Do you tell people you're a property investor?

D

Delilah

Of all my family and friends only one other actively invests in property. When we first started out, we got negativity and so have mostly kept our investing to ourselves.

Next year I am wanting to dedicate a few days per week to investing. So for people to take me seriously and because I will be dropping some of my weekly activities, I've started telling people I'll be working from home. Then when they ask me what I'll be doing I have serious stumbling blocks. It's not as easy as 'I'll be hairdressing.' When I say property investing, I get weird looks, strange questions, negativity. I also strangely feel embarrassed and guess this is just because of the way Aussies are raised to be battlers or something. Also like a phoney cause I'm not a man in a suit with a brief case.

So i was wondering what you say, think, do?
 
I just don't really talk about it.

Basically it is pretty boring to people not into it. I love cars but most people find that boring so I don't talk about it either.

However I have never cone across any serious negativity. Boredom yes. Negativity no. It is probably more a case of they just don't find it an interesting conversation.
 
Don't tell them, and say you're busy when you can't attend something which shouldn't be all the time (one of the biggest IP investors I know is out and about socially a few times a week).

Why do you think you HAVE to tell everyone your business anyway?

Most of my family, relatives and friends have properties, as well as other investments, and many PM and do some of their repairs/maintenance themselves, but you wouldn't know unless they told you - the way they live (wealth wise) didn't seem to change overnight, so no big tell tale signs all of a sudden.
 
Conversations about investing can begin if people ask what I do, but over time I have built up a network/circle of fellow investors to natter too.

Often, non investing family/friends ask how the investing is going, genuinely interested, a small few have taken such an interest they began investing too.

So basically if they enquire, have questions it will flow, I don't recall any weird looks re/ my investing, generally it has been along the lines of 'goodonyamate!' stuff. Early on my accountant did say 'you have enough investments now'-but I just educated her about my longer goals/plans..

I have never been one to be concerned about weird looks or feedback regarding my choices in life, or beliefs, (unless they had something useful to contribute)..variety the spice of life eh.
 
What to say?

Hiya

A wise saying goes like this...."You are at your most powerful when you are at your most genuine..."

Sadly that means i am still disingenuous :eek:
 
Delilah said:
Next year I am wanting to dedicate a few days per week to investing. So for people to take me seriously and because I will be dropping some of my weekly activities, I've started telling people I'll be working from home. Then when they ask me what I'll be doing I have serious stumbling blocks. It's not as easy as 'I'll be hairdressing.' When I say property investing, I get weird looks, strange questions, negativity...
Click to expand...

What exactly is "property investing" in your view in any case? :confused:

If telling them a "home business" doesn't cut it, you can always say you are getting involved in a MLM - that will guarantee they will run from you at the sight of you and never ask questions again :D

The Y-man
 
The bush telegraph at my work is ripe and well with a healthy dose of Chinese whisper to inflate it even further..some days Im amazed to hear back at just how much property I have amassed ;)

The one's who like to put in a smart or sarcastic comment as to how many I have & why Im actually still working are soon silenced with a sheepish look tho once I state that anyone could be in the same position as the same opportunities are there for all to take up if only they had the courage and commitment to do so. :)
 
Rixter said:
The one's who like to put in a smart or sarcastic comment as to how many I have & why Im actually still working are soon silenced with a sheepish look tho once I state that anyone could be in the same position as the same opportunities are there for all to take up if only they had the courage and commitment to do so. :)
Click to expand...

When I was employed, they knew we had rentals. Occassionally, there would be the snide remark about we can't be doing well, I was still working. I told them the month I was quitting, as it was in progress. The day came, and I was done.
Most people were genuinely happy for me. If they ever had a qestion about their LL, we were always willing to give them advice, and showed them in the Act the actually rule.
Most would say they would not want to be LLs. I would always have stories about a tenant being naughty.

I also told them they could do the same things as us. Many times it was easier for them, as they had 2 incomes.
 
Rixter said:
The one's who like to put in a smart or sarcastic comment as to how many I have & why Im actually still working are soon silenced with a sheepish look tho once I state that anyone could be in the same position as the same opportunities are there for all to take up if only they had the courage and commitment to do so. :)
Click to expand...

I tell people they are weak and useless if they can't figure out how to invest their money.
 
Ace in the Hole said:
I tell nobody.
Even my wife hardly knows much details of what I'm doing, just the way I like it.
Click to expand...

A friend told me recently his father (ex financial advisor/accountant) who developed dementia hadn't told his mother about any of his investments and they now fear some, possibly in the hundreds of thousands, could be lost (his words were 'at best they'll be an absolute nightmare to unravel and retreve') :eek:.

Apparently it's already a nightmare and mother is still alive. It's probably a good idea to let someone know the details of your investments, as well as keeping an orderly 'paper trail'.
 
Interesting. I guess I assumed I'd get responses that people didn't keep it to themselves. Though I guess it's up to the individual really whether they share this info or not. Thanks for your responses.
 
Well....I am the equivalent of Mormon on his 2 year god bothering comittment....

I evangelize property. A lot of people at work think I talking rubbish...even some of my family does not believe it is possible. However, I have a circle of friends who are happy as I have taught them all I know....now they are making inroads to property.

Frankly the old Australian "tall poppy" syndrome is very passe. I get snide comments like isn't property values falling...or I wouldn't buy there....when I tell people what I am doing when asked.

These same people live in $1m houses with 800k-900k in debt...look down on you. I always have laugh when these same people ask me how I pay off my mortgages. Even then they don't get it!:D
 
Perhaps I actually wouldn't say eithe3r what I quoted nor what I wrote at all.

Now why in the world would I have written it then ?
 
Delilah said:
Interesting. I guess I assumed I'd get responses that people didn't keep it to themselves. Though I guess it's up to the individual really whether they share this info or not. Thanks for your responses.
Click to expand...


Like Ideo stated, why would you talk about cars to someone not interested in them?

Sooner or later people find out what your interests are, and what you do, and if you don't act smug (regardless of it being a job, hobby, money making venture, anything) and tell people when they show some interest, they won't have an issue with it.

I've even found, many property investors don't always want to talk property investing to other property investors - much like people don't want to talk about their 'job' all the time.
 
I hadn't told my parents when I bought the Flock of Bats. Until I got sprung. There was a story on Today Tonight.

That let the cat out of the bag with my workmates as well. I always had to buy the beers after that.

Fortunately I left that workplace to take up Subway.
 
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