In my attempts to keep my brain going beyond the 25 year mark (when apparently everything stops), Im thinking of diversifying into property.

Well one property, to be precise. I am basically after a place that I can rent out for the next few years until my liver explodes from living in town, then move in and start this brilliant new life of puppies, spa pools and outdoor pizza ovens.

My search so far has been somewhat enlightening.

Since my memories of my experiences buying my apartment had started to fade, and combined with my awareness of how much Agents make, I think I sort of assumed there was some sort of standard around customer service…

However, so far, the lowlights have been:

• Abysmal advertising that lacks any sort of basic info, no general awareness at all on the area and property (I’m talking insulation, rental rates for tenanted properties, pictures in ads etc etc). There is no standard information, and while I’m aware it’s somewhat up to the owner to provide it, surely a checklist wouldn’t be amiss?
• Awfully presented homes. Dripping windows, tenants that are not only at home, but in their rooms with the doors closed and hostile expressions. Once again, owners issue, but if I was an Agent, i would be strongly advising hiring a cleaning company and incentivising tenants to be absent. Surely, once you’ve paid Agent fees, marketing fees and legal fees, what’s an extra couple of hundred dollars to present your house in a way that might add value? And for an agent, creating a network of complimentary suppliers surely can’t be that hard?
• Totally dis-interested agents. Either no response to emails, or when calling for an appointment, being met with a frosty “I’m busy this week.” I’ve actually twice now requested that maybe someone else in the office might have time, and then had them begrudgingly organise a replacement.
• And then there’s the lovely woman who had a fight with her husband on the phone 2 minutes after meeting us at the door over where he had put the spare key.

All this is a very low time in the property market. I thought Agents would be less arrogant and more eager, but it definitely seems a few missed the invention of the internet and haven’t cottoned on to the fact that we all now KNOW that market is in a slump.

I am aware that Agents work for the seller (though, it seems logical that there is a gap in the market for those who work for buyers – I’m almost at the point that I will walk away from a place simply because I can’t stand the idea of the Agent in charge getting a commission despite, it seems, trying as hard as possible to avoid a sale.) I can’t however see how any of the above is doing anything for ANYONE. Actually anything.

Which has prompted several conversations about what the job of an Agent should be. I know the likes of 200 Square are trying to address the same questions, and I know one Agent who is clearly passionate about changing the industry, but it’s a slow moving beast. My apartment was a private sale, and I’m unconvinced Joe Public has enough negotiation experience, which combined with a lack of emotion towards their pile of bricks and mortar means that doesn’t seem to work overly well.

I’m sensing that my usual strategy of thinking of a better way and running with that, is probably not going to happen here, nor is my guerrilla warfare plan of dropping notes in owners houses, when they have a particularly bad agent. But what to do….?

Just accept ridiculous commissions?

There’s been a spate of bankruptcies around the world in recent years, New Zealand’s have mainly involved finance companies. However, the most most recent was a property developer who fronted New Zealand’s version of The Apprentice and was the force behind a national football team… He also liked his Ferraris. I suspect that there’s many people who now wish he’d forgotten about enjoying his money, banked a little more and invested a little less in a garage full of high-speed depreciating assets (Thanks JD for this description) and a football team he couldn’t afford.

Anyhoo. As with any bankruptcy, there’s a whole bunch of people who invested in the guy, or one of his many companies, and now they are out of pocket. Potentially to the tune of $200 million.

I had sort of a turnaround on this particular bloke. I never used to be a fan. In a town like Wellington the rumors stick, and I bought into them. However, as things started to turn to custard, I started to wonder if I was a perpetrator of a wonderful local custom A.K.A Tall Poppy Syndrome. Who am I to judge a someone, who, for all intents and purposes has contributed a whole heck of a lot more to our community than most of the rest of us ever will?

There is inherent risk in business and as businesses grow, the dollar figures involved in that risk grow alongside them. I think that quite possibly in this case, there was a freak combination of bad decisions and bad circumstances, that combined to form a situation that even the best wheeler and dealer would struggle with.

But where does that leave the investors?

I don’t know about the rest of the world, but we take it personally when someone loses other people’s money. After a couple of years, and a climb back to wealth, we often turn around and give them a Knighthood (despite them never quite getting around to fulfilling their commitment to paying everyone back)… But at the exact time of bankruptcy, a LOT of people are crying foul.

