Ep.118: Journey from Novice Renovator to Multi-Million Portfolio, with Mark Abel

In this episode of the Geared for Growth podcast, host Mike Mortlock interviews successful property investor and Founder of Abel Property Buyers, Mark Abel. Mike discusses with Mark his property journey, from his roots in rural Queensland to building a national portfolio and now helping others achieve financial freedom.

Growing up in Mt Isa, in Western Queensland, Mark learned about property early on from his dad, who frequently renovated old unit blocks. Mark and his brothers developed an investor mindset, understanding that working a job alone wasn’t enough for financial security.

Mark experienced the financial difficulties of property ownership firsthand when his dad declared bankruptcy during the GFC in 2008. These challenging times taught Mark valuable lessons that have been crucial in his property journey. After being stationed in Townsville with the Army in 2017, Mark immersed himself in property investment, determined to buy quickly and expand his portfolio. Initially, without a clear strategy, Mark focused on buying cheap and renovating with the help of his dad and friends.

Like many investors, Mark faced borrowing obstacles after acquiring three properties. This prompted him to deepen his property knowledge, leading him to sell his portfolio and rebuild it with a more strategic approach. Now with a national outlook, Mark owns seven properties and assists other investors in their journeys.

In this episode, Mark shares his experiences and insights on purchasing in hotspots like Townsville. He discusses the lessons he’s learned, offers top tips for renovating investment-grade properties, and explains the types of properties he invests in.

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In this episode of the Geared for Growth podcast, host Mike Mortlock interviews successful property investor and Founder of Abel Property Buyers, Mark Abel. Mike discusses with Mark his property journey, from his roots in rural Queensland to building a national portfolio and now helping others achieve financial freedom.

• Mark shares his story and his early introduction to property in regional Queensland
• How property can set you up for a good financial future
• Adding value through renovation
• Tips for buying property in Townsville
• How Mark changed his strategy over time through property self-education
• Keeping yourself appealing to lenders from a serviceability perspective
• Mark shares his insights on types of investment grade assets

“(Dad) did really well and always instilled into us just working at a job isn’t enough to set yourself up for a good financial future so he was always teaching us about investing and specifically property and how property can really help you in the future” 2:00

“I didn’t have much of a strategy per se,  it was sort of just I can buy something really really cheap there, renovate it, I knew that that would create some equity to allow me to more property” 6:25

“I think especially nowadays I still like to buy properties that have that renovation potential but more of a minor cosmetic so as you said internal paints new blinds floorings can be great as well even just refurbishing kitchens and bathrooms you can do a lot fairly cheaply that it has more of a bank field block and you can get that 2-3 X on you spend” 10:12

“I just wanted the equity release, we wanted to buy buy buy and build a portfolio that way and it wasn’t till I became more educated around financing and lending structures that I realise I’d gotten myself in a bit of a sticky situation where the three properties I had were cross securitized” 14:26

“I became really invested in learning about data in relation to property and I started looking at different things like infrastructure projects and population growth and all the things I just spoke about with Townsville that make it a great investment spot at the moment” 17:52

“I think for a lot of people that I’ve spoken with it’s more don’t want to work till they’re sixty. People are wiser to the fact that they can shorten the amount of time they need to spend working even just by buying 1,2,3 properties can make a big difference” 22:08

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