The Property Couch

Is owning more investment properties always better?

Not necessarily.

In this week's FUNdamental Friday, Ben Kingsley sits down with Lachlan Vidler from The Folio Group to discuss one of the biggest misconceptions in property investing:

The belief that more properties automatically means more wealth.

Lachlan shares a real-world example of an investor who accumulated 12 properties across four years, only to discover the portfolio wasn't producing the results they expected.

They discuss:

✅ Quality vs quantity in property investing
✅ Why equity matters more than property count
✅ The risks of aggressive portfolio building
✅ Negative equity and misleading valuations
✅ Why exit strategies matter
✅ The dangers of investor-only markets
✅ Interest rates, cash flow buffers and risk management

Because property investing isn't about collecting houses.

It's about building wealth.

🏡 Thinking About Buying A Home?

Check out PRE-Purchase, our free 10-part video series designed to help Australians buy property with greater confidence.

From creating a property brief through to auctions, negotiations and settlement, each episode tackles a key stage of the buying journey.

🎥 https://thepropertycouch.com.au/prepurchase

🕧Timestamps
0:00 One investor's 12-property mistake
0:17 Quality vs quantity
1:15 The real cost of a 12-property portfolio
1:54 PRE-Purchase Series
2:37 Why more properties aren't always better
3:13 The "quick 60k" property myth
3:32 When investors need to sell
3:52 Why quality assets matter
4:14 Negative equity risks
4:46 Property portfolio comparison culture
5:07 When the music stops
5:49 The danger of groupthink
6:06 Risks investors ignore
6:24 Stress testing interest rates
6:44 Why some modelling is flawed
7:05 Cash flow, vacancies and risk
7:30 The tide is going out
8:13 Forced sellers explained
8:32 The long-term property investing formula

#PropertyInvesting #PropertyMarket #ThePropertyCouch

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
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Your biggest asset may not be your home or property portfolio. It could be your ability to keep earning an income. But what happens to everything you’ve built if illness, injury or death suddenly takes that income away? 
In Episode 618 of The Property Couch, Ben is joined by Chemere Brown, Head of Financial Planning at Empower Wealth, and Don Glendinning, Regional Sales Manager at NEOS, to unpack the personal insurance safety net behind your wealth plan. 
Through real-life claim stories, they explore: 
🏠 Whether your family could keep the home and investment properties without your income 
🛡️ What life, TPD, critical illness and income protection actually cover 
💰 Why default insurance through super may not be enough 
📉 The danger of cutting cover when household budgets are already stretched 
👨‍👩‍👧 Why both partners may need protection—even when one earns significantly less 
🩺 How underwriting and disclosure affect future claims 
🔄 When your insurance should be reviewed as your life, debt and portfolio change 
You’ll also hear how one melanoma led to a $317,000 payout, why some Australians may be entitled to claim without realising it, and how the right protection can give a family choices at the moment they need them most. 
Because building wealth is only half the plan. You also need to protect it. 
FREE STUFF MENTIONED
🛡️ FREE 2-Minute Insurance Health Check
Could your family maintain its lifestyle and keep its properties if your income stopped? Work through the checklist and identify areas worth reviewing.
👉 Take the quiz now! 
🏡 BONUS Case Study: Existing Investors
See what happens when existing investors buy again under different negative gearing rules...and where their cash and offsets should sit for the strongest outcome.
Use code COUCH17 to access the complete series for just $17 (RRP $197). 
👉 Start watching the series now 
📞 Complimentary Insurance Review
Unsure whether your current cover still reflects your income, debts, family and financial goals? Speak with an Empower Wealth specialist to understand your current position and any potential protection gaps.
👉 Book a complimentary review 

