash buffer. Interest rates will rise, and they will fall again. Unforeseen maintenance problems will present themselves. Rental vacancies will occur. All these things will happen, but we don‟t let them deter us from investing. Otherwise we won‟t make any money at all! One way to deal with these problems is to establish a bank account, such as an off-set account against a mortgage or a line-of-credit, and make sure you have some cash in there. Throughout the year you can use that cash to pay for unforeseen expenses, and then come tax time, when you get your big property investors‟ tax return, top the buffer up again. Too many inexperienced property investors go out and buy as many properties as they can and leave no cash in reserve. They soon get caught out and have to sell a property or even default on a mortgage. Don‟t let that happen to you!

#4 Another fatal mistake investors make is that they try to do everything with the same bank. At this point, it is important to spell out a very important rule – Never use the same bank!

The Property Investors’ Training Course Magazine. To register call 1300 372 677

Page 8: Property Investor Training

If you go to Bank “A” and ask for the money for your next property they will welcome you with open arms. But more often than not, they will not structure it the way you need it to be if you want to build a large portfolio. Instead, normally they will offer you a loan for 100% of the purchase price and all of the costs. And then they “cross-collateralise” your properties together. What that basically means is that, if you default on the mortgage on one property, they can sell all of them to get their money back! Now that‟s not a good situation to be in if one of those properties happens to be your own home. The next thing to understand is that they will keep cross-collateralising your properties until you get to about four. Then they will STOP lending you money! Because at about that point you become too big a risk to them and it is difficult for them to insure your mortgages. If you fall over in one day, they lose four mortgages in that day. Worse still, the other banks probably won‟t be interested in you either, because you are too committed to the first bank. The best policy is to simply only use one lender for each property. There are approximately 150 lenders in Australia, so you can have 150 properties before you run out of lenders and you have to go back to the first one again!

#5 The final fatal mistake that most property investors make is that they try and do it all themselves. I continue to be amazed by this. When we buy shares we get a

stock broker or financial planner to help us. When we need plumbing work done, we get a plumber. But it seems that when it comes to buying investment properties and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, most of us just go into it blindly with no assistance. To me this is madness! It really is a full-time job just keeping up to date with the state of all the different property markets across Australia. So you really are crazy to try and do it all on your own. I believe that this problem persists because of two reasons. 1/ People just don‟t know who to turn to for help with property investment, or 2/ They suffer from A&Is Disease (Arrogance & Ignorance Disease). Some people just want to do it all themselves. I see them all the time and it really is sad because I know just how much pain they are about to go through, and that I could save them from all that if they just accepted my help. You wouldn‟t perform heart surgery on yourself, why would you commit to hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt and not first speak to an expert about how best to use it?

Page 8

A&I Disease The A & I stands for Arrogance & Ignorance. A & I is a disease that encourages people to believe that they know everything and can do it all on their own. However, the truth is that if you get the help of an expert, that expert is always going to know more than you as he or she is a professional in what they do. They will save you hundreds of thousands of Dollars in missed opportunities. If you try to do it yourself, you‟ll make big mistakes and learn the hard way, not the smart way.

For more information on property investment, or to be coached a professional property investment coach, visit

our website at www.propertyinvestmentmentor.com.au or contact Integrity Investment Properties on 1300 372 677 or

email [email protected]

The Property Investors’ Training Course Magazine. To register call 1300 372 677

Page 9: Property Investor Training

Buying a property can be one of the most stressful events in anyone’s life. All our fears come to the surface. Unfortunately some of us let these fears overwhelm us, and we miss out on the great wealth property ownership can bring. This is a greatest shame, because property investment has long since been proven as one of the most safe and consistent forms of investing – provided you know what you‟re doing! To have fear is normal. EVERYONE gets scared by something in their life! But it is how we deal with fear that separates us. The best way to deal with fear is to: a. Have courage (to „have a go‟ and „just get on with it‟ despite your fears), and b. Have a plan (to achieve your goals and manage the risks). YOU the property investor will need to make a plan and overcome any fears you may have. When it comes to money, often it helps to be more scared of the consequences of doing nothing! Rather than taking action to invest in your financial future!

