Property development coaching · Australia

Unemployable Property Coaching Program

Learn Property Development the right way, with our Find. Fund. Develop.™ Framework.

12-month program - Access to the FFD™ Learning Hub
8 x 1-on-1 Coaching calls
20 x 1-on-1 Breakthrough calls
Weekly group Coaching calls
Private Member Community Group
Exclusive in-person events

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Email hello@unemployableproperty.com.au to arrange a call.

A room of Unemployable Property members at a live coaching session

Weekly
Coaching Calls

A small group walking a development site with one of the coaches

1-on-1
Coaching Calls

Attendees together on an Unemployable Property live site tour

In-Person
Events

12 Months of coaching

28 One-to-one calls

2 Weekend workshops

61 Video Modules

Start here

What is the coaching program?

Who is it for?: Australians who want to run their own property development projects — from complete beginners through to builders and buyer’s agents who wish to transition to running their own developments.
How long, and how much time?: Our Coaching is an annual 12-Months Program. We recommend dedicating 5-10 hours per week to get the most out of this program.
What do I work on?: We recommend working your way through our Find, Find, Develop Learning Hub upon joining the program - our comprehensive 61-module course, covering every aspect of developments. After completing the foundation and find modules, you'll have the knowledge to start finding development projects. You'll then learn how to fund, develop and sell the sites you find.
Where does it work?: The process for finding land and running feasibilities transfers nationally. Our planners, ecologists and some of the terminology are generally Queensland-based, however the knowledge and skills learned can be used throughout Australia. We use our network to help interstate members find people and create their own local A-team.

A Sneak-Peek into 12-Months in the Program

FFD™ Learning MODULES

Our FFD™ Learning Hub covers our 4-part framework, we recommend starting with the Foundations and Find modules upon joining and then committing time each week to watch modules across the remaining Fund, Develop and Sell modules.

LIVE CALLS Every week

We run live group coaching calls every week. These calls alternate weekly between our curriculum topics and our community deal room calls.

1-ON-1 COACHING Calls

Included within the 12-month program is 28 calls with a member of the coaching team: 8 x support calls by video - these are designed to run through potential sites you've found, analyse your feasibilities and discuss your development projects. You also have 20 x shorter breakthrough phone calls to assist you with quick answers to questions you may have throughout the process. You book your calls as you need them.

LIVE IN-PERSON EVENTS

Included within your coaching is attendance to 2 x 2-day workshop weekends. These events include our famous "bus tours" where we visit development sites of ours and our coaching members. These are real sites and we uncover all the numbers, the challenges and the wins. The weekend also includes an "in-room" education day, where you have the chance to learn from our expert panel of consultants and put your knowledge to the test with our real-world applied competitions. Both days provide unrivalled opportunities to network with your fellow members - this is the time where real partnerships are made.

ALSO INCLUDED

Also included, is attendance to our Annual Christmas Boat Party - held on the Gold Coast at the end of the year. As well as access to our Member-Only Private Community Group, access and introductions to our consultants and regular opportunities to participate in Q&A with our Guest Speakers, who join us on our live coaching calls and in-person events.

Curriculum group call
Deal room group call

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Who you work with

Carson, Shannon & Eric

The people you are about to learn from have walked the exact path you are on.

Carson Bolt

Founder & Coach

Developer, strategist, and opportunity spotter.

Carson identifies overlooked sites and helps turn them into high-performing development opportunities, with a sharp focus on feasibility, structure, and decision-making.

Known for his ability to simplify complex deals and spot value where others see risk, Carson has helped deliver projects across subdivisions, multi-lot developments, and joint venture structures.

Carson will break down real deals step-by-step, sharing the thinking behind each decision.

Shannon Sharp

Founder & Coach

Developer, operator, and project execution specialist.

Shannon brings hands-on development experience, helping clients move from acquisition and approvals through to construction and completion.

Known for his calm approach under pressure and ability to solve problems as they arise, Shannon has successfully navigated complex sites, unexpected setbacks, and challenging conditions while still delivering strong outcomes.

Shannon will share what really happens once a deal begins, the risks, the realities, and how experienced developers protect themselves.

Eric Machado

Founder & Coach

Entrepreneur, brand builder, and dealmaker.

Eric helps clients think bigger, sharpen their strategy, and unlock opportunities through stronger positioning, networks, and commercial thinking.

Known for his ability to spot opportunity where others see noise, he has been behind some of the biggest success stories in e-commerce and property development.

Eric brings his sharp insight and real-world experience to every conversation. Expect straight talk, smart strategy, and a few laughs along the way.

The whole package

What’s included:

Here's everything included in your 12-month coaching program.

