Freedom News

Women lag behind men in the financial retirement stakes. What can be done about it? Here are the next 10 tips in our two-part series.

Women lag behind men in the financial retirement stakes. What can be done about it? Here are 10 tips in the first of our two-part series.

Did your parents ever tell you that the smartest way to build your wealth is to buy a home, and then pay all your surplus cash into the mortgage to pay it off as fast as possible? My parents certainly told me, and it is such a widely held belief that it has almost become common wisdom for parents to pass this financial advice to their children.

I am often asked when is the best time to invest in property or how do you read the market? The key thing to remember is that property investment cycles rise and fall as a result of sentiment more than anything else. In other words, they go up when people feel confident, and go down when they lose confidence. It's called the "herd effect" – but beware getting caught up in it, because if you do, you could miss an opportunity.

Where did the term “herd effect” come from? It describes how creatures or people can move and act together without planned direction.

When the dinner party discussion turns to investment property and negative gearing, do your eyes glaze over? Would you rather focus on the meal than join the discussion and risk getting it wrong?

 Kevin & Sally Hicks previously had a bad experience with property investing, but on advice from friends, they put their trust in The McCarthy Group, overcame their sceptism and are very happy that their trust has been rewarded.

We all have stories to tell about how trying to save time and money through a DIY approach can have very expensive (and unexpected) consequences! The same applies to investment property and property management. Our message? "Enlist the support of professionals."

Fast-forward to today, and Justine is the proud owner of her own home as well as an investment property in Doreen, Vic. “I didn’t ever think I’d get my life or finances back on track, but I have. I’ve got a roof over my head and am working to make up for the money that I lost from the separation. I’m very proud of my achievements so far.”

Cath and Jason live in Canberra, and have recently bought an investment property in Cairns. Theirs is a story of how easy it has been to invest through McCarthy Group, and the wonderful people they met along the way.