Wealth Creation

YOUTH SUMMIT

2010-06-05T23:25:00.000-07:00

Just received information on the arrival of the Youth Summit in Perth.

If you have friends or relatives in Perth then take advantage of the free admission and do your teenagers something better than school can!

I am not knocking schools here of course (after 30 years in the system) but Jamie does supply certain knowledge that schools rarely offer and most parents fail to understand themselves!

Empowering Today’s Youth To Be Tomorrow’s Leaders

Join self-made Millionaire Jamie McIntyre as well as Inspirational and leading Sporting and Business Identities to discover the SECRETS TO TRUE LONG TERM SUCCESS!
Learn

1. How to choose the ideal career when you leave school or University.
2. How to become financially savvy and wealthy at a younger age.
3. How to develop true intelligence as defined by Albert Einstein.
4. How to develop your emotional muscles to deal with any challenge in life.
5. Learn the 4 key skills required to earn over $100,000 pa.
6. Develop the mindset of a winner in life.
7. How to attract what you want into your life.

Each Student Will Receive A Copy Of Jamie's Best Selling Books:

1. What I Didn't Learn At School But Wish I Had
2. What I Didn't Learn From Google But Wish I Had
3. Think And Grow Rich In The 21st Century
4. DVD of How To Excel in 21st Century

Register: 9.15am
Start: 9.45am
Finish: 5.00pm
Cost: FREE

Check out the rest of the national locations here 21st Century Youth Summit.

Get Busy

2010-05-13T01:29:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

I have a little quiet here the last few weeks the reason is simple - just too busy!

Make Hay as the Sun Shines

This time of the year is when the landscaping business quietens down so I take on other jobs to fill in my cash flow needs.
I have had several offers of short term contracts teaching so I have taken them up. Teaching as a casual employee pays extremely well when you have both my qualifications and experience.

As you may or may not know - due to government under-funding and bad forward planning science and maths teachers are in short supply and thus if you have the appropriate skills you can just about pick and choose your work!

Also, this time of the year is when many teachers start to catch colds and flu's and this is just when I have the time to fill in their positions.
You see I quit my permanent position since I had found teaching too stressful over the last few years. The opportunity to start a business and also work with Sean Rasmussen and Jamie McIntyre helped this along! The rest of the story you can find on my website.

Semi-employed

I no longer see myself as semi-retired but rather semi-employed! Seems like a trick of the language but really it reflects my mind-set more accurately. I have periods of intense activity and then periods where I can chill out and focus on other interests and goals.

Having resigned I have not left the job completely since I can go in a earn large sums of money in a few weeks and then use this to fund my other interests and investments. One thing we learn from Jamie is to be smart and to take advantage of what life brings us and the skill sets we have already!

I like to chill out like Panda!

I can work for 3-4 weeks and then have a break - usually visiting family in my home town in the country. I find I have heap s of energy and enthusiasm each day I work and this makes the kids easier to handle and motivate!

Know What You Want

I have learnt these last 2-3 years that the key to happiness is knowing exactly what you want! It is also being able to spot it when it happens.

I have struggled knowing what I actually want from my employment options. I want a business (my landscaping is one!) that gives me tax advantages and I also want a business that suits my skills base and interests (ABlueprint4Wealth).

I also want to have time to spend with my children and now grandchildren. Full-time jobs and businesses don't suit me so my current arrangement is perfect. It happened without me seeing it arrive!

I also want time to help out friends and family when they need it and full employment does not allow this sort of flexibility.

Stop and Look At Your Options

So today I encourage you to look at what life has served you! Where are your strengths and opportunities? Start thinking outside the box and explore the options - you never know you may be very close to where you actually want to be!

As the wise man once said Think and Grow Rich!

Property Wealth Creation

2010-03-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

Population Growth Driving Housing Shortage

I know we have discussed this before but the story has not changed in fact it is an even stronger fact!

Areas like Western Australia, undergoing massive growth from a new mining boost, need much more housing for the growing workforce. Even without the economic growth the demand is in excess of the delivery of new homes!

The Australia’s Housing Industry Association believes almost 500,000 dwellings will be needed above any building program put in place over the next decade.

As my mentor Jamie says,

"I can’t believe that anyone armed with the facts about the housing market in Australia could even suggest that property values in this country are heading for a crash. With the shortfall in available homes the trend is obviously toward an increase in property values and rental prices, certainly not a fall. Just look at the facts. Even during the so called “Global Recession” Australian property values grew by as much as 14% last year. In Victoria, property values increased by a staggering 18%!"
March 23 2010

Take Action Soon

Investing in property may seem a bit overwhelming but using the right support network and the right advice it becomes very easy and and very profitable!

Jamie has asked his team at 21st Century Property Direct to teach a very exciting new strategy - Buy Land No Money Down!

To learn more about how to take advantage of the great Australian property boom ahead visit 21st Century Property Direct and order a free DVD or attend one of our free workshop or webinars.

Wow March Already

2010-02-26T18:48:00.000-08:00

Yep it is hard to believe that we are in March at the start of next week!

The year is flying along! I have been very busy working - despite having resigned last year my old work site asked me to come back and fill in for a few weeks. A friend of mine had a serious run in with cancer so asked me to help out as he had the operation and recovery period through February. I agreed but it meant back to a full-time job for a month whilst trying to balance my business commitments! Has been very difficult and a few things have suffered! (This blog for example!)

Anyway back to my home businesses now so a little more time in March to get things more regular on the blogs!

So, here is a short update on a great offer from 21stCE

For a limited time, enrol as a 21st Century Member from as little as $125 per week with a 100% money back guarantee and also receive Anthony Robbins Personal Power Program as a Free Bonus*.

What sort of impact is your current situation having on your life? You see, being wealthy is about more than just having money, isn't it. It's about creating the life you want. So - what kind of life do you want?

Most people have dreams of being financially-free living a grand lifestyle. Yet there is often a big gap between where they are now and where they want to be. And the only way to bridge that gap is to look at the people who do earn the kind of money you want to earn, find out how they did it and do the same thing!

Those who achieve complete financial freedom learn to convert the money they earn by day into proceeds that expand while they rest. Rather than working for your money, let your money work for you.

Now, with this special commemorative 30th Anniversary Edition of Anthony Robbins Personal Power II, you can take advantage of the same strategies that have inspired millions to create lasting change—whether it's achieving extraordinary business success, dramatically increasing your income, building or revitalizing magical relationships, or reaching and maintaining your ideal weight.

Learn how to:

Identify what is that you really want out of your life.

Use your greatest personal motivator to your advantage.

Condition yourself for consistent success.

Use quality questions to get what you really want.
Take this opportunity to not only secure Anthony Robbins Personal Power II , but also learn from over 20 amazing educators, including an Australian who went from well below zero to a self-made millionaire in his twenties by learning to develop the mindset of a millionaire and applying the latest, most exciting financial strategies available in the world today - with 21st Century's 5 year Membership.

"It was more than I ever imagined. It's been truly life changing, both emotionally and financially." MICHELLE O'CONNOR

For a limited time enrol as a 21st Century Member from as little as $115 per week with a 100% money back guarantee and also receive Anthony Robbins Personal Power Program as a Free Bonus*.

To learn about 21st Century's 5 year membership or join today Click Here or call 1800 999 270

* Must attend a 4 day Education for Life Event within 12months of joining. Anthony Robbins Personal Power Program will be available for collection at 4 day Education for Life event on the last night and you must attend all 4 days. Offer is valid to members joining from as of 15/02/2010.

Happy New Year

2010-01-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

January is here and we are into the new year!

What will it hold for you?

What will it hold for all of us?

To a large extent it is up to you more than you think - so take some time this week and think about what it is you want from this year.
Remember the old saying "most people don't plan to fail they just fail to plan!"

Wealth creation is a part of your total plans for the year and you need to bear that in mind as you examine the different areas of your life and what you hope to achieve in each.

Consider each of the areas of your life:

Family and Friends

What will you do to strengthen the relationships that are important in your life. Maybe plan some time n a regular basis with close friends or a mentor!

Spiritual

Maybe this year you can take up yoga or a class - maybe do an on online course.
Either way don't ignore this part of your persona. Even just a regular time out in the bush somewhere, a quiet time each week, a break each day to reflect on how life is going.

Health and Fitness

How's that weight after the xmas season? Is your diet supporting you in your other aims in life? Poor health and low energy can hinder your plans and fitness is a daily thing, a part of your lifestyle and needs to be planned. You won't have the fitness you want if you don't make small steps and plans right now!

Personal Growth

What is challenging your intellect? Do you stretch your mind on a regular basis? Maybe it's time to learn something new. A new game, sport or hobby just might help you from going stale!
Much recent studies support the idea that if you don't use it you lose it!

Finance and Wealth Creation

With the season of joy over the season of paying the cost is here!
Have you plans in place to deal with the expenses of the Xmas season?
Maybe you had them organised and so we can look ahead to the upcoming costs in the months ahead and be prepared.

With a promise of more interest rises in the mortgage rates we need to factor this into all our plans for the year. Getting on top of all debt will be an imperative this year!

It is a good time to review long term financial plans at the start of a new year - checking on the progress of your plans at the start of the financial year!
Small adjustments and even some times major changes may be called for.
Do this regularly and there is less chance of getting caught out by changes in the financial landscape.

Enjoy your week and please spend some time, find some space to consider the year ahead before you join back into the rat race!

May 2010 be a successful year for you!

John

Merry Xmas

2009-12-22T16:16:00.001-08:00

It has been such a busy time these last two months that I have not been able to get in here and leave the usual commentary.

Go With The Flow

Life can do that to you sometimes and you just have to go with the flow - even if it is flat out! Thankfully we now face the Xmas season a chance to slow down and reflect on the year past and the year ahead.

I encourage you to take advantage of this time by spending it with family and friends. Reflect on the reasons why we work so hard and have dreams of a better life for ourselves and our families.
To make changes in life requires motivation and maybe yours lies in your family, your health your sanity?

What Motivates You

Without a strong basis for what we do we fall back into the general 9-5 mentality of the majority of people - the stifling mundane plod!

My Petrolhead Passion
Xmas and New Year are a time to review what has been - your successes and challenges. Don't dismiss the challenges - it is often in these that our biggest growth arrives! Challenges help us focus what it is we really want out of life - they bring the hammer to the nail - and wham you realise what it is you want or don't want!

The Organic Garden
Xmas for us will be all about family - we are spending time with all the branches of the family over the last three weeks of December. Two Xmas dinners and celebrations are required to get through all the family! I know it's tough - but someone has to do it!

The Family

Did I tell You I Resigned

This month was a special point in my journey - I gave in my notice of termination - I gave plenty of warning to my bosses that I wish to cease working for them in 2010!
This marks the end of 29 years of being employed as a teacher by the government system.

This has been a major goal for me since starting my journey in wealth creation.

How have I done this? Well I discovered some passions and interests that I have been able to turn into an income source - I have also opened my mind to other opportunities to use my skills!

Mentors

I wish to mention a couple of important people in this journey - obviously Jamie McIntyre started this adventure for me with his book "What I didn't Learn At School But Wish I Had". Funny really when you consider the thousands of kids I have taught in the last 3 decades. This is why I picked the book up - it got my attention!

The second more important influence came from my friend and mentor - Sean Rasmussen
Sean guided me through the early days working in Jamie's program and we have spent time together from Fiji to Perth! Also not forgetting his lovely wife Cherie who has such a great sense of fun for life and a huge love for family that had an important impact on my priorities and motivation.

Sean is a man of principle and the most reliable friend you can have. I have learned more than just wealth creation strategies from him. Through the ups and downs of the last 12 months I have learned the importance of being true to yourself and honourable to your friends and associates. Sean has a heart as big as the great state of WA!

Thank-you Sean for all your support and friendship - I look forward to 2010 and time we can spend together with our families and common friends!

If you have big plans for 2010 then get a mentor, a journeyman, a spirit guide - someone to help you on the journey - the task is so much easier when you have a companion!

Merry Xmas and A Happy New Year

Well that brings me to the end of my message today. I wish you all the best for this holiday season - be safe, enjoy you time with family and friends.
Spend a few quiet moments thinking of your year past and the new one before you!

Let me say that writing a list of wishes and aspirations for 2010 would be a good starting point for your future.

Maybe you should go back and read Jamie's book again or replay the DVD - not for me but for you!

Merry Xmas and best wishes to you

John

More Reasons for Shortages in Housing

2009-11-03T00:37:00.000-08:00

Here is an article about the activity of state governments pricing land out of the reach of buyers. Add to this the two increases in rates this last two months and you can see that the supply of rentals is not going to meet the demand.

State governments don't build enough public housing and so need to encourage investors not hammer them with more costs.

Those of you who have started looking for property to invest in this year are sure to see big long term pluses in your wealth creation path.

Matthew Franklin

November 03, 2009 07:09am

FEDERAL Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek has warned that state governments risk pricing first-home buyers out of the market.
Ms Plibersek told The Australian yesterday big infrastructure levies were strangling land development and, partly as a result, the nation was not producing enough new housing blocks to meet population growth.

continued here Land charges 'pricing out buyers

Have a great week!

John

Invest in Yourself and Your Financial Freedom

2009-10-23T01:00:00.000-07:00

ENROL AS A 21ST CENTURY MEMBER AND RECEIVE A DELL 10V INSPIRION LAPTOP*

Regardless of your current circumstances or age, financial freedom is attainable. And more importantly, it can be sustainable. The strategies you'll discover can help you reach a position where you'll never have to be constrained by the 9 to 5 grind to maintain standard of living you've always aspired to.

Those who achieve complete financial freedom learn to convert the money they earn by day into proceeds that expand while they rest. Rather than working for your money, let your money work for you.

Take this opportunity to learn from over 20 amazing educators, including an Australian who went from well below zero to a self-made millionaire in his twenties by learning to develop the mindset of a millionaire and applying the latest, most exciting financial strategies available in the world today.

The great news is that he is determined to help you to improve your personal and financial results. He believes this type of education, because it wasn't taught at school, has kept the majority of the population tied to a job and almost a slave to the banks. Jamie McIntyre is passionate about ensuring the average person becomes financially educated and has invested millions of dollars to the cause.

If you would like to learn how to excel in the 21st Century and create an extraordinary quality of life, no matter if you're investing on the most basic level and want to discover the best ways to manage your retirement account or you're a practiced investor keen to become knowledgeable about sophisticated strategies to assist accelerate financial return - Don't wait until 2010 to start your journey towards the life you desire and deserve, allow 21st Century help you realise the obstacles that have stopped you from achieving it, find out how to make essential shifts in vital areas of your life and acclimatise yourself to unfailingly follow through with your plans.

*For a limited time if you enrol as a 21st Century Member from as little as $25 per week with a 100% money back guarantee and you also qualify to receive a free dell laptop* to utilise for your share trading**

ENROL NOW AS A 21ST CENTURY MEMBER AND RECEIVE A DELL 10V INSPIRION LAPTOP*

PS. - Join us for a LIVE WEBINAR where you can learn more about how becoming a 21st Century Member can help you identify your definitive objectives and remarkably accelerate the velocity of your achievements.
For session times & more information, visit www.21stCenturyPreview.com

Debt Consolidation and Wealth Creation

2009-10-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

This week I wish to take a slightly different direction. What if you have debt and wish to still be involved in wealth creation? Maybe you need to examine your budget and consider Debt Consolidation.

The Importance of Debt Consolidation and Wealth Education

When you find a debt consolidation company that seems to be the one that would work in your best interest, you must consider some important points. A debt consolidation company can solve your debt problems, but it is also necessary that educates you not to fall into debt once more. Some debt consolidation companies can also provide you some wealth education and money management lessons. It is undeniable that money management skills are a key to wealth creation. If you’re not good in managing your money, then wealth creation is a distant dream for you. Developing money management skills is important to create wealth and stave off debt.

Budget

Wealth education imparted by debt consolidation companies educate you how to formulate a budget and live within your means. They can make you debt free by applying various techniques. However, if you don’t change your spending habits and start frivolously charging on your credit cards once again, it won’t take much time to get into debt. Remember this – you should not spend more than what you earn. Try to curtail your spending as much as you can and spend less than what you make every month.