The coaching

8 one-to-one Support Calls, by video
20 one-to-one Breakthrough Calls, by phone
A live group call every week, curriculum and deal room alternating
Invitations to 2 live weekend Workshops

The access

Access to the FFD™ learning hub — 61 published modules
Access to the UP Developer Kit — the templates we run our own deals on
Access to the UP private Facebook group
Invitation to the UP End Of Year Party
Invitation to visit UP Studio to attend the recording of one podcast episode

What’s in the UP Developer Kit

The templates, sample agreements, proposals and checklists we use every day across our own deals:

Definitions & Abbreviations
Deal Box Checklist
Off-market letter templates
Due Diligence Checklist - Guide
Contract of Sale - Contract Terms Guide
UP feasibility template
Options Agreements - example call, and put & call
Feasibility Calculator
JV Structure Examples
JV Agreement Template - example only
Investor Funding Proposal
Project timeline template

And much more on the inside...

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The problem

By doing it on your own.

Missed deals. Cost blowouts. Time wasted on the wrong sites. We learned these expensive lessons the hard way, by investing in coaching it means you don’t have to.

You don't know which numbers matter

So you pay the ignorance tax instead. Six months on a site that was never going to stack, or perhaps walking-away from one that would have stacked.
You have no deal flow or access to the right people

You might be ready to put capital to work, but you have neither the network nor the hours to source deals worth a second look. Skip this & be in the room.
You think funding is the problem

You might think a lack of cash, equity or serviceability is the problem. We show you the ability to overcome these with the correct structures and partnerships.

The four stages

We help you across every stage of your development.

Every project we run goes through the same four stages as those we teach.

Find. Spot the deals nobody else sees.

Pick a strategy and an area, develop your "buy box" criteria, then source sites until you find a site that stacks up.

What you do

Sourcing sites both on and off-market, reading councils overlays and analysing constraints quickly. Running feasibilities and assessing sites daily and being able to shortlist those that are worth your time.

What you walk out with

A written buy box, a feasibility you have confidence in and the discipline execute on or to walk away from. We go through the sites we said no to, and the reason why, so you'll learn when it's a yes or a no.
Fund. Money isn’t the thing that stops you.

Finding the best site is useless without the right funding. Work out whether the deal stacks, then work out who will fund it.

What you'll be doing

Analysing your feasibilities with a coach. Looking at your own financial capacity honestly, then at the deal structure, such as options and delayed settlements, as well as funding with joint ventures and private capital.

What you walk out with

A funding structure for your deal, reviewed before you sign anything, and the option and JV templates we use ourselves. Some members are here to fund deals rather than find them, and they are in the same room as you.
Develop. Get it built.

Finding and funding a site are the first steps. Getting development approvals and breaking ground to developing the site to is next.

What you do

Take the site through planning and approvals, set a program of works, appoint the consultants and manage trades so the budget does not quietly move.

What you walk out with

A program and a cost plan you are running yourself, and the specialists we trust behind it: planners, engineers, surveyors and lawyers who have done this before.
Sell. Your Exit-Strategy.

Whilst this is the final set of modules, this is often best thought about at the very start of your development journey, you need to be confident in your exit-strategy from Day 1.

What you'll do

You'll analyse your site to work out the best strategy for the back-end of the project, whether you hold or sell and the selling options available, be it traditional sales agents vs marketing channels.

What you walk out with

Confidence in your exit strategy, with knowledge on how pre-sales, marketing channels, and the hold-versus-sell call all play a part.

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Is this for me?

For you if…

You want to run your own project.
You can give it five to ten hours a week, every week.
You are eager to learn and actually take action.
You want to network and learn from others doing the same.
You are fine being the least experienced person on the call.

Not for you if…

You want a finished deal handed to you.
You can't find an hour to watch the weekly group calls.
You don't want to take the actions required to secure a site.
You are collecting programs rather than running one.
You need the whole twelve months mapped before you start.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

The ones we get asked most.

What does it cost?

Our 12-month coaching is a significant investment in your property development journey. What we will tell you here: it is not a cheap course, and if that is what you are after you are in the wrong place. We do offer payment plans, if you are a right fit for the group. We will discuss pricing and options on your discovery call.

When does it start? Is there an intake?

There is no intake and no waiting list. You can start as soon as you join and your twelve months runs from there. That is also why the weekly deal room works — the room always has people ahead of you and people behind you, and both are useful.

Is this beginner friendly?

Yes. The room runs from complete beginners who need step-by-step hand-holding through to property veterans, buyer's agents and builders with 15+ years behind them, who have technical blind spots or simply lack the confidence to pull the trigger on their own. Everyone works on a real site, whatever their starting point.

How much time do I need to put in?

To action the material and actually find deals, five to ten hours a week is what we recommend. One or two hours a week generally is not enough to build any momentum. Investors who are here to fund deals rather than find them run at a different pace. However, if you are looking to fund deals, joining the weekly calls and our in-person live events, should be sufficient for you to network and find potential joint-venture parties.

Does this work in all states, or just Queensland?

The process for finding land and running feasibilities transfers nationally. Our specific experts, planners and ecologists, and some of the terminology are Queensland-based, but we use our network to help interstate students find reliable professionals in their own area.

Do I get direct access to Shannon and Carson?

Yes. They generally lead the live group calls, and a member of the coaching team is on the other end of your 8 Support Calls and your 20 Breakthrough Calls.

What happens after the twelve months end?

