Navigating Property

Ben Plohl

A podcast that helps you understand the property market, make smarter investments and navigate your way to success. We break down real estate trends, interview experts and share insights to empower your property journey.

  1. Sep 17

    When Big Buyers Agencies Fail - What's Really Going On

    How do you know the buyer's agent you're about to pay $15-25K is actually going to deliver? For a long time, size and visibility felt like proof enough big teams, national reach, a strong social media presence. But several well-known buyer's agencies have recently gone into liquidation, leaving active clients exposed mid-transaction, some losing fees paid upfront with no way to recover them. In this episode, Ben Plohl draws on his background as a chartered accountant and CFO to break down exactly why this happens: revenue models built on full upfront fees, growth outpacing revenue, quietly mounting ATO debt, risky purchase guarantees, and a volume-over-margin mindset that pressures agents to keep transacting regardless of what's right for the client. Ben makes the case that good property advice simply doesn't scale and that industrialising it is where these businesses go wrong. He also shares the seven questions every buyer should ask before appointing a buyer's agent, covering who actually does the work, how fees are structured, transaction volume per agent, and whether the agency can point to a time they walked a client away from a deal. If you're evaluating a buyer's agent or wondering whether the one you're using is built to last this episode gives you a practical framework to find out. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Navigating Property is hosted by Ben Plohl, founder of BFP Property Group and Chartered Accountant with 22 years of personal property investment experience. Each episode covers the strategies, decisions, and market insights that serious property investors need to know.Work with BFP Property Group Whether you're building a portfolio, reviewing what you already own, or looking to buy your next investment property — BFP can help. 📅 Book a free strategy call: ⁠⁠bfpproperty.com⁠⁠ Connect with us 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠bfpproperty.com⁠⁠ 📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠@bfppropertygroup⁠⁠ 📘 Facebook: ⁠⁠facebook.com/bfpproperty⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠BFP Property Group⁠⁠

  2. Sep 6

    Why the Smartest Investors Buy in a Correction, Not After It

    Every downturn plays out the same way: most people wait for the bottom. But by the time it's obvious the market's turned, so has everyone else's confidence and the leverage you had is gone. In this episode, Ben Plohl makes the data-backed case for why a correction is exactly when serious buyers get to work. With national values now down four consecutive months and Sydney and Melbourne sitting well below their 2026 peaks, Ben breaks down what real negotiating leverage looks like right now: longer settlements, finance clauses actually being accepted, inspections no longer waived to win a bidding war. But this isn't a "buy anything" episode. Ben's just as direct about the catch: this correction is concentrated in Sydney and Melbourne, not universal,  Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide are still posting double-digit annual growth. He walks through why cash-flow numbers still need real scrutiny even at a discount, and what BFP is actually seeing on the ground vendors genuinely negotiating, off-market opportunities re-emerging as competition thins. If you've been sitting on the sidelines waiting for "the right time," this episode makes the case that waiting for certainty might be the most expensive decision you make. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Navigating Property is hosted by Ben Plohl, founder of BFP Property Group and Chartered Accountant with 22 years of personal property investment experience. Each episode covers the strategies, decisions, and market insights that serious property investors need to know.Work with BFP Property Group Whether you're building a portfolio, reviewing what you already own, or looking to buy your next investment property — BFP can help. 📅 Book a free strategy call: ⁠⁠bfpproperty.com⁠⁠ Connect with us 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠bfpproperty.com⁠⁠ 📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠@bfppropertygroup⁠⁠ 📘 Facebook: ⁠⁠facebook.com/bfpproperty⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠BFP Property Group⁠⁠