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook
- Youtube

Victoria has introduced major changes to the way residential properties are sold, including new reserve price rules for auctions and fixed-date sales. But will the reforms actually make things easier for buyers?
In this breaking news episode, Ben Kingsley is joined by Couch Crew regular Ben Thompson (qualified property investment adviser by day and licensed auctioneer on weekends) to unpack the new rules and the unintended consequences buyers need to know about. 
📖 Read our full breakdown
🎥 Watch PRE-Purchase, our free 10-part “How to Buy a Home” series
🤝 Book a free buyer's agent consultation with Empower Wealth
📋 Official Consumer Affairs Victoria guidance

Timestamps
0:00 Why Victoria is changing the rules 
1:22 Understanding property price discovery 
5:17 What underquoting actually means 
6:35 The new reserve price disclosure rules 
9:26 The new Property Price Statement explained 
13:05 Rejected above reserve? What buyers should understand 
15:39 Why reserve prices may become inflated 
19:59 The hidden impact on private sales 
24:37 Who wins and loses from these reforms? 
28:14 Final thoughts and key takeaways 

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook
- Youtube

Can Australia continue funding the level of concessions, subsidies and benefits we're currently providing?
In this week's FUNdamental Friday, Ben Kingsley is joined by Evan Lucas for a thought-provoking discussion about government spending, welfare, pensions and the growing cost of supporting an ageing population.
The conversation explores whether Australia's safety net is targeted in the right places, and whether some government benefits should be better aligned with financial need.
They discuss:
✅ Age pensions and means testing
✅ Concession cards and public transport benefits
✅ The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
✅ Superannuation and retirement funding
✅ The rising cost of welfare programs
✅ Housing, retirement and financial independence
✅ Why future governments may face difficult decisions
Whether you agree or disagree, it's a conversation that challenges some widely held assumptions.
🏡 Thinking About Buying A Home?
Check out PRE-Purchase, our free 10-part video series designed to help Australians buy property with greater confidence.
From creating a property brief through to auctions, negotiations and settlement, each episode tackles a key stage of the buying journey.
🎥 https://thepropertycouch.com.au/prepurchase
⌚Timestamps
0:00 Should wealthy retirees receive benefits?
0:24 Why this debate matters
0:52 Government spending and inflation
1:43 Pensions, concessions and welfare
2:24 PRE-Purchase Series
3:07 State concessions explained
4:01 The growing cost of the PBS
5:00 Should pension income be taxed?
5:27 "I worked all my life"
6:12 Why superannuation exists
7:08 Why accessing super early is controversial
7:37 Should the family home be means tested?
8:40 The case for supporting vulnerable Australians
9:03 What is middle-class welfare?
9:29 Australia's $292 billion welfare bill
10:34 Why pensions dominate welfare spending
11:02 The promise politicians made
11:49 Revenue reforms vs spending reforms
12:53 Where should support be targeted?
13:21 Evan's final thoughts

#PersonalFinance #RetirementPlanning #Superannuation #PropertyTok #ThePropertyCouch #FUNdamentalFridays
LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook
- Youtube

Why does land in one suburb command a lasting premium while land somewhere else doesn’t...even when both have houses, shops and transport? 📈
In this special solo episode, Ben shares his latest framework shaped by more than 30 years of property experience. He takes us beyond the headlines and short-term market cycles to explain the forces that can make a location more valuable over decades: jobs, accessibility, scarcity, lifestyle, buyer behaviour and the momentum that builds when these factors come together. 
It’s a deeper dive than usual, but the practical question is simple: how do you find the best location and property type your budget can afford? 
This episode might just be Ben’s “Magnum Opus”; listen now!  
FREE STUFF MENTIONED
📥 FREE INFOGRAPHIC: Why Do Some Locations Outperform?  
Ben brings together the foundations of location value, seven core drivers and five engines of momentum in a visual guide you can revisit when weighing up where and what to buy.
👉 Download the free framework 
 
🎧 Guests & Episodes Mentioned:  Episode 418: The Hidden Forces Driving Property Values 
Cycle Amplifiers: The 7 Forces Moving Property Prices Right Now | Tuesday Toolkit 

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook
- Youtube