Episodes

Episode 106 | Dodgy Developers & Strata Living | Jimmy Thomson, FLAT CHAT 

The multi-talented Jimmy Thomson chronicles the good, the bad, and the ugly of strata living
We have a cracker of an episode for you. Today we interview Jimmy Thomson, the writer of the Flat Chat column, which you may have seen featured in Domain, AFR and SMH. The multi-talented Jimmy has authored 15 books, is a screenwriter, a university lecturer and has his own podcast “Flat Chat Wrap”, which is all about strata living. 
Jimmy tells a screenwriter's dark, but ultimately hopeful, tale about strata living, which includes exposing dodgy developers who over promise and under deliver. 
Here’s what we covered: 

• How one email revealed a developers dodgy intentions 

• Developers putting their own people in building management positions 

• The deep corruption of developers in Queensland 

• Does building warranty actually protect you? 

• Positives of strata living 

• The darkside of short term subletting 

• How extra facilities of strata property can greatly increase rent and property value

• Adding value vs maintaining in strata property 

• When should Strata owners contact NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT)? 

• Who enforces the bylaws of an apartment complex? 

• Will company titles make a comeback? 

• Where to find the bylaws 

• And the crazy but true story of the guy who turned his balcony into a fish tank (yes, really)

MENTIONED EPISODES:
Episode 103 | Amanda Farmer
Episode 25 | Amanda Farmer 
Episode 18 | Reena Van Aalst

GUEST LINKS:
Flat Chat Column
Flat Chat Wrap
StrataBox

HOST LINKS:
Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
Work with Veronica: info@gooddeeds.com.au 

Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au
Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: 
Please note that this has been transcribed by half-human-half-robot, so brace yourself for typos and the odd bit of weirdness…
This episode was recorded on 30 January, 2020.

Veronica and Chris open up on their own property journeys and their dumbos they have made when purchasing property

On this week's episode Veronica dives into the past to talk about her own property dumbos.  With 25 years of experience in the property sector, from buying, selling and advising on all things property, Veronica relives the early days of her own journey. Chris discusses the common mistakes first home buyers make and the opportunity costs associated.

Here’s what we covered:

• Next steps to take when you just purchase property

• How market conditions can alter your decision making time frame

• How to visualise your dream property

• Choosing a safe property for your children

• What you need to know about the influence your subconscious has on your decision making

• Why reactionary purchases are likely to lead to bad property decisions 

• How property purchases when single affect your ability to purchase with a future partner

• Does purchasing where infrastructure is being built improve property growth?

• How home bias impacts new investors

• What is the appropriate loan structure for investment properties 

• The opportunity of cost of waiting and buying later

• Chris and his new home inspection story

MENTIONED EPISODES:
Simon Russell | Episode 1

HOST LINKS:
Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
Work with Veronica: info@gooddeeds.com.au 

Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au
Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au

Will Build-To-Rent curb Australia’s growing population and housing affordability crisis?On today’s episode we pick the brains of Adam Hirst, General Manager of Build-To-Rent at Mirvac. Adam is currently overseeing Mirvac’s newest development at Sydney Olympic Park, Indigo Pavilion, Australia’s first mass scale build-to-rent project. Adam discusses the overseas success of build-to-rent also known as ‘multifamily’, the viability of this alternative to generic residential development and how this alternative model will benefit renters.

Here’s what we covered:

• What is build-to-rent/Multifamily?

• Is build-to-rent the future for renters?

• Why are build-to-rent leases longer than standard leases?

• What are the building costs associated?

• What are the benefits of build-to-rent?

• Why are superannuation funds investing in build-to-rent?

• Will there be an under supply of housing in 2021 - 2023?

• Why consumers want sustainability but are not willing to pay for it

• How developers are trying to create a community in their developments

• How capitalisation rates impact build-to-rent

• Why to never buy in areas of over supply

GUEST LINKS:
Find out more about Adam Hirst his work in Build-To-Rent.
Indigo Pavilion - Sydney Olympic Park

MENTIONED EPISODES:
Episode 80 | Ed Fernon
Episode 62 | Cecille Weldon

HOST LINKS:
Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
Work with Veronica: info@gooddeeds.com.au 

Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.weatlhful.com.au
Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: 
Please note that this has been transcribed by half-human-half-robot, so brace yourself for typos and the odd bit of weirdness…
This Episode was recorded on the 28 November, 2019

Today we chat with Bill McCorkell, Founder of ArchiBlox, a revolutionary architecture and building firm specializing in modular prefabricated buildings for both residential and commercial. ArchiBlox has worked with big names such as the Victorian and New South Wales governments, Lendlease, Häagen-Dazs and Tesla. We hear from Bill about the future of sustainable building practices, a critical topic for all Australians.

