Episode 80 of Finance This, Property That is Dion opening the playbook on his own money: a $740,000 off-market corner-block purchase in Crestmead, bought in trust with his partner Janna, renovated for around $50,000 and now heading into a back-block build targeting a position of roughly $1.6 million.
The purchase: strategy before rate
The episode opens where the whole series always lands: rate-chasing is the wrong lens. The Crestmead property was an off-market corner block with value-add and subdivision potential, bought through two separate trusts that separated ownership interests, supported the lending plan and preserved flexibility for later moves. Because the structure existed before the purchase, approval moved quickly with a major lender. Planning is what makes speed possible.
A $50,000 renovation that behaved like strategy
The renovation was deliberately unglamorous: around $50,000 all in, including a full kitchen found on Facebook Marketplace for $600 and cosmetic upgrades targeted at what valuers and tenants actually notice. Budget discipline was not a compromise. It was the strategy, because every renovation dollar had to justify itself in the end valuation.
The back-block build and the valuation game
The value engine is a new four-bedroom, two-bathroom house going in on the back block, achievable without a DA. That created the episode's most instructive challenge: in-one-line valuations, where a valuer assesses two dwellings on one title as a single line and understates the total. Dion walks through how he presented comparable evidence to support a $1.25 million pre-construction valuation, and why guiding a valuer with data is legitimate preparation, not hope.
The projected position
From the $1.25 million pre-construction base, the build cost and end values project the position towards roughly $1.6 million, with conservative capital gains estimated at $350,000 to $400,000 and materially stronger cash flow once the second dwelling rents. The team behind it is the same shape recommended to every client: credit support, a property strategist, a property manager and a co-investor partner all working one plan.
Episode breakdown
- 00:00Why strategy beats rate. Applying client strategies to a personal purchase.
- 01:40The Crestmead purchase. Off-market corner block at $740,000, bought in trust.
- 03:00The team. Who contributed what to the project.
- 05:20Renovation on a budget. $50,000 all in, including the $600 kitchen.
- 07:00Lending and trust structure. Two trusts, planned early, approved fast.
- 09:15The back-block build. No DA required, and the in-one-line valuation challenge.
- 11:30Projected uplift. From $1.25 million towards $1.6 million, conservatively costed.
- 13:00Living the strategy. Time, structure and the right support team.
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Key questions this episode answers
What property does Dion break down in episode 80?
His own Crestmead investment: a $740,000 off-market corner block bought through trust structures with his partner Janna, chosen for value-add and subdivision potential.
How was the renovation done on a budget?
Around $50,000, including a $600 kitchen from Facebook Marketplace, with every dollar aimed at what valuers and tenants notice.
Why two separate trusts?
To separate ownership interests, support the lending strategy and preserve flexibility, planned before purchase so approval could move fast. The ownership decision is unpacked in Trust vs Personal Name.
What is an in-one-line valuation?
Two dwellings on one title assessed as a single line, often understating total value. Dion supported a $1.25 million pre-construction figure with comparable evidence.
What uplift is the project targeting?
Roughly $1.6 million post-build, with conservative gains of $350,000 to $400,000 and stronger cash flow. Projections on a personal asset, not promises.
The takeaway
This is the episode where the advice eats its own cooking. The trusts, the sequencing, the budget discipline and the valuation preparation are the exact strategies recommended to clients, running on Dion's own balance sheet. Growth takes time, structure and a team. The playbook is the same whoever holds the title.
The information discussed in this episode is general in nature and does not take your individual financial circumstances into account. Consider whether it is appropriate for your position before acting on it.