Hi Steve,

We are considering starting investing in positive cash flow properties here in Australia and/or possibly overseas either Europe, the USA or Tassie.

I have read heaps of information to educate myself and generally understand how the figures work in relation to finding a positive-cash-flow property that should take care of itself and pay you a small income to live on; and replicating this across other positive cash-flow properties. What concerns me is the amount of debt you need to carry to invest in a number of properties and the prospect that if any of these properties became vacant, how do you manage the expense of covering their mortgage payments and other expenses if this is multiplied across a larger number of properties? I would think you should be able to handle the loan servicing of a small number of properties, but what if this occurred to a larger number of properties? Have you every had something like this happen?

In a best-case scenario I can understand how it would work; but what about in a worst-case scenario?

Also, currently my partner and I are looking to move to the UK and setup there which will mean that for the next 2 years or so we are going to be on uncertain incomes. Can you give some advice on how you would arrange finance to purchase investment properties if your income is uncertain? We currently have good savings and equity in our own home in Brisbane, as well as a good credit rating; but I am not sure how we should approach lending institutions to be able to get the best loans to ensure we are able to purchase a number of investment properties with minimum income (from us personally).

Anyway, I would love to get your opinion on these questions.

Thanks
Stef