Property Investment
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Spending 45 (of your best) years working, only to retire on the pittance that is superannuation (if it will even still be around when you and I retire) sounds like a horrible deal to me!
I was fortunate to realise this at a young age, so after university I spent (what felt like) another small fortune on some great 'financial' education figuring out how to avoid that.
Once I understood leverage, I went out and bought my first investment property at 22... and then I started my first business at 25. (I'll leave you to guess my age from my photo :-))
Ever since then, financial freedom has been my primary goal - for myself, my family and my clients. Full disclosure though... initially I was too obsessed and probably pushed too hard, which ended up costing me a lot. The expensive and humbling lessons I learned through that 'reset' taught me patience and that enjoying the journey is also incredibly important. They've also allowed me to help ensure others don't make the same mistakes.
Now... my wife and I have accumulated a $6m+ property portfolio, run a couple of businesses and enjoy at least a week a month wakeboarding around Taupō over the summer or snowboarding on Ruapehu during Winter - and once the world opens up properly again for international travel, we have a long list of new places that we plan to visit. I don't think our two boys (currently 9 & 10) really understand what Mum & Dad do for a 'job' - which is perfect - and we plan to ensure they begin their working lives with a much better financial education and base than we ever did.
Finally, after observing the crew at Opes Partners and listening to every single one of their podcasts for a couple years, I realised just how focussed and genuine they are. The deals they negotiate, the due diligence they go through, the data analysis they undertake, and the fact that I was initially frustrated at their conservative projections - all led me to want to work with them.
Fortunately, they seemed to like me too... and now I look forward to helping you achieve your financial goals through property.
More from Lance
What's it like working with Lance?
5/5 stars No hard sell tactics, just supportive, positive and responsive
My wife and I decided to sell an older rental property in Auckland and shift into new build investment property. We contacted Opes, had an initial meeting with Lance Jensen and then progressed with a plan to buy a stand-alone new build in Rolleston and a town house in Auckland. Along with Opes Property Investment, we also utilized Opes Mortgages for financing. We found Opes to be an exceptional company to deal with. No hard sell tactics, just supportive, positive and responsive. All parts of the organisation we dealt with are set up extremely efficiently and the customer service is second to none. The new builds we ended up with were both built by excellent developers and while we could have spent the time working out what locations and developers to use ourselves, buying through Opes simplified the whole process and helped ensure our decisions were based on research. We highly recommend Opes and are also using Opes Property Management to manage the properties. If you are looking for a company to help with new build residential investment, makes sure you check out opes.Darren7/3/20265/5 stars Encouraging and Knowledgeable Advice
I had a portfolio session with Lance today. Lance is totally awesome. It was so lovely chatting with someone who's on the same page as us in their property journey. Lance was encouraging, knowledgable and gave unhurried advice. Thank you Lance, for your thoughts, encouragement and knowledge, which were very much appreciated.Annelies G.9/12/20255/5 stars Highly recommend Opes
Excellent experience using Opes to purchase our first new build investment property. Lance, our financial adviser, took the time to properly review our situation, give clear advice, lay out a full financial plan, and ultimately find us an amazing new-build opportunity. Once we moved forward, Sophie was assigned as our Client Relationship Manager and she was outstanding — always our main point of contact and consistently keeping us updated on what we needed to do next. This made the entire process incredibly smooth, especially considering it was our first new-build purchase and we were organising everything while living in Australia. Highly recommend Opes and the team.Caleb M.1/12/20255/5 stars Excellent Financial Guidance and Support
We met with Lance to discuss ways we could move forward with our current financial situation. We approached Lance as he specialises in property and we found he understood our situation very well and he had excellent suggestions as to what options might work for us. His communication leading up to the meeting and since has been awesome and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend Lance to anyone looking for financial advice. PhilSandie S.6/11/20255/5 stars Highly Recommend
Hi All, just a quick reference to let you know of my meetings with Lance Jensen his knowledge and insites to reviewing my financial situation was extremely helpful we had a deep dive into now and what the future looks like with different scenarios, As he himself is an investor makes sure we are on the same wave length of all the many numbers being discussed, I highly recommend his input and service if you are in the property investment space.Perry B.3/11/20255/5 stars Guidance That Gave Us Confidence to Build Our Future