Here’s what we covered:

• What is the price comparison between a traditional housing vs modular?

• How dollar per square metre doesn't represent the true cost

• Is prefab buildings the future of sustainable housing?

• What kind of council approval do you need for building a prefab houses

• Are there problems getting finance for this kind of home

• What are the limitations do prefab housing have?

• How prefab houses get around land zoning

• How the small house movement is shaping how we live

• What are the common misconceptions about prefab housing

• What to consider when renovating a property

In this episode special, Chris and Veronica answer hot-topic questions from listeners. Here are some of the highlights:

• Why older style apartments still hold up against off the plan apartments

• How staging and styling distorts home buyers perceptions

• How land titles affect lending and resale

• What questions should you ask your building/pest inspector

• Why being cash flow positive on an investment property can negatively impact you

• How to grow a property tax free for 6 years

Jacqui Pollock, Family Coach and Founder of Human Leadership, a consultancy that focuses on leadership coaching. Jacqui has worked with impressive household names such as SBS Television, Sunrise, Audible and McDonalds. In this episode Jacqui opens up on skills that improve a property buyers decision making process.

Here’s what we covered:

• How to catch yourself as a home buyer from making reactionary decisions

• How to deal with the stress of buying property

• Discovering qualities and values that aid a property buyers journey

• Evaluating viability of property through financial and lifestyle expectations

• What lifestyle changes…. Dealing with the new lifestyle when buying in an unfamiliar area.

• How to avoid buyers remorse!

• Involving your children in discussing their needs and wants

We hope you enjoy listening.

We pick the brains of Dr. Andrew Wilson, possibly Australia's best known independent property economists. Andrew has qualifications in housing market economics & has held senior research roles within industry, government & academia. 

Dr. Wilson publishes his auction clearance rates on a weekly basis on LinkedIn & breaks them down into regions. He explains how to make sense of this data.

Here’s what we covered:

 What do auction clearance rates mean?

Auctions, statistics, how is the data collected for these rates & is it reliable?

Will interest rates ever rise again to past highs?

Are Australia’s boom & bust housing cycles over?

Misinformation & accountability of accurate reporting, don’t believe everything you read.

What is the correlation between lower interest rates & house prices?

RBA & APRA’s fundamental mistaken views.

Asset selection - why the asset choice remains critical.

Beware of spruikers - purchasing mistakes to avoid.

It’s a cracker of an episode, we hope you enjoy listening!

We're talking about protection & insurance with Craig Bigelow, Founder & Head of Insurance Advice, True Pride. Are you underinsured or overinsured & are you paying more than you need? We talked:

• Australia’s insurance problem - how much insurance do you need?

• Life insurance, income protection insurance, waiting periods & wasting cash.

• Framework: How to build an insurance plan you actually need.

• Why some insurance companies discriminate on mental health.

• Why you should undertake annual reviews of your insurance contract?

• What is a step premium vs. level premium & which is better?

• Trauma protection - who needs it now?

• Smokers & why they may be paying a 40% premium! 

Sales agent Geoff Grist, who’s written a book called “Sold Above Market” is a real estate agent on Sydney’s Lower North Shore. 

Geoff books about real estate aim to educate buyers and sellers to make the sales process as smooth as possible. This episode reveals some great insights into how the best real estate agents operate.

Here’s what we covered:

• Why the remuneration of agents goes hand in hand with mistrust.

• Why AVM’s aren’t worth the paper they are printed on.

• What you need to do prior to selling your home to maximize price.

• What makes buyers pay above market prices?

• How to get your offer accepted, the rules of engagement.

• How can you buy below market?

• How do vendors ruin their own sales campaigns?

• Hard discussions vendors needs to have with their agent.

• How can an average agent can ruin a sale.

We hope this episode gives you some great insights into the psyche of sales agents.

David Johnston, is Managing Director at Property Planning Australia, co-host of the podcast The Property Planner and author of multiple books including: ‘How to Succeed with Property to Create your Ideal Lifestyle’ and ‘Property for Life – Using Property to Plan Your Financial Future’.   

As a Property Planner and Mortgage Strategist we asked him to explain recent changes to the mortgage industry, including:

• What is a property plan & why everyone needs one before they purchase 

• The property plan conversation - building it around life plans

• Loan structuring tips, risk assessment & extended approvals. 

• How good brokers are helping clients buy quality assets 

• What are the options if your pre approval & bank valuation don't stack up?

