Investors now wary of property spruikers

15 Aug 2014| Posted by: Geoff Baldwin

The investor trend in 2014 has been away from large hard sell, volume focussed seminars and towards smaller workshops or one on one meetings according to long standing investment specialist, Geoff Baldwin who is also Managing Director of RE/MAX WA. “When the market was booming and competition for properties was very strong, prospective investors filled seminar rooms across the country however the current more normalised market conditions tend to bring out the prudent investor who understands the enormous opportunities this market offers but who also demands a high level of individual service. “Over the past 6 months we have moved right away from providing the larger seminars and now run smaller regular workshops where people can interact and share ideas and experiences and where we can then focus on assisting with their individual requirements and plans. “Although there are more properties available now this can be a double edged sword as it is harder to sort out the wheat from the chaff without experienced guidance. “People are also confused about whether to buy an established property or to buy new and these are the issues that can be better sorted out in a one on one meeting with an experienced property investment agent and a pen and paper. “It is often said that the best time to buy is when the market is slower so there is no argument that now is a great time to look for a good investment however it is very wise to gain as much knowledge as possible before you even start looking at properties. “When seeking advice and guidance on property investment, just as it's important to research the market it is just as important to research the agent you considering working with to ensure he or she has the experience, the record of success and also that he/she actually walks their own talk by buying and owning investment property. “It is also critical to choose a company that offers a complete service package and one that follows up and supports throughout the whole process”, Mt Baldwin said.