Ever wondered if you can unlock your superannuation to fund a property development? It is a popular question, but the ATO rules are incredibly strict!

In Episode 246 of the Property Mastermind Podcast, Hilary Saxton and Bob Anderson break down exactly what you need to know before using a Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) in the real estate game. Bob explains why investors leave industry funds to chase better than the average 7% return , why accountants generally recommend a minimum balance of $200,000 to get started , and the massive tax benefits of taking control of your retirement savings.

Crucially, they answer the ultimate question: Can you develop in your own SMSF? You'll learn why the answer is usually "no" if you need to borrow money , the rare exceptions for cash-funded projects , and how you can act as an external "Loan Partner" to potentially earn 10-17% returns on other people's developments. Disclaimer: The information in this episode is for general discussion only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Always consult a licensed professional.

Links

• Attend the 3 Day Workshop on the Gold Coast: https://bit.ly/3UmDhjo 
• Chat to Hilary about the current investment opportunity we have: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call
• Join the Ultra-Urban Database for upcoming investment opportunities: https://bit.ly/45sqO2F
• Head on over to our website to find out more about our workshop and education options: Our Website
• Connect with handovers.com: https://handovers.com/

Episode Highlights
00:00 - Welcome & Our Gold Stevie Award Win!
02:10 - Bob’s Tip of the Week: Beware of Australian "Dinosaurs"
05:12 - Why do people switch to a Self-Managed Super Fund?
07:26 - The $200k minimum threshold for an SMSF
10:11 - Property development and SMSFs: How do they work together?
13:26 - Can you develop in your own SMSF? (The borrowing rules)
15:11 - The unrelated 50/50 joint venture loophole
17:09 - The "Loan Partner" strategy (earning 10-17% interest)
19:15 - The 15% tax environment and pension phase benefits
29:53 - How to get your free SMSF Checklist

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first 12 months of your property development journey are often the most challenging, confusing, and critical. How you navigate this first year will determine whether you build a successful, profitable career, or simply add another expensive mistake to the statistics.

In this episode of the Property Mastermind Podcast, hosts Hilary Saxton and Bob Anderson provide a roadmap for surviving and thriving in your first year as a developer. They explore the psychological hurdles you will face, from the fear of paying for education to the temptation of allowing everyday life—work, family, and holidays—to derail your momentum. Bob shares his practical strategies for managing consultants , explaining why being a "squeaky wheel" and paying invoices immediately will ensure your project stays on track. Whether you are starting with plenty of cash or looking to attract your very first investor, this episode unpacks the daily habits and mindset shifts required to transform from a novice into a confident property developer.

Links

• Attend the 3 Day Workshop on the Gold Coast: https://bit.ly/3UmDhjo 
• Chat to Hilary about the current investment opportunity we have: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call
• Join the Ultra-Urban Database for upcoming investment opportunities: https://bit.ly/45sqO2F
• Head on over to our website to find out more about our workshop and education options: Our Website
• Connect with handovers.com: https://handovers.com/

 