Wealth Education

Wealth education empowers you to better your financial stability and enables you to make well-informed decisions about your personal finances. It gives you recommendations regarding future purchases and how to match your requirements with the items that you wish to buy.

It is important that you make savings. Savings protects you from a number of emergency situations that might crop up in future. You must think about different investment options to increase your income and save more.

Get Out of Debt

Getting out of debt is your primary objective. However, if you find yourself in the same kind of situation that you were in before consolidating your debts, it signifies you’re not disciplined towards your finances. Discipline is the key to successfully become debt free forever. Wealth education tells you how you can stay disciplined. Everybody can understand from wealth education about the domains that need improvement.

While you’re in an endeavour to find out which debt consolidation company to go for, you must take the points mentioned above into consideration.

Have a great week!

Having a Break

2009-09-29T02:37:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone
A little quiet this month since I have been soooo busy that I have not even had time to update the Blog!

Tomorrow we head off for a few days R&R in the southwest!

So until I get back this is me wishing you a great week!

John

Rates Are About to Rise

2009-08-24T00:59:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone is having a good start to the week! Just a short review of the current expectations for interest rates. I also note that another property boom is predicted for WA as a result of the massive CNG LPG contracts signed with China and India this month. This will flow through to our wealth creation strategies in real estate very soon and so it is a good time to review your loans.

Rates Expectations

Aug. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Currency traders who’ve made Australia’s dollar the third-best performer in the world this year say the rally may be over......

"Even at a half-century low of 3 percent, Australia’s benchmark interest rate is still the highest among the Group of 10 nations..... The interbank lending market shows an 88 percent chance that the first increase will come in November. "

“The market’s pricing in rate hikes a little too aggressively and a little too early,” said Adrian Owens, a London-based fund manager who oversees $700 million in currency and interest-rate funds at Augustus Asset Managers Ltd., which has about $7.6 billion in assets. “It is more likely to be the middle of next year before the RBA starts hiking because they’re going to want to be really sure that recovery is entrenched.”

The RBA has made our currency a money maker for the traders overseas. So we pay the highest rates during both boom and bust! This makes a mockery of the arguments put by our economic gurus that we must have high rates to protect us and the banks!

Kevin Young's Advice

"What am I doing with my rates as I buy? I am sceptical that rates will come down. So this leads me to fix for three years for half my purchase and go variable for the other half. Of course, this is driven by the Reserve Bank’s high rate policy, because of the lack of competition from the AAA guarantee, and the absence of honest criticism of our mortgage rate settings through the media. "

So if you are looking at refinancing at the moment keep this in mind.

Until next week

John

Affiliate Marketing Just Got Easier

2009-08-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

Diversify Your Income

Diversifying your income streams is a real imperative these days. Your wealth creation will be more sustainable if you have multiple streams of income.

Property Shares Internet Marketing

I have spoken of the value of property investments and share trading many times and shown you some great leads. Internet marketing is another opportunity and today I encourage you to visit my mentors new site Year of The Affiliate.

Sean Rasmussen has a long history in affiliate marketing and has been very successful. He is a 21st Century graduate and has spoken at the 4 Day events for Jamie McIntyre many times. He has a number of useful websites on share trading, property investing and IM (internet marketing) and is a great example of diversifying income streams.

If you want to know more visit Year of the Affiliate now for a special offer.

The offer is only for the next 24hours!

Exciting New Program on E-Minis Trading

2009-08-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

If you have been following my blog for a while you would know that I have been investigating the share marketing strategy called E-Minis as a Wealth Creation Strategy.

This is basically Futures Trading but not like in the old days where you had to be a large corporation to afford the start up capital. This is a smaller version that can be started with as little as $5000. The returns are just as impressive but with less at risk.

The market of the E-Minis program is $40 Billion dollars a day! Yes that's right a day!

Now it is pretty clear that that is a huge amount of liquidity and this is the benefit of the E-Minis strategy - plenty of players in the game and therefore good turnover. Even when playing in the market for a few hours a day you have less chance of scoring $0!

Now I bring this to you today as 21stCentury has found a great teacher and mentor in David Loughnan, a professional E-minis trader. I have met David personally and spent time listening to him about the program and it is his passion to show people how to get it right! He wants to share the Wealth Creation Strategy he has developed with E-minis trading.

The 21stC program even includes a sort of - follow my trade now!

You actually follow David as he trades his own money and teaches why along the way - sort make $$ as you learn!
This is one of the many special things about David's teaching and a quite exciting opportunity!

Now,

Would you like the opportunity to be mentored by one of the most successful E-minis Traders in Australia?
Would you like the opportunity to follow the advice of a successful, profitable master trader?
A person who started years ago as a novice and has since generated 100's of 1000's of dollars from perfecting E-minis Trading?

Then this is the program for you! I always believe in getting educated about the strategy you wish to use before you spend any money and I encourage you to attend a seminar before you do anything else.

Publish Post

OK - So how do YOU get in on the action?

HOW ABOUT ATTENDING A LIVE WORKSHOP?

We have strictly limited seats available at our next LIVE WORKSHOP, where you will see why we can no longer keep these amazing results to ourselves. Here is your chance to see "HOW SMART INVESTORS ARE MAKING $1,000 - $5,000 USD PER WEEK TRADING EMINIS, WITH AS LITTLE AS $5,000" - read on...

We will show you some simple, proven E-minis trading strategies that investors can use on a daily basis, and how you too can apply the same simple steps to your own E-minis investing and start earning substantial income.

The Proven Advantages of 21st Century Eminis:

Simple, Yet Powerful Methods
Live Market Coaching
Low Capital Outlay
Choose Your Own Hours
Part Time or Full Time
Work from Home or Anywhere
Take Charge of Your Super
And much more!

Valued at $495 but F.R.E.E to first 150 people to reserve their seat.

Seats are limited for these LIVE workshops and complimentary tickets are only available for the first 150 to book into the exclusive events that will blow the lid off what you currently understand about making REAL money from trading.

UPCOMING 21ST CENTURY EMINIS WORKSHOP DETAILS:

Discover how smart investors are making $1,000 to $5,000USD per week trading Eminis, starting with as little as $5,000".

Evening events have Registration at 6:30pm for a 7:00pm start.

• ADELAIDE: Monday 3rd August | Holiday inn, 65 Hindley Street, Adelaide - ONLY 29 seats left
• MELBOURNE: Monday 10th August | 21/75 Lorimer St, Southbank/Docklands (opp #90) - ONLY 34 seats left
• PERTH: Monday 31st August | Venue TBA - FILLING FAST
• MELBOURNE: Monday 7th September | 21/75 Lorimer St, Sthbank/Docklands (opp #90) - LIMITED SEATING
• SYDNEY: Monday 21st September | Holiday Inn, 203 Victoria Street, Potts Point - FILLING FAST
• ADELAIDE: Monday 5th October | Venue TBA - FILLING FAST
• SYDNEY: Monday 12th October | Venue TBA - FILLING FAST
• BRISBANE: Monday 19th October | Venue TBA - FILLING FAST
• TOWNSVILLE: Tuesday 20th October | Venue TBA - FILLING FAST

To reserve your seat now: CLICK HERE
OR Email: bookings@21stca.com.au

Phone: 1800 100 801

Update On the Bank Interest Rates

2009-07-31T21:13:00.000-07:00

Here are a few updates from various commentators on the economy and the banks.

"......Next, look at how quickly America is coming out of its recession. Bank of America and City Group have reported strong earnings growth as has IBM. It has just been announced that Morgan JP Chase has reported a profit and paid back 100% of $25billion it borrowed from taxpayers to get through the 2008 recession and financial meltdown. Their second quarter profit, after all these payments, was $2.1billion. This is now the second bank to be in that position, with Goldman Sachs being the first to report a turn around. The “experts” in the media are now saying that this is a sign that America has “turned the corner” and that the recession is over. They are now starting to question why the banks are so profitable now.

The question needs to be asked by the media here in Australia. Why are our borrowers paying much more than the borrowers in the US, which was at the centre of the financial meltdown? If the US banks are making huge profits that are now being questioned in America on much lower loan rates (5% fixed for 5 years) then why isn’t the media questioning the much higher loan rates here in Australia? Our Australian banking system has not taken one cent from the taxpayer and remains the most profitable in the world. We are the only country that has three banks in the five top most profitable businesses. Why isn't the RBA forced to justify their high rate burden on all Australians?...."

Paula Cogan

Executive Assistant to the Directors
The Investors Club

Property Is Going Strong

"....Despite many forecasters predicting a property crash over the last year, the major property markets around Australia, other than in Perth, seem to have had a soft landing. In fact the lower end of the markets could almost be classed as booming and property values have risen strongly in the first half of this year.

It all started with the first homeowners, but now established homebuyers are back borrowing money. Lending for owner occupied housing was up by 2.3% in May and lending for investment purposes rose by 2.4%. This is the third monthly rise in lending to investors and leaves investment lending 19% above the February level.

Investors are now clearly back in the market and all of a sudden the same media that was predicting a property crash is talking about the next property boom.....

While the global economy is going through its worst recession in over 70 years, the Australian economy has held up remarkably well. We have had a very mild economic downturn compared to other countries and, if we use the true technical definition, we have so far avoided a recession.

There are now enough significant indicators that many of the world’s economies have seen the worst and many are starting to recover; while others are no longer worsening....."

Michael Yardney

Sign This Petition

2009-07-22T01:35:00.000-07:00

I know I just posted today but after readnig this I was very excited to get this out.

This is an excerpt from Kevin Young's Newsletter

Following the Support Member training, I had a 20 minute “on-air” interview with ABC Radio (Western Australia commenting on rising bankruptcies. This was a fantastic opportunity to discus the role of the Reserve Bank in creating unnecessary hardship for everyday Australians.

The programme host challenged my Reserve Bank petition, disputing that the government would never allow such an enquiry. I’m not sure he realises what a tenacious bunch we are here at The Investors Club. We persisted for 5 years to lift the veil of secrecy from the Reserve Bank’s rate announcements. We are still persisting to have the minutes of individual Board Members released so that we know who is voting, how and why. If you believe TIC is on the right track and would like to help us petition and bring back fairness and viable banking systems to Australia then go to our TIC website and add your email to the growing list. I only have 2,500 to go!

You can listen to the full interview here

http://www.tic.com.au/MediaCentre/RadioTVInterviews/tabid/220/Default.aspx

If you have been following the blog for a while you know how I feel about the RBA. To me it makes sense that we get free access to their decisions since they have had such a profound impact on Australian lifestyles in the past.

Have a listen and maybe sign up if you agree!

Have a great day

John

Perth Property Market Still Strong

2009-07-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

WA owners ask some of the country's highest house prices

reads the headline!

Perth's median house price is holding well despite a drop of 4.63%. At $468052 the price is still sound and demonstrates how canny investors can expect long term gains even when recessions strike!

Location Location Location

Property is a great investment so long as you do your homework and invest in the right places at the right time! The old adage location, location.... is still a good one but we should add the sub-line at the "...right time".

To just go in and buy a house because it's in a supposed good spot is reckless and will only lead to grief. Property investors need education and support and if you have both then the success in your wealth creation through property is a rock solid promise.
I know your great uncle Freddy lost his shirt over the property he bought in 1982 but really do you know all the facts.

How much research did he do?
Was public transport handy?
Were there employment options in the area?
Were there local schools in walking distance?
How much time did he spend examining the features of the location?
How did he structure his loans?
How good was the property manager?
Did he get a top rent?
Did he get the depreciation schedule professionally prepared?
Did his accountant get him every claim he was due against tax?
Did he use interest only loans?
Did he have proper Landlord's insurance?

Right now experienced property investors are out in the market seeking and buying the next great property for their portfolios. The market is still in their favour and as it starts to recover they will see these new assets grow and produce more wealth for them in the years ahead.

There are some great property mentors out there if you want to get into the market then go listen to these guys and learn their secrets. You know the best of them don't hide anything - you just have to have the courage to do something different!

Remember the old adage

"If you keep doing the same things and expect a different result then you are clinically mad!"

The Investors Club

21st Century Property Direct

Michael Yardney

Go check these guys out!

Also reread my adventure with my first property!

Until next time
Have a most profitable week!

Why are we short of Affordable Rentals?

2009-07-09T02:47:00.000-07:00

West Australian homelessness surges as rents soars

WA has one of Australia's highest ratios of homeless people, according to a new report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

That's the headline on the Perth Now webpage! Now what is important about that is that we have had warnings from many property investment advisors about this possibility. The path of high interest rates through the last few years by the conservative governments (and the Reserve Bank) has led to property being too expensive for the average renter.

Higher Rents
Of course if you (as part of your wealth creation plan) are the landlord you don't mind the bigger returns but there are social consequences for all of us in the long run. The main being (as we see here) that a shortage in building of new residences is leading to higher rents and therefore people are having to leave their living places.

We must ask why the rents have risen so dramatically - the cost of borrowing to build has been getting too high (until recently) so investors have been leaving the market. Less investors, less places to live therefore higher rents as people compete for the fewer residences!

Now I am not saying that the homeless problem is a result of just this policy in interest rates but it is a clear result of an unbalanced investment market. The government won't build homes so it must allow the private sector to do so in a balanced and effective manner.

Just for the record - we are still holding to higher interest rates even now - for example, in Canada the cash rate is 1.25% and borrowers can have 3.8% fixed for 3 years.
Trying and get that from a super profitable Australian bank right now!

First Home Buyers

Now you may have been reading all about the rush by first home buyers this year with the increase in the FHOG. Well all that did was allow the price of the homes to rise and the bonus was soaked up by the banks and builders. Net result - homes have gone up in price!

Just what we want when jobs are under pressure - rising home prices!

This puts pressure back on the rental market and rents rise again!

A Long term Problem
I don't claim to know all the solutions for the challenges in the housing market but I do believe if we keep doing what we have always done and expect a different result we must be nuts!
Interest rates must come down more and investors must be encouraged to take up the attack on the chronic housing shortage that Australia faces.

Not everyone can afford to buy a house - but they should have access to affordable rental properties to call home!

Let me leave you with these statement from Kevin Young (The Investors Club)
Monday 29th June 2009

...If we take a historic look at the RBA we can clearly see the impact of their decisions on the property industry and Australian community as whole. As we entered the millennium the trend overseas was to lower rates, whilst the RBA announced that they would actually move to high rates and that it would lead the world to “normal” rates. The result was that Australians were left stranded on high mortgage repayments. This led to less construction (year after year), rising prices and much higher rents. This burden placed on consumers was in direct conflict with the RBA’s charter to protect the living standards of Australians.

1/07/09

....The problem? Until now our investors have been ahead of the game and bought in times of gloom. What is going to happen now as this positive information is filtered through the media to the sleeping herd? They’ll wake up and stampede the prices up just as the first home buyers did at the lower end of the market.

My prediction now? If you haven’t maxed-out your borrowing capacity to get into the property market then time is running out. We face a huge housing shortage that will sky rocket prices from a constantly rising population demanding housing.

Amazing New Offer From 21st Century

2009-06-20T20:14:00.000-07:00

You have to read this to believe the most amazing promise from a wealth creation institute!
This is the best offer you will see this year!

If you don't become a self made millionaire within the next 5 years with 21st Century's 5 Year Membership we'll give you 100% of your money back* plus send you to Fiji for a week's holiday for your efforts on us.
Why?
Because we know for the last 10 years we have helped people retire and become millionaires, that we are prepared to guarantee the results. If you commit to our education otherwise it's free.
Absolutely.

Dear Wealth Creation Blog reader,

21st Century, since its inception ten years ago in 1999 has taught now over 250,000 individuals from 16 different countries on how to create an extraordinary quality of life and achieve financial freedom. Very few people invest in their financial education and as you have shown interest in what we have to offer, we want to encourage you to discover ways to build a second or third income-stream well before the current credit crisis has an effect on you.

With the leading edge financial strategies taught at 21st Century on Homestudy and via live seminars it takes the average person between 5 to 10 years to achieve millionaire status. The exact same strategies that propelled Jamie McIntyre to self made millionaire status in his 20's are revealed to you along with more than a dozen other millionaire teachers.

