Richard Zhang is only 28, works as a software engineer and has already built a 5 property portfolio worth around $3 million to $4 million.
He started with ZERO properties when he joined my Course.
Why Richard Learned to Analyse the Data Himself
Richard began researching property in 2021 after his manager taught him about leverage. Initially, he considered using a buyers agent, but as a data driven person, he wanted to understand how investment decisions were actually being made.
So he learned how to analyse supply, demand and the underlying data himself.
Three Purchases in Perth
He bought his first property in Perth around August 2022.
At the time, Perth was already competitive, with some properties receiving 10 to 20 offers after the first open home. Richard initially worried he’d overpaid.
Looking back, it became a great purchase.
His second property was an off market Perth deal around mid 2023, which also became a superstar performer.
His third was a one bedroom Perth unit for $157,000, with a long term lease returning $500 per week. He deliberately bought it for cash flow rather than expecting significant capital growth.
Selling to Redeploy Capital
Richard ultimately bought 7 properties and now owns 5, after strategically selling some and redeploying the capital.
One property he sold was that one bedroom unit.
It had experienced strong capital growth as Perth units followed houses higher, but tenant turnover, maintenance and its inferior long term characteristics made him decide to sell while Perth was still running hot.
The sale also cleared debt from his personal name and allowed him to redeploy the money into a better long term asset.
Buying in Tasmania
His most recent purchase was in Tasmania.
He bought an older house on approximately 850m², positioned near the front of the block with a large backyard and potential for future development.
He chose the market because the data was showing early signs of movement, strong owner occupier demand and limited supply. Even conveyancers and property managers were reportedly operating at capacity.
Buying Property in a Trust to Keep Borrowing
Richard also transitioned from buying in his personal name into trusts as his borrowing capacity became stretched.
Through different lenders and structures, he continued maintaining borrowing capacity of roughly $500,000 to $600,000 for subsequent purchases.
And now, at only 28, he’s effectively reached the end of his acquisition phase for the time being.
Next Goal: From Rentvesting to a Sydney Home
His next goal?
Buy his own home in Sydney after years of rentvesting.
Ideally, he’ll sell only one investment property to help fund it, while keeping the remainder of the portfolio working for his future.
Using AI as a Property Investor
As a software engineer, Richard also has an interesting perspective on AI.
Rather than fearing it, he’s embracing it.
He even used Claude Code to build a system that automatically analysed properties for renovation potential and emailed potential opportunities to him every day.
His philosophy is simple:
Don’t worry about AI taking your job. Worry about someone using AI better than you.
Longer term, Richard wants to move into residential or commercial development and help increase Australia’s housing supply, although he acknowledges today’s high construction costs make many developments financially unviable.
Richard's Lesson for Investors in 2026
His biggest lesson for investors starting in 2026?
Go back to fundamentals.
Supply.
Demand.
High yield.
Strong owner occupier demand.
And don’t let short term fear dictate a 5, 10 or 15 year investment decision.
As Warren Buffett says, be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.
Where Could You Be in Four Years?
Richard started with nothing, bought 7 properties, now owns 5, has a portfolio worth around $3 million to $4 million, and is preparing to buy his Sydney home at just 28 years old.
Pretty impressive for someone who only bought his first investment property around four years ago.
Where could you be four years from now if you started today?
Book a Free Discovery Call With Realta with PK
If you would like to understand which markets our research team is currently active in and whether a property in Melbourne or elsewhere in Australia makes sense for your situation right now, book a free 60-minute Discovery Call with our team.
There is no obligation and no cost. Just an honest conversation about your goals, your budget and what the data actually shows about where the best opportunities are right now.
Co-Founder | The Educator & Mentor
I’m also a property investor with a $27m+ debt-free portfolio of residential & commercial property, generating over $300k+ net annual passive income.
I help people from all over Australia, by accessing a unique strategy that combines high growth high cashflow residential property, alongside highly profitable property development projects to help accelerate their passive income. I typically work with families, young over-achievers, and new Buyers Agents who want a predictable, DATA-led system to grow wealth and Passive Income.