Episode Highlights
01:27 - The "Deal or No Deal" Masterclass: Bob discusses the recent live session where he broke down the due diligence process for a duplex and a 7-townhouse project (now available on YouTube).
06:03 - The Value of Education: Why the upfront cost of learning how to develop property is an exponential investment that pays off across every future project.
08:52 - The Biggest Threat to Your First Year: How daily life—work, family, and social events—steals your time and diminishes your focus on your development goals.
12:27 - The "Holiday Trap": Why taking a three-week holiday to Bali might feel good now, but won't change your life like completing your first property development will.
14:05 - The Two Roads of Development: Understanding the difference between starting with your own capital versus needing to find investors, and how the strategies differ.
16:26 - The "Hot Site" Warning: Why trying to find investors after securing a site with a tight 30-day settlement puts you under immense, unnecessary pressure.
20:59 - Assembling Your First Team: The crucial initial hires for a small subdivision or duplex, including a town planner, surveyor, and building designer.
26:13 - The Importance of Momentum: Why you must constantly look ahead and run tasks simultaneously (like applying for finance while finalising building approvals) to avoid costly delays.
28:30 - How to Manage Consultants: Bob's two rules for getting priority service—pay your invoices the day you get them, and be the professional "squeaky wheel" following up on promised deadlines.
33:18 - The $1,000/Day Delay: A real-life example of a childcare renovation where waiting on a police report was costing $1,000 a day in holding costs, and how taking decisive action saved the budget.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When developing property, design isn't just about aesthetics—it is a critical driver of your bottom line. A brilliant design can maximize your sale price, while a poor one can blow out your construction costs and leave your property languishing on the market.In this episode of the Property Mastermind Podcast, hosts Hilary and Bob explore the high-stakes world of design decisions. Inspired by a recent collaboration with Adrian Ramsay from the "Talk Design" podcast, they unpack why over-specifying your finishes will eat into your profits, but under-specifying will punish you even more when buyers make lowball offers. Bob shares his war stories, from the disastrous "pink duplex" filled with eccentric (and unsellable) choices to the architect whose apartment designs were stunning but practically unbuildable. Learn why you must lock in your design brief early, how simple changes like increasing ceiling heights can dramatically boost perceived value, and why squeezing an extra townhouse onto a block might actually be the worst financial decision you can make.

Links

• Attend the 3 Day Workshop on the Gold Coast: https://bit.ly/3UmDhjo 
• Chat to Hilary about the current investment opportunity we have: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call
• Join the Ultra-Urban Database for upcoming investment opportunities: https://bit.ly/45sqO2F
• Head on over to our website to find out more about our workshop and education options: Our Website
• Connect with handovers.com: https://handovers.com/
  
  

Episode Highlights

01:31 - Bob's Tip of the Week: If you think you can make design changes mid-construction without it costing you a fortune, "you're dreaming".
06:29 - The Cost of Bad Design: How inappropriate design choices can either alienate your target market or result in an unnecessarily expensive build.
09:00 - Over-spec vs Under-spec: Why spending too much on luxury fittings reduces your margin, but under-spending will result in buyers severely punishing your final sale price.
10:47 - The "Cheap Stove" Example: How saving $1,500 on a cheap, outdated upright stove can cause buyers to drop their offer by $20,000 because it plants a seed of doubt about the entire build.
14:04 - The Briefing Process: Why developers cannot simply ask an architect for "four townhouses" and walk away; you must provide a detailed brief based on thorough market research.
15:32 - The "Pink Duplex" Disaster: A cautionary tale of developers building an eccentric, overly personalized design that failed to sell because it didn't appeal to the broader market.
18:11 - More is Not Always Better: How squeezing five townhouses onto a site meant for four results in compromised, unsellable floor plans.
27:12 - Amending Existing Approvals: Bob shares how he legally altered an existing council approval to add ensuites and extra bedrooms without triggering a massive reassessment.
32:01 - High ROI Design Tweaks: Why spending a little extra to increase ceiling heights from 2.4m to 2.7m (or even 3m) dramatically increases the feeling of spaciousness and buyer appeal.
35:38 - The Unbuildable Architect: The danger of hiring architects who design stunning buildings where the wet areas don't stack, making plumbing and construction prohibitively expensive.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting a "no" from a financier can feel like a punch in the gut, especially after you have poured time and money into finding what you think is the perfect development site. But before you take it personally, it is crucial to understand why the money didn't come through.

In this episode of the Property Mastermind Podcast, Hilary and Bob pull back the curtain on the world of commercial property finance. They explain the critical role of the bank valuer as the ultimate "gatekeeper" and why a slightly bad valuation can kill your deal. Bob shares wild stories from the trenches, including securing a multi-million dollar loan in just four hours after a primary lender pulled out right before settlement. You will learn the difference between retail and commercial brokers, why financiers care so deeply about your profit margin, and the most common reason developers get rejected (hint: the deal was never actually good to begin with).

