Divorce, alcoholism, drug addiction, egomania, consumerism – and a ‘house on credit’. According to Viennese multimillionaire Gerald Hörhan, these are the biggest financial mistakes. Because anyone who doesn’t do these ‘stupid things’ can, according to him, immediately achieve financial freedom – with ‘ugly little holes’. He is currently giving one away. Conny Winiwarter met him in his office.
Shortly after entering the Hörhan office in Vienna’s 1st district, you can already feel the pleasant air conditioning. Sun-drenched with lots of windows: this is how a multi-millionaire and his employees work. We are not only greeted by them, but also by the office dog “Eon”. “We are just as dog-friendly as the ‘Krone'”, laughs Hörhan.
“Its the Best Deal”
It is not his first interview and the fact that he is publishing a book is nothing new. There is another premiere: the millionaire is currently giving away a one-room apartment from his portfolio. Or as Hörhan would say, “An ugly little hole.”
“Want to motivate others to build wealth”
Because small apartments are the ticket to financial freedom, says Hörhan. He now owns more than 220 properties. He therefore wants to ‘give something back’ with the lottery. If an Austrian wins, it will be an apartment in Graz, if a German wins, it will be in Hanover.
According to Hörhan, the many losers also benefit: “They must be motivated to build a fortune.” Of course the campaign is not entirely altruistic: it is part of the marketing campaign for his new book ‘The One-Room Millionaire’. .
With 20,000 euros to financial freedom?
Of course, the term “ugly little holes” is very exaggerated and should be understood with a wink. What Hörhan means, however, is deadly serious: “Everyone can get rich with one-room apartments!” All you need is a capital of 20,000 euros and a decent credit rating, as he explains in the video. Condition: you have to work hard.
But the trend is moving in another direction, the keyword “work-life balance.” The consequences: a lack of staff everywhere, longer waiting times and a loss of prosperity. The calculation is simple: “Those who are lazy should stay poor.”
“Kiss your boss’s ass or invest in real estate”
Installment leasing, owning a house on credit or unnecessary consumer debt: ‘People enslave themselves. And then have to kiss their boss’s ass because they are financially dependent.’ Building a house should have a sadomasochistic touch. Then it’s over from a financial point of view” – the spiral of dependence begins. Moreover, “it creates a lot of work”.
The best thing about being rich is…
The best time to invest in real estate is now: ‘Prices have fallen considerably’, says the entrepreneur. Anyone looking for precise instructions can wait for Hörhan’s new book, which will be released on September 19. Finally, we wanted to know what’s the best thing about being rich. Hörhan: “That you sleep very peacefully.” But he is also concerned: “More and more political stupidity is happening,” such as investments in weapons and warfare.
In the video above you can see where to find good real estate, what distinguishes rich people from poor people and what the millionaire thinks about an unconditional basic income.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
