CAN YOU STILL MAKE MONEY FROM RENOVATING IN TODAY'S MARKET ?

Yes absolutely. There are renovation opportunities everywhere but whether you can make money from it in “any” market will depend on how knowledgeable you are as a professional property investor (to buy the right property at the right price in the first place) and how effective you are project managing the renovation from start to finish adding as much value at the least cost possible along the way. Renovation works in any market because renovation is essentially all about ‘adding value’.

I'VE HEARD THAT WHEN IT’S A SOFT / BAD MARKET, IT'S TOO RISKY TO RENOVATE. IS THAT TRUE?

Firstly you need to know that the property market is not one market. There are 2750 suburbs (or thereabouts) across Australia. Some suburbs can be booming while others are declining. Often the property market is referred to as 1 market but smart investors need to recognise that each individual suburb is a market unto itself and therefore will have its own unique circumstances. In Cherie’s experience, in tough economic times (like global financial crisis), its often the best time to do renovation deals. Fewer buyers in the market mean it’s easier to acquire properties at the right time or slightly below market value. In soft markets, the level of construction activity drops or halts therefore tradie’s tend to more readily available to work and at slightly more competitive rates. Also in soft markets, material suppliers are quieter making it easier to get your renovation materials for less. As long as you buy and sell in the same market (ie: buy low, sell low) it’s all balances out in the wash. You don’t ever want to be buying in a high market and selling in a low market. This is the beauty of property renovation in that its quick turnaround time typically means you’re buying and selling in the same market. One thing you will need to factor into the equation when selling your renovated property in a slow market is that it may take longer for you to sell so allow extra holding costs in your financial feasibility.

WHERE ARE YOUR EVENTS NORMALLY HELD?

All events are held at 4 to 5 star venues within the immediate Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne CBD city location. The Renovating For Profit events team always source high quality venues paying particular attention to the quality of venue, standard of catering, public transport accessibility and overall convenience factor for all venues. Locations of workshops are kept strictly confidential with details disclosed to registered attendee's only.   

CAN I GET ALL OF MY MATERIALS IN ADVANCE OF MY WORKSHOP?

Yes, Renovating For Profit now ships all workshop materials in advance of your workshop so that you can easily digest the information at your own pace and leisure prior to attending your scheduled workshop event. Workshops are then designed to recap on your learning’s so you maximise your ability to learn and implement the knowledge. All materials are despatched via registered post. Once materials are received and viewed, no refunds are permitted.

DO WORKSHOPS DIFFER ON A STATE BY STATE BASIS?

No, our workshops are generic right across the whole country and the system is easily implementable regardless of whether you’re in Sydney, Adelaide or Cairns. Our manuals are a ‘national’ publication that itemises all of the individual state factors. Renovating For Profit’s product is a true step by step system that works anywhere. A small number of Cherie’s graduates have even taken the system and are using it overseas with success.

WILL I BE DISADVANTAGED OR MISS OUT ON ANYTHING IF I FLY INTERSTATE TO DO A WORKSHOP?

Approximately 30% of Renovating For Profit students are interstate attendee's, many who travel simply because of clash of workshop timing with other commitments or the fact that workshops have sold out in their own state. The only real disadvantage of attending an interstate workshop is that students may have less of an opportunity to network and develop relationships with other like minded people at the event from their own state. 

IS THE TRAINING FOR BASIC PROPERTY INVESTORS OR MORE ADVANCED INVESTORS?

Our training is both. Our workshops will teach you the basic fundamentals of property investment so students can learn how to become professional property investors. Throughout the training, advanced and creative property strategies are disclosed and advanced knowledge is shared that will help you do deals in different ways to maximise results. People that attend our workshops range from people who have never done anything in property through to people who may have a small property portfolio and looking to maximise their results through to builders and tradespeople looking to become experts in the whole renovating for profit process. The people who attend our workshops and their respective skill level is extremely diverse.

WHAT TYPE OF PEOPLE ATTEND YOUR EVENTS?

We’ve recently analysed the typical profile of people who attended our 2010 workshops. It’s such a mixed bag in terms of people who attend and the different walks of life they come from. To summarise, below is a brief run down on the normal types of people attending our events:

• Mum and dad investors wishing to renovate in a professional capacity.
• Property investors looking to set up property businesses for themselves.
• First home buyers who will start with a reno project to build a property portfolio.
• Absolute beginners with no knowledge of property looking to become professional investors.
• Young people who may have 1 or 2 properties in their portfolio but wanting to grow their portfolio faster.
• Builders with no knowledge on the theoretical side of property investing & renovating.
• Industry professionals who understand their part but lack knowledge on all the other parts of the renovating equation.
• Tradies who are looking to throw in their jobs and work for themselves not other people.
• People with limited equity who realise they need an aggressive property investment strategy.
• Single mums who need or want to create their own financial independence.
• People who want the knowledge to be able to do a reno project on the side to supplement the income from their existing day jobs.
• People who want to own their own business (ie: be the employer, not the employee).
• Mums who want to project manage their own reno during school hours to supplement the family income.
• Family units (ie: mum & daughter team, parents & children team) wishing to renovate together for profit and sense of accomplishment and togetherness as a family unit.
• People who’ve had mediocre results in past projects and want to know how to renovate the right way for maximum profit.
• Husband and wife team who want to get results and build something together as a team unit.

