3 Questions to Help Make 2016 Your Best Year

2015 was one of the best years of my life, my health was good, my family was happy and well, and business has been great.

It’s days like this that I like to reflect…

I look back on where I came from.

Then, I appreciate where I am.

And finally, I think about where I want to be.

It’s an interesting exercise I conduct that keeps me thankful, grateful and just as importantly motivated.

Maybe this is an exercise you should do too!

Let me explain…

How the internet can make or break your property investment

Renting a property used to be a fairly straightforward affair.

You would buy the local newspaper, turn to the classifieds section and start circling prospective properties with a pen.

But the internet has turned much of the way we do business on its head, and property rentals are no different.

A recent study by the Residential Consumer Property Seeker Report found 85 per cent of renters use the internet as their main tool to search for property, while only 16 per cent make it to the third page of rental listings.

The message is clear

Investors need a strong online presence that ranks highly on internet search listings.

You want to be seen — ideally on the first results page —and you want your property to look good.

21 Things Confident People Do Differently

Over the years I’ve noticed that successful business people, investors and entrepreneurs share common traits that help propel them forward.

One of the big ones is self confidence.

It’s their confidence that pushes them forward to pursue their dreams despite the looming possibility of failure.

Go through these 21 things people with confidence do differently:

1. They don’t walk like they own the world. They walk like they don’t care who does.
2. They wear their confidence by embracing it with humility.
3. They are never the chess piece. They are the chess player, always one step ahead.
4. They don’t make excuses for themselves. They make actions speak for them.
5. They don’t understand fear. Those thoughts simply don’t enter their reality.

21 Inspiring Quotes to Help You Overcome the Fear of Failure

One of the biggest fears people have in their lives is failure.

Afraid they won’t succeed if they try something new.

Fear that they might never “make it” doing what they are passionate about.

Fear that keeps them from following their heart

Since life is too short to let fear make big decisions for you.

Here’s another 21 quotes to help you overcome your fears:

1. “Failure is the key to success; each mistake teaches us something.” Morihei Ueshiba

2. “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage.
If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” Dale Carnegie

3. “Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise.”Anonymous

Top 10 ways children damage their parents’ homes

The Independent reports that the average child in the UK will cause £5,000 damage in their parents’ homes by the time they reach 18.

Apparently 3 year olds are the most destructive, according to the ‘True Cost of a Child’ report.

It lists the most common damage caused at home as:

1.  Spilling food and drink on the carpets (63%)
2. Smashing plates and crockery (35%)

Attitude is Everything

The process of human change begins within us.

We all have tremendous potential.

We all desire good results from our efforts.

Most of us are willing to work hard and to pay the price that success and happiness demand.

Each of us has the ability to put our unique human potential into action and to acquire a desired result.

But the one thing that determines the level of our potential, that produces the intensity of our activity, and that predicts the quality of the result we receive is our attitude.

3 Good Reasons To Start Investing At A Young Age

When it comes to investing in property for the first time, you may feel like you’re in over your head.

Lacking in disposable income and investment know-how, your chances of surviving the property market as you compete with cashed-up investors may seem slim.

Here are 3 reasons to consider investing from a young age:

1. Compounding over time

The greatest advantage that young property investors have is time.

Not only do young people have more years to learn about property investing strategies and markets, but they also have more time to recover if they make a poor investment decision.

Is Debt Bad?

Debt is bad – I don’t want to borrow!

That’s what I heard someone say at friends last weekend.

The conversation had turned to real estate and how hot the property markets are at present (as it usually does) and one of the group standing around said: “I’ve almost paid off my house – I hate the thought on taking on more debt.” 

So the question begs, is all debt bad?

Fact is you can’t work or save your way to wealth.

If your money isn’t working for you when you’re asleep you’ll never become rich.

The Attributes of Successful Property Developers

In these changing times when property investors can no longer count on double digit price growth many are considering getting started in property development to help them ‘manufacture’ some capital growth.