Melissa and I had been looking into investment property for years but were stuck in “analysis paralysis.” We came across OPES Property on Instagram and, after trialing their online tools, booked a meeting with Lance — his bio and approach aligned perfectly with what we were looking for. Lance was incredible to work with — he really listened, took time to understand our goals, and guided us without pressure. Once we moved forward, Sophie supported us through the process and was just as outstanding — answering questions quickly and helping us go unconditional on our Christchurch property with confidence. We couldn’t recommend Lance, Sophie, and the OPES team highly enough. Their guidance has given us the confidence and direction to build a secure future for our family.Adam W.3/11/20255/5 stars Brilliant experience with Opes
Brilliant experience with Opes for our first investment property. The whole team has been great, but Lance and Sophie in particular have been excellent and really led us through the process step by step. The developers are hand picked and reliable and it really couldn't have gone smoother. We highly recommend working with Opes for first time investors.David R.20/10/20255/5 stars Helped us gain clarity around our long-term objectives
We had a highly productive meeting with Lance Jensen, who communicated clearly, openly, and without sugar-coating. He provided honest insights and explained complex ideas in a way that made our goals easier to understand. Lance helped us gain clarity around our long-term objectives by reframing them into more realistic and attainable steps, and offered practical strategies to move forward. His guidance gave us a clearer perspective and a more achievable path. We’re looking forward to putting his suggestions into action as we work toward achieving our goals.Cass W.6/10/20255/5 stars Kept me on track
I have enjoyed the financial and investment conversations & advice from Lance Jensen. The comms and updates from Sophie regarding the build progress and the tasks I need to complete have kept me on track. Thanks, team :)Helen M.6/10/20255/5 stars Very smart and detail oriented
I have found OPES thru podcast and since my work allows me to listen the whole day while working. I have listened to almost all of the podcast. Then I reach out to them because I have almost paid up my owner-occupied property and I’m looking to buy an investment. Buying investment property requires more than buying a house. Luckily, OPES is a company that is designed to hold your hands into the process and they have one stop shop business that offers everything that relates to house investment. We dealt with this very smart and detail oriented financial advisor Lance Jensen and he helped me map out my way into property investing. Also, Sophie Gowans assisted me in all my other queries big and small while the build is ongoing and also after the build. They also have mortgage broker inhouse that is in sync with Lance Sophie and the rest of the group. I couldn’t ask for a better service than what I get from OPES. Oh, I didn’t pay them for their service. It’s free which is lovely. So, if you want to test if you are qualified to buy, get an appointment with them (I suggest get Lance Jensen) its free and decide later if you want to continue. I am now in the process of buying my 2nd investment and very happy with the service I get.Joel R.2/10/20255/5 stars Fantastic financial advice and assistance
Me and my wife brought our first investment property through OPES. The financial advice and assistance throughout the whole process has been fantastic with both Lance and Sophie. Communication was great throughout the build process and have had follow ups since this was completed a couple of months ago. Couldn't recommend them enough and will be using them again for the next one.Karl R.23/9/20255/5 stars A realistic approach
Lance gave some sound advice and a realistic approach to our financial goals. ThanksShane P.19/9/20255/5 stars A real pleasure to work with professionals
A real pleasure to work with professionals who understand their industry and provide the wraparound services to ensure every element is covered. Rare but refreshing to find in modern times. Thanks again Opes Team, especially Lance Jensen and Sophie Gowans. Great stuff.Justin W.18/6/20255/5 stars A very productive wealth planning meeting
My wife Sue and I had a very productive wealth planning meeting with Lance Jensen. Lance was quick to understand our situation given our current financial position and age. We thought our path forward would have been via Opes Partners and property investment, however Lance pointed us to a different strategy that is good for us however does not involve any commission or reward for him. Thank you Lance we will recommend you in future.Tony A.30/4/20255/5 stars Made everything very easy
Worked with Lance and Sophie, both of whom were great. Helped us through the process of buying our first investment property and made everything very easy. Would highly recommend to anyone!Lulu B.10/4/20255/5 stars Determination and passion for results!
I had the most amazing experience working with Opes Partners and directly working with Lance & Sophie, we had some difficulties getting our application through with a bank but they did not take no for an answer and it is because of their determination and passion for what they do that we were able to get the results we wanted! Highly recommend!Jared M.16/3/20255/5 stars Great and very insightful session with Lance!
Great and very insightful session with Lance! Thanks so much, we look forward to talking again in the future.Answa H.2/12/20245/5 stars Valuable insights into my portfolio and potential opportunities
Lance was fantastic! He provided valuable insights into my portfolio and potential opportunities. I also appreciated hearing about his own property journey, which closely aligned with my experiencesAlisa R16/10/20245/5 stars We are tickled pink with our new investment property and how it unfolded
Thank you Sophie and team, we are tickled pink with our new investment property and how it unfolded. You guys did really well getting us over the line as I mentioned to Lance, I’m not good on paper work. Knew it was going to be alotta backwards and forwards but grateful for Opes holding our hands through it all - especially doing a deal on 2 at once! I think Fiona and I did well for a couple of novices. Lance and Anna were exceptional in guiding us through the process, otherwise we would probably still be sitting on the fence. I appreciated them always getting back to me with an answer pretty well anytime I rang.Steve H10/6/20245/5 stars He tailored the discussion very specifically to my needs, rather than a prescribed script
It is very easy to rate Lance 5 stars. The experience was informative, clear, personalized, and thought provoking. He was very professional in his approach and went to great lengths to explain all aspects of the investment plan. Something that particularly impressed me, was he really personalized the conversation. I felt like he tailored the discussion very specifically to my needs, rather than a prescribed script. Very impressive, and without doubt the most interesting informative session I have experienced regarding investment. Certainly, Lance has given me food for thought. Without hesitation I would recommend him to anyone looking for advice and direction in this area. Thank you, Lance.Deborah B4/6/20245/5 stars Honest, real advice
My husband and I had a meeting with Lance to discuss whether investing in property would be a viable option for our retirement. We were very appreciative of Lance's honesty and integrity, when he suggested property may not be suitable for our situation. He referred us to another advisor, outside of Opes Partners who deals in a different sector. We would highly recommend Lance for discussing your wealth plan with.Jennifer B27/5/20245/5 stars Helped us clarify what we needed to do to achieve a comfortable retirement
We found Lance friendly, informative and very helpful when we spoke with him. He helped us clarify what we needed to do to achieve a comfortable retirement, and how to go about it. He listened well, understood what was important to us. Communicated in terms that we were able to understand. We would recommend Lance as a go to personBarry C26/5/20245/5 stars He patiently listened and answered all our questions
It is our pleasure to work with Lance Jensen. He is very knowledgeable and professional. He patiently listened and answered all our questions. I highly recommend Lance to all investors who need to set up the right path. Thank you very much Lance for your help.Nguyen T16/5/20245/5 stars The process is transparent and easy to follow
We worked with Opes Partners for property investment advice and step-by-step assistance to put a plan in action. Highly recommend as a way to analyse and understand the risks and rewards of property investment, and to take practical action to secure a better future. Lance, Sophie and the team at Opes made the process transparent and easy to follow, and provided support, guidance and resources every step of the way.Alex C8/5/20245/5 stars I now have a plan for retirement and own my first property
Living overseas I had accumulated some saving and wasn't sure what to do them. My brother suggested investing it and introduced to Lance Jensen. I must admit that was pretty nervous and unsure of the process. During out first meeting, Lance talked me through the process, explaining in a way that I could understand. By the end of that meeting, I felt far less anxious. The ball was rolling fairly quickly and with 8 weeks i had purchased a rental property. All the through the process the team at Opes were there with me. With the support of Lance and the Opes Team, I now have a plan for retirement and own my first property.Kym M5/5 stars Would highly recommend Lance and OPES
Great conversation and really insightful. I appreciate the clear communication and discussion on our next step. Would highly recommend Lance and OPES.Alex T31/1/20245/5 stars My partner and I both felt more empowered
My partner and I had an incredibly insightful conversation with Lance Jensen from Opes Partners. We are new to property investing and wanted to utilise the expert knowledge and services that Opes Partners offered to get us on track to reach our property investment goals. Lance delivered in spades. He straight away recognised some challenges that we would face and we both appreciated the frank & open discussion around this. By the end of the session my partner and I both felt more empowered on our property investment journey. We also have greater clarity around the work we need to do in order to put ourselves into a position to get the next property(s). If you have thought about doing the portfolio planning session with Opes & haven't yet, then just do it!Leah1/2/2024