Balraj Singh, a Station Manager from Mango Hill with Queensland Rail, ventured into property investment about a decade ago. Reflecting on his early experiences, he acknowledges he was somewhat out of his depth.
“I didn’t have a good team around me who could look after all the details,” he says. “I was buying old houses, and while I was making money, I wasn’t making the most of the tax benefits available to me.”
Balraj shares that he's now in a much better position since consulting with experts. "I sold my investment properties and made enough to pay off my home. After that, I decided to reach out to the team at Invest by Metricon to see how they could guide me for future investments.”
Clear communication and a proactive approach were big wins for Balraj, as Invest by Metricon sent one of their advisors to his home to walk him through their services.
"They were always available and answered all my questions," Balraj says. "The best part is they have this smart software that shows you the depreciation on your property and what you could potentially claim over the next 10 to 40 years. You just hand that list to your accountant, and they take care of the rest. It much less of a headache for me."
For the first time, Balraj felt he had a reliable team he could trust, offering top-tier advice and support to keep him on the right path. "Invest by Metricon helped me build that team," he explains. "They connected me with a great broker who then introduced me to an excellent accountant. They all talk with one another, so I don't have to worry about a thing. They're all very professional."
For Balraj, trust was key. "What sets Invest by Metricon apart is their honesty and reliability," he says.
With his confidence in the process secured, Balraj signed a contract for his first investment property with Invest by Metricon - a Lucent 20MK2 design with an Aspire façade, now under construction at Aura Estate in Banya.
"I heard about Aura through my friends," Balraj shares. "Everyone was talking about it because the Sunshine Coast is a booming growth area. Location is everything. Metricon helped me find a great block of land, and the process of signing contracts for both the land and house was seamless. It was brilliant."
Balraj’s positive experience left him eager to expand. He’s already committed to a second Lucent design, this time at North Harbour estate in Burpengary East, and he’s eyeing a third investment opportunity in Melbourne. His enthusiasm has been so contagious that two of his closest friends have also signed up with Invest by Metricon to kick start their own property investment journeys.
Balraj is a big-picture guy with a clear focus: protecting his family’s future. With two young boys to look after, he and his wife, Anu, are working towards securing a comfortable retirement while they’re still young enough to enjoy it.
“If you want a comfortable retirement in Australia, I feel you need a solid property portfolio,” Balraj explains. “I’ve seen people around me working well into their seventies. Everyone’s circumstances are different, but I don’t want that for myself. My dad retired at 58, and that’s the goal I’m aiming for.”
Coming from a family of farmers in India, Balraj grew up with a strong appreciation for land. “My grandfather always said you can’t go wrong with land,” he shares. “Land and gold. I tried shares, but that’s not my cup of tea. Farmers are long-term investors.”
For Balraj, property investment was an obvious choice. "The best time to get into investing is yesterday," he says. "Put your best foot forward, and with the right team, you’ll hopefully be making money in no time."
