Ironfish

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Juwai chairman Georg Chmiel interviewed Ironfish CEO Joseph Chou on investing in property.
"Today, we talk to one of the most interesting, influential, and invisible individuals in the real estate industry."
"If this is the first time you are hearing the name Joseph Chou, that is just how he likes it. As CEO and Founder of <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/" target="_blank">Ironfish</a>, Chou leads one of the quietest but most powerful companies in the property sector. He is determined it will one day be worth $1 billion. Chou’s memoir, From Bicycles to Bentleys, is popular with Australian investors and a bestseller in Beijing."
"Chou is a native of China and a former diplomat who immigrated to Australia in 1991. Within 18 months of arriving, he and his wife Suzanne had already turned their $4,000 of savings into a $175,000 house and a new BMW."
He was justly proud but, he says, “I felt tired. I was literally working seven days and most evenings.” 
Around this time, Chou reunited with a former colleague who had not spent his earnings on a new car and home, but instead had invested in property. 
“He had turned cash flow into assets. I, on the other hand, bought the BMW and a home first.” 
Chou told me this is when he realised the only way he would be able to enjoy his prosperity was by creating assets that produced wealth for him — even when he himself was not working.
In the subsequent year, Joseph worked quickly to build up a substantial portfolio of his own. He then decided to get into the property business himself and eventually founded Ironfish. The company aims to help Australians build a portfolio of four to ten investment properties over a long period of time and to hold them until they double in value.
“That’s our Australian business,” he said. “Our core value is helping Australian families build a property portfolio to complement superannuation.” 
Tip's for Investors
When I asked him what he thinks of rent-vestors who buy their first investment property before their own home, he applauded them.
“That can be a good idea,” he said. “It is cheaper to rent and also own an investment property than just buying a first home.” 
Chou says Ironfish has many young professional customers in this category. “They are investing in a few properties first while their career is on the way up. Then, when they have more money and know where they want to settle, they buy their home.”
In fact, it seems Chou’s recommendation for first-home buyers is to take your time. 
“Don’t buy just to take advantage of government incentives,” he says. “If you get a mortgage prematurely it will affect your career, your ability to move around, or the opportunity to start a business.”
Once you have invested, Chou believes you should hold onto your investment property as long as possible.
“Our idea is to never sell unless you absolutely have to,” he says. “Property is the goose that lays golden eggs. There is no point in killing it.”  
Struggle To Triumph
Chou was born and raised in Nakou, about 50 kilometres from Beijing. By age 16, Chou had nearly died three times.
In one close call, he was saved at the last moment from being run over by a train. Then, he nearly drowned in the deep end of a swimming pool. Finally, a long metal stake impaled him in the eye.
“There was blood everywhere, and it felt like a bullet had lodged in my brain,” he writes. Luckily, he suffered no permanent damage.
Chou explains that, in China, if you survive three tragic accidents you are said to have good fortune for the rest of your life. 
“Looking back, surviving set me up to tackle life head-on. I thought, ‘There must be a purpose for my life if I have survived this far.’”
Australia’s natural beauty and its freedoms were the qualities that persuaded Chou and wife to start new lives here. 
“Living freely in Australia, we could make choices on how we would spend our time and live our lives. I wanted to go into business in Australia, attain wealth and achieve my goal of living a free life.”
Apartment Vs. House
One funny story Chou tells about his adjustment to living in Australia involves his first grass lawn. Having grown up in an apartment in China, he had no idea how to mow the grass in the garden of <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2017/09/29/inside-look-homes-successful-property-investor/" target="_blank">his first house</a>, in Denistone. A neighbour showed him how to use the mower, but Chou found himself generating plumes of dust because the mower blade was set too low. He was so flummoxed that he gave away the mower and hired a gardener. 
Perhaps this experience is one reason he believes houses should be part of your investment portfolio but not all of it. He encourages investors to balance among houses, townhouses, and apartments as each has its advantages.
I asked Chou what features create value over time. He said he looks for a convenient location, high quality design, and amenities that make people want to live there. He likes apartment buildings that have an owner occupier feel and he likes apartment buildings that appeal to both owner occupiers and investors.
“Also, we have what we call the PIE formula,” he said. “The area has to have a population that’s increasing, infrastructure investments, and employment growth.
Downturn?
Chou is a strong believer in property as a route to wealth. (You may want to note one quarter of the richest 200 individuals in Australia made their money in property.
“The key message is that Australian property is unique compared to other countries. There is a $7.5 trillion asset base. Only 5 per cent is traded every year, so it’s been very stable.”
Chou says investors have many good picks today. For a run-down of his current investment strategy, read <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/expert-insights/investing/86308-ironfish-should-i-invest-in-property-in-2018-or-wait-a-year" target="_blank">his summary here</a>.
Getting into Development
Development is something relatively new for Ironfish. In Melbourne, Ironfish jointly developed Whitehorse Towers and the project was priced below the competition. 
“We had to sit down with our development partner to negotiate with them on behalf of the buyers,” he said. “The reduction in pricing reduced the project’s profitability by millions of dollars.”
This is something unique about Ironfish. I don’t know of any other property company that makes leaving money on the table for buyers a cornerstone of their philosophy. Chou sees his company’s mission as helping Australian families build wealth through property.
Although he is too discreet to say so, Chou is very successful. 
He came to Australia with only $4000, and his first car (a 15-year old Mitsubishi Sigma) ate up 95 per cent of that total. Chou now has a large personal property portfolio, leads a successful company, and helps thousands of Australians build their own investment portfolios so they can achieve their own financial success. 
“To me, it was Australia that made this possible,” he says. “We are so lucky to live in this country. It is a nation that gives everyone a go, and I want to help all Australians to have the same good fortune as me.” 
GEORG CHMIEL, the chairman of Juwai, a Chinese website for buyers of overseas property, was speaking to Joseph Chou in his regular column giving insight into the leading minds of Australian property experts.
He has spoken with LJ Hooker agent Bill Malouf about the <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/expert-insights/investing/82193-georg-chmiel-chats-with-bill-malouf" target="_blank">ins and out of the Sydney market</a>, REINSW president Leanne Pilkington about <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/expert-insights/investing/83830-georg-chmiel-chats-with-reinsw-president-leanne-pilkington-on-women-in-real-estate" target="_blank">women in real estate</a>, developer Larry Kestelman about <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/expert-insights/investing/85169-georg-chmiel-chats-with-larry-kestelman-about-developing-your-first-property" target="_blank">developing your first property</a>, and Harcourts boss Mike Green on <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/expert-insights/investing/86232-georg-chmiel-chats-with-harcourts-boss-mike-green-on-real-estate-investment-secrets" target="_blank">real estate investment secrets</a>.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Georg Chmiel talks with Ironfish CEO Joseph Chou about whether to invest in today’s market

