INDEPENDENT EXPERTS IN SOUTH-EAST QUEENSLAND PROPERTY
ANDREW WEGENER
PROPERTY INVESTMENT
ADVISER AND BUYERS AGENT
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Andrew Wegener is a qualified property investment adviser, buyers' agent and lifestyle designer. He specialises in helping the next generation of investors master their money to build sustainable wealth, so they can have less stress, more fun and find meaningful ways to help others.
We live in an age of anxiety where we're bombarded with constant noise from the media. We compare ourselves with others and race to keep up with the Joneses. With most property messaging designed to trigger either greed or fear, it's no wonder we lose perspective and get swept up in 'FOMO'.
Investors, especially first timers, are either getting the wrong advice, or no advice at all. They're being recommended the wrong kinds of properties in the wrong locations. Or they go into overwhelm from all the information thrown at them.
Amid this stress-inducing landscape, Andrew brings an insightful, informative and independent approach to the art of property investing for younger buyers. In short, he cuts through the bullsh*t so they can sidestep costly mistakes while making the biggest purchases of their life.
He guides clients to become educated investors with an eye on the long game. The focus is on finding high-quality land and well-designed, low-maintenance properties in the strongest locations.
The Lifetime Investor Method he uses relies on three basic mantras: property investment doesn't need to be complicated (simplicity is key); life's too short to own mediocre property; and successful investment is more than simply buying property at the lowest price.
By assessing properties and locations for their true value, Andrew has helped clients buy more than $80 million of low-risk property in some of the best performing locations in Australia.
Andrew's foray into the property industry was not your usual one. He previously served 11 years in the Australian army, with two deployments to Afghanistan.
There, armed with an award-winning honours thesis on the country's complex state of affairs, he planned and actioned counter-insurgency and reconstruction operations, as well as mentored Afghan government officials and soldiers.
This experience has given him an uncanny ability to solve complex problems in an unconventional way. Combined with a background in historical research and analysis, army life has also endowed Andrew with a rare depth of perspective, which continues to come in handy today.
Truth be told, Andrew never had plans to get into the industry after he left the army in 2013. However, he was motivated to do so after experiencing the highs and lows of property investment through a string of poor decisions which not only dented his trust, but his hip pocket.
Essentially, he built a series of 'bad' properties after being recommended to do so by someone he trusted, but who actually had no idea what they were talking about! The crux of the problem was simple: wrong location, wrong property type and paying too much at the peak of the market (which meant an inevitable crash in price).
As a result, Andrew walked away over a hundred thousand dollars lighter from these mistakes and missed opportunities. Aware of his own foolishness and fired up that the industry was letting people down, he vowed not to let others make the same mistakes.
Today, his passion is working with younger clientele to create a rock-solid long-term investment strategy based on intensive research.
In a largely unregulated industry that typically rewards conflict of interest and bad advice through undisclosed commissions, Andrew bats for his clients with independent analysis and recommendations.
As the Director of Aquila Property Investment, he's kept busy working with clients to source quality investments in South East Queensland. He is particularly energised by working with savvy inner-city folk who are living in a different city to where they grew up.
He lives with his wife, Mo, in an apartment abode in New Farm. He is a fan of the minimalist, deliberate life, where he prioritises time and freedom over mountains of needless things.
CHRIS MOUNT
SUNSHINE COAST BUYERS AGENT
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Backed by a Business Degree in Property (Valuations) Christine began her real estate career selling inner city homes in Melbourne. She specialised in historic warehouse shells that allowed buyers to design their dream abode from a blank canvas.
Expanding her career to investment sales, she seized an opportunity to manage strategic property investments in Singapore. Initially overseeing the purchase of $380m in property on behalf of private equity investors in Europe and Asia, as well as an SGX listed fund, she was instrumental in achieving impressive capital growth. By the time she returned to Australia, she had executed over $1.7bn in transactions.
Now embracing her luxe life on the Sunshine Coast, Christine is excited to offer her 30 years of industry expertise to help others do the same. She believes a property purchase goes far beyond a floorplan and a location, it’s a heart-centred feeling of authentically embracing a new community and a new way of living. Achieving this aim requires refined communication skills, with honest and open discussions throughout the process. This is especially important for expats and interstate buyers, who place full confidence in Christine to guide them through every step of the process, from research and strategy to negotiation and settlement.
In her spare time, you’ll find Christine paddling with Noosa Paddle Sports, at Zenko yoga, ocean swimming past the Noosa National Park or having sundowners on the Noosa River, listening to acoustic guitars – that’s her luxe!
OUR INVESTMENT PHILOSOPHY
We believe in investing in high-quality established properties. Why?
Because we know that the best locations have already been built on. So if you want to buy in the best location you can afford, where future demand will be high and future supply will be low, you need to buy an established property.
Established properties are priced according to the market, while new properties are inflated in value. That's why so many new properties value lower than the purchase price.
Established properties are in established suburbs, which are known quantities. We can analyse the demographic mix, demand levels, median prices and historical performance much more accurately, which reduces your risk. New properties in high development areas are speculative - we don't know what the suburb will be like - and so we'd be taking a gamble investing there. And not a good gamble either; as we've just said, new properties are being built in inferior locations
Did you know that salespeople for most new properties are paid double to triple what salespeople are paid for established properties? Is it because new properties are better, and therefore easier to sell? We don't think so.
As a company, we're not interested in having conflicts of interest. Selling properties to clients means a conflict in the advice we give. So we don't sell properties.
