Former Olympian reveals how he built a $10m, nine-property portfolio

A former Taekwondo Olympian has revealed the surprise move that allowed him to buy nine investment properties worth a combined $10m. Hayder Shkara was 30 when he bought his first investment property on NSW’s South Coast and rather than drawing directly on savings like most buyers, he cashed out of a modest share portfolio. Mr Shkara, now the owner of a law firm, said he doesn’t have an issue with property values dropping if it boosts affordability for others. “Sure it’s going to annoy people if people don’t see their property prices go up but I think also the flip side of it is a majority of Australians do think (property has) become unaffordable,” Mr Shkara said. “So you can’t want things to be affordable and then not take a hit to your properties, you know, you can’t have it both ways,” he said. MORE: $10m Sydney home sale fails to please Hayder Shkara is a property investor, former taekwondo Olympian and owns a law firm. Picture: Supplied. MORE: Aussie rich-lister faces massive tax bill Mr Shkara “knew his means” and played it safe when he bought his first property for around $600,000. “I was like, okay, I can’t buy in Sydney, can I buy in the next suburb out of Sydney? Not real...