The Myth of “Free Advice”

If you’ve ever owned a home for more than five minutes, you’ll know everyone suddenly becomes an “expert” on what you should do next.
You’ll be at a barbecue, minding your own business, and someone you’ve just met will lean in and tell you they’ve got “a mate who can show you how to use your equity to buy three properties and retire by 50.”

And, of course, the best part — it’s all free advice.

That phrase should set off alarm bells. Nothing in property is free. Not the seminars, not the “education nights,” not the “exclusive investment strategy sessions.” They’re all designed with one goal — to get you to open your wallet later.

These people aren’t really giving you advice. They’re selling a story. The story goes something like this:
You’ve worked hard, you’ve got equity in your home, and now you’re missing out if you’re not turning that equity into wealth.

They’ll wrap it up in professional-sounding slides, throw around words like “leverage” and “passive income,” and before you know it, you’re being ushered into a one-on-one meeting to “assess your potential.”

It sounds like a friendly chat. It’s actually a sales funnel.

The truth is, every time someone wants to “help you build wealth,” you’re about to make them wealthier.
They earn commissions when you refinance, when you buy the “investment property,” and sometimes even when you hire their mate to manage it afterwards.

So let’s start with a simple rule: if someone wants to talk about your finances, they’re probably selling you something — and if they’re not, they will be soon.

The Sales Trap Disguised as Advice

It usually starts with something that looks innocent enough — a flyer in your letterbox, a Facebook ad promising a “free property education night,” or maybe a smooth-talking voice on the phone inviting you to a “wealth creation seminar.”

They’re all worded the same way: “Come along for a complimentary dinner and discover how ordinary Australians are building property portfolios using equity they didn’t even know they had.”

Sounds harmless, right? Maybe even interesting.
You think, “Well, we’ve worked hard, we’ve got some equity in the house — no harm hearing what they have to say.”

That’s exactly what they want.

You arrive to find a room full of couples just like you — middle-aged, sensible, already a bit cautious but curious. There’s usually a big screen up front, some upbeat music, and a presenter with an overconfident smile who seems to have life completely sorted.

He (or she) tells a story about starting from nothing, learning “the secrets the banks don’t want you to know,” and now living off passive income while travelling the world. They’ll throw in some slick graphs showing property prices doubling every ten years, and photos of “members” who retired early thanks to “the system.”

Then comes the emotional hook.

They start talking about fear — fear of working forever, fear of missing the boat, fear that if you don’t act now, you’ll be left behind.
That’s when the “free” advice becomes a carefully constructed sales pitch.

You’re told you need to take action tonight to secure your financial future.
But the “action” always involves signing something — a “membership form,” a “strategy session booking,” or a “holding deposit” on one of their “exclusive investment opportunities.”

Here’s the catch: the so-called advisor isn’t independent.
They’re tied to a chain of developers, mortgage brokers, financial planners, and property marketers who all profit the moment you say yes.

They’ll never tell you that, of course. Instead, they’ll call it a “turnkey service.” They’ll say things like, “We take care of everything for you — finance, contracts, tenants, and tax depreciation.”

Translation:
“We take care of everything that earns us a commission.”

By the time you’ve driven home that night, they’ve probably already lined up a broker to refinance your home loan and a developer to sell you a property that’s marked up enough to pay everyone in the chain.

This is where good people — smart, careful people — can get caught. The whole thing feels professional, organised, and well-meaning. They’ll even use phrases like “no-pressure consultation” and “educational advice only.”

But make no mistake, this is sales dressed as guidance.

If you hear the words “exclusive stock,” “members only,” or “guaranteed rental returns,” take a step back. Those aren’t the phrases of an advisor — they’re the language of someone who wants you to sign a contract that benefits them first.

Why Advice Is Never Free

You’ve probably heard the saying, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
Well, in property, there’s no such thing as free advice either — unless it’s on a site like this one, where nobody’s selling you finance, property, or management packages.

The reason advice is never free is simple: someone always gets paid somewhere.
Maybe it’s a commission when you refinance, a “marketing fee” from a developer, or a referral bonus for sending you to the next person in the chain.
It’s a money merry-go-round, and every time it spins, you’re the one funding the ride.

