Advertise on podcast: Property Mastermind Podcast with Bob Andersen & Hilary Saxton

After more than 277 episodes, the same questions keep coming up. So this episode is a little bit different. Hilary asks the questions new developers ask us most, and you hear Bob's answers straight from the archive episodes they came from. Bob's own rookie mistake: thinking the market never changes, then spending two years working his way out of a Gold Coast project. Building a spec house in your own name, paying more income tax than you needed to and missing the GST. Why you talk to a commercial finance broker, not your home loan broker, before you look at a single site. The research mistake people make when they choose their patch, and why you never gamble on due diligence at an auction. A nine-townhouse deal that could never have made money, caught with one feasibility check. Why most people allow too little time. Choosing a builder on more than price. A farmer whose 20 townhouses were designed for how he wanted to live, not for the buyers. Where emotion sneaks in and costs you money. And what Bob got wrong choosing consultants in his early days. The takeaway: most rookie mistakes are made before you even buy, and almost all of them can be avoided. The full episodes behind these answers: Episode 134: Bob Andersen's Biggest Property Development Regrets Episode 255: GST Margin Scheme vs Going Concern: GST Mistakes That Nuke Your Profit Episode 197: Rookie Property Developer Mistakes To Avoid Episode 108: Common Mistakes Newbies Make In Property Development Episode 69: Common Mistakes People Make In Property Development Episode 116: How Not To Sabotage Your Feasibility Episode 188: Property Development Market Research Made Easy Episode 241: The Feasibility Lies Developers Tell Themselves Free Profit with Property Development Masterclass, Saturday 21 November 2026, 9am to 1pm AEDT, live on Zoom: https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/profit-with-property-development-masterclass/  To book a call with us, click here: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call  Hosted by Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton of Property Mastermind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New property developers don't know what they don't know. Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton walk through a week of real questions from mentoring students, names changed, and the mistakes that were caught before they cost money. A broker who didn't understand development finance and put a feasibility out by hundreds of thousands of dollars, fixed with one introduction. A draft building contract that didn't match the finance conditions. A joint venture agreement in conflict near the end of a project. Three builder quotes that weren't comparable. An architect who ignored the brief and designed for a suburb two tiers up. A first feasibility, a weekly accountability call, a deal that fell over and came back $200,000 cheaper, and whether falling house prices mean development can't make a profit. The takeaway: most of these problems look like nothing until they cost you a deal. Having someone to call who has seen it before is the difference. Free Profit with Property Development Masterclass, Saturday 21 November 2026, 9am to 1pm AEDT, live on Zoom: https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/profit-with-property-development-masterclass/ To book a call with us, click here: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call Hosted by Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton of Property Mastermind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of people think property developers are builders. Most are not. Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton unpack what a developer actually does, week to week, and why you do not need a construction background, a trade or a degree to do it. Bob describes a developer's job in one sentence, walks through a normal week on a duplex under construction, explains what you can leave to the builder, and shares what a project really takes in hours: around four or five a week on average, up to ten in the two busy periods. Hilary and Bob cover the golden handcuffs that keep builders and well-paid professionals stuck, how much learning you need before you look for a site, why investor conversations should start early, a rapid-fire round on what the developer does versus hands off, and the chefs, pharmacists, marketers and telco managers who became developers through the mentoring program. The takeaway: a developer coordinates people to create a project. Everyone else does the work. If you want to do it, you can, whatever you do now. Free Profit with Property Development Masterclass, Saturday 21 November 2026, 9am to 1pm AEDT, live on Zoom: https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/profit-with-property-development-masterclass/ Hosted by Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton of Property Mastermind.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone wants to save money on a development, but there is a big difference between being smart with your money and penny pinching. Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton work through where property developers can sensibly save, and where cutting corners ends up costing far more. Bob covers choosing between a building designer and an architect, the non-standard windows that added over $100,000 to one duplex, why the cheapest consultant is rarely the cheapest in the end, how over-engineered structural plans inflate costs, where you can trim finishes without touching the sale price, builders and variations, the cheap survey that had to be redone, staging and marketing, doing jobs yourself, and the costs people leave out of a feasibility. The takeaway: the goal is not the cheapest development, it is the most profitable one. Sometimes that means spending less and sometimes it means spending more. The skill is knowing the difference. Free Profit with Property Development Masterclass, Saturday 21 November 2026, 9am to 1pm AEDT, live on Zoom: https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/profit-with-property-development-masterclass/ Hosted by Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton of Property Mastermind.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people who want to do property development are waiting for something: enough money, enough knowledge, the right market, the right site, enough confidence. Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton unpack what ready really looks like, and why you are probably closer than you think. Bob explains why he was not ready when he started, short on money, short on knowledge and with nobody to learn from, and went ahead anyway. He and Hilary cover why a perfect property market does not exist, which parts of the process you need to understand now and which can wait, the danger of educating yourself for years without acting, who to have on your team before you find a site, why people stall after their first project, and how confidence is actually built, one action at a time. The takeaway: you do not need to quit your job, know everything, be a builder, have found a site, have a million dollars or feel completely confident. You need a reason, the first few steps, and the willingness to take them. Free Profit with Property Development Masterclass, Saturday 21 November 2026, 9am to 1pm AEDT, live on Zoom: https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/profit-with-property-development-masterclass/ Hosted by Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton of Property Mastermind.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Property development is a process, but woven through it are the skills that make the process happen: making decisions when nothing is certain, leading a team of experts, knowing your own triggers, and building the confidence to act.Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton pick up where last week's people-skills episode left off. Bob explains what he did when two builders went bankrupt mid-project, the valuation that expired one day before settlement, and the architect and town planner who should never have been hired together. The takeaway: competence builds confidence, confidence is built one step a day, and whether your gap is a hard skill or a soft skill, you can build it. Property development is a game everybody can play, but you need to know the game you are playing.Free Profit with Property Development Masterclass, Saturday 21 November 2026, 9am to 1pm AEDT. Register here: https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/profit-with-property-development-masterclass/ Hosted by Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton of Property Mastermind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Property development is a people game. Negotiation, conflict, getting people on site, keeping a builder onside. None of it appears in the feasibility, and Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton argue it decides outcomes just as often as the numbers do. Prompted by a new mentoring student who gets excited by the podcast and then loses momentum, Hilary and Bob work through the skills that turn knowledge into action: communication and listening, negotiation, relationships and trust, networking, and emotional intelligence in difficult conversations. Bob explains how he isolates the real issue when a consultant or builder dumps everything at once, why the two numbers worth negotiating hard are the land and the build, what to say to an agent when a site doesn't stack up so they keep sending you deals, and why a detailed set of plans and a proper building contract prevent most arguments before they start. The takeaway: competence creates confidence, but confidence with people is what gets a development finished. Pick the one skill you need to work on and start there. The Property Development and Joint Ventures Workshop kicks off online on Thursday 1 October, then runs live on the Gold Coast 9 to 11 October 2026: https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/property-development-and-joint-ventures-workshop/  Hosted by Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton of Property Mastermind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Bob and Hilary unpack Joint Ventures.Bob goes back to his first two projects, both joint ventures. The first was a vendor finance deal with a landowner named Tony, who told him "money's the easiest part" and then showed him how to do a four-lot subdivision with a second mortgage instead of a deposit. The second was an equity partner deal with his sister's boyfriend, where Bob put in no money at all. Then they walk through three syndicated projects.Ultra Urban has on the go right now: 16 industrial units at North Harbour, a childcare centre refurb, and 24 industrial units at Bundamba, including the vandalism, the mould, the $120,000 and $350,000 top-ups, and why none of it was a problem. The takeaway: the financier already puts in at least four times what you do and only wants an interest return. If you are short on the rest, there is