The private education community is for active students. There is a second, longer-running community where past students stay connected specifically for deal flow and JV opportunities, because the network is the asset.

FFD™ Learning Hub

Every module in the FFD™ Learning Hub.

61 published modules across the Foundation stage and the four stages. This is the reference library that sits behind the calls, not the program itself — open a stage to read its module titles and what each one covers.

FoundationGet development ready

5 modules

OpenHide the 5 Foundation modules

Developer Mindset and Role Clarity

What property development actually is
How developers make money: margin, uplift, and deal structures
The developer as conductor of the orchestra - your role vs your consultants
Why high achievers get stuck in analysis paralysis and how to break through it
Conservative first deal philosophy - low risk, build confidence, then scale
The cost of inaction vs the cost of a bad first deal
Realistic timeframes - can take months to find a deal that works

Disclaimers - Terms and Offers

Don't make an offer until completed Find and Fund + Accountant and Lawyer Meetings etc
Intro to Terms and Offers - High level explanations of offers

Professional Team - Entity and Ownership Structure

Why entity structure matters and why it must be decided before you go to contract
Common structures - company, trust, company as trustee - and what suits different situations
Asset protection principles and why your family home needs to be considered
GST registration - when it is required and what happens if you get it wrong
Working with a development-savvy accountant vs a residential accountant - the difference is material
What questions to ask your accountant and solicitor before you start
Accountant with development experience - what they need to understand
Development solicitor - what to look for, what questions to ask

Insurances + Accounting + Financial Position

Public liability insurance - what it covers and when you need it
Contract works insurance - what it is and who arranges it
Professional indemnity on your consultants - why it matters and how to check it
Development-specific bookkeeping and cost tracking - setting up from day one
Chart of accounts for development projects - why residential accounting does not work
Record keeping principles - decisions, instructions, variations, and communications
Assessing your equity position honestly - what you can actually access
Understanding your borrowing capacity for development lending (not residential)
Why a development finance broker is not the same as a mortgage broker - get the right one now
Working out your realistic deal size range before you waste time on sites you cannot fund
Personal liquidity - how much working capital do you need outside the project
Your contingency buffer - what happens if the project takes six months longer than expected

Project Team - Due Diligence

The development team vs the residential property team - completely different professionals
Development finance broker - why this is a specialist role and how to find one
Town planner - generalist vs specialist, how to identify a good one for your area
Why you want these relationships established before you find a site, not after
How to interview and vet professionals - the questions that reveal whether they actually know development

FindRead the dirt, kill the duds

15 modules

OpenHide the 15 Find modules

Strategy Selection - What Are You Developing?

The four first-deal strategies - splitter blocks, small subdivisions, townhouses, DA flips, multiple titles
Capital required for each strategy - honest numbers
Risk profile and complexity comparison across strategies + Timeline from acquisition to profit for each
Matching strategy to your personal financial position and time availability
The conservative first deal philosophy - start simple, build track record, then scale

Who Are You - Find, Fund, Develop™

Area Selection - Where to Play

What makes an area attractive for development - demand indicators, price ceilings, supply constraints
Understanding council attitude to development - friendly vs hostile councils
Infrastructure and growth signals - what to look for
Price analysis - understanding what finished product sells for before you buy land
Matching area to your chosen strategy - not every suburb suits every product

Define Your Deal / Buy Box

What a buy box is and why you need one before you start searching
Non-negotiable criteria vs nice-to-have criteria
Key site attributes for land subdivision - zoning, frontage, minimum lot size, slope, services
Key site attributes for built form - Frontage, lot dimensions, density, height
Lot yield analysis - how to quickly assess development potential yourself
Red flags that kill deals
Contamination and site history - service stations, dry cleaners, industrial uses
Flooding, bushfire, and overlay risk - how to check council mapping tools quickly
Easements and encumbrances - how to read a title and assess impact on yield
Covenant checks - older properties and restrictive covenants

Deal Sourcing - Online Systems

Platforms - realestate.com.au, Domain, council mapping tools, PD Online, Stash, Gumtree, Facebook Groups
How to identify development sites quickly in listings - clues in the copy and photos
Searching for hidden opportunities - warts, oversized blocks, corner lots, dual frontage, undercapitalised sites
Setting up alerts and saved searches - what parameters to use
Daily sourcing cadence - how many sites to assess per day and how to track them
Shortlisting efficiently - what gets five minutes and what gets killed immediately

Deal Sourcing - Agent Relationships

How to introduce yourself to agents - what to say and what not to say
What agents actually care about - certainty, speed, easy transactions
How to differentiate yourself from tyre kickers
Follow-up cadence - how often, through what channel, what to say
How to turn one agent relationship into recurring deal flow
Getting intel before you make offers - vendor motivation, competing interest, price expectations
Specialist land agents vs standard residential agents - when each is relevant

