The Deal Desk

Ben Robinson
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Investing

The Deal Desk explores the strategy behind Australia's smartest investors. Hosted by Finance Broker & Partner of Flint Group, Ben Robinson, each episode unpacks real transactions, complex lending scenarios, property decisions and the structures used by successful investors, developers and business owners. From residential and commercial property to development finance, tax structures, private credit and portfolio strategy, The Deal Desk goes beyond the headline numbers to examine how deals are actually put together. New episodes weekly.

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    How to Build a $3.7M Property Portfolio Without Buying Expensive Houses

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! How do you turn the equity in your family home into a property portfolio without stretching yourself too thin? In this episode of The Deal Desk, Ben breaks down a real client strategy to grow from one family home to four property assets. They look at refinancing and releasing equity to purchase two residential properties, using separate company structures, and planning an SMSF purchase of a commercial property. They also get into why structure matters before scaling, how to build in cash flow buffers, and how residential property and super can work together as part of a long-term wealth strategy. The information in this episode is general in nature and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. It is not financial, credit, tax or legal advice. Please speak to a qualified professional about your own circumstances before making any decision. Ready to talk through your own position? Book a strategy call here: https://book.flint.nbh.co/teambr Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/ Connect with Ben Robinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben--robinson https://www.instagram.com/benrobinson_flint Connect with Nick Ball: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-ball-bb105077/ https://www.instagram.com/nickballfinance/ Follow The Deal Desk: https://www.instagram.com/thedealdeskpodcast/ Subscribe for real conversations with the people who've actually done it. New episodes dropping weekly.

    How to Build a $3.7M Property Portfolio Without Buying Expensive Houses

  2. Oct 19

    What Your Credit File Says About Your Next Purchase

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Your credit file now tells lenders more than it used to. What does that mean for your next purchase? In this episode of The Deal Desk, Ben sits down with Nick Ball to unpack recent changes to credit reporting and how they can affect property investors. They cover hardship markers, late payments on smaller facilities like credit cards, and loans held in companies and trusts now showing up on personal credit reports. They also get into why your structure should be built around your long-term plan, where your accountant fits in, and how to prepare for an exit and redeploy capital. Along the way they look at newer loan products, including 40-year terms and longer interest-only periods, why it helps to plan ahead before an interest-only term expires, and how some investors are thinking about liquidity in the current rate environment. The information in this episode is general in nature and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. It is not financial, credit, tax or legal advice. Please speak to a qualified professional about your own circumstances before making any decision. Ready to talk through your own position? Book a strategy call here: https://book.flint.nbh.co/teambr Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/ Connect with Ben Robinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben--robinson https://www.instagram.com/benrobinson_flint Connect with Nick Ball: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-ball-bb105077/ https://www.instagram.com/nickballfinance/ Follow The Deal Desk: https://www.instagram.com/thedealdeskpodcast/ Subscribe for real conversations with the people who’ve actually done it. New episodes dropping weekly.

    What Your Credit File Says About Your Next Purchase

  3. Oct 5

    8 Properties, $6M Portfolio, and a $100K Problem

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! They've built an eight property portfolio worth $6 million across five states. So why is it costing them $100,000 a year to hold? In this episode of The Deal Desk, Ben sits down with Nick Ball to unpack a real client case, a couple earning a combined $600,000 as IT contractors, running a property portfolio that looks impressive on paper but is quietly working against them. One lender holds almost all their debt. A trust structure meant to help them scale is actually blocking them from releasing equity. And a wave of interest-only loans are about to roll onto principal and interest at the same time. They get into why PAYG contractors often get shaded by lenders despite strong income, how recent budget changes cut this couple's borrowing capacity by up to 30% overnight, and why the order you bring in your broker, accountant and buyer's agent can make or break a portfolio like this. 00:00 Introduction & client scenario overview 00:31 Client profile: IT contractors & PAYG income challenges 01:54 Client goals: exploring commercial property 02:48 Portfolio structure breakdown ($6M portfolio & $4.8M debt) 05:44 Impact of interest rate rises & federal budget policy shifts 07:55 Dangers of concentrating all debt with one major lender 09:35 Structural stumbling blocks & equity stripping 11:33 Timeline of how the portfolio was built (2017-2025) 17:41 Market selection, regional growth cycles & equity bottlenecks 19:22 Strategic next steps & cash flow management 21:03 Off-the-plan apartment hiccup & exit strategy 24:23 Long-term planning, market timing & transitioning to commercial property 27:08 Deep dive into portfolio stumbling blocks & entity structuring 28:36 Negative gearing changes in lenders' servicing calculators 30:27 SMSF refinancing & early repayment penalties 33:33 Interest-only expirations & avoiding "mortgage prison" 35:18 Assembling the right team & the proper order of professional advice Ready to talk through your own position? Book a strategy call here: https://book.flint.nbh.co/teambr Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/ Connect with Ben Robinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben--robinson https://www.instagram.com/benrobinson_flint Connect with Nick Ball: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-ball-bb105077/ https://www.instagram.com/nickballfinance/ Follow The Deal Desk: https://www.instagram.com/thedealdeskpodcast/ Subscribe for real conversations with the people who've actually done it. New episodes dropping weekly.