I’m not so sure they should.

We live in a big world, and as this exceptional piece of writing pointed out the other day, in most parts of the world, there is no backup plan. Most people have to live with the consequences of their mistakes or misfortune, to an extent that would sicken most kiwis.

In New Zealand, we strive to look after the little guy. But I wonder if, when it comes to investing, we are shooting ourselves in the foot by doing so.

When you invest money, it’s not a sure thing. When you have money, you can always lose it. When you invest it in property development, or mortgages or anything else, you have a chance of losing it all. It’s tragic, but that’s the risk YOU take on. That’s why you have GOT to do your research.

I feel gutted for everyone who’s out of pocket. I generally feel disgusted at the way those who are bankrupt somehow have the cash to live in luxury anywhere-but-here, while those left behind face the reality of having lost everything… But I don’t think we should necessarily act like investors have no responsibility at all, if only because it creates a culture of people who are easy pickings for experts at ripping people off.

In an all-round disastrous situation, one takeaway is that we need to educate ourselves a little more financially. Freak accidents will always happen, but hopefully not with us blindly following.

Just heard from Michele about some early buzz around MyLawsuit.com.

Michele and I ‘met’ several years ago now, and we designed the initial screens for MyLawsuit. Michele is a true inspiration (just read the articles to see what she gets up to!) and I love the concept of a website that helps the little guy in the legal world. With a limited, yet hugely painful experience of the reality of legal battles, I very quickly realised that even if you are 100% in the right and/or you are fighting to regain something someone took from you, it costs a FORTUNE in time, emotion and finance…

Michele (like all my favorites clients) has a very unique and very cool view on her industry, you can see a lot of her personal ethics in the product. I love the fact that she’s trying to remove the terrifying legalese that you are normally subjected to, and run a very open and transparent process to connect lawyers with clients. Its an industry full of sharks and awesome to see someone who’s not afraid of taking them on!

Our country is currently actually going crazy about rugby, to the point that ANY news about ANY rugby player (past or present) is generally deemed to be far more important than trivial things like another credit rating downgrade, or even Liz Hurley and Shane Warne’s engagement.

So it was probably bad timing that one of our all time rugby superstars wound up in hospital this week, after his body started to reject the kidney transplant he received several years ago. Every news outlet was met with a staunch wall of silence, leaving all of those who had come to believe they had a right to news about his health (people who he probably doesn’t even know exist), feeling baffled and anxious.

So when news broke that he’d actually SOLD his story to a local women’s mag, it was met with outrage. WHO was HE to sell HIS story, when WE were the ones who’d had his back all these years (well, you know, apart from the time he received the kidney, and we all raged that he was to then wrap himself in cotton wool, rather than continue with his plan to play rugby… Or, um, those times we ridiculed him for notching up several marriages in quick succession…).

I am (quite clearly) someone who holds the belief that everyone owns their own story. Ive known enough people who’ve had enough media coverage to know that most of the time the details get somewhat changed in the telling. I also know that despite obvious fame and fortune, people make mistakes. When facing a serious medical battle, the prospect of earning a bit of cash to support your family may well mean more to you than ensuring the 4 million people who’ve idolized you to varying degrees over the years get immediate updates on your health.

But Ive had some pretty interesting conversations recently with people who believe the opposite. That by relying on the public’s adoration to build a career, you then owe them at least the knowledge that you are not on your deathbed when things go wrong.

I don’t know. But this question seems to get raised a lot these days, from phone hacking scandals to Paparazzi harassment, and maybe, somewhat our ability to know everything about everyone via our rather naive use of social media.

While I feel for Jonah and his family, in the same way I do whenever I hear of another’s misfortune, I think there’s enough people who I know and love who have enough of their own issues for me to spend my time focusing on them.

Technically, Im not ‘alone’, I have hired the very wonderful Nanz to fill some gaps, however the vast majority of the time, yes, i’m alone in the office.

And I love it… But there are some psychological issues:

Cutting Class

I’ve spent the past several years trying to confirm to ‘normal’ work hours, to set a good example. I hated it because my job doesn’t revolve around normal hours. However, several times in the past few weeks, I’ve found myself sitting here feeling awfully guilty at the though of cutting out of work early.