Deal Sourcing - Off-Market Strategies

What off-market actually means and why it matters for developers
Direct mail and letters - how to write them, who to target, what response rate to expect
Driving for dollars - how to identify sites on the ground that are not online
Leveraging your professional network - town planners, civil engineers, surveyors as deal sources
Vendor conversations - how to approach owners directly without being awkward
Why most people do off-market badly and how to do it well
Follow-up systems for off-market leads - the fortune is in the follow-up
Off Market Deal with Online Tools - Stash

Exit-First Thinking + Strategies

If you can't handle worst case scenario - Kill it
Why sales strategy must be validated before acquisition, not after construction
The core question - who is buying this and how will it be sold
Engaging builders, project marketers, and agents before you go to contract
Understanding what your exit costs will be and when they hit your cashflow
The old saying that every developer learns the hard way - if you cannot sell it, do not start
How exit validation feeds directly into your feasibility
Different Exit Strategies - Flips, DA Flip, Construction

Due Diligence

Dial before you dig
Planning scheme & zoning
Site conditions and overlays

Rapid Fire Feasibility

What a Rapid Fire feasibility is - a quick filter, not a final answer
Estimated end value - comparable sales, quick adjustments, conservative assumptions
Estimated total costs - land, build or civil, consultants, finance, selling
Headworks and infrastructure contributions as a critical early cost check
Minimum margin threshold as a non-negotiable go/no-go filter
When rough numbers are enough to proceed to DD vs when to kill the deal here
Live 'Rapid Fire Feasibility' Example

How to Kill a Deal - Assess Deals Fast

The two-minute screen - what you can assess before spending any time
The ten-minute screen - what additional checks determine whether to go further
Zoning and planning scheme literacy - reading planning controls yourself before calling a planner
Understanding overlays in practical terms - flood, bushfire, heritage, character, Eco
Headworks and infrastructure contributions - why you must check these at triage, not later
What earns a detailed due diligence vs what gets binned immediately
Live 'Why we killed a deal' example

Offer Terms & Clauses

Standard contract - when it works and its limitations
Extended settlements - why time equals leverage and how to use it
Deposit structuring - low deposit, staged deposit, deferred deposit, deposit releases
Due diligence clauses - development-specific DD clauses
Subject to DA clauses - when they work and how to position them to vendors
Access rights during DD - getting engineers and planners on site
Assignment and nomination clauses - the ability to bring in a JV partner after securing

Creative Deal Structures

Call options - what they are, when to use them, structure, risks and benefits
Put and call options - the dual agreement, tax implications at a high level
Vendor terms and seller finance , strategies - rare but powerful when available
Staged purchase settlements

Negotiation Strategies

Terms are / can often be worth more than price - the core principle
Vendor psychology - price, certainty, or timing, which matters most to this vendor
Price anchoring - how to make your first number land well
The counter-offer loop - what to give, what to hold, when a price concession beats a terms concession
Dealing with competition - how to position as the most credible buyer without blowing margin
Agent management during negotiation - how to use the relationship without compromising your position
Walking away - why this is a skill and how to do it without emotion
Which structure to use when - decision framework across all scenarios
Always use a solicitor - clauses must be drafted correctly

Deal Pipeline Management

Why pipeline management matters - you need volume to find quality
Deal tracking systems - what to track and how to stay organised
Offer cadence - the one to three offers per week principle
Following up on dead deals - timing and approach
Managing multiple opportunities simultaneously without losing control
Checklist - Deal Pipeline Tracker

FundDoes it stack, and who pays for it

20 modules

OpenHide the 20 Fund modules

What a Feasibility Actually Is

Feasibility is not a spreadsheet - it is a decision-making tool under uncertainty
Garbage in equals garbage out - why assumptions matter more than formulas
The three buckets - revenue, costs, profit - before adding complexity
Margin vs ROI vs ROE - understanding which metric matters when
Why most beginners overestimate revenue and underestimate costs
How feasibility evolves through the deal lifecycle - Rapid Fire to bank-ready
Site Acquisition (Running Feasibilities)
Purchase Cost
Property particulars, site area, #lots
Acquisition costs - purchase price, stamp duty, legal fees, finders fee
Loan Amount - Deposit, Land Interest, Loan Cost
LTC vs LVR vs GRV - what each means and when each is used
Interest capitalisation vs monthly payments - how construction loans actually work

Project Timeline

Lead in period (consultants required for Lead in period, Townplanner, Civil Engineer, Council
Construction Period
Selling Period
Full lifecycle timeline - acquisition, DA, OPW, construction or civil works, titles, sales, settlement
Realistic DA timeframes by council type - the difference between a cooperative and a difficult council
What actually causes delays - council, weather, consultants, builder, authority approvals
Holding cost impact of delays - every extra month has a real dollar cost
Time sensitivity analysis - what does an extra three months do to your profit
Building timeline conservatism into your feasibility - why optimistic timelines kill deals

Delivery Risks

Minor Changes, GIA's
Plan sealing - what it is, what conditions must be satisfied, why delays here cost real money
Title registration - sequencing, dependencies, and why delays cause settlement problems
Bonded works - what they are, how much capital they tie up, when bonds are released
Sewer and water authority approvals - separate processes with their own timelines
Power and NBN - transformers and connection delays that catch developers off guard
Staged developments vs single stage - implications for cashflow and titles
Exit risk - what happens if stock does not sell or market conditions shift

