Finance This, Property That

Episode 85: Before You Buy a Development Site… Watch This

Dion Fernandes

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 45:22

Thinking about buying a development site?
 You might be making a massive mistake.

In this episode, Dion is joined by Mark Kierpal from Urbicus to unpack the real risks behind property development — and where most investors go wrong.

They break down:

  •  Buying the wrong site 
  •  Underestimating council approvals 
  •  Ignoring due diligence 
  •  Designing the wrong product for the market 

This is a must-listen for anyone serious about building a property portfolio or stepping into development.

👉 The reality?
 The right advice upfront is cheaper than fixing the wrong decision later.

00:00 – Intro & welcome back Mark
02:00 – The reality of development in today’s market
05:00 – Mistake #1: Buying the wrong site
12:00 – Why due diligence is everything
18:00 – The danger of listening to the wrong advice
24:00 – Mistake #2: Underestimating council approvals
32:00 – Real costs (and timelines) people get wrong
40:00 – Mistake #3: Designing the wrong product
48:00 – Case studies: less yield = more profit
55:00 – Key takeaways for developers
58:00 – How to connect with Mark & Urbicus