We not only know 21st Century Education strategies work, we are so confident we are willing to stake that if you don't become a "self made millionaire" in the next 5 years well give you, not only 100% of your money back to become a 21st Century 5 Year Member, but also fly you to Fiji for a week on us*

Now that's a guarantee I bet no one has been willing to offer you.

So what are you waiting for?

21st Century 5 Year Membership can be started for as little as a $99 deposit and less than $25 per week investment to get started*

The Best Offer You Will See This Year

I have known about this most amazing offer for a while now since we business partners are given the updates from 21st Century early in the development of new programmes.
So what are you waiting for get over to my wealth creation website and review what there is on offer from the academy and get in on the best deal this year!

21st Century Academy has an incredibly extensive portfolio of past & current graduate Success Stories sharing their experiences, achievements and rewards with us. Here are just some...

"Well everybody, until I had a chance meeting at an investment expo in Brisbane a few months ago I would have never even known about 21st Century nor the renting strategies that we all know now. To tell you the truth it was the nice girls Jamie had, handing out the packs that got me. Jamie was there and now I wished I had talked to him but anyway... Doing the course I now have a company structure in place. Just like the video, Super Fund, Trusts etc.
I have done my first trade and received a cool $3,400 in premiums and if I do get sold I will gross $9,900. Not bad for my first time out (for 1 month). That's without leverage which I will be doing in the near future. I challenge you out there, to get off your butts and lose the fear, just do it! When I get fully under way I will be on $10,000 a month just in premiums alone (without leverage). I want to hear of anyone who is up to the challenge, come on I dare you!" GO GETTER

"Hello again... well another good month. Thanks to 21st Century this month I have received $4,000 in premiums. I did get exercised and bought back, so I gained on paper $6,500 plus the $3,400 ($9,900) not bad for a 5 minute phone call hey! This month I sold insurance for $15.50 for 0.40c each + $4,000 bought back at $14.55... gain if exercised $9,500.00 I may get sold, so for the month I should receive $13,500.00 so that means $3,375 gross per week. What a good idea! I am now on track to retire within the next 12 months. YEAH BABY this is the best cash generator around." GO GETTER

Thierry started investing with $10K and over the past four months has successfully traded his way to currently having $17K in his trading bank. He has two kids and lives in Gosford. THIERRY COMARMOND

"Hi Jamie, how's this for my very first trade?
I decided after talking with my Broker that I wanted to buy XXX to Rent, i.e., apply the strategy. I put $10k into my account and arranged a loan of $10k. At the time, around mid March, XXX was trading at $4.83 so I was looking to buy 4,000, a total of $19,320. I decided however to buy them wholesale by Selling Insurance, i.e., 4 contracts of the $4.75 and for this I got 23c, a total of $827 net of brokerage. So if I'm exercised at the end of April I'll effectively buy them at $4.52, minus brokerage. XXX is currently trading at $5.10 so with 3 weeks to go until expiry it's looking like I won't get exercised, so I'll just keep the $827 and do it again next month. I didn't even have to draw on my loan so I don't have to pay any interest." RICH

"Just thought I would drop you a line on one of your Homestudy Graduates. In my first month of using the strategy I have made $1,900 with little or no risk and already this month I have made another $500 on renting and $360 on Selling Insurance (as it is my first time selling, I took a pretty safe position). The moment I started watching the videos I knew there was more to life than the daily grind. Thanks to you Jamie, I am going to make this my main source of income." CRAIG THOMPSON

"Just a quick update on one of your pupils. Well, we started in April with 3 people. Now we have 12 people and look like a turnover of $6 million with a possible turnover of $12 million, all this from a guy who could not even keep everything together. I thank you so much for everything that you have done for me as it was not pretty at the start. You are held in such high esteem and I can only thank you for the education that you have given me". GRAEME MAHN / AMBA COMMUNICATIONS

"After lots of research, studying, doing the Homestudy Program and attending the Brisbane Seminar, we finally jumped in and did our first sale this month on XXX for October @ $0.46 giving us $920. Hopefully we are on our way and looking forward to doing another few next month and the next month and the next." GAVNIC

"I just did my second trade I sold XXX at $14.00 and received $0.45c, I did 2 contracts (1 leveraged) and received $820.00 after fees, that's approximately 3.5%, same as last month. MICHAEL

To learn more about what's covered in your Membership and to enrol and get started immediately on your journey to millionaire status then click here

*For full terms and conditions of the 5 year refund policy, click here.

Australia Is the Best Place to Be During the Global Financial Crisis!

2009-06-10T03:48:00.000-07:00

My attitude in wealth creation is always about not following the herd - or listening to the media. If you do you will be manipulated into a non-thinking robot!
Here then is proof that the media is actually not serving us once again in this great country - despite the positive and hopeful outlook that we have in Australia.

If Australian businesses are feeling confident why has our media been so slow to pick this up?

Servcorp International Business Confidence Survey

Snap shots from the website of the Servcorp International Business Confidence Survey.

International Perspective:
The countries perceived to be surviving the economic crisis the best, as voted by international businesspeople are:

Australian Perspective:
The countries perceived to be surviving the economic crisis the best, as voted by Australian businesspeople are:

The biggest concerns of Australian businesspeople during the economic downturn are:

To me this says it all.
Australia is the best place to be right now in the middle of the GFC!

Have a great day
John

Chilling out in the NT!

2009-05-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

This week the wealth creation blog update is coming to you from the courtyard of the hotel we are staying at in Darwin. It's cooler outside beside the pool than sitting in our room. The room faces north and so it gets the sun all day and gradually warms a bit every hour. We don't like living under the airconditioner so we find cool places under a fan or in this case outside. My friend Trixie says that it is a little hotter than usual at the moment. Right now the night temperature is the same as the day in Perth so you can see we have been feeling it bit the first few days.

All Aboard

We spent all of yesterday out in the Lichfield National Park. It is over 100km from Darwin so we took a coach tour.

The coach arrived at 7:15 and we were one of the first to get on. He did the rounds of several hotels around Darwin picking up one or two passengers at each. The passengers were a diverse group of people in the end. Most well over 60 years of age and clearly well travelled. Some had just been through various european countries and were sharing a few tales of their travels. A few of the group were in Darwin for some sort of conference, I think they were dietitions.

What do you do when the wheels fall off?

The last stop for the morning was near the backpackers favourite area and we were just picking up a few people and then we would be off! It was during this stop that it became obvious that one of the side doors on the bus was not cooperating with the driver. He would throw the switch and the door would close and then after 2-3 seconds it would open all by itself. This went on for a few minutes until he decided that it needed the attentions of the mechanic.

So he made a few calls and we had to wait for the service guy. The driver suggested that we go grab a cuppa at the cafe. He also added that his boss was organising a back-up coach so we were going to leave one way or another.

Anyone for a refund?

The tour guides assistant offered everyone the chance to rebook or refund them their money. Half an hour later the mechanic rolled up and with screwdriver in hand he set to work on the door. After 10 minutes he had resolved the problem and we were all loaded up on the bus. We left finally after 45 minutes of waiting.

I tell this story to highlight the reactions of various people on tour. The seasoned travellers we not bothered at all. They showed no stress and quietly wandered off and grabbed a cup of coffee and maybe a bite to eat. Margit and I got a cuppa and found a nice spot under the Banyan tree. We were enjoying the moment - the journey is as important as the destination for us so we just enjoyed out cuppa and watched. Another couple seemed a little adjitated and they wanted their money back, the young lady took their details and they were gone.
Another guy asked to rebook for the next trip, she checked his details and he was gone.

Life's little lessons...

Now to me there is a lesson here on the recent financial crisis. Seasoned travellers know that the journey is as important as the destination - sure times may be tough for some but - this is not the first recession. You have to be prepared for all sorts of diversions on the journey and learn to adjust to the circumstances. Some people panic and ask for a refund they bail out quickly and are gone. Others sit it out and will jump back in later when the circumstances change. What is clear is that you need to have a contingancy plan - when circumstances change are you ready - have you diversified enough to spread the risks?

Focusing too closely onthe dry sticks, you can miss the bigger view!

If you are not an experienced traveller the little things can really throw you so it is of benefit to watch and learn from the old hands. They stay cool and unflustered, they've seen it all before.

Your financial journey is much the same when you first start out you know very little and it is wise to seek good counsel before the journey has gone too far. A mentor or experienced friend will help you prepare for when the doors fall off! They will show you how to reduce your risk and get the most from the journey as much as the destination.

Friend's I encourage you to find a good mentor and learn to enjoy the journey, with it's ups and downs.

Until next week
back in Perth

John

Holiday Time

2009-05-25T18:15:00.001-07:00

After a very busy week (a nine day week) we are off to enjoy some quality us time in Darwin. I have worked very hard at many things this last month and so it is time to chill out and also investigate another location in this beautiful place we call Australia.

Part of the motivation for my wealth creation activities is family and spending time with family. This week I have a 5 day break with my wife in Darwin. This was to be a business trip but that was cancelled so we decided not to call for credit on the airline but just go have a holiday. We will be catching up with friends while there so should be a great time.

Remember that lifestyle is what we are chasing ultimately in our wealth creating programs. Balance in my life is what I am after and when I look at the last month I have had some amazing times.

Work Hard

I have worked hard - the gardening business has needed some hard graft - removing tree stumps and lumping limestone blocks to painting a new house for 2 days straight. I spent 3 days volunteering at a seminar with Jamie McIntyre. I also helped out at 2 share trading seminars.
I started another marketing venture online and have nearly got that one up and running.
I had a great time teaching this month. Yep the whole reason I got into my own businesses was to get out of the J-O-B and yet here I am enjoying teaching again! It's funny how when balance returns to our lives that our view of things can change.

Play Hard

I also helped with a surprise 50th birthday party for my mate, Greg - we were out in the bush 50 kms from Perth for this one! He had no idea what was going down. We supposed to be having a boys weekend inthe bush - star gazing, bon-fires and enjoying a fine malt or two - instead he had 50+ men, women and children greeting him with a large banner!
I have had great times with my daughters - movies and dinners. The new Star Trek is a hit for me!
The garden has been great this month and we are eating so much fresh organic food and sharing with neighbours and family.
I replaced the starter motor on the Falcon and got her back on the road. I have done a few thousand Km's this month - Albany, Pemberton, Yanchep, several trips into CBD for seminars and a few landscaping jobs as well!
One could say life is Falcon good!

Holiday Time

I have regular small breaks all year - usually one or two a month. However, this time we are going to have a little longer time away from everything. Darwin is nearly as far as you can go north in this country so we are looking forward to the new experiences.

WHAT RECESSION?

I know that all the media can do is talk recession yet I am finding myself as busy as always and in fact trying to cut back on some areas of my businesses so I can spend time on the things that get me really excited. (Share trading and Internet marketing are really getting fun for me now!)
Which reminds me I have been invited by my mentor Sean Rasmussen to speak at a Internet marketing seminar in June - I am so pleased about this since I can do some serious payback for my fine friend. I will release more details about this next week when I have some times and places to share.

So until next week - get out and enjoy your life - don't listen to the media and the doomsayers take control of your life and go go go!

Have a great week, I will for sure!

John

P.s.

Check out this property update from Michael Yardney - he has some interesting insights this week!

Thriving not Surviving

One busy Weekend

2009-05-19T04:09:00.000-07:00

After two days of work I have time to reflect on the busy weekend I spent at the 4 day, Education For Life Seminar.

Introduction from Jamie McIntyre

The seminar runs from 9 in the morning until late at night, often after 11pm. The day goes very quickly however and huge amounts of information is shared.
The weekend starts with an extensive presentation from Jamie McIntyre himself. Jamie discusses many of the basic wealth creation ideas I have been discussing on this blog for the last year. Jamie also covers the importance of your mindset and attitudes.
Reflecting on the power of our emotions and the power of our mind in impacting on success.

Friday finished off with an activity that requires "peak state" - board breaking!
"Board breaking?" I hear you ask?

Yes, breaking boards! Rather thick boards of wood, which, when you hold them in your hand suddenly become thicker and heavier.

The boards can represent issues you have in your life at the time which are limiting your progress. What we do first is write these limiting beliefs, fears and doubts down on the board and then join the crowd.
We formed two large circles with a team support member (Smurph) and a team leader (Joel or Paul) in the middle working us into a frenzy to achieve a peak state.

Then we start taking our turn in smashing the board with our hand - our palm open hand! No fists, no karate chops just your open palm. Now in the cool light of day you would find it impossible to see how you could achieve this without some type of axe or hammer - but - when you see a tiny, older woman step up and smash through the board your opinion changes!

This is my board!

Strategies

This general overview is reinforced by the presentations that follow on Saturday to Monday.
Wealth Creation strategies are discussed in the following areas:

Share trading for capital growth and cash flow.
Property investment strategies - property options and rent/buy strategies.
Internet marketing strategies - affiliate marketing etc.
Tax strategies to minimise your obligations legally.
Insurance protection for your assets and most of all your life.

To support all these are the personal development programmes which are a must for those moving into wealth strategies.
You see, success is based upon what all the great achievers (Buffet,Kiyosaki) have known for decades = 80% mind-state 20% financial strategies.

The most impressive presentation came from Matt Brauning. Matt's basic premise is "master your mind and master your money". If you ever get a chance to listen to this man you will get the biggest insights into your mind ever!

I Was a Smurf

Do you know what I am talking about when I say smurfs? Maybe you're too young! Follow this link smurfs.

Now look at this photo;

Enjoying a drink in the Sheraton Hotel Penthouse

Now the task of the support crew is to set up the rooms and help the attendees get the most from their weekend.
This can mean finding information, helping with registration, directing the teams (the participants set up teams for competitions over the weekend), keeping the room tidy and distributing documents.
It is a demanding job with roughly 12-14 hours of activity per day.
Some volunteers take time off work as well so it is a big committment to take on this role.

Before

after.

I have attended 3 of these and I can tell you on every ocassion I learned more than I expected.

These seminars are part of the support that 21st Century graduates receive and can be revisited as often as you need.

That's it for this week,
until next time

John

Budget is Here!

2009-05-12T23:51:00.000-07:00

The budget is out and they want you to retire for the pension at 67 years of age.
So what!?

If you take control of your finances and start wealth creation strategies in your 20's and 30's you will be retired before you reach 40 and be having the type of life every one deserves.

Now everyone deserves it but not everyone can picture it in their minds. If you cannot picture it it will never happen!

Kevin Young's Review of the Budget.

Here are three videos from Kevin Young, my property mentor - this guy is worth listening to since he is often ahead of the pack on financial issues.

Part 1.

Part 2.

Part 3.

If you are a first home buyer you need to get the right advice so get over to the Investors Club before you commit on the wrong property.

Until next week!

Have a great weekend!

John

P.S. I will be at the 4 day event at the Sheraton Perth with Jamie McIntyre and the crew.

Investing In Your Community

2009-05-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

Aussie Millionaires Not Very Generous

I was listening to the radio this morning and a news item attracted my attention - it was a discussion about the poor generosity of the Australian millionaires compared to those in the US and Canada. On average Aussie millionaires give about 2% of their income to support charitable works compared to 3.2% in the US.

I was quite surprised at this difference since my experience with Australian millionaires I personally know is quite different. Most start with a bottom figure of around 10% and actively encourage others to commit to the similar level of generosity. Jamie McIntyre comes to mind and he teaches this principle in all his workshops and literature.

The Victorian Bushfires

Recently we witnessed the devastating result of the fires in Victoria. I also discussed the generosity of my mentor Sean Rasmussen. Well today I wish to highlight similar generosity from The Investors Club.

Kevin and Kathy Young are the founders of the TIC and are committed to helping Australians achieve financial freedom as I have discussed on this blog before.
The club has a sub-group known as Club Cares Investing in Communities. The group receives donations from members of TIC for different causes from time to time. During the recent bushfires Club Care handed over a cheque for $50000 to the Red Cross.

Wealth creation is not just about money for the individual on a path to independence it is also about giving back to the people around you as well. Giving can be targetted towards individuals or the broader commnuity.