Links

• Attend the 3 Day Workshop on the Gold Coast: https://bit.ly/3UmDhjo 
• Chat to Hilary about the current investment opportunity we have: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call
• Join the Ultra-Urban Database for upcoming investment opportunities: https://bit.ly/45sqO2F
• Head on over to our website to find out more about our workshop and education options: Our Website
• Connect with handovers.com: https://handovers.com/

Episode Highlights:

01:04 - Bob's Tip of the Week: Why an experienced commercial finance broker is worth their weight in gold when you need to fund a project.
03:47 - The Broker Difference: Why you must use a commercial broker, not a retail broker, for property development finance.
05:34 - The Two Stages of Finance: Understanding how acquisition finance and construction finance work, and why the construction lender usually pays out the first lender.
09:05 - The Gatekeeper: Why the valuer's report is the single most important factor in a financier saying "yes" or "no."
14:22 - The Valuation Lottery: A crazy story showing how two different valuers from the exact same firm can provide wildly different valuations on the same project a week apart.
18:35 - Finding Solutions: How to salvage a deal when a valuation comes in slightly low (e.g., by securing a few extra pre-sales instead of adding more equity).
21:21 - Understanding Margins: Why financiers demand a certain profit margin (e.g., 15%) as a risk buffer, and how the non-bank sector adjusts these requirements to stay competitive.
28:17 - The "Lucky" Developer Myth: Why some inexperienced developers mistakenly think they are geniuses because a rising post-COVID market temporarily hid their terrible feasibility mistakes.
30:51 - Bob's Four-Hour Approval: A high-stakes story of a major financier pulling out right before settlement, and how Bob's meticulous paperwork allowed him to secure a new loan from a non-bank lender in just four hours.
38:55 - The Harsh Reality: The most common reason financiers say "no" is simply because the developer presented a "crap deal" based on a flawed feasibility study.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Walking away from a property development deal can be incredibly difficult, especially after you have invested significant time, emotion, and money. However, pushing forward with a flawed project or hoping the market will miraculously save your margins is a recipe for disaster.

In this episode of the Property Mastermind Podcast, hosts Hilary Saxton and Bob Anderson discuss exactly when and why you need to walk away from a deal. Drawing on real-life examples, including a "shonky" industrial site and a joint venture that didn't align with their values , they unpack the dangers of letting emotion override logic. You will learn why "cheap insurance" like flood reports can save you millions , why you must always calculate your feasibility on today's numbers , and how to ensure you always have a contractual "back door" exit strategy before committing.

Links

• Attend the 3 Day Workshop on the Gold Coast: https://bit.ly/3UmDhjo 
• Chat to Hilary about the current investment opportunity we have: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call
• Join the Ultra-Urban Database for upcoming investment opportunities: https://bit.ly/45sqO2F
• Head on over to our website to find out more about our workshop and education options: Our Website
• Connect with handovers.com: https://handovers.com/

Episode Highlight:
01:59 - Bob's Tip of the Week: Dress for the weather! A lesson learned the hard way after a freezing, rainy walk following a wedding in Queenstown, New Zealand.
03:17 - The sunken cost fallacy: Why developers find it so hard to walk away after investing time and emotion into finding a site.
06:20 - The "Hope Strategy": A cautionary tale of a developer who bought an 11% margin deal, hoping the market would lift it to the bank's required 15% (it didn't).
10:28 - Emotion vs Logic: How desperation causes developers to doctor their feasibility numbers, falsely inflating sale prices or artificially underestimating build costs.
14:42 - The "Field of Dreams" myth: Why "build it and they will come" does not work in property. You must research what the market actually demands.
16:44 - Managing time delays: How unexpected council holdups erode your profits through accumulated interest holding costs.
18:15 - Big developers make big mistakes: Bob shares a story of a 400-lot subdivision error that required a massive 1-kilometre stormwater pipe.
20:22 - The "Shonky" Sellers: Why Hilary and Bob walked away from a $10,000 due diligence investment because the sellers and their conveyancers were dodgy.
23:26 - Cheap Insurance: How a $4,000 flood assessment report saved Bob from a disastrous 22-townhouse overland flow nightmare.
24:12 - Walking away from people: The story of Mint Developments walking away from a joint venture partner over misaligned ethics and values.
27:02 - The ultimate safety net: Always ensure you have a "back door" (like a due diligence clause) before signing a contract.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you accidentally lying to yourself to make a property deal look good on paper? It is the most common, and most expensive, mistake new developers make.

