Real Estate Matters | How buying an investment property is like getting married 

Sam Lee

Sam Lee is a marketing manager and property consultant at JML Property.  JML was established in 1994 and offers Investment Property & Homes. It specializes in managing properties for owners and investors, and providing attractive and comfortable homes for tenants.

Would you be surprised if I said that there are more similarities between property investment and getting married than you might have thought?

Below are the “Five Laws of Lead Generation” from a book called “The Millionaire Real Estate Investor” by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan and Dave Jenks (highly recommended). While there are obvious differences between the mechanical process of selecting investment property and the cherished institution of marriage, in this light-hearted exercise we’ll try and find some unexpected parallels.

1.Never Compromise – You’re only looking for properties that meet your criteria

We all have expectations on the qualities we want our partners to possess, and we should of course try to find someone who fits the bill. However, it’s also important to recognise that like an investment property that appreciates in value, a person is always changing and can grow over time. Instead of demanding to meet someone with certain qualities, perhaps a better strategy is to first focus on oneself and become someone who will attract such a person.

2. Be a shopper not a buyer – It’s better to miss a good one than buy a bad one

Romance is one of the easiest sells out there, and many have readily bought romanticised ideas such as ‘love on first sight’ or a ‘white knight’ suddenly appearing to sweep the princess of her feet. But when it comes to marriage, a rushed decision based purely on momentary emotions can lead to a horrible outcome for all parties involved. There are more than 7 billion people on this planet, so it makes sense that it’s better to miss out on a potential fit than to force something that just doesn’t fit.

3. Timing matters – be the first or last person to make an offer

This is a painful one for many people. I’m sure that everybody can think of someone they were with in the past that they would have married but the ‘timing just wasn’t right’. Let’s move on before today’s edition of the Macau Daily Times gets soaked in tears.

4. It’s a numbers game – quality is in the quantity 

Although there are people who happily marry their high school sweethearts, for most people they learn about themselves and what kind of person they would want to be with through meeting and dating many people. The focus here should not be on ‘getting your numbers up’, but rather on keeping an open mind towards new encounters.  

5. Be organised and systematic – Protect your time and money 

When we start a new relationship, it’s easy to become starry-eyed and spend all of our attention, time and money on the relationship. Although there is a place for spontaneity and serendipity, it’s not wise to go ‘all-in’ and forsake all of your other priorities whenever you meet a new person. 

Despite one being an unemotional investment decision and the other being possibly the most emotional decision of our lives, both decisions are similar in that they are both some of the biggest we will make in our lives. Unfortunately, JML can’t help you find the right person to marry, but feel free to get in touch if you are looking for the right investment!

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