Initially, I was worried that if I left early, everyone else on the floor would know that I wasn’t working and judge me. They kindly let me know that they aren’t in fact my bosses and they are more than happy for me to come and go as I please, and are very supportive of me living my life as I like.

Then I was worried that one afternoon off might lead to me becoming a slacker. Would I just stop working until I ran out of money? Hardly possible because the main reason I do this job is because I love it. Give me a week off and one major side effect is I come back 100% more inspired to get stuck back in.

But I’m still not really sure how to deal with feelings of guilt and confusion over not being at work when everyone else is. I’m not sure how other people do, but I’m starting to realise that I’m the only one who feels chained to my desk.

Turning down work

When you have mouths to feed, you do accept most things. No I don’t have to, I can focus only on the stuff I love. But it’s a super odd feeling telling someone you are not interested. I think it’s a little bit thrilling, but mainly just weird.

Providing customer security

This is the hardest one to convince others of. Most of us have worked with a one-man-band and had the whole thing end dismally.

I think there is a big difference between a freelancer and someone who has run a business. It’s attitude. You learn how establish backup plans, support workers and project plans. Even IF I can’t turn up at work, the only people who will be affected are the exact same people who would be affected if I worked in a company of hundreds. There are some jobs that land on my head, but they always would anyway. Other tasks CAN be passed over to the network of people I have always and will always be working with. The only difference now is that when you tell me to do something, I don’t pass it on to anyone else, who may, or may not get it done, and may or may not let me know if any issues. You get me, I will get it done.

No one ever works as hard as the owner of the company.

In summary

Who knows what the future will hold, but I’m really enjoying the break from being a boss. Life is much simpler, work is more focused and for a control freak like me, it’s nice to know I’m in charge of everything!

Sorry for the perceived negativity but another gripe.

I don’t know when it became acceptable to take stolen nude pictures of celebrities and post them online for ‘a laugh’.

I think Peeping Toms are gross, and I suspect that it’s also criminal behavior.

I think it’s more terrifying however, that members of the general population are happy to ogle at naked pictures that the subject not only did not give you consent to see, but actually is trying to hide. Explain to me where the joy is in looking at someone who feels violated by the fact that you ARE looking at them? Do people enjoy knowing that they are making the subjects skin crawl at the thought of their eyes on a picture they were never meant to see?

That line is way too close to disgusting pervert for my liking.

Im no rugby fan. But the World Cup isn’t specifically about Rugby.

Anyone walking down Courtenay Place and seeing flocks of people dressed proudly as South Africans, Tongans, French people etc etc (some would say these people actually ARE South Africans, Tongans and French people etc) will be aware that in Wellington, ANY event is more about the atmosphere than the actual event.

I get we all got over the hype, I get that many of us are under the belief that we are too good to join the mainstream, and I suspect there’s a fair few of us who try to believe that sporting events are a bit of a trifle amongst all the ‘real’ issues in the world.

Well, I think you are all a little bit silly.

Firstly, yes, no one enjoys fake hype. Get over it. The hype’s all real now. The crowds are here, the pubs are full, the sun is shining, there’s Fijian Rugby Players taking over my gym.

Secondly. I bet most of you non-mainstreamers love to enjoy a tipple at the Matterhorn or suchlike, and follow underground bands, have meaningful tattoos, only like to travel ‘off the beaten path’, have experimented with vegetarianism and have accidentally committed to the much ridiculed philosophy of the Emos… Lets be alone together. No one is above the mainstream. The mainstream is a beautiful place to be, it’s one of the great explosions in life where exactly the right circumstances happen to unite us all in a common (even if silly) interest. It’s why we were born, why the world spins, and one of the greatest joys you can experience, if only you could see it through your pretentiousness.

Thirdly. I am aware that there are major issues in the world. Apartheid was one of them. Rugby was arguably a key factor in highlighting our anger at that particular political philosophy. Last night, Russia played the USA, a mere few years ago, they had nuclear bombs pointed at each other. On the flip side, Australia is our greatest and most hated rival on the pitch, yet off the pitch, we turn up first and without question wherever, and whenever we are needed. If we could resolve all the world’s problems with an oval ball rather than tanks, I would be the first to fall to the floor in gratitude… But in the meantime, sporting events actually have a major role to play in boosting our combined spirits after years of economica turmoil and uncertainty, it’s a break from the struggles of life, and actually these events prove time and time again to help us understand other cultures, fight out our issues fairly and generally build a slightly better world.