As you can see, it’s a diverse group with differing property experiences and skill levels! 

ARE MEALS PROVIDED AT THE WORKSHOP?

Absolutely. We feed not only your brain but your belly too. On arrival, we serve tea, coffee & juices. Morning tea will include a sweet and savoury selection. Lunch is buffet style with a smorgasbord of fresh salads, rolls, baguettes and assorted sandwiches combined with hot and cold dishes including vegetarian options. Afternoon tea is also a sweet and savoury option of hot and cold food. Menus for the event are included in the event registration pack that all students receive 3 weeks prior to attending their workshop. We can cater to any special dietary needs and all attendee's are personally contacted prior to their workshop to determine if this is required. 

WHAT IS THE APPROXIMATE WEIGHT OF ALL YOUR MATERIALS THAT I'LL RECEIVE IN MY PACKAGE?

Renovating For Profit materials weigh approximately 15 kilo's in total.  

CAN I BOOK IN A WEEK BEFORE THE EVENT? I'D RATHER KEEP THE MONEY IN MY BANK ACCOUNT THAN YOURS ;-)

Of course you can do this however please note that we can't always guarantee you a seat in the workshop you're trying to book in for. Cherie's workshops have become immensely popular with most workshops now selling out at least 1 to 2 months in advance of their scheduled workshop date. Just to give you an idea, we had a waiting list of 93 people waiting to get into our last Sydney workshop of 2010 from people who left their enrolments to the last moment. Our recommendation is the sooner you know you want to undertake our training, the sooner you should secure your seat. Cherie also speaks around Australia every week and events that are relatively empty one day, can be sold out the very next day. 

IS THERE A DISCOUNT IF YOU PAY YOUR COURSE TUITION FEES IN FULL UPFRONT INSTEAD OF THE 5 MONTHLY INSTALMENTS?

No, we do not discount our workshops in any way. There is no financial incentive to pay upfront however it means you only need to pay once and it’s done. Renovating For Profit loves our customers who pay upfront though ;-)  It's easier for everybody! 

HOW DOES THE INSTALMENT PAYMENT PLAN WORK?

Once someone decides they want to attend our workshops, they put an initial deposit down of $1099.00 for a single attendee. That person then has a further 4 months on top of the first month to pay the remainder of the instalments off. In effect, attendees have 5 months to pay off your course tuition fees. Below is an example of what your payments would look like if we received your enrolment on the 1st April.

Our payment plan is an attractive option for students who don’t have all of the funds readily available. Of course, many of our students also simply elect to pay upfront for simplicity.

I'M ATTENDING WITH MY SISTER (UNDER THE PARTNER RATE) AND WE LIVE AT DIFFERENT ADDRESSES. IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET A 2ND SET OF ALL MATERIALS FOR MY HOUSE ALSO? IF SO, HOW MUCH WOULD THIS COST?

Yes, students who are booked in under the partner rate can buy a 2nd set of materials for a small cost of $495.00 plus registered post shipping costs. This offer is only available to students deemed to be a 'partner' and is not open to single attendee students.  Should you require an extra set of materials, please endeavour to notify us when you submit your enrolment form or at the very latest, notify us no less than 2 weeks before your scheduled workshop event. 

HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN I EXPECT TO ATTEND EACH WORKSHOP?

Workshops are capped between 200 to 250 attendees maximum per workshop event in order for Cherie to be able to take questions from the audience at any point throughout the workshop.

WHEN DOES MY 12 MONTH POST GRADUATE SUPPORT OFFICIALLY START?

As soon as you enrol in our program, the full resource and support of Renovating For Profit starts immediately for you. Many people who enrol in our program are in the midst of a renovation and need immediate assistance in helping them to undertake their renovation more effectively. The formal 12 month graduate support period starts the day after graduates finish their workshop training. 

WHAT DOES MY 12 MONTH POST GRADUATE SUPPORT INCLUDE?

