Episodes
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119 – Daniel Rayner – From a $150,000 Loss to Land Subdivision Development
Losing $150,000 in a failed property investment could put you off development for good. For Daniel Rayner, it became a reason to learn the process and take on projects himself. In this episode, I sit down with Daniel, founder of Somerset Developments in South East Queensland, to explore his…
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118 – Steve Robson – What every property developer should know about builders
If you're a property developer, one of the most important relationships you'll ever have is with your builder. Yet surprisingly few developers ever get the chance to hear how builders actually think. In this episode, I sit down with Steve Robson, Director of Hickory Homes, to explore property...
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117 – Anthony Puma – The Biggest Change To Property Development In Years
Planning approvals have long been one of the biggest frustrations facing property developers. Lengthy delays. Endless requests for information. Different planners interpreting the same rules in different ways. For many developers, obtaining a planning permit can feel like a lottery rather than a...
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116 – Zac Constantinou – From the Site Shed to the Loan Desk
Property development has always been a balancing act — but right now the scales feel especially heavy. Rising construction costs, messy feasibilities, shifting lender appetite, and a market still absorbing the post-COVID shock are making it harder than ever to get a project funded and delivered.…
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115 – Maxwell Shifman – Is Property Development Dead?
Property development in Australia is getting harder—and this episode unpacks why. Soaring costs, endless planning delays, contradictory government policies, and a risk-averse planning culture are pushing developers to the edge. If you're struggling to make your numbers work, you're not alone. In...
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114 – Dan Holden – Avoiding a building disaster
There are few things more complicated during a property development than the builder going bust during the construction phase of a project. It puts you in a very precarious position and becomes very tricky to navigate. So many issues have to be resolved and the whole process can be very stressful...
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113 – Steve Maroun – Levelling up to luxury projects
Steve Maroun has an interesting story to share about his journey into property development. Interestingly, Steve started studying law at university while running a property maintenance business. He then realised that law was not for him and he got his builder's license and moved into property...
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112 – Mark Gallo – Managing a property development project from another state
Managing a project remotely comes with some unique challenges. Keeping the team on the same page and working together can be difficult when you can't just drop by the site for a meeting. Mark Gallo is a Sydney based mortgage broker who is currently doing a duplex project in Victoria. Mark shares...
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111 – David Juracich – Developing an iconic tower on billionaire’s row
Imagine going from no property development experience to delivering one of the most iconic towers overlooking Central Park in New York City, one of the world’s most expensive real estate markets. David Juracich did just that. David is originally from Australia before moving overseas to work in...
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110 – Iwan Sunito – Surviving the Boom to Bust Rollercoaster
Bouncing back after adversity is a story we all love, so hearing from a developer who went big only for things to unravel with costly and complex legal challenges is a fascinating insight into always striving toward your life goals. Iwan Sunito from One Global Capital is a seasoned property...
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109 – Jenn Sinclair – Meth Lab to Stylish Sanctuary
Tackling your first development project is usually an emotional journey and it was no different for a young architect who turned her focus on delivering an exquisite duplex property. Jenn Sinclair accidentally discovered that she had bought a former meth lab as the property she planned on turning...
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108 – Phillip Anderson – Is the property market about to go BOOM?
Understanding the rhythm and cycle of the property market is obviously extremely beneficial to property developers so you can plan the best time to deliver projects and maximise profits. Being aware of when the market is likely to boom or go bust can help you ride out the cycles and endure over…
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107 – Dan Holden – Navigating the construction crunch
The impact of rising construction costs and increasing interest rates has been acutely felt across the development industry and economy more broadly. Managing these costs has been top of the list for many property developers. In this episode we speak with regular guest Dan Holden from Holden...
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106 – Mark Lovett – From humble plasterer to successful property developer
Does working in a property-related trade mean you can easily transition into the world of property developer? Just because you understand one small part of a development project doesn’t automatically mean you can run a development project, but it can certainly help. My guest on this episode is…
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105 – Justin O’Donnell – From entry level property development projects to high end luxury
Working on luxury projects is often a dream for many people who get involved with property developing, moving from renovations and entry level projects to something more challenging and high-end. Justin O'Donnell from Cielo Property Group has followed this path and started out with small projects...
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104 – Leonie Akhidenor – From management consultant to property developer
There are many skills from other industries and careers that can translate well to property development. After all, delivering a property development project is really about working with people, solving problems and managing a budget, so making the move from management consultant to property...