    8 Properties, $6M Portfolio, and a $100K Problem

  4. Sep 28

    How Investors Keep Scaling When Borrowing Limits Hit

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! You've built a portfolio, so why are the banks starting to slow you down? In this episode of The Deal Desk, Ben sits down with Nick Ball to break down two real client scenarios: one couple scaling aggressively using debt recycling and equity from their offset account, and another already holding two properties who needed to unlock equity without selling, by moving debt into separate company structures. They get into why purchasing through companies and trusts protects your borrowing capacity as you grow, how to free up room to keep buying without triggering stamp duty or CGT, and why standard compliance accounting often isn't enough once you're scaling seriously. 00:00 Welcome and overview of client scenarios 00:12 Client scenario 1: equity, offset balance, and income breakdown 01:08 Understanding debt recycling for client 1 03:33 Using SPVs and structures 05:48 Investment property 1 strategy (budget & location) 10:23 Investment property 2 strategy (geographical diversity & budget) 12:39 Structuring and isolating debt across SPVs 14:18 Cash flow buffers and managing liquidity 17:02 Client scenario 2: rentvestors approaching borrowing limits 18:52 Understanding usable equity and servicing factors 20:59 Stage 1: refinancing debt into SPV companies 24:35 Importance of specialised accounting and structural advice 27:16 Stage 2: residential property target, sub-$800k budget 28:17 SMSF commercial property strategy 31:06 Long-term portfolio goals and summary Ready to talk through your own position? Book a strategy call here: https://book.flint.nbh.co/teambr Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/ Connect with Ben Robinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben--robinson https://www.instagram.com/benrobinson_flint Connect with Nick Ball: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-ball-bb105077/ https://www.instagram.com/nickballfinance/ Follow The Deal Desk: https://www.instagram.com/thedealdeskpodcast/ Subscribe for real conversations with the people who've actually done it. New episodes dropping weekly.

    How Investors Keep Scaling When Borrowing Limits Hit

  5. Sep 23

    Your First Property Isn’t the End Game

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! What's changing in lending right now, and how do you actually go from your first property to building a portfolio? In this episode of The Deal Desk, Ben sits down with Nick Ball to unpack the shift from 30-year to 40-year loan terms, shrinking refinance buffers, and what it actually takes to move from property one to property five, from your first purchase through to knowing when to exit. They also get into the pressures shaping the market right now: negative gearing changes, the 2026 Budget's impact on borrowing capacity, and why chasing tax benefits alone is rarely a good enough reason to buy. If you're building a property portfolio, or thinking about starting one, this episode is worth your time. 00:00 Introduction and podcast overview 01:08 Strategy 1: First Home Guarantee Scheme 05:16 Strategy 2: Guarantor loans 10:28 Strategy 3: Rentvesting 17:54 Strategy 4: Buying property in a company or SPV 26:45 Impact of the 2026 Budget changes [CHECK TIME] Negative gearing policy changes & serviceability 30:12 Buying new builds vs existing properties 36:03 Grandfathering rules for negative gearing 41:08 Capital gains tax (CGT) discount changes 42:58 SMSF & residential property loan ban 49:23 Episode summary & key takeaways Ready to talk through your own position? Book a strategy call here: https://book.flint.nbh.co/teambr Learn more about Flint: https://flintgroup.au/ Connect with Ben Robinson: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben--robinson | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benrobinson_flint Connect with Nick Ball: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-ball-bb10 | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickballfinance/ Follow The Deal Desk: https://www.instagram.com/thedealdeskpodcast/ Subscribe for real conversations with the people who've actually done it. New episodes dropping soon.

    Your First Property Isn’t the End Game
  • 5 Episodes

About

The Deal Desk explores the strategy behind Australia's smartest investors. Hosted by Finance Broker & Partner of Flint Group, Ben Robinson, each episode unpacks real transactions, complex lending scenarios, property decisions and the structures used by successful investors, developers and business owners. From residential and commercial property to development finance, tax structures, private credit and portfolio strategy, The Deal Desk goes beyond the headline numbers to examine how deals are actually put together. New episodes weekly.

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Robinson
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Deal Desk

You Might Also Like