Vixen star Emily Mannix’s property strategy beyond netball

20 hours ago 3

How early planning and property investing shaped this family’s future.

When Melbourne Vixens netballer Emily Mannix began her sporting career, she was earning about $13,000 a year.

It was an early lesson that professional sport is not set-for-life money.

Now a mother to daughter Mabel, the athlete and her partner Ari Levinson, a director and finance broker at Baseline Financial, say avoiding financial stress shaped their decisions long before parenthood.

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Mr Levinson said both he and Mannix grew up watching their parents work six or seven days a week and struggle to get ahead financially.

There were even periods when he had to lend his parents money.

“That lifestyle really stuck with me,” he said.

“From a young age, I knew I didn’t want that for my own family. As soon as we were able to work, we focused on saving and educating ourselves so we could invest when the time was right.”

For Mr Levinson, building a property portfolio alongside his business was about creating choice.

The pair have now built a 10-plus property portfolio diversified across four states.
Mr Levinson said it allowed him to leave his corporate role, having worked at Ernst and Young for nearly seven years and a large family office, to start Baseline Financial.

He said it also allowed him to be more present at home while Mannix focused on her netball career.

One of the properties purchased as part of the couple’s investment strategy.

The couple say education and preparation are key before investing.

“The long-term goal is to generate enough income from our portfolio to replace our day jobs and ideally own our home outright,” he said.

Mr Levinson said he initially drove many of the financial decisions, drawing on his accounting and commerce and law background.

He admitted he once bought a property at auction without telling Mannix.

“Thankfully, that one worked out,” he said, adding he had since completed a large mixed-use development on the site.

He said a 20 per cent deposit was no longer the only pathway into the market, with a number of government schemes available.

“Emily and I rentvest where we want to live and invest where the numbers make sense,” he said.

Emily and Ari with their daughter Mabel, who helped sharpen their long-term focus.

One of their first properties was purchased using a family guarantee, and even covered stamp duty and renovations. Mr Levinson said the property was subsequently developed and sold.

The Baseline Financial director said one saving tip was directing all surplus cash into their offset account.

He said he also reviews the investment portfolio monthly or quarterly.

“I’m always checking lease expiries, market rent, repairs, insurance and loan terms,” Mr Levinson said.

“That way we’re never caught out.”

Property remains central to the couple’s long-term financial plans.

The couple’s “sleep-at-night” rule is holding at least six months’ worth of expenses in their offset, assuming a vacancy.

Mr Levinson said his background as a tennis coach and player shaped how he approached investing.

“You stay consistent in the rally and adapt when things don’t go to plan,” he said.

Mannix said her parents sacrificed everything to support four children, particularly as she came through the junior netball pathway.

“They put all their money into giving us opportunities,” she said.

“That’s something Ari and I talk about a lot. We want to give Mabel every opportunity too, but without sacrificing our entire lives financially to do it.”

The couple bought their first property together in 2017, well before becoming parents.

The couple take a hands-on approach to managing and improving their investments.

“Ari really opened my eyes to investing early on,” Mannix said.

“We already had plans in place before Mabel arrived. Having her has just given us more clarity.”

Mannix said professional sport did not always translate into long-term financial security.

“If I had to move straight into a strict nine-to-five after netball, it would be a massive adjustment,” she said.

“Having various income streams behind us gives us flexibility.”

She said the most daunting part early was income.

A completed project now leased as part of the couple’s property portfolio.

When she joined the Vixens in 2015, she earned about $13,000 a year. Salaries have since improved to around $50,000, but Mannix said it was never retirement money.

“I made some poor spending decisions early because it was the first time I’d had regular income,” she said.

“That’s where education matters.”

Mannix said she began thinking about life after sport early, which led to launching netball coaching business Ball4All, where she gives back to the grassroots community through coaching and keynote speaking opportunities.