I received the following email: Quick Question:: you had mentioned in one place, you build business. What have you built? and how hard was it? I am thinking of buying and building a business but a bit scared (butterflies in the stomach and all that crap).. Any guidance.?? Thriving business is the most fulfilling thing…

The finance on the three small units is almost in place. What a cocktail it is! But it is not the size of the units that is the problem. Normally I keep myself “ready to borrow”. Tax returns up-to-date, company trading accounts ready and stuff like that. Because I took Bookaburra over in July, none…

I tithe. That means 10% of my income and capital gains is given away. That either occurs quarterly on trading income or on settlement for capital gains. I give sacrificially, if I don’t miss it I’m not giving enough. Why? Because I think my gifts make the world a better place. I also believe that…

When I learned to drive I was required to have a fully qualified driver in the front seat passenger seat. That “black licence” was required to be sober and responsible. That is good risk management on behalf of the community. In poker if you can’t tell who the sucker at the table is, look in…

I bought a strata unit with a credit card cash advance once. I’ve used the same technique for a deposit in a hurry. Until recently I was a fan of lots of credit cards with high limits — providing you knew how to manage a bank’s Debt Service Ratio (DSR) calculations. You see, banks assume…

I just go home from listening to Peter Holmes à Court give a casual talk at the Sydney Chapter of Young Entrepreneurs Organisation. I won’t reproduce his entertaining, inspiring and insightful comments here — if you ever get a chance to hear Peter talk, take it. One point he did make was Someone’s always trying…

I sat in on an exchange between two very experienced businessmen today. What an education in five minutes. The Salesman and the Entrepreneur. Entrepreneur: We bought these from you last time at $1.62. Why do you want $2.25? Salesman: I have to pay MGM an 18% royalty on these. Entrepreneur (grabs a calculator): $1.62 +18%…

It seems that GE – Mortgage Insurance Services has decided that small units (<50sqm) are not good. This is a relatively new wrinkle as I have seen the lender summaries that brokers use to assess lenders. GEMIS used to do these loans. Anyhow if it was easy everyone would do it and I wouldn’t have…

Ok so I’m late on the details. If you were hanging out so much you could have left a comment on the original entry. But it’s ok the logs tell me a lot of you are coming back regularly. The advertising was for a deceased estate auction $160K+ buyers for three 1 bedroom units. I…

I bought 3 Kings Cross units at auction this evening. I’ll post the details tomorrow. I always get scared when bidding. “What if I this is all a very big mistake?” goes my self talk. I’ve bid at more than few auctions, been under-bidder often but only won an Auction four times before this. Maybe…