Opes
Are the properties Opes recommends more expensive?
In this article you’ll learn why properties can sometimes appear to be more expensive when bought through a property coaching company like Opes.
Property Investment
8 min read
Author: Derry Brown
Financial Adviser in industry since 2007. Investor in Auckland & Christchurch. Previous COO of Global Brand
Reviewed by: Louis Fraysse
Louis is a registered financial adviser with an MBA from Massey University.
The top property investment coaching companies in New Zealand are:
A property investment coaching company teaches you how to invest in property ... and they also support you while you put that strategy into practice.
Depending on the company, that may include 1:1 coaching, mentoring or ongoing support.
These 6 companies are among the best known in New Zealand, although they take different approaches and suit different types of investors.
In this article, you’ll learn what each company specialises in, how much its programmes cost, and the type of investor it may be best suited to.
| Company | Cost to you | Main strategy | Minimum equity to get started | Generally suits |
| Opes Partners | $0 | Buy-and-hold, primarily New Builds | From around $110,000 | Investors who want a financial plan and a hands-off approach |
| Property Apprentice | Up to $11,000 + GST, plus advice fees | Renovate and hold | Not stated | Investors who want structured training and ongoing coaching |
| Wealth Mentor | $25,000–$28,750 incl. GST | Several strategies, including buy-and-hold, renovations | Not stated | Investors who want 1:1 mentoring |
| West Property Coaching | $25,000–$35,000 + GST | Buy, renovate, refinance and hold | Approx $250,000 | Investors who want personalised renovation coaching |
| Steve Goodey Property Coach | Around $30,000 + GST | Cashflow investing and renovating property | Not stated | Investors who want direct coaching from an active investor |
| Wolfe Property | $25,000–$70,000 incl. GST | BRRRR and multi-unit investing | $160,000 - $400,000+ | Investors who want hands-on renovation coaching |
There’s no single “best” property investment company. Choose one that matches your strategy, the level of support you want, and how involved you want to be.
Cost to you: $0
Minimum equity to get started: From around $110,000
Strategy: Buy-and-hold, primarily New Builds
Generally suits: Investors who want a financial plan and a hands-off approach
First on the list is Opes Partners. That’s us – the company behind this website.
Now we get that it might seem biased to put ourselves on this list, and in the past we didn’t. But then people started saying: “We didn’t realise you help people invest. We just thought you were an information website!” So that’s why we’re on here.
Opes takes a different approach than many others on this list.
We don’t teach investors to renovate properties. Instead, we primarily focus on New Builds and long-term investing.
Investors work with a financial adviser to create a plan, then find New Build properties that fit that strategy. The wider Opes Group can also help with mortgages, property management and accounting.
That makes our service more of a one-stop shop compared to some other companies on this list.
Opes doesn’t charge investors a fee for the Wealth Plan Pathway. Instead, if you buy a property an Opes Partners adviser recommends, the developer pays Opes Property.
Opes tends to suit investors who want a more set and forget approach to investing. If you want to learn how to find, renovate and add value to properties yourself, some of the other companies on this list may be a better fit.
Cost to you: Up to $11,000 + GST, plus advice fees
Minimum equity to get started: Not stated
Strategy: Renovate and hold
Generally suits: Investors who want structured training and ongoing coaching
Property Apprentice is run by husband-and-wife team Paul and Debbie Roberts. Paul is the company’s managing director. Debbie is a financial adviser who prepares the personalised financial and property-investment plans.
They began Property Apprentice together in 2010.
Investors can complete either 10 weekly online training sessions or a three-day boot camp in Auckland. The boot camp covers the same material as the weekly programme in a more intensive format. Members also receive access to online resources, monthly meetings and coaching support.
Property Apprentice’s Platinum programme includes ongoing coaching with no stated expiry date. Coaching can be by phone, email, video call or in person, and one investment partner can be included at no additional cost.
They don’t sell properties to clients. Instead, Property Apprentice teaches investors how to analyse and select properties themselves.
Its advice is tailored to each investor’s finances, goals and preferred strategy. It’s not limited to one investment model.
Property Apprentice has a 5-star Google rating. Reviewers frequently praise the team’s knowledge and support.
Cost to you: $25,000–$28,750 incl. GST
Minimum equity to get started: Not stated
Strategy: Several strategies, including buy-and-hold, renovations
Generally suits: Investors who want 1:1 mentoring
Wealth Mentor is a property education company who say they take a broad approach to property investment.
Instead of teaching one investment strategy, clients match with a mentor who has experience in the type of investing they want to learn. Many of these mentors started out as Wealth Mentor clients themselves and have since gone on to build their own property portfolios.
That means the company covers a wide range of strategies. These include buy-and-hold renovations, property development and property trading.