Once students attend our training, they are officially categorised as a graduate (having undergone their training). Renovating For Profit has a dedicated team of graduate support managers who do nothing but assist and answer our graduate enquiries each and every day. All graduates receive 12 months post workshop support that gives them the ability to contact our office at any time via phone, email, Skype or in person within our office if it’s convenient. Our graduate support managers are also proactive in personally phoning our graduates regularly (monthly or bi monthly) throughout the first 12 months after your training to check on your progress and keep motivation high.  Graduates can ask any questions at any time and we’ll be there to assist. Our graduate support managers spend most of their days assisting students with their floor plans, looking over their project strategy, reviewing their financial feasibilities and answering any random questions along the way. Renovating For Profit believes we are one of the most supportive property education companies in this regard and understand that you may need your hand held a little on your first project or two. After the 12 month period, graduates can still ask any question they like for an indefinite period of time however the outgoing phone calls from our graduate support managers cease after the 12 month period. Cherie also films weekly renovation videos for all students and graduates which are emailed out on a weekly basis. Graduates of Renovating For Profit continue to receive these weekly videos indefinitely after the initial 12 month support period. 

WHAT TYPES OF SUPPORT CAN YOU ASSIST ME WITH ONCE I COMPLETE YOUR TRAINING?

Renovating For Profit will assist you with any question you have on your property projects. Our graduate support managers handle calls and emails daily on graduates wanting us to give them a 2nd opinion on unrenovated properties they are looking to buy (safety net factor), reviewing proposed floor plans and their development applications prior to council lodgement, reviewing their strategy on what they will do to a property in terms of adding value and where / where not to spend money, browsing over their financial feasibilities, assisting with contacts as well as helping with any project management issues while undertaking their renovation. We have the skill set and expertise within our office to be able to answer literally any question relating to any aspect of property investment, renovation or development. 

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE 12 MONTH SUPPORT PERIOD? CAN I STILL PHONE RENOVATING FOR PROFIT IF I NEED HELP WITH MY RENOVATION PROJECT?

For the first 12 months following your workshop training, graduates receive 2 levels of support – 1) outgoing support and 2) incoming support. Outgoing support includes the regular personal phone calls our graduate support managers make to all our graduates for the first 12 month period following their training. Incoming support includes graduates phoning our office and asking for assistance. At the end of the 12 post workshop support period, the incoming support continues as do the weekly renovation videos that Cherie films each week for her students but the outgoing support ceases. The chart below will assist you to understand our customer support model and how we assist people at various stages of their journey throughout our organisation.

CAN I TALK TO CHERIE PERSONALLY IF I’M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY PROJECT?

It’s important to Renovating For Profit that people fully understand the expectations they may have in terms of getting post workshop support from Cherie. Unfortunately we live in a world where many seminar presenters over promise and under deliver on direct access to the expert concerned. In order for Cherie to manage her renovating, business, media and family commitments and still have a balanced life, she’s made the business investment to put a graduate support team in place to answer the majority of questions from her thousands of graduates around Australia. Our graduate support managers are personally trained by Cherie and spend physical time on Cherie’s projects in order to understand the renovation process and what she teaches in detail. Our graduate support team currently handle 99% of our graduate queries. Should a graduate have a question that our graduate support team can’t answer, it personally comes through to Cherie to resolve (while the graduate support team listen in so they learn). At any point in time, any graduate of Renovating For Profit can specifically talk to Cherie at request  however in doing so; we ask you be respectful of Cherie’s time and leave 1:1 sessions to more complex discussions that the graduate support team can’t answer. Should any graduate wish to speak to Cherie, simply call our office and a meeting time will be allocated and put into Cherie’s diary for you. Cherie prides herself on being accessible to her graduates and does not charge additional fees for her time nor does she sell an advanced mentoring program at an exorbitant rate.

CAN I SEE CHERIE LIVE BEFORE I ENROL IN ONE OF HER WORKSHOPS?

Yes, Cherie is under contract to 2 Australian event promoters which she feels she is aligned with professionally and from an ethical point of view. Cherie tours Australia frequently giving 2 hour introductory presentations on her step by step renovation system. Should you wish to see Cherie live before enroling in one of our workshops, please CLICK HERE to be taken to our event promoter’s page where our promoter website links are featured. Please don’t hesitate to contact our promoters direct for specific dates on where and when Cherie is speaking next. Should you wish to attend a free introductory session, you will have the ability to enrol in our program direct through the promoter on that day if you wish.  

IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IF I ENROL THROUGH A PROMOTER VERSUS DIRECTLY THROUGH THE RFP OFFICE?

No, the product is exactly the same in terms of materials received and the course tuition fees payable. Renovating For Profit does not discount our product in any way, shape or form regardless of whether it’s acquired directly through our office or through a promoter.

WHO IS CHERIE BARBER?

