EDITORS LETTER
What does ice cream and a bus have to do with investment
Here ’ s a quick crash course in Democracy 101 to see if there are any lessons for the astute real estate investor . Imagine the scenario ; there ’ s nine people on a bus , three unruly passengers want to drive off a cliff while the other six want to go to an Ice cream shop . They all decide to take a vote to be fair , but the six ice cream supporters can ’ t agree on the best Ice cream shop to visit so four of them abstain from voting . Que dramatic music , bus rides over the cliff , everyone dies .
So how exactly does it translate into investing ? Firstly , there are always going to be some forces diametrically opposed to your political ideology just as there will most probably be staunch opposition to any investment opportunity you are pursuing . Secondly , withholding your vote is never a clever move . In democracy you ’ re gagging what little political voice you have , and in the investment sphere you ’ re diminishing the role you play in guiding the outcome .
And finally , most people agree that bad ice cream is better than dying - even if it ' s marzipan flavoured . Just as it ' s unlikely that any political party ’ s manifesto lines up perfectly with your plans to fix the world , it ' s equally unlikely that great investment opportunities will come your way trouble free and perfectly gift wrapped . Communication and compromise are the common keys to unlock a winning deal .
I must point out that this obviously does not constitute investment advice - I ’ m just an editor of a property magazine . Someone who really does know all about winning in property is this month ’ s Master Investor , Steve Brookes , CEO and Founder of Balwin Properties which you ’ ll know as one of the largest residential developers in South Africa .
REI Magazine first interviewed Steve seven years ago when he featured on the cover of our September 2016 edition , so this was an excellent opportunity to catch up and reflect on the Company ' s goals and achievements over the last few years . But perhaps the most exciting part is hearing future plans and where the Company is headed as Steve goes fully green and adopts sustainability and environmental sensitivity as a personal legacy .
And thank you for the positive feedback on REI magazine ’ s new design and layout . This is just the start , we are introducing more innovative features to enhance your digital experience , and create more value for the savvy investor .
DAYNE STERN HEAD OF CONTENT
A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece . - Ludwig Erhard
SA Real Estate Investor Magazine NOV 2022 3