HOW TO BUILD YOUR PROPERTY INVESTMENT DREAM TEAM
Success in property investing isn’t a solo act. Building the right team of advisers, brokers and specialists can turn ambition into a long-term, wealth-building strategy.
3 min
To succeed in property investing, you need a trusted team of skilled professionals to guide you and the right mindset to help you land the plane. Your team doesn’t just provide technical expertise, they help balance your mindset, encouraging action without recklessness.
But who exactly do you need on your dream team? Let’s explore.
Qualified Property Investment Adviser
A Qualified Property Investment Adviser (QPIA) is your strategic architect, designing a roadmap for your property_ journey. Their role goes beyond simple advice, they create your investment strategy, provide tailored recommendations, and plan your portfolio with a long-term focus.
They clearly document your goals and objectives, your risk appetite, and the risks associated with an investment, all within a comprehensive written property investment plan supported by detailed graphs and tables on future spending, cash flow, borrowings, tax, and wealth forecasts with appropriate assumptions as it relates to your retirement targets.
Their expertise ensures you remain focused on the ideal blend of potential locations and best-suited, investment-grade properties that align with your desire to retire on $3,000 per week. They’re the trusted cornerstone of your team, turning your vision into actionable steps and outcomes.
Investment-savvy mortgage broker
An experienced mortgage broker doesn’t just source loans, they structure your finances strategically to support your property goals. From credit planning to managing loan structures, they ensure your borrowing strategy forms part of your overall plan for now and in the future. If they’re doing their job right, they should really be your ‘personal’ banker.
Buyer’s agent
Your buyer’s agent acts as your dedicated market area and property selection specialist, responsible for clarifying your brief, identifying, assessing, negotiating, and securing the best-suited investment-grade properties that align with your strategy. They’re not just an extra set of eyes, they ARE your eyes and ears on the ground. They are playing every day on the ‘inside’!
Financial planner
A licensed financial planner takes a holistic approach to your wealth creation and management, covering superannuation/SMSFs, managed funds, shares, and personal insurances. They ensure your property investments are seamlessly integrated into your broader financial, wealth, and retirement strategy, safeguarding your retirement and long-term objectives and financial security.
As the architects of your financial defence pillar, they implement crucial risk insurances to protect your wealth. Think of them as building a moat around your property portfolio.
Accountant
A property-savvy accountant is essential for determining the best ownership structure for your investments– be it individual ownership, partnerships, trusts, companies, or SMSFs. As a licensed tax agent, their expertise ensures your tax position is optimised while remaining fully compliant with regulations. By legally maximising deductions, they play a pivotal role in managing both your income and capital gains tax obligations in an effort to enhance your cash flow, allowing your portfolio to perform more effectively and efficiently.
Solicitor
Your solicitor is indispensable for reviewing contracts, handling conveyancing, and safeguarding your assets.
They ensure property transfers and guarantees are seamlessly executed while protecting you from any hidden surprises in the purchase process.
Their expertise provides peace of mind and solid legal protection for your investments. Thinking more broadly, they will play an important role in your estate planning and wills as your wealth base grows.
Building and pest inspector
A thorough inspection before purchasing a property is essential. A trusted building and pest inspector helps you avoid costly mistakes by identifying structural issues or pest infestations before they become your problem. Their fee is the best insurance to make sure you don’t end up paying thousands.
Property manager
A skilled property manager is your on-the-ground partner for maintaining and maximising the performance of your investment. They handle tenant selection, rent collection, property maintenance, and compliance with rental regulations, ensuring your asset remains a hassle-free source of income.
By managing day-to-day operations and addressing any issues promptly, they protect your property’s value and free you to focus on growing your portfolio. They also coordinate essential safety and compliance checks, such as electrical, plumbing, and gas inspections to meet minimum standards in your state or territory, to safeguard your investment. A good property manager is an investment in peace of mind and long-term success.
These professionals ensure you’re equipped to make informed, confident decisions at every stage of your investment journey. Even with the best team, your success depends on your mindset as a long-term investor. Your team not only provides technical expertise but also helps keep your mindset balanced – encouraging action without recklessness.