Have you considered giving as part of your wealth creation plan?
Can you see how it can play a part in offering grattitude back to the universe for the blessings you have received?

Just a thought.

Until next time
Have a good week!
John

What are the banks up to?

2009-04-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I had my 5oth birthday party the day before Anzac and this has led me to pause and consider.

LEST WE FORGET

A busy week ahead after a great Anzac weekend. I am grateful to be busy to have a wealth creation plan - I have work I have a home and I have a loving family around me. We have peace in the country and a very stable government. These things we take for granted as we make our way through our working days. I hope you have been able to reflect on the way we have benefited from the sacrifice of young men and women over the years in the many fields of battle that Australia has stepped into.

You see even in these days of harder economic times we Australians still have blessings beyond the norm of many other countries. We have these because of history. Yes, I know there are poor in this country, street kids and drunken violence on the streets on a Friday night! Most of these though are the product of excess - the causes are often very different from those in the supposed third world.

The Potential of Immigrants...

Did you know that most of the big successes in this country are immigrants or the children of immigrants? We have here in this country the environment that allows success if you want it! Why do you think people suffer the hardship of open ocean and possible death to get here!

It's very topical right now but I remember the 70's when the Vietnamese boat people struggled over wild seas in horrendous conditions to start a new life in this great country. I have taught the children of some of these people and heard the unbelievable stories of suffering and survival. They made the most of this country ever since and some of the most successful business people I have known are among this group of Australians - for that is now what they are - Australian.

So I ask you today - why can't you be a big success as well?
We are nearly all immigrants in this country - 2nd, 3rd or 4th generation. So why do so many fail to grab the opportunities that are here right now? Have we become too comfortable? Is it just too easy to just survive?

So what are the Banks doing... and what does it mean for us....

Here is a comment from one of my mentors, Kevin Young, have a listen to his reflections on the situation with the banks and investment in housing right now.

Until next week
have a great day!

John

Back from the Bush

2009-04-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

I tell you it's hard to keep up with things when you cannot get a reliable internet service! I had so much trouble getting access to the net whilst down visiting family in the South West this past week. My little wifi gizmo failed to get a signal in most of the places I travelled. My phone would drop in and out even though it's 3G! I will have to look at another device for future travel since it is hopeless to keep up with everything if you cannot get a good connection!

The Telstra option is so expensive that it would double my communication costs just for the few days I travel each month!

Anyway enough of the complaints! I have just tripped across a new site that I believe will be of value to my readers. It's a Kurek Ashley fanclub site called "Kurekism".

I have mentioned Kurek on this site before and encourage you all to go have a look and maybe subscribe to receive uplifting articles as they are posted.

That's it for now since I have a big birthday party brewing this week and have to get out and get a lot of stuff organised for Friday!

Have a good week.

John

Easter Already!

2009-04-07T02:30:00.000-07:00

Well here we are at the week before Easter. Amazing how fast the year is progressing. How have your wealth creation efforts progressed so far this year?
I can honestly say I have not gone backwards despite all the negative talk in the media. I refuse to watch the mainstream news press and life is fine without them!
Some goals are being achieved already this year and many more are lining up ready for achievement! I don't stop reviewing my path though just because life is good!

Time to Reflect

It is probably a good time to contemplate your progress during the Easter holiday. Easter is traditionally about renewal. Yep I know there's all that death on a cross stuff but really the Easter message is about forgiveness and with forgiveness comes renewal.

We can use the weekend to consider our path this year and examine what areas are in need of refreshing, revitalising or renewal. I have spent a lot of time discussing mindset this year and this is because all my experience in the last few years has taught me that nothing can change unless you become the change! We need to be change agents in our lives - don't whine and carry on about the what the government should do about this or that and what the council should do about this. Take a close look at your own life and determine what little things you can do this week which will change what is happening in the circle of influence that is your life!

Do you need to forgive and forget some things?
Do you have areas in your life that need refreshing?
Are there relationships that are strained and could do with a little help?

There are so many resources available to us today for free on the net and in our local libraries that there are no excuses for a sensible thinking person to avoid personal growth because of a lack of cash.

Invest in Yourself

Every motivational speaker and entrepreneur I have met in the last 3 years has always spoken about how they spend more money on themselves - their own personal development - than anything else!
I for one follow their lead and read and listen and watch everything I can get my hands on!

Make it a goal to get to one seminar or workshop this year that is purely for you. It's not to learn the latest trading strategy. It's not to learn how to trade safely on the share market. It's about YOU! Invest in you!

Kurek Ashley

I have posted a number of links on this site for Kurek Ashley and I encourage you to search Youtube for the videos of his interview with Sean Rasmussen and work your way through the 12 videos. One is on this blog site from last weeks post.

I have just returned from Brisbane were I had time with Kurek Ashley and opportunity to review my year so far. Kurek asked some tough questions and pushed us into unfamiliar ground - but that is how you grow - you have to stretch yourself!

Jamie McIntyre, Anthony Robbins, Sean Rasmussen, Robert Kiyosaki, James Arthur Ray, Bill Harris the list goes on! I read these guys stuff - books, videos, blogs. It takes hours to do - BUT - life has changed, my vision is so much bigger and life is so much more than I ever thought it could be!

Peace and Renewal on your Easter Break

I sincerely wish you a very relaxing and peaceful Easter break.

Those of you of faith may you find refreshing in the traditions of your faith at this time.
If you are not of faith in the traditional sense then maybe just reflect on the Easter story in terms of the story of a new life from a tragic end.

So drive safe if you are travelling, rest well if you are staying at home.

I will be back after my Easter break with family to encourage you some more!

Until next time
have a peaceful week!
John

Kurek Ashley

2009-03-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

A MENTORS MENTOR

Wealth Creation is just as much about mindset as it is about strategies. I spend as much time learning from mentors and trying to understand their thinking as I do learning the technical aspects of the strategies they share with me. Today I wish to share with you the wonderful instruction I received from my mentors mentor!

Sean Rasmussen and Kurek Ashley

KUREK ASHLEY

I had the privilege of being with Kurek Ashley this weekend in Brisbane. Sean Rasmussen organised a visit for us on the last day of our workshop in Brisbane. I had read Kurek's book "How Would Love Respond?" many months ago and was quite impressed by the changes it brought to my mindset. I have the benefit of meeting him for the first time in Perth last month and then of course we had a more intimate meeting this weekend.

What I would like to do is share some ideas Kurek brought to us on Sunday.

It All Begins as Thoughts

The discussion began with the idea that all great results we see in people's lives begin simply as thoughts. Those thoughts can lead to actions and those actions lead to results. Now when we look at all great achievers in history we see that they were all visionary. They had thoughts that in their day were often wild. Often when they share them they were persecuted or even killed.

What does this mean to you and me? - See where you want to go!
Dare to have your dreams become ideas that you take action on!

As Kurek says "Doing develops us the most!" If we are to thrive then we have to do. So how
much do we have to do?

Now Kurek used a diagram to show this - but it is basically you only need to a tiny bit more than the average person to become extraordinary! The line across the top of the pyramid represents this little bit more.

Examine Your Thoughts

If you are not changing for the better then you will be decaying since the universe does not know anything about being stationary. Kurek explained this by comparing us to the state of a battery. You have a Positive terminal and Negative terminal - there is no neutral terminal.
The terminals represent the state of our thoughts:

+Positive: ............ -Negative:
adds to ............ takes from
Empowering OR Disempowering

So each thought we have, each word we speak, each action we take fits into one of these categories. Wether you like it or not the universe has a Law of Displacement and so you have either positive or negative, Abundance or Scarcity as a result of your thoughts. If you want success, if you want to be in the minority, then you need to always look for the empowering, positive side of everything.

Responsibility

Kurek shared with us how to ask great questions when events take place that challenge you:

Am I looking at the situation in an empowering or disempowering way?
How can I do it in an empowering way?
What's great about this?

Responsibility is yours - you see, responsibility means "how do you respond next?"
"What are you going to do next?"
Avoid "Why?" and instead ask, "How can I make this better?"

Now don't think that this is just talk from a guy who has everything. That it's easy to be positive when you a very wealthy man! Get a copy of his book "How Would Love Respond?" and read about the tragedies that haunted Kurek and how he turned them into positives himself.

The book is a moving reflection of how he learned to turn tragedy into power, power for
good!

The 3 P's of Power

Kurek finished the afternoon with the 3 point conclusion:

Perception: When you shift perception, you shift your life!

Perturbation: Going pass you challenges and growing as a consequence!

Procession: "advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner." That's a formal definition, what it is referring to is the following:

We are not saying life is a straight line but this is a picture of the journey. The journey is given direction if we set goals, if we don't our life lacks direction!

So we set a goal and then we take action the action sends out ripples and the ripples will produce feedback. Let's not forget though, like ripples on a pond they will be bigger on the return. Now some will be negative and some will be positive and when they are positive we have confirmation that we are taking the right actions!

Conclusion

This has been a very brief overview of the lessons Kurek shared this weekend but let me leave you with the conclusion he drew us to:

"It's Never the GOAL it's Always About the GROWTH!"

Here is part one of 9 interview videos!

A Busy Week Ahead

2009-03-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

Examine Your Goals.

Just a short post today to encourage you to examine your goals. This includes all - wealth creation goals, family and spiritual etc.
Reviewing how things are going is just as important at times as setting yourself goals in the first place. If you set goals as a sort of "set and forget" then your chances of achieving a positive outcome is diminished but not wiped completely.

Goals Have a Power of their own!

That is the beauty of setting goals - they often tick away in the background like a time bomb and when day you take a look and realise that you have in fact achieved a set goal! This has been my experience in the past and it never fails to surprise me!
However, if you spend some time in reviewing the goals you set they become all that more effective and powerful as tools to guide your subconscious mind! Remember it is from your subconscious that a lot of your successes in life have come from.

A BUSY WEEK

My goals include range of areas including obviously family and financial outcomes. This coming week I focus heavily on the financial. I have 3 days of work booked already so they are obvious income sources for the week. I also have a trip to Brisbane for a 3 day workshop learning about a new software program that I will be using to manage some of my business interests. It will save me money and time and so it is an obvious investment of my effort now!

In the long term I will be marketing this product to other internet marketers and so I need to know how it works and it's true potential. This fulfils one of my other goals to become a coach supporting other marketers.

So go back to your new year list of goals and revisit the dreams that prompted you to write them down in the first place!

This week in Property

On the property front I have also updated my first home buyers blog and would appreciate any advice experienced builders or buyers might have to add to the blog in the comments section. It is tough enough for the first timer - so any sage advice would be welcome I am sure.

Finally, I noticed again this week that more people are coming out with advice on property investment - it can be all summarised as - now is the best time in 40 years to buy in to a rental for investment!

If your not sure go to a free seminar and just see what is happening!

All power to you all this week in achieving your dreams

John

Property Still Looking Good for Clever Investors

2009-03-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

Property Investment as a part of your Wealth Creation Portfolio.

I receive a weekly email from a local real estate agent listing properties that he feels are a real bargain or general good value. Some are clearly just great value and the reason why is they tick all the boxes of good investment property.

Some of these boxes I have spoken of before but let's review:

Close to shopping centres.
Close to employment opportunities.
Close to public transport - especially train stations.
Offer some lifestyle benefits - air conditioning, swimming pools, lock up garages.

Now the drop in property values has brought a number of properties which offer the above features into the lower end of the market - in Perth this falls in the under $450,000 bracket.

AFTER THE BOOM

During 2007/08 property investors basically pulled out of the market since interest rates were still high and rental returns had not yet really started to rise.

2009 and the picture has changed markedly!

Interests rates are down and likely to reach record low levels in the next few months!
Rents rising at almost exponential rates - due largely to the withdrawal of investors from the market thanks to interest rates set too high by the Reserve Bank in 2006-7 triggering a shortage of rental property!

All of this means that it is very easy right now to buy property that is ideal for renting out as an investment and find yourself positively gears in a very short time indeed!

BUT yes there is always a BUT - the baby-boomers (stung in the stock market and super funds!) are now looking around to property and starting to move in to the market. This is obviously going to add pressure on the property stocks and I think you will see a very steady upward pressure no prices for properties in the lower end of the market in the next year or so.
Also first home buyers have been stirred along by the generous offer from the governments to get into property this year!

So if you are thinking about property right now to add to your wealth creation strategies then get moving! Get some education on the issues involved and learn how to make the most of the opportunities out there today!

Let me leave you with a quote from Michael Yardney

"It should be clear by now that if you want to be a successful property investor, what has worked well for many investors in the past will need to be replaced and updated with strategies that will work in the current economic climate.

Looking back over years I have always made my biggest profits in property during changing economic times."

We are in changing times for sure - but opportunity awaits those that are ready to learn and earn!

Until next week

John

DIVERSIFY OR PERISH!

2009-03-10T23:11:00.000-07:00

JOBS NOT SO SECURE?

More companies laying off workers this week. Some are just over reacting to the
situation and may see it as a chance to trim some excess staff. Others see it as a
great excuse to consolidate even though they don't need to!
I hope that very few businesses are doing this latter action. Whatever the cause it drives home the need to not have all your income sources in one basket.
A diversified income stream is essential in good times (and bad) if you are to achieve your wealth creation goals.

The choices though for income are only limited to your imagination. There's the share
market, the property market, the internet market, cash investments and a job.
The job can be as either a employee for someone else's business or owner and/or
employee of your own.

MULTIPLE INCOME STREAMS

I personally have a little bit of each. Every day is variety of activity for me.

Today for example: started in a garden cleaning up for a rental inspection - mowing
the lawns and cutting the edges and weeding.
Then I went on to a regular garden client -mowing and edging.

Home for lunch and time to make a few phone calls to organise an inspection of a
conference centre for a seminar coming up soon.

Contact my broker to set up a new account for a new share trading venture with Planet Wealth.

Writing some blog posts (Share Wealth Education) and checking the email.

Had a little break - mowed my own lawns!

Time for a little bit of reading and discover a website where you can get free copies of Warren Buffet's investment letters. Scott Pape put me on to these letters and I thank him for the advice. Use the link I have given you and have a browse - a big read so scan the document to find the jewels within the file.

I encourage you to check out Scott's website - there is a large amount of information available for free and will add to your wealth creation knowledge!

Until next time

have a great week!

John

NEW WEBSITE TO HELP FIRST HOME OWNERS

2009-02-28T21:33:00.000-08:00

For young people the steps to wealth creation seem daunting and almost overwhelming but this need not be the case. There are many opportunities to get started and even the government has moments of inspiration that can benefit a young investor!

The First Home Owners Scheme is such an opportunity and if you are in the market or know someone thinking of getting into their first home now is the time to be doing so!

To help out these property newbies I have started a new website aimed at FHO especially! I won't have all the answers but it is a convenient starting point!

So go check out and send your FHO friends there to get started!

This site is young and I will add information as time progresses!

Have a good week!
John

P.S. Only 5 days until I am volunteering at Sean Rasmussen's Internet Marketing Seminar!

Check it out if you want to see what all the wealth creation strategies on the internet are all about! Smart Online Profit Systems

If the fee is too much for you this week, contact me I may have access to some scholarship support!

THE MIXED MESSAGES ABOUT PROPERTY

2009-02-25T23:47:00.000-08:00

Hi John here with a short post to boost your ideas on property in wealth creation.

I just have to show this page to highlight the mixed messages out there right now!

The heading says one thing then you read on and see all the good reasons why property has the potential to take off after only a minor dip! If you are an investor most of this article reads very encouraging!

Just follow this link!

MIXED MESSAGES

Have a great day!

John

IS PROPERTY STARTING TO TURN AROUND YET?

2009-02-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

USING THE PROPERTY CYCLE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE IN WEALTH CREATION!

Just consider these headlines I scoured from the press:

Rates Boon for renters.

Mandurah prices turn the corner.
Land tipped to cost more.

