Reflecting on the pandemic: five years on

March 11 marked five years since the World Health Organisation declared the Covid-19 global pandemic. For myself and my wife, Hannah, March 14 overshadowed that fateful day – we had just secured our ninth investment property, our sixth since the pandemic kicked off.
 
Looking back the smartest thing I did during those crazy times was listen to my number one mentor, John Fitzgerald.
 
Uncle John’s no stranger to tough times. He survived the 90s recession – “The recession we had to have”; the dotcom/9/11 crash and the global financial crisis.
 
His advice was unequivocal. “Be greedy when others are fearful.” In other words, buy property while everyone else is freaking out.
 
Mentors are like cheat codes. We don’t know what we don’t know. John’s wisdom – gleaned from decades of experience – was exactly what I needed to jump into the property market in the thick of the pandemic. Without it, I probably would’ve been too busy hoarding toilet paper to think about buying property.
 
What great advice it was.
 
CoreLogic just dropped some jaw-dropping data: house prices are up by 41% since March 2020 – an average increase of $290,000. And in cities like Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, the increase is even crazier – up to 80%, or an extra $350,000 to $400,000 on the average house.
 
Last week I wrote of a letter I received from a client who owns 17 properties and whom I have been inspired by for the 15 years I’ve known her.
 
I wrote of the importance of goals, habits and environment, but I forgot to mention the most important secret sauce she had – mentors.
 
Having mentors assists with goals, habits and the environment. It’s virtually step one in the pursuit of any goal; seek out someone who has successfully achieved whatever you’re wanting.
 
The greatest investment you can make is to learn from someone who has done what you’ve got in your sights.
 
I’m fortunate enough that I get to spend almost every day working alongside Uncle John. That’s great, but there are other mentors I don’t get as much time with but seek to do so when I can.
 
So, let me ask you this, who do you admire? Who’s crushing it in the field you wish to conquer? Reach out to them today. Buy them lunch. Let them pick the place and time and let them order whatever they want (yes, including dessert – trust me, that’s where the gold is).
 
It’ll cost you some time and money, but the return is far greater – priceless wisdom and insight that could pay off a hundred times over.