Case study: “They literally didn’t think I was gonna be here in 365 days”

Di Foster had a major health scare a few years ago. Overnight, her whole perspective shifted.

She wanted to plan like she was going to live to 96 ... even though doctors had told her she might not make it to the next Christmas.

Here’s Di’s story.

What got you interested in property?

Di and her husband Steve wanted the “ultimate lazy investment”.

“My family has always had some property, so it’s always been something on my radar.

“Commercial property wasn’t going to be an option, but residential property seemed like a much more low-key risk, and also something that was obtainable.”

They’d sold two of their businesses, and they’d accepted that part of their life was over.

The couple were ready for the next adventure, but it took them a while to get started with property.

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Q: Why did you choose a passive property investment strategy?

“We had a five-year-old son at the time, and I had some major health issues.

“So our first priority was fundamentally us as a family. Making sure that we’re all still here.

And then secondary was having some financial backing so we could enjoy our life later on.

“But at the time, it was almost like I was backing myself.

“When I got, like, I had a terminal diagnosis, they didn’t think I was gonna be there in a year’s time.

“And with no medical intervention, I innately healed, so I was feeling pretty lucky.

“But I never wanted to take that for granted.

“I wanted to back myself thinking I was gonna be here at ninety-six.

“If I was gonna be here at ninety-six, then I was gonna need some investment strategies.

“And if we can do something passive and it’s not gonna impact on our lives, then why wouldn’t we do that?”

What made you take the plunge?

The drive for making that first purchase wasn’t just a very serious health scare.

“I think it was actually Jackson [Di’s son]

“It was actually just, you know, we have to do something.

“So, Jackson being my [now] eleven-year-old son.

“So it’s knowing that we needed to provide for Jackson over the long term, whether I was here on this Earth or not. That was the important driver. Yep.”

Di wasn’t sure she was going to see next year, but knowing she needed to provide for her son, whether she was alive or not, was the driving factor to invest.

She wanted to focus on setting herself up financially … regardless of what happened.

“When you have that sort of news – a terminal diagnosis – your perspective just shifts.

“I became a lot more grounded.

“They literally didn’t think I was going to be there in 365 days. But I didn’t spend any bucket-list money because my perspective was so clear.

“You want to focus on being set up financially, regardless of what happens.

“I’m a firm believer in thinking: ‘I will die, but I absolutely want to plan like I'll be here till I’m ninety-six.”

Why did you decide to work with Opes Partners?

"I didn’t want to be hands-on.

"For us, it was not about spending our weekends renovating properties. That was not our idea of fun.

“If I could make one purchase, and never think about it again … that would be amazing. And I didn’t think that was possible.

“Hence, I worried about everything. And I asked Andrew every stupid question.”

What would your portfolio look like if you didn’t use a property investment company?

“I don’t think Steve and I could have backed ourselves in buying a property.

“Not knowing that it was going to be OK.

“Andrew, I’m so grateful you held my hand. With everything I’ve been through, you just took the time to tell me it was going to be OK.

“Not just answering my questions …”

“I made my decision, and Steve made his, and we just never looked back.”

What mental barriers did you have to overcome?

Di says she obsessed about tenanting her property.

She was constantly asking Andrew:

• What if the house never gets rented?
• What if I can’t afford to pay the mortgage?

“I was obsessed with it [getting a tenant].

“But when I look at the house we bought in Wigram, it’s gone gangbusters.

“I’ve had it for seven years, and I think I've had it untenanted for about three days”.

Q: What’s next in your property investment journey?

“We’re just trying to get over the line, our third investment property now. So about two years after we did the first one, we did the second one.

“And we’ve just come back to [Opes Partners Managing Director] Andrew a couple of weeks ago and said, OK, we've been chipping away at this. We’ve paid some stuff down. We’ve cleaned up a few bits and pieces.

“We're ready to look at it again, so we might just get over the line. I reckon we will. We’re doing everything to try.

“If that doesn’t work, there will be a hard six months of getting it together, because I won’t be turned down again.

“I am a lazy investor, and that’s what suits me.

“I’ve got other stuff to do. I don’t need to know everything about property, I just need to know some key bits of information.

“For me, it’s the best time saver.”

If you want the same service Di and Steve received, your next step is to book a Portfolio Planning Session. Click here to learn more and book.