Rule #1. Check Prices Online Put simply – do your homework! It is very easy to conduct a quick check on the internet of what similar properties are selling for in the area you are buying. Websites like www.realestate.com.au and www.domain.com.au are fantastic for this.

Rule #2. Beware Of The ‘Below Market Value’ This may sound strange, but it is true. Property that is advertised as „below market value‟ generally has a good reason why! That‟s not to say rule it out. But just make sure you know why the price cut is in place. If it is because the seller needs money fast, then continue, but any good selling agent will not disclose that to a buyer. It could be because of undesirable reasons, like unruly neighbours, or neglect. It may be because the market is actually going down, and the property is „below market value‟ when compared to last month‟s figures!

Rule #3. Google The Selling Agent’s Name And Their Company! The great majority of selling agents and companies are reputable, but there‟s no denying it, there are some dodgy operators! Fortunately, it is relatively easy to spot these people. The first thing to do is Google their name and their company name and see what comes up. If you find something, ask the agent to explain. There are some people out there who post malicious things on the internet unfairly, so at least give the agent a chance to explain. But then, if still not happy – walk away.

Rule #4. Always Have A Finance Clause In The Contract! Always make sure you include a finance clause in any contract and make sure it includes the words „to the buyer‟s satisfaction‟ or words to that effect. Technically a seller could offer you finance if you cannot get it from the banks, and then you could lose your deposit (or part there of) if you pull out of the deal. So this gives you a „get out of jail free card‟ if you end up unable to get the finance. For detailed advice on the exact wording of such a clause, speak to a solicitor in your state who is an expert in property transactions.

Page 9 THE 13 RULES TO AVOID BEING RIPPED OFF BEFORE

BUYING A PROPERTY

The Property Investors’ Training Course Magazine. To register call 1300 372 677

Page 10: Property Investor Training

Rule #5. Use A Separate Lender For Every Property! A common mistake many investors make is to use the same lender for all their properties. Experience has proven this to be a poor strategy for a number of reasons, but investors continue to fall into the trap because they „like‟ their Bank (ha!), or they just don‟t know any better. When you buy a property, the bank pays for a valuation. However, most Banks do not show you this valuation, so you never get to know how much they believe the property is worth. What the banks will do is tie your properties together as security. So that, if you default on one mortgage, they can sell all your properties to get their money back! As such, all they care about when valuing your new property is that sufficient equity remains on average across your portfolio. So you could be paying too much, but the bank won‟t tell you! By using a different lender for every property, each lender will have to value each property in its own right. If they think you‟re paying too much, they simply won‟t lend you the money! And because you will have a finance clause, you can abort the purchase.

Rule #6. Always Have A Building And Pest Clause In The Contract As per the finance clause, it is critical that you always include a building and pest inspection clause when buying an existing property. A property can be beautifully presented by the seller, but it could be one big lemon that will cost you thousands in repairs. By having a building and pest inspection clause included in your contract you can

exit the deal if your inspections come up unacceptable. Again for detailed advice on the exact wording of such a clause, speak to a solicitor in your state who is an expert in property transactions.

Rule #7. Beware Of ‘vendor Finance’! „Vendor finance‟ is when the seller offers to provide all of, or part of, the finance for a property. For example, you could buy a property off a seller and instead of paying them in full on settlement day; you could make repayments to them over time with interest. So effectively the seller becomes like a bank. Why should you be cautious? Because when using vendor finance no valuation is conducted; so you could be paying far too much! The same can be said where a selling agent recommends a lender to you. There is a clear conflict of interest. If the seller and the lender are working together you must ask yourself „why do they need to?‟ If the property is appropriately priced, what does it matter?!

Rule #8. Make Sure Your Solicitor Is An EXPERT In Property Transactions! Another common mistake is to use the family lawyer to do your conveyancing when they don‟t actually specialise in property transactions. Property transactions are complicated from a legal perspective and it is essential that you have someone with the appropriate experience checking them for you. The key task they will do is to conduct searches that confirm there are no issues or plans that could affect the value of

your property. Like for example a planned new highway going through the back yard! The best thing to do is enlist the services of an experienced firm.

