Whether you’re a new or seasoned investor, you’ll find a world of investment opportunities online. You get almost unlimited access to experts and information to help you on your journey. Unfortunately, this information can mean information overload. Why not get focussed? Get onto the Pareto principle (20% of your effort produces 80% of your results) and direct your time, energy and money efficiently. You’ll take action and get quicker, better results.

What’s your investment strategy?

Many financial planners say investors don’t have a clear strategy. Take a look at some strategies in our BiG areas on Wealth, Business, Property and Shares and check out some posts such as:

• Getting ready to invest – making financial and investment plans.
• How to choose investment vehicles (Part 1): Shares v Property?

Need help finding your best property investing strategy?

In Analysts and Commentators you’ll find experts in investing research and education, with great (often free) resources and advice such as:
Margaret Lomas (Destiny); Peter Koulizos (The property professor); Rob Balanada

PROPERTY INVESTING TOPICS and STRATEGIES explains some of the property investing strategies you may use, or already use, such as:

• buy and hold
• value adding – developing, renovationg, subdivision, strata titling. BiG’s Directory has some find a ‘tradie” etc directories
• creative finance – property options, wraps, vendor finance
• buying niche properties – apartments, overseas property

Ready to find a property?
Once you choose a strategy, no need to reinvent the wheel. There are plenty of experts and experienced investors more than willing to share their tips and mistakes. Just be careful that:

• the source you rely on is reputable, and that the results they claim are achievable, and in line with the results you want
• they’re not biased towards their own strategy, area or get a hidden benefit from selling to you. For example some investment clubs, ‘advisers’, mentors or educators may be affiliated with particular developers and may get a commission from sales (ask them).
• you can identify the ‘human’ behind the site or organisation. Guru Cops can help, but best to do a bit of your own research first.

Here are some of the many property and other investing blogs, forums, podcasts and Facebook sites where investors share their experiences, and where you can ask questions about specific ideas, strategies and advisers:

• Australian Property Forum
• Australian Investors Association, AIA
• Choice
• PropertyChat (incorporating InvestEd, InvestChat and BusinessChat))
• Peter Koulizos
• Margaret Lomas, Destiny
• Property Investing Forums
• Investor Talk
• PropertyMeeting

Analysts and Commentators is where you’ll get data and help finding the right property for you in the right location, location, location, such as:

IbisWorld
John Lindeman, The Lindeman Reports
Terry Ryder, Hotspotting
Jeremy Sheppard, DSRData

Sourcing and researching a property:
CoreLogic
realestate.com.au
domain.com
Home Price Guide
Home Sold Price
RP data
Real estate investar
Price Finder

BiG’s Property Investing Gurus rates advisers (gurus) and sets out the strategies they use, and the products and services they claim to provide.

The BiG Directory  ‘ancillary providers’ are a bit different. They’re the businesses managing the logistics of investing – real estate  agents, buyers agents, financial planners, mortgage brokers, conveyancers, tradies and other related services  such as buying or selling property, arranging finance or insurance,

I hope that gives you an overview of what to look for, where, and how. Let’s hope your risk of information overload is reduced and you’re ready to take your next step on your investing journey.

All the very best with life, money and investing.
Andrea