Life doesn’t always go to plan, whether it be in business, property, relationships or personally.
I’ve had my fair share of experience with that!
When I was recently interviewed for the Cactus Project, I shared my ‘cactus’ experiences…the good, the bad, and what could have turned very ugly lol.
I also shared my top tips to get back to enjoying life.
If you’re interested or just curious, click below and listen to the recording 🙂
When clients say they are ready to do the work on themselves as well as work on improving or creating their property portfolio, they often don’t realise that sometimes, working on themselves takes more commitment than the property.
I’m not sure if this client knew what she was in for at the beginning of her 12 month program last year, but I am feeling SO proud of her achievements at the end of it, that I wanted to share that with you … and with her of course!
Late last year I was called up for Jury duty in South Australia. The last trial I sat on was 6 cases of deception against investors – but there was SO much more that came to light during the trial that shocked me!
I made this brief video to share what I learned and to WARN other investors :
“What You Think About You Bring About”
I’ve seen this quoted by Bob Proctor and others over the past years, and yet it still excites me to notice it happen with such accuracy!
Let me share my latest experience with you:
I went to a Business Connection (Networking) event on 23rd Feb. I was giving away some books and Peter Salerno (the Chair and MC) told me a few minutes prior, that I’d get the opportunity to speak to all the guests and tell them what I do.
That’s what we want in business isn’t it? But…
We all know that we should have our ‘elevator pitch’ ready for these moments and when you’re going to a networking event you should always be prepared. And yet my ‘pitch’ flew out of my brain and was replaced by a mass of other overwhelming ‘stuff’.
Should I focus on the Property Coaching, or Life Coaching, or a combination of the two?
Should I use the ‘Did you know…’ approach about one of them for intrigue and get them to ask me more later?
But none of the ‘pitches’ seemed comfortable. I just wanted to be authentic and talk from the heart, not the head. But I couldn’t think where to start or how to keep it short and sweet.
And then the answer came to me – as I knew deep down that it would…
At the beginning of the evening I was introduced to a very interesting man (Robert Elrington) and we exchanged books. As I struggled for clarity on what I would say to the audience, I opened his book for some diversion, and my eyes immediately went to the quote on a left hand page … which is interesting, because usually our eyes are drawn to the right hand pages.
‘If it’s to be – It’s up to me’
I read that quote, and it immediately bought my mind back to when I was working in the corporate field with an amazing HR and Marketing Manager who was one of my early Mentors. It was a quote he used consistently at work, and one which he reiterated to me, along with other coaching, just before I had an interview with the CEO, for a Supervisory position that no-one (including me!) expected me to win.
It was his BELIEF that made all the difference to me.
It was his belief in me, that gave me the courage to be a ‘new’ me in the interview, and shock the CEO into offering me the position above other excellent applicants.
It was his belief in me that gave me the confidence to accept the position with a 3 month probation despite having NO fall back job in the company if I didn’t work out.
Looking back, I realised that this was the beginning of a whole new chapter in my life. It was the beginning of my personal growth from a subservient unhappy wife and average employee, to become a happy, more confident, corporate climber and ultimately an independent woman.
He wasn’t the only person who has made a profound and positive impact on my life. There have been lots of great mentors, coaches, educators and advocates in my life since that time and all have helped me to continue to flourish and become so much more fulfilled. But it started with someone else having faith in me. And that’s what I realised I specifically want for my clients … and realised that it’s what I’ve been doing for the last decade!
Now what I wanted to say was clear. I relayed the story from who I was; a very shy, quiet, insecure employee, to who I am now. Because of the belief of one person I trusted and respected, I was able to change my life. So, I told that audience …
“A mentor changed my life by believing in me before I could believe in me. And that’s one of the key things I do for my clients!”
It feels so good to share that 🙂
The second thing that came about…
The week before and after that networking event I’d been running a Total Focus Workshop in Adelaide. It’s a course to help people change from their current life and move towards their preferred life. That description and the term, ‘Life Coaching’ doesn’t do the process justice unfortunately, but you get the gist J
First let me put this bit into context;
I had run a free 45 minute introductory presentation which is usually what inspires people who are ready to improve their lives, to come along and commit to my coaching course. The intro itself is empowering and thought provoking. But we had one person start the course who hadn’t attended the intro presentation and really didn’t know why they were there.
They had just been told to attend by a (very caring) relative who told them to pay their course fee and be there. Coming along wasn’t their choice, which was a big enough hurdle to get past, but on top of that you could see it was a physical as well as emotional struggle for them to think of even one goal to start the course with.
So, when I got this feedback in an email from them the day following the event I was stoked!