Market Analysis & Comps

Comparable sales methodology - finding the right comps and adjusting correctly
Product-market fit in revenue - not just what has sold but what buyers will pay for your product
Market depth - how many buyers exist at your target price point
Absorption rate - how fast stock is selling in your area
Conservative vs optimistic pricing - always model the conservative case first
Time lag risk - market conditions at completion may differ from today
Common mistakes - using best-case comps, ignoring market softness

Sales Release

Agents Commission
Legal Expenses
Advertising & Promotion
GST on Sales (Margin Scheme Applied)
Tax and GST
GST on development sales - when it applies and at what rate
The GST margin scheme - how it works and when you can use it
Input tax credits - what costs you can claim GST on
Why GST treatment in contracts must be correct - legal and financial implications
Income vs capital gains treatment - high level overview of the difference
Why you need a development-savvy accountant, not a residential one

Construction and Development Costs - live example, New Beith

Purchase Cost
Property particulars, site area, #lots
Acquisition costs - purchase price, stamp duty, legal fees, finders fee
Loan Amount - Deposit, Land Interest, Loan Cost
Construction Costs
Civil Costs
Demolish House
Development Management (% of Gross Realisation)
Retaining walls
Professional Fees for development application (Costs will come from Consultants)
Council Contributions
Council Fees DA/OPW
Environmental offsets (if applicable)
Landscaping (Per Block)
Electrical cost
Contingencies (based on Construction Cost)
Un-funded Costs (Cash required)
Other Costs
Rates Estimate
Land Tax Estimate
Council & Works Bonds (Civil, Landscaping, Electrical)

Detailed Feasibility - Pre-Funding

Soft costs - town planner, civil engineer, architect, surveyor, certifier, hydraulic, structural
Consultant cost escalation - quoted fees are rarely final fees, scope creep and amended plans
Construction and civil costs - build costs, site works, civil works for subdivision
Headworks and infrastructure contributions - council developer contributions, water and sewer authority charges
Holding costs - interest, rates, insurance across the full project timeline
Selling costs - agent commissions, project marketer fees, marketing, staging
Finance costs - application fees, line fees, QS fees
Contingency - minimum percentages by risk level, when to increase buffers
Construction cost escalation allowance - materials and labour price movements
Latent conditions allowance - rock, contamination, unexpected site issues
Comparable sales - GR
GST considerations in cost modelling - input tax credits and what is claimable
Estimated sale prices
Lots
Existing house/s
Less Seller's Lots to retain

Feasibility Summary

Total Purchase
Total Development Costs
Total Interest
Total Cost (Includes interest)
Net Realisation
Total funding required
Percentage of Cash on Cash return
Profit Percentage on Total Cost

Kill Criteria and Decision Framework

Minimum margin thresholds - non-negotiable floors below which you do not proceed
Risk-adjusted margin - a higher-risk deal needs more margin, not the same margin
When to kill at back of napkin stage vs after full DD
The sunk cost trap - money already spent on consultants is not a reason to proceed with a bad deal
Forcing deals to work - the single most common cause of developer losses
Documenting the kill decision - why keeping a record of why you walked away matters

Sensitivity Analysis

What sensitivity analysis actually tells you - not the expected outcome but the range of outcomes
Price sensitivity - what happens if sale prices drop five or ten percent
Cost sensitivity - what happens if construction or civil costs increase ten or twenty percent
Time sensitivity - what happens if the project is delayed three or six months
Scenario modelling - best case, base case, worst case
Break-even analysis - minimum sale price and maximum cost blowout before the deal fails
Stacking risk - planning risk plus construction risk plus market risk simultaneously

Feasibility Evolution - Recap & Sanity Check

Stage 1 - quick feasibility - five to ten minutes, rough filter, is this worth pursuing
Stage 2 - DD-backed feasibility - real consultant quotes, actual comparable sales, confirmed costs
Stage 3 - bank-ready feasibility - fully supported, sensitivity-tested, professional presentation
What changes between stages and why each stage requires more rigour
Live deal walkthroughs - a good deal, a marginal deal, and a bad deal with real numbers
Reverse Engineer 10 x Deals (Land Sub / Built Form) Sales price, Team, Build Cost, exit

How do I fund it 9 modules

Lending Fundamentals

Why a Development Broker (Difference between)
Lending Panels
What do you actually do for your clients - Vetting Projects & Feasibilities, Vetting Lenders, Vetting Projects
Timings on when to engage Dev Broker
When to engage a Dev Broker
Using multiple brokers - Brokers are going to the same capital lenders

