At the ages of 31 and 32, Stuart and Katherine own three businesses.

Stuart started his successful spa business at just 22, and Katherine has bought her own supermarket in Huntly. They also have a sizeable property portfolio.

To many people, it seems the young couple got lucky. But to them it feels like a long and slow process. Here’s how this young couple used business to propel their property portfolio.

How Did It Start?

Stuart always wanted to own a business, but he wanted to get a trade under his belt first to build up experience. He started as an electrician, but a sore knee soon had him off work. A doctor suggested warm water to help heal the injury so, using his electrical skills, he fixed up an old spa.

But instead of using it for his injury ... he sold it. Then he fixed up another, and another, and his business has grown from there. By the time he was ready for work, he didn’t want to go back, so he chucked in his job. And it was his success in this business that enabled the couple to go for their first property in 2015.

Property Move

Katherine bought her first rental property during her lunch break. No bank pre-approval. No house tour, she decided to put her hand up at an auction. Her husband, Stuart, found out over a phone call, on her way back to the office.

He later conceded it was a cracker of a deal and probably the best property they’d bought to date. (To be clear, neither of them would ever suggest anyone else do the same thing.)

The couple had always planned to get a rental property first. They knew they wouldn’t be able to get their dream home, but they could afford a rental.

‘Katherine bought her first rental on her lunch break. No bank pre-approval. No house tour’

The Portfolio

The couple went on to buy a commercial property and subdivided two other residential properties. One property was split into three (they sold two and lived in one) and another was split into two which they’ve kept as rentals. The commercial property is for Stuart’s subsidiary business – a small transport company.

Growing Wealth

Recently, Stuart and Katherine have bought a supermarket. This had been Katherine’s dream and something she had been working towards for four or five years. Previously, she was working in real estate, but it wasn’t something she wanted to do long term.

The couple uses a mixture of business and property to grow their wealth. And while they are very successful at a young age, they say everyone forgets they’ve been doing this for 11 years.

To Stuart and Katherine, it feels like a very slow process; there was a four-year gap between the first and second property. In hindsight, they wish they’d bought more houses … because they probably could have. But they were on the cusp of comfortable and uncomfortable, so it didn’t bother them.

The Future

Twenty years into the future, Stuart and Katherine want financial freedom. They want to be in a position during the school holidays to say: “Let’s go on a holiday.”

It would be a dream to be working school hours too. For people starting, their advice is: “Don’t take the first ‘no’. Trust no-one and keep pushing. Go deep and do it now. Don’t let having kids put you off. Crack on with it. The ones that give the pushback are the worthwhile ones.”

Next Steps

Stuart and Katherine’s experience might resonate with a lot of business owners. Maybe you’ve got a business, and you would like to see if investing in property is a good next step for you. New builds could be the answer for you.

If you want the same service Stuart and Katherine received, your next step is to book a Portfolio Planning Session with Opes Partners.

Disclaimer: Just remember this is a column in a magazine, going out to thousands of people. It’s not personal financial advice. But, it is an example of what can be achieved with personalised financial advice. If you are wanting to book a consultation, email us through the website at https://www.opespartners.co.nz