How To Fund Your Next Build Without Going Broke | Development Finance Explained

Send us Fan Mail Buying a site feels like progress, but it can be the most expensive “first step” you’ll ever take if the finance plan comes later. George flies solo on Million Dollar Days and brings in Thomas Tang, ranked the #1 mortgage broker in Australia (MPA, 2024), to unpack what builders, developers, and investors keep getting wrong about funding, timelines, and risk. We talk property development finance in plain terms: why profit is often made at the purchase price, how contingency protects you when the market shifts, and why time quietly destroys feasibility through interest and prelims. Thomas shares what he sees across commercial lending, construction loans, and development funding, including how to approach valuations and QS reports so you’re not trapped by a bad result or slow lender processes. George adds the builder’s side of the story, including why old-school progress payment stages can clash with modern build sequencing and cash flow. Then we zoom out to the next wave: trade shortages, the growing role of non-bank lenders, and how AI is changing what “good operators” look like in both office and site-based roles. Thomas also explains why the Australian Army Reserve can be a powerful, paid leadership and decision-making training ground, especially for people who want more resilience and sharper thinking under pressure. If you’re serious about construction, development, or scaling a business, subscribe, share this with a mate who’s about to buy a site, and leave a review so more builders and developers can find the show.