  3. Aug 30

    $700K, Three Cities, Three Completely Different Strategies

    Every buyer's agent gets this question: "We've got $700K, what can we buy?" Most people treat that number as the whole answer. In this episode, Ben Plohl breaks down why it's actually just the starting point of a much bigger conversation. Ben walks through three real options a $700K budget could buy right now, a freestanding home in a regional city like Albury or Bendigo, a villa unit in a lifestyle market like Geelong or Newcastle, or a 1970s red-brick walk-up in Melbourne and makes the case for each, honestly, including where each one falls short. But the real value is in how BFP actually decides. Ben unpacks the four-lens framework the team uses with every client: what the portfolio needs right now, risk and liquidity tolerance, serviceability and cashflow reality, and value-add potential. It's the difference between picking a market and picking the right asset for the right person. If you've ever wondered whether your budget is "enough," or which of these strategies actually fits your situation, this episode gives you the framework to answer that yourself. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Navigating Property is hosted by Ben Plohl, founder of BFP Property Group and Chartered Accountant with 22 years of personal property investment experience. Each episode covers the strategies, decisions, and market insights that serious property investors need to know.Work with BFP Property Group Whether you're building a portfolio, reviewing what you already own, or looking to buy your next investment property — BFP can help. 📅 Book a free strategy call: ⁠⁠bfpproperty.com⁠⁠ Connect with us 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠bfpproperty.com⁠⁠ 📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠@bfppropertygroup⁠⁠ 📘 Facebook: ⁠⁠facebook.com/bfpproperty⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠BFP Property Group⁠⁠

  4. Aug 24

    Three Months On: What the Budget Actually Did to the Market

    Three months ago, the federal budget rewrote the tax playbook for property investors: negative gearing was abolished on established properties, the CGT discount was replaced, and a new minimum tax was imposed on trust income. Panic set in and investor activity changed.  In this episode, Ben breaks down what actually happened in the market versus what the headlines predicted and why the data tells a far more nuanced story than "investors are fleeing." From the sharp divergence between blue-chip Sydney and Melbourne suburbs (some down 6-9% in three months) and regional markets quietly posting gains, Ben unpacks exactly where the opportunity is hiding in plain sight. He also walks through BFP's current acquisition playbook in detail, house-and-granny-flat combos, income-producing dual occupancies, undervalued villa units, and why commercial property deserves a serious look for investors wanting to diversify. Plus, real numbers on how a $1M house-and-granny-flat strategy can lift a 4.2% yield to 5.7% If you've been sitting on the sidelines wondering whether now is still a good time to buy or what the reforms mean for your portfolio, this episode gives you the unfiltered, data-backed view of what's really going on, and how to best position yourself. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Navigating Property is hosted by Ben Plohl, founder of BFP Property Group and Chartered Accountant with 22 years of personal property investment experience. Each episode covers the strategies, decisions, and market insights that serious property investors need to know.Work with BFP Property Group Whether you're building a portfolio, reviewing what you already own, or looking to buy your next investment property — BFP can help. 📅 Book a free strategy call: ⁠⁠bfpproperty.com⁠⁠ Connect with us 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠bfpproperty.com⁠⁠ 📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠@bfppropertygroup⁠⁠ 📘 Facebook: ⁠⁠facebook.com/bfpproperty⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠BFP Property Group⁠⁠

  5. 11/20/2025

    Invest Like a Pro: The Buying Process: What Actually Happens (And What Can Go Wrong)

    Whether you're buying your first home, your next investment, or just exploring the market, understanding the actual steps involved, and the risks at each stage, can save you serious time, money, and stress. Here’s what we’re covering today: First, we’ll unpack some of the most common mistakes we see buyers make, and how to avoid them.Then, we’ll walk you through our Pro Buyer Playbook, how professionals approach the entire process from strategy to settlement.After that, we’re sharing a few real-world buyer horror stories in our segment What Could Go Wrong, uick, powerful lessons from the field. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a better understanding of how the buying process actually works, and how to avoid the expensive traps most buyers don’t see coming. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Navigating Property is hosted by Ben Plohl, founder of BFP Property Group and Chartered Accountant with 22 years of personal property investment experience. Each episode covers the strategies, decisions, and market insights that serious property investors need to know.Work with BFP Property Group Whether you're building a portfolio, reviewing what you already own, or looking to buy your next investment property — BFP can help. 📅 Book a free strategy call: ⁠⁠bfpproperty.com⁠⁠ Connect with us 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠bfpproperty.com⁠⁠ 📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠@bfppropertygroup⁠⁠ 📘 Facebook: ⁠⁠facebook.com/bfpproperty⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠BFP Property Group⁠⁠

About

A podcast that helps you understand the property market, make smarter investments and navigate your way to success. We break down real estate trends, interview experts and share insights to empower your property journey.