- Joined
- Jul 18, 2014
- Messages
- 5,273
- Points
- 113
https://www.facebook.com/MarkoAndFriends/
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-------------Source: Grok AI using Deep Search based on real-time data-----------
To samurai..:
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Business Model Overview
Marko & Friends operates as a “Property Appreciation Community” led by Marko Goh, who claims over 20 years of experience and ownership of 50+ properties. The model centers on educating Singaporeans—particularly beginners—through paid courses (e.g., the 3-day “Copy The Rich To Be Rich Masterclass,” costing $8,000-$15,000 per participant) to achieve financial freedom via passive income from real estate. The approach involves:- Educational Seminars and Workshops: Starting with free previews or 3-hour masterclasses, attendees are upsold to intensive programs. These courses promise to teach strategies for identifying undervalued properties (e.g., commercial, industrial, residential) and leveraging them for profit or rental income.
- Collaborative Investment: Students are encouraged to pool funds with “cash investors” to buy properties, often commercial ones, without significant personal capital. The model relies on finding “below market value” (BMV) properties, negotiating deals, and splitting rental income or capital gains with investors.
- Community Support: Post-course, participants join a community (e.g., via Telegram or bus tours) for ongoing guidance, though additional fees (e.g., $200-$500) apply for mentorship or events, creating a recurring revenue stream.
Claims About Earning Income from Commercial Properties
Marko & Friends asserts that commercial properties (e.g., industrial units, offices) offer higher rental yields (3-7%) than residential properties (2-3%) due to expiring leases and strong demand from incoming foreigners and limited land supply. Key claims include:- Quick Profits: Properties can be bought BMV and flipped for 10-15% annual capital gains within 30 days to 3 years, as seen in COVID-era successes.
- Passive Income: Rental income can cover mortgages and fees, yielding $10,000-$14,000 annually per property, split among investors (e.g., $1,000-$3,000 per investor over 3 years).
- No Money Down: Using “other people’s money” (OPM) via collaborative deals, students can own properties with minimal personal funds, leveraging 80% loans for commercial properties.
- Retirement Freedom: Multiple properties can replace salaries, allowing early retirement, as Marko claims with his own $12,000-$19,000 monthly rental income.
Feasibility in the Long Run
The feasibility of these claims hinges on several factors, which the narrative often glosses over:- Market Saturation: Post-COVID gains relied on undervalued properties during a dip, but current market conditions (2024-2025) show fewer BMV opportunities. Senior students selling at market rates limit fresh deals, as noted in fuckwarezone forums.
- Rental Yield Reality: A $1M commercial property with 5% yield generates $50,000/year, but after mortgage (e.g., $800,000 loan at 3% interest, ~$32,000/year), fees, and splits among 10-15 investors, net income per investor may be $1,000-$3,000 over 3 years—far below the $10,000-$14,000 claim unless multiple properties are owned.
- Leasehold Depreciation: Most commercial properties are 30-60 year leaseholds, depreciating over time (e.g., $1M to $800K in 30 years per JCProjectFreedom), reducing long-term value unless flipped early.
- Demand Trends: Industrial demand (e.g., IT, carpentry units) varies, and high vacancy risks (e.g., 10-15% in some sectors) could erode income, contradicting the “stable demand” assertion.
Risks Involved
Beyond the costly seminars ($10,000-$15,000, generating $1.65M per batch), several risks emerge for followers:- Financial Overreach: The 20% down payment ($200,000 for a $1M property) requires significant capital or loans, risking over-leverage. A single deal failure (e.g., tenant default) could leave investors liable, as warned on Reddit.
- Market Misjudgment: Claims of price appreciation lack historical support (e.g., Bala’s Curve indicates leasehold decline), and oversaturation by Marko’s community could depress values, per Seedly critiques.
- Low Cash Flow: $1,000-$3,000 per investor over 3 years ($333-$1,000/year) is insufficient for retirement unless scaled to dozens of properties, a feat requiring substantial time and capital—contrary to the “quick rich” promise.
- Legal and Ethical Concerns: Collaborative deals lack transparency (e.g., Joo Hong screening properties), and reserved units may benefit Marko’s circle, raising conflict-of-interest allegations (fuckwarezone, JCProjectFreedom).
- Opportunity Cost: Time spent on courses and property hunts (20+ hours/week) could be better invested in regulated options like REITs, which offer 4-6% yields with liquidity and oversight, per 99.co.
- Regulatory Gaps: As an unregulated entity (per markoandfriends.com), Marko & Friends offers no MAS protection, increasing fraud risk if promises fail.
Critical Examination
The establishment narrative—promising wealth through BMV properties and passive income—relies heavily on anecdotal success (e.g., 8-property owners) and Marko’s personal story, which may exaggerate accessibility. The model’s profitability seems tied to early adopters and Marko’s inner circle, with later students facing a saturated market and diluted returns. Complaints on forums (e.g., fuckwarezone, Reddit) highlight aggressive upselling, lack of substance, and unrealistic expectations, suggesting the seminars are a revenue driver ($4.8M/year from 50 participants bi-monthly) rather than a viable investment blueprint. The “no money down” claim hinges on OPM, but the legwork and risks shift to participants, not Marko, undermining the empowerment rhetoric.Conclusion
Marko & Friends’ business model leverages expensive seminars to teach a collaborative property investment strategy, claiming 10-15% capital gains and $10,000-$14,000 annual rental income from commercial properties. While feasible for early investors with timing and capital, long-term success is doubtful due to market saturation, lease depreciation, and low net cash flow ($333-$1,000/investor/year). Risks include financial strain, market missteps, and lack of regulation, exacerbated by the $10,000-$15,000 course cost. Alternatives like REITs offer safer returns—consider researching those or consulting a licensed advisor before committing!-------------Source: Grok AI using Deep Search based on real-time data-----------
To samurai..:
