Total Beginner to $30M Developer - Real Estate lessons from a Self-Made Property Developer
In this episode of Investment by Design, we sit down with James Fennell, a self-made multi-millionaire developer who’s built projects worth hundreds of million across Cairns, Gladstone, and Townsville. James shares his raw and unfiltered journey from his first development with no plan to navigating the GFC, when the bank literally ran out of money mid-project.
You’ll hear what it really takes to make it in property development in Australia, the lessons learned from some of the toughest market cycles, and the advice he’d give to his 18-year-old self starting out in real estate. Whether you’re a North Queensland property investor, a first-time developer, or just curious about the Australian housing market, this conversation is packed with hard-earned insights and straight talk from someone who’s done it all.
🔑 In This Episode:
00:00 – Introduction
00:12 – How James got started in property development
00:35 – First deal knowing little about development
04:40 – Making $15 million in one deal, developers huge win
07:27 – The $30M Gladstone project and when the bank ran out of money
08:10 – Why being “hyper-local” matters when investing in North Queensland
10:48 – Advice from Harry Triguboff
11:25 – What it costs (and how long it takes) to do a 1-into-2 subdivision
15:50 – The housing crisis: what needs to change
19:20 – Where the next big opportunity is for real estate investors
21:08 – The challenge with building units and apartments in regional areas like Cairns
26:54 – How to negotiate a real estate purchase beyond price
31:36 – How to buy below market real estate deals
34:14 – What James would tell his 18-year-old self
💡 Topics Covered: Property development in Cairns, Townsville, and Gladstone North Queensland real estate trends and opportunities Subdivision costs and timelines in Queensland Lessons from the GFC for modern investors How to de-risk your property deals Australian housing crisis and potential solutions
Looking to buy in Cairns? Take a look at our specialised Cairns Buyers Agent Service
