Once a music teacher on a modest salary, Lloyd Edge became a multi-millionaire with 18 property investments. Now he’s sharing his strategy with clients of his award-winning business Aus Property Professionals.
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As a 28-year-old music teacher, Lloyd Edge struggled to pay the mortgage on a one-bedroom apartment and couldn’t envision a secure financial future on his current trajectory. So, he set his mind to changing all that through real estate.
“I was the first person in my family to get into investing. For me, it was a lot of reading, researching and taking a real interest in it, and taking the plunge to make it happen.” Through self-education, Edge learned he could use the equity from his apartment to buy additional properties. He started investing in Sydney with no real strategy. He found himself in debt, owning rental properties that were losing money, and knew he needed to make a positive change to his investing.
Looking for ways to get ahead more quickly, Edge investigated other strategies. It was during his first property development – where he manufactured twice as much equity in one project as his yearly salary as a teacher – that the light bulb went on. From there, Edge developed a strategy to ‘rinse and repeat’ to work towards financial independence. In just over a decade, Edge’s passive property income overtook his salary, prompting him to retire from music teaching.
Driven by a desire to help others achieve what he had, Edge founded Aus Property Professionals, a fee-for-service, independent buyers’ agency. Starting as a sole trader, Edge has grown the company to have offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. Much more than your usual buyers’ agency, Aus Property Professionals creates personalised strategy plans for clients in line with their financial position and long-term goals.
“We map out a strategy around what types of properties, growth, cash flow and locations, as well as the exit plan, they need in place to be able to achieve those goals,” Edge says.
Every acquisition is guided by data and advanced market analytics. “We monitor market cycles, infrastructure pipelines, demographic trends, and emerging growth corridors to position clients ahead of the curve. We analyse what the dream looks like later and use the investment properties to be able to get there.”
Leading by example, that one-time music teacher now has 18 properties in a portfolio valued at over $35 million, as well as an award-winning business. But for Edge, business is also about finding ways to “help the greater good”. This year, he’ll return to Necker Island, home of Sir Richard Branson, to attend a second leadership retreat with a small group of CEOs selected not only for their business success, “but also what our business stands for,” he says.
“We talk about how we can try and make the world a better place, and what we can do through business to benefit people who are less fortunate.” As part of this mission, Aus Property Professionals contributes to a range of philanthropic activities, including supporting the Laboso Caring & Regenerative Society Foundation (LCRSF) in Kenya, Virgin Unite, and Australian organisations such as Youth Off The Streets and the Children’s Cancer Institute.
Edge is also passionate about education, in particular, financial literacy for young people and goal-setting and investment strategy for all Australians. To share his knowledge, Edge has published two bestselling property investment books – Positively Geared and Buy Now. Positively Geared has been the number one bestselling book in the Australian financial and property space since its release six years ago. This year, Edge will publish his third book, Set for Life, about intergenerational wealth creation.
“I’ve always been a believer that when you’re in a situation to be able to help people, then you need to be able to give back.”
Learn more at auspropertyprofessionals.com.au or call 1800 146 836. You can find Lloyd Edge’s books in all good bookshops and online.
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