Forty years experience through highs and lows means my property investment dollars are in good hands, Andrew Perry

Balance is key believes Andrew Perry, a Melbourne stock-broker, and long term client of Portfolio Management Services. An astute investor who is very much in favour of a balanced portfolio, and working in an equity market currently in free fall, Perry's belief in bricks and mortar as a back-up is well vindicated. He could not be more pleased with the returns from his property investment strategies, devised and managed for him by Portfolio Management Services for the past twenty years.

"I like the measured and unemotional approach this company takes to property investing. Before the Portfolio team buys on my behalf, an objective analysis of the return on investment is determined. The cost of the property, the potential rental, the location and its potential for growth are all taken into account. Any risk is dramatically reduced through a calculated methodology."

"Although, like many, I feel rather "gun shy" to further investment due to the swift and severe down turn in global equity markets, property can move in a different cycle. Property is particularly sensitive to interest rate movements, and in the current environment, along with a tight rental market, the inner city residential property market may hold up very well."

"Therefore I am currently keen to explore the opportunities that Portfolio Management Services may present to me."

I arranged a meeting with Jock. And within a couple of months I had purchased my first property in Richmond. I now have four investment properties, with hopefully more to come, Robert Grant

Why I use Portfolio Management Services

"I have been a client of Portfolio Management Services since 1996. I first became aware of the company when I read an article on Jock Bing and Portfolio Management Services in the Bulletin magazine. The article outlined Jock's investment strategies in residential property, particularly in the inner city Melbourne and Sydney markets. I live in Tasmania, and always wanted to invest in Melbourne and Sydney, but I lacked the local knowledge."

"I use Portfolio Management Services for many reasons. Their knowledge of the property market is second to none. All my properties are managed by an efficient management team. I receive yearly portfolio and market appraisals of my properties and investor updates throughout the year. I like to visit Melbourne at least once a year to meet with Jock and the team at Portfolio to discuss my investment strategies and to inspect my properties. I am always welcomed with both a friendly and professional manner on all my visits.

"However, the main reason I use Portfolio Management is because of the performance of the properties that I have purchased through them. Return on equity of 26%, 21%, 31% and 176% says it all."

"I would recommend Portfolio Management Services to any future clients."

Why I agree with Portfolio Management Services' Investment Strategy

"Portfolio Management Services' investment strategy is to purchase under valued inner city properties that are within 7 km of the CBD, and have a yield of around 7%. I have used this strategy over the years and I agree with it because there will always be high demand for inner city properties. These properties are under valued so the rental yields are usually high. You can also add value by renovating. However, these strategies are not set in stone and in changing times, investment criteria must change as well."

"Recently inner city properties have increased in value due to high demand. The increase in value, scarcity and lower rental yields meant a different investment approach. Portfolio Management Services recommended Frankston as a place to invest. The area is undervalued, rental yields are high, the opening of East link and government infrastructure spending make the area an attractive investment alternative."

Even though the inner city market is the main strategy of Portfolio Management Services, and in time undervalued properties with high yields will again come onto the market in these areas, I agree with their willingness to diversify in changing markets.

 "Another strategy of Portfolio Management Services is to hold onto investment properties and never sell. The equity built up in your portfolio can be used to purchase more properties. This is a great strategy because you can borrow to 100% of the value of a new property purchase without needing a deposit."

I have a master plan to own 10 investment properties before I hit 50... with Portfolio Management Services' help I think we are well on track to meet this goal – my advice is to find someone you trust and get going now, the younger the better, Russell Twigg

Property investment is a balance between the available equity and a steady income stream, says Russell Twigg.

"I first contacted Portfolio Management Services after reading an article by them in the Herald Sun newspaper. I had always been interested in the idea of investment property but as we hadn’t quite paid of our home and we had just started a family, it seemed beyond our reach at the time. But the idea stayed with me and when we found ourselves with a bit of available cash, we bit the bullet and bought our first property with Portfolio Management Services in Brunswick. The process was so simple and with Portfolio’s monthly statements, maintenance checks and detailed market appraisals I always knew where we were at."

"The property turned out to have fantastic letting potential and with a steady income from the tenants taking care of a large amount the mortgage it wasn’t a particularly hard decision 18 months later to make a modest increase in the mortgage as a stepping stone to another investment property – this time in Sydney."

"I like residential investment, particularly in Australia, where we have such a shortage of accommodation. This means that well situated investment property is rarely empty for long periods between tenants. Portfolio takes care of any maintenance issues and this way I just relax and let Portfolio do everything so I can concentrate on my business."