A huge welcome to you @Mark Burns 🐸 Come on in and say hello, we'd love to learn more about you

I recently missed out on a potentially 'very profitable' project as it came onto the market and I was not finaced ready... I really wasn't planning to buy anything so was not looking... until I saw it. My broker is very good but the banks are slow at the moment. Some tips in here to help you get finance ready...🐸

Please introduce yourself below, and tell us:- 👉 2 Truths and 1 Lie - about you! But please don't tell us which is the lie, lets see if we can guess! For example mine are: 1. I was raised on a farm and broke my leg falling off our horse. It bolted after seeing a snake! 2. I'm very competitive and always wanted to play sport. I couldn't because I have a hole in my heart. 3. Despite my friends calling me 'mango head' for many years, I had no idea what a mango actually was! Now its your turn...

Another great question here from @Jonah Pitkin ❓ Now, when you’re living at home, there a number of smart ways to enter the property market, and the ‘best’ one depends on your goal. OPTION A: Rentvesting (best for: investors + people not ready to move out) This is where you buy an investment property first, rent it out, and you stay living at home. Why it works: you keep your costs low, your tenant helps cover the mortgage, and you’re building equity while you save . Best if you want to start investing now without changing your lifestyle. **** Remember that if you buy the investment property first, NO First Home Owner grant later. – this MUST be factored into your decision as it a rather valuable grant!! OPTION B: Buy to live in later (best for: future homeowners + people wanting flexibility) This is where you buy a property that you could live in later, or one that works as an investment first. Think: a layout that’s rentable for tenants, a location that you’d actually want to live in (its hard to change location), and a property that doesn’t lock you into one outcome . Best if your end goal is a home to live in, but you want the property to work hard for you in the meantime. OPTION C: Buy with someone (best for: people needing more buying power) Partner, sibling, or a structured agreement with parent/friend/colleague . You combine deposits and incomes to buy sooner. But this only works if you have clear rules: who pays what, who owns what percentage, what happens if someone wants out, and how decisions get made in the future. Best when you’re both aligned on strategy and you treat it like a business ‘joint venture’ decision, not just a vibe, kind of transaction. Here's an afterthought, that I have often told my youngest son Josh - Go and buy the home to live in and rent out all spare bedrooms to reduce the mortgage ASAP. Later, when you have the wife and kids, you kick out the tenants

This question came from @Jonah Pitkin - with thanks If you want the “best ways” to secure a mortgage, think in three buckets: 🐸 serviceability, 🐸 deposit/structure, and 🐸 risk profile. 1) Maximise serviceability (this is usually the real limiting factor when getting your loan) - Stabilise income: consistent payslips, avoid job hopping right before applying. - Reduce liabilities: pay down credit cards, personal loans, car finance. Even unused credit limits reduce your overall borrowing power. - Clean spending history: 3–6 months of statements matter—reduce BNPL, gambling transactions, and “mystery spending.” The bank managers are looking closely at your habits when they assess you for your loan. - Add a second income stream (even small, consistent) if it’s provable and ongoing. (like you mentioned Jonah - the small online business you have will have a huge benefit to your serviceability 2) Strengthen your deposit position - Aim for 20% where possible to avoid LMI (Lenders Mortgage Insurance or reduce it). - If you can’t: 10–15% can still work, but your file needs to be clean and your income stable. - Genuine savings is a big deal for many lenders—regular, consistent saving is gold. - *** and remember Jonah that for your situation if you buy an investment property first, you would no longer be entitled to the First Home Buyers grant 3) Pick the right structure (parents can help, but choose the safest method) There are two common ways parents help: A) Parent as guarantor (often better than co-signing) - This uses equity in the parent’s home as security for part of your loan (usually the deposit portion). - Benefit: you may buy with a smaller deposit and potentially avoid or reduce LMI. - Risk: your parents’ property is on the line if you default—so it must be planned properly. - Best practice: set a clear plan for how and when the guarantee is released. B) Parent as co-borrower / co-signer