The first article discusses the closing gap between rent and the repayment costs of a mortgage. This gap is closing thanks mainly to the massive drop in interest rates.
We know that these rates won't stay low forever and when they turn back that is when the real challenge of home ownership begins. We also know that in Perth rents are expected to rise even further this year so that puts added appeal to buying now rather than renting. The bottom line is this is having an impact on the number of houses being sought to buy or built in Perth.
I am sure that a similar picture exists in the other major centres in Australia.

Article two examines the lot sales in Mandurah (a growing city centre 1 hour south of Perth). Over the last 18 months sales slowed considerably but the December 2008 quarter results jumped 84%!The average lot price was $211000 with increasing demand from first home buyers. It is in fact believed that the first home buyers are leading the recovery of the housing market.

Finally the third article highlights the increasing sale of land, 163 lots sold last week on the back of a trend developing since October 2008. There is a great deal of demand for land around $200000 and most of it is going to first home buyers. Loans to first home buyers were the highest seen in seven years this December.

So what does this tell me?

The home and land market is slowly turning around - it's not racing - but we don't want a sprint race anyway - I hope we have learned our lesson from the last boom and bust! If you are considering purchasing or building a property to live in or invest in then I would say that the time is very close to perfect to take action!

Interest rates are low (and may well drop more) and land prices are only just starting to increase. Rents are still high and for some good properties could be covering most of the costs of ownership very easily in the next year or two.
Once the market starts to get moving and home buyers start to get more active (say closer to normal levels) then capital growth will be strong for well chosen properties!

The use of property in wealth creation is a proven strategy and just like the share market you have to act within the bounds of the natural cycle of things. For property I would think this is the beginning of the next round!

Have a great week!
John

Shocking Fires in Victoria!

2009-02-08T23:52:00.000-08:00

I will divert my discussions today on wealth creation to just reflect on the enormous tragedy that is unfolding in Victoria. I have just returned from an Internet Marketing workshop in Melbourne and did not learn of the disaster until the Saturday afternoon when we came out for lunch. At that stage the death toll was 80 odd and we were all staggered by the sudden rise over the next few hours.

As I write this the tally is 131!

When you see the footage and hear the stories of losses in life and property over the next few days please consider the blessings of safety that you may have right now.
I ask you to give generously to any programs to support these Australians at this time.

The Red Cross can be supported online if you wish!

Australian RED CROSS

Finally today just a thought for you to ponder.
If you lost your home or business how would this impact on your finances?
Do you think you would have a better chance of surviving such a event if you had income streams independent of where you live or what you do?

Wealth Creation strategies are more than just making money - they also offer a broader sense of security in difficult times!

Interest rates down 1%, should you buy now?

2009-02-03T19:09:00.000-08:00

The Reserve Bank has dropped rates 1% today so we see the rates drop once more!
I am still of the opinion that the drop is too little too late!

For now I will just leave you with this video from Kevin Young of the Investors Club - he may have the answer you are looking for!

Until next time!
Have a good week!
John

Get your mind in control?

2009-02-02T00:29:00.000-08:00

Mindset is the most challenging issue for Wealth Creation.

I know I harp on a little bit about this but really it is true and you can find it in every wealth creation book or anything written by self-made millionaires.

If you listen to the media too much at the moment the "negative Nellies" will drive you down into a dark pit of gloom and leave you completely helpless. Your mind is a powerful piece of "wetware" it is very complex and and yes, AMAZING! So make sure you avoid the stuff that is likely to hamper your progress!

I was talking to some Year Twelves today about the brain and how it is a marvellous piece of design. I also mentioned how mistreating it (alcohol and drugs) can have such devastating impacts on our judgments at critical times (e.g. when driving a car!).
The same challenges exist for us as adults striving for success and hoping to control our future.
You need to examine what you take in during the day and ccounteract the negative inputs with positive actions and where possible avoid the negative!

MINIMISE THE NEGATIVE AND MAXIMISE THE POSITIVE!

Positive inputs can include affirmations and reading good books. It can also include time spent in just examining your goals and ambitions for the year and writing them down! Look at them every day and be willing to adjust them somewhat as new information comes to hand.

I did this a week or so ago using a outline offered by Tony Robbins and he also gives a follow up series of reminders and videos. (Remember this guy is a friend and mentor to Jamie McIntyre!)
It really forced me to focus on what I want this year and did not like from last year!

The Power of Your Brain.

Now having reflected on the need to be positive and filter what goes into your mind I must add a footnote regarding the power of your brain itself in hindering you !
Yep, you read that right. Your brain can sometimes step in and stop you from taking the changes you know you have to take!

So how do we overcome this problem? Well you are in luck I have spent some time writing a blog on these very issues and here is the the link: The Brain and Your Behaviour..

Understanding the function of the brain in this area will help you improve your results and get on top of the attitudes and feelings that stop you achieving success. Just as I hope those year twelves I spoke of will take a little more care when driving or get a skipper when they next go to a party!

Until next time
Take Care
John

THE ROLE OF A GOOD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AGENT

2009-01-26T12:09:00.000-08:00

MANAGE YOUR PRIORITIES

Today I want to encourage you to consider the things you do as part of your wealth creation plan.
Some things are what we call priorities and others just stuff that needs doing but not always essential in the grand plan. The essentials are the ones that have the biggest impact on your plan and give direction and power to your actions as a whole.

OUTSOURCE

So what do you do with the little things that are important but don't really warrant your time!
OUTSOURCE!
Basically you pay someone else to spend the time on the littler things that must be done but not by you!

For example: If you own an investment property you could rent it out yourself, do all the paperwork, find a tenant, organise the plumber to fix that tap, do the property inspection every 3 months yourself . . . . etc

OR you could engage the services of a good Property Management Agency and let them do it all for you. Sure you pay a fee but it's tax deductible and so you won't be paying all that much when all is said and done!

Trust me, if you own two or more rentals you will be very glad of the great work your agent can do and the time they will save you!

DO YOU REALLY VALUE YOUR TIME?

Outsourcing the small things, the laborious things and downright irritating things will help you keep on top of the real things and stay positive!

Remember wealth creation is about mindset and attitude more than anything and keeping the non-key activities away from your main focus is essential. Besides which when you take a break - that nice weekend away - or that holiday in Fiji - won't it be wonderful to know someone is dealing with the minor things and leaving you to see the big picture!

Until next week

John

Check out my new page on Property Management Agents while you are browsing!

RISK MANAGEMENT

2009-01-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

When we talk about wealth creation it is easy to get excited about all the positives that come out of it and forget the down sides!

If you rent out property you can get tenants that can trash your property or do a bunk and not pay rent!

You can buy shares or trade in options and have the price crash!

Now you wouldn't buy a top end model of a car and not purchase insurance so don't invest and not buy yourself some sort of protection.

BOOM AND BUST

The last 12-18months of the economy roller coaster has shown everyone the downside of the booms we have experienced in both property and shares. The worse suffering of course seems to have happened in the superannuation industry.
Our super is usually a combination of several types of investment and many funds offer you the chance to vary the balance between each type. Well you would have been hard pressed to guess the right balance last year - even the fund managers failed that little test!

So how do we protect our hard earned assets and investments?
The first step is - insurance! Yep, plain boring old insurance!

INSURANCE

There are a whole range of insurances so I will not bore you with a list here - ask any insurance company agent and they will gladly tell you of their services.
My sister was an insurance broker until she retired to a much quieter farm life and so over the years I have heard some rather sad stories. Customers who allowed their policies to lapse and lost farm sheds, cars and even homes to disasters and then faced the horrible news that they had not paid such and such a premium ...

So if you have insurance put the dates on the calender or make them auto-renewal agreements to save the heartache!

SHARE TRADING INSURANCE

When trading on the share market it is possible to protect your shares by using options and puts. I won't go into detail here but the point is there are ways to protect the capital value of your stock for often a quite small price. So if you are in the market make sure you have investigated this aspect of trading to save yourself a lot of heartache.
In fact there is a whole sector of the market that just operates on the principal of "Selling Insurance" to the market. Just like the traditional insurance companies these traders offer protection to traders (at a minimal cost) but are able to make handsome returns by trading in large quantities.

Remember not every car that is insured is going to be wrecked and need work. Well the few that do get damaged are easily covered by the profit on the many that don't! The same principal applies in the stock market for those that sell insurance for shares.

PROPERTY INSURANCE

Now as a landlord I am familiar with the problems that can arise when things happen in my rentals. Most damage is accidental and I usually cope with fixing it myself but if there is a major problem then I will need help. This is where a good real estate agent and Landlord's insurance comes into to play!

I would never rent out a property without either!

My long-term wealth creation relies on my properties holding their condition and increasing in value over time. The better the condition, the better the quality of my tenant and thus my rental returns. The higher my capital gains the higher my leverage for further investing!

Next post I will discuss other key insurances you should have in place to protect your wealth creation strategies!

Hints and Tips for Property Investors

2009-01-05T01:47:00.000-08:00

I have been busy this week updating a few blogs and here are two new ones for you keen property investors wanting to improve your wealth creation.

1. Hints and Tips for the Property Seller.

2. Hints and Tips for the Property Buyer.

These will be updated as I find more hints.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2008-12-31T23:29:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to everyone!

Well the eve is over and now the new one starts!
Quite an exceptional year for everyone - my wish is that you have learned a lot from what has happened and you are now ready and prepared for the wealth creation opportunities in 2009!

Yes that's right opportunities - remember that wealth creation often works in the opposite direction of the crowd! Everyone in the media is spouting doom and gloom, warnings of recession, job losses etc etc etc. So clearly we need to do the opposite of the crowd and look for the great opportunities that are going to be out there for us.

As I have said before it is easy to make money when the stuff is falling out of the skies (boom economy) the trick is to have strategies that work in the tougher times! Remember that it is mindset and attitude that determines your progress!

The Year to Shine 2009!

I see an exciting year ahead for myself -
I am starting a new trading program - eMinis
I will start looking for the next invesment property,
and I will be working only one day a week in my old job,
and lots more!!!!!

So stay tuned for more updates on the property market, trading and much more in wealth creation in 2009!

There are also some exciting new financing arrangements to be on offer for those wanting to get into the 21 St Century Academy in 2009 and the chance to have 10 years support - WOW!

Until next week - enjoy the new year break!

John

Merry Xmas

2008-12-19T15:23:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, this is the last post before Xmas and we all have a little breather from work responsibilities and the usual daily activities!

Wow, what a year - some of the most amazing events and great challenges for all nations across the world. Here in Australia we have been inundated by the media with negative mesages and doom and gloom is everywhere! Yet we live really in one of the best places in the world - sure we see some unbelieveable weather, fires, flood and and drought. We are not alone in that - it is part of the human experience in many parts of the world.

Here in Australia we have the freedom to create wealth in so many ways and despite the negative Nellys this is still a great place to invest and live!

So let me leave you with some words from a friend and business aquantence of mine Richard Van Proctor the guy who helped me get into property and change my financial opportunities!

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ...you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a religious service without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace ... you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
If your parents are still alive and still married ... you are very rare.
If you can read these words, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

Merry Xmas to all and be safe -

John

RENTAL CRISIS HITS COUNTRY TOWNS

2008-12-11T15:21:00.000-08:00

I've been out in the bush down south of WA and when reading the local papers came across this article on the rental problems in Denmark.

The view along the coast near Denmark!

The problem is similar to the one I have been highlighting over the last year. Rental properties are in short supply and as a consequence rental rates have risen to meet that undersupply.
Of course if you are using property as part of your wealth creation plan then this is good news.
However, I don't like to see unreasonable increases driven by bad policy - which is what we have been seeing in Australia.

FINANCIAL CRISIS IMPACT

Now it seems that this current financial crisis is starting to have an impact on rentals as well. People who have holiday homes or investment properties in the coastal towns whose financial circumstances have changed are seeking to sell them. Some have been on the market for a while and so they are rented out. This is good for the renters but as soon as they sell they usually are removed from the rental market.

RENTAL SHORTAGES

Now to add to the instability in the local housing market the country town of Denmark has to deal with a rise in the price of rentals.

“For a long time you can get something under $200, now they're all over $200,” Mr Barrow said.
Mr Barrows is the principal at Ray White in Denmark. He went on to discuss the problems felt by young people especially.
“...there's not a lot of housing to suit them, there are no one bedroom flats,”

The round-up of the rental scene was quite depressing if you were looking for a place to live!

Ray White is managing 40 rentals and at present none are available for rent.
South Coast Properties had 60 rentals but only 4 were available.
Denmark Real Estate had 80 rentals and only two available.

This of course sounds very similar to our experience in the cities, however there are far more options available to city folk compared to those in the bush.
As for buying a house in these coastal towns, not a hope! Apart from the shortage the prices have increased dramatically in the last few years so out of reach of the average renter!

INTEREST RATES DROP

Over the last few weeks we have seen the big drops in the interest rates but of course they should never have been that high in the first place! The impact of the rates in the past has been to reduce the investment in the housing sector and discourage private investors from building the much needed rentals! As for governments stepping in and building more public housing – where will the funds come from? All the states are screaming they are broke and chasing federal funds and the federal government has seen a rather large drop in revenue.

It will take many years to get the momentum back into the rental market and until that happens it is inevitable that the rental rates will keep on rising until they reach a point where once again it is cheaper to build a home than rent one!
For many renters though this will not be the easy path it sounds like. You cannot save a deposit as well as pay top dollar for rent!

Until next time
Have a good weekend!
John

GET READY, GET SET......

2008-11-30T13:55:00.000-08:00

THINGS ARE LOOKING GOOD IN THE PROPERTY FIELD!

Another month passes, the media is still making a big deal about the "meltdown"! What is so surprising is that in reality many share traders and property investors are doing very well at this stage. Wealth creation strategies can be adjusted with the economic times - and in fact good investors do this all the time!

Many professional and part-time traders that I currently know are making good steady money on the markets because of the very issue of volatility. The media just carries on about the losses in the super funds and the paper losses of the millionaires.

BOUNCE BACK!

Well for the record many millionaires have been broke before and will bounce back. Most will in fact just hang in there until the values come back and they are worth billions again.Some, like Warren Buffet are actually increasing their portfolios - I hear he is buying shares in Cadmium mines - that's for use in electric cars!

I am slightly amused that the so called managed funds (Super Funds) are the ones that are the worst off! So much for managed!
Please note that this cannot be said for all managed investments some can be found that have done very well thank you over the last year.

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION - TIMING TIMING TIMING

Property too is about to turn and placement in the market will be very timely I think in the next few months!

Looking at my own home town, Perth, the collapse in building approvals for investment properties is expected to trigger a further 20% rent rise in 2009.

"Latest ABS figures for housing investment show that during 2008 there were only housing finance commitments of $407million for the construction of new rental dwellings. This represents a a fall of over 55% in the value of housing finance commitments for new rental dwellings since Jan 2008."
Kevin Young
The Investors Club President
Sunday Times 30/11/2008

Two of Australia's biggest residential developers have called the bottom of the housing market, saying some life should return to the troubled sector next year.
Turi Condon
November 16, 2008 11:00am
Perth Now

One of Australia's biggest banks has tipped interest rates will plunge to 3.75 per cent, which could see almost $300 a month slashed off the average loan.
Stephen McMahon and Gerard McManus
November 12, 2008 06:44am

New population projection figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicate demand for property will continue for 50 years.
In the ABS Projections Australia publication, WA's population is forecast to increase from 2.1 million in 2006 to about 4.3 million by 2056.
Raquel De Brito
September 10, 2008 11:00am

IN CONCLUSION

So there you have it:

Interest Rates dropping (maybe to 4% or less!)
Developers seeing the bottom of the market.
Population figures on the rise.
Rent returns growing more than CPI!

If you are not giving property a serious consideration in the year ahead then you are hampering your wealth creation progress.

Until next time

John

{Photos courtesy of my daughters new home.}

Don't panic seek more advice!

2008-11-24T16:53:00.000-08:00

Hi all back from Adelaide after 4 days workshop learning more about wealth creation!

So as you can imagine I have been so busy that I have taken a short cut this week! BUT the video is good one and will give you more insight into the current property market situation!

See you next week!

John

Why are you worrying about the R word?

2008-11-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

WHAT IS THE REAL SITUATION?

Is wealth creation an option in these troubled times? Or is it time to back off and refrain from the pursuit of long-term goals?

