20 Must Ask Questions for Every Property Investor

Good property investment is not about applying a magic formula, tapping into so–called secrets to success or paying top dollar to be part of a too–good–to–be–true investment scheme. It is about understanding the everyday, bread–and–butter characteristics of the investment and asking the right questions about a property before you buy. It’s about doing your homework. But how and where do you start your research? In 20 Must Ask Questions , best–selling property author Margaret Lomas provides investors with the tools to find and acquire successful property investments for themselves. By equipping investors with comprehensive information about how to locate property that meets all the criteria of a sound investment, Margaret hopes that investors will stop chasing unrealistic returns or believing get–rich–quick promises. 20 Must Ask Questions is a must–read for any property investor ready to buy now. It provides in–depth information on how, when and where to ask the 20 Must Ask Questions to minimise your risk and maximise your chances of buying the right property. Margaret delivers yet another quality book full of practical advice and sound investing guidance.

About the author vi Acknowledgements vi Part I 1 They call me lucky 3 2 Property yields 9 3 Balancing the cash flow and the growth 21 Part II 4 The 20 Must Ask Questions® 41 Question one: What is the cash flow of the area, generally speaking? 49 Question two: What is the vacancy rate of the area? 61 Question three: What are the infrastructure plans for the future? 69 Question four: What is the population, population growth and demographic mix? 77 Question five: What is the competition? 85 Question six: What are the trends? 91 Question seven: Is there economic vibrancy in this area? 99 Question eight: Is this area close to a large town or city? 105 Question nine: Is there a diversity of industry in town? 111 Question ten: If this is a niche market property, is there a second end use? 115 5 Halfway there! 121 Question eleven: Does this property match your personal risk profile? 123 Question twelve: What financing arrangements can I access for this property? 133 Question thirteen: Is the property at market value? 143 Question fourteen: Who is the builder or developer? 149 Question fifteen: Is there a rent guarantee? 153 Question sixteen: What will the property management arrangement be? 159 Question seventeen: What is the age of the property and what condition is it in? 165 Question eighteen: Is the property tenant–friendly? 173 Question nineteen: What are the title arrangements? 179 Question twenty: Am I being commercial in my approach? 185 Part III 6 Growth drivers 195 7 The bits that did not fit 205 Your risk profile 215 Index 221

Telstra’s 2006 NSW Businesswoman of the Year, Margaret Lomas has a diploma in financial advising, a certificate in investment property advising and is a Senior Associate with FINSIA. Her company, Destiny Financial Solutions, has 14 branches across Australia, and assists people to acquire successful property portfolios through comprehensive education, support and mentoring. Margaret is a bestselling author and a regular commentator in the national media on real estate investing and financial planning.