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The John Kenel Show

John Kenel

Straight talk on property, money, and getting ahead in New Zealand.
John Kenel has spent over 20 years developing property and 27 years investing in it. More than 1,000 homes built. On this show he breaks down the property market, development, and money the way it actually works, not the way the system wants you to see it.
No jargon. No fluff. No spin. Just real talk for tradies, investors, business owners, and everyday Kiwis who want more freedom and more control over their lives.
If you've ever felt like the rules are stacked against ordinary people trying to get ahead, this is for you.
New episodes regularly. Education only, not financial advice.

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  • 20 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 21 min
  • English
  • #59
    August 13 · 24 min

    Is UBI Really the Answer for New Zealand? Universal Basic Income Explained

    Governments around the world are talking about paying you to exist. It's called a universal basic income, and AI is the reason it's back on the table. In this episode I look at what's actually being proposed here in New Zealand and overseas, what the real-world pilots in Finland and Ontario showed, what a land tax looks like from someone who actually holds land, and the part almost nobody talks about: what happens to the relationship between you and your government when your income and your money both come from the same place. And then the practical bit. $370 a week is about $19,000 a year. You don't have to wait for a government to give you that. You can build it yourself. Sign up to my FREE monthly newsletter to improve your finances: https://johnkenel.com Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.johnkenel.com Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #58
    July 30 · 16 min

    Removing Investors Won’t Fix NZ’s Housing Crisis: Here's Why

    Someone commented that developers are deluded and my 695,000 home was a ripoff. Fair enough, I've heard worse. But it got me onto the argument I have nearly every day: get investors out and more Kiwis will own a home. Partly right, but it answers the wrong question. So in this one I do something simple. I count the houses. When an investor sells a rental to a first home buyer, one household becomes an owner, and that's great, but New Zealand still has the same number of homes on the ground. The name on the title changed, the roof didn't. I get into the 2021 interest deductibility changes, why the government quietly wanted a different kind of landlord, what build to rent really does to supply, how Australia rolls out the red carpet for big operators, and why no pre-sales means no finance, no build, and no new front door. Two questions cut through all the noise: does it help more Kiwis own a home, and does it actually create another home to live in. Sign up to my FREE monthly newsletter to improve your finances: https://johnkenel.com Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.johnkenel.com Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #57
    July 20 · 1 hr 4 min

    NZ Property Market Is Near the Bottom: What Happens Next?

    John Kenel sits down with John Bolton from Squirrel, New Zealand’s biggest mortgage broker. What’s getting funded, what’s getting declined, and why? They discuss the OCR at 2.5%, the water companies that are now a bigger development risk than councils, why 41% of apartment sellers lost money last quarter, Australia’s negative-gearing changes, and how AI is starting to change the property industry. Sign up to my FREE monthly newsletter to improve your finances: https://johnkenel.com Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #56
    July 11 · 26 min

    Kiwi's Are Working Harder But Falling Further Behind

    You're not falling behind because you're lazy or doing something wrong, the ground has genuinely shifted under ordinary Kiwis and nobody's bothered to explain why. Power up 12%, council rates up 9%, insurance up 30% in three years, but the official inflation number says 3.1%. Once you understand what's actually happening, you'll stop blaming yourself and start building a life that can't easily be pushed around. Sign up to my FREE monthly newsletter to improve your finances: https://johnkenel.com Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #55
    July 1 · 8 min

    NZ's Inheritance Tax: The Government's Cut of Your Life's Work

    The Greens are calling it a capital acquisitions tax because inheritance tax doesn't poll well, but whatever you call it, it means the government takes a third of what you've spent your life building. This isn't just a tax debate, it's a family debate. Most inheritance isn't super yachts and mansions... It's a house, a small business, a few rentals that mum and dad built by working hard, taking risks, and saving for decades. Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #54
    June 15 · 12 min

    New Zealand Must Learn From Australia's Tax Changes

    Its time New Zealand start taking a look at Australia's tax changes and learn from them, both their mistakes and what they do well... Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #53
    June 4 · 13 min

    New Zealand's Pension Problem Is Bigger Than You Think

    New Zealand's pension system is heading for a cliff. In 1965, seven working-age people supported every retiree. Today it's four workers per retiree. By 2065, it'll be two workers supporting every person over 65. The system was built for a different country with a younger population. Now we're trying to run the same pension promise with half the workforce to pay for it. The usual answer is 'just lift the retirement age.' But that hits people with physical jobs hardest - tradies, builders, roofers can't work until 67 like office workers can. Australia saw this coming and acted early. They made super compulsory at 12% contributions. Average Australian retirement balance: $420,000. Average Kiwi: $69,000. We did it at half speed. The real problem? This was never about pensions - it's about whether people own enough of their future to make their own choices. The pension shouldn't be your whole plan, it should be your backup plan. Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #52
    May 27 · 15 min

    What If NZ Interest Rates Go UP From Here?

    Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #51
    May 17 · 10 min

    Record Kiwi Leaving: Why Im Still Optimistic

    Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #50
    May 12 · 58 min

    NZ Property Development Market Has Changed: Here's What To Do Now

    Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #49
    May 5 · 58 min

    NZ Property Development Market Has Changed: Here's What To Do Now

    Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #48
    April 29 · 32 min

    What NZ Councils Aren’t Telling You About Water Reforms

    Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #47
    April 21 · 8 min

    Why Capping Rent Won't Work In New Zealand

    Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #46
    April 14 · 23 min

    Whats Actually Happening with NZ Property Lending

    Get finance for your property development with Squirrel: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #45
    April 9 · 6 min

    Why New Zealand Needs Property Investors

    Property investors get a bad rep in the media, but as someone who works in the property space, I think its a bit misguided, here's why... Get finance for your property development: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #44
    April 3 · 13 min

    Rent Cap's Wont Work In New Zealand

    The greens have come out with a handful of new plans around property and whilst on the surface they may seem attractive, the reality is very very different, today I break it all down. Get finance for your property development: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #43
    March 28 · 13 min

    Waikato Signed Away $3billion In Water Assets: Whats Actually Happening

    Ive got a funny feeling about whats going on... Let me know what you think in the comments Get finance for your property development: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #42
    March 19 · 11 min

    New Zealand's Fuel Crisis: Whats Actually Happening

    There seems to be a lot of mixed reporting in terms of whats happening with fuel in New Zealand, so here's everything in one place Get finance for your property development: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #40
    March 8 · 3 min

    1970s Stagflation: The Economic Disaster Nobody Expected

    Get finance for your property development: https://funding.tpdc.nz/ Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

  • #39
    March 1 · 3 min

    Why Debt Runs the Modern Economy: The Cantillon Effect

    The Cantillon Effect explains who benefits first when money gets created, but it doesn't explain when things really went off the rails. For that, you need to look at what happened next. World War I changed everything. Before then, money was tied to gold and governments were constrained. Wars are expensive, so they borrowed and printed. What started as 'temporary emergency measures' became permanent features of the system. By 1971, Nixon closed the gold window completely. From that point on, money became whatever government said it was. Inflation stopped being an accident and became a feature. Once you see the pattern - governments like spending, voters don't like taxes, printing fills the gap - a lot of things stop feeling random. Asset bubbles, cost of living pressures, the wealth gap between savers and asset owners. It's not conspiracy, just incentives. And if this is the system, you either understand it or slowly get ground up by it. Sign up to my FREE weekly newsletter to improve your finances: https://newsletter.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/yt Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down your wealth properly: https://wealth.thepropertydevelopmentclub.com/ Learn how to become a profitable developer in New Zealand at https://thepropertydevelopmentclub.com

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