Retire Filthy Rich with Real Estate E-Book

Ravi Sharma

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 271

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Discover the property investing secrets that the wealthy use to create financial independence

At age 21, Ravi Sharma bought his first property. By 32, he had acquired another dozen and amassed a $15M property portfolio. In Retire Filthy Rich with Real Estate, he shares how he did it and shows how anyone can follow in his footsteps. Forget the traditional wisdom: Retire Filthy Rich with Real Estate will transform the way you think about money, investment and property. Ravi answers all your investing questions and gives clear, actionable advice for anyone ready to change their future.

Retire Filthy Rich with Real Estate gives you a playbook for investing strategically and building lasting wealth. Inside, you’ll learn proven methods for achieving financial freedom, from your first real estate purchase to a six-property portfolio. Discover practical advice for navigating the complex and competitive property market, including the basics of deposits, grants and loans — plus more advanced strategies for maximising equity and cashflow.

• Refocus your objectives and take control of your finances
• Avoid the common money traps that hold people back
• Learn the rules of the property game (including what Monopoly teaches us about investing!)
• Invest smarter with strategies like rentvesting
• Create the future you want and live a life of choice

Being ‘filthy rich’ isn’t just about having a lot of money in the bank. It’s about having the freedom to nurture your dreams, your relationships and a life you love. Retire Filthy Rich with Real Estate will show you how to use real estate to secure your financial future — so you can live that dream life sooner.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

COVER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

COPYRIGHT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

INTRODUCTION

PART I: DO WHAT THE FILTHY RICH DO

CHAPTER 1: MY JOURNEY TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM

BEING BITTEN BY THE PROPERTY BUG

FINDING — AND COMING BACK TO — MY WHY

CHOCOLATE OR INVESTING?

TIME TO BUY MY FIRST PROPERTY

TIME TO FOLLOW MY PASSION

LET’S GET STARTED

CHAPTER 2: FOLLOW YOUR PASSION — AND READ THE SIGNS

WAKE UP AND SEE THE WARNING SIGNS

FOLLOW THE MONEY

CHAPTER 3: DEVELOP YOUR INVESTOR MINDSET

FINDING YOUR OWN PATH

AVOIDING COMMON MINDSET TRAPS

ADOPTING A FILTHY RICH MINDSET

ACCEPTING SOME HARD TRUTHS

CHAPTER 4: DEVELOP YOUR INVESTMENT STRATEGY

LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS

GET ON TRACK TO BUY PROPERTIES FASTER!

