“Most people do not know how to derive value from their assets,” says Wilfred Moyo from Metropolitan. “If used wisely, assets can generate more income and be used to meet your financial commitments.”

Wilfred provides tips on how to get the most out of your assets:

1. Know your assets: The first step in making your assets work for you is to identify which of your assets can generate an income for you. Let’s take property as an example. You could rent out your granny flat.

2. Identify opportunities to use your assets: Do some research to find opportunities in the market. Consider which of those market opportunities you can take advantage of with the assets you have. Continuing with the previous example, if there is a demand for granny flat rental properties in your area then you can rent out your vacant living space to make extra money.

Investigate all the aspects of renting out your property and what you would need. For example, how to draw up lease agreements, finding good tenants, tax, etc. You will be better informed to make the most of the opportunity.

3. Put your assets to good use: You can now make your assets work hard for you by turning them into income-generating opportunities. By renting out property space on land that you own, you can use the rental income to pay off your bond quicker.

4. Reinvest your extra proceeds: If you’re in a position where your asset is generating extra money, it is a good idea to reinvest the proceeds into your asset or business. Consider building an extra room onto your granny flat to get even more rental income.