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SPONSORED POST
“My one bedroom investment property created more wealth in 3 years, than I could have saved in 13 years in my career. At this point, I realised I needed to take property investment very seriously. Because just one property purchase had changed the course of my life.”
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/12/Bruce-262x300.jpg" alt="">
<h2>CASE IN PROFILE:</h2>
<ul>
<li>Former graphic designer/account director and Ironfish customer</li>
<li>Career change into property investment</li>
<li>8 investment properties, 5 purchased through Ironfish</li>
<li>Rent-vestor</li>
</ul>
<h2>That one property purchase</h2>
Bruce has been with Ironfish for nearly 3 years and is a senior Strategist as well as being part of the leadership team in the Ironfish Burwood office.
Prior to joining us, Bruce enjoyed a successful 13-year career in the design industry, starting out as a graphic designer and moving on to account management when (as he says quite matter-of-factly) he discovered his talent and love for working with people far outweighed any natural creative genius! At around the same time as making this switch, Bruce and his wife Evelyn, also decided to buy their first investment property: a one-bedroom second-hand apartment in Stanmore, a suburb in Sydney’s inner west. A decision which turned out to be life-changing.
<blockquote>
“The amount of wealth my one-bedroom investment property in Stanmore created for me was about 10 times more than I could have saved in my career for the past 13 years. I knew then that I needed to get involved with property – initially that was by becoming a more active property investor, and eventually, this put me on the path to joining Ironfish as well.”
</blockquote>
<h2>Why I decided to buy property with Ironfish</h2>
After Stanmore, Bruce and Evelyn purchased two off-the-plan apartments in Parramatta through a different company, and after two years, when they had built some equity across all 3 properties, they agreed to meet with Ironfish Burwood Strategists Yusi and Haibin to consider further investment options.
“I’ve bought from our ‘competitors’, I’ve bought from traditional real estate agents, and what I’ve found is that most people are quite transaction focussed, and there is very little contact after you’ve bought your property.
“When Yusi and Haibin came to our place, it was a very different type of service. Initially I was still thinking from a transactional view as well, and wanted to just quickly view properties and move on. But before they would show me any properties, they first asked me questions like: ‘What are you going to do in the next 10 – 15 years?’ ‘What are your dreams?’ ‘What are the things you want to pursue in life?’ And a big one, which we had never considered: ‘How can you ensure you can continue the lifestyle you enjoy now, in the event that one or both of you needs to stop working?’ What I learned from our first meeting was that Ironfish Strategists were different; they were not focused on the transaction, they truly cared about my future and about building wealth for my family.”
<div id="attachment_7493" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/12/Bruce-evelyn-1024x768.jpg" alt=""> Bruce and his wife Evelyn, with their Strategists Yusi and Haibin
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<h2>A cut above</h2>
While Bruce was impressed with the service and ethos of Ironfish Strategists, he and his wife also fell in love with the properties. On their second meeting, they decided to buy two properties: one apartment in Brisbane (The Melbourne Residences) and one in Melbourne (Aurora).
“The quality of the properties and the locations of those properties were a cut above anything else I’d seen out there. For example, we bought a one-bedroom apartment in ‘Aurora’ for $397,000. Aurora is built on top of Melbourne’s central station, and is the only building in Australia with direct lift access down into the train station and shopping centre below. Imagine if a luxurious skyscraper was built on top of the QVB – that was the kind of building we’d managed to buy into. And I always thought that you needed to be a millionaire or have special connections to get into those developments. The fact that Ironfish could offer me a property like that made me think this company has a lot going for it!”
<h2>Paying the price</h2>
Shortly after their purchase, Yusi invited Bruce along to one of Joseph’s half day seminars – which set him on his path to a new career.
<div id="attachment_7480" class="wp-caption alignleft">
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/12/bruce-dreamboard-low-res-e1512083506577-168x300.jpg" alt=""> “Travel to all the fabulous places around the world” – A page out of Bruce and Evelyn’s dream-book
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“I was extremely impressed and inspired by Joseph, and I knew immediately that he was someone I wanted to learn from. There was one thing he said that sticks with me to this day. He said: ‘First, you decide what it is you want from life, secondly, ask yourself what price you have to pay to achieve it, and thirdly, pay the price.’ I went home and asked my wife that question: ‘What do you want to achieve in life?’
“We sat down and made ourselves a ‘dream-board’ with pictures of everything we wanted for ourselves and those around us. At the end of the day, I really believe in the law of attraction. I knew that joining Ironfish, talking to successful investors and entrepreneurs like Joseph or [Burwood MD] Linda everyday would help us get to where we wanted to go – and that staying in our current jobs wasn’t going to be adequate. So, my wife and I both made the decision to resign from our jobs and came onboard with Ironfish. It has completely transformed our lives – not just financially, but mentally – how we look at life and perceive things. I can safely say it’s the best decision we’ve ever made!”
After joining the Ironfish team, Bruce has since purchased a further 3 investment properties diversified across multiple cities, and has helped nearly 100 customers invest in the Australian property market. Bruce’s next investment is likely to be a house and land package in South East Queensland.
<h2>Bruce’s property investment tips:</h2>
<ul>
<li>Buying an investment property rather than a home to live in may help accelerate your ability to build wealth – so it’s worth considering if this is more of a priority to you than immediate lifestyle demands.</li>
<li>Build a successful team with the sole purpose of protecting and building your wealth, e.g. a successful property professional, a mortgage broker who knows the ins and outs of financing structures, an accountant who can help you with tax minimisation, lawyer who can identify clauses that might put you at disadvantage in your purchases.</li>
<li>No market is perfect, no market is certain. As an investor, be prudent and diversify and look at where the bigger picture lies. If an area has good scope for population growth, infrastructure spending and employment, and the property is high quality and you can service it comfortably, then I have the confidence to recommend my customers get into any market – whether it’s a peak market like Sydney, or an up and coming market like Perth.</li>
</ul>
Bruce Guan is a senior property investment strategist at Ironfish.
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How one property purchase changed the course of someone's life