a joint venture structure for that, and waiting five or ten years to save it up is the expensive option. Learn more about our workshop here: https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/property-development-and-joint-ventures-workshop/Hosted by Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton of Property Mastermind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can AI do a property development feasibility for you? Hilary Saxton and Aaron Ralph put the newest ChatGPT model to the test, live on screen. They hand it a real duplex site they have already developed with some of their students and sold and ask it to work out whether the deal stacks up. The actual result on that project was a $604,000 profit at 16% return on cost (ROC). ChatGPT researched, produced spreadsheets, and came back very confidently with a $125,000 loss. Even after Aaron gave it the 3 biggest numbers in the feasibility, the land, the construction cost and the gross realisation value (GRV), it still landed on an 11% return - a deal no lender would fund. Along the way Aaron and Hilary explain what an AI agent actually is, why AI generalises toward the median, what the valuer's methodology is and why it matters for finance, how we run our own models 24/7 to do feasibilities and hunt for sites, and where AI genuinely shines for developers. The takeaway: use AI, but the specialist knowledge still has to come from you. Hosted by Hilary Saxton with Aaron Ralph - Property Mastermind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton unpack this year's Property Development and Joint Ventures Workshop, three full days on the Gold Coast from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October, plus a two hour online kickoff session on Thursday 1 October. This year's workshop covers the complete A to Z of property development through Property Mastermind's nine step process, from sorting your finance and finding a site that stacks up, right through to banking your profit at the end. It is built for beginners first, and the majority of people who have come through the program started exactly there. But it is not only for beginners. Bob and Hilary explain why so many people come back (the record is nine workshops) and why hearing the process again is what turns knowledge into second nature. What makes this workshop different is that joint ventures and creative finance strategies are woven right through it. If you have been waiting to save up enough cash to do your first development, Bob's message is simple: you will probably be waiting a long time, and you don't have to. Loan partners, equity partners, options, small capital raising's and land owner joint ventures are all ways to get moving now, whether it is your first project or your second while the first is still under way. They also talk about the part that is hard to explain until you have been in the room: the networking. Morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and happy hour every day, a community where nobody sits alone, and joint venture partnerships that form at the workshop itself, year after year. Early bird pricing is on now. Use the code EARLYBIRD at checkout to save $1,000 off the standard $3,997 ticket, ending 13 September. Past attendees can return for just $495. Workshop details and tickets:https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/property-development-and-joint-ventures-workshop/ Attended a Property Mastermind workshop before? Reserve your seat here: https://buy.stripe.com/6oU00c9LEaFf5BS4TfdIA1Z Questions? Email [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every new property developer hits the same sticking points. Not hundreds of them, five big ones. And once you can see them clearly, they stop being reasons to wait. In this episode Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton unpack the five questions that stall new developers: 1. How much equity you actually need (and the simple rule of thumb to work it out) 2. Why development finance is nothing like the retail finance you're used to 3. How to choose your patch and become the local expert 4. Why the profit is decided at the start with an accurate feasibility 5. Why you don't need to know everything, you just need the right people around you. It's all delivered in plain English, including the leverage example that shows how putting in one fifth of the costs can turn a 20% project margin into a 100% return on your money. In this episode: How much equity you actually need, with the one-fifth to one-sixth of GRV rule of thumb Leverage explained simply, and why financiers put in most of the money Development finance vs retail finance, and why your local bank isn't the lender Choosing your patch and becoming the local expert Why the profit is decided at the start, not the end, and how feasibility drives everything Building your team: the architect, town planner, engineers and builder, so you don't have to know it all   To learn more about our upcoming 3 day workshop, click here: https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/property-development-and-joint-ventures-workshop/   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joint Ventures are everywhere in property development, and most of our students do them. But here is the part that catches people out. The most expensive thing in a Joint Venture is not the money, it is a partner who does not understand property development. In this episode Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton unpack what makes a great JV partner, why the wrong money can cost you more than you would