First Time Property Investor

Pete breaks down what a BA actually does, how they differ from selling agents, and the real dollar cost of hiring one, including the fee structures worth being wary of after recent high-profile industry collapses. Imti and Skye push on the harder questions: how to spot a good BA from a bad one, why the space is dangerously unregulated, and where BAs are increasingly overstepping into territory tha...

A "should you or shouldn't you" episode with a game-show twist. Imti builds four versions of the same investing decision around one client, Jess, changing a single variable each round, and Pete and Skye have to lock in an answer. Should Jess use a parental guarantor now, or wait? What if her parents are nervous about the market? What if she could buy solo with a smaller deposit instead ... go big...

Parental guarantors, explained in plain English. Imti breaks down exactly what mum and dad are agreeing to when they help a child buy property - using equity, not cash, to help cover the deposit and avoid lender's mortgage insurance. Skye grills him with the parent's real-world concerns (can the bank take my house? what if I still have a mortgage? what about multiple kids?), while Pete digs into h...

If you were to ask us each to pick just one key data point out of the 150-plus a buyer's agent typically uses, we'd land on the same one. It's not capital growth, rental yield, or population growth. It's owner-occupier percentage: how many people in a suburb own the home they live in, versus rent it out. In this episode, your hosts break down why this simple, easy-to-find number underpins almost e...

Three people, 30-plus years of combined property experience, and three of their most painful (and least obvious) mistakes. Not the usual "wrong suburb, paid too much" stuff! Pete chased land size above everything else, Imti researched so much it created false confidence, and Skye bought a property (or two) simply because it felt safe. Each host unpacks what actually happened, why the decision felt...

Commercial property is everywhere on social media right now, sold as the shortcut to passive income and easy cash flow. But is it actually right for you? In this episode, Imti and Pete - who is genuinely weighing up the move himself - break down why commercial looks so appealing on paper, and the three things worth stress-testing before you go anywhere near it: lease, lending, and location. Connec...

This episode tackles whether first-home buyers and first-time investors should buy an apartment versus rent-vesting, arguing apartments can be a good investment only if you buy the right one, but many are poor financial decisions due to high strata fees, oversupply, weak owner-occupier demand, and limited “next buyer” pools. The hosts break down why “rent money is dead money” can be misleading by...

Part two of the tax law changes series. In part one, the hosts covered strategy, portfolio size, and owner-occupier decisions. This episode zooms out to the bigger-picture questions: is property still worth investing in at all? What types of property will actually perform? Are rents really going to keep rising? Is now a good time to buy while prices are softening? And are buyer's agents still wort...

Since the recent tax law changes passed, Imti, Pete, and Skye's phones haven't stopped going off. Can you still build a portfolio? Does property even make sense anymore? Do loan structures need to change? In part one of this two-part series, the hosts tackle the first five of the top ten questions they're hearing from clients right now - grounded in facts, not headlines, and designed to help you c...

This episode introduces the Ikigai framework as a way to make clearer, long-term property and life decisions amid noise from social media, family opinions, and investing “quick win” narratives. Imti explains Ikigai as the overlap of what matters to you, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for, and asks Pete how it applies to client investing journeys. They discuss h...

The property influencer space pushes three key messages every single day: grind harder, buy more, and everyone can and should be investing. But what if all three are wrong? In this episode, Imti, Pete, and Skye take on the biggest lies circulating in the property content world right now - not to discourage investing, but to cut through the shame, the hype, and the one-size-fits-all advice that's l...

Most first-time property investors are laser-focused on getting started - but what happens after a decade of building a portfolio? In this episode, Imti puts co-host Pete in the hot seat for a candid, unscripted look at the crossroads he's currently facing: whether to pivot from residential into commercial property, go all-in on shares, or a combination of both. Even with nearly a decade of indust...

The episode explains recent changes that will shut off new borrowing through SMSFs for residential property, while noting what hasn’t changed: SMSFs still exist, commercial property lending via SMSF remains possible, and residential property can still be bought outright with cash. The hosts argue the change affects less than 1% of lending and is being catastrophised by industry players who profit...

This is part two of Julia's story - a cautionary tale about a seasoned property investor who built $350,000 in equity across two properties, only to find herself in a situation that could cost her everything. In part one, the hosts walked through the story at a high level. In this episode, they slow it right down: breaking apart each of the 10 red flags in Julia's purchase journey - not just what...

What happens when a successful investor follows advice from people they thought they could trust? In this episode, the team unpacks the real-life story of Julia, a migrant who worked tirelessly to build wealth through property, only to find herself locked into two unconditional contracts that put more than $350,000 of equity at risk. From community referrals and educational seminars to referral co...

With recent property tax changes reshaping the investment landscape, many first-time investors are asking the same question: should you buy established property or consider a new build instead? In this episode, the team breaks down a practical five-step framework covering the recent budget changes, investment timeframes, borrowing capacity, cashflow, and risk. Learn how each factor can influence y...

With more investors considering new builds, knowing how to separate opportunity from marketing hype has never been more important. In this episode, the team breaks down a practical framework for researching new build investment properties, including what makes a location attractive, the key data points to analyse, and the red flags that often signal trouble ahead. Learn why established suburbs con...

In the first episode of our new Investor Confessions series, Pete shares the real stories behind his eight-property journey—the wins, the mistakes, and the lessons he learned the hard way. From selling a Perth property too early and missing out on hundreds of thousands in growth, to the hidden costs of self-managing tenants and sitting on the fence when opportunities appeared, this is an honest lo...

Thinking about using a buyer’s agent but unsure if it’s actually worth it? In this episode, the team answers 12 common questions first-time investors ask, covering a range of topics from off-market deals and hidden commissions, to fees, red flags, hotspots, and whether buyer’s agents really improve long-term outcomes. Learn how good buyer’s agents structure their process, where investors often get...

Originally prepared for clients, this presentation breaks down what’s actually changing in Budget 2026, what isn’t, who is protected, and what different types of property investors should be thinking about now. As a mortgage broker and Qualified Property Investment Advisor, my goal here is to cut through the clickbait and explain what actually matters. Inside, I cover: Negative gearing changes CGT...

If you think owning an investment property means you can do whatever you want with it, this episode might surprise you. The team breaks down 12 common landlord assumptions that regularly catch first-time investors off guard, from ending leases and increasing rent, to pets, renovations, repairs, and tenant rights. Learn what landlords legally can’t do, where investors often get themselves into trou...

This episode breaks down the critical gap between finding a property and confidently making an offer, giving first-time investors a clear 5-step framework to follow. Learn how to assess location and value, avoid emotional decision-making, and set a “sleep at night” price that aligns with your goals and risk tolerance. The team also unpacks how to handle agents, understand offer campaigns, and stru...

In this episode, your hosts debunk seven common myths that trip up first-time property investors, from chasing big blocks to trusting the wrong people. If you're just starting out on your property journey, save, download or bookmark this episode - it'll help frame the decisions you make along the way. Connect with us ➜ https://linktr.ee/ftpi.pod First Time Property Investor is for Australians who...

This week, your hosts break down a real client scenario: a dual-income family on $160k with two kids deciding between buying two ~$400k investment properties or one ~$800k property to build wealth and retire early.  Connect with us ➜ https://linktr.ee/ftpi.pod First Time Property Investor is for Australians who want to invest in property but feel stuck between too much information, conflicting adv...

This episode of the First Time Property Investor podcast is for Australians who want to invest in property but feel stuck between analysis paralysis, conflicting advice, and the fear of making an expensive mistake. In this episode, your hosts unpack why waiting feels safe, the hidden costs of delaying, and how the market can move while you’re on the fence. You’ll learn the difference between a hea...