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SPONSORED POST<a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2017/12/14/australias-population-growth-30-years-ahead-schedule/"> </a>
In 1998, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) predicted that Australia’s population would grow to at least 23.5 million people in 2051.
In reality, we reached that milestone back in July 2014 – that was the ‘low-growth’ prediction.
At most, the ABS predicted, that our population would grow to 26.4 million people by 2051.
But in 2017, our population already sits at 24.7 million people, meaning we’ll hit that upper-end forecast as early as 2021 – about 30 years earlier than the ABS predicted.
According to current growth patterns Australia is set to reach a population of about 38 million by 2051, around 12 million more people than even the highest forecast from 1998.
<h2>Population growth drivers</h2>
Social researcher and demographer Mark McCrindle says that this isn’t because the calculations were wrong, but that “migration policy changes, longevity increases and a solid birth rate have defied the trends that were evident 20 years ago.”
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/12/Ironfish_Infographic_AustralianPopStats_A4FINAL_150dpiResolution-724x1024.jpg" alt="">
Back then, they assumed that women would have fewer babies and the fertility rate (the number of babies a woman would have in her lifetime) would continue to drop to a minimum of 1.6 babies and a maximum of 1.75 babies. However, the fertility rate didn’t decrease, it increased, and now sits at 1.81: a figure which is above even the higher forecast from 1998.
In 1998, life expectancy at birth was 76.6 for and 82 for women. The 1998 prediction for 2051 was that life expectancy would hit a high of 82 for men and 86 for women. However, current life expectancy is already nearly 81 for males and 85 for females and will reach this 2051 target decades early.
“However,” McCrindle says, “the biggest growth factor that has blown out previous population modelling has been the rise and rise of Australia’s net overseas migration.
“In 1998 it was thought that it would grow our population annually by around 70,000, or at the most, 90,000 people. In the last 12 months, Australia has added 231,900 through net migration which is more than 2.5 times even the high-forecast of two decades ago.”
<h2>Global leader in growth</h2>
In the decade to 2016, Australia’s population growth rate was 1.69%, outpacing many other developed countries including other English speaking countries, such as the US, Canada and New Zealand. In fact, Sydney  alone is now home to more people than the whole country of New Zealand.
The world’s more developed countries in aggregate grew by an annual average of 0.3%. The world’s population as a whole increased by an average of 1.2% per year.
According to the UN Population Division, the only developed countries that had a faster rate of population growth were Singapore, Luxembourg and Israel.
 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/12/Australia-population-vs-world.jpg" alt="">
Source: Tom Wilson, Principal Research Fellow, Charles Darwin University, writing for <a href="https://theconversation.com/bloom-and-boom-how-babies-and-migrants-have-contributed-to-australias-population-growth-78097" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>
<h2>The states compared</h2>
Queensland, NSW and Victoria are all outperforming the nation as a whole, with population growth rates of 1.85%, 1.87% and 2.4% respectively.
Back in 1998, Melbourne’s population was expected to reach between 3.6 and 4.5 million by 2051. It’s already surpassed this range, with a current population of 4.8 million people. Sydney was predicted to reach between 4.7 and 6.2 million. It has a current population of 5.1 million and set to reach the higher forecast within the next 10 years. Melbourne is also now tipped to overtake Sydney as the most populous Australian city in the next 20 years.
While overseas migration has been a primary driver of this growth, according to Principal Research Fellow at Charles Darwin University, Tom Wilson, even if migration policy changes take place in future, the population will still grow significantly.
“In particular,” Wilson notes, “relatively large numbers of people are in the peak childbearing ages. This means that even if migration fell immediately to zero the population would still increase. Demographers call this age structure effect “population momentum”.”
How does population growth affect property prices and where to invest in property in 2018?
Essentially, this comes down to a simple question of supply and demand; when the number of people grows faster than the number of new properties on the market in those key growth areas, then the shortfall will place pressure on prices.
“Of course, this is only one piece of the puzzle for property investors,” says Ironfish National Apartments Manager, Will Mitchell. “Our property and research team looks at the overall picture and considers a number of factors such as infrastructure and government spending, transport and employment options to select areas and properties set to outperform the wider market.
“However, the fact that Australia’s population has surpassed all forecasts from 1998 is truly remarkable and should not be taken lightly.
“One of the most common questions I am asked by people looking to buy investment property is whether now is the right time. My response to that is simple: property investment is a long-term investment, and in 10, 20 or 30 years, do you think property will be in more or less demand in Australia?
“Our unprecedented international migration reflects how unique our country is, and the lifestyle that it offers – we have stunning scenery, world-class healthcare, education, retail and dining and we are ranked as one of the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-safest-countries-global-peace-index-2017-6?IR=T" target="_blank">safest countries</a> in the world.
“I think it’s an amazing country, and that’s why so many people want to move here,” he said.
According to McCrindle, the lessons to be learned from this rapid growth in Australia’s<a href="http://mccrindle.com.au/resources/Australia-Population-Map-Generational-Profile_Infographic_McCrindle.pdf" target="_blank"> </a>population is that urban planners and governments alike need to keep a close eye on population forecasts and plan early for growth.
“And when in doubt,” McCrindle adds, “assume the higher growth forecasts not the lower ones. I’m yet to see an Australian population forecast that needs adjusting down.”  
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Australia’s population growth 30+ years ahead of schedule

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SPONSORED POST
Ironfish provides VIP property opportunities with pre-negotiated deals on apartments, townhouses and house &amp; land packages across Australia.
We are highly selective of the properties we introduce to our investors and every Ironfish approved property has been through a rigorous due diligence process.
VIP and Pre-Public Opportunities Ironfish approved properties are carefully selected, extensively researched and pre-negotiated. As one of Australia’s largest investor networks, Ironfish investors receive preferential access to many of Australia’s premium properties before public release.
Detailed Research Ironfish searches nationally for premium investment opportunities in the most dynamic locations, with strong growth potential. Our comprehensive selection process includes specific selection formulas for houses, apartments and townhouses.
Quality Properties Investors don’t have to waste time sifting through inferior investment opportunities: Ironfish rejects the majority of properties it analyses. Astute investors know many of the best new properties are offered to the general public only after other VIP purchasers. We work exclusively with leading developers with a strong track record of delivering quality properties in great locations.
Turnkey Investments Ironfish coordinates everything required for a property’s long-term success and ease of management so that properties are turnkey and as hassle-free as possible.
Which property selection process is best for you? Our approach differs significantly to the average investor strategy. We recommend investors accumulate a portfolio of different types of property that includes a mix of convenience-focused properties (apartments) and land-focused properties  (houses and townhouses).
At Ironfish, two of our overall strategies include: “infill” which generally refers to filling a little gap within an established suburb and “urban renewal” areas. Consider suburbs like Rhodes or Victoria Park in Sydney: if you compare these suburbs today to 15 years ago, you can see the dramatic changes that have taken place.
Beyond location, it’s also about selecting the right development. Major factors we consider include transport, convenience for tenants and future owners, employment and lifestyle factors.
After that it comes down to the quality of the development; we want to make sure that the property appeals to a high calibre tenant and has strong future owner occupier appeal.  I.e. who is going to pay a lot more money for this property in the future? And this has to do with who is the developer, what’s their experience and a lot of what we call – “off-market intel” – we’ve been in the market a long time, we’re looking for opportunities that other people don’t have.
 
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How do Ironfish select properties to invest in

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New figures have revealed the popularity of townhouses is soaring, with approvals for new townhouses at record levels in Australia’s biggest cities.
In the 12 months to December 2017, townhouse approvals had the strongest year on year growth at 21% in Victoria (VIC) and 28% in New South Wales (NSW). 
Conversely, in the same period, the number of approvals for detached houses in NSW and VIC fell by 2% compared to the previous year – with <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2017/08/03/townhouses-next-big-thing/">more Australians</a> shifting away from detached houses in favour of higher density living.
An analysis of ABS dwelling unit data over the last 5-7 years has shown an exponential increase in townhouse approvals as more developers seek to meet this growing demand.
In 2017, annual townhouse approvals rose by 124% in Victoria (VIC) and 128% New South Wales (NSW), compared to 2011 figures. 
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Housing approvals drop
While the rate of growth for townhouse approvals has remained robust and positive for the last 5 years, the rate of growth for traditional detached housing approvals has been declining over the same period, with weaker overall year on year growth.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/8/8/IRONFISH%202.jpg" alt="">
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Over the past 5 years, VIC townhouse approvals averaged an annual rate of growth of 14.4% and NSW townhouses averaged an annual rate of growth of 15.3%. Detached housing approvals increased at lower rates of 2.6% and 9.3% respectively.
<h4>Houses &amp; Townhouses – 5 year rate of growth</h4>
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<h2>Comparable backyard to a House &amp; Land</h2>
Typically, townhouses provide a more affordable, family-friendly alternative to a detached house, with more indoor and outdoor space and privacy than an apartment, but without the cost and upkeep of a larger home on a big block.
What’s interesting to note, however, is that many new townhouses aren’t compromising so much in the way of backyard space anymore.
As the cost of land continues to rise across the nation, block sizes are <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2017/11/07/smaller-blocks-larger-price-tags-aussies-opting-big-backyard/">continuing to decrease</a>, ultimately resulting in smaller backyards. In some cases, these backyards are the same size or only slightly larger than the backyard you would find in a townhouse.
In the Sydney suburb of Schofields for example, townhouses can offer up to around 70% as much backyard space as a standalone house &amp; land package – with a substantial price saving to boot.
<h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/8/8/IRONFISH%205.jpg" alt=""></h4>
For the growing number of families wanting a backyard without compromising their ‘lock up and leave’ lifestyle, townhouses can offer the ideal solution. Even a quick poll at Ironfish HQ, revealed the popularity of this lifestyle choice.
<blockquote>
“We currently live in an apartment with a young family and would likely choose a townhouse in our area as our next move,” said Ironfish staff member Manisha Lee. “We don’t want to compromise on our location and we want to be within an easy commute to work. A townhouse is a more affordable way to have that extra bedroom and backyard space that we need compared to a standalone house or terrace-house in the same area.”
“And to be honest, we’re used to apartment living; we don’t want the headache of having to maintain a property ourselves – we have enough on our plate with working fulltime and raising young kids as it is! Having someone else manage the maintenance makes it much easier.”
</blockquote>
<h2>Location, location</h2>
Not only are townhouses an affordable option compared to detached housing, they are also increasingly better positioned in new master-planned communities.
A growing trend we are now seeing is that councils and developers are positioning townhouses in prized locations, near parks or on the waterfront. They also tend to be in closer proximity to transport hubs, retail and other amenities compared with house &amp; land.
<h2>Luxury and affordability</h2>
With rising land prices in Sydney and Melbourne, affordability has been a key driver for prioritising townhouses across urban planning measures. The NSW Department of Planning and Environment, for example, states that medium density housing provides an important alternative, offering more affordable housing choice in a market that has traditionally been a mix of fully detached housing and apartments.
However, townhouses do come in a variety of different sizes and price points and are not necessarily pitched exclusively at entry level buyers.
<blockquote>
Domain Data Scientist, Dr Nicola Powell, points out that many developers are now including fittings and fixtures and architectural design standards more closely linked to the luxury end of the housing market. They are also better catering for families with younger children through the inclusion of common gardens or other leisure spaces.
</blockquote>
<h2>The rise and rise of townhouse living</h2>
In the 2016 Census, the growing shift away from detached housing towards higher density living was revealed. Townhouses accounted for 12.7% of resident homes in Australia, up from 9.9% in 2011 – while detached houses, though still the majority, continued their longer-term declining trajectory from 75.6.7% to 72.9%.  
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/8/8/IRONFISH%206.jpg" alt="">
“In the face of affordability constraints, changing lifestyle choices and an expanding population, we expect townhouse living is only going to increase in popularity,” said Ironfish Head of Property, William Mitchell.
“And as more new townhouses are built to meet this growing demand, it’s likely the next Census data set will show an even stronger uptake of townhouse living.”
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Are townhouses the new house?

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“There’s lots of companies that are just wanting to make money. They basically just tell you whatever’s on their books is the right thing to buy. So, it’s hard to find someone you can trust. 
“What we liked about Ironfish is that they’re a company that educates and takes on board your whole financial situation and goals, not just your ability to access funds to purchase property. There’s heaps of events and education sessions that help improve your general financial IQ as well.” 
<h4>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/chris-cindy-5-e1531102841752-300x244.jpg" alt=""> </h4>
<h4>CASE IN PROFILE</h4>
<ul>
<li>Brisbane based medical specialists</li>
<li>Experienced investors who were lacking a clear goal</li>
<li>Purchased 3 properties with Ironfish</li>
<li>9 investment properties in total</li>
</ul>
<h2>Not really ‘property investors’</h2>
Chris and Cindy Aubrey are Surgical Assistants working in multiple private hospitals in Brisbane. Originally from far north Queensland, Chris and Cindy moved to Brisbane for work, and have a young family of 2 kids, aged 2 and 4. Prior to investing with Ironfish, they already owned 4 investment properties which are scattered around Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales, along with a Victorian property in their SMSF.
“We wouldn’t have called ourselves ‘property investors’ though. We had a couple of investment properties because we didn’t know what else to do with our money and we thought property was a good vehicle!
“After investing with Ironfish we really started to look into financial education, and at that point get into property investment a little bit more as a passion and with a clear goal.”
<h2>Finding someone you can trust</h2>
Apart from 2 out of their 9 properties, Chris and Cindy’s investments were purchased through a company. Chris and Cindy’s main challenge before investing with us, was<a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/02/07/cancelled-contract-another-property-investment-company-went-ironfish-instead/" target="_blank"> finding a company they could trust</a>.
“We’ve had experiences with other property companies where they’ve sold us a property and left us. With Ironfish, we don’t feel like we’ve just been ‘sold to’. We hear from our strategist Linna regularly, not only to help us review our current portfolio but also to invite us to <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/seminars/" target="_blank">events and education sessions</a>. There’s always lots to learn.”
<h2>Knowing what you want</h2>
Chris and Cindy had a chat with our Brisbane based strategist, Linna Reakes, who listened to what they wanted to achieve and also invited them to come along to some Ironfish events and property investment seminars.
“We’ve been to a few events and they’re really good, especially Joseph. He’s a great speaker. What we got out of those events was that it <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/02/23/secret-success-everybody-overlooks/" target="_blank">starts with the mindset</a>, it starts with goal setting – which is not what we did initially in our property journey. We leapt into it without knowing what we wanted out of it. Now we have a clear goal; we are aiming to replace enough of our income so we don’t have to work so hard and can spend more time with the kids while they’re still young.”
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/chris-cindy-2-1024x683.jpg" alt="">
<h2>Property selection</h2>
Chris and Cindy were very specific about what types of property they were targeting when they talked to Linna.
“We told Linna we were looking for house &amp; land, and she helped us acquire a package located in <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/07/04/record-numbers-looking-for-homes-in-queensland/" target="_blank">South East Queensland</a> which met our criteria. We also purchased 2 other units in Brisbane, which provide good cash flow and are good quality builds that are going to hold their value. Credit to Linna to understanding what we wanted and showing us what she thought was suitable.”
<h2>The importance of follow up</h2>
While the performance of the property is important, Chris and Cindy agree that ongoing service and support is what makes a real difference.
“We’ve had good and bad experiences with different companies. We can look back and see which properties have done well and which haven’t; that weighs in on deciding if we’re going to invest with them again.
“But it’s also about communication and follow up. Companies mostly make their money on the event of a sale, but if they have good after-sale service we’re more likely to go with them again. And that’s what we appreciate about Ironfish. There’s good follow up; Linna is great, and the property management service has been good, no problems at all. We’re very happy with the care we’re getting as customers and in our portfolio management. And now that we’ve built a decent portfolio, we’re looking at managing that over the long term.”
<h2>Chris and Cindy’s property investment tips:</h2>
<ol>
<li>
Focus on your own education. We go to seminars, we have mentors and ask lots of questions. Don’t pay attention to mainstream media, look for reports from reputable sources.</li>
<li>
Get yourself a good team of people. We have a financial planner, accountant and mortgage broker – this is something we picked up from Ironfish. In the past 5 years, we’ve changed our accountant and planner to find people who understand and help us achieve our goals. That’s made a huge difference. For example, from an accounting perspective in structuring your properties: you may pay for advice upfront, but it could save you thousands down the track.</li>
<li>
Start with ‘why?’ Set a goal for why you’re investing in property and what you want to achieve out of it before you leap in.</li>
<li>
Consider the benefits of investing in new or off-the-plan property. We initially just fell into this type of investment, but we’ve since learned about the tax depreciation advantages. And also, depending on the area, new home starts are a sign of potential growth in an area. We now have 9 properties, half house &amp; land, half apartment. Most are new properties.</li>
<li>
Look at each of your properties as a business. We haven’t even set foot in any of our investment properties. We’ve got friends who’ve not bought based on a property having a colour of paint they didn’t like. Don’t let emotion sway your decision making. Let the numbers make the decision.</li>
</ol>
 
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Dr Chris and Cindy Aubrey - surgical assistants and Ironfish customers

