I’ve been through several life stages, each presenting its own challenges and opportunities. My first career saw me rise through the ranks quickly and provide me with real responsibility. Then came my foray into business entrepreneurship, which resulted in failure as well as personal growth. Following that was perhaps the greatest risk taken thus far; our decision to relocate to Australia and for me to start a new career.
As of writing this post, I’m well into the retirement chapter of my life story. While it may not be as lucrative as past stages, it rewards me immensely. The following post summarises my life after real estate, as well as explains why it was one of the best decisions to retire when I did.
my typical Routine
My day normally starts early, typically around 5:30. I complete my morning routine and then drive my wife to the train station. From then on, I usually complete a brisk walk (running is not my style!) for 1-1.5 hours. Once that is taken care of, I then tackle the day’s responsibilities.
A considerable portion of my time is spent on actively managing our Airbnb properties. This involves introducing myself to guests, tending to their requests, or overseeing the clean-up/transitory period for when the next guest arrives. These activities will diminish in 2022, as we made the decision to stop listing our properties on Airbnb. However, more on that later!
I also consult for past colleagues and ex-clients. As I’ve mentioned previously, real estate is a relationship game. Sometimes, these relationships transcend your current job or even your career. I’ve been fortunate enough to cultivate strong relationships with certain parties, such that they still require my counsel. This ranges from ad hoc advice to overall construction management.
Finally, I make sure I do the one thing I neglected during my career – take personal time. I catch-up with ex-colleagues for coffee. I also schedule regular lunches with my friends to simply shoot the breeze. These types of activities were always secondary to my other work responsibilities, but have now become the most enjoyable parts of my routine.
Is The Above Considered Retirement?
Now some of you may think that the above doesn’t meet the definition of retirement. Even my own mother says that she can reach me less now compared to when I was working! The truth is this is how I always envisaged retirement. I never held the notion that retirement is to sit on your rear and binge-watch Netflix all day. If someone told me that I was only able to do this during retirement, I would have continued working full-time.
My life after real estate has been all about flexibility. The flexibility to choose how I allocate my time and effort, and who I choose to spend that time. I yearned for this flexibility the last few years of my working career. Now that I have it, I have no issues with working on several projects at the same time. If anything, the term ‘work’ is a misnomer, as I thoroughly enjoy what I’m doing in this life stage.
* * * *
My real estate career was incredibly rewarding, not to mention necessary for building our lives in Australia. However, my life after real estate has been equally fulfilling and enjoyable.
The content outlined above was written, edited and published by the Lost Realtor. The author has over 20 years or real estate sales and investing experience in the Australian property market. He has held senior positions in Australian building companies, including being the General Manager of the residential sales division of Collier Homes. His qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Graduate Diploma in Building and Construction Law.