It’s not that all of these people are crooks — far from it.
There are decent brokers, good financial planners, and honest developers. The problem is the structure itself: it’s built so that your decision — not your success — triggers everyone’s payday.

Think of it like this: if the person giving you advice only gets paid when you buy, their motivation is to make sure you buy something, not necessarily the right thing.

And it’s not just the “professionals.”
You’ll hear the same kind of “advice” from the guy at work who’s bought a couple of places and now considers himself a property mogul, or from your cousin who swears he’s “done really well out west.”
They all mean well, but their stories are just that — stories. What worked for them (or what they think worked) might not work for you.

The barbecue advisor is usually the most dangerous kind. They’ve got just enough experience to sound confident, but not enough to know what they don’t know.
They’ll tell you about “a bloke who got in early on a new estate and doubled his money,” but they’ll leave out that half the estate’s still empty, or that he’s been negative cashflow for years.

When someone gives you “free advice,” you need to ask: what do they get out of this?
If the answer is anything other than “nothing,” then it’s not free.

Websites like this one, where the goal is to help people understand property in plain English, are probably as close as you’ll get to genuine free advice. But even then, you’ve got to use a bit of judgment.

You’ll read five articles on the same topic and each will tell you something slightly different. That’s where you fall back on what I call the Judge Judy rule:

“If it sounds right, it’s probably true.”

If the advice seems sensible, grounded, and doesn’t involve giving someone your credit card, it’s probably the advice worth listening to.

But if it sounds like magic, secret knowledge, or a shortcut to wealth — that’s your cue to put your wallet back in your pocket and walk away.

The Judge Judy Rule

You don’t need a finance degree to spot good advice — you just need a bit of common sense. And that’s where the Judge Judy rule comes in.

I call it that because, if you’ve ever watched Judge Judy, you’ll know she doesn’t need a team of accountants or a stack of spreadsheets to figure out who’s telling the truth. She listens for what sounds right. If it lines up with logic and experience, she believes it. If it sounds rehearsed, slippery, or too complicated, she shuts it down.

That same rule works beautifully in property.

When someone tells you “This development is guaranteed to double in value in five years,” your first thought should be, “How can they possibly know that?”
If someone promises “tax-free income” or “exclusive investor-only deals,” your next thought should be, “Why are they telling me instead of buying all the stock themselves?”

Good advice tends to sound boring because it’s realistic.
It doesn’t sparkle. It doesn’t come with a free steak dinner or a slick PowerPoint presentation.
It usually sounds like this:

“Buy something you understand, that’s close enough to keep an eye on, and don’t borrow more than you can handle.”

That’s it. Nothing glamorous, nothing secret, but it works.

Bad advice, on the other hand, always sounds exciting.
It’s full of buzzwords like “leverage,” “growth corridor,” “off-market opportunity,” and “turnkey investment.”
It comes wrapped in urgency: “You’ll need to decide tonight — we’ve only got two left!”

Judge Judy would call that out in about five seconds.

If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
If it sounds sensible, simple, and something your grandparents would nod along with, it’s probably the truth.

The tricky bit is that the people selling these ideas are good at their job. They’re confident, friendly, and they know how to make their message sound reasonable — right up until you look at the numbers.

That’s why it’s so important to slow down. Take the emotion out of it. Don’t let anyone rush you into “locking in your financial future.”
As soon as someone starts using that kind of language, your inner Judge Judy should be waving her gavel and saying, “Stop. This smells funny.”

The best property decisions are never made in a hurry.
They’re made after a few cups of coffee, a few quiet drives past the property, and a few chats with people who don’t have a financial interest in what you do next.

Trust your instincts. They’ve kept you out of trouble this long — they’ll keep working if you give them a chance.

The Bank vs Broker Question

Once you’ve shaken off the “investment club” crowd and started thinking seriously about buying a property, the next question is usually: “Do I go to my bank, or do I see a mortgage broker?”

It’s a fair question — and one that’s become trickier as the finance world has turned into a bit of a jungle.

Let’s start with the basics.

