Why you should not fake it till you make it

Get rich quick schemes that target the vulnerable should be regulated.

By Khalil Adis

A cemetery in Kuala Lumpur. There has been social media buzz on suicides since last year due to inability to pay one's mortgage. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

During an economic downturn, many so-called experts will enter the market with click-bait worthy headline on social media promising massive profits.

In fact, I happen to know some of these experts.

One of the experts would go on to sell a course that encourages overleveraging.

My post is in no way to disparage any experts but to highlight the dangers of overleveraging in the greater public interest.

Fake it till you make it

A party onboard a luxurious yacht on Sentosa Cove for illustration purposes only. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

Years ago, I was approached by this particular expert who had asked me to help him market his course in Singapore.

In return, he had promised a cut from the profits.

The expert had also told me how his motto in life was to “fake it till you make it”, as he had put it.

Since I was trained in architecture and interior design, I had asked the expert to comment on my interior design floor plan.
​
However, I never received neither his proposal nor feedback.

A glamorous new life

Luxurious homes on Sentosa Cove for illustration purposes only. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

Recently, I saw on social media that he has reinvented himself with a course that encourages overleveraging.

The captions and photos on social media seem to suggest that you too can lead an equally glamorous life as depicted.

It got me thinking about his motto and if others understand the dangers of overleveraging.

The dangers of overleveraging

When you overleverage, there is a danger that you could end up bankrupt. Graphics: Shutterstock.

Overleveraging means to commit yourself to more debts than you can handle.

Of late, there was a social media buzz that highlights this danger that apparently led a young man to commit suicide.

The young man had apparently bought several properties at a substantial discount and had hoped to generate positive cash flow from the rental.

However, in light of the severe oversupply in residential units in Malaysia as well as the very soft market, I am afraid he may have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous developers who are desperate to offload their units.

With the current market reality in Malaysia, I doubt his rental can cover his mortgage resulting in negative cash flow.

Assuming he has to top up RM1,000 per unit, that works out to RM4,000 per month.

Also, there is a possibility that the developer had priced up the unit and then sold it off at a ‘discount’ to make the buyer feel good.

However, in the resale market, valuers will take into account the current transacted value of the area and not the selling price from the developer.

Let’s do the math.

Assuming the developer had priced it at RM1,000 per sq ft and he now wants to sell the unit, valuers will value the property accordingly.

Should recent transactions show that units in the area were sold at RM700 per sq ft, he would have to sell it at a loss of RM300 per sq ft.

For a 1,000 sq ft unit, that works out to RM300,000!

Let’s not even talk about the possible commission the expert may have earned on the side from the units sold as well as from bank referral fees.

Ultimately, the one at the losing end is you.

A word of caution

View of the nearby Indonesian islands from Cappella on Sentosa island. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

I would urge consumers to do a lot of research, check the expert’s credentials and analyse if their methods make sense.

You should also conduct your own due diligence by going down on site to study the area to check if there is demand in the rental and resale market for the project that is on offer.

Find out what is the resale value current via Brickz and then compare it to how much the developer is selling it.

This will give you an estimate on how much the developer had marked up the unit.

Also, you should plan your exit strategy should you not be able to get a tenant. Can you do an Airbnb instead? Also ask yourself, “can I afford to take up so much loan?”

I would also like to remind consumers not to be easily blinded by the show of material wealth on social media.

They are most likely curated image meant to create an illusion that you too can live that ultimate lifestyle.

Live within your means, enjoy a good night’s sleep and don’t get trapped in the debt cycle.

Remember this, if it is too good to be true, it probably is.