I Don’t Want Chicken Shit

As many of you know, my current lifestyle is largely financed by my rental income from local properties.

Many friends and strangers often told me “money not enough” and asked me for suggestions. My answers is always the same >> buy properties and collect rental income.

More often than not, they would give me a negative facial expression ( like the one in the picture below ) first, and then started rattling like :

>> Tenants very troublesome lah – pay little rent ask for this and ask for that!

>> Curry smell cannot be removed – must replace kitchen cabinets and not cheap you know?

>> Quarrels with neighbours – must call police you know ?

>> Payments not easy to collect – always tell me grandmother is sick !

>> Tenants like to complain la – you think what, I Shangarila-Hotel ah!

>> Housing Agents collect money and go leaving us to do all the shit work – they make money so easy, get me lousy tenants and then just bo-chap!

>> Market so bad now got people to rent meh?

And the list goes on…. Have you met people like that? Stories more than Enid Blyton. And mostly speaking from hearsay than experience.

Are their stories real?

Are they telling the truth?

All the above can be correct and true ….. to the believer.

Sometimes, I just nodded my head, rolled my eyes, pointed to my watch and waved “bye bye”.

Other times, with their grace, I may get to share my experience thru stories.

My experience is ….. wayyyyy …… different.

Yes, I do experience the above.

Once I accepted the fact and put in place a system, the problem automatically has a solution.

What is the key phrase? PUT IN PLACE A SYSTEM

Its like driving a car and suddenly got a tyre puncture. If you know how to put on the spare wheel, its 1-2-3 and done. 15 to 30 mins and you are on your way, whistling like nothing has happened.

If you don’t know what is a spare tyre, then its wise that you know who to call… soon, the professionals will arrive to help. An hour later plus $100 lighter, and you are on your way. Maybe with a little black face while driving.

If you don’t know how to replace and don’t know who to call … AHA ! that’s when a small issue just snowballed into a movie called …. “YOUR LOUSY DAY HAS JUST BEGUN” and probably asking “god, why me, why now ?”. And like the movies, it starts raining, destroying your new hairdo along with the rain-water.

Making money from property is not easy. However, it is not that difficult. This thing can be learnt. It’s a skill that can be mastered.

To me, learning to make money from renting is easier than slicing bread, I never seem to get the “feel” correct.

My wife can slice roti easily but not me. My sliced bread will resemble a “chewing gum that someone just spat on the floor”. Yucks !

To be a good landlord requires a new set of skills.

To handle tenants is another set of skills.

These can be easily mastered. And when you are surrounded by your friends who are LL, they will be happy to share tips and techniques.

Life as a successful landlord is very rewarding. You buy back your time and get lots of free time. You are no longer selling your time away.

You do what you like any day, any where, any time.

You can swipe your credit card and know that the bills will be paid later.

You can choose to be with whoever you like.

Wanna go massage today, lets do it.

Wanna go hi tea today, lets book the place now.

Wanna watch movie, lets check the timing.

Nobody can stop you.

Nobody can force you to do things you don’t like.

No office politics (back stabbing).

No unappreciative colleagues.

This skill does not need PHD, does not need many years to master. One can learn this a few days and learn some more along the way. In facts, I mingled with so many landlords who only have PSLE. They carry a $2 daiso calculator that makes more money than that financial calculator many people carry.

Many people like to eat eggs.

Many people think they can make money selling eggs (especially during Covid).

However, when they think of the chicken shit to clear, the smell, the sights, 99.99% of them give up.

To be a chicken farmer, you need to learn to deal with the shit (chicken shit). If you cannot handle the shit, this career is not for you.

I have learnt to handle this shit (as a property owner), and to tell you the truth, its much better than the shit I gotten as an employee.

Is it to late for me to get on the train to be a landlord? No. There always will be tenant.

Even during this challenging times ? Yes, because more biz owners will be selling to rent. And lots of start-ups happened during crisis.

Do I need a lot of money ? No !

If you are already a landlord, please share with us your experience below.

If you are encountering problems, please type below. I may share my experiences with you over the next few days.

Love, Marko
Investor, Practitioner and Full-Time Coach.