By Michael Yardney May 18, 2025

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Warren Buffett Is Retiring — But Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Copy His Strategy

Michael Yardney's Commentary
Warren Buffett Is Retiring — But Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Copy His Strategy

Key takeaways

Warren Buffett’s long-term investing success is extraordinary—but his strategy was built in a very different time and market environment.

Today’s investors face a very different landscape: faster information flow, different tax rules, and more market volatility.

Blindly copying Buffett won’t work for most Aussies, especially property investors with different goals, timeframes, and risk profiles.

Instead, focus on strategic investing suited to your stage of life, risk tolerance, and local market conditions—what worked for Buffett may not work for you.

Buffett's real legacy isn’t just his investments—it’s his mindset: discipline, patience, and avoiding mistakes still hold timeless value.

Warren Buffett is retiring – but his investment strategy probably won’t work for you.

Sure, he’s the Oracle of Omaha - the patron saint of value investing.

The man who turned a struggling textile mill into a $900+ billion behemoth.

Warren Buffett isn’t just a legend—he’s a category of one.

And now, after decades of compounding capital like no one else in history, he’s stepping away from the day-to-day.

But here’s the harsh truth most investors don’t want to hear:
Trying to invest like Buffett will probably do you more harm than good.

Yes, we can learn principles from him.

But copying Buffett’s strategy?

That’s a different story.

So, with all the headlines about his retirement, let’s cut through the noise and talk about why Buffett’s approach isn’t suitable for most Australian investors, particularly if you’re trying to build intergenerational wealth through property or need results within your lifetime (not your great-grandchildren’s).

1. You’re not running a giant insurance business that prints cash

Buffett didn’t get rich just by buying “good companies at fair prices.”

He built Berkshire Hathaway into a cash-gushing machine by owning insurance businesses like GEICO that throw off billions in “float” - premium income he can invest before paying out claims.

This is free leverage. Imagine if your lender gave you an interest-free loan and let you keep the returns.

That’s how Buffett supercharged his compounding.

The problem is…you don’t have an insurance company.

You’re using your after-tax salary or savings.

Maybe a line of credit or mortgage.

It’s not the same game.

2. You don’t have 100 years to let compounding work its magic

Buffett didn’t become a billionaire until his 50s.

Over 99% of his wealth came after his 60th birthday.

His superpower wasn’t just good investing - it was time.

He started at 11 years old and kept compounding for 80+ years.

You probably don’t have 80 years left to compound.

You’ve probably got 20, maybe 30, good wealth-building years if you’re lucky.

That means you need strategies that deliver leverage, growth, and scale faster, like well-selected investment-grade property or active business income.

3. You’re not buying entire businesses—you’re buying pieces of volatile public markets

Buffett doesn’t think like a retail stock investor.

He buys entire businesses—or huge stakes—and has access to information, management, and deal terms you and I never see.

He doesn’t panic during downturns because he’s in control.

You’re not in control.

When you buy BHP or CSL on the ASX, you’re riding the waves of public sentiment, algorithmic trading, and fund flows. You’re a passenger, not the pilot.

That’s why real estate—where you can influence value through renovations, rental strategy, or development—can be a better vehicle for most investors.

4. He’s playing a different game with a different scoreboard

Buffett’s goal isn’t to double his money quickly.

It’s to compound it at a reasonable rate with low risk and high certainty.

That’s fine when you’re managing hundreds of billions and your personal wealth is already secured.

But most people aren’t trying to match the S&P 500. They’re trying to:

Retire comfortably
Replace their income
Help their kids into property
Fund a better lifestyle

Different goals require different strategies.

Buffett doesn’t need to take risks anymore.

You might.

5. You don’t have his temperament (and that’s OK)

Buffett famously said that investing is “simple but not easy.”

Why?

Because the biggest threat to your wealth isn’t inflation or taxes—it’s your own behaviour.

Buffett has an unshakable temperament.

He didn’t sell during the GFC.

He doesn’t chase fads.

He ignores media hype.

He sits on billions in cash waiting for the perfect pitch.

Most investors… don’t.

They panic-sell.

Or they jump on the latest spruiker pitch, or chase the next property “hot spot,” or crypto tokens.

And they certainly don’t hold assets for 30 years through thick and thin.

On the other hand, strategic real estate investors who work with the right advisors, follow a Strategic Property Plan and have long-term frameworks are more likely to stay the course because property is less volatile, more tangible, and isn’t repriced every minute like shares.

6. Buffett’s edge is no longer available to you

Buffett built his wealth in a different era.

Back when markets were less efficient, financials weren’t available at the click of a button, and few people understood the power of value investing.

Today, every analyst with a Bloomberg terminal is scouring the same balance sheets, screening the same metrics, and looking for the same mispriced gems.

Buffett’s edge has been arbitraged away.

Meanwhile, in Australia, savvy property investors who understand local supply-demand dynamics, infrastructure planning, and demographic trends still have an edge, especially with a trusted team guiding their strategy.

So, what should you do instead?

Don’t misunderstand me, I have immense respect for Warren Buffett.

I’ve studied his letters, read his biographies, and absorbed the timeless wisdom in his aphorisms.

But I also know this: you need to play the game you're in, not the one Buffett was in.

For most Australians looking to build wealth today, that means:

Leveraging smart debt to buy income-producing, growth-oriented real estate
Investing in yourself and your business skills
Creating a structured wealth plan with strategic advice
Avoiding get-rich-quick schemes and focusing on sustainable, predictable outcomes

Final thoughts

Warren Buffett is the greatest investor of all time.

But he had the advantages of time, capital, access, and temperament that most people will never replicate.

Trying to follow his exact blueprint may leave you frustrated, underwhelmed, and far short of your financial goals.

Instead, take the best of his wisdom, discipline, patience, and long-term thinking, and apply it to vehicles that actually work for you, in general residential real estate.

If you're ready to stop following outdated blueprints and start building real, strategic wealth for your future, click here now to schedule a complimentary Wealth Discovery Chat with a Wealth Strategist at Metropole.

We’ll help you build a personalised plan that suits your goals, not Warren Buffett’s.

Over the years, we have helped thousands of Australians safely build intergenerational wealth through strategic property and wealth advice.

This financial freedom has given them more choices in their lives.

About Michael Yardney Michael is the founder of Metropole Property Strategists who help their clients grow, protect and pass on their wealth through independent, unbiased property advice and advocacy. He's once again been voted Australia's leading property investment adviser and one of Australia's 50 most influential Thought Leaders. His opinions are regularly featured in the media.