It all sounds so simple.

So what exactly is property development?

To me it is the continual reconfiguration of the built environment to meet society’s needs.

Houses, apartments, office buildings, shopping complexes, road and sewers don’t just happen.

Somebody must motivate and manage the creation and eventually the recreation of the spaces in which we live, work and play.

Are you Raising Your Child to Sink or Soar? 10 Bad Habits That Will Sink Your Child.

In a 2013 survey conducted by the Associated Press, they found that 80% of adults struggle with joblessness, poverty, near-poverty or reliance on welfare for at least parts of their lives.

While you may see yourself as good parents, stats don’t lie.

Eighty percent  parents clearly are failing their kids.

For this 80%, the adult Dream is dead and dependency is their only refuge.

After years of studying the habits, thinking and behaviors that 177 self-made millionaires and 233 poor individuals learned from their parents.

I discovered many things that separate the rich from the poor.

Below are ten key areas I identified where parents are failing their children:

Fail #1 – Toxic Friends

Children are influenced by their environment and that includes who they associate with on a regular basis.

The Impostor Syndrome; Are You a Victim?

On paper, your investments in stocks, real estate or even cash may look like your greatest assets.

While all those things are super-important, you have something else that’s even more valuable.

It’s the investment called you

Finding ways to increase your value while doing the things you love may be the most important thing you do.

Maybe you pursue more training to qualify for a raise.

Maybe you find a way to sell the photography you did as a hobby.

Maybe you find a way to turn your freelance writing into full-time work.

5 Top Regrets of the Dying

According to an article in The Guardian Bronnie Ware an Australian a palliative nurse recorded the most common regrets of the dying in a blog called Inspiration and Chai.

And among the top, from men in particular, is ‘I wish I hadn’t worked so hard’

Here are the top five regrets of the dying, as witnessed by Ware:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me

“This was the most common regret of all.
When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. 

10 unforgettable quotes from Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn was one of my early personal development mentors.

When he passed away in 2009, he left an incredible gift: his encouraging, uplifting messages and inspiring, thought-provoking quotes.

Here are 10 great ones:

1. “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.”

5 things your tenants really hate

Fostering a good relationship between all parties to a tenancy will allow everyone to get so much more out of the experience.

It’s basic logic.

Treat your tenants with respect; be considerate of the fact that your property investment is their home, and they will (hopefully) show you the same courtesy.

Remember, these are the people you rely on to sustain your asset.  

Happy tenants are more likely to look after the premises, pay their rent on time and allow random strangers to wander through their home at the end of a lease.

Work Smarter Not Harder: 4 Productivity Principles You Need to Know

You want to work smarter, not harder.

You want to be more efficient – more productive.

But what are some practical and applicable principles and techniques that can help you do that?

Here are four of the foundational principles you need to follow to achieve more in less time…

1. Pareto Principle

Pareto Principle – The 80/20 rule, which states that roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes or 80% of the results come from 20% of the work.

Love the Opportunity | Jim Rohn

Somebody said you have to love what you do, but that’s not necessarily true. 
 What is true is that you have to love the opportunity.

The opportunity to build life, future, health, success and fortune.

Knocking on someone’s door may not be something you love to do, but you love the opportunity of what might be behind that door.

10 tips to maximize your rent

As a property investor it’s your job to maximize the return of your assets.
 One way to do this is to maximize your rent.

Here’s a list of 10 ways to do this that I’ve learned over the years gaining experience:

1. Refresh

Rents need to increase to keep up with inflation if your rent is tracking backwards it’s because of increasing supply out pacing demand in your area or most probably lack of investment.

Lessons from Mick Jagger

Mick Jagger is on tour again.

He’s 72 years old.

Apparently, Mick Jagger runs 5 miles a day because he says if he doesn’t do that, he doesn’t have the energy to carry through with a great performance.

Pretty impressive, hey?

