How To Get Started In Real Estate Investing

Since its inception over ten years ago, Laura Ibrahim along with her business partner and husband Bashar Ibrahim have led Bella Ikea Developments, a Sydney property development firm at the forefront of the luxury residential real estate land and property development market.

Bella Ikea established itself as a property development company committed to excellence, with Bashar and Laura creating incredible, luxurious residential apartment developments and luxury home designs in Sydney's best suburbs.

Thanks to the hard work of Bashar and Laura, Bella Ikea is now a mainstay in Sydney’s luxury development market, with demand for quality residential apartments continuing to grow.

There is no such thing as an overnight success. Luckily this property developer couple don’t keep secrets and have shared their best tips for investing in the Australian real estate market.

1. Keep learning

Experience adds up. No matter your position on a property development team, you can always be learning more about the process from building and construction to the state of the property market and real estate industry.

The minute you think you know everything about the property industry is the minute you make a poor investment decision. Always keep learning.

2. Create a network

Networking is one of the best ways to get information and building contacts in the real estate industry. It’s a must for anyone starting out in property development.

Start talking to people, whether it is builders on-site, real estate agents or other property developers, you just don’t know what information people have and are willing to share.

3. Numbers don’t lie

Laura Ibrahim says part of their success can be attributed to Bashar’s knack for numbers.

“He can find profitable property development opportunities,” says Laura.

As an experienced and skill property developer with knowledge of the Sydney suburbs in which they create developments, Bella Ikea has had great success in locating real estate sites that are primed for growth.

This is not a simple task.

To ensure a property development is successful, knowledge about both the property and financial markets is a must.

A property developer must make an informed decision about where the property market is heading in the coming years, foreseeing the state of the market when the development will be ready for sale.

Creating a successful development requires a deep understanding of the fluctuations in supply and demand of the Australian property market, plus the effects of international money markets and other external factors.

Experts list up to 14 factors that influence property prices in Australia. These include:

• Infrastructure 
• Economic growth 
• Population changes, including migration
• Demographic shifts in the area
• Lower interest rates
• Rent prices
• Credit availability
• Tax and taxation exemptions

4. Trust your gut

If a so-called opportunity doesn’t make sense, don’t go for it.

“Trust your intuition. So many times, it will be proven right,” says Bashar.

Part of Bella Ikea’s success is down to acquiring sites that have great potential and that are profitable. Given there are no guarantees in real estate, the final decision is always one of instinct, based on experience and industry knowledge.

5. Build a team you can trust

Bella Ikea has forged successful relationships with quality design and construction partnerships.

These relationships have ensured not only the ongoing profitability of the business but also the exceptional quality of the build, protecting buyers when they purchase a premium Bella Ikea residential off-the-plan.

Behind the scenes, Laura Ibrahim works hard, painstakingly working with a trusted team of architects, construction and building partners trusts to create beautiful homes of the high standard Bella Ikea expects.

6. Don’t be afraid of hard work

Both Laura and Bashar agree that success doesn’t come easy, be prepared to work hard.

Bashar started in the property industry as a labourer on building sites; Laura in a real estate office as well as having completed a Communications Degree. Despite this experience and the connections they made, they still knew the success they craved would not come easily and they would have to put all their time and energy into growing their business.

Over the last decade, both Bashar and Laura have obtained invaluable experience in the real estate industry that they use every day in their property development business.

7. Never lose sight of your end goal

Bella Ikea collaborates to deliver profitable investments. As the person responsible for quoting and sourcing, Laura is always mindful that at Bella Ikea she is working for her clients.

“We are building our clients a home. It’s going to be their most important asset and I never forget that,” says Laura.

“I take that responsibility seriously.”

Laura believes that staying attuned to the needs of your customers and suppliers is critical to any businesses’ success, which means looking for warning signs that things are off-track.

“I am always grateful that I did a university degree in Communications. It has really helped me effectively communicate with our buyers through different channels so that we can make sure their needs are being met and they’re feeling heard,” she says.

Keeping communication open ensures that problems can be solved before they become a crisis.

8. Carve out a unique product

Bella Ikea’s success in the real estate industry is not luck.

As well as doing their research, they create a special product - premium, innovative residential apartment developments in high-end suburbs. They build residential apartments with luxurious features and luxury fittings and fixtures.

What they offer is in high demand and their success comes from knowing what buyers at their price-point want and delivering a quality product that meets those needs.

Bella Ikea’s Successful Husband and Wife Team Bashar Ibrahim and Laura Ibrahim.