It also teaches some of the basics outside property, such as personal finance and setting financial goals.
Most people start with a free strategy session.
During that meeting the team will talk through your goals and look at what you have tried in the past. If you already own property they may also review how those investments are performing.
From there they help you put together a plan for what to do next.
However, it’s important to understand what Wealth Mentor does and doesn’t offer.
It’s an education company, not a financial advice firm. That means it won’t recommend a specific property or tell you whether you should buy or sell one.
Instead, your mentor helps you understand the numbers, assess possible deals and think through your strategy. You still need to make the final investment decision yourself.
Wealth Mentor currently has a 5-star Google rating. Reviewers often describe its workshops as practical, engaging and informative.
Cost to you: $25,000–$35,000 + GST
Minimum equity to get started: Approx $250,000
Strategy: Buy, renovate, refinance and hold
Generally suits: Investors who want personalised renovation coaching
West Property Coaching is built around the simple BRRRR principles. Buy a good property that needs work, renovate it to create equity and improve the rent, then hold it for the long term.
It’s the same strategy director Peter West says he has used to build his own portfolio. His coaching is designed to show investors how to do it themselves.
There are two main ways to work with the company:
West Property Coaching says its deals target an immediate equity uplift of $60,000 to $100,000+ although actual results will depend on the property, renovation costs and final valuation.
Peter West recommends having about $250,000 in cash or usable equity. He says this allows for the deposit, around $75,000 of renovation work and around $10,000 in holding costs.
Peter West currently has a 5-star Google rating. He also has 55,000 Instagram followers. He regularly shares renovation projects, investment examples and property tips.
Cost to you: Around $30,000 + GST
Minimum equity to get started: Not stated
Strategy: Cashflow investing and renovating property
Generally suits: Investors who want direct coaching from an active investor
Steve Goodey has been involved in New Zealand property for almost 30 years and has invested full-time since 1999.
Steve’s approach is a bit different from others on this list. Rather than following a pre-written education programme, investors work with him directly on real deals. That means learning from someone who is actively negotiating and completing property deals.
His investing strategy is all about improving a property’s cashflow. He says he does that by buying undervalued properties and renovating. He also invests in multi-unit properties and boarding houses.
The coaching aspect is quite flexible because it’s tailored to each investor rather than following a fixed curriculum. Some clients work with Steve on a single deal while others continue working with him over several years. So you’ll be taking the lead in order to get the value you want.
Coaching suits everyone from first-time investors through to experienced property owners. However, his typical client is aged between 30 and 60 who already owns one to three properties and wants to grow their portfolio.
Outside coaching, Steve has been a regular commentator on the New Zealand property market. He’s appeared in national newspapers, magazines and television programmes. He has also spoken at Property Investors’ Association events around the country.
Earlier this year HarperCollins published Steve’s book, Roadmap to Property Success.
Cost to you: $25,000–$70,000 incl. GST
Minimum equity to get started: $160,000 - $400,000+
Strategy: BRRRR and multi-unit investing
Best for: Investors who want hands-on renovation coaching
Wolfe Property is a property investment coaching company founded by director Ilse Wolfe.
Its approach uses the BRRRR strategy. That’s renovating to manufacture equity in a property and increase the amount of rent. It’s guided by Ilse Wolfe's 7 Cashflow Hacking principles.
Ilse says she has built a portfolio of more than 40 properties and has overseen more than 500 renovation projects for clients.
About 90% of her clients buy outside the city they live in. That’s made possible by her teams of builders, brokers, tradies and real estate agents all over the country.
Wolfe Property currently has a 4.9-star Google ratings. Reviewers frequently highlight her expertise and practical advice.
There are programmes for first-time investors and experienced property owners. The three main options are:
There isn’t one “best” property investment company. The right choice depends on the type of investor you want to become.
If you want a more passive, buy-and-hold approach, Opes Partners may suit you.
Want education and mentoring to make your own investment decisions? You might look at Property Apprentice or Wealth Mentor.
If you want to renovate properties you might consider West Property Coaching, Steve Goodey and Wolfe Property.
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Financial Adviser in industry since 2007. Investor in Auckland & Christchurch. Previous COO of Global Brand
Derry has been in finance and property since 2007 and was at the coal face through the Global Financial Crisis. I have helped Opes clients invest in over 140 Million Dollar’s worth of residential property. In investing my passion is for data and demographics.
This article is for your general information. It’s not financial advice. See here for details about our Financial Advice Provider Disclosure. So Opes isn’t telling you what to do with your own money.
We’ve made every effort to make sure the information is accurate. But we occasionally get the odd fact wrong. Make sure you do your own research or talk to a financial adviser before making any investment decisions.
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