105 – Justin O’Donnell – From entry level property development projects to high end luxury

Losing $150,000 in a failed property investment could put you off development for good. For Daniel Rayner, it became a reason to learn the process and take on projects himself. In this episode, I sit down with Daniel, founder of Somerset Developments in South East Queensland, to explore his journey from corporate employment to completing his first land subdivision and building a pipeline of projects.

If you're a property developer, one of the most important relationships you'll ever have is with your builder. Yet surprisingly few developers ever get the chance to hear how builders actually think.

Planning approvals have long been one of the biggest frustrations facing property developers. Lengthy delays. Endless requests for information. Different planners interpreting the same rules in different ways. For many developers, obtaining a planning permit can feel like a lottery rather than a predictable process. But is that finally starting to change? In this episode of the Property Developer Podcast, we speak with Anthony Puma from Prestige Plans about Victoria's recent planning reforms and why they could represent one of the biggest changes to property development in years. Anthony has worked on hundreds of development applications and has seen first-hand the challenges developers face when dealing with councils, planning departments and constantly evolving regulations. One of the most fascinating parts of our discussion centres on two almost identical development applications submitted to the same council on neighbouring sites that received completely different responses. We discuss:

Property development has always been a balancing act — but right now the scales feel especially heavy. Rising construction costs, messy feasibilities, shifting lender appetite, and a market still absorbing the post-COVID shock are making it harder than ever to get a project funded and delivered. If you’ve been feeling the squeeze, this episode will help you understand what’s really going on behind the scenes. In this episode of the Property Developer Podcast, we speak with Zac Constantinou, who started his career delivering medium and high-density projects in Sydney before moving into the finance world where he now works on construction funding and private capital at Shore Financial. Having worked both on site and on the lending side, Zac offers a rare perspective on what makes a project viable — and what sinks it. We cover a wide range of practical insights, including:

Property development in Australia is getting harder—and this episode unpacks why. Soaring costs, endless planning delays, contradictory government policies, and a risk-averse planning culture are pushing developers to the edge. If you're struggling to make your numbers work, you're not alone. In this episode of the Property Developer Podcast, we explore what’s broken in the system and what needs to change. Our guest, Maxwell Shifman from Intrapac Property, shares blunt insights from the front lines of residential property development including: