Welsh-born Elaine Davies came to Australia in 1992 as a backpacker after years as a realtor in Hong Kong and Thailand.
When Davies arrived in Australia, he reportedly met a local man, married and had a daughter. She had a successful career, often appeared on radio and television and published three books.
Elaine Davies
But when her marriage broke down, she found herself caught in a "nightmare", an unemployed single mother and a toddler, without the support of her family.
After the divorce, she spent all her money on a small apartment, so she had little savings.
She also found herself heavily indebted and became aware of the need to control her finances.
In her new book, Mindy Body solid!, the mother recounts how she struggled to get back on her feet.
"after the divorce, I got myself into A $25000 in credit card debt," she wrote.
In 2012, after the global financial crisis, the housing market was recovering, and Davies sold its apartment for A $ eight hundred thousand. Then she began to invest in Australian property with a close friend.
They first bought an apartment in Surry Hills and then sold it a year later, earning A $ one hundred thousand each.
In 2014, Davies bought a small stand-alone house in Rozelle, Sydney, and two years later she bought a decorative art apartment in Elizabeth Bay as an investment.
The property she bought in Rozelle rose nearly 35 percent in October 2014, while the Elizabeth Bay apartment she bought in March 2016 also gained about 15 percent.
The 53-year-old is convinced that she can only reverse her finances by investing in real estate.
Women are often afraid of investing in real estate, but she believes it is one of the best ways to achieve financial independence, says Davies.
"the gender income gap is real, and women often spend a lot of time giving birth, caring for their children, and caring for their elderly parents, all of which have to be done, but that leaves us far behind men."
She said investors should buy completed properties in established urban areas and avoid investing in new complexes, and urged Australians to conduct serious research before buying properties.
"patience, the biggest mistake people make is buying because of frustration and anger!"