DIVERSIFY BEYOND YOUR OWN BACKYARD

CONSIDER RENTVESTING

PART II: RAVI'S REAL ESTATE PLAYBOOK

CHAPTER 5: LEARN FROM MONOPOLY — AND THEN TAKE IT FURTHER

KEY LEARNINGS FROM MONOPOLY

MAKING MONOPOLY EVEN BETTER

PAYING OFF YOUR DEBT VERSUS USING IT AS LEVERAGE

USING EQUITY TO BUY MULTIPLE PROPERTIES

CHAPTER 6: FINANCE YOUR FIRST PROPERTY AND GET STARTED

UPFRONT COSTS WHEN PURCHASING A PROPERTY

UNDERSTANDING STAMP DUTY ON INVESTMENT PROPERTIES

LOOKING AT LENDERS MORTGAGE INSURANCE

CONSIDERING A GUARANTOR HOME LOAN

CHOOSING YOUR FIRST PROPERTY WISELY

CHAPTER 7: DON’T BE AVERAGE

EMBRACE THAT SIDE HUSTLE

LINKING YOUR PASSION TO YOUR PROPERTY PORTFOLIO

CONSIDERING DIFFERENT ASSET TYPES

BUY FEAR, SELL EUPHORIA

THINK BIG

FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE GAME

CHAPTER 8: BUILD YOUR PROPERTY PORTFOLIO

LEVERAGE: MAXIMISING YOUR INVESTMENT POWER

EQUITY: YOUR SECRET WEAPON FOR GROWTH

THE TRADITIONAL ROUTE VERSUS LEVERAGING EQUITY

BUILDING A PORTFOLIO OF FIVE OR MORE PROPERTIES

CHAPTER 9: DO TAXES SMARTER

TAX DEDUCTIONS FOR PROPERTY INVESTORS

GROWING WEALTH THROUGH SMART PROPERTY INVESTMENTS

ENGAGING A PROPERTY ACCOUNTANT

CHAPTER 10: DIVERSIFY YOUR INVESTMENTS

CONSIDERING ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS

CHAPTER 11: RETIRE FILTHY RICH

STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING WEALTH

PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER

CONCLUSION: LIVE A LIFE OF CHOICE

INDEX

END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Acknowledgements

About the author

Introduction

Begin Reading

Conclusion: Live a life of choice

Index

End User License Agreement

Pages

iii

iv

vii

viii

ix

xi

xii

xiii

xiv

xv

xvi

xvii

xviii

xix

xx

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

169

170

171

172

173

174

175

176

177

178

179

180

181

182

183

185

186

187

188

189

190

191

192

193

194

195

196

197

198

199

200

First published 2025 by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd

© 2025 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd

All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial intelligence technologies or similar technologies. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (for example, a fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review) no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise. Advice on how to obtain permission to reuse material from this title is available at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

The right of Ravi Sharma to be identified as the author of Retire Filthy Rich with Real Estate has been asserted in accordance with law.

ISBN: 978‐1‐394‐32440‐8

Registered Office

John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. Level 4, 600 Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia

For details of our global editorial offices, customer services, and more information about Wiley products visit us at www.wiley.com.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats and by print‐on‐demand. Some content that appears in standard print versions of this book may not be available in other formats.

Trademarks: Wiley and the Wiley logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty

While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this work, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives, written sales materials or promotional statements for this work. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a specialist where appropriate. The fact that an organisation, website, or product is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the publisher and author endorse the information or services the organisation, website, or product may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Cover design by Alex Ross Creative

Set in Plantin Std 10.5/16pt by Straive, Chennai, India

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I never thought I'd write a book, but after realising how powerful words can be in helping people, I felt morally obligated to share the tips and tricks that could help people get further ahead with their financial goals. Even so, my respect for authors has risen to a new level, given how long this book has taken to write.

The initial writing process took over 12 months, as I attempted to manage a growing business, plan for a wedding and still enjoy my early 30s. While the concepts in this book are the result of years of studying the markets and conducting strategy sessions with over 800 people, it's really been in the past 12 months that everything has come together.

However, this book would not have been possible without a few special people and this section is a thank you to those special few.

To my wife, Sanjna, you truly are my best investment ever! You have always had my back since the beginning, and motivated me to aim to become the best version of myself. Without you, I wouldn't have started my YouTube channel, which has led to me now running one of Australia's largest buyer's agencies and employing over 50 full‐time employees. Without your support, this journey would not have been possible, and I can't wait to see us continue to work together on our goals, helping family and friends along the way.

To my brother, Deeps, you have pushed me to keep exploring the unknown and testing my limits time and time again. You have kept me grounded in this process, while always looking out for me — and not just in business, but also in life. I'm so excited to see what our journey holds in the professional world. Although I don't think we will ever become mixed martial arts fighters, let's continue to always enjoy our Coke Zeros while we watch the UFC together.

To my best mates: Marel, you have been a godsend! One of the main reasons I've been able to achieve what I have so far in my professional career is your influence and mindset training. I know you like the 5 am version of Ravi a lot better than the 20‐hours‐a‐week Ravi, and I love you for that. Farouk, Steve, you know you both are legends and have always given me the support and advice I need to keep pushing myself further in my growth as an individual and as a leader. Thank you for constantly challenging me and making me realise that this game has levels.

To my team, you are absolutely amazing people who make coming to work a delight. Without your help, the success of the business would not be possible — and it would definitely not be possible for me to take time away from the business to write this book.

A special shout‐out to Serena, you have been so helpful in this entire process and I'm grateful that I've been able to share this experience with you. Thank you for making the extra notes and prompting me to complete certain sections, and for always getting the best out of my words and ideas.

To my hardworking parents, Mum and Dad, you both have been massive pillars in my life. Words cannot describe my gratitude for the way you brought Deeps and me up, alongside the core values you instilled in us from a young age. As adults, we now realise and appreciate the sacrifices you both made in order to give us a better life. Thank you so much for everything and I'm glad your teachings are helping me to help more people out there.

Lucy and Leigh from Wiley, it must truly be manifestation and the power of the universe that caused you to reach out to me about this book. This end result definitely wouldn't be possible without that first message, which led to the series of events that brings us here today.

And finally, you, the reader. You may not know me but by the end of this book you will know everything about my investing journey and why I am so passionate about sharing key messages about personal finance and financial freedom. I am excited for you to embark on your own investing journey, as you choose how and when to action the concepts and ideas I share in this book.