If you listen to the news and the popular media the country is on the brink of ruin. Even some of our leading politicians are crying “woe is me”.

Lets look at the facts though!

GET REAL!

So strong has the economy been in this small (population wise) state that it has carried the whole country through the rough months since June 2007, when the first signs of a world wide market downturn appeared.

As recently as September this year Western Australia was experiencing historic unemployment lows of 2.8%. The growth rate for the economy was 7.2%.

Figures of this type are rare and only been seen a few times in the last few decades. We here, in this blessed region of the world, have become so accustomed to such outrageous growth that we expect it to stay that way. So now we see a drop in the rate of growth and we panic!

Look at this table of Annual industry -averaged superreturns for balanced options.

1998/99 8.2%

1999/00 11.2%

2000/01 5.6%

2001/02 -3.1%

2002/03 0.1%

2003/04 13.2%

2004/05 13.1%

2005/06 14.5%

2006/07 15.7%

2007/08 -6.4%

(Sunday Times Nov16 2008)

Now the 2007/08 is rather nasty but notice that it follows 4 years over 13%!

I would like to see a more long-term profile of the returns to see what the cycle of highs and lows really is!

I also note no one was complaining when the returns were at record highs but suddenly everyone is an expert on the poor performance of the super funds!

Considering the REAL economic pain that the USA is experiencing we are in a very good position to ride out the current conditions - and in some ways we may prosper. It's like a wake-up call, a trip back to reality!

So once again I turn to a few commentators to see the broader picture and encourage you to take a more positive outlook in your wealth creation plans.

Richard Goyder

Wesfarmers managing director

“...I'm confident our own region will hold up better than the rest of the world....”

“...our economy is more resilient than most..”

Gerry Harvey

Harvey Norman Chairman

“Australia is in a particularly good situation compared with Britain, Ireland or America. We've got higher interest rates that we can keep dropping, we've got a a high level of employment and we've got a cheap dollar..”

James Pearson

Chief Executive WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry

“...We remain positive about prospects for the WA economy and believe the uncertainty is a short term interruption. Don't Panic. … keep sight of.... long-term economic goals.”

(Sunday Times November 16 2008)

A BALANCED VIEW.

Just as we saw with property, a more balanced view of the current situation reveals a very different picture. I don't deny people will lose their jobs, companies will withdraw somewhat from the market but this has been the lot of many people in the past. This is not the first time we have faced challenges like this! I remember the 80's and 17% interest rates, lay offs and mortgagee sales! I was on a farm in the 70's and watched my parents struggle to keep our home and make the farm pay!

These are realities and we need to build into our wealth creation plans strategies to ride these periods out – like a farmer who knows that drought is a reality and will visit him again!

He builds bigger dams, bigger store houses, plants salt bush or finds alternate income strategies!

It is no different for the rest of us – we need to avoid relying on one source of income – we need to develop a broader base – even as a PAYG worker!

21stC Education.

Jamie McIntyre has always spoken of feeling more secure in his own business than being an employee and making wealth for someone else! The principles and strategies he has developed are as valid today as when the economies of the world were in boom times!

I encourage you to revisit his free e-book and the DVD and don't let the popular media drag you down!

Until next time

John

Building A Rental For Wealth Creation

2008-11-09T04:32:00.000-08:00

The first step in my wealth creation strategy was the development of property to gain capital growth.
I have started a diary of events to allow you to see the steps taken to build a property for rental return.
What to avoid and what to look for!
What are the key points in selecting the right location?

Part 1 starts with the land and the important keys for selecting the location!

Checkout the new page here - My First Property

Wealth creation is about using tried strategies and then just repeating them!
My second property was a fine example of this but more ont hat later.

Good luck
Have a great week!

So where is the property market going?

2008-11-02T16:31:00.000-08:00

This week I though I would take a slightly different tack.

I have been reading a number of articles and following the local papers and started to see a trend in the comments that are being published about property as wealth creation..

So I have reviewed the basic views of a few investors and real estate agents.

Angelo Graziani.

A long time property investor since the age of 15! He views property as a great path to wealth.

He is quoted as saying, “When everyone else is running out of the market, that is the time to get in. It’s a great time to take advantage of the lack of confidence that we’ve seen in the market. But if you wait for the market to turn around you will miss the moment.”

“Anyone who is thinking about investment can buy very well at the moment.”

Nigel Satterly

Chief Executive Satterley Group

After commenting on the huge growth in the Perth property market from 2001-2006 he describes the current price drops as a “price correction.” That is we went up too much too soon.

“..this financial cyclone will blow through and now is a good time to buy for the first time, with the rental market topped out…”

Perth’s market is working towards the bottom and the next 12 months is a good time to look around.”

Phil Smith

State manager LJ Hooker

“The current market represents an excellent opportunity for first homebuyers and investors.”

“…these areas (he listed 6-7 suburbs) close to the city transport, education and/or the river have good amenities.”

Vicki Veaney

Remax WA

“A rising population and the recent interest rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of Australia augur well for a more positive long-term outlook.”

“Suburbs offering good access to transport, schools, medical facilities and shopping centres represent excellent choices for first homebuyer.” (Also for investors I might add!)

Simon Moore

Head of research Hegney Property Group

“The possibility of further reductions over the next year will increase confidence and stimulate sales in the middle and upper end of the property market.”

“Investors need to take a long-term view because it is very likely we will never see a repeat of the 2005-2006 boom.”

“The focus should be on property with a high land content where people will want to live in say, 10,15 or 20 years.”

Paul Braddock

ANZ Property Report for January 2008

“A dramatic tightening of the housing market will force already soaring house prices and rents sharply higher. By 2010 we project a record housing shortage of nearly 2000,000 homes.”

Frank Gelber

BIS Shrapnel director

Was reported as saying in the Age”…the deficiency in residential stock will hit 60,000 in June this year and 129000 by June 2009”

AAP in June 2008 quoted economic forecaster BIS Shrapnel’s Residential Property Prospects, 2008-2011 report as saying

‘ …. House prices are tipped to rise next financial year as Australia’s fastest growing population in two decades outweighs the effect of higher interest rates.”

Chris Grannery

Branch Manager The Investors Club WA

“It is my belief that now is an ideal time to be buying property. It’s a buyers market. Undersupply issues, growing rents, declining share market and an economy that is in fact robust and growing would seem to indicate opportunities abound.”

CONCLUSION.

After reading these you can see why I have a very optimistic attitude towards property investment. Having peronally benefitted from the 2003-2006 boom in the property market I know that even on the normal 7-8 year property doubling cycle the returns are good and predictable.

Now it seems is the time to seriously look at property as part of your wealth creation strategy!

Have a good week!

A NEW WEALTH CREATION STRATEGY

2008-10-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

What if you could trade in the share market with as little as $2000 a time and have a chance to earn 5-10% per night?

What if you received full support - having somone guide you through each step?

Imagine someone telling you when to buy and when to sell!

Well such a program is available right now!

If you wish to investigate this amazing trading strategy and add it to your wealth creation portfolio
then click thru the following link, learn a little more and order your free DVD!

CLICK HERE: MORE INFORMATION & FREE DVD

2008-10-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

Wealth Creation Strategies Workshop

Hi all
Just back from a two day workshop receiving training on wealth creation strategies!
So much to learn! I wrote 20 pages of notes in a word document!

I do a workshop of some sort every 2 months or so. Why? To keep up to date and keep my service to my business clients up to the best standard possible. As we have seen on the stockmarket, change seems to be quicker and more often these days in many areas of the community.

The wealth creation industry is no different!

I learned about a new stock market trading scheme this weekend and will be releasing some exciting opportunities in the weeks ahead. I was amazed to see how on "black Friday" this particular strategy produced over $6500 for one transaction in less than 30 minutes!

Despite the "doom and gloom"sayers there are still resources out there for the ambitious! As I have said elsewhere it is the strategies we use in the "hard times"
that succeed in giving us long-term wealth and security.

Stay tuned for more detail in the weeks ahead!

Have a good week!

John

Wealth creation educators and students after a very busy weekend!

Wow what a fortnight this has been!

2008-10-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

In the two weeks since my last post the world has gone nuts!
Banks under threat, governments bailing out financial institutions and the share market is like a super yoyo! Property is losing value (so they say) and prices are crashing!

Now is the time for serious educators in wealth creation to be sharing their knowledge! Why?

Well when times are good and booming it is all to easy to make money and increase your wealth. Employment is high and people are able to acquire things easily! The general mindset is one of prosperity and the crowd is cruising along and everyone loves a crowd!

Learning wealth creation skills is not about taking advantage of the good times but being prepared and equipped at all times. When the crowd goes nuts and scared beyond belief that is when those with real strategies in place are at ease. They are not panicked by the turmoil - they stay cool as if nothing has changed! In fact many wealth creation strategies work better in times of turmoil.

I have read the profit taking reports of a number of share traders this week and all report healthy profits for their subscribers! What is going on there? I thought the market was a mess!
Well yes, it is, but only in the minds of those who are panicking and limited in their views or strategies they have in place!
Look at the the amazing values in blue chip stocks - BHP is under $40 - (I just checked the ASX its $26) its profits have not dropped, it's dividends are very healthy and it should be much higher! Canny investors will be watching it and other likely stocks for signs of a reversal and will move in hard and fast to buy up cheap!

As for property - this may be the bottom of the cycle - this means now is a time to start looking for those bargains that are out there and expand your portfolio! Interest rates are coming down (at last) and sellers will be out there!

The only way to get through these difficult times (and I am not saying things are not tough) is to be well educated and equipped with strategies to survive this part of the financial cycle!

Are you ready, trained, following the right mentors or following the crowd and panicking?

I encourage everyone to learn and seek answers to put alittle more control in your personal financial life.

Until nest time.
Take care.

John

Business building in CAIRNS!

2008-10-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone
I write this as I sit here in a seminar room in the Rydges Hotel in Cairns. I am here this week to learn more on developing my businesses and have a little break from the West coast.
Wealth creation is a lifestyle choice and this is the choice I have made and I am enjoying it everyday!

While we are here we will also visit the local highlights - the skyrail, the waterfalls etc.
Photos may follow at the end of the week!

As Sean says the outcome you have received until now in your life is the product of the actions you took in the past! We must surely change what we have been doing to expect a different outcome! I encourage you to go back and read Jamie's book and review the thoughts he raises in the early chapters!

Take care

John Wood

Attitude is so important!

2008-09-23T17:35:00.000-07:00

I have always believed that success in all fields of life begin in your heart and mind and in the last few years we have seen this confirmed in the Secret.

My business mentor and friend Sean has written a new book - for free - to promote living life to the max!

The book is called "The Secret Law of Attraction"

Check out the video and join up to get your free book this week!

PROMOTION VIDEO

JOIN UP FOR FREE BOOK

Sean is a very generous and hard working friend.
I have read all his books and get so much from them. I cannot wait to get my eyes on the latest book!

I encourage everyone to have a read!

John

Negative Gearing Pt 4

2008-09-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

HOW A DEPRECIATION SCHEDULE CAN HELP YOU IN OLDER PROPERTIES.

So far what we have been discussing has been the approach you should take when building a new property. It is obvious and easy to identify the items for your claim.
With an older established building this may not be so easy.

How old is it? Should we replace it straight away?

There will be problems with an older building in terms of the age of various components, stoves and water heaters for example. It is very tempting to break out the cheque book and start refurbishing and adding stuff to the the property straight away! BUT wait and think - some of those items you want to replace may still have some intrinsic value and be claimable in a depreciation schedule.

Undertaking a depreciation schedule as close as possible to the purchase will give you access to the tax benefits on items in the house. The other benefit is you also give the tax department a clear picture of what is in the building at purchase.

PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS!

Mmmmm a new bathroom?

Now we wait a little time before beginning renovations - we can get the benefits of depreciating what is in the property and have the time to prepare a careful plan of improvements.
Your schedule is in place and the tax department will now have little trouble knowing what you want to claim are renovations not improvements.
You can make legitmate tax deduction claims for both plant and capital works allowance.

Get the right advice and put the depreciation schedule in place and you property ownership will be much easier and profitable in the long term!

I read today that only one in five residual investors makes use of the tax depreciation entitlements available on all investment properties! I cannot believe it - thousands of dollars are available for you to support your efforts to secure a more secure financial future through property! Go get it!

Until next time
John

Negative Gearing Pt 3

2008-09-15T21:55:00.000-07:00

NEGATIVE GEARING (Cont)

More detailed information on the use of property in wealth creation!
Here is the first part of a Prime Cost 40 Year Summary.

The first year is what you can claim in your first financial year of ownership (or part thereof).

Then the following years are listed up to Year 40. Your accountant will know exactly what to do with such a table and as always seek professional advice once you have your schedule.

This table is an example of: Five Year Schedule of Entitlements – Diminishing Value Method.

Note that it is quite detailed and shows objects that can lose value very quickly!

This is the type of evidence the ATO loves to see and your accountant must have if you are to gain the maximum benefit from your property.

Remember also that the items could also be claimed under the Prime Cost Method – but not both! Which ever you chose that is the one used for the life of the building!

Until next time,

Have a good week

John

Negative Gearing Part 2

2008-09-11T21:20:00.000-07:00

Negative Gearing (cont)

Ok having discussed what negative gearing is let’s look at the practical aspects.
How do I use this to assist my investment activity in this property I have bought for wealth creation?

Well to begin with recall what we discussed last time. The building is a depreciating asset – it loses value over time and that loss can be determined and claimed against taxable income. In affect the loss is covered by tax you will pay or are paying - not cash from your pocket! In effect the tax you would have paid is now being invested into the property – you are sort of compensated for the loss on the money you borrowed to build that property!
Now before you start you need a clear statement of the actual depreciation – a Depreciation Schedule(DS). This is like a spread sheet setting out the initial values of the property and then the estimated losses in value over time – that time being 25 or 40 years depending on which you choose.The DS provides the tax office with a picture of the property and the schedule would list fixtures that could be depreciated. The schedule is prepared by a Quantity Surveyor not your mate who sells little bit of real estate!

There a number of sections to the system and I will discuss these.

CAPITAL WORKS: Division 43 Allowances

Capital works deductions are based on the construction costs associated with the building. This is the physical cost that went into the construction and can include clearing the site, soft landscaping etc. For property built in Australia after 1987 it provides a tax deduction of 2.5% of the initial cost per year, on a Prime Cost basis over the first 40 years of its life!

Division 40 Allowances

Now as you will appreciate already the way things wear out is actually different for each type of material. Some materials need to be written off more quickly eg ovens, hot water cylinders, carpets, drapes and furniture. These fall under Division 40 Allowances in Australia.

Low Value Pool and Immediate Write Off
Within the Division 40 Allowances there is scope to add some items to a low value pool and to write others off immediately. Items valued between $300 and $1000 can be depreciated at a faster rate using the diminishing value method. Items under $300 are able to written off immediately using both the prime cost and diminishing value methods.

I will show you an example in the next Blog update!

The diminishing value method
The diminishing value method assumes that the decline in value each year is a constant proportion of the remaining value and produces a progressively smaller decline over time.

The prime cost method
The prime cost method assumes that the value of a depreciating asset decreases uniformly over its effective life.

So what is the thing with negative gearing?

2008-09-07T19:40:00.000-07:00

NEGATIVE GEARING?

Ok let’s get down to some investment basics!
Negative gearing is something you hear a lot when people talk about investing in property. It is in fact a key factor in the wealth creation strategies of serious property investors.
In affect it is the government saying to investors we acknowledge that you are taking a risk and we will compensate you for the fact that you are developing an income from property.
Now that is not the technical definition but it is a layman’s description!

You are building a property and that property, bricks and mortar loses value over time. Why? Well it can wear out; lose its newness, what is called depreciation!

The house/unit is therefore referred to as a depreciating asset (see definitions). The land on the other hand cannot be claimed as such, in fact it is the land portion of the investment that generally gains in value or appreciates. This is the key in property investing the land appreciates and the building depreciates and these two factors work together to make ownership more cost effective!

Now if you buy a second hand run down property your costs to maintain and even repair can be quite substantial and will bite into any rental income quite savagely!
This is why you would be encouraged to invest in new property when you first start out. The new property will achieve the maximum level of depreciation and at the same time cost you very little in repairs etc.

The initial repairs and improvements are deductible but only over 25 to 40 years – this will not help your cash flow and remember we are trying to maximise our investment dollar!

Next time I will discuss the other ongoing costs that are claimable as an expense in your property investing portfolio.

Have a good week
John

Definitions
A depreciating asset is an asset that has a limited effective life and can reasonably be expected to decline in value over the time it is used.

Interest Rates Are on the way down!

2008-09-03T06:45:00.000-07:00

The Reserve Bank dropped the interest rate .25% today. For many investors this is the first signal that maybe the time is approaching to look at the property market very carefully from here in.

Rentals are at a very high demand level and population growth has forced quite big rises in rental charges.

We have a general drop in the value of properties and interest rates have probably peaked out for this cycle. If this is true then buying property as it drops to maybe its lowest level in value just as the interest rates peak out would have to be a reasonably smart idea!Clever investors look for the signs and act accordingly!

Remember wealth creation involves timing as well as knowledge!

Until next time

John

BENEFITS OF PROPERTY INVESTMENTS

2008-08-27T17:29:00.000-07:00

I regularly hear people complain about the costs that are incurred when you buy an investment property. This is often due to a lack of understanding of how the investment mechanism works.

First off there is the important issue of capital growth - this is really how you gain benefit (wealth creation) from property invesment. You will eventually achieve a rent positive result(positive gearing) in the property but that usually takes a few years to achieve for most but not all property investment. So you cannot rely on positive cash flow as a support in paying for your costs.

So, how do you manage these costs of the property? What are the typical costs? How do you minimise these costs (negative gearing)? Which costs are very much necessary? How do we make a lifestyle out of inveting in property?

These and a few more questions that I am sure will arise will be discussed int he weeks to come!

Stay tuned

Have a good weekend!

John Wood

IS IT TIME TO BUY PROPERTY?

2008-08-15T01:41:00.000-07:00

Wealth creation is often times about timing! Listening to the right people and then acting!

Lets think about the current situation with property.

The turn in the interest rates is imminent, housing shortages are real, migration is high and not just concentrating in the boom states.

The Australian Bureau if Statistics is signaling building approval figures being on a downward trend since 2005.

The Commonwealth Treasury estimates that demand for housing will increase to over 200,000 homes per annum by 2010 but the forecast for new supply is estimated to be around 150,000 dwellings per annum.

So it is clear that huge pressures will be on the rental market - rents will rise even further. However they are still less than the interest on the mortgage for the same properties so there is more room to move, once again this favours rents rising.

Now it will be interesting to watch the tide of investors in the next 6 months! Anyone who gets into the right property will set themselves up to create wealth over the next 5-10years.

What is the right property?
Well that's the question isn't it!.

Check out these resources:

21CA PropertyDirect

The Investors Club mention my name for top service!

Until next time
John

I Told you so?

2008-08-01T02:06:00.000-07:00

Daily Telegraph

Choice: Rate cut or recession

Nick Gardner and Andrew Carswell
August 01, 2008 07:19am

ECONOMISTS say interest rate hikes have gone too far, and only urgent cuts will stop Australia sinking into a full-blown recession.
They say the Reserve Bank has gone too far with its relentless run of rate rises, and are calling for urgent rate cuts to save the country from economic disaster.

Grim economic data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics yesterday had our leading economists fearing the worst, with some claiming a retail recession has already arrived.

read the rest here

Well I did suggest over the last few months that the rates had been too quick in the rise!

This is now the concern of a number of economists in the general media. Of course this was probalby known by the banks as well but that did not stop them from raising rates beyond the reserve bank suggestions!

Property investors and home owners will be watching this closely in the next few weeks.

Now we also have a drop in home values this last year so there may be a nice chance for investment in some good quality properties in the next few months. The opportunity to spread your wealth creation portfolio a little wider is on it's way!

Have a good weekend!

John

INTEREST RATES IN THE NEWS AGAIN

2008-07-13T00:33:00.000-07:00

Just a little trip back to a topic we visited earlier.

Property investing and wealth creation.

Property investing and interest rates.

First let’s recap the situation in Australia –

AUSTRALIA TODAY.

We have a huge mining boom roaring thru many Australian states and great demand for housing in the areas of greatest growth. This has brought increased migration – both intra-state and from off shore! Increased migration means a surging population.

We have seen the shudders of an oil crises – reminders that we cannot keep using it like we have been and not have to pay – pay in direct increases in living costs (the inflation figure the news flashes at us each day) and long term pay in environmental costs.
Mortgage rates are biting into family budgets and hurting bad!

The stock market has taken an obligatory dive (look at the long term charts and you can see this was coming!) (Superannuation accounts hurting right now – but lets not forget the record highs for the last 4-5 years!)

Rental vacancy rates are at record lows and rents are going skyward at amazing rates!

Yet new properties being built are decreasing in number:

Examine these ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) for new properties.

The March ABS figures for the states are as follows:
Northern Territory (against the trend) +8.4%
Western Australia -0.2%
Victoria -1.3%
Tasmania -2.4%
Queensland -4.2%
New South Wales -2.1%
South Australia -1.8%
Australian Capital Territory -7.6%

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

So what are the reasons that the rates are so poor when the conditions (population growth) signal the opposite is needed? What are the possible impliations for investors? What are property investors doing?

continued on my squidoo pages on

PROPERTY INVESTMENT FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE.

Have an excellent week!

John

IQ SQ EQ What are they?

2008-07-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

Wondering what I am talking about?
Well IQ you know - it's your intelligence quotient.
SQ social quotient.
And EQ is emotional quotient

Until the last few years education has been much focussed on the IQ part of the IQ SQ EQ trilogy. Learning strategies used in schools and universities etc were geared to the intellectual – little or no allowance was given to the emotional and social skills.

You may remember how you sucked at maths but were brilliant at drama!
Well I bet it was the high SQ EQ rating you have that gave you that edge at drama where as the class Einstein was hopeless at it!

Want to learn more?

Go to mySquidoo page to learn more on how to learn in the 21stC!

I'm just an average guy!

2008-07-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

Now you might be wondering why I am spending so much time on a little bit of my history. Well fair enough, a good question!

I want to make a point about life journeys – they are unpredictable and in the scheme of things do eventually lead somewhere. What is really important are the few times in your life when opportunity appears and you have to make active choices about your future.

21C Education is such an opportunity and the fact that you are still following my blog means that I have got some of your attention.
I want you to see that I am a regular guy – pretty typical for a bloke over 45 after a very long career path. If I can take control of my life so can you!
Wealth creation is a whole of mind and lifestyle choice that offers huge freedom and satisfaction.

On my squidoo site, Personal Growth Development, (click on the words) I discuss the importance of emotional and wealth intelligence in more depth and I encourage you to visit and have a read. This Blog is moving now towards the broader aspects of wealth creation.

I will offer you links to specific topics that I discuss in greater detail.

Anyway back to the journey …….

I leave my mate behind at his sisters place (yep he had family living in the town). I drive the full 800km in the next day. I would not dare do that these days!

I get home to face the music! Dad is actually pretty good about it once I explain that I have only deferred for a year and am having a WORKING holiday away from study.
He immediately lines me up two jobs and I am off working on a horse stud and a beef farm. In between these two I mow lawns (dad had a lawn mowing business as well as the farm stuff). I earn good money and actually enjoy the change from study. I sober up too and manage to shake off the bad habit of binging 2-3 times a week. (Yeah, binge drinking has been around before it became topical in the news these days!)

I save money, overhaul the engine in the old Holden and reconnect with my church friends. I spend time helping mum and dad move farms and deal with all the typical family issues.

I finally get back to studies and during the next year I meet a young 18 year old who will become my wife in 1982! We were both young and still studying but we managed to survive on a meagre income.

1983 I have graduated and started my first posting at Yanchep District High School.

25 years later and I am once again looking for more in my life and trip across Jamie’s e-book and this time I grab the opportunity offered to me!
I now run several businesses – offline and online!

The last two years have been a whirlwind! I cannot believe what changes I have undergone and the wonderful people that have come into my life.
My immediate inspiration, Sean Rasmussen and his wife have helped me to challenge myself and step out into new territory every week!

What will the future bring? Well stay tuned and I’ll tell you as it unfolds!

See ya next time!

Woody

Beach bums and Drop outs.

2008-06-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

From beach bum to wealth creation educator!

Half way thru this year another change in my life path – I defer the second semester and leave college. Girl problems and sheer emotional exhaustion – you see I worked too hard and just exhausted myself and also the bottle had snuck back into my life for a while.
How do I tell the old man! I don’t! My mate and I load up the car and leave town heading to the north of the state

I owned a Holden identical to this one when we went bush! Not the most comfortable to sleep in!

We travel north to the coastal town of Kalbarri, set up a tent in the bush and hide from the rangers while we swim during the day and wander around the place.
Next day off to Geraldton and we set up in the bush north of town, near the beach and hide the car under bushes and branches we broke off trees.
Oh yeah, I rang dad about now and explained what I had done – not amused I can tell you! But what could he do? I was 800 kilometers away!

Our life becomes getting up early in the mornings, dismantle the tent and drive into town have a shower in the change rooms at the beach. (Cold water too!) Spend too much time in the pubs and get warned off by the local police for public drinking!
One night my mate gets lucky and sleeps a night in a bed! Well yes, he was not sleeping alone but he did have to walk several kilometres back to the campsite!
This was our life for two weeks – then we ran out of money! We had no real idea about what happens when you run out of money never planned that far ahead!
Wealth creation? What's that!?

Looks like we have to get home back to our parents and face the music!

Next time the story continues back in the deep south of the state!

Sex and drugs and Rock n Roll!

2008-06-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

From Uni Drop out to wealth creation educator.

I had a goal to get into medicine as a kid. Did all the right things at school- good grades – moved into high school – in the top three of the class – into senior school wow struggling now – barely passing! Apply for University – not a hope!
What happened to all those plans and dreams? Well life happened!
My father was quite ill thru all my time in high school and so I had to help the family run the farm and this meant many hours working before and after school. Less time studying and with it great difficulty achieving the grades needed.

Now my father was not so easily discouraged – we drive to the University campus (450km away) and front up at the counter. “Who can we see to get some advice?”
We get sorted and I am enrolled in a Biology degree course – not quite medicine but a back door into the course! We get a place in a residential college over the road from UWA (University of Western Australia) and I am set.
Now lets examine this scenario – green country boy from a small country town in the deep southwest of the state meets fast growing, progressive city!
Yep you can guess who the winners and losers are going to be.

I tried hard to study between the parties and wild nights.
Did you know I never had one hangover in the whole year at uni!
Maybe that was a curse because of course the next party I was back once again!

You see I had no obvious price for my behaviour at this stage so I just kept on partying with everyone else.

Oh yeah, I actually did join a band and we tried hard for a year - a few gigs and then they made me a roadie! (Well if you don't practice then that's what happens.) This is my old guitar - I still play it!

Well the year exames are set and I do my best but now the price is to be paid!
My report was pretty sobering – 2 fails and 2 ceded passes (a nice way of saying you failed but were so close to a pass we will allow the credit).
Now the real kicker was that I could not re-enrol in the Uni for two years – my scores were so bad!

Again it seems my life plans were scuttled! My poor father had to hear all this and yet he never gave up on me – “Let’s try down the road at the teachers college.”
So we did – I enrolled – I worked hard and cut back on the booze.
Well what do you know – nearly all As!

I progressed to the second year of the course and continued my success – so much for medicine! I actually enjoy talking to the kids and teaching! Life had other plans for me it seems!

Next time I drop out and go bush!

Do you have a game plan?

2008-06-22T17:28:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend just relaxing as I usually do but this time I also caught up with some friends and went to an Aussie rules football match. The West Coast Eagles versus Geelong. Now you might wonder what this has to do with wealth creation but be patient and read on!

Wow what a game! The Eagles scored in the first few minutes – a point – but it seemed that they were off to a great start! Then it all changed – Geelong scored a goal and then blasted into the night with an amazing display of enthusiasm and skill combined with a clear game plan! The lead broke out to several goals and in the end they won by 135points!
They had speed, precision and most of all it seemed passion for the win!

The thing that stuck in my mind was that they had a plan – every time the ball came their way they new what to do next – kick it here, pass it there. The next player was on the spot and continued the play – whammo two more passes like that and then a goal!

Contrast this to the Eagles players – they have a free kick or make a good mark – turning left and right looking for a lead cannot decide what to do – wallop times up tackled, ball lost, goal kicked by Geelong!

Now back to earth. Do you have a plan for your future? Do you have your goals in place? Have you realised yet that you actually need to have a game plan?

Sure enough some things come our way – we can grab them – and often do – but life lacks that ordered path of successes. We need to be awake to what is coming our way.
We leave school and plod on into the future – sometimes we think we have a direction and so we drift into various directions. My own years from school into University are
a good case in point.

Continued next time…..

Sex and drugs and Rock n Roll.

Take A Break!

2008-06-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

Hi all
This is a slightly different post to the normal. I just want to make a point about balance in life!
When did you last take a break!? Do you actually value quiet time for yourself?
In the same way you should have balance in your wealth creation portfolio, you need balance in your everyday life as well.

It does not take large amounts of money to achieve this but it does need action! An active decision on your part to take a break from the normal day-to-day activities.

For example - visit some quiet contry town and spend the day looking around. (You don't have to buy anything - just look!)
Or maybe book into a B@B (bed @ breakfast) and be pampered for a day or two!

I chose to go away into the bush this weekend on a retreat.
1.5 hour drive out of town into the bush!
I left Friday morning to load up my trailer with food from the organiser’s home to drive to the retreat location at the Serpentine Falls south of Perth. The weather was great and I had a pleasant drive thru the city and out into the country.

The retreat was focused on "Opening the Heart". The teacher for the day Swami Satyadharma Saraswati, spoke of the relationship between our emotions (feelings) and our actions in life and how the two are closely linked. She spoke of how sometimes we have feelings simply because of a trigger from past experiences rather than what is the reality of the moment. Stopping and examining the way we feel and observing it we can actually change the way we feel rather than be a victim of how we feel.
hidden away in the peaceful forest!

I know this is an over-simplification but it is part of what we learned.

We also learnt some meditation techniques that help examine our emotions and improve our ability to be aware of when feelings are just a response from the past rather than the now. This gives us more ability to manage and transform our emotions and our actions as a consequence.

Emotions hold incredible power. They have the ability to exalt or diminish the vital energy (what yogis call prana) which sustains our very life. Without healthy and appropriate emotional expression, we may experience imbalance and even illness, on the physical and mental levels.

I spent a large amount of my rostered time on the kitchen duties and had a great time preparing food for 40+ people. I was placed in charge on several occasions for preparing the meals this time and that was a new experience!

Some of you might wonder why I pay to go and do voluntary work!
Well acts of charity and giving are a big part of my life plan and lifestyle.
Like Jamie and Sean I try very hard to meet my 10% for charity wealth creation target and usually manage to exceed it.

May you find a peaceful place this week
until next time

John Wood

HIERARCHY OF VALUES

2008-06-03T17:37:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder why some people seem to blow away every dollar they make!? Why do others achieve amazing wealth creation goals on small incomes?

It most likely has to do with the value they put on various aspects of their life.
The ranking in your life of the various parts of your life journey we call your - Hierarchy of Values.

John Demartini is an amazing teacher and he reflects on this very issue in this YouTube video when he talks about values. Just take the few minutes here to listen.

Takes my breath away!

2008-05-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~Author Unknown

Just a short note on the power of the willingness to learn and take action – my mentor Sean Rasmussen has been a great inspiration to me (as well as Jamie McIntyre of course!) Wealth creation is for real if we but reach out and grab it!

Well, just go to this new web page of Sean’s that shows the level of success he has achieved in the last 4 years!

http://www.yearoftheaffiliate.com/ebook/

Forget that, look, at the last 15months!
Now that's wealth creation!