Your bank knows you. You’ve probably been with them for years, maybe decades. They already have your home loan, your savings account, and that never-used credit card they convinced you to take fifteen years ago.

If you walk in and say, “I’m thinking about buying an investment property — what can I afford?” they can usually give you a quick, honest answer based on your actual numbers.

No hype. No “wealth strategy.” Just math.

That’s the beauty of starting with your bank. They’ll tell you straight whether your plan is even possible before you go chasing big dreams.

Now, the downside is banks only sell their own products.
If you bank with, say, ANZ, they’ll show you what ANZ can do — not what NAB or Macquarie or some smaller lender might offer.

That’s where brokers come in.

A good mortgage broker can shop around on your behalf. They can compare interest rates, loan features, and sometimes find deals that aren’t advertised. That flexibility can save you a few percentage points over time, which is nothing to sneeze at.

But remember — brokers don’t work for free either. They’re paid a commission by the lender, usually a percentage of your loan amount. Some of the better ones also charge a small fee so they’re not relying solely on commission, but most are still paid by the banks.

That doesn’t mean they’re all bad — far from it. Many brokers genuinely care about their clients and do a fantastic job.
It just means you need to be aware of how they get paid so you understand their motivation.

Here’s the balanced way to approach it:
Start with your bank. Ask them how much you can borrow and what the repayments would look like. That gives you a baseline — a simple, realistic idea of whether your plan is doable.

Then, if the numbers look promising, talk to a broker and ask what else is out there.
Maybe they’ll find a better rate. Maybe they won’t. But at least you’ll know the comparison is real, not just marketing spin.

A broker might be able to save you a few thousand dollars over time — and that’s worth considering. But if you start there, you’ll never know whether your plan made sense in the first place.

It’s like shopping for a car. You wouldn’t hand over your keys and say, “Find me something that looks like a good deal.” You’d decide what you need first, then compare the options.

So, when you’re starting out, keep it simple:
Bank first for reality.
Broker second for options.
And never let either of them rush you into something you don’t understand.

Because at the end of the day, both of them make their living from you signing a loan. You’re the only one who has to live with it.

The Long Chain of Commission Hands

Here’s something that most people don’t realise until it’s too late — when you sign up with one of those glossy “investment property specialists,” you’re not just dealing with one person. You’re joining a production line.

There’s a long chain of people, each with their hand out, waiting for their slice.

It usually starts with the “advisor” — the person who invited you to that free seminar or wealth session. They’re not doing this out of the goodness of their heart. They’re the front-end salesperson. Their job is to warm you up, make you feel comfortable, and get you nodding along.

Next comes their mortgage broker mate.
They’ll tell you this broker “understands investment lending” better than anyone else, and they’ll take care of everything. What they won’t mention is that they’re probably getting a referral fee from that introduction — often a few thousand dollars once your loan settles.

Then you’ll meet the property consultant — the one who “sources exclusive deals from trusted developers.” That phrase sounds reassuring, but what it really means is:

“We’ve got a list of developers who pay us commission to move their stock.”

Every property that’s sold through these channels has already been marked up to cover those commissions. Sometimes it’s five grand, sometimes it’s fifty. It depends how many people are sharing the pie.

And it doesn’t stop there.
The developer might be paying a marketing company, which pays the club organiser, which pays the advisor, who introduced you to the broker, who helped you get the loan that paid for the property.

You don’t see any of that happening.
All you see is the polished pitch — “We’ll handle everything from finance to tenants.”

But behind that pitch, there’s a line of commissions stretching out like a centipede. Everyone in that chain is working to make sure the deal goes through, because that’s how they get paid.

By the time you get the keys, the property has often been inflated enough to pay everyone in that process.
You might still be paying market price in your mind, but the real market value could be ten or fifteen percent lower once the dust settles.

And the sad part? None of this is technically illegal. It’s just buried in the fine print under “marketing allowance” or “referral fee.”

So how do you avoid it?
You cut out the chain.

Go directly to the people who don’t make a cent from your borrowing or buying decisions — your bank, your own independent conveyancer, and your own choice of property.

Because every link in that chain has a price tag, and the longer the chain, the more it costs you.