Ravi Sharma

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I'm Ravi Sharma and I host Australia's largest, and number one, real estate channel on YouTube — Personal Finance with Ravi Sharma. I also run Search Property, one of the fastest growing buyer's agencies in Australia, with over 50 full‐time staff members. You may have found this book after watching me on YouTube, but I'm going to assume that you don't really know my story. Let's spend a couple of minutes together while I build some context around why you may want to listen to me — based not only on my personal experience with investing in real estate, but also on the networks, conversations and strategy sessions I've had with individuals who are now wealthier than 99 per cent of Australians.

I began investing in real estate at the age of 21, when I bought my first property. However, I'd been a student of the market since I was 18, after experiencing — and trying to understand — what had happened during the global financial crisis (the severe economic downturn between mid‐2007 and early 2009). In 2010, I graduated high school, and I spent a lot of time educating myself about how money works, why it's important, and why I'd witnessed all my family members struggle with money — ultimately leading to more financial stress, and affecting their other relationships.

My journey since buying that first property at 21 for under $300 000 has been long and fruitful, and has led to me amassing a portfolio in excess of $15 million by the time I turned 32. Looking back, I would not change anything for the world, despite the mistakes that I made — and even though I also know I could be in what other may see as a ‘bigger and better’ asset position. Instead of focusing on accumulating more than $15 million and an ever‐increasing number of properties, I chose to pursue my definition of what being ‘filthy rich’ truly means. To me, being filthy rich means being able to invest in the relationships around me and run a business I'm truly passionate about because it allows me to help everyday Australians.

When it comes to my story, you'll find a central theme. I believe that if I can provide more value to the people around me, I in turn will receive more from the universe as a reward. That is predominantly how I've been able to build out my following to over 80 000 subscribers on YouTube alone, with a combined following of more than 120 000 across all socials. And it's purely for this reason that I started educating people like you, and I will continue to do this at no cost because I believe that not every person among my thousands of subscribers and followers needs to be a client of my buyer's agency. Instead, I want to offer value that can help them improve their own lives, which, in turn, will reward me through the universe and its synergies.

When I first started learning about money and investing, I truly didn't know the effect of compound growth or how the relationship between knowledge and action is far more important than the knowledge itself. It was only after I started learning and applying these principles that I began to realise the incredible potential I had been overlooking.

As a result of founding one of the fastest growing buyer's agencies in Australia, I've had the privilege to connect with people from all walks of life — from first‐time home buyers all the way to people who have real estate portfolios in excess of $20 to $30 million.

Having these insights and building these connections has given me an unfair advantage in building wealth through property assets, businesses and relationships. I've had the opportunity to learn and leverage knowledge from people who may be more successful than me in investing, but who have faced significant challenges or regrets in other areas of their lives. After running over 800 individual strategy sessions with everyday Australians, both here and overseas, I've built up a personal knowledge bank that I try to share with everyone I speak to, and which I've done my best to communicate through this book.

I think the reason Search Property has become as successful as it has is because, as the founder and principal, I'm actively involved in this market. That's a big key point of difference between our agency and many others, which are often led by people who aren't as engaged or who built their wealth through high incomes rather than smart investments. In my case, I built my portfolio in my 20s while juggling multiple side hustles and a career. I strongly advocate for anyone in their 20s and 30s to do the same, because I know it works. I've done it myself, and we help clients every single day who are in this exact situation.

I've said it before, and I'll continue saying it: real estate investing isn't going anywhere. Sure, the forms of it may change, the types of assets might change, but the principle of acquiring land to build wealth is timeless. That's why it's crucial to align yourself with people who are in the know and can adapt to the latest strategies to achieve the highest possible returns on investment.

If you truly want freedom from the 9 to 5 grind, or if you're seeking financial freedom to focus on the relationships that matter and to live a life of choice — in other words, becoming filthy rich — then I urge you to read this book all the way through. I dive deep into the rules of the game and show you how you can start achieving these goals.

When people come across my story of how I've built a large portfolio, they often assume I had to sacrifice my lifestyle to reach these financial milestones. That couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, having a real estate portfolio and a strong asset base gave me more freedom to explore different career paths and discover what I'm truly passionate about in my 20s. Now, I'm fortunate enough to dedicate my life to helping everyday Australians with financial education. With a strong team behind me at Search Property, we strategise and build roadmaps to help people like you achieve their goals, and we help people execute these strategies by finding the right properties at the right price in the right locations. I truly believe that affordability will remain a concern, and while it feels like it's the worst it's ever been right now, trust me — people were saying the exact same thing 30 years ago. Affordability will always be an issue; instead of waiting for this to change, it's better to take action today.

I believe you can not only achieve financial freedom without sacrificing your lifestyle, but also actually enhance your lifestyle. This applies to everyone, whether you're in your 20s or 30s, all the way through to retirement in your 60s and 70s. We simply don't know what we don't know, and that is why I try to share as much as I can from my learnings, and why I urge you to keep an open mind as you go through this book.

