In today’s show Margaret Lomas details how she “keeps the bastards honest”. Of course we are talking about spruikers. What are the signs?
Hear Margaret speak passionately about what she is doing.

Read the transcript:

Margaret Lomas
Kevin:  About the time this program is due to go out on Saturday, February 28, there will be the Sydney Property Intensive 2015, which is happening that features six property investment professionals, basically put together by Margaret Lomas to keep the bastards honest. They are your words, Margaret, so I’ll use them.
Margaret:  They are my words. I wasn’t actually going to say that, though, Kevin.
What happened is one time that I was doing the show on Your Money, Your Call, I started chatting with some of my guests afterwards. We always talk about the fact that every time the property market is looking good – which, of course, it is in many states at the moment – we always talk about the fact that then what happens is the spruikers start coming out of the woodwork.
When people are enthusiastic about a property market, whether they’re thinking for the first time or the next time about buying another property or their first property, then they start to become a little bit vulnerable, and I think the spruikers know that. They take advantage of that. They come out, they start offering these expensive courses, and they start selling property with big commissions.
We just decided that we had whinged about it long enough and it was time that we actually put our money where our mouth is, and put together a day where people can come and know that that’s not going to happen to them.
Kevin:  As I said at the start, it’s on today, Saturday, February 28 in Sydney, but don’t despair because it’s coming up on April 18 in Melbourne, and I believe you’re also going to be in Brisbane, as well?
Margaret:  Yes, absolutely. We don’t have a Brisbane date yet, and of course, we’re looking for expressions of interest there, but the important thing to know about this is that in both Sydney and Melbourne, we have good markets. The Sydney market is cooling, but I still think there are some areas in Sydney that will go on to still deliver some pretty good growth, particularly in some of those southwestern suburbs.
Melbourne, of course, has been really quiet, but we see the December quarter figure shows that Melbourne’s already started on its move. If we just cut out that CBD apartment and living where we have tower after tower being built, we have got a lot of great suburbs in Melbourne – down towards the southeast just out to the west around Sunshine – where I think we’re going to see some great growth in 2015.
At our Melbourne Property Intensive, we’re going to be talking about not only the Melbourne market and what’s happening in Melbourne and where the best properties are to buy, we’re going to talk about the growth drivers, but we’re also going to be trying to improve everybody’s bottom line. We think we can do that by a significant amount of money just with the strategies we’ll be talking about.
Kevin:  As distinct from the spruikers, there is nothing to buy at the intensive, Margaret?
Margaret:  No, absolutely not. We say that we have nothing to sell except our expertise, and we don’t mean that we are selling our expertise, but we mean you’re getting it that day. You come along and you’re going to have access to us.
We’re keeping the numbers small, too, Kevin, because I think if you have these massive big crowds, then people can’t get to you to ask the right questions. We’re trying to keep it reasonably intimate, and all you’re going to get is some really good quality strategic information that is going to help you make 2015 better and help you to find those markets.
It’s a bit confusing at the moment as to where we should be looking next, what’s really happening in Sydney, is Melbourne going to take off, and of course, we believe there are some good opportunities in Melbourne, but where are they? That’s what we would like to talk about on the day.
Kevin:  That’s what you’ll be getting. That Melbourne Intensive, as I said, is on April 18. Just go to the website YourPropertyTeam.com.au. There are six speakers apart from you, Margaret. You’re always a regular on our show, and we also talk to Dr. Andrew Wilson from the Domain Group and Brad Beer from BMT, who are both going to be on stage, as well.
Margaret:  Yes, indeed. Of course, Property Success team member Ian Rodrigues who is fabulous with all that property tax. Lisa Montgomery, who’s a finance guru – and of course, we all know about her finance expertise – is going to be there, as well. And let’s not forget those really important strata and legal lessons that Michael Teys can give to people.
A lot of people get into strata living these days, yet they don’t realize how dangerous that can be and how many traps there are when you’re buying a strata property. Michael is going to talk about what those typical traps are and how to make sure that they don’t happen to you this year.
Kevin:  We’ve had Michael on the show, too. He’s always great value. All six people are fantastic. That’s the Melbourne Intensive 2015, April 18. You can find all the details on the website YourPropertyTeam.com.au.
As usual, Margaret, all power to you. Keep up the good work.
Margaret:  Thank you, we will. We’re going to get out there and we’re going to get those bastards, won’t we?
Kevin:  Margaret Lomas from Destiny Financial Solutions and also the star of Your Money, Your Call on Sky TV. Thanks, Margaret.
Margaret:  Thank you.