So haters, stop hating. Give up, give in and join the party. Chat to someone from a country you’ve never been to, back a country you may have previously stereotyped and have a little totally un-cool, un-selfcouncious fun while the worlds right here!

In my attempt to become carless, I was left in an awkward position, where my insurance expired 1 week before the car was sold.

I rang AA (who I have written about my love for several times) and they said they were happy to give me 2 weeks leeway, but if I was one of those uptight people (which I am!), I could renew my insurance and as soon as I cancelled it, they’d refund me the 51 weeks.

In the meantime, I casually mentioned a minor error on my policy (I own my apartment, don’t rent it) The lovely man was very apologetic and said Id obviously been paying way too much (apparently people are less likely to damage stuff in their own house – which is actually an interesting point of its own). So he went about organising not only my car refund, but my contents refund for the entire time I’d been with AA (I would have been happy with just this year since technically it’s my job to look at my policy!)

So Im about $130 up because of them (that’s on top of the car refund).

In a world where despite social media and the like, companies (especially insurers) have a bad rap with customer satisfaction, Im more than happy to once again recommend one of the cheapest, friendliest and most helpful companies Ive ever had the happiness to pay money too :)

I’m so sick of people spinning the ‘it’s unethical for me to vote, because I don’t know anything about who to vote for’ line.

One of your very few responsibilities in a civil, democratic nation is to get off your butt and be actively involved in the political system, by ticking a box once every couple of years. In return, you get a whole bucketload for free, including the ability to NOT risk your life in your attempt to do so. It’s not only pathetic, rude and immature to not vote, it’s making a mockery of all those people in the past, and today, around the world, who HAVE given their time, energy, voices and lives for the same privilege.

Just over 100 years ago, in 1853 participating in New Zealand’s first election was very much a privilege. You had to meet the following criteria:

• Be a British citizen (Maori technically qualified, but because of communal land ownership were made ineligible via other criteria)
• Be male
• Own land freehold
• Be over 21
• Live in a place where the rental met a monetary threshold

Just over 20 years later, we had removed the requirements for men to own or rent land, and included all Maori men in the voting system. We’d also removed the ability for landlords with property in different regions to be able to vote multiple times.

But it was 1893 before us women were given the same rights. 120 years ago.

Anyone who thinks that feels like the distant past and is totally irrelevant to us today, need only talk to their family to learn the role their great grandparents played in creating a country where every adult voice is heard… Or to a refugee living around the corner who probably cannot comprehend the sheer laziness of avoiding a few hours research when they have and would give a whole lot more to play their part in selecting the people who will lead their country.

Democracy is made infinitely easier by the internet, and thank goodness we live in a country where, far from stopping you from voting, you are basically hand-held through the process.

I know it seems like a way out from the elections, but to do justice to the monumental decision you get to make this year, please take your time, think about your vision for this country and what party matches that most closely.

It’s that simple, and that important.

I was out an about on Saturday night and had a revelation… I’m getting OLD. Sometime, in the past year or so, I have made the transition between being a young, self-conscious, 20 something year old, to being one of those people I never thought I’d become.

I remember, some years ago, when in town, we’d look at the ‘tragic’ 30 something year olds who were dancing around like crazy people. “poor them”, we’d say. “they obviously only get out once in a blue moon, and look at that dancing…”

So when I found myself in a bar, discussing my growing desire to move to the suburbs and have babies and a lawn, before leaping up to the dance floor, where we proceeded to make absolute fools of ourselves, while the 20 somethings jiggled self-concisely and looked at us like we were tragic… It hit me.

Being older is AWESOME.

Every year, you shed more and more of those issues that plague your early twenties. You stop caring what pother people think, how you ‘should’ behave, you start talking to strangers in the street without fear they’ll think you’re weird, and when someone says you’re about to hit the age where single ladies sit at home crying into their chips, you smile and think ‘well the chips part sounds nice’.

It’s really nice to enter an age when you feel comfortable with yourself and all your quirks. These days, I know I can live life by my own rules. I don’t have to do things the way other people might expect, and i they don’t like it, I don’t feel any requirement to change for them.

People my whole life have told me that getting older is actually a good thing. I think I finally understand why :)