INTRODUCTION

You might be thinking, Here we go, another rags to riches story about some guy who invested well — I doubt I'll find any value here. Wrong! On the other hand, you may have picked this book up because you've seen my face on YouTube talking about investing, real estate and personal finance education. If so, you'll know that I'm super passionate about giving more than I take, and it's important to me that you walk away with something of value from this book. Or perhaps you've never heard of me, but you are interested in creating a life of financial freedom and choice.

Whatever the reason you've picked up this book, I'm confident it has what you need. I'm writing this introduction after having written the entire book, because I thought it would be really interesting to consider it after writing over 45 000 words. In all honesty, this book is cracker!

WHAT DOES ‘RETIRING FILTHY RICH’ MEAN TO YOU?

The perfect retirement is different for everyone. Some people simply want to have paid off their debts by the time they retire, while others want to generate a sh*tload of money from which they'll live passively every year. I know people who sit in both camps. Those in the first group generally can't relate to the second group, and from my experience in consumer behaviour and financial goal setting, I understand why. I'm going to do my best to cater for both approaches so you can decide what ‘retiring filthy rich’ really means to you.

When you picked up this book, you may have believed that retiring filthy rich simply meant having a lot of money in the bank. This is a great benefit of financial freedom, but human connections, mental clarity, love and peace of mind also play a major role in this retirement dream. Some people will learn this later than others. In my case, working hard and being fortunate enough to invest well in my 20s has meant that I've come to this realisation a lot earlier than most. I know that money doesn't buy you happiness; however, it does buy you choice. As we progress through this book, I discuss different elements of why this holds true and why being rich shouldn't be viewed as negative when it gives you the choice to give back.

It doesn't matter what you do for work or what your business is solving; what matters is that you understand what to do with the money you make and what your overall aim is. I have plenty of business friends who make a lot and then spend a lot, because they were never taught how to create wealth with their profits. I also have family members who make a lot but have no clue how to optimise their investing for the best returns. No matter what your profession, you must understand how money works and how to use it.

WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK — AND WHY YOU NEED IT

I want to share some context with you before we jump into the ‘cool stuff’, and it's important you don't skip this part. It will reassure you that if I can live a life of financial freedom, it's definitely something you can achieve, too.

Let's first address up‐front whether this book is right for you. I respect your time, so I may as well be transparent from the beginning. This is not a feel‐good story that you can use to read yourself to sleep. It's about action and challenging the traditional thoughts that might be holding you back as you listen to the system, your parents and the government.

If you've been thinking about making moves and actioning some plans, then this book is 100 per cent for you. If you want to start taking practical steps towards your next goal, this book is for you. If you are a first home buyer or buying your seventh property, this book is for you. If you like reading stories about how a guy ends up on YouTube with a following of over 80 000 Australians while talking about finance in a black t‐shirt, this book is definitely for you. Feel free to enjoy this with your cheat day food of choice — a Zinger Box from a certain fast‐food chain has definitely fuelled the writing of parts of this book.

Did I ever think I was going to write a book? Definitely not. I'm not a writer and, although I did quite well in my HSC when it came to English Advanced, if you've watched some of my YouTube content you likely know what I think about the Australian schooling system and education in general. So, why am I writing a book? The truth is it's because I know that the reach I can achieve with a book will be far greater than what I am doing right now. Imagine you're about to get on a seven‐hour flight and you won't have access to the internet — or my YouTube videos — or feel like your eyes are strained and don't want to keep looking at a computer screen. Instead, you find this book at the airport and read it during the flight. (Maybe that's actually what happened?!) Or maybe you're buying a gift for someone who really wants to learn about finances, wealth and how to achieve early retirement — in that case, this is the perfect gift. These are just two scenarios where this book finds a wider audience

The reason I need my voice to reach increasing numbers of Australians is because we need more financial education and strategies out there, especially today. If the cost of living crisis wasn't enough, we are now dealing with a housing and rental crisis. So, I need to spread my words as far and wide and as quickly as possible to help as many people as I can before it's too late.

I'll try to be as transparent as I can throughout this book as I outline my journey purchasing my first property and investing in other assets, as well as the mindset and hurdles that I had to overcome when it came to the people around me.