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103 – John Lindeman – How property developers can predict future growth potential
Success in property developing is about supplying the right product in the right place at the right time. But how do you figure all that out? Legendary market analyst John Lindeman has been helping property investors make informed decisions about where to find the next hot spot and what stock is…
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102 – Julian Carlo-Stella – Leveraging property development for wealth creation and cashflow
Building wealth through property is a tried and tested method, with some investors succeeding in creating portfolios of strong assets that generate substantial cashflows. Julian Carlo-Stella shares how he is going about generating wealth through property development. Property in Australia has...
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101 – Nolan Keenan – From small scale property development project to full time property developer
Making the transition to full time property developer is an aspiration for many people that get involved with small scale developments, but how do you make the leap across the chasm? We find out from developer Nolan Keenan about how he did it. Nolan is from Aveline Property and has gone from...
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100 – Ron Forlee – Understanding risk and opportunity in property development
Property development has some inherent risks, like any business venture, and understanding what they are and how they can be mitigated is crucial to ensuring the success of any project. Ron Forlee is a real legend in Australian property development circles. Ron will be a name known to many...
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99 – Valerie Smith – The power of joint ventures to accelerate your property developing
Joint ventures are a great way to do more projects and reduce risk. Property development can at times be a lonely game so if you have other people to talk with about issues and solve problems it can really help take your developing to another level. Valerie Smith from Valsco Property Group has...
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98 – Matt Campbell – Lessons from managing multiple small scale property developments
No two property development projects are ever the same. Each project throws up its own challenges and opportunities. Lessons learned from each project can help to avoid or overcome issues faced on future projects. Taking the lessons learned from past property development projects can help ensure...
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97 – Jeremy De Sylva – Buyer driven property development projects
Sales are the lynch pin of any good property development project, and to get sales your product needs to appeal to a buyer. Give the buyer what they want and making the sale becomes easier. So how do you come to understand what a buyer wants? We talk to a seasoned property developer to find out...
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96 – Dan Holden – The importance of solid project finance during turbulent times
When things get a little choppy during a project due to factors beyond your control, like rates rising or build times blowing out, it helps to have flexible and reliable funding in place to see you through. In this conversation with regular guest and finance guru Dan Holden from Holden Capital…
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95 – Anselm Mathurin -How your property developing strategy can evolve over time
Settling on a property development strategy can often be an evolutionary process as you learn what works and what you enjoy. That can involve a few twists and turns before you find something effective and repeatable, which is what happened with my latest guest. Anselm Mathurin is a Caribbean…
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94 – Ben Chong – Mastering the art of selling property off the plan
Selling off the plan property is vital for many development projects to get out of the ground. Marketing and selling an idea and vision requires specialist skills. So I'm speaking with Ben Khong from Chisholm & Gamon about off the plan sales. Ben has been working in property sales for a couple of...
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93 – Fabian De Marco – Construction finance essentials in a dynamic market
With escalating build costs, delays obtaining materials and softening property values the development sector is once again facing a raft of challenges that are effecting the bottom line. This volatility and uncertainty is having an impact on finance and lending with variations to time and cost...
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92 – Henry Villa – Property Development for Cashflow
Cashflow may not be something you first think of when you get into property development, however it becomes a crucial component when you become a full time developer and need ways to generate an income between profit events. What types of projects are good for cashflow? There can be many but one...
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91 – Baheer Komak – Turning around a struggling property development career
Getting your first development project underway is an exciting time. Until the wheels start to fall off and it looks ugly, what happens then? How do you turn things around and kick start a fledgling developing career that has stalled? Baheer Komak really struggled to get some traction with his...
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90 – Jordan Navybox – How buyers agents can source development sites
Finding profitable development sites is a core responsibility for a property developer but increased competition in a hot market can make it very challenging at times. While most property is sold on the open market and found through popular sites such as realestate.com.au, plenty of transactions...
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88 – Kristy Muhlhan – Legal considerations when doing a property development
Messy and costly legal issues in property development can often be avoided through good upfront advice and planning with an experienced property solicitor or lawyer. What are some common contractual issues and legal potholes that you should try and bypass? I speak to a property lawyer to find…
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87 – Andrew Bogut – When property development is no slam dunk
Anybody who has been through a few planning applications would know that strange things can happen along the way. Getting a permit is not always as easy as it sounds, particularly if there is some contentious element or interest groups start to mobilise against your application. This is exactly...
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86 – Steadily delivering small scale property development projects
The classic pathway into property development is to start with renovations and then move into smaller developments and then on to small scale multi unit projects. And that is the journey that Paul Wilding has taken. I’ve known Paul for a few years and he’s been doing a number of small unit…
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85 – Justin Gehde – Lessons from a 14 townhouse development
This month I wrapped up a 14 townhouse project that I have been working on for nearly five years. It has been a long, challenging and eventful project. There have been many many lessons and I will share some with you. We have finished with all the settlements in the complex. I have one remaining...
