Hi I'm CatCafe

Hi Everyone,

CatCafe here. Thought I'd introduce myself as I never got the chance back on SS.

My property journey started back in '07 and have since accumulated 4 Sydney flats and more recently 2 Brisbane houses. My Sydney PPOR is also almost fully paid off through pure hardcore savings.

I've also been accumulating shares in the form of LICs and ETFs in the past couple of years with the view of dividends replacing my living expenses in the near future, as I gradually transition away from property and move more capital into shares.

The objective of all this investing and hard savings is to provide choices. For instance, my partner and I have handed in our notices and will be travelling abroad for the next 6 months.

Looking forward to continually learn more about investing and sharing ideas with fellow investors.

 

Hi Catcafe,
Well done on your IP & other investment achievements to day.
Good luck on your travels. Enjoy the time away.

 

Well done CatCafe, sounds like you're in a fantastic position. Did you use equity from your units to accumulate shares or from your own savings?

 

Started off back in 2012 with own savings then as the Sydney market boomed I withdrew equity from my Sydney IPs and PPOR to purchase the shares. Highly cashflow positive and looking forward to dividends growing in line with earnings growth which is typically faster than the rate of inflation and rent.

 

sounds ideal for cashflow, better than sinking the equity into cheap houses with high yield but low cap growth and high maintenance costs.

 

Yep, also I feel that should I accumulate more properties than I can count with my two hands then it's anything but passive.

For instance, I'm currently managing my property manager to take a dodgy tradie, that they recommended, to tribunal for water damage caused to my unit due to improper fitting of tapware. The whole process feels like pulling teeth. Not much of an early retirement if I need to deal with these kinds of issues on a daily basis.

 

My thoughts exactly. It would be like having a business to run in retirement. I also think if its passive for you, it's a nice neat portfolio to pass onto family when the time comes where they may not need to sell anything because it's too hard to manage.

 

That's awesome, good to hear you've had some good results that enable you to do it!
Where are you going? And will you be shopping for any IP's overseas? Probably won't be able to help yourself.

 

Will be spending most of the 6 months in my birth country, which is also the country that invented cat cafes (no not japan, although I will be spending a week in Hokkaido).

Looking forward to reconnecting with my roots and learning the language.

Average rental yields are something like 1-1.5% so highly unlikely I'll ever buy property there. I feel that Asian property markets are driven by pure speculation.