Property Investment
5 min read
Author: Ed McKnight
Resident Economist, with a GradDipEcon and over five years at Opes Partners, is a trusted contributor to NZ Property Investor, Informed Investor, Stuff, Business Desk, and OneRoof.
Reviewed by: Laine Moger
Journalist and Property Educator, holds a Bachelor of Communication (Honours) from Massey University.
“Is Ed a real economist?” I read that question in a comments section online.
And I get it.
It’s not just the Property Academy Podcast where you’ll hear my voice these days.
Without bragging, I’m regularly on Newstalk ZB, RNZ, and I write a regular column for OneRoof.
As I’ve become more visible, I’ve noticed more people asking a reasonable question: "Who’s this young guy, and why is he talking about property investment?”
Some have dug through my LinkedIn profile, looked at my background and thought: “This is an odd background for an economist.”
And property is high stakes. It’s a big investment. You don’t want to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and then realise you listened to the wrong person.
So in this article, I want to answer the question: Am I a real economist?
Now obviously … I have a bias here. I’m writing about myself. So, I have an incentive to say: “yes I’m perfect. Listen to me!”
I’m not going to say that. Instead, I’ll share my background and qualifications honestly. Then I’ll take a step back and you can decide whether I’m someone worth listening to (or not).
But that leads to an important question … what really is an economist?
Unlike professions like lawyers, accountants, or teachers ... there’s no registration body or exam you must pass to call yourself an economist.
Almost all economists went to university. But you don’t have to go to uni to become one.
The job title is based on whether you can get a job with ‘economist’ in your email signature.
So, if someone hires you as an economist – you're an economist.
Same with many other professions. If you get hired as a journalist ... you are a journalist.
Now, some economists are very technical. They write academic papers and get published in economic journals.
To do that, you really need a Master’s degree or a PhD and to work for a university.
That’s not me.
I’m more of an applied economist. Someone who:
If that’s your definition, then I might fit that bill.
I crunch numbers, seasonally adjust data, and aim to provide useful insights for property investors.
And I do it in places (like social media, YouTube and podcasts), where a lot of commentators don’t have a lot of experience at all.
So I am trying to add to the conversation in ways most economists typically don’t.
You’ll see on my byline that I list a few formal qualifications:
It’s not your standard economist’s résumé.
And the Graduate Diploma in Economics might seem light. It’s usually a one-year, postgraduate qualification.
So you might think: “well did he really study that much economics?”
I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life at 18. So, my academic path was not traditional.
I started out doing a commerce degree in economics at the University of Auckland.
I was lucky, I got a scholarship that paid for whole time there.
But I didn’t like the commerce school, so I switched degrees and eventually universities.
After 4 years at university, I eventually graduated from the University of Waikato with a Graduate Diploma in Economics.
The reason it wasn’t a Bachelor’s degree is down to how my credits landed.
I’d done too many third-year economics papers, but not enough second-year ones to graduate with a BA in economics.
So I had a choice. Do I stick around for another 6 months … or do I leave uni and try to make my start in the world?
In the end, I thought: “The piece of paper isn’t that important to me. Let’s get out into the real world.”
But that qualification doesn’t really show my full experience.
In my view, a piece of paper from university is one indicator of whether someone might know what they’re talking about.
But, the things that I have written and created will give you the best sense of whether I’m worth listening to.
That’s what economists do. And I’m doing it publicly, daily, and at scale.
If your criteria for listening to an economist is whether they have a PHD … I am not the person you should listen to. I don’t have a PhD.
But if your criteria is whether someone looks at data and appears to speak sense … then you might consider hearing what I’ve got to say.
The question I’ve always asked myself is: Am I making sense? Are my arguments clear and logical. And are they useful?
That’s my personal test about whether to put something out in the world.
I will say though … I don’t try and be like other economists.
My goal isn't to be a carbon copy of Tony Alexander (another economist). We've already got a Tony in New Zealand. He's doing a great job.
And my aim isn’t to be the greatest, or the smartest, economist in New Zealand.
My goal is to be understood. A person who can explain things simply … at least when it comes to property investment.
Ultimately, that’s up to you.
The purpose of this article isn’t to come across as defensive.
I believe that the 2 or 3 people asking the question: “Is Ed a real economist?” aren’t coming from a place of criticism, but from genuine curiosity. And I respect that.
At Opes Partners, we believe in transparency. We don’t try to hide our backgrounds or pretend we’re something we’re not.
So here’s my answer:
If you care more about what university degree someone got 10 years ago, you might decide I’m not qualified. That’s your call.
But if you value practical analysis, consistent communication, and a focus on what property investors need to know ... then maybe you’ll decide I’m worth listening to.
That’s why I’m writing this article. To give you all the information and let you make the call.
To me, being an economist isn’t about having a title. It’s about showing up every day to make economic ideas useful for real people.
The real question isn’t who I am. It’s whether I’m helping you make better property decisions.
Resident Economist, with a GradDipEcon and over five years at Opes Partners, is a trusted contributor to NZ Property Investor, Informed Investor, Stuff, Business Desk, and OneRoof.
Ed, our Resident Economist, is equipped with a GradDipEcon, a GradCertStratMgmt, BMus, and over five years of experience as Opes Partners' economist. His expertise in economics has led him to contribute articles to reputable publications like NZ Property Investor, Informed Investor, OneRoof, Stuff, and Business Desk. You might have also seen him share his insights on television programs such as The Project and Breakfast.