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For the majority of property investors, it is very difficult to accept the concept of buying investment property in another city or state. In fact, <a href="https://theconversation.com/three-charts-on-who-is-the-typical-investor-in-the-australian-property-market-81319" target="_blank">recent studies</a> show that only 11% of investors are investing in property interstate. As much as we all want to be logical and rational in our investment decisions, for many of us, emotion does come into play and the comfort that comes with knowing an area well does impact where and what we invest in. This can have significant effects on your return on investment.
At some point, as an investor you will be challenged by something that encourages you to look at another city. Perhaps it is affordability, or the need to diversify your portfolio – but when this challenge presents itself, if you are able to recognise the benefits of looking beyond your home city, the next steps will be easier than you initially thought, and you will be able to move forward with your investment decisions and continue to build your portfolio.
<h4>THE BENEFITS OF INVESTING IN MULTIPLE CITIES</h4>
Market conditions and cycles continually fluctuate between each state and city, so that when values are rising in one market, another area may be flat while another may be poised for growth. For many investors, diversifying across multiple cities enables them to take advantage of the different market cycles.
Investing in another city or state also offers a wider variety of choice in affordable investment options. For many who are increasingly being priced out of Sydney, the relative <a href="https://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2017/06/07/better-lifestyle-half-cost-australias-popular-capital-city-move/" target="_blank">affordability of the other major capital cities</a> has strong appeal.
There are also differences in capital growth and rental yields at varying times across the different cities. For example, according to <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/news/capital-city-dwelling-values-rise-0-8-over-june-quarter#.WY0kJFEjGUl" target="_blank">figures from CoreLogic</a>, in the last year to 30 June 2017, Melbourne houses had the highest capital growth (15%) of all the capital cities and all housing types. On the other hand, Brisbane apartments had the highest rental yield (5.2%) out of the 5 major Australian capital cities. By diversifying your portfolio across multiple cities, you will have a better opportunity of targeting your desired capital growth and rental yield across your portfolio.
Another important consideration is the varying taxes across the different states. Each state has its own stamp duty rates and differing land tax thresholds – as well as continually changing Government incentives and grants. By diversifying across the states, investors can take advantage of the different thresholds and incentives on offer.
<h4>SO, WHERE AND HOW TO BEGIN?</h4>
Once you’ve decided to invest in another city, the next steps are similar to the process you would go through in buying residential property in your own city or state, with a few key factors to consider. Here’s our top 5 property investment tips for investing in another city or interstate.
<ol>
<li>
<h4>Research</h4>
</li>
</ol>
Read as much as possible. For most people, it’s an impossible task to go and personally visit every city you may plan to invest in – both in terms of time, and money spent – and without any potential payback. Instead, consider reading up online; there are many wonderful resources and <a href="https://www.ironfish.com.au/property-outlook-report/" target="_blank">reports</a> to equip you with knowledge of the different cities and how the markets are performing.
<ol start="2">
<li>
<h4>Talk to experts with local knowledge</h4>
</li>
</ol>
Get an understanding of how locals live – do they want to be close to the beach, or close to cafes? Do locals catch the train or bus or tram to work? Gain insights into what locals want from a property – keeping in mind this may vary significantly to what you might want from a property, or what people in your city may want from a property.
<ol start="3">
<li>
<h4>Know your budget</h4>
</li>
</ol>
There is no point looking for a penthouse in New York if your budget is $300,000! Understand your limits and look for what you can afford. The table below is a good guide to understanding what your money may be able to buy in each city.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/08/08/Affordability-index.png" alt="">
<img class="alignnone wp-image-6495 size-full" src="https://www.ironfish.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/affordability-disclaimer.png" alt="" width="867" height="79">
You should also factor in the different costs of ownership in different cities, as each state has different stamp duty rates, and also different thresholds for land tax payable. By diversifying your portfolio you can limit land tax payable – although this shouldn’t be the main driver for your investment strategy, it is certainly a benefit of diversification.  
<ol start="4">
<li>
<h4>Take the emotion out of your investment</h4>
</li>
</ol>
Buying investment property is, of course, an inherently different type of decision to buying your own home. Remember that the things you may love about living in a particular type, size or location of a property may be very different to what others may value in their local city. Stay focused on the research, and of course, make sure that the fundamentals of the property are sound – that you are investing in quality.
<ol start="5">
<li>
<h4>Get the support of a good team</h4>
</li>
</ol>
The challenges of investing with confidence in another city or state can feel insurmountable when you’re doing it on your own. That’s why it’s important to get the support of a team of professionals who can help to guide you through the process. We know the importance of local knowledge when it comes to property investment, and as an investor you can leverage our national network of 9 offices located across the 5 major Australian capital cities. Also ensure that you have a great solicitor, accountant and mortgage broker on your team – with the right support in place, investing in another city is well within reach.
If you’re interested in buying investment property and would like more information on interstate property markets, you can download our national residential property report <a href="https://www.ironfish.com.au/property-outlook-report/" target="_blank">“My Market.</a>”
Or if you would like specific reports about each of the major Australian property markets (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth), please <a href="https://www.ironfish.com.au/contact-us/" target="_blank">contact your local strategist</a> who will be able to give you a copy of the relevant “MyCity” report.
 
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How to invest in property in a city you’ve never been to