Cherie is a full-time professional renovator and educator to thousands of graduates around Australia. She is considered by many to be Australia's leading expert on how to successfully buy, renovate and sell residential property for a profit. She is prolific in the Australian media and was subsequently dubbed by the media as Australia's Renovation Queen. She consistently averages 6 figure profits on every renovation she touches and now shares her knowledge and experience on how to successfully renovate for profit. Please CLICK HERE to read more About Cherie & Her Projects. 

DOES CHERIE STILL RENOVATE TODAY OR IS SHE MAINLY CONCENTRATING ON HER PUBLIC SPEAKING & MEDIA COMMITMENTS?

While Cherie's public speaking and media commitments consume a fair degree of her time these days, she is adamant to always be a practitioner of what she preaches. As for her projects in 2011, Cherie currently has a major structural renovation in progress, has already completely overhauled a property inside and out in 2 weeks cosmetically in January of this year and has completed a cosmetic renovation to a small office in April 2011. Cherie is keen to acquire further unrenovated properties in her target areas of Balmain, Rozelle and Lilyfield and is willing to pay anyone a site scout / spotters fee for any property she acquires. She’s adamant she will still be renovating when she’s 70. 

IS THERE MORE MONEY IN PUBLIC SPEAKING THAN RENOVATING FOR CHERIE?

While Cherie gets true enjoyment and satisfaction of being able to share her expertise with thousands of people across Australia via her public speaking commitments, anyone that knows Cherie will tell you that her true life passion is renovating - being on site with her trade teams in tow, creating beautiful houses that buyers want in the target suburbs she specialises in. Yes, Cherie makes good money in her property education business but she makes even better money in her property renovation projects. Her net return is substantially higher on a per hour basis for her renovation projects than her property education business. It’s one reason why Cherie continues to be a full-time professional renovator to this day. 

WHY WOULD CHERIE TEACH OTHERS HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY RENOVATE FOR A PROFIT AND THUS CREATE COMPETITION FOR HERSELF?

There are so many renovation opportunities in every suburb and typically within every street. Australia is a country bursting at the seams with unrenovated properties. Seriously, there is so much opportunity out there, this is not an issue. Even now, a number of Cherie’s graduates are now operating in her target suburbs. In Cherie’s view, there are enough good deals for everyone regardless of what suburb you’re in. 

STEPHEN TOLLE AND CHERIE USED TO SPEAK TOGETHER BUT I HAVE NOTICED ONLY CHERIE SPEAKING IN 2011. ARE STEPHEN & CHERIE STILL TOGETHER?

After 11 years together, Cherie & Steve decided to part ways amicably in 2010. They share a daughter together and cite that they now have a much better relationship as friends than what they did as a couple. Cherie & Steve's individual passions are property and it's this that brought them together in the first place. Unable to ever have a conversation between them that doesn't contain something to do with property, they are 100% supportive of each other in their own respective businesses and still continue to be semi-involved with each other professionally to this date. From time to time and if you're lucky, Steve may even make a guest appearance in our workshops.  Cherie is steering the big ship at Renovating For Profit while Stephen has established a new company, Real Estate Investing Australia (see our Property Directory page). Both Cherie & Steve look forward to collectively giving their daughter every opportunity to pursue her own personal goals in life without any financial restrictions.

CAN I SPEAK TO ONE OF CHERIE'S STUDENTS BEFORE I ENROL IN HER PROGRAM?

Renovating For Profit use to allow undergraduates (the general public who have not undergone our training) to speak to our graduates. Unfortunately we had to discontinue this as many members of the public were abusing the use of our graduate’s time, absorbing long periods of time on the phone or on their renovation sites and attempting to glean strategies and key contacts without investing in their own education. At the request of graduates, we ceased allowing undergraduates to speak to graduates in mid 2010. Please CLICK HERE to see testimonials from some of our very early workshops back in 2009  

HOW DOES RFP HANDLE REQUESTS FOR CHARITY?

Please CLICK HERE to be taken to our charity page which explains our charity vision in detail. Charitable requests can be made by emailing your request to admin@renovatingforprofit.com.au

I'VE ATTENDED YOUR AUGUST 2009 WORKSHOP AND ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. I'VE TOLD SOME WORK COLLEAGUES OF MINE ABOUT YOUR WORKSHOP. IF I REFER THEM TO YOUR WORKSHOP, CAN I GET A REFERRAL FEE?

Thank you and we’re glad you loved your workshop. We have implemented an affiliate referral system for our RFP graduates only. Please CLICK HERE to be taken to our Affiliate Program Page which is contained in the private graduates section only of this website.

Do you have a question you would like to ask that’s not covered off on our website or in this section? If so, please CLICK HERE to ask your question and we’ll reply within 24 hours of normal business hours.