How these property investors-turned-mortgage brokers are helping fellow investors

Sana and Mona arrived in Australia with their family at the age of 15, and having lived in low socioeconomic conditions for most of their young adult lives, they strived to secure a strong financial foundation by entering the world of property investment.

After being able to successfully build a lucrative multi-property portfolio, they found a way to inspire other people to make their lives better by seeking to create wealth through property.

One of the main lessons they try to impart to their client is the importance of “looking at the big picture” no matter how complicated their journey gets at one point or another.

According to Sana: “You need to look at the big picture rather than just one product or one rate focus, because… it's a long-term strategy for you.”

Instead of merely acting as an intermediary who brings borrowers and lenders together, the twins work to help budding investors establish a good foundation for their property investment journey.

“We really look at building roadmaps for our clients up front… What we do is, on paper, we really put down [the necessary data and say that] we'll go to this lender for the home — lender A, B, C, D, in that order, so you can continue maximising what's really possible for you,” Mona explained.

“Knowing that upfront [is very valuable]. Whilst we have no control over the lending policies or where their rates go if you're making that strategic choice, you're keeping a lot of doors open for later investment.”

For Sana and Mona, leading the Property Twins business is not too far from going on different property investment journey with each of their clients. Being able to succeed in property investment, according to them, is never about specialising in one area but rather about understanding the entire process. Opening doors of opportunities to continuous and long-term education remains one of the main goals of the twins’ venture.

Mona said: “We are taking our clients on a journey. It's not about one transaction at a time, it's about the big picture and really educating them through the process, through the decisions that they are going to be making—whether it be principal interest repayments or interest new repayments, just talking through the pros and cons, the rates, and how it's impacting them, and what their plans are in the next six to 12 months.”

They believe that finding the right mentor in the field of property investment cuts down a significant number of years’ worth of effort, and that is exactly the value that they want to bring to their clients, more than just helping them look for a lender.

As property investors themselves, Sana and Mona want their own experiences to serve as lessons and inspirations for their clients.

“[We want to be] that sounding board for our clients so they can make the best decisions for themselves. It's been really rewarding to see the changes that people have had or the [smart] decisions our clients have made over the last couple of months,” Mona said.

Sana concluded: “Whilst we're not property coaches or mentors, that naturally comes to us… [We] pretty much hand [hold] them and [say], ‘Look, this is what we would buy, this is what would make a good property and this is what you should be looking for, and where you should be looking.’”

Tune in to Sana and Mona Ali’s episode on The Smart Property Investment Show to know more about how buying cheaper-end properties enabled them to quickly expand their portfolio and more effectively manage their cash flow, how their love of property inspired their careers in mortgage broking, as well as how their working experience enabled them to navigate changes to mortgage lending and position their portfolio for future success.