Sean has been a huge inspiration to me and he is the consumate gentleman. He is sincere and a real human being. Trust me he does give away 10% of his wealth as Jamie encourages us all to do.

I cannot speak highly enough of this man's generosity and I encourage you to grab any of his books as you will gain so much!

Yours truly

John Wood

Live life to the full!

2008-05-17T17:59:00.000-07:00

Hi John here

I have been a little slow on the blog this month due to another unexpected funeral!
My grand mother passed away just after we returned from a break in the country and my mother asked me to help out at the funeral service. I prepared and presented the service and the eulogy. Nan was 93 years old!

Yesterday I was speaking to one of my business clients and she spoke about her neighbour – 65 years old and very fit – was a coach for football and swam regularly as well as running his own lawn mowing business! Well he died after dinner one night last week – just snoozed in front of the tv and then slipped away. It turns out he had a genetic heart condition – enlarged heart and could have died at any time!
Her conclusion to me was you have to live life for today –you have to grab what ever the day offers you and run with it!

This is the point I wish to raise today with you – are you living your life to the max!?
Are life circumstances getting in the way of the life you wish for yourself and your loved ones?
Are you really in control? DO you have a life long financial plan?
Reflect for a moment on these words from Benjamin Franklin
“NEVER LEAVE THAT TILL TOMORROW WHICH YOU CAN DO TODAY”

In Australia our financial landscape is changing rapidly – just like the social changes we see. You know the impact of the mobile phone and google, youtube etc. Well now we see politicians telling us – no more pensions, less government handouts etc etc

Conclusion – we have to take control of our financial lives as much as other aspects of our life. Start today with something small and get the right information to help you into the future.

I have video link for you today – Jamie McIntyre reflects on some aspects of what I have discussed here.

Talk to you soon.

John

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u54-j3l1SLA

Beginnings and endings!

2008-04-05T23:43:00.000-07:00

I face a new week and look back at the old week!

Wow what a week that was - I attended the funeral of my close friend - a time of sadness - yes - but also a time to reflect on what he had achieved and the great effort he made to prepare his family not only for his departure but also for their staying.
Secondly, the birth of my nephew – all 3.9 kilos of him! A new beginning a new life – and change in the family dynamic for my brother-in-law.

Now you might wonder what the connection is between the two.

Planning!

That’s right planning is common to both – in one case a dedicated father and husband spending his last days ensuring his family is on the right path financially! In the other a mother and father preparing and planning for a new life and all that goes with that responsibility. We all know the financial impact of a child on the budget so plans there too!

Many times I see families struggle when a primary income earner passes on. All was well whilst they were alive and controlling everything but disaster when they die! This often comes from a lack of understanding of the finer points of financial management by other members of the family. Wealth creation is a long term strategy and requires a good understanding of short term financial goals and management as well.

Budgeting and balancing costs and income are all part of the picture. Plus let’s not lose lifestyle in the process. I mean I could save a heap of money if I did not eat for a few days but the impact on my health and ability to work would be obvious! Have your family time – the quiet dinners out with your partner – or trips to the movies with the kids! These important aspects must be factored into your plans and your budget!

I hear some of you say how? I did not do accounting at school – my mother never showed me how to plan a meal or balance a budget!

Read Jamie’s book again and review the DVD – that’s the big picture stuff! Also check out the web – there are plenty of resources that can help you review your financial management and also your wealth creation.
Today I recommend the site “Managing Personal Finance”

http://personalfinance.blogsome.com/

The ‘Categories’ listed on the front page give you a clear idea of the range of topics you can read and learn from

• Banking
• Credit Cards
• Economy
• Home
• Insurance (including children’s insurance plans)
• Investment
• Marketing
• Review

Go have a look right now!

Until next time,

Woody

Life is a journey!

2008-03-27T16:40:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Perth,

“Live your life each day as
You would climb a mountain.
An occasional glance toward the
summit keeps the goal in mind,
but many beautiful scenes are
to be observed from each new
vantage point.

Climb slowly, steadily, enjoying
each passing moment;
and the view from the summit
will serve as a fitting climax
for the journey.”

Harold V Melchert

You may recall my friend I spoke of suffering with skin cancer – now in a hospice.
I visited him this week – for the last time – he’s paralysed now and time is short. BUT everything that he felt needed to be completed by this moment he has achieved – only a few weeks ago he put down a wooden floor (how I don’t know) and as I said he has set up a wealth creation plan for his wife with some property as the basis for growth.

Now he knew his time was short – doctors gave him just months – he had his plan and he took little steps every day and he got there! He didn’t rush, he took his time researching and confirming the facts and then took action!

It was only last Xmas we sat down and discussed some options for his family and little did I know that he was looking much further ahead than I could have imagined.
Within weeks he had a property lined up and settled before the cancer started to impact his mobility.

A sobering experience for me and an amazing achievement for him!

Every day he climbed that mountain, he kept the goal in mind and he got there!

His journey ends very soon, but he has left a legacy for his wife and children that speaks of his great love for them!

I wish you well until next time!

P.S. Update: Monday morning our time my friend passed away quietly with his family beside him. He will be greatly missed.

EASTER GREETINGS

2008-03-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

I wish you the best this easter long weekend. Easter is a good time to have a few moments to contemplate how the year is progressing since the longer Xmas break.
Have the wealth creation plans started coming together, are your goals materialising as you take the small steps each day?

Maybe motivation is waning and a steady rut is forming! I know that feeling – having fallen into it all too frequently in the past few years. This is why I have a daily routine that takes my thoughts at the start of the day to where I want to go over the next year!

I start the day with yogic meditation and reading of my affirmations for the year.
These are my goals written in a way that turns them into statements I can read and use to keep my mind focused on the path I wish to take.
Jamie touches on this briefly in his book but gives a lot more direction and detail in the seminars and the work books that come with the home study course.

Remember wealth creation is more a mind-set and process rather than just “making money”.
Creating that mind-set requires an investment of time you don’t need to rush it!
In fact the biggest mistake that can be made is to be too hurried!
I love a short statement that Jamie uses – “What you are seeking is seeking you.”
Think about that for a moment – it’s out there – looking for you – you don’t have to panic just focus and move in the right direction.

Until next time – enjoy the break!

SMART HOME BUYING!

2008-03-08T18:11:00.000-08:00

Last post I spoke about the supposed support government can give in using the First Home Owners scheme for wealth creation. On the surface it appeared that saving and receiving the tax incentives they speak about is a good way to go. We learned though that action supported with the right advice is more profitable.

So how did Tom and Liz really make the big step towards long term financial independence?

Well they started by renting the house out for $300 a week, the mortgage is $240 a week. The mortgage is of course a tax deduction and increases their take home pay – just like the rates and insurances on the property. Also because they bought the right kind of property they can claim a $10,000 depreciation bonus in the first year. This again comes off their taxable income!

So who benefits from the government plan? The banks and the tax office!

Remember 21st Century wealth creation needs smart thinking and the right advice!

Until next time

IS THE GOVERNMENT REALLY LOOKING OUT FOR FIRST HOME BUYERS?

2008-03-05T20:48:00.000-08:00

Start your wealth creation with you home!?

As I mentioned earlier the First Home Buyers scheme was set up to get people into their first home. I received support back in 1984 and it allowed us to survive the 17% interest years and keep our home through the nasty late 1980’s!

Today it is even better with more money and support.
For example, the tax-reduced savings plan – if you accumulate $40000 you only pay at 15% tax on it! Sounds good hey!

If you were a first home buyer would this be a good path to wealth creation?

Well let’s look at some figures.

Couple 1: Tom and Liz go a find a house $300000 and need $18000 to take up ownership.

Couple 2: Fred and Mary go for the government plan and take $47000 out of their salaries and in 4 years have $40000 in the bank.

Couple 1. chose the property route to wealth creation. They knew average doubling time is ten years for houses. So let’s say 10% per year growth.

$300000 becomes $330000 in 2009 and in 4 years time $438000! That’s $138000 profit!

Wealth increase is $138000 - $18000 = $156000!

Couple two have only $40000 in savings and the house they would have bought would now cost $138000 more!

Which one of these would you rather be!?
Who has received the right advice and made the right decisions?

BUT it gets even better now! Tom and Liz move out after 6 months and put in a tenant! They have received all the government subsidies and stamp duty support and can now really pump up the wealth creation machine!

Next time I will discuss how they will really benefit and boost their wealth creation from leaving their house!

RISK MANAGEMENT IN WEALTH CREATION STRATEGIES

2008-03-04T00:03:00.000-08:00

Everything has risk – wealth creation requires risk management strategies built in to whatever you do.

So firstly with my housing investments I have the tax system to assist us!
Yes, that’s right the tax department wants to help you and me!

Now take my first investment property – I depreciated the property using a professionally prepared depreciation schedule. It is worth thousands of dollars a year in tax reduction to me! Now when I get this money I use it to pay for the rates and taxes – which are also subject to deductions on my tax!

In the second year of ownership my house cost me $100 a week to own!
My equity growth was near $6000 a month for the first year!

So I invested $400 a month and saw a return of $6000!
Can your super fund produce that return? Mine didn’t!

Secondly I know some key actions that protect me from the usual horror stories you hear about property investment and having tenants.

For example – location, location, location! I built in the right place – I used the right people to give me the right advice! The unit is 5 mins walk from a train station – straight into Perth – 20 minutes ride. It is a 5 min drive from a major highway! 5 minutes from two major shopping centres.

My property has been empty 2 weeks in three years! Oh yeah and I have insurance just in case the tenants run! I have a brilliant agent who manages my property for a minimal cost (tax deductible) and is looking out for me!

These are the things you have to know to be successful and wealth creation in the 21St Century starts with knowledge!

NEXT TIME I WILL TALK ABOUT THE FIRST HOME OWNERS SAVINGS PLAN AND WHY IT IS NOT REALLY DESIGNED FOR WEALTH CREATION!

WEALTH CREATION FOR YOU!

2008-02-29T21:47:00.000-08:00

LOOKING OUT FOR YOURSELF

Ok, lets start with some real life examples of why we need to challenge any assumptions you have about how the “system” will have a look out for your welfare!

One path to wealth creation is property investment.

In Australia we have had a stormy few years with housing prices. Most states have done the catch-up with Sydney and prices have risen remarkably. The state of Western Australia is no exception.

I built a unit for $170000 3 years ago – today its worth $340000 plus it is renting for $260 a week – this is more than the mortgage I pay so it’s rent positive after 3 years!
This demonstrates the rapid rise in property if you were lucky to buy before the boom!
Example 2, is my daughter’s home – they bought it for $240000 2 years ago and just sold it last month for $370000, that’s a return of - $130000 or equity growth of $5416 a month!

Now for the last 5 years all we have heard from some sectors of the establishment and some commentators is that property investing is risky! The same people often encourage us to invest in Super or the share market (under their brand of course) and well we all know what happened in the market this year!

Next time I will talk about risk management and how to get the tax department to be your best friend!

2008-02-25T23:55:00.000-08:00

The end of Feb approaches – it is stinking hot here in Perth - with a promise of a few more days over 37oC. It is interesting how people respond to the heat some accept it and just carry on others dwell on it and moan and groan all day!
Which describes your response?

It is similar in the way people view their financial situation – some accept it and just carry on, some moan and groan and others do something about it!
In wealth creation attitude is everything, and attitude with action is the completion of everything!
What plans have you got for the future- have you even considered the fact there is a future for you?
Remember these statistics,

For every 100 people at age 65
25 are dead
20 have annual incomes under $10000
51 have annual incomes between $10000 and $35000
4 have annual incomes over $35000
1 in every 100 is a millionaire

Now these $ values change (inflation and all that) but the proportions are valid!

Where are you headed? The 25, the 20 or the top 5?

You cannot rely on the government – as shown on TV last week most non-retirees cannot live on the pension! In fact most pensioners barely live on the pension!

There has to be another plan and there is – but all plans begin with attitude and changing mindset to be ready for the lifestyle you wish to live at 65.

“The first and best victory is to conquer self.” Plato

Study the people who have made it to financial freedom and learn from their lessons. These are often free and it helps you move on.

Finally consider these words of Donald Trump

“The more you learn, the more you realise how much you don’t know.”

Until next time!

Dare top dream!

Woody

Time to Zag as other Zig!

2008-02-17T16:29:00.000-08:00

A dear friend of mine is in hospital right now receiving treatment for cancer. We have spent some time in the last year or so talking about investment strategies and I had suggested to him that an investment property would give him a useful long term income. Early this year he signed the papers for a property and rang me to celebrate.
It was just after this that it was clear that the cancer had not responded to the surgery and other options may be needed.

He invited me to his home to set up his software and office filing systems to manage the property, to make it easy for his wife, later.
We spent some time discussing the future – seems strange doesn’t it – but I could see that he now saw the need to provide for his family even more so than in the past!
Wealth creation now had more urgency and more application!

How easily we all drift through our lives following the set paths that we have been led to believe are the way to develop a future for ourselves. Yet when something like this comes along suddenly we think maybe we should do things differently! Maybe there is a better way!

As my business mentor says “(I) learned to Zig when others Zagged. I started to travel the road less travelled. The road to success. And the road to success lies within.”

Don’t let life bring you a major challenge before you take control of your financial future – remember your total life package is composed of many areas – health, fitness, relationships, family – and also finances.
How long would your health last if your finances took a big hit! What about your relationships?

Find like minded people – people wanting a balanced life – people taking control of their lives – people with a wealth mindset!

Robert Kiyosaki (Co-author, with Donald Trump, “Why we Want You to be Rich”)
“… there are many reasons people fail to become rich, even though they want to be rich…….(one) reason is the person fails to find an environment that supports him or her becoming rich.”

Read the books, find the free support on the web and spend time with the successful people around you. Find out what they did that was the Zag!
Create the environment that will bring the successes you want!

Remember your income will never be more than the average of the people you hang out with!

I spend as much time as I can with people wealthier than myself, I listen, I watch and I learn!

Until next time

Woody

The 21stCentury challenges you to change!

2008-02-11T22:23:00.000-08:00

I read “Secrets of Entrepreneurs under 40 exposed” last month and being very close to 50, I thought I should learn something from these people since I have less time in front of me than them!
As I read their stories it is obvious once again that different mind set is really the basis of all the successes they have.
So in summary from the book – find mentors, seek personal development, investment in yourself, take a chance and take action.

Yes, there it was again, wealth creation requires a change in your views – a change in attitude and a deeper understanding of the power of our thoughts and environment.
You cannot use your current situation or your experiences in the past as an excuse anymore! Pursue people and resources that can explain the changes needed to bring success.

Start small – visit a second-hand book shop and find those copies of “Think and Grow Rich”, “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway”, “TNT The Power Within You”, “The Magic of Thinking $ucce$$”, etc.

Read a chapter everyday and increase that to two chapters in a week or two. Before long you will look forward to your few minutes of reading and even do extra!
Exposure to the ideas and concepts in these books will slowly shift your mindset and lead to big changes in the long term.

Wealth Creation in the 21st Century

2008-02-10T16:04:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first blog for ABLUEPRINT4WEALTH. I will try to supply information on wealth creation and concepts that can guide your thoughts on moving towards financial freedom!

One thing I have learned in the last 2-3 years is that the biggest block to achieving forward motion in taking control of our finances is our attitude. Attitudes change with exposure to personal development. This usually comes in the form of books. Today there are huge resources on the web both hard copy and e-books that can expose you to new ideas and over time change your mind set.
Many of them are free or a very minor investment. And investment is what they need to be seen as - investment in yourself!
If you cannot invest in your own development then you are going to struggle when people and opportunities appear in your life that are outside your usual wealth attitudes and behaviours.

In the same way we have patterns of action in personal relationships we also have patterns we follow in the financial and wealth area!
Some of these patterns are actually stopping you from moving forward and have to be changed - and that change cannot be isolated from all your general attitudes.

So start small by reading or listening to some thing that will challenge your usual beliefs and maybe broaden your understanding of the world!
I personally recommend the Secret as a starting point - this challenges most peoples view of the world.
Also the classic book "Think and Grow Rich" will push most people to think more about how they think and act regarding wealth.

Until next time
Woody