think, and where the best partnerships actually come from. They walk through the two core models, the equity partner and the loan partner, plus the classic Joint Venture with a landowner, all in plain English and real numbers. A Joint Venture is not a compromise, it is an accelerator. You are often just one partner away from your next deal, or your very first. Bob and Hilary share the traits worth looking for, the one boss rule that keeps a project on track, the warning signs in open online groups, and why so many of the best partnerships are formed face to face. In this episode: The two core JV models, the equity partner and the loan partner, and how each is structured How a joint venture with a landowner works, and why land can act like equity Why a partner who does not understand development can cost you more than money The traits that make a great JV partner, and the one boss rule every project needs How to protect your research and spot the wrong people in open online groups Where the best joint venture partners are really found To learn more about our upcoming workshop, click here: https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/joint-venture-workshop/ To learn more about our North Harbour Industrial project, click here: https://baymark.com.au/v1 To contact us, email [email protected]   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Negotiation might be the most underrated skill in property development, and the good news is, it is one you can improve. In this episode, Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton unpack the negotiating skills every property developer needs, from buying sites to dealing with partners, agents and builders.You will learn why the best deals are rarely about price alone, how the right conditions (like a longer settlement) can be worth more than a discount, and how understanding the other party's needs versus their wants creates a genuine win-win. Bob shares the real stories: the seller who simply had to have a round $1million, the auction where an extra $5,000 won the site, the 'stock-back' deal that got him in with less cash, and the two-and-a-half-hour meeting that taught him to always confirm he was talking to the actual decision-maker.Whether you are chasing your first site or your fiftieth, you will walk away with practical ways to negotiate better, and probably save yourself a lot of money. In this episode: Why negotiation is a developer's most underrated (and improvable) skill Why conditions can be worth more than price Needs versus wants, the heart of every deal Knowing your walk-away point, and when to bend it Talking to the real decision-maker, not 'piggy in the middle' Creative structures like the 'stock-back' deal When and how to walk away, and why sellers come back To download the workbook from our recent Property Development Masterclass, click here: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/38fVmROaN0w37uXNDNnj?notrack=true To learn more about our how we can help you on your property development journey, click here: https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/pm-courses/   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You've heard them all: you have to be rich, all developers go broke, you must be a builder, but how many of these "facts" are actually true? In Episode 266, Hilary Saxton rapid-fires the biggest property development myths at Bob Andersen and Bob debunks each one in plain English. In this episode: - Why you DON'T need to be a multi-millionaire (plus Bob's "thumb rule") - The lie that "all developers go broke" - Why there's no single "type" of person who develops — 18 to 80, every profession! - "You have to be a builder" — busted - Waiting for the perfect time (and the perfect site) - Can you make money in a tough market? - "The council is always against me" - Do you really need to quit your job first? - Is property development too risky? - Why you can't skip the feasibility — or your education Free masterclass tomorrow - register here: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/propertymastermind-masterclass-august-2026   Keen to join our Facebook group? Click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PropertyDeveloperSecretsAndHacks Book a call with the team: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/book-a-call  Have a question? Drop it in the comments below - you might even win a copy of the book.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Saturday, Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton are running a FREE 4hour online Property Development Masterclass! 🏘️ Bob and Hilary preview exactly what you'll walk away with: - Where to actually start: The full step by step property development process- Finding and analysing a site- Finance- Due diligence- Approvals- Construction- Banking your profit Plus creative finance strategies, including how to get a project off the ground with little or no money of your own using Joint Ventures. 40+ years of experience. $1.5B+ in developments. A near-100% retention rate at past masterclasses. This is real education - not a pitch fest. And whoever you are, whatever your background, property development is open to you (80% of Australian developments are done by every day people like you). This Saturday, 15 August 20269:00am - 1pm AESTOnline (via Zoom)Free (doors open 8:55am) 👉 Register here: https://link.propertymastermind.com.au/propertymastermind-masterclass-august-2026?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=masterclass-aug15&utm_content=ep265b   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.