Finance Terminology 101

Equity vs debt - what each means in a development context
Senior Debt, Mezzanine, Gap Funding & Junior
LTC vs LVR vs GRV vs NRV - the metrics lenders use and what they mean in practice
Term Sheet - what is it
Explanation. Estab fee, Line Fee, Penalty, Broker Fee
Valuations, Timing, Costs, Who can do them.
Interest capitalisation vs monthly payments - the practical implications
BBSY
What is a QS reports in the funding process - the role of the quantity surveyor in drawdown approvals
Drawdown process - how funds are released in stages
Key Assumptions
LVR - Bank Vs Private
Interest Rate - Bank Vs Private (Blended Rate)
Senior Rate, Mez Rate, Pref Equity Rate, Residual Stock rate.
Loan Timings (Construction Loan timings, Land Loan timings)
Speed to Capital

Funding Lifecycle

Acquisition funding - land purchase finance and options
Land holding - costs and considerations while DA is being processed
Post-DA refinance - using equity uplift to restructure the debt
Construction or civil works funding
Residual stock refinance - holding completed stock if not immediately sold

Capital Stack

Risks - how mezz can turn a viable deal into an unviable one if not modelled correctly

Deal Packaging - The 'IM' or Information Memorandum

What a deal package is - the 'IM' or Information Memorandum and supporting materials
Information memorandum structure - project overview, numbers, returns, risk
Presenting feasibility professionally - clean, clear, not raw spreadsheets
Supporting documents - DA, plans, comparable sales, consultant reports
How presentation affects perceived risk - a well-packaged deal signals a competent developer
Tailoring the package for lenders vs investors - different audiences, different emphasis

Equity Uplift and Value Creation

Disclaimer - Don't bank on this
What equity uplift is - the increase in land value created by development approval
Why value is created - removing uncertainty about what can be built
The four value points - acquisition value, as-is value, post-DA value, end value or GRV
Soft equity vs usable equity - paper equity is not the same as equity you can deploy
How valuers assess post-DA value - what they look at and where they are conservative
How lenders treat equity uplift - differences between banks and private lenders
How uplift reduces cash required at settlement and construction funding stage
Using options and extended settlements to create uplift before full commitment
Equity uplift in JV negotiations - what you bring to the table beyond cash
When uplift is dangerous to rely on - valuation risk and lender appetite risk

Cashflow Basics

Why profit and cashflow are not the same thing - deals do not die from bad profit, they die from running out of cash
Monthly cashflow - when money goes out and when it comes in
Contingency and how this is accessed
GST on construction claims - most lenders expect the developer to cover that and manage the claiming / recycling of ATO refunds
Presales commissions (if applicable) ie 50% at EOI + Deposit
Funding gaps - periods where expenditure exceeds available capital
Settlement timing - how to manage effectively

JV's and Structuring

Who provides equity - JV partners, high-net-worth individuals, family and friends
What equity investors care about - return, risk, trust, and the developer track record
Time-based returns i.e. IRR, not just ROI / ROE
Common JV structures - simple equity split, preferred return, profit waterfall
Equity splits and what drives them - what you bring vs what they bring
Roles in a JV - deal finder, capital provider, project manager
Alignment over percentage - the most important principle in JV structuring
Promote structures - how developers get rewarded for performance

JV's Investor Pitch

Lead with risk, not upside - the approach that builds credibility
Pitch structure - opportunity, numbers, risks, why this works
What not to do - overselling, hiding risk, projecting best-case returns
Building the information memorandum into a verbal pitch
Handling questions and objections
The follow-up process - from interest to signed term sheet

DevelopPlanning, approvals, and getting it built

13 modules

OpenHide the 13 Develop modules

Development Lifecycle Overview - Introduction

The delivery lifecycle - DA, design, approvals, construction or civil works, services, titles, handover
How the land subdivision and built form lifecycles differ and where they converge
The developer role in delivery - managing professionals, not doing the work
Community and stakeholder management - neighbours, local groups, and council relationships
What to expect from council during delivery - and how to manage the relationship

Project Team & Management

The delivery team - town planner, civil engineer, architect, surveyor, certifier, hydraulic engineer, structural engineer
Who to engage and when - Pre DA and Post DA - the sequencing that avoids delays and wasted fees
How to manage consultants - communication, scope management, accountability
Professional indemnity on your consultants - why it matters and how to verify it
Consultant liability - what your options are when a consultant error costs you money
Scope creep and additional fees - how to manage consultant cost escalation
Project management systems - communication logs, decision registers, instruction records

Design Optimisation

Designing for yield without compromising marketability
Over-design kills margin, under-design kills sales - finding the balance
National Construction Code compliance basics for built form - accessibility, energy efficiency, fire separation
Party wall and boundary considerations - consent requirements and setback rules
Design decisions that lock in cost - what is expensive to change after documentation starts
Product strategy - what are you actually building and who is it for
Early Contractor Engagement

DA Process and Council Management

DA pathway - from lodgement to approval and what happens at each stage
Pre-lodgement meetings with council - the most underutilised tool in development
How to run a pre-lodgement meeting and what to get out of it
Neighbour notification and objections - what triggers it, how to prepare, how to respond
Conditions of approval - what they mean and the obligations they create
Amended DAs - when council requires changes and how to manage the process
Managing the council relationship - being a developer they want to approve, not obstruct
Realistic timeline expectations by council type