The Secret Life of “Exclusive Deals”

You’ve probably seen it plastered across glossy brochures or heard it in confident sales pitches: “This is an exclusive opportunity only available to our members.”

Sounds special, doesn’t it? Like you’re part of a secret club that’s been given access to something no one else can buy.
But here’s the truth: when it comes to property, “exclusive” rarely means “good.”

More often than not, “exclusive” means no one else wanted it.

Developers and marketers love to use that word because it makes buyers feel privileged — like they’re in on the inside scoop. In reality, it’s usually stock that couldn’t move through traditional real estate channels.

Maybe the location’s not ideal.
Maybe the price point’s too high for the local market.
Maybe it’s sitting in a brand-new estate with ten more stages planned and no sign of the promised school or shopping centre.

So, what happens next?
The developer brings in a “property investment group” or “buyers club” to clear it. The group slaps the word exclusive on it, adds some shiny brochures, and runs a few free information nights.

Suddenly, those same hard-to-sell properties are “limited release opportunities for serious investors only.”

They’ll tell you the price is “fixed” because of “pre-negotiated terms with the developer.”
They’ll say “we’ve secured a small batch of premium lots for our members.”

That small batch, by the way, is usually every unsold lot they’ve got.

Here’s the twist: when you buy into one of these so-called “exclusive” deals, the price you pay already includes all the commissions for everyone involved — the seminar organisers, the sales consultant, the marketing company, and sometimes even the mortgage broker.

You think you’re buying a property for $750,000, but $50,000 of that might be shared among the middlemen.

And since it’s “exclusive,” there’s no way to compare it on the open market. You can’t jump on realestate.com.au and check what similar houses are selling for because this one isn’t publicly listed.

That’s the trap.
You can’t tell if it’s overpriced, because you’ve been convinced that it’s not like any other property.

But here’s the thing — in property, every property has a comparable.
There’s always a similar house in a nearby street or estate that’s been sold in the last six months. And those prices don’t lie.

So, the next time you hear the words “exclusive opportunity,” take it as a challenge. Go find out what’s really exclusive about it.
If it’s just the commission structure, walk away.

True opportunities don’t need to be hidden behind a paywall or a club membership. They’re sitting in the same real estate listings the rest of us look at — waiting for someone with patience and a bit of common sense to recognise good value when they see it.

Doing Your Own Legwork – and Why It Pays

Here’s the part the “investment mentors” never tell you:
the best property deals aren’t found at seminars, in membership clubs, or through slick presentations — they’re found by people who are willing to do a little digging themselves.

Doing your own research might not sound glamorous, but it’s the smartest way to make sure you keep the profits that everyone else is trying to take from you.

Think of it like this — every hour you spend researching is money that would’ve gone into someone else’s commission.

Start simple.
Sit down with a coffee and your laptop and begin looking at listings within 30 to 45 minutes of where you live. You’ll already know most of those areas pretty well — which streets are busy, which estates have been around long enough to have proper trees instead of sticks in the ground, and which parts you’d never want to live in yourself.

That local knowledge is gold.

You’ll notice patterns — certain streets where houses sell fast, others where they seem to sit for months. You’ll get a sense of rental prices, demand, and what a “good buy” actually looks like in that area.

All of this is real information — not marketing fluff, not a staged presentation — just you learning what’s actually happening in the market.

Then, when a genuine opportunity pops up, you’ll recognise it instantly.

You don’t need to spend weekends in hotel conference rooms listening to people in shiny suits tell you how to invest.
You just need to know your patch better than the next person.

That’s how local investors quietly do well — they keep their eyes open, they act when the numbers make sense, and they don’t let anyone rush them.

Doing your own legwork also means you’ll understand what you’re buying.
You’ll have driven past it at different times of day. You’ll know if it’s near a school, or if there’s a noisy pub down the street. You’ll have checked the power lines, the drainage, and whether the “beautiful park outlook” the agent mentioned is actually a stormwater basin.

Every one of those little discoveries saves you from future headaches — and they’re things no seminar or “mentor” can tell you, because they’re not standing there with you.