”I want to express my heart felt gratitude for your brilliant work over the last two weeks. The comment I left on the feedback form doesn’t properly (or eloquently) convey what I meant. What left the biggest impact on me was that your eyes immediately told me that you are rock solid in your convictions, know how to achieve plans and deeply believe that you know how to help me.”
Feeling fulfilled 🙂
All the guys who attended are now on their 90 day challenge and I can’t wait to see all their results in 3 months time!!
PS. If you are ready to change your life… click here for a no-obligation, free 15 minute coaching session.
Most of us suffer from self doubt, procrastination, limiting beliefs or distraction which holds us back from achieving our true potential, but it doesn’t have to. Just ask for some help … Click here 🙂
It used to be that negative gearing was the in-vogue investment strategy. I can remember people looking at us strangely and thinking it mildly humorous when we found and endorsed the potential of positive gearing back in early 2000 … but who’s laughing now?
We’ve enjoyed lots of overseas holidays including several trips to Greece and the USA as well touring Europe … In fact we’ve visited 29 different countries since we started investing in property almost 14 years ago 🙂
These days people are much more educated and understand the benefits of having an investment that doesn’t negatively impact your lifestyle, while you build your wealth through property. However, there’s still a lot of myths and mis-understandings out there – and it’s time to clear them up! So I’ve written an article covering the 8 top FAQ’s to help you understand things more clearly, and perhaps inspire or inform you enough to consider building your own positive property portfolio …
Click through to the article and you’ll find my answers to the following questions:
1. Do They Really Exist?
2. Too hard to find?!
3. Can I Expect to Live off the Rental Income?
4. Can I get Capital Growth and Cash Flow in the Same Property?
5. What Should I Look for as a Positive Cash Flow Property
6. How Do I Analyse a Property Properly?
7. Add Value to Reap Rewards
8. Why Would Anyone Sell a Positively Geared Property?
In case you’re curious why I’d spend time writing this article when I’ve covered much of this information in the book ‘Property is a Girl’s Best Friend’ and at Property Women workshops I’ve spoken at previously. Firstly I realised that many men hadn’t received that information. Secondly I’ve found some of my coaching clients had initially expected that a yield of 5% would be enough to make the property cash flow positive – and that’s not usually the case. Finally, I want you to understand how to analyse the cash flow yourself when looking at any property to add to your portfolio...it could make a world of difference to your property success.
Click here for the full article – and Happy House Hunting!
From my observations the key difference between investing in USA Property successfully and buying a money pit, is predominantly doing the right research. That doesn’t mean you believe everything other people tell you – it means you check it out for yourself. As you know, I’m an advocate for doing your own due diligence and making your own informed decisions. That’s one of the key reasons I’ve personally conducted property coaching tours in the USA for Aussie’s. The feedback from most of the people who’ve come on tour has been that it’s really opened their eyes and they’ve learnt so much more about the market, the people, the processes, the opportunities and the pitfalls of investing there. The other reason I’ve done tours is because I enjoy combining travel and looking at property 🙂
Splash Property Group
If you’ve been listening to my radio shows over the past few months about the things to be aware of when investing in the States, you’ll have heard my interviews with Salena Kulkarni, an Accountant who has purchased a number of properties overseas herself, and who has also set up a turn-key property purchasing solution for her clients.
Interestingly, when we first spoke, Salena felt the goals of many property tours were questionable. From my perspective I was a little negative and questioned the integrity of some overseas ‘turn-key’ property operators. But after many discussions, and having had the opportunity to personally meet some of Salena’s team on the ground in Atlanta recently, I’ve become more confident with the turnkey approach – as long as you’re dealing with honest and ethical professionals.
Now Salena has decided after years of requests from her own clients, that she will run an educational tour to help more Aussies understand the market clearly and conduct their own important research ‘on the ground’.
As I have already completed one small property tour this year and won’t be doing another due to other commitments, I thought you’d be interested in knowing that Salena Kulkarni, is going to be taking her next research trip over to the USA in a couple of months, and you could have the opportunity to join her. She is quite an expert in US real estate and I am sure that a trip to the US with her would be a massive shortcut and eye-opener to help you with your investment journey.
Here’s a link to some of her plans…
http://www.uspropertysplash.com/research-trip
If you have been waiting for a chance to do your own due diligence on the ground, then you don’t want to miss out on this opportunity.
I’d suggest you find out if this trip is suitable for you. Just click on the link below to find out more now while there’s time available, because this is most likely the first and last time she will ever do this. Do it now, as you don’t want to miss such an ideal opportunity to spend time with an Aussie Property Investing Accounting who’s middle name is ‘research!