• What are the main mistakes property buyers make, particularly investors?

• Pre-approvals:  why postcodes, property type & property title can make a difference

• Why timing your property sales/purchase in the same market matters

• The future of mortgage broking & why all mortgage brokers are not equal 

It’s a great episode, we hope you enjoy listening!

We interview auctioneer Phil de Fegely. Phil also coaches many other successful auctioneers & he works with well known agency groups such as McGrath, Buxton, Jellis Craig, to name a few.

If you’re looking to buy a property, you will no doubt be dealing with an auctioneer at some point, so here’s the inside scoop on:

• How do good auctioneers influence buyers to bid?

• What type of bidding wins the auction?

• How do you know when the property is ‘on the market’?

• Why bringing your whole family to auction is likely to make you miss out.

• Strategy, predictability & other things to confuse the auctioneer.

• What is “Auction strategy” - what are agents trying to achieve?

• What are the three things you need to know about the reserve price?

It’s a great episode, get in touch & let us know what you think.

In this episode, we pick the brains Rod Fehring, CEO of Frasers Property Australia & the Chair of Green Building Council of Australia. Rod has 30 years of property industry experience so is well placed to give us insights into current issues with Australia’s construction industry.

We cover a lot of ‘ground’ including:

• What needs to change in the building regulatory environment to lift standards & deliver better quality properties?

• Is the lack of consumer confidence in new apartments hitting prices hard?

• Do developers owe society anything & should they be doing more for consumer protection?

• Why do regulatory & building frameworks cater to the lowest common denominator?

• How will the building industry flip recent building issues on it’s head to regain consumer confidence?

• What are the questions to ask yourself before you buy into an apartment development?

• What’s the difference in buying of the plan if you’re an investor?

This episode could not have come at a better time.

We get the inside scoop from David Easterbrook, director of Elite Buyer Agents in Melbourne.

They operate two offices, one in Hawthorn & the other in Brighton. They help both owner occupiers & investors buy quality properties in the inner suburbs of Melbourne. David walks us through what’s happening on the ground in Melbourne, including:

• Lack of quality listings right now in Melbourne, when will it change?

• Why so many developers are going underground?

• Has the apartment market started to recover or are prices dropping?

• How prices & competition have been impacted by Chinese buyers exiting the market?

• Signs that show the downsizer market culture in Melbourne is changing.

• Rentvesting - capital gains tax issues & why it’s hard to make the numbers work.

• The dangers of being lured into house & land packages.

We hope you enjoy listening!

We pick the brains of Brendan Coates, Household Finances Program Director at the Grattan Institute. 

Brendan’s research focuses on tax reform, economic & budget policy, retirement incomes & superannuation, housing, transport infrastructure & cities. He works in a think tank with a bunch of clever people with access to all manner of research that allows them to tackle the big questions & problems facing us as a nation.

Here’s a preview:

• Home ownership crisis - why so many young & poor simply can’t afford their own home.

• Why is the government & our politicians afraid to make big reforms to Negative Gearing, Land Tax & Stamp Duty?

• Home Buyer Saver Scheme - is it all it’s cracked up to be?

• Who’s to blame for the lack of housing built to meet the demand of homeowners?

• Australia’s aging population - should inheritance tax be modified?

• Super increases - will higher super contributions exacerbate the problems of an ageing population?

• Why Australia’s housing stress will mean a rise of homelessness.

• What can be done for everyday Australians to assist housing affordability?

This is such a great episode, packed with so many insights, we hope you enjoy listening!

WEBSITE LINKS:
Grattan Institute Housing Affordability re-imagining the Auystralian Dream

Lessons from the national Rental Affordability Scheme

GUEST WEBSITES:
Brendan Coates - Grattan Institute, Household Finances Program Director

Work with Veronica? info@gooddeeds.com.au
Work with Chris? hello@wealthful.com.au

We’re honored to be joined by Alan Kohler, one of Australia’s most respected finance reporters. For decades readers & viewers have enjoyed his expert opinion in the press, TV &, more recently on-line via his website, The Constant Investor. 

We love to look at the wider world of investing - beyond property. We enjoy discovering alternative investment methodologies & frameworks - always with our filter of low risk & sustainability & we loved our chat with Alan! 

Here’s some highlights:

• Is Australia headed for a recession or could be be headed for a boom?

• Why it is important to wait to invest after the valley of death?

• Who is deeply invested in propping up the housing market?

• Our GDP growth is from population growth so should we open up the gates?

• What will happen if we go into negative interest rates & what does it even mean?

• How can the average investor prepare for a low growth economy?

This is an episode you won’t want to miss.