And here’s the kicker — once you’ve found the right property yourself, you can walk into your bank or broker with a clear plan and a cool head.
You’re not buying because someone told you to. You’re buying because you did the work, and you know it stacks up.

Every dollar you save on middlemen, commissions, and “advice fees” is yours to keep. And in property, that can easily mean tens of thousands of dollars that stay in your pocket instead of someone else’s.

So next time you see an ad for a “fully guided property investment solution,” just smile and keep scrolling.
Because the truth is, you can guide yourself — and you’ll do a far better job of it than they ever will.

How to Find a Sensible Investment Property

Once you’ve done a bit of homework and you know roughly what your bank or broker will lend, it’s time to start looking for something that actually makes sense — not a sales pitch, not a “guaranteed performer,” just a solid, sensible property.

And the good news is, there are plenty of them.

The trick is to know what you’re looking for and, just as importantly, what to avoid.

Stay Within Reach

A simple rule that almost never fails is to buy within 30 to 45 minutes of where you live.

That distance keeps you close enough to keep an eye on the place without it taking over your weekends.
It’s far enough that you’re not living next door to your tenants, but close enough that if something goes wrong, you can hop in the car and be there in half an hour.

That accessibility means you can do quick inspections, meet tradespeople, and keep track of the neighbourhood. It also gives you peace of mind — you’ll know what’s happening with your investment rather than relying entirely on someone else’s updates.

Look for Established Areas

Brand-new estates are tempting. They look shiny, and the brochures are full of happy families and artist impressions of parks and cafés that don’t exist yet.

But when you buy in an established area, you can see what you’re really getting.
You’ll know whether that “proposed school” was ever built. You’ll see what the traffic’s actually like during peak hour. You’ll know if the local shopping centre is thriving or struggling.

There’s a huge comfort in knowing what’s already there, not what’s “planned for stage 14.”

Go for Near-New or Lightly Used

If you can find a distressed sale or a property that’s only a few years old, you’ll often get the best of both worlds.

You’ll still have a good depreciation schedule for tax purposes, but the first owner will have already done the heavy lifting — landscaping, fixing teething issues, and sorting out the little annoyances that always pop up with new builds.

And best of all, you can see it with your own eyes. No glossy renderings or floorplans — just a real house on a real street.

Focus on Livability, Not Hype

Ignore the buzzwords.
Don’t get caught up in “growth corridors” or “emerging investment hotspots.” Those phrases are designed to make you feel like you’re missing out if you don’t jump in.

Instead, look for livability — things that matter to actual people who might rent or buy in the area later.
Good transport, nearby schools, supermarkets, green space, and a bit of life in the local shops.

When you find a house that ticks those boxes, it’s a good sign. People want to live in good areas, and rents follow demand.

Know the True Value

Before you make any offers, check recent sales in the same street and the next few over.
Realestate.com.au and Domain make this easy — look for similar properties that have sold in the last six months.

That’ll give you a true market value, not a “club price” inflated to pay for commissions.

When you base your decisions on real sales data, not fancy charts, you’re investing like a professional — even if it’s just your first time doing it.

And Finally – Take Your Time

Good properties aren’t unicorns. There’ll always be another one.

If something doesn’t feel right, walk away. The right deal will come along, and you’ll be better prepared to recognise it.

Remember — property should never feel rushed, pressured, or mysterious.
It should feel calm, logical, and slightly boring. That’s when you know you’re probably doing it right.

Why “Hands-On” Beats “Hands-Off”

One of the biggest traps new investors fall into is thinking that being “hands-off” is the smart, professional way to do things.

You’ll hear it from just about every property spruiker out there:

“You don’t have to lift a finger — we do it all for you!”

It sounds great at first, especially if you’re busy with work and family. But here’s the catch: every time you hand off a job to someone else, you hand off a slice of your return too.

When you’re too far removed from your own investment, the whole process becomes abstract. You start to see it as numbers on a spreadsheet instead of a real house sitting in a real street with real people renting it.

That distance can make it easy for problems to brew quietly — a leak that doesn’t get fixed properly, tenants who fall behind on rent, or a managing agent who keeps paying for “routine maintenance” that never seems to end.

