It's the 4th of June and I've only completed two deals this year with a combined potential profit of £55,000. Not so great, and suffice to say the recent BBC news coverage of the antics about dodgy 'quick sale companies' hasn't helped.

As always a few rogue companies have taken to the dark side of property investing. I'm actually glad the BBC has taken up the reins because it has spurred on the FCA/FSA and trading standards authorities to carry out a review of this niche industry. Hopefully, some good will come out of it all and if that means changing the way that one does business then so be it. But for now I need to look at the auctions.

To me it's a numbers game when it comes to auctions. As long as I stick to my criteria and have the cash ready so I'll aim to buy one or two properties from four separate auctions within two months. Yes it takes more work than I've been used to in recent years but needs must. Yes, I could go down the estate agent networking route but that is too soul-destroying for me. It's all about numbers and building up the relationships and I've done it before. Actually, it's how I got started and I just got so fed up with the work involved. I want to have time for my family and friends, I want to work smarter. I'm not ashamed to say I'm quite lazy. I want to enjoy life while making some good money. There are those who work flat-out and make tons of money but for me it's about the balance between work and play. Sometimes work doesn't seem like work and I suppose at those times I am very fortunate.