👉 Whether you're a first home buyer or expanding your portfolio, Atelier Wealth can help. Book a discovery session with a mortgage broker here: https://calendly.com/atelier-wealth-discovery-team

👉 For everything you need to know about getting a loan approved and buying a property, read the Happy Home Loan Handbook by Aaron Christie-David. Get a FREE chapter here: https://atelierwealth.com.au/the-happy-home-loan-handbook/

What if retiring through property wasn’t just a dream but a proven path anyone could follow? In this episode, we unpack a real-life property journey that started with just $40,000 and grew into full financial independence through strategic real estate investing.

Meet Barney Ellevsen, a former music teacher who, alongside his wife Ruth, built a multi-property portfolio from modest beginnings to retiring in his early 50s. From buying a first fixer-upper to navigating lending changes, family doubts, market cycles, and wealth-building as a couple, Barney shares the raw truth behind long-term property success in Australia. This isn’t theory. It’s decades of lived experience.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to buy your first investment property in Australia
• Building a portfolio with limited cash
• Using equity and cash flow to scale
• Investing as a couple without conflict
• Why timing the market matters less than time in the market

If you’re serious about property investing, this episode is your blueprint.

Subscribe and drop your biggest takeaway in the comments.

Key Moments:
00:00 From $40K to Property Freedom
03:05 The $250K Renovation Breakthrough
05:15 Do You Need a Big Deposit to Start?
10:40 Should You Check With Your Partner Before Buying?
14:20 Is Your Relationship Strong Enough to Build Wealth?
17:50 Risk-Taker vs Risk-Averse: Making Deals Together
22:15 How Life Seasons Shape Your Property Strategy
24:25 Learning Property the Hard Way
27:10 How Investors Bought Before the Internet
34:30 Why Waiting Makes Borrowing Harder
38:55 Can You Still Retire Through Property Now?
41:50 The Great Divide: Owners vs Renters
45:35 The Bank of Mum and Dad Explained
48:20 Should You Wait for a Market Crash?
52:10 Handling Market Cycles and Black Swan Events
54:40 Why Property Rewards Patience

About Aaron:

Aaron-Christie David founded Atelier Wealth, a Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) approved Mortgage Broker. Aaron’s focus is clear – supporting property investors to make confident decisions to build their property portfolio. He has been recognised in the MPA Top 100 Broker rankings for the last three years.

With over 10 years of financial services experience, with a career spanning Wizard Home Loans and Commonwealth Bank, Aaron's decision to become a broker was to help more Australians fearlessly buy investment properties to achieve intergenerational wealth.

Connect with Aaron:

Visit the website: https://atelierwealth.com.au/

Follow the Australian Investment Property Podcast’s Official Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/aupropertyinvestmentpodcast/

Follow Aaron on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/aaronchristiedavid

Follow Aaron on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronchristiedavid/

Subscribe to Atelier Wealth’s YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@atelierwealth_au

👉 Whether you're a first home buyer or expanding your portfolio, Atelier Wealth can help. Book a discovery session with a mortgage broker here: https://calendly.com/atelier-wealth-discovery-team

👉 For everything you need to know about getting a loan approved and buying a property, read the Happy Home Loan Handbook by Aaron Christie-David. Get a FREE chapter here: https://atelierwealth.com.au/the-happy-home-loan-handbook/

Buying property without the right structure can quietly cost you hundreds of thousands.

Before you buy your first or next investment property in Australia, this is the conversation you must hear.

In this episode of the Australian Property Investment Podcast, we’re joined by Peter Bembrick, one of Australia’s most respected tax and structuring experts, to unpack how smart investors think before they sign a contract. From negative gearing myths to trusts, companies, and SMSFs, Peter explains how structure, tax, and long-term strategy should guide every property decision. This isn’t about loopholes. It’s about clarity, intention, and avoiding painful mistakes later.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to buy your first investment property in Australia the right way
• Whether to buy property in your own name, a trust, company, or SMSF
• Why negative gearing isn’t always a win
• How property structure impacts tax, cash flow, and borrowing power
• The biggest mistakes investors make before buying

👉 Subscribe for weekly property insights and comment on your biggest question about property structure.

Key Moments:
00:00 Why negative gearing still loses money
06:14 Buy & hold vs flip vs develop
12:47 When company structures actually work
15:47 Buying in the wrong entity costs later
18:14 Buying property in your own name
22:12 What happens to property when you die?
25:24 How income streaming really works
31:03 Corporate trustee vs individual trustee
35:23 When investment companies beat personal ownership
42:01 Why super is so tax-effective
45:20 High income but not rich yet (HENRYs)
53:44 Structuring decisions you’ll regret later

Connect with Peter Bembrick:
http://www.hlb.com.au/

About Aaron:

Aaron-Christie David founded Atelier Wealth, a Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) approved Mortgage Broker. Aaron’s focus is clear – supporting property investors to make confident decisions to build their property portfolio. He has been recognised in the MPA Top 100 Broker rankings for the last three years.

With over 10 years of financial services experience, with a career spanning Wizard Home Loans and Commonwealth Bank, Aaron's decision to become a broker was to help more Australians fearlessly buy investment properties to achieve intergenerational wealth.

Connect with Aaron:

Visit the website: https://atelierwealth.com.au/

Follow the Australian Investment Property Podcast’s Official Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/aupropertyinvestmentpodcast/

Follow Aaron on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/aaronchristiedavid

Follow Aaron on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronchristiedavid/

Subscribe to Atelier Wealth’s YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@atelierwealth_au

👉 Whether you're a first home buyer or expanding your portfolio, Atelier Wealth can help. Book a discovery session with a mortgage broker here: https://calendly.com/atelier-wealth-discovery-team

👉 For everything you need to know about getting a loan approved and buying a property, read the Happy Home Loan Handbook by Aaron Christie-David. Get a FREE chapter here: https://atelierwealth.com.au/the-happy-home-loan-handbook/

What if the real reason most Australians never build wealth through property isn’t money, but mindset? In this powerful end-of-year episode, we unpack the habits, decisions, and strategies that separate successful investors from those who stay stuck on the sidelines.

From overcoming fear and analysis paralysis to building a long-term strategy that actually works, this conversation dives deep into how to buy your first investment property in Australia and how to keep building momentum even when the market feels uncertain. We explore strategic mortgage structuring, market timing myths, and why waiting often costs more than taking imperfect action. If you want clarity, confidence, and a smarter approach to property investing in Australia, this episode is for you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to buy your first investment property in Australia with confidence
• The mindset shifts that unlock long-term property wealth
• Why strategy matters more than chasing the lowest interest rate
• How Australians build multi-property portfolios over time
• What today’s property market means for investors heading into 2026

Key Moments:
02:40 Is Australia still the best place to build wealth?
04:55 Migrant mindset and opportunity
08:00 The real cost of waiting too long
11:45 What “strategic mortgage planning” means
14:55 Why time matters more than money
17:55 Are you chasing the wrong goals?
21:03 Why accountability accelerates results
24:00 Lowest rate vs borrowing power
27:00 How brokers read the market early
30:30 Bank vs non-bank lending explained
33:42 Why great brokers find solutions
36:45 Are you ready for 2026 wealth growth?
41:18 What rising rents mean for buyers
43:27 Why saving alone won’t keep up
46:12 The risk high-income earners ignore
52:20 End-of-year reflection for investors

About Aaron:

Aaron-Christie David founded Atelier Wealth, a Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) approved Mortgage Broker. Aaron’s focus is clear – supporting property investors to make confident decisions to build their property portfolio. He has been recognised in the MPA Top 100 Broker rankings for the last three years.

With over 10 years of financial services experience, with a career spanning Wizard Home Loans and Commonwealth Bank, Aaron's decision to become a broker was to help more Australians fearlessly buy investment properties to achieve intergenerational wealth.

Connect with Aaron:

Visit the website: https://atelierwealth.com.au/

Follow the Australian Investment Property Podcast’s Official Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/aupropertyinvestmentpodcast/

Follow Aaron on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/aaronchristiedavid

Follow Aaron on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronchristiedavid/

Subscribe to Atelier Wealth’s YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@atelierwealth_au