What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received about investing?
The best advice I ever received was from my mentor: “If you want to be a successful investor, you actually have to go out and buy a property!” This made me realise that you cannot be an armchair expert. The learning is in the doing of it. So I made a decision to get started, rather than sitting around any longer thinking about it. I was ready – had my goal, my mentor, and my plan for building a portfolio for retirement – and just needed to put it into action.
So I bought nine properties in three years – and yes, I learnt a lot very quickly!
If you could start your property investment journey all over again, is there anything you would do differently?
I would definitely get started a lot earlier in life, and I would keep all my properties for the long term. I sold my first investment 12 months after buying it, as it had gone up by $30,000. If only I had kept it, the equity growth would have allowed me to build my portfolio a decade earlier. As it was, I was not in a position to enter the market again until 2007, missing important time in the market.
Who has been your greatest inspiration as a property investor and why?
I fell into property investing after meeting Ian Hosking Richards at a personal development seminar in 2006, where he was the guest speaker on building wealth through property. His own personal success story of how he built a multimillion-dollar portfolio has always been my biggest inspiration. I love that Ian shares his expertise and strategy and mentors new investors to their own success, including me! Thanks, Ian.
Outside of property, what are your interests?
I am passionate about the outdoors, travel and exercise. I am happiest when walking the coastline near where I live, hiking in places such as Yosemite or the Rockies, camping under the stars or skiing down the slopes of Whistler. I also love time with my grown-up family, as they are my reason for investing, providing a legacy for them for the future.
1. I have climbed the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains many times, under the safe guidance of my rock-climber husband, Steve.
2. I was an aerobics instructor for almost 20 years, before falling into the property industry!
3. I have a degree in psychology and a diploma in teaching.