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SPONSORED POST
In a year that has had its fair share of challenges – as well as opportunities – this end of financial year, I thought I would take the time to share my own property investment strategies and some tips to succeed within the current market and lending environment.
<h2>My FY 2018 property investment strategy</h2>
<a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/03/18/set-property-investment-plan-2018-now/" target="_blank">Last year</a>, I said I was going to leave residential property investment for a while, as I have already achieved my goals. But when I spotted an opportunity, I couldn’t help myself.
This financial year, I’ve invested heavily in Brisbane and South East Queensland (SEQ); I’ve purchased some more properties and also settled a few. This is part of my long-term strategy but also to invest at the right time of the cycle – as in my experience the property market in SEQ is around half a cycle behind Sydney and Melbourne.
SEQ is also a major growth corridor, which is experiencing record levels of interstate <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/01/19/migration-pushing-queensland-property-price-growth/" target="_blank">migration</a>, infrastructure investment – and then there’s the Commonwealth Games which has put the Gold Coast on the world map as well. I saw a great opportunity, so I’ve personally invested there.
<div id="attachment_7779" class="wp-caption alignnone">
In the last few years, Queensland at its peak had about 50 – 60 new residential developments in a single year, and we’re now down to <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/05/04/cranes-fast-disappearing-analysts-predict-future-brisbane-housing-undersupply/" target="_blank">single digits</a>. Now only a handful of truly strong developers are able to bring anything off the ground. So it’s worth keeping this in mind.
</div>
<h2>Get into Perth</h2>
I’m also continuing my investment in <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/03/19/perth-brisbane-adelaide-housing-affordability-best-20-years/" target="_blank">Perth and Adelaide</a>. I feel like the Perth market has bottomed out and it’s a great opportunity now to invest, not just for myself personally, but we’re looking closely for our Ironfish investors as well.
When property values start going up, most people aren’t aware of all the underlying factors that tend to drive prices up. For example, I also invest in shares, and I’ve noticed that my investments in mining stock have actually fared better than before. At the end of last year, there was also an industry report that suggested the mining downturn has come to an end – with higher prices reported across the board.
<blockquote>
Warren Buffett once said, that as an investor it is wise to be “Fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.” I tend to stick to this motto. Most people will wait for 3-4 years when the market is really booming to get on board, and that’s already too late to get the biggest gains.
</blockquote>
While it might still be a little bit early for some investors, for long-term investors, one thing is for sure: <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/03/29/now-good-time-buy-property-perth/" target="_blank">you’re not going to miss out</a>. Get into Perth!
<h2>Top investment tips for Sydney</h2>
This year I’ve also bought a little bit in Sydney. Although the market has slowed down, there are still pockets of opportunity in <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/05/30/south-west-sydney-suburb-primed-growth-see/" target="_blank">Sydney’s west,</a> for example, with the 2nd airport coming in. But you do need to be careful. Be very strategic and almost fanatical when it comes to investing in Sydney and to some extent, Melbourne.
<div id="attachment_7276" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/11/15/Sydney-3-cities-map.png" alt=""> The area around Badgerys Creek airport is planned as a 3rd CBD for Sydney
</div>
<h2>The goal I didn’t meet</h2>
I was hoping to acquire a substantial commercial investment property this financial year. I’ve been looking in Sydney and Melbourne, but haven’t been able to find the right property, with returns being relatively low. Since I’m in my mid-50s, I’m moving gradually from capital growth to income as my main strategy, so I’m starting to put my money into these types of investments. But I’ve put my feelers out there and I’m more serious than ever to make this investment, so we will see!
<h2>Looking ahead to 2019:</h2>
<h2>Key market challenges – and how to meet them</h2>
<ol>
<li>
<h4>Market confidence</h4>
</li>
</ol>
One of the key challenges for any investor is confidence. When things are rosy, when all you hear are good stories from friends, from the media, when you’re experiencing capital growth – this is what will encourage many investors to enter the property market, or stay in the market.
With the Sydney market posting negative growth, albeit a small percentage, there’s plenty of negative or gloomy sentiment in the market. But for long-term investors, if you have the money to buy the right property in the right location, if you have the ability to hold that property and service your loan over the long term – then you shouldn’t be deterred. It’s about thinking where you’ll be or where you want to be financially in 15+ years’ time.
<ol start="2">
<li>
<h4>Lending</h4>
</li>
</ol>
With the Royal Commission, and tightened investor lending, (though there has been some loosening up as well, with some interest only loans extended or advanced) banks require more documentation and people need greater qualification to borrow money to invest. Which means people need to make sure they are being prudent when they go to make a purchase. It’s important to speak to multiple financiers and ensure you have enough buffer in your equity, savings or serviceability so that you can settle.
I remember in the last few years of the Sydney boom, people would go with whichever broker, or bank manager who would lend them money. Now you really need people who understand the bigger picture, you probably need a more senior, more experienced professional to <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2017/08/17/need-good-mortgage-broker-spot-great-one/" target="_blank">strategise within your mortgage and structure</a>.
That said, it’s still easier than way back when I first started as an investor!
<ol start="3">
<li>
<h4>Selecting the right property</h4>
</li>
</ol>
Investors need to be a lot more selective when it comes to <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/project-details/?project=current" target="_blank">choosing a property</a> within the current market. People need to be more wary of inferior quality developments and stick to properties that have strong owner-occupier appeal. When you’re aiming for capital growth, properties designed for owner occupiers will appeal to a wider spectrum of buyers – so if you decide to sell, you can access the whole market, not just investors.
<h2>4 tips and trends to watch</h2>
<ol>
<li>
<h4>More non-bank lenders</h4>
</li>
</ol>
With major banks tightening up on lending, this has opened an opportunity for more non-bank lenders to come and fill the space and meet the needs of the market. It’s something that happened in the last cycle – that could happen again. It’s a trend we’ve already seen, for example, with FIRB lending, with more and more mortgage funds coming in to fill some of the gap.
<ol start="2">
<li>
<h4>Look for areas that have yet to boom</h4>
</li>
</ol>
It’s important to note that the so-called ‘boom’ has really only happened in Sydney and Melbourne. And while these markets may be slowing, there are others performing very well – such as Hobart. I also believe very strongly in Brisbane, with Perth and Adelaide typically following, based on historical records. At the peak of its last cycle, the Perth median price was getting close to Sydney median price. Gold Coast at peak of last cycle almost equal to Sydney.
And while Melbourne houses have done better than Sydney in recent years, I think Melbourne apartments will catch up, with recent planning changes and reduced supply of new developments.
<ol start="3">
<li>
<h4>Prepare well for <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2017/08/18/prepare-property-settlement-time/" target="_blank">settlement</a></h4>
</li>
</ol>
For off-the-plan investors who have already purchased, speak to a number of brokers, prepare enough buffers to ensure you can settle. For new investors, when you go into a new building, make sure you are confident with the track record of the developer.
<ol start="4">
<li>
<h4>Gather your team</h4>
</li>
</ol>
Though the economy is strong, we are in a relatively uncertain period in terms of lending. So, now more than ever, people need to have the right team around them. Experienced people from different fields with their best interests at heart and who are positive – who don’t give up easily. 
When faced with a challenge, many people look for easy way out. But consider this, if you plan to give up on your property investment, what alternatives are there?  Because fact of the matter is, so many Australians will not have enough saved for retirement. So now is the perfect time to learn more, to become more financially literate so you can be better prepared for your future.
<blockquote>
It’s easy in the ‘post-truth’ era to be swayed by others, or by incredible stories of overnight cryptocurrency billionaires. But the fact is, investment isn’t speculative. For us at Ironfish, it is about common sense: acquiring a portfolio of quality properties in a great location and holding it over the long-term.
</blockquote>
To borrow another piece of wisdom from Mr Buffett: “If you aren’t willing to own a stock for 10 years, don’t even bother holding it for 10 days.”
It’s the same with property; people may make money in the short term through sheer luck, but investing is a long-game, and there will always be challenges. That’s why we’re here to help you every step of the way.
Joseph Chou is the founder and CEO of property investment firm Ironfish.
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Should I invest in property in 2018 or wait a year?

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Australians are feeling much happier about their general health and wellbeing than they are about their finances, a new study has revealed – with home ownership being a key stress point.
A national Colmar Brunton survey has found that only 35% of Australians are satisfied with their financial wellbeing, while 59% are satisfied with their mental wellbeing, 50% with their social wellbeing and 45% with their health and physical wellbeing.
<h2>Renters more financially stressed than property owners</h2>
Owning a property versus renting a property has a direct effect on financial wellbeing, the study revealed, with renters (45%) much more likely to be dissatisfied.
According to social researcher Mark McCrindle, owning your own home or property is a perceived milestone that often affects people’s sense of satisfaction.
“Individuals compare themselves to their peer group and home ownership has been the wealth vehicle they have used,” Mr McCrindle told News.com.au. “Costs of living are going up and if they are still renting, rather than owning a house, it can add to their insecurities.”
<h2>Australians feeling unprepared for the future</h2>
One in three survey respondents said they did not have the financial freedom to make choices that would allow them to enjoy their lives.
A further 29% do not feel prepared for any potential financial setbacks or emergency events.
Funding retirement was top of mind for many respondents with 43% feeling their superannuation is not on track to allow them to maintain their standard of living into retirement.
The data also revealed that 36% of Australians believe they will need to keep working past the age of retirement.
<h2>A taboo topic</h2>
<a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/05/31/advocating-financial-literacy-wellbeing-workplace/" target="_blank">Experts agree</a> that the journey to financial wellbeing starts with education. And yet financial education is notably lacking – it is not commonly taught in schools, or the workplace – and therefore an individual’s financial education is completely dependent on social, familial or community structures and resources.
“Wealth is a taboo topic,” says Ironfish CEO &amp; Founder, Joseph Chou. “It’s not taught in school, we don’t talk about it amongst ourselves, or with friends or colleagues, generally speaking. And yet, we know from experience that wealth can be learned.
“That’s why it’s so important to us at Ironfish to inspire people to take ownership of their finances and achieve the financial freedom they need to enjoy life now and feel more confident about their future.”
<h2>From renter to owner</h2>
In our experience, most people already believe that property is a great investment and has a strong link to their sense of financial wellbeing.
Most people probably also wished they’d bought property years ago but lacked the confidence to make a decision about which particular property to purchase or felt it was too far out of reach.
At Ironfish, our aim is to simplify investment concepts, provide quality education, investor tools, service and properties – and share our collective investment experience to help you achieve your property goals.
Over 86% of our staff are property investors<a name="_ftnref1" href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/07/13/aussies-feeling-fit-well-just-not-financially-new-research-finds/#_ftn1">[1]</a> including first home buyers and <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2017/10/16/thinking-beyond-sydney-rent-vesting-works/" target="_blank">rent-vestors</a> – so we have walked the path before.  
 
<div> </div>
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Aussies feeling fit and well – just not financially, new research finds: Ironfish

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SPONSORED POST
Senior Legal Counsel &amp; Early Childhood educator / Ironfish Customers
“As a lawyer, I’m pretty discerning and can be quite sceptical in my assessment of things.
“Having invested with Ironfish, we’re not only impressed by the level of knowledge, customer service and ethics of everyone we’ve dealt with, we also trust our strategist completely. She’s been to our home countless times, nothing is ever too much trouble.”
<h2>CASE IN PROFILE</h2>
<ul>
<li>Time-poor professionals with young family</li>
<li>Needed to minimise tax liability</li>
<li>3 properties purchased through Ironfish</li>
<li>Diversified across multiple cities and housing types</li>
</ul>
<h2>Avoiding buyer’s remorse</h2>
Robert and Paula had been considering property investment as a tax minimisation strategy for some time – being higher income earners and having built up some equity in their own home. After talking to a few companies, they signed a contract to purchase one off-the-plan property, but immediately started to experience some ‘buyer’s remorse’. At this point, a friend suggested they meet with Ironfish Chief Investment Strategist, Priscilla Cheung. Their friend had invested with Priscilla in the past, and had a lot of trust and respect for both Priscilla and the Ironfish investment platform.
“We hadn’t heard of Ironfish before, but because of the recommendation, we thought we’d meet Priscilla and hear her out. As a result of our meeting, we actually ended up cancelling our other contract and went with Ironfish instead, because we could feel straight away that Priscilla genuinely had our interest at heart.”
<h2>No more bells and whistles</h2>
Their first meeting with Priscilla took place at their home, after hours – a personal touch that was greatly appreciated by Rob and Paula.
“With the other company, there was a feeling that we were being buttered up – going into a flashy office, being taken out for lunch, having coffees brought to us. By contrast, Priscilla came to our home – and with the kids and an extremely difficult and demanding job – we appreciate this flexibility.
“What sold us was that she set it all out plainly – she said if we went with the other company, that we’d still be doing the right thing. She confirmed that everything the other company had told us was sound and there was no reason not to go ahead with our purchase. She wasn’t putting it down, she was just interested in what was good for us. What she did say was that if we did choose to invest with her, that she would be able to provide an extra level of service that we wouldn’t necessarily get elsewhere. And given that we are incredibly time poor, we really valued this.”
<h2>Too hard to do it alone</h2>
Even prior to their introduction to Ironfish, Robert and Paula never considered investing in property on their own; like many senior professionals with a young family, the investment in time required meant it simply wasn’t an option.
“My job as an in-house Senior Legal Counsel is very challenging, and I have no room to make any mistakes. So, after spending all day at work expending my energy on other very complicated matters, by the time I get home, I’m just a mess. Investing on our own seemed too terrifying to even consider. We didn’t know where to begin, or how to break the ice. I’m an excellent lawyer, but when it comes to my own interests, I’m hopeless – because I’m just too busy looking after everyone else! That’s why you need trusted professionals around you to help navigate things you don’t understand, or don’t have time to understand – and that’s what we value so much about Priscilla and Ironfish.”
<h2>A new strategy for property selection</h2>
Initially, Rob and Paula had decided to purchase 2 house and land packages in Queensland, but decided to diversify once they heard about the Ironfish Portfolio Approach strategy.
“We thought the Portfolio Approach made a lot of sense. So, our first purchase with Ironfish was a South East Queensland house and land package – similar to what we’d signed on with the other company, but a better location and property. Priscilla provided all the data and stats – which all lined up, so we were ready to go with that one. Our next purchase was a townhouse in Marsden Park in Sydney. We drove out to Marsden Park a few times, and fell in love with the idea of having a piece of an impressive new suburb. Plus it’s a Stockland development; we were impressed that Ironfish had that relationship with a developer of the calibre of Stockland as well. Our third purchase was a unit in Melbourne village.”
<h2>Going above and beyond</h2>
Rob and Paula have now come to rely on the expertise, reliability and personalised service of Priscilla and the entire Ironfish team on a whole range of matters.
“The customer service we’ve experienced with everyone we’ve dealt with at Ironfish is excellent. Priscilla herself, has a lot of credibility and nothing ever seems to be too much trouble for her. Every time we feel like we’re stretching the relationship, she makes you feel like you’re the only customer she has. Everyone at Ironfish makes you feel like this; I don’t know if they receive special training to do this, but that’s truly been our experience. You never feel like you’re being a bother, nothing is too hard, too difficult or too stressful. For example, I was struggling to sort out all my bank accounts recently, it’s not Priscilla’s job to restructure my bank accounts for me, but she was happy to help!”
<h2>We didn’t have to worry about anything</h2>
The smooth transition from settlement to Ironfish Property Management also stands out for Rob and Paula.
“Communication with us throughout has been great. We really enjoyed getting regular updates and photos of the construction stages. Then we received information about a tenant within just a few days, it seemed. We barely blinked and it was done. Now we have this tenant living happily in this place we bought and we don’t even have to think about it. We basically just get emails from Ironfish that we need to approve. It’s always a collaborative process between us and them, and we all want the same outcome. It’s just so easy. We literally don’t have to worry about a thing.”
<h2>Robert and Paula’s property investment tips:</h2>
<ul>
<li>Book a meeting to help you understand your position; then go away and speak to other people who’ve done it before.</li>
<li>Don’t believe the doom and gloom hype in the SMH; look at the facts, speak to Ironfish, and speak to one of their competitors to get another perspective.</li>
<li>We are taking advantage of negatively gearing our property until such time legislation changes, as well as the depreciation deductions for new properties.</li>
<li>You’ll find some people will understand what you’re doing, others will be against it, and will stick to the usual plan of paying off one house and waiting till retirement to enjoy life. But at the end of the day, we could be giving a lot more money to the tax office, but we’d rather have our money working for us!</li>
</ul>
 
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