Being “hands-on” doesn’t mean being overbearing or obsessive. It simply means staying involved enough to know what’s going on.

When you buy close to home, it’s easy. You can drive past every few weeks, keep an eye on the lawns, and make sure the place is being looked after.
You can pop in for an inspection and actually meet the property manager in person. You’ll see the area changing — new shops opening, streets getting busier, or sometimes quieter — all of which tells you whether the property’s future is looking bright or not.

Those little observations are things no report or spreadsheet will show you, but they make a big difference in understanding your investment.

“Hands-off” investors often discover too late that their “set and forget” property was quietly losing value, under-rented, or in a market that had gone soft years earlier. They just didn’t notice because they were never there.

When you stay involved, you make smarter choices.
You’ll catch issues early, you’ll understand your tenants better, and you’ll learn more about what works and what doesn’t.

That experience is what sets apart people who slowly build real wealth from those who just accumulate debt.

You don’t have to be at the property every week or chase the tenants yourself, but you do need to keep it real.
Property is a physical investment — it lives, it ages, it needs care. The more connected you are to it, the better you’ll manage it.

So, don’t buy into the “hands-off” myth.
Keep your eyes open, your weekends flexible, and your investment close enough that you can pop by when you feel like it.

It’s not just about protecting your money — it’s about staying in control of your own future.

Property Managers: Helpful, But Not Always Heroes

Property managers can be worth their weight in gold — or, occasionally, not even worth the key they’re holding.

A good one will save you time, handle tenant issues quickly, keep the rent flowing, and protect your investment like it’s their own.
A bad one will avoid your calls, pass every little cost straight on to you, and somehow manage to inspect the place twice a year without noticing that the fence fell down six months ago.

Like most professions, there are excellent managers out there, and there are some who are just going through the motions. The trick is to know which one you’re dealing with — and that only happens when you stay involved.

You don’t have to micromanage. You just need to stay visible.
When a property manager knows you’re paying attention, things tend to run smoother.
Repairs get done properly, tenants get treated fairly, and corners are less likely to be cut.

But when they think you’ve completely handed it over and you’re not checking the details, they can slip into autopilot. That’s when the little things start adding up — $200 here for a “quick handyman job,” $400 there for “routine garden maintenance,” and before you know it, you’re funding a part-time gardener you’ve never met.

That’s why buying close to home makes so much sense.
When you’re within half an hour of the property, you can quietly drive past now and then. You don’t have to get out of the car or make a scene — just a quick glance to see that the lawns are mowed, the bins are out, and the house looks loved.

If something seems off, a simple call to your manager is usually enough to keep them on their toes.

A lot of people think the best investors are the ones who sit back and let everyone else do the work, but in truth, the best ones are the people who stay connected — they know what’s happening without having to interfere.

It’s the same in any business: when the owner shows up once in a while, the staff do their best work.

A good property manager will appreciate that you care. They’ll also be more likely to give you honest feedback about your tenants and the property’s condition.

And when you do find one of the good ones — hold onto them. Pay them fairly, respond quickly to maintenance requests, and treat them as part of your team.

Because while property managers can sometimes add unnecessary costs, the right one can also save you from the big ones — like letting a small water leak turn into major damage, or failing to check on a tenant who’s months behind in rent.

In short: trust, but verify.
Let them do their job, but never be so hands-off that you don’t know whether it’s actually being done.

A property manager should work with you, not instead of you. When you find that balance, owning an investment property becomes a lot less stressful — and a lot more profitable.

Becoming the Local Expert

If you really want to make property work for you, there’s one simple skill that beats every seminar, mentor, and “wealth system” combined: know your area better than anyone else.

That’s it. That’s the real secret.

You don’t need a dozen spreadsheets, a “mentor” in a polo shirt, or a flash PowerPoint showing growth projections. You just need to know one suburb — properly.

Pick an area within about half an hour from where you live and start paying attention.
Drive around.
Talk to agents.
Chat to the locals at the café.
Read the noticeboards at the shops.

You’ll pick up more real-world information that way than you’ll ever get from an investment webinar.

