Growing up, Marea watched her factory-worker parents struggle to support a family on their wages – yet their property increased in value year over year. So in 1999, instead of struggling to make rent like most university students, she managed to purchase a home on Muriel Street and have her friends pay the mortage through their rent, while she lived rent-free and built a retirement fund. Her tenants earned Marea more than her mother ever made working at a factory.
Today Marea is on her fifth property, a six-plex in Toronto’s east end. From the initial Muriel property, she bought a three-apartment home on Carlaw, living in one. She then took her assets and invested in another three-apartment home on Pape while living at the Carlaw property. After generating enough income, she sold the Carlaw property and invested in the six-plex. Her next goal? To own her own building.
At first the idea of home ownership and tenant management seemed daunting, but in reality, Marea has found the experience highly rewarding. In fact, she holds an annual competition portfolio performance with her stockbroker husband – and she’s never lost.