Rule #9. Get An Independent Building Inspection Done! Often the selling agent will recommend a building inspector to you. As a rule, don‟t use their recommendation. Why? Because building inspectors are running a business too, and often their greatest source of referrals comes from real estate agents. So they are going to be hesitant to upset the property sale their referral source (the selling agent) is trying to ensure occurs. Whilst they will swear „black and blue‟ that they are impartial, you never really know. Get an INDEPENDENT building inspector who is loyalty only to YOU.

Rule #10. Get An Independent Pest Inspection Done! As per the building inspector, the selling agent will often recommend a pest inspector too. In some cases the building inspector and pest inspector will be one and the same person (something to avoid also – as you have to wonder which discipline they are an expert in!). Best off just getting a completely independent inspector who is loyal only to you. Building or buying off-the

plan? Rules 11-13 apply specifically to purchasing property that is still to be built. For example, a „house & land package‟, or an „off-the-plan‟.

Page 10

The Property Investors’ Training Course Magazine. To register call 1300 372 677

Page 11: Property Investor Training

Rule #11. Google The Developer / Builder! Again, as per selling agents, the great majority of builders and developers are reputable, but there‟s no denying it, some are dodgy! Again Google their name and their company name and see what comes up. If you find something, ask them to explain. Then, if still not happy – walk away.

Rule #12. Ensure EVERYTHING Is Included In The Price! A common trick is to advertise the price of a building as the basic cost, without mentioning that all the „options‟ actually cost more. Then later down the track you realise that your property is unbelievable unless you commit thousands more of your own cash. Make sure when buying, that you review the inclusions list and that all the things you need are included. In particular, when buying an investment property you will want to ensure that things like, landscaping, clothes lines, letter boxes, driveways, air conditioners, fans and curtains are all included.

Rule #13. Insist On A Fixed Price! Builders and developers have been known in the past to include special clauses that allow them to charge more money should an unforeseen expense arise. In most cases such clauses are unnecessary and unacceptable. If there is a chance that costs may „blow-out‟ then it is the builder‟s responsibility to do their due diligence before confirming their price. Not yours to pay for their mistakes.

Conclusion You have just learnt the 13 Rules to avoid being ripped off, but of course this list does not replace the services of qualified and experienced professionals. What I recommend is that you use this list as a „gross error‟ checklist before you start handing over your money. But, if the property passes these tests, then commit the money and have the professionals do their checks. It will then be worth it. But whatever you do, don’t let fear stop you from investing in property. Sure, proceed with more caution, but don‟t let it beat you!

The only way to make money in property is to own some!

Page 11

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, retirement is not very pleasant to the average Australian. Studies show that out of 100 fifteen year old Australians today, by the time they are 65 years old the following statistics will stand true: • 27 of them will be dead • 49 will be dead broke • 16 will have an average

income of $390 per week

• 7 will have an average income of $520 per week

• And, only 1 will have an average income of $800 or more per week.

Now most of us today are earning an income of at least $800 per week, but how can we sustain that in retirement? What are you doing to ensure you earn $800 or more by 65 years of age?

Shocking

Retirement

Statistics

The Property Investors’ Training Course Magazine. To register call 1300 372 677

Page 12: Property Investor Training

MY SELF-ASSESSMENT

Have a try of this self assessment. The first step to your success is knowing what you want to achieve and how you will achieve

it! Are you really being honest with yourself?

If money was not limited, what would my goals really be? Send my kids to the best schools Support charity Start my own charity Help others Retire Spend more time with family Travel the world Leave a Legacy Other : _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

Why haven’t I succeeded so far? (Be honest with yourself!) Lack of education Quit too early Too young Lack of financial resources Lack of goal setting Keeping up with the Joneses Other : _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

How soon do I want to achieve my goals? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

What do I need to do to achieve my goals? Get a financial education Get a strategy Stop wasting money Get my assets working for me Build a property portfolio to secure my future Other : _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

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