In this episode of The Property Nerds, we break down how he went from working full time while studying, to buying his first investment at 23 and scaling to three properties across multiple states using strategy, not luck.

This isn’t a story about earning crazy money. It’s about decisions, discipline, and understanding how the game actually works.

We unpack:

1. Why buying in your own backyard can hold you back
2. The small money habits that accelerated his first deposit
3. How one decision changed everything
4. What most first time buyers get wrong about apartments
5. How equity replaced saving for his second property

If you’re in your 20s and feel like Sydney has priced you out, this episode will show you what’s actually possible when you shift your strategy.

Because property isn’t about where you live. It’s about how you play the game.

Timestamps:

05:11 - Why Sydney felt impossible at the start

06:09 - The advice that stopped him buying units

08:29 - Why buying in your own backyard can be a mistake

12:39 - First property

18:59 - Using equity to fund property #2

21:05 - The reality of rising debt and cash flow pressure

27:05 - Third property + shifting to non-bank lending

31:48 - His advice for anyone starting in their 20s