Timeline and Cost Control

Building a project timeline - milestones, dependencies, and buffers
What causes delays and how to mitigate each type - council, weather, consultants, contractor
Interest impact of delays - the real cost of a month lost
Budget management - tracking actual vs budget from day one (Actuals to Fee Proposals)
Contingency management - when to use it, when to protect it (Contingency is proportionate to loan facility)
Common cost blowout sources - design changes, site conditions, scope creep
Record keeping during delivery - protecting yourself when disputes arise (Need to explain variaitons to finance source)

Detailed Design Approval

What operational works approval is and how it relates to the DA / Planning permit or other relevent to each state
Conditions of DA that trigger OPW / CC or other relevent to state - what council requires before civil works start
OPW lodgement and approval process - timeline expectations
Common OPW conditions - road design, drainage, services, erosion control
Veg & Landscaping OPW - Separate.
External Authority designs may not be approved with DD

Working Drawings and Building Approval

Working drawings - what they are, who prepares them, and what they must include
Building approval process - certifier vs council, what the approval covers
National Construction Code compliance in documentation - key requirements for townhouses and duplexes
Hydraulic and structural engineering - when to engage and why they affect design and cost
Party wall consent and boundary conditions for built form
Asset protection survey before demolition - why this protects you and how it works
When demolition is required and when it is not
Demolition contractor selection and scope
Asbestos - identification, requirements, and cost implications
Tree protection obligations - what you must protect and what the penalties are
Sequencing demolition relative to other approvals
Traffic Management Plan, Construction Management Plan

Builder Selection and Tender

Volume builders vs independent builders - the decision framework and when each is appropriate
How to run an expression of interest and tender process
What to include in a tender package - scope, drawings, specifications
Apples vs apples comparison - how to compare tenders correctly
Assessing builder financial stability - why the cheapest builder is often the most expensive
Builder references - what to ask and what the answers tell you

Build Contracts

Fixed price vs cost plus - when each is appropriate and the risk profile of each
Key contract clauses - variations, delays, liquidated damages, defects liability
Practical completion definition - what it means legally and commercially
Defects liability period - duration, obligations, and how to enforce it
Builder insolvency risk - what happens and how to mitigate it
Why you need a solicitor to review build contracts

Strata & Community Title

When strata or community title is required vs torrens title
Body corporate establishment - what it involves and when to start
Levies and sinking fund - what buyers need to understand and what you must disclose
Strata plan preparation and registration
Disclosure obligations for off-the-plan contracts - what must be provided to buyers

Construction Management

Your role during construction-- oversight and accountability, not doing the work
Site meetings - frequency, agenda, who attends, what gets documented
Progress tracking against program - how to identify delays early
Communication protocols with builder - written instructions matter
Neighbour management during construction - noise, vibration, damage to adjoining properties
Dealing with unexpected site conditions - latent conditions and how they are handled
Variation Management - refer back to contract
What civil works includes - roads, stormwater, sewer, water, kerb, earthworks, electrical, NBN (inc telco)
Road design and engineering standards - how council requirements affect civil cost
Stormwater management - detention basins, drainage easements, overland flow paths
Sewer and water authority approvals - separate processes with their own timelines
Sediment and erosion control - legal requirements during civil works
Civil contractor selection - how to assess, engage, and tender
Civil contract structure - scope, variations, defects liability
What a variation is and how builders & Contractors use them to recover margin - Story
How to assess whether a variation is legitimate
QS role in construction - cost monitoring and drawdown certification
Drawdown stages - what gets inspected and what must be completed
Lender inspection requirements - what triggers release of funds
Bonded works - what they are, why councils require them, how much capital they tie up
Infrastructure that needs to be delivered - Sewer, Water, Power, NBN, Electrical & Landscape
Last 10% takes as long as the first 90. Death by a thousand cuts.

Practical Completion, Defects and Handover

What practical completion means and how it is determined
Defects inspection - how to conduct it and what to document
Defects list - how to prepare it and enforce rectification
Occupancy certificate - what it means and when it is issued
Handover to buyers - what must be in place before settlement can occur
Maintenance Period & Asset Handover

Plan Sealing for Subdivision

When the surveyor needs to be engaged for titles
Survey plan preparation and lodgement
Plan sealing conditions specific to subdivision - what council checks
Title registration for subdivision - the final step before selling individual lots
On Maintenance and Inspections
Why plan sealing delays are one of the most common profit killers
Title registration - the process, the timeline
Preparing for settlement - what needs to be in place before buyers can settle (Finance security released, Pexa Prep etc)