He is reportedly worth $360 million.

Learn to Understand Rather Than Judge

20 Inspiring Quotes to Help You Overcome the Fear of Failure

One of the biggest fears people have in their lives is failure. Afraid they won’t succeed if they try something new.

Fear that they might never “make it” doing what they are passionate about.

Fear that keeps them from following their heart.

Life is too short to let fear make big decisions for you, so here’s 13 quotes to help you overcome your fears:

1. “You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.” Johnny Cash

Just for fun.

TGIF. Real Estate Team

Perfection is Impossible.

Are great property investors born or made?

Are great property investors born or made? If you’re like me you were told from very young age that if you want to succeed at something – be it sport, school or a musical instrument – that you must put in time, hard work and importantly, practice.

Most of us learnt our times tables by repeating them over and over – practicing multiplication was the most effective means of learning this skill.

Well the same applies to property investment.

Successful property investors are not born with a “How to” manual and they certainly don’t rely on luck.

30 Inspirational Quotes to Live By

Canadian author Robin Sharma travels the world training some of the top CEO’s and Executives on how to become an incredible leader.
 You’ll find his quotes and lessons floating all over social media channels.

Here are some of his best:

1. “To double your net worth, double your self-worth. Because you will never exceed the height of your self-image.”
2. “Knowing what to do and not doing it is the same as not knowing what to do.”

What Benjamin Franklin said about the poor

Warren Buffet Quotes

Poor Vs Rich

Even More Success Habits of the Rich

As 2015 comes to a close and we prepare to turn the page on the calendar, it’s inevitable that you’ll think about success.Was it a successful year?

Do you feel as though you accomplished what you wanted?

Where did you fall short?

And perhaps most importantly, how can you make 2016 even more successful?

Some of those answers, of course, depend on how you define success.

Like many, I grew up equating money and power with success, and for a time, that framed my definition.

But as I’ve matured, that has changed.

I’ve come to realise that most people have an attitude toward money and a

How Self-Made Millionaires Deal With Their Money Every Day

What secrets about managing money do the rich know that the average person doesn’t?

The rich have certain very specific money habits that were instrumental in helping them accumulate their wealth.

1. Know Where Your Money is Going

Top 5 Mistakes in Real Estate Contracts

Our property lawyers have helped hundreds of people buy their first home. 

We know how exciting it can be, but we also know how daunting it can be.

Given that purchasing your first home may in fact be the biggest purchase of your life, it’s important to get it right.

To help you on your way we’ve compiled a list of common mistakes that we see in Real Estate Contracts.

Hopefully by being aware of these mistakes you’ll be able to avoid them and

Who's Worth it?

Are You Letting This Sentence Ruin Your Finances?

Are you dooming your finances to fail by using these words? I’ll cut to the chase, the phrase is:“I can’t afford it”

It’s usually used as an excuse and it looks like this:

• “I can’t afford to save.”
• “I can’t afford to invest.”
• “I can’t afford to get out of debt.”
• “I can’t afford to give.”

Wisdom Nugget

Have you considered gifting a property to your children?

In your quieter reflective moments, the thought may cross your mind about buying or giving property now to your children, or even skipping a generation and buying property now directly in the name of your grandchildren. 

If this is you, lay down immediately until the feeling passes.

Seriously though, isn’t it better to give now with a warm hand rather than a cold hand.

Monday Quote

Love your friends, just don’t listen to them!

How many times have you been told by your friends ‘why would you want to invest?’

That’s why friends make the best mates but don’t always give the best advice.

Our friends influence our lives so much, it’s easy to take their advice on board.

But the friends who tell you to sell everything, just enjoy life, are also sometimes the people who don’t actually own any property.

25 Things Everyone Should Know About Investing and the Economy

One of my favourite columnists, Morgan Housel wrote a great piece 122 Things Everyone Should Know About Investing and the Economy 

Here are 25 great thoughts

1.  Saying “I’ll be greedy when others are fearful” is easier than actually doing it.
2.  When most people say they want to be a millionaire, what they really mean is “I want to spend $1 million,” which is literally the opposite of being a millionaire.
3. Daniel Kahneman’s book Thinking Fast and Slow begins, “The premise of this book is that it is easier to recognize other people’s mistakes than your own.” This should be every market commentator’s motto.

Profits are better than wages | Jim Rohn

My mentor, when I was 25 years old, dropped a phrase on me that changed my life forever when he said;

“Profits are better than wages.  Wages will make you a living, profits can make you a fortune.”

You know it is a bit difficult to get rich on wages, but anybody can get rich on profits

Profits change your whole attitude, even if you start part-time.

Whether it’s part time on your entrepreneurial business, network marketing company or

10 quotes that will help you deal with change

One of the constants in life is change, however most of us don’t like change.

Life, business, property investing or whatever is much easier if things are nice and predictable.

But that’s not how things work – is it?

So let’s start the week off with 10 quotes about change:

1. “Waking up to who you are requires letting go of who you imagine yourself to be.” – Alan Watts

2. “If you don’t create change, change will create you.” – Unknown

6 Pieces of Advice About Making More Money

There are smart ways to try and make more money and then there are the not so smart ways.

Here are six of the best pieces of advice found from study on making more money:

1. Pursue Something You’re Passionate About as a Side Business

Build a side business doing something that you love and that provides value to others and society.

The self-made millionaires in my study who loved what they did for a living accumulated an average wealth of $7.4 million over just twelve years.

When you do something you love, you will

7 Timeless Principles to Steer You through Negotiations

If you want a sure-fire way to succeed at negotiations – whether it’s with your partner over who takes out the bins or for your next property investment purchase, then look no further.
 Here’s 7 timeless quotes to help you out:

1. Negotiating is essentially human way of interacting

It is the way we progress.

Adam Smith, the Scottish economist who wrote “The Wealth of Nations” put it this way:

“Man is an animal that makes bargains. No other animal does this. One dog does not exchange a bone with another.”

10 Most Common Critical Mistakes When Leasing Your Property

If you’ve been con­sid­er­ing rent­ing out a house you own, or buy­ing a house to rent out, you have things to think about.

While own­ing a rental can be a good way to make some extra money, there are con­cerns that should be taken very ser­i­ously.

You need to take a good look at the pros and cons before mak­ing a hasty decision.

At the very least, learn the basics before mak­ing your move.

You already know stor­ies from fam­ily or friends, and things you see on the news.

Ten­ants will break their lease and leave before ful­filling their terms.

Oth­ers will over­stay their wel­come without pay­ing the rent.

Some ten­ants are willfully destruct­ive, and

7 investment ‘tips’ every investor should ignore

As investors, it can be hard to separate the good property advice from the bad – and let’s be honest, there’s plenty of advice out there to sort through!

These are just some of the tidbits of bad advice I’ve heard over the years, which I strongly urge investors to ignore:

1. Buy locally, so you can visit the property

I understand the appeal of being able to drive by your investment to physically check on it from time to time.

But as a basis for an investing strategy?

This is just fraught with danger.

Some Humourous Quotes from Famous People

We all need a bit of humour in our lives, so here are some quotes from famous people to brighten your day.

1. I have kleptomania, but when it gets bad, I take something for it.  Robert Benchley 
2. As I hurtled through space, one thought kept crossing my mind – every part of this rocket was supplied by the lowest bidder. John Glenn.. 

The Ant Philosophy By Jim Rohn

Over the years I’ve been teaching children about a simple but powerful concept – the ant philosophy.   
I think everybody should study ants.

They have an amazing four- part philosophy, and here is the first part: ants never quit. 

That’s a good philosophy.

If they’re headed somewhere and you try to stop them; they’ll look for another way.

They’ll climb over, they’ll climb under, they’ll climb around.

They keep looking for

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