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The Trail Blazer

SINGAPOREANS MAY NOT KNOW HIM, BUT IN THE Southern Hemisphere, Sean Niven is a golf celebrity. While only keen fans of the game may have heard of his prowess on the green, property magnates and investors in the Pacific rim will certainly know of his business acumen. Looking very much like a younger, fitter and more hirsute version of Hollywood star Bruce Willis is this 44-yearold New Zealander property wizard. Dressed in crisp white business shirt and flat-front pants, the General Manager of JL Property Group has a quiet and assuring British grace and that devil-may-care Kiwi attitude that endears him to his clients. Born of Irish and English ancestry, Sean moved to Auckland in 1971 at the age of seven with his English toolmaker father, Ian, and Irish homemaker mother, Anne. Growing up amidst rolling greens, it is little wonder that Sean gravitated towards a career in golf. Growing up, all I wanted to do was play golf professionally, 112 AFFLUENT

From golf to property, this business mavericks phone number is on speed dial of some of Singapores rich and famous

and I looked up to Jack Nicholas and Greg Norman, admits Niven. In 1982 at the age of 17, the accounting sophomore decided to postpone his university education and turn professional. Niven played for Auckland for five years as an amateur golfer in several representation teams. He played in many minor tournaments and in one major 1983, the New Zealand Amateur Golf Tournament, in which he came in second. In 1986, he suddenly decided to trade in his clubs to return to real work. Was it difficult for someone who had wanted to play professional golf all his life to give up the sport? No, it was not difficult at all. I ran out of money and needed to get serious about working, Niven reveals. At the age of 22 my priorities had changed; I was very ambitious and wanted to start making money after struggling for the past six years. Niven moved to Australia and joined Freightways, where he developed a successful alternative system to the then postal

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Groups clientele list is made up of the countrys creme de la creme, many of whom he is on a first name basis. Sean Nivens 6 hot tips to investing in Australian properties. 1. For overseas investors in Australian property, you should always buy property that Australians will buy back from you, i.e. property that has a resale market in Australia. (The Foreign Investment Review Board [FIRB] restricts foreigners from buying second hand property in Australia.) 2. Never buy student accommodation, hotel suites or serviced apartments. They have no alternative use, the banks dont support them and they have no resale demand. The banks will not fund apartments under 50sqm, which many typically are, and they (banks) classify these properties as commercial; and the criteria for lending is very strict with high interest rates. 3. Dont be afraid to buy in a market that is flat i.e., one that has not risen in value for some time and therefore is considered good value. Such a situation generally occurs before a rise. Maximum short-term profits can be made by buying during this time. However buying when everyone else is may not be the smartest way of investing. 4. Buy with the intention to HOLD. Australian property should be seen as a medium to long term, about 7 to 10-year safe and secure investment. 5. Location is key to all Australian property investments, so investigate the area before buying. 6. Understand the financing options and currency risks before purchasing overseas property.

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ARTICLE BY LAWRENCE TAN/ PHOTOGRAPHY BY DUMMY

service. In two years, he drove the company on to become a major competitor to Australia Post. Given his vast network of corporate clients, he was offered the opportunity to move into the travel industry. In the one year that he was there, the business reported AU$30million dollars in revenue. Following that, Nivens career was unquestionably on the fast track. However, instead of sticking around to reap the rewards of his hard work, Niven opted to graze in another pasture. Nivens property career began in earnest in 1993 when he was asked to set up a franchise marketing Queensland property to people living in Melbourne. So phenomenal was the growth of this company that Niven was tempted to set up his own company in 2000. I had purchased a small unit in 1986 for A$92,000 and by 1992 it had doubled in value and at the same time an opportunity to purchase a real estate agency came up, Niven recalled. With my personal experience I saw property as a safe and very profitable industry, so I took the opportunity and never looked back. Property has been my profession as well as my method of investment for personal wealth. Then three years ago JL Group came knocking on his door and Niven was soon on a plane heading out to Singapore to help set up JL Property Group. Today, ensconced in a sprawling office in Valley Point along River Valley Road, Niven oversees operations in Singapore, Hong Kong and China. So successful is Nivens personal and direct marketing approach that at least 50 per cent of the groups sales comes from referrals. The companys focus is on telemarketing and highly informative education programmes such as seminars and one-on-one consulting sessions to prospective investors interested in buying Australian properties. JL Property