SellCash out, or roll it forward

8 modules

OpenHide the 8 Sell modules

Sales Strategy and Channel Selection

The core principle - if you cannot sell it, do not start
Sales strategy is validated before acquisition, not after construction
Sales channel validation as a non-negotiable step in Find
Talking to builders, project marketers, and agents before going to contract on a site
Understanding what your exit will cost and when before it affects your feasibility
Retail - agents and realestate.com.au - emotional buyers, slower, lower commission, best for lifestyle and completed stock
Distribution - builders and bulk buyers - volume-driven, faster absorption, lower margin per lot, best for land and entry-level product
Project marketing - structured selling, off-the-plan, specialist buyer databases, higher cost, best for townhouses and development product
Acreage and lifestyle lots - agent or self-sell, realestate.com.au, emotional buyer, local reach
Small lots - builder distribution, project marketers, or direct buyers depending on product and location
Townhouses and built form - project marketers for off-the-plan, agents for completed stock
Premium and boutique product - prestige agents or selective project marketers, brand and positioning matter
Why most agents are the wrong choice for development product - and when they are the right choice

Pricing and Pre-Sales Strategy

Comparable sales methodology for pricing - finding the right benchmarks
Price positioning - premium, mid-market, or entry-level and what drives the decision
Price anchoring - how to set an initial price that holds
Pre-sales as risk management, not just a funding requirement
Bank funding and pre-sales - why lenders require coverage and what thresholds they expect
Private funding and pre-sales - when you have more flexibility and why you might still sell early
Bull market vs uncertain market - when to sell early and when to hold for upside
Hybrid strategy - selling some, holding some, and how to structure it
The risk of not taking pre-sales when you could have
When to hold price and when to move - the decision framework
Incentives and discounts-how to use them without destroying margin
Pricing in a changing market - how to adjust strategy if conditions move

Marketing Execution

Marketing plan - timing, channels, campaign structure
Renders, photography, and staging - when they earn their cost and when they do not
Display suite vs no display - when each is appropriate
Digital and print - where development buyers actually come from
Buyer conversion - from enquiry to inspection to offer
Agent and project marketer management - holding them accountable

Settlement Risk Management

Why signed contracts are not cash - the gap between exchange and settlement
Buyer finance failure - how common it is and what triggers it
Valuation shortfalls on buyer finance - how they arise and options to resolve
Contract sunset clauses - what they are and the risk if your project runs long
Cooling off periods - state variations and practical implications
Backup buyer strategy - why having interest beyond your contracted buyers matters
Dealing with a buyer who wants to rescind - your options and risks

Profit Realisation

Final profit vs projected profit - where the difference typically comes from
Capital stack payout - who gets paid first and in what order
Profit distribution to JV partners - waterfall mechanics
GST and tax obligations on settlement - final calculations
Dealing with residual costs after settlement - defects, outstanding consultants, retention
Capital recycling - how to redeploy profit into the next deal efficiently
Refinancing vs selling - using completed stock as a springboard for the next project
Post-project review - what went right, what went wrong, what to change next time

Land Subdivision Sales 1 module

Selling Titled Lots and Builder Sales

Pre-sales on land - simpler than off-the-plan, buyer confidence considerations
Selling titled lots to the retail market - when agents work and when they do not
Builder as your distribution channel - how to position and negotiate
Selling to one builder vs splitting across multiple builders - the trade-offs
House and land packages - how they work, what they cost, when they add value
H&L commission structure per lot
H&L payment timing - fifty percent at land settlement, fifty percent at slab or frame
Bulk exit strategy - selling multiple lots or the whole project in one line, margin trade-off vs certainty

Built Form Sales 2 modules

Off-the-Plan Sales and Project Marketing

Off-the-plan selling - what it means, legal requirements, buyer psychology
Project marketer selection - what separates a good one from an average one
What project marketers do that local agents cannot - buyer databases, investor networks, off-the-plan experience
Project marketer commission for townhouses - typically five to six percent plus GST
Payment timing - fifty percent at unconditional exchange with deposit in trust, fifty percent at settlement
Hidden costs of project marketing - marketing levy, display costs, campaign spend
Strata disclosure obligations - what must be provided to off-the-plan buyers
Sunset clause risk - what happens if the project does not complete within the sunset period
Managing buyer confidence during a long construction period
Selling completed stock - when to use an agent and how to manage them

Hold vs Sell Decision

Getting rental appraisals done before making the decision
The financial case for holding - rental yield, capital growth, portfolio building
The financial case for selling - capital recycling, speed of next deal, avoiding exposure
Tax implications of hold vs sell - income vs capital, GST considerations
Refinancing completed stock - how it works and what equity you can extract
How holding affects your capacity to do the next deal

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Unemployable Property Coaching Program

The year in numbers

A Sneak-Peek into 12-Months in the Program

FFD™ Learning MODULES

LIVE CALLS Every week

1-ON-1 COACHING Calls

LIVE IN-PERSON EVENTS

ALSO INCLUDED

Carson, Shannon & Eric

Carson Bolt

Shannon Sharp

Eric Machado

The coaching

The access

You don't know which numbers matter

You have no deal flow or access to the right people

You think funding is the problem

Find. Spot the deals nobody else sees.

Fund. Money isn’t the thing that stops you.

Develop. Get it built.

Sell. Your Exit-Strategy.

For you if…

Not for you if…

FoundationGet development ready

FindRead the dirt, kill the duds

FundDoes it stack, and who pays for it

DevelopPlanning, approvals, and getting it built

SellCash out, or roll it forward