In this episode of the Property Mastermind Podcast, Hilary Sacks and Bob Anderson dissect the "lies" developers tell themselves when running a feasibility study. From assuming you can negotiate a builder's quote down by $250k, to inflating future sale prices just to make the numbers stack, Bob explains why emotion is your worst enemy in development. They discuss the difference between a project being "profitable" versus "viable," why financiers will reject a deal even if it makes money, and why "luck" (like a booming post-COVID market) is not a sustainable business plan. If you want to learn how to crunch the numbers like a professional and ensure your next project gets funded, this episode is a must-listen.

Links

• Attend the 3 Day Workshop on the Gold Coast: https://bit.ly/3UmDhjo 
• Chat to Hilary about the current investment opportunity we have: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call
• Join the Ultra-Urban Database for upcoming investment opportunities: https://bit.ly/45sqO2F
• Head on over to our website to find out more about our workshop and education options: Our Website
• Connect with handovers.com: https://handovers.com/

Episode Highlight:

01:07 – Bob’s Tip of the Week: Don't trust the weather forecast (or a bad feasibility study). A story about getting caught in the rain highlights the danger of relying on inaccurate information.
03:00 – The Biggest Issue: Bob reveals the #1 problem with new developers—they simply don't understand the numbers or what needs to be included in a feasibility study.
04:02 – The Danger of "Small" Errors: Why death by a thousand cuts applies to your feasibility. Leaving out small costs will ultimately destroy your profit margin. 
04:36 – The Build Cost Delusion: Why you cannot just assume you can "work a builder over" to shave $250k off a quote just to make your deal work.
06:55 – The GST Trap: A cautionary tale of a developer who agreed to a build price, only to discover the builder hadn't included GST—a massive 10% blowout before construction even started.
08:33 – Time is Money: Why being overly optimistic about your construction timeline in your feasibility is a lie that will erode your profits through daily interest charges.
10:53 – The Sale Price Lie: The temptation to inflate your estimated sale price based on what it might be worth in two years, and why the bank valuer will tear that assumption apart.
14:38 – Self-Sabotage: On the flip side, why being too conservative (overestimating costs and underestimating sales) will kill perfectly good deals.
18:14 – The Finance Reality Check: A story of a naive developer who thought he could fund a major student accommodation project with a 10% deposit and mortgage insurance.
23:22 – Profitability vs. Viability: Why a project that makes a $250k profit might still be rejected by a financier if the profit margin percentage is too low for the risk involved.
29:21 – The Right Tools: Why you cannot rely on a generic spreadsheet from a friend; you need a proper property development feasibility calculator that handles GST and compounding interest accurately.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you look at a property development feasibility, you see a dollar profit figure. But is making a profit enough to make the project viable?

In this episode of the Property Mastermind Podcast, Hilary Sacks and Bob Anderson dive into the critical world of Property Development Margins. They debunk the myth that you always need a 20% margin to succeed, explaining how project size, complexity, and risk dictate the returns required by financiers. Bob shares a war story of a "skinny deal" where he had to value engineer every cost with his builder just to scrape over the line, and why he wishes he had built four townhouses instead of five. Whether you are aiming for a quick land subdivision or a complex apartment block, this episode reveals the numbers you really need to hit to get your project funded and profitable.

