Property investment tip: Should investors spend extra on professional fees?

Since the recommendations were released in February, the narrative has changed largely in favour of mortgage brokers.

According to Rethink Investing’s Scott O’Neill: “They might actually leave it as it is. It’s good to say some of these recommendations get lifted because it would’ve given more competitive advantage back to the banks, which is not what we want because that could lead to higher interest rates in the long term.”

“You need someone working for you to shop around for the best deal. With banks, you’re only presented with one or two products. In contrast, going to a mortgage broker will give you an insight on multiple products, which they can assess at any given time and give recommendations based on your circumstances.”

“A good mortgage broker has connections within the banks. They can speak to people at different levels and, thus, results happen quicker.”

While there are still investors reluctant to spend money on professionals fees, Mr O’Neill encouraged everyone to maximise the advantages of getting expert advice and guidance, particularly in a fluctuating market and tightening credit environment.

Apart from saving time and effort, investors can enjoy multiple options on strategy and ultimately acquire the necessary knowledge needed to thrive in the property market, regardless of its movements.

A business decision

Whether it’s mortgage brokers, accountants, buyer’s agents or other professionals, Mr O’Neill advised investors to turn their focus away from the fees. Instead, look at the value that they can add to the portfolio.

“Think about how the fee enables you to be a better property investor. That’s a good way to see the world.”

Essentially, hiring property professionals counts as a business decision that will allow investors to improve their wealth-creation journey, according to him.

How exactly would investors know if they are getting their money’s worth?

Mr O’Neill said: “When it comes to spending money, everything should be a business decision. If a buyer's agent charges you $10,000, they need to help you make more than $10,000, plus save you more time. It needs to be a good transaction.”

Getting property professionals on board would also help investors explore different markets and ultimately diversify their portfolios.

“The ‘do it yourself’ attitude works when you’re buying in your local backyard, but what about when you’ve got to buy outside Sydney? You’ve got to go out, take good advice.”

“Another example: If I buy stocks, I’ll use a stockbroker because I’m not going to waste hour after hour researching just to try and pick a gap in the market. Hopefully, someone who does that 12 hours a day, five days a week is going to pick it for me. It’s quite reassuring, too.”

When seeking professional advice, Mr O’Neill encouraged investors to review not just the fee but, more importantly, the quality of advice that they would get.

“If you’re not paying for advice, you need to question the quality of that advice. Is someone getting a kickback from a developer? You need to make sure that the voice you’re getting is in your best interest. Not all advice is created equal,” he concluded.

Tune in to Scott O’Neill’s episode on The Smart Property Investment Show to know more about the answers to the most common questions in property investment.

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