I don't believe the issues or hurdles I had to overcome should remain as obstacles for you, and I believe parts of my journey will resonate with you. I will share the realities of wanting to be different and doing something different to achieve a different result from others. I've spoken to over 800 people in strategy sessions and have come to realise that the common themes among them revolve around stress and financial issues. In addition, my team at Search Property have spoken to over 4000 people and their findings have also helped me address in this book some major concerns and questions people have today.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Everyone has different goals and aspirations. I understand this, but I urge you to really consider your own reasons for wanting to achieve particular goals in life. These reasons will be your guiding light, creating the values that will feed into your actions that will support you to achieve the results you want. Writer Washington Irving said it best when he said, ‘Great minds have purpose; others have wishes.’

Although I've tried to make this book as entertaining as possible, the most important part of this experience is that you learn and develop some practical next steps. I hope that you take notes as you progress through this book for your benefit, and start having open discussions with the people around you until the concepts that I share are instilled in your thought processes. This will ultimately help you to achieve your goals faster. I've also included case studies and ‘Q&A’ features of commonly asked questions throughout the book, to really help you lock down the key learnings.

By committing to reading this book, you're committing to overcoming the biggest hurdle in your journey: fear, driven by false evidence that appears to be real. False evidence doesn't actually exist, and it creates a mental block or roadblock in your journey to financial freedom.

Our fears persist because of the people around us and the experiences we have lived. However, after reading this book, I'm hoping that you'll have enough courage and confidence to take that first step — whether it's a step you make on your own or whether you reach out to experts and get the help you need. The most important takeaway is that you make the first move.

You'll often hear me talk about the ‘rules of the game’ and why it's so important you understand them before playing. Well, unfortunately, life is a little unfair in this regard. You often learn things along the way, without really being taught the rules of the game. I'm hoping this book is a guide that helps you.

What you will learn from this book will really set you up to achieve your goals. That goal might be early retirement so you can sit on a beach in your 40s, or it could be self‐funded retirement in which you don't have to rely on a government pension to survive. The information here will give you an advantage over all of those who haven't taken the time to learn, so use the knowledge wisely — remembering that a plan without action is simply a plan.

I wish I had a book like this when I started, because it would've provided me with the methodology I needed to follow to become ‘filthy rich’. Instead, I'll share with you exactly how you can execute your plans to become your own version of ‘filthy rich’.

I truly hope that you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please keep an open mind as we embark on this journey together and remember that I'm still the same guy on YouTube wearing a black T‐shirt, trying to share valuable information so you can move further ahead in your journey towards financial freedom.

PART IDO WHAT THE FILTHY RICH DO

In the chapters in this part, I help you learn how the filthy rich think, and outline the sort of mindset you need to adopt before you go out and invest. Often, you need to take the road less travelled — and doing so can be met with friction. The friction will most likely come from siblings, parents, friends or your partner. Understanding why you need to do something can help you deal with — and perhaps smooth over — this friction.

In the following chapters, I help you establish the framework for the playbook that follows in part II. Let's jump in.

CHAPTER 1MY JOURNEY TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM

My journey towards financial freedom started a lot earlier than others. Growing up with immigrant parents who always stressed about money gives you a driving force for life. Money was a very taboo topic, a distinctive feature in Indian culture. I hope for this to adapt over time, because the sharing of ideas and knowledge is a leading factor in why I have excelled in scaling up my personal portfolio.

I have realised over time the significance of being in the right rooms — and how this enables being part of the right conversations. I know that many people haven’t been as fortunate as me, and haven’t been in these conversations so I’m hoping that you can learn some of the lessons from my journey, in order to leverage your actions as you make your way towards financial freedom.

LIVING A LIFE OF CHOICE IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL.

BEING BITTEN BY THE PROPERTY BUG

I was excited — rather than nervous — when I purchased my first property, mainly because I had been a student of the market for years. So, before I do a deep dive into the exact location and numbers of that first purchase, let’s take a step or two back. I first started learning about real estate after my brother, Deepak, suggested I attend a seminar that was running at the local RSL club. The conversation went something like this …

‘Ravs, there’s a real estate investing seminar this Saturday. Let’s check it out!’

‘Umm, what’s it all about?’

‘It’s all about learning to invest in ten properties over ten years and then retiring early!’

‘Wow! That sounds fantastic — count me in!’

Don’t quote me word for word; I’m trying to remember the exact conversation 13 years later. In the end, my brother and I were welcomed into a conference room with about 50 other people. We listened to a few people present the concept that you could buy ten properties in ten years and then use the growth on the first five properties to pay off the remaining five, to then retire debt free. The concept sounded too good to be true, but when the numbers popped up on the big screen, I knew it was possible.

The strategy they presented was simple but powerful:

Year 1:

Buy a $350 000 house.

Year 2:

Buy another $350 000 house.

Years 3 to 10:

Buy a $350  000 house every year.

Year 10: