8 property mistakes almost every investor learns the hard way

I’ve said it before many times, and it bears repeating once more: as a property investor, you will pay for your education.

You’ll either pay for it by actively seeking to educate yourself, by investing in courses, seminars, and mentoring programs that help you grow your wealth.

Or you’ll pay for it by making costly mistakes.

Unfortunately, it’s the latter path that most property investors end up taking…

Whether you’re new to property investment or you’ve been a landlord for some time, it is a good idea to be aware of some of the more common (and costly) mistakes you want to try and avoid when building a property portfolio.

As they say, a smart person learns from their mistakes; a wise one learns from the mistakes of others, so here are a few common property investment blunders that you can learn from – along with some strategies to avoid them.

1. Making hasty decisions

When the property investing bug bites, it can cause you to become laser-focused on all things real estate.

This can be a real asset – but if it prompts you to get so excited about buying a property that you glide over the (really important) finer details, it can become a very big problem.

A lack of careful thought and planning can cost you a fortune so make sure you take the time to formulate a strategy, then undertake due diligence to understand your chosen market, view a number of potential properties, and interview a number of professionals before choosing who you want to work with.

2. Doing inadequate research

Along the same lines, many investors rush in and buy an investment property without doing adequate research first – and sometimes, none at all!

This is a very serious financial risk and yet investors seem to make this mistake all too often.

You need to review the property from every angle, including your prospective tenant’s.

Get an idea of the kind of people who are renting a property in this area: how much are they paying?

What types of properties do they like?

Are new or older homes more ‘in demand’?

The answers to these questions will help you tailor your investment to the market, lowering your vacancy periods.

3. Thinking like an owner

This is one of the most common mistakes made by those who are new to investing in bricks and mortar.

When considering an investment property, your judgment should be based on the perspective of the local demographics.

Avoid allowing your own personal tastes and desires to affect your judgment.

Instead, try and walk in the shoes of local buyers – those who would buy similar properties in the area as well as potential tenants and not its appeal to you at your age and stage of life.

4. Failing to consider your tenant’s desires

Think about it: the features, amenities, and mod-cons that appeal to you in your 40s or 50s are completely different from those that may appeal to you in your 20s.

So it’s important to stay focused on what your tenants want out of a property, not what you want.

5. Paying over the odds

Many investors, especially those who are new to property, are too timid to make a low offer on an investment property.

Remember: your portfolio is a business. 

Your primary goal is to make a profit.

You don't know the position of the seller so what does it hurt to put in a lower offer?

They may be after a quick sale, rather than being too focused on price.

The worst that can happen is they say no and you try to negotiate.

Of course, in a hot market, pitching a low-ball offer may not work in your favour if another buyer swoops in with a better offer.

That’s why in a seller’s market such as we’re seeing in segments of Melbourne and Sydney at present, the best negotiation strategy is the one that secures your chosen property, not the one that misses out by offering a low ball price.

6. Underestimating your running costs

Alongside over-paying in the first place, another huge profit-crunching mistake that investors make is to underestimate how much their investment is going to cost them to manage.

It is very easy (and very tempting) to downplay the amount of time and money it will take to get your property to the rental market.

But if you get this wrong, you can end up with serious cash flow issues.

7. Having no spare funds

Here’s my advice: if buying an investment property will leave you with no cash in the bank, you shouldn’t buy it.

Property investing can be an expensive undertaking and surprises always seem to crop up.

Things like property repairs, vacancies, and rising interest rates.

That’s why you need a financial buffer in something like an offset account ready for a real estate ‘rainy day’.

8. Going solo 

Many investors hope to save money by going through the process of formulating a strategy, finding a property, negotiating its purchase, and managing a property alone.

However, this can be an extremely costly mistake to make in the long run.

I’ve found professional advice is never expensive – it’s an investment, not an expense.

This list is by no means exhaustive; there are a number of other issues that can crop up for first-time investors, such as:

• Failing to take out building and landlords insurance
• Taking out insurance, but opting for the cheapest policy – leaving you exposed to big financial risks
• Managing the property yourself to save a dollar
• Diving into DIY renovations, despite a lack of experience

And the list goes on… 

Obviously, as a property investor, you can’t avoid making some mistakes along the way.

Hopefully, you will be able to bounce back these ‘learning curves’ you experience.

But as the saying goes: knowledge is power.

So educate yourself by building your property and wealth creation is one of your best defenses against making the kinds of costly mistakes that can derail your wealth.

About Brett Warren Brett Warren is National Director of Metropole Properties and uses his two decades of property investment experience to advise clients how to grow, protect and pass on their wealth through strategic property advice.