PHOTO: Simon Cohen. FILE
Simon Cohen, the CEO of Cohen Handler and a prominent property buyer’s agent, has partnered with Joshua Meli to establish CH Secure. This new venture, also a buyer’s agency, is dedicated to assisting everyday Australians in achieving long-term financial prosperity by investing in affordable real estate properties across the nation.
Mr. Cohen stated, “Cohen Handler has always been committed to helping people acquire their homes and investment properties. We genuinely desired to provide all Australians, especially everyday Australians, with the opportunity to accumulate wealth through property. Our aim was to establish this business and platform to make that a reality. Given our extensive background in buyer’s agency and our significant experience in real estate, we believed we were the ideal team for the job.”
Mr. Cohen emphasized that owning property is a dream shared by every Australian, and CH Secure is poised to make that dream accessible. He noted, “One of the most effective ways people have built wealth is through property. With Cohen Handler Secure, all you need is a $70,000 deposit.”
Joshua Meli brings a wealth of experience in residential and commercial property acquisition and management to this partnership. He highlighted affordability as a primary focus for CH Secure, operating in the price range of $200,000 to $700,000 across the country.
The agency follows a stringent 100-point checklist, ensuring that each property meets the criteria before recommending it to a client. One essential criterion is not investing in areas where one industry comprises over 10 percent of the job market. Mr. Cohen added, “There’s a significant amount of research and analytics that underpin our choices.”
Mr. Meli noted that currently, many buyers are seeking properties with a beachside lifestyle, especially after being priced out of major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. CH Secure is actively purchasing properties in South Australia, Queensland, and Western Australia, focusing on areas with appealing lifestyle attributes. They are also targeting regions with significant infrastructure investments, such as improved public transport, new schools, hospital upgrades, and road enhancements.
Mr. Meli emphasized that, in addition to long-term capital growth, they consider higher yields a key factor. Instead of investing in properties with lower yields in cities like Sydney, they are focusing on areas with 6-6.5 percent gross yield. This approach reduces the financial burden on their clients.
As an illustrative example, Mr. Meli cited a property in the Mackay and Whitsundays region purchased by CH Secure for $440,000. This three-bedroom, one-bathroom, two-car garage home is currently rented at $580 per week, offering a rental yield of 6.65 percent. Furthermore, Select Residential Property, a research firm specializing in property growth trends, predicts a cumulative 19 percent property capital growth in the area over the next three years. This could result in the property owner gaining more than $83,600 in equity during that period. With just a 10 percent deposit, one could secure this property for $44,000, plus associated costs, Mr. Meli explained.