Securing that first investment property is a great feeling, but it's easy to lose momentum along the way. Here are five things you can do to keep up the pace.
Blogger: Cameron McEvoy, property writer and investor
1) Get savvy with the latest online tools
Identify the online tools that will add value to either your property investing skill sets, to your portfolio, or both. There are so many little online 'life hacks' available to investors. For example, and this is only the tip of the iceberg, consider tools like DSR walk score calculators, Zillow.com, Real Estate View, RP Data, loan repayment and stamp duty calculators, and so on.
2) Network digitally with your comrades
Don't treat them as competitors, but rather as allies. In this social media age, there is no excuse not to be able to find like-minded people you can learn from. That's how I started out years ago, by connecting with people on the Somersoft forums (which I still maintain is one of the best online property investment communities in Australia). LinkedIn offers excellent community groups with real-time conversations happening daily. Twitter is intelligent too: once you establish a group of investors and influential property people you follow (and a few follow back), Twitter's engine will go out and find more of those types of people for you.
3) Attend events and talks
Don't just rely on online communities; look at attending events such as the Home Buyer and Investor Show, and also local property investment shows and seminars. Just be able to discern between an unbiased/third-party seminar on a topic; and a property development spruiker trying to sell their wares. There is actually a great online site called Meetup.com, where you can meet like-minded people in life – related to any interest. The idea is you join a group but they regularly meet up in person to share their passion. I've done this for things like tennis and surfing, but there are groups that meet up in pubs and cafes who are also investors like yourself! You can learn so much from each other in this way.
4) Read – a lot
I know I have previously written about the challenges of 'analysis paralysis', but I still think it so important to read a lot. Approach every article, book, magazine, or online blog post – no matter the property-related subject of it – with a view of 'how will this trend/tactic/design style, etc, pay off in terms of my overall return? If you don't think it will, stop reading that content and move on to something else! Investors, like so many people in life, form bad habits.
5) Have an open mind and flexible approach
Unlike most things in life where the mantra is 'it's not about the destination, but rather the journey', property investment is the complete opposite. It's the other way around. It is entirely about the destination, which is your financial future and security. Where am I going with this? Have an open mind to property types and locations that, despite your initial distaste when considering them, actually stack well from an 'end game' numbers perspective.
Read more:
Why it makes sense to invest in Adelaide
10 fear-driven investment mistakes
Cameron McEvoy
Cameron McEvoy is a Sydney-based property investor and property commentator. For over five years he has been publishing a property news and commentary website, Property Correspondent.
Cameron holds a Bachelor of Media degree from Macquarie University. Since he has no commercial property business or vested commercial interests, he prides himself on his neutral and independent stance on all things property.
He also contributes regularly to property investment publications and websites, covering a diverse and range of topics and trends.