Over time, you’ll start noticing things others miss:

• Which streets people avoid because of traffic or noise.

• Which pockets are family-friendly and which are full of rentals that turn over every year.

• Where the new infrastructure is actually being built, and where it’s been “planned” for the last decade without a shovel in the ground.

That knowledge gives you confidence. It means when a property comes up for sale, you’ll know instantly if the price sounds fair or inflated. You’ll know if the street’s improving or if it’s gone downhill.

And when you make an offer, you’ll be negotiating from a position of strength — because you’ll know exactly what else has sold nearby, and for how much.

You’ll also spot opportunities others don’t. Maybe there’s an older home on a large block that’s starting to look out of place among newer builds. Maybe there’s a property that just needs some cosmetic work to bring it up to rental standard.

Those are the kinds of properties that quietly make money — not through hype, but through simple, thoughtful buying.

The more time you spend getting to know your chosen patch, the better your instincts become. After a while, you’ll almost feel it when a listing is overpriced or when it’s a bargain that’ll be gone by tomorrow.

This kind of local expertise doesn’t come from luck. It comes from paying attention — from walking the streets, going to open homes, chatting to agents even when you’re not ready to buy.

Agents, by the way, will start to recognise you. When they know you’re serious, they’ll start calling you first when something good comes up. That’s how you get the real opportunities — not through “exclusive investor clubs,” but by being the person who’s done their homework.

Becoming the local expert also helps you spot risks early.
You’ll see which areas have issues with flooding or noise, or which streets look like they’re headed for a rezoning that could change the whole feel of the neighbourhood.

You’ll understand the rental market too — what people are actually paying, what features tenants value, and what makes a property stand out.

This knowledge makes you the kind of investor who doesn’t need to be sold anything. You’ll walk into any conversation with confidence and a quiet smile, because you’ll already know the truth behind the sales pitch.

And here’s the real beauty of it: once you’ve become the expert on one area, you can repeat the process elsewhere. The formula’s the same — research, observe, talk to people, trust your judgment.

No paid memberships, no “mentorship packages,” no commissions. Just you, your time, and your common sense working quietly in your favour.

It’s not flashy, but it’s the way smart investors have been doing it for generations — and it still works just as well today.

Conclusion: Keep It Simple, Keep It Yours

If there’s one message to take from all of this, it’s that good property investing doesn’t need to be complicated — and it definitely doesn’t need to involve a room full of salespeople smiling over free steak.

Most of the traps that catch buyers out start with someone offering “free advice.”
The truth is, that advice always comes with strings attached. They’ll tell you they’re here to help you “create wealth,” but in reality, they’re helping themselves to your savings, one commission at a time.

Every person who touches your deal takes a little cut — the finance referrer, the “strategist,” the club organiser, the builder, the property manager, even the depreciation consultant sometimes. By the time it reaches you, the only person not getting paid is you.

That’s why doing your own homework is so powerful.

Start with your bank.
Find out if the idea even works on paper before you get swept up in the dream. Then, if it makes sense, talk to a broker and compare what else is out there.

From there, do the rest yourself.
Look for properties close to home. Focus on good, liveable areas where people actually want to rent.
Don’t buy in stage 14 of an empty paddock with a “future school” that never gets built. Buy where the school already has parents dropping off kids.

Stick to what you can see, touch, and understand. That’s where the real value is.

And once you’ve done all that — once you’ve got your funds sorted, you’ve found a property that makes sense, and the numbers all line up — that’s when you reach out to someone who’s genuinely independent.

That’s when you send us the contract.

We’ll go through it carefully, explain what’s in there in plain English, and make sure you’re stepping into your purchase with your eyes open and your money protected.

Because the only “exclusive deal” worth signing is the one that genuinely benefits you.

So, take your time. Do the legwork. Trust your instincts.
And remember — when someone’s telling you how to get rich, stop and ask yourself: who’s really getting rich here?

Chances are, it’s the bloke giving the advice.

Victorian Property Settlements – Trusted for over 25 years by Victorian buyers and sellers.
Once you’ve got your funds and think you’ve found the property, send us the contract to review before you sign.
Visit: www.victorianpropertysettlements.com.au