I first realised my interest in Property and Real Estate back in the early 70’s.
Initially I was impressed with some house designs by a company called Habit,
they were earthy looking designs using “Clinker” (rough and over fired) style bricks.
The materials utilised were unique for that period, with such things as glass atrium styled
shower walls that were exposed to the exterior of the home allowing a cascade of natural sunlight in along with unfortunately any prying eyes.
All the roof gutters were made of solid copper, with featured copper nails used to secure any
external timber work and decking.
The floor plans were generally of a split or tri level variety with the tasteful use of open mezzanine levels.
At that point in time, around 1971, the cost to build such a house was under AUD$25,000
and an 800m2 block of land was around AUD$4,000 (wow haven’t things changed a little)
I was inspired by the above circumstances at that time to “take the plunge” and buy my first
piece of Sydney, Australia (a block of land) for the princely sum of approx. AUD$3,000 and much to my surprise, within 18 months my investment had risen in market value to around AUD$5,000.
The Penny had Dropped!
We have purchase 15 properties since then.
I knew there was real opportunity in this real estate market, little did I realise that it would become a life long passion of both mine and my future wife (whom I would not meet for another five years).
Life is strange, I didn’t really understand the economics of what I was doing, but it just felt
right and I had a vision “to be wealthy enough not to have to struggle like my mum and dad
had done all their working lives.
I wanted to retire at 30 years of age! (I was 24 at the time)
(It took me an extra 3 years and I went into semi retirement at age 33)
There’s no doubt that I was ambitious, even with only a seventh grade educational, I had
vision and big ideas.
At just 22 years of age I was head of design for the men’s and boys jeans manufacturing facility of
Levi Strauss Australia.
By the time I was 26 I had my own jeans manufacturing facility in Leichhardt Sydney with a
Staff of 36 and an annual turnover of close to AUD half a million dollars, that was a lot of money in 1975.
I had no idea that I would become a real estate junkie and end up consulting to a specialist property investment division for one of Australia’s biggest house hold names,…..
L.J.Hooker property source in North Sydney NSW.
This would then lead to the establishment of my own company, The G&K Cooper Corporation Pty Ltd, trustees for the Cooper Family Trust in 1982.
These days we are trading as COOPER & COOPER Investment Property Solutions with the mission of teaching and imparting our knowledge of the property market to beginners and professional investors alike right across the Australian nation.
For your FREE newsletter subscription to the tips and secrets of successful property investment and your own piece/s of Australia, please visit our website at www.cooperandcooper.com.au
Thank you, we look forward to meeting you there.
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