Links

• Attend the 3 Day Workshop on the Gold Coast: https://bit.ly/3UmDhjo 
• Chat to Hilary about the current investment opportunity we have: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call
• Join the Ultra-Urban Database for upcoming investment opportunities: https://bit.ly/45sqO2F
• Head on over to our website to find out more about our workshop and education options: Our Website
• Connect with handovers.com: https://handovers.com/

Episode Highlight:
01:54 – Bob’s Tip of the Week: A painful lesson in sun safety—not all sunblocks (or property deals) are created equal!
03:07 – What is a Margin? Bob defines the "Developer's Margin" (Return on Cost) as profit expressed as a percentage of total costs.
05:27 – The 20% Myth: Why the old "golden rule" of a 20% margin doesn't apply to every project, and how smaller, lower-risk deals can succeed with less.
07:30 – Risk vs. Return: Why a complex 60-unit apartment block requires a much higher margin (buffer) than a simple 2-lot subdivision.
12:23 – Viability vs. Profitability: Just because a project makes a profit doesn't mean it's worth 2 years of your life. Is the juice worth the squeeze?
13:57 – The Financier's View: Why your project might be profitable for you but still get rejected by a bank if it doesn't meet their margin requirements (e.g., 17% vs 12%).
20:33 – Industrial Margins: A look at Bob and Hilary's current industrial project, aiming for a 25-30% margin due to the higher perceived risk of the asset class.
22:30 – Feasibility Evolution: How "estimates" become "actuals" throughout the project life cycle, refining your margin as you go.
24:32 – Bob’s "Skinny Deal": A candid story about a 5-townhouse project with a razor-thin margin that required intense value engineering to complete.
30:28 – The Lesson of Hindsight: Why Bob admits he should have built four better townhouses instead of squeezing five onto the block.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How many life-changing decisions do you avoid because you're simply too tired to make them? In property development, indecision isn't just frustrating—it's expensive. In this episode of the Property Mastermind Podcast, Hilary Sacks and Bob Anderson tackle the silent killer of success: Decision Fatigue. They explore why delaying choices clutters your mind (like a stage filled with monkeys on unicycles), why you should never make big decisions after 5pm, and the frameworks experienced developers use to act decisively. Bob shares a painful $900k mistake caused by procrastination, while Hilary explains how to "reverse engineer" your future self to overcome fear. Whether you're stuck in analysis paralysis or just need a push to start your first project, this episode will help you clear the mental clutter and take action.

Links

• Attend the 3 Day Workshop on the Gold Coast: https://bit.ly/3UmDhjo 
• Chat to Hilary about the current investment opportunity we have: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call
• Join the Ultra-Urban Database for upcoming investment opportunities: https://bit.ly/45sqO2F
• Head on over to our website to find out more about our workshop and education options: Our Website
• Connect with handovers.com: https://handovers.com/

Episode Highlight:
01:43 – Bob’s Tip of the Week: "It ain't over 'til it's over." Why age is just a number in property development (featuring a UFC analogy).
04:09 – Taking Responsibility: Why your dreams are your responsibility, and waiting for the "perfect time" is a trap.
06:33 – Decision Fatigue Explained: How the sheer volume of decisions in a development project can wear you down, and why the "mental load" of unmade decisions clutters your brain. 09:47 – The "Stage" Analogy: Hilary explains David Rock's neuroscience concept: unmade decisions are like actors on a stage, distracting you from the main performance.
12:53 – The Elephant in the Room: How looking at the entire project at once (the elephant) causes paralysis, instead of focusing on the next small step.
14:14 – The $400k Question: Bob asks: "What would you be prepared to do for $400,000 profit?"
17:21 – The Cost of "Fluff": Why learning irrelevant information (from bad courses) clutters your decision-making process.
19:28 – The "No Brainer" Decision: Hilary shares her recent purchase of a childcare centre and why confidence comes from knowing your risk factors.
25:46 – The 5pm Rule: Why you should never make critical decisions late in the day (and the research on judges' parole decisions that proves it).
30:00 – Bob's $900k Regret: A painful story of missing out on a profitable site because he put off reviewing the feasibility for two weeks.
33:08 – Bob's Decision Framework: How to use "non-negotiables" (like profit margin) to remove emotion and make faster, safer decisions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life rarely goes according to plan. When Mary lost her husband Mike in 2021, she faced a crossroads: let grief consume her, or honour their shared dream and keep moving. In this deeply moving episode of the Property Mastermind Podcast, Hilary sits down with Mary to discuss a journey that is about so much more than bricks and mortar. Mary opens up about starting property development in her "nanna years," navigating the heavy fog of grief, and the critical role that community and mentorship played in rebuilding her confidence. From false starts and changing patches to standing proudly in front of her duplex project as the roof goes on, Mary’s story is a powerful testament to resilience. This episode proves that whether you are 25 or 75, it is never too late to reinvent yourself and build a legacy.

