Party games and property purchasing - 7 tips to help you win.

As we celebrate my daughter’s 7th birthday today I have stopped to have a chuckle at the crazy games we find at kid’s parties. 

Think about this for a second… We give blindfolded kids a sharp pin, spin them around and send them on their way to stab a donkey’s butt. Then back on with the blindfold they take turns to aggressively smash a multicolour cardboard unicorn to extract lollies that will not only make every kid in the party go feral at the mere sight (let alone the sugar) but there’s invariably someone who gets in the way while the successful whacker pokes them in the eye, or even perhaps a parent in the nether regions.

The thing is that when kids are playing these party games the result is usually at worst a pricked finger, a plonk on the head with a hard paper stick or missing out on lollies.

If you let the drink uncle run the piñata and give them a samurai sword as the weapon of choice the result would invariably look a lot different. 

I know this sounds ridiculous but bear with me.

All too often I speak with people who are treating their property buying journey as a party game. They have the blindfold on but have poor (or zero) instruction and swinging the samurai sword in the hopes of landing on the unicorn and not someone’s neck.

They might just get lucky and one swipe gets the lollies but they also might ruin the rest of their lives, or the lives of those around them.

Dramatic? Yes. 

But failed investment decisions that put you back decades can be dramatic too.

So here’s what you do about it:

1. Take the blindfold off. What are you aiming at? Is someone helping you plan? (GOALS)

2. Don’t spin around. What is your strategy to get there? Can you walk towards it confidently and without deviating? Is someone pointing you towards the target? (STRATEGY)

3. Heed wise counsel. Know the rules of the game, when & where to strike (INSTRUCTIONS on how to play your game)

4. Get the right tools (and people) for the job. (PREPARE) 

5. Time to take your shot. (EXECUTE)

6. Sit back on the verandah, reflect and (SHARE) the chocolates with those you love. 

7. Reflect, tweak if necessary and repeat.

So sometimes the stick breaks and sometimes it’s just not your turn but if you follow the above I am sure you will enjoy the game and win more often than you lose. 

Now for my last party analogy, I promise.

Don’t let the drunk uncle run the piñata. 

Get the right advice, from the right people and keep your blindfold off. 

Then we can all share in the chocolates.