This is an edited extract from How to Retire on $3,000 a Week: The Property Couch’s Playbook for Passive Property Investing by Bryce Holdaway & Ben Kingsley (Major Street Publishing RRP $32.99), available at all leading retailers. Visit http://thepropertycouch.com.au/
The 1860s Darlinghurst mansion Stoneleigh could become Sydney’s most expensive home ever sold under the hammer when it goes to auction. Clint Ballard is giving buyers a $28 million guide for the heritage-listed mansion on Darley Street, opposite Iona, the former home of Hollywood royalty Baz Luhrmann. Stoneleigh is being offered for sale for the …
Set on one of the city’s last absolute riverfront sites, The Riversdale by Mosaic combines irreplaceable waterfront ownership with one of Brisbane’s most significant residential opportunities.
3 min
At the northern tip of Point Piper, hidden from the street and positioned directly on Sydney Harbour, “Radford” combines cinematic views, rare waterfront access and a fascinating connection to one of Australia’s most storied estates.
The five-bedroom residence occupies land once belonging to Paradis Sur Mer, the celebrated three-block waterfront estate that made Australian property history in 1982. The original mansion became the country’s first home reported to have sold for more than $5 million—and may also have inspired one of its fastest and most profitable resales.
Property developer and yachtsman Bernard Lewis purchased the estate at auction for $5.25 million, only to sell it within hours to English betting magnate and thoroughbred breeder Robert Sangster. Lewis reportedly made a $500,000 profit in the process.
Sangster renamed the property Toison D’Or—French for “Golden Fleece” and the name of one of his racehorses—and established it as a Sydney base with his then-wife, Susan. The estate subsequently changed hands and identities again, becoming Paradis Sur Mer, or “Paradise on the Sea”, during Susan’s marriage to financier Sir Frank Renouf.
After another headline-making sale near the peak of Sydney’s late-1980s property boom, the original mansion was eventually demolished and the waterfront holding subdivided. “Radford” now stands on one of those prized parcels, carrying a thread of that extraordinary history into the present day.
Harbour views take centre stage
Designed by award-winning architect Victor Berk and constructed in the early 1990s, the three-level modernist residence has been planned around its exceptional position.
Panoramic views stretch from the Sydney Harbour Bridge across Shark Island and Rose Bay to Manly. A prized northerly aspect fills the home with natural light, while bedrooms and living spaces open to decks, balconies and terraces overlooking the water.
The main living areas flow to a broad alfresco entertaining terrace, sunny swimming pool and level harbourfront lawn. Beyond the garden, a private jetty completes the quintessential Sydney waterfront lifestyle.
Inside, generous proportions make the home equally suited to private family life and large-scale entertaining. The formal dining area can accommodate up to 14 guests, while a Gaggenau-appointed kitchen incorporates an island, walk-in pantry and casual breakfast area opening to the poolside deck.
A fireplace anchors the principal living space, complemented by high ceilings, travertine floors and expansive glazing that keeps the harbour present throughout the home.
A private sanctuary on every level
The main bedroom is accompanied by two walk-in wardrobes, a sitting area and an ensuite featuring a spa bath, separate shower and twin basins. Three further bedrooms each have an ensuite, while a gym with its own kitchenette, built-in storage and bathroom can serve as a fifth bedroom or private guest retreat.
Additional spaces include a fitted home office, an upper-level family area, sauna, two powder rooms and a substantial laundry. A lift connects all three levels, and the central staircase sits beneath an atrium-style glass roof fitted with an electric retractable blind.
Ducted and zoned air-conditioning, extensive storage and a security alarm add everyday practicality. Internal access leads to an oversized secure double garage, with additional driveway parking.
Set in an elite cul-de-sac on one of Australia’s most prestigious waterfront streets, “Radford” is close to Lady Martins Beach, Prince Edward Yacht Club, the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Rose Bay’s marinas and leading schools. Double Bay’s restaurants, boutiques and village amenities are only minutes away.
It is an exceptional harbourfront residence in its own right—but its connection to the record-breaking Paradis Sur Mer estate gives it a place within the wider story of Sydney real estate.
Property details
Address: Wolseley Road, Point Piper, NSW
Bedrooms: Five, including a flexible gym or guest suite
Bathrooms: Five, plus two powder rooms
Parking: Oversized double garage and additional driveway space
Key features: Northerly aspect, panoramic harbour views, private jetty, swimming pool, level waterfront lawn, lift, sauna, home office and Gaggenau kitchen
Architect: Victor Berk
Agents: Michael Pallier, Sydney Sotheby’s & Brad Pillinger, Pillinger
The megamansion was built for Tony Pritzker, heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune and brother of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation CEO Kristina Keneally says Australia’s culture of large-scale philanthropy is becoming more sophisticated as Gold Dinner raises $75.5 million for children’s health, research and innovation.