Links

• Attend the 3 Day Workshop on the Gold Coast: https://bit.ly/3UmDhjo 
• Chat to Hilary about the current investment opportunity we have: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call
• Join the Ultra-Urban Database for upcoming investment opportunities: https://bit.ly/45sqO2F
• Head on over to our website to find out more about our workshop and education options: Our Website
• Connect with handovers.com: https://handovers.com/

Episode Highlight:
01:13 – The Decision to Continue: Mary shares why she chose to pursue property development shortly after losing her husband, rather than putting her dreams on hold.
04:15 – A Two-Pronged Support System: The importance of having both emotional support (to keep moving) and technical support (to ensure the numbers stack) during the early stages.
09:49 – The "Rescue" Moment: A behind-the-scenes look at how Hilary and Bob stepped in financially to help a student save a deal when the bank deadline loomed.
12:25 – The Power of Community: Why attending workshops and connecting with other students is vital for overcoming the isolation of being a solo developer.
19:44 – The Turning Point: How Mary recovered from a lost site by making the brave decision to change her "patch" and start fresh in a new area.
21:11 – Project Update: From a vacant block to a near-complete build—Mary walks us through the current status of her duplex project.
24:37 – The Confidence Shift: How mastering the language of property has changed how Mary speaks to brokers, accountants, and builders.
27:55 – Building a Legacy: Mary’s "Why"—creating multi-generational wealth and the ability to travel.
33:14 – The "Lazy Money" Realisation: One of Mary's biggest takeaways: you don't need your own money to start; you just need to find investors with "lazy money" looking for a return.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In property development, the old saying "time is money" isn't just a cliché—it is the difference between a profitable project and a financial disaster. With holding costs accumulating every single day, how do you ensure your project stays on track, or better yet, finishes early?

In this episode of the Property Mastermind Podcast, Hilary Sacks and Bob Anderson dive deep into the critical topic of timeframes. They unpack the most common causes of project delays—from the "procrastination phase" before you even start, to the unpredictability of council approvals. Bob shares his strategies for managing consultants, explaining why choosing the cheapest surveyor might actually cost you more in the long run, and why you should treat your project management with the urgency of burning $50 notes. Whether you are battling council bottlenecks or managing frustrated investors, this episode provides the blueprint for keeping the ball rolling every single day.

Links

• Attend the 3 Day Workshop on the Gold Coast: https://bit.ly/3UmDhjo 
• Chat to Hilary about the current investment opportunity we have: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call
• Join the Ultra-Urban Database for upcoming investment opportunities: https://bit.ly/45sqO2F
• Head on over to our website to find out more about our workshop and education options: Our Website
• Connect with handovers.com: https://handovers.com/

 

Episode Highlight:
01:17 - Bob's Tip of the Week: Why the only thing faster than your Council approval is your expectation of it. 
02:28 - The #1 cause of delays before you even start: How "fence-sitting" and the "I'll do it when..." mindset kills projects.
03:49 - The golden rule of project management: "Keep the ball rolling every day."
07:56 - Price vs. Speed: Why paying a consultant slightly more for immediate availability is smarter than waiting weeks for the cheaper option.
11:44 - Managing Council: How submitting compliant applications and using well-connected town planners can speed up the "uncontrollable" approval process.
14:54 - The "hidden" timeframe: Why you must account for the 1–2 months it takes just to prepare your application before lodging.
16:07 - Fast-tracking strategies: Using Complying Development Certificates (CDC) and RiskSmart to bypass standard council queues.
24:21 - The "Simultaneous" Strategy: How to wear multiple hats (finance, marketing, construction) at once to slash holding costs.
25:37 - A critical mistake: Why waiting until construction ends to apply for titles burns money needlessly.
32:44 - The visual cost of delay: Imagine taking cash out of your wallet and burning it to understand the true cost of daily interest.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.