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84 – Matt Chamberlain – Lessons learned from 15 property development projects
There’s nothing like experience to provide some hard won lessons on what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to delivering a property development project. While every project is different, there are some fundamentals that can be applied across projects to help things go as smoothly as...
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83 – Peter Siassios – How to grow a fantastic property development business
Many developers look to grow their business quickly, trying to scale and improve their returns. But scaling rapidly comes with risk, as you expose yourself to more debt and leverage. However, slow and steady might just win the race. My guest today has taken a measured approach to growing his...
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82 – Zoltan Celedes – Property Development Partnerships and Joint Ventures
Property developing is often a solo pursuit for many but partnering up can be a great way to accelerate your business and complete more projects, however there are some important boxes to tick before you join up with someone else. There are many benefits to joint venturing and we will discuss…
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81 – John Marquez – Removing single dwelling restrictions from a potential development site
Finding a great property development site only to discover it has a restriction on the title like a single dwelling covenant can be very frustrating and often leads to a potential project being ruled out. However, getting covenants lifted or modified is not an impossible task, but it can be…
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80 – Partnering with a sibling to tackle property developing
Partnering up with somebody to do a property development project is not uncommon but would you do it with your sibling and take on some big towers? But before we get to that, here’s a quick update on my townhouse projects. Construction is moving along nicely with project 1, most of the site is at...
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79 – David Whelan – Adapting your property development to an alternative use
Building to sell is the classic model that property developers often follow. They create value, realise the gain and then recycle their capital and do it all again. But when market conditions change this may dramatically impact the bottom line and render this model unviable. So what do you do if...
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78 – Rod Fehring – Property development lessons to grow your property business
Decades of experience have taught Rod Fehring a thing or two about property development, and he shares some of the lessons learned along the way about how to create a successful property development business. In this episode we explore those lessons, the standout projects and the future of...
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77 – Jonathan Hallinan – How to own the property development process
Delivering high rise tower projects was the driving aspiration for Jonathan Hallinan from BPM Corp, and he rushed to get there from a humble start on a renovation project. Jonathan has followed the quintessential property development path, starting off with a small property purchase, doing a...
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76 – Rod Fehring – Becoming the head of a billion dollar property developer
Amassing a $4.5 billion dollar portfolio of property assets is a pretty impressive feat for a property development company, and in this episode I am speaking with the head of the organization about how they achieved that and the lessons learned along the way. My guest on the show is Rod Fehring,...
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75 – Joe Adsett – Daring and dangerous property development
Daring and dangerous are two words you would not normally associate with property development, but my latest guest suggests that may in fact be a way to create something fresh and exciting to bring to market, and carve out your own space in a competitive sector. Can you be daring and dangerous…
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74 – Ruskin McLennan – Developing property in Japan
Developing property in another country is not something most people would turn their minds to, but opportunities exist everywhere and maybe it’s not as hard as you think, as my latest guest explains about his experience developing in Japan. Some developers focus on a particular location and…
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73 – Ted Baillieu – Planning system decay, dispute and disappointment in property development
Decay, dispute and disappointment is how former Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu describes the planning system. In this thought provoking discussion we will cover who cares about rising construction costs and how developers can deliver better outcomes. Most property developers lament at their...
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72 – James Paver – Lessons from large scale property development projects
Large property development projects have unique challenges, but some of them are familiar to what can happen on projects of any size. I'm talking with someone who has experience with projects that range in size and sector. As I record this episode, Melbourne has started stage 4 lockdowns to…
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71 – Darren Younger – How fragmented investing can help property developers to grow
How can fragmented property investing help property developers grow their business? It is a fledgling sector of the property industry that offers an interesting model to get people involved with property and an alternative funding model for getting projects completed. Before we get to discussing...
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70 – Don O’Rorke – Working through a crisis to achieve property development success
Responding to the COVID19 pandemic is testing many property developers, with uncertainty sweeping across property markets. To help you figure out what you should be doing in this strange time to ensure continued success, I am continuing my discussions with past guests about how property…
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69 – Kriss Daff – Pursuing the build to rent property development model
The build to rent model is getting a lot of attention across Australia as the cost of buying property keeps escalating. It seems to offer a lot of benefits but how does it work and what challenges does it present? Let's find out... Hello and welcome to episode 69 of the show, I've been enjoying a...