Click here to read more about her research trip…
Whatever your end decision is in relation to USA property remember these three golden rules …
1. Do your own due diligence on the people you intend to deal with
2. Do your own due diligence on any location and property you propose to invest in
3. Have Fun!
America is having the biggest real estate sale in history. It’s fair to say with these bargain basement prices, we’re not likely to see deals like this repeated for generations to come. The US home property market is that good right now. So good in fact, that I’m one of those Aussies that has jumped on the bandwagon and invested in five US properties myself.
However, time may be running out. America is one of the most dynamic and powerful economic nations in history and an economy like that won’t lie down forever. The real estate market is already showing early signs of recovery. The great news is that you don’t need to be an American to buy American property. You don’t even need to set foot in America to buy property.
Of course, purchasing property overseas, sight unseen, can be daunting – and it should be. Demographic and economic factors need to be considered and understood before buying US property. Unfortunately, a plague of companies that don’t have a clue what’s happening at a city by city level can become a trap if you don’t do your due diligence first. You need professional investment property advisors who truly know the game and can provide you valuable insight on US real estate, whether you plan to purchase property seen or unseen.
Since many operators are springing up in an attempt to make quick money from unsuspecting Aussie investors, it was refreshing to meet Salena Kulami, a leading authority on US property investing and a chartered accountant for over 15 years. I was very impressed with her honesty and transparency. She began investing in the US real estate market herself in 2008 and during the next couple of years was able to help many Australians purchase US property as well. After hearing some horror stories from investors who had problems with US buyer advocates, she decided to formulate Splash Property Groups.
Salena says that nine out of ten of her clients have not visited the United States. That’s why she begins the process with a comprehensive consultation to fully understand their goals. For example, is their focus on long term appreciation or immediate cash flow? Do they want a property that needs very little work or are they looking for a home in an affluent neighborhood that is run down and needs a face lift? Salena understands the fears and concerns of people investing overseas and can convey comfort in the process by providing recommendations of experienced professionals who can set up structures, provide accounting services, property management, and other necessary services. However, clients are by no means required or pressured to go with her recommendations.
In addition, she has found a unique way for Australians, especially those who are asset rich, to finance their investment with incredibly low interest rates between 2 and 2.5%.
I found my discussions with Selena extremely informative and think you will too. If you’d like to learn more about the risks, remedies, and rewards of investing in US property and/or Salena’s services, you can listen to my interview with her by right clicking on each of the tracks below and downloading to your chosen devise for easy listening on your Iphone, Tablet, Ipod or MP3 player.
To Fun and Fortune!
Rachel Barnes
Australian investors are looking to America where property is at rock-bottom prices after the sub-prime mortgage meltdown. However, financing is definitely an issue in the US where lending conditions are clearly more difficult than a few years ago. Unfortunately, most major US banks are not receptive to investing foreigners at the moment.
I have spoken to people who have assured me that I can get financing but then are unable to come with the goods. Or when they have, they’re talking about high interest rates from 9 to 18 percent. Then I spoke with Salena Kulkarni, owner of Splash Property Group and a leading authority on US property investing with 15 years of experience as a chartered accountant. She caught my attention when she mentioned the possibility of getting financing for US property at a remarkable interest rate of 2 to 2.50 percent.
First, Salena talked about a number of strategies people can choose to adopt if they’re looking at US real estate. Obviously, the easiest option is to use available cash. Superannuation or investing through a self-managed super fund is another increasingly popular alternative because of its tax advantages. Australian banks often allow customers to access equity in the form of an offset account or line of credit to buy US real estate. Joint ventures or syndicates, when a number of people pool their money and assets together to invest as a group, are other options. Some people choose to assume an existing mortgage or borrow money from “high-money lenders.”
However, if none of those ideas appeal to you, Salena came up with what she calls “the hybrid solution.” Essentially you are borrowing money from here in Australia with the safety and knowledge that they are working legitimately within our legal system. An international bank is offering interest rates, as I mentioned before, varying between 2 to 2.5 percent. Although this may sound unbelievable, keep in mind that cash in America is only earning less than a half percent – close to zero in fact – so they are still making a 2 percent margin on the money.
To illustrate how these loans work, imagine you have an Australian property worth $800,000 with a loan of $400,000 and you’re paying 6% interest here in Australia. You go to this particular lender and refinance the whole debt and borrow an additional $80,000 to buy a property in the US… using US dollars at 2.15% . The theory is that if your US property earns $10,000 per annum, it would cover the interest payments on both properties. There are three different options you could consider which Salena explained in some detail during the interview.
Of course, at the end of the day, you have to sit down with an accountant and assess the risks associated with these options. For example, it would be foolish to get excited about the phenomenal opportunity to save a massive amount of interest using one of the options without understanding that there is an associated risk with the exchange rate. With proper advice you would weigh up the potential risks and rewards of the options to decide which of the 3 was most suited to you.
If you’d like to find out more about financing US property, listen in to my conversation with Salena by clicking this link.