Vivian Ma

Case in Profile

Some experience in property investment
Lacked clear strategy
Purchased 4 properties with Ironfish
Full trust and confidence in Ironfish strategist and services

Occupation

Public Servant

Objective

To build a strong portfolio with clear strategy

Portfolio

4 properties

I purchased one investment property in the past. But I was fully aware that I lacked long-term planning or strategy. I didn’t know how much I could afford to borrow, I didn’t know what kind of property I should invest in. I needed a professional I could trust to help me take the next steps.

— Vivian Ma

“I got lucky”

Ironfish customer Vivian Ma is based in Melbourne. She works in the public sector; her husband is a mechanical engineer and together they are busy raising 2 young children. Before Vivian connected with us, in many ways her situation was not unlike many others in Australia who dabble in property investment.

“In 2008 my husband and I invested a small apartment before we had our own home. At that time we already believed property would be a good investment, but we didn’t have any professional knowledge about property investment at all. Luckily our first investment turned out to be very successful, so we realised we needed to treat it more seriously. We wanted to invest more, but this time in a systematic and professional way.”

Getting beyond the first investment

Vivian and her husband were fully aware of their shortcomings – their lack of knowledge and long-term strategy as well as their limited experience in property investment. In order to build on their first success, they knew they needed some professional guidance.

“Around 2009 I was invited to attend a seminar “From Bicycles to Bentleys” presented by Ironfish CEO & Founder, Joseph Chou. The seminar was quite inspiring and motivating. We totally agreed with Joseph and Ironfish’s investment philosophy. We gained a lot of confidence and motivation from this seminar and it gave us a very good first impression of Ironfish.”

Much more than a strategist

After the event Vivian connected with our Melbourne team and was eventually referred to Ironfish Strategist Jimmy Yan (who is now our Melbourne CBD Managing Director).

“I not only appreciate Jimmy as my strategist, but also as a person; he has become a close friend. We are both about the same age and back in 2008/09 when we first met, both of us were at the early stages of our career. Jimmy is a very positive, genuine and practical person. He answered my every question in a detailed and professional way. I remember him saying, ‘Ask me whatever you want to know. If I don’t know the answer, I will go ask my supervisor, my managers, until I get the most accurate answer, that’s what I MUST provide to you.’

“Today Jimmy is very successful in his career, but he remains modest, hard-working, and sets a high bar for himself. I truly trust and respect him – so much so, I hope my own son will grow up to be just like him!”

Finding the right property, timing and location

With Jimmy’s help, Vivian has now built a portfolio of 4 properties with Ironfish – 3 apartments and 1 townhouse in Melbourne.

“Jimmy knows my situation so well that each time he’s able to recommend a property that exactly meets my criteria, expectations and my financial needs. The purchase timing, the property itself, the professional team support, everything is tailored for me.

“I truly believe Jimmy offers the best service possible, and I believe a company that has someone like Jimmy on their team will surely be thriving. I have been happy to introduce many friends and relatives to Jimmy and to Ironfish as well.”

What happens after a purchase?

While Vivian can not speak highly enough of Jimmy, she’s also very grateful to our many service support teams especially at settlement.

“Ironfish’s ‘after-sale’ service is incredible. I was deeply touched by the efforts the Ironfish team made for me at settlement. In 2015, I experienced some mortgage issues during the settlement process. If I couldn’t get the finance, I wouldn’t be able to settle, which might have incurred a penalty from the developer. The Ironfish team did all the communication with the bank, the developer and myself. Eventually I was able to settle, and it turned out to be a quite successful investment. It made me feel so much better to have a whole team back me up.”

What happens after a purchase? While Vivian can not speak highly enough of Jimmy, she’s also very grateful to our many service support teams especially at settlement. “Ironfish’s ‘after-sale’ service is incredible. I was deeply touched by the efforts the Ironfish team made for me at settlement. In 2015, I experienced some mortgage issues during the settlement process. If I couldn’t get the finance, I wouldn’t be able to settle, which might have incurred a penalty from the developer. The Ironfish team did all the communication with the bank, the developer and myself. Eventually I was able to settle, and it turned out to be a quite successful investment. It made me feel so much better to have a whole team back me up.”

Vivian’s property investment tips:

You may have heard this a thousand times, but I still want to say it: get onto the property ladder as early as possible.
There is no such thing as “bad timing”. Any time is a good time for you to enter the market if you’re thinking long-term. Property values tend to keep on rising while other people are still hesitating.
Trust your strategist, keep an eye on new projects and review your portfolio regularly.

You may have heard this a thousand times, but I still want to say it: get onto the property ladder as early as possible.
There is no such thing as “bad timing”. Any time is a good time for you to enter the market if you’re thinking long-term. Property values tend to keep on rising while other people are still hesitating.
Trust your strategist, keep an eye on new projects and review your portfolio regularly.

Ironfish property investment

If you would like to find out how an Ironfish property investment strategist could help you invest, feel free to book a free appointment here.

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