From arriving in Australia as an international student with just $1,800 to building an $11 million property portfolio — the journey of Value Buyers Director Lakhwinder “Lucky” Singh has now been featured by realestate.com.au.
For many property investors, building a substantial portfolio can seem out of reach.
But Lakhwinder Singh’s journey is a reminder that successful property investing is not necessarily about starting with significant wealth. It is about learning, taking calculated steps, understanding the numbers and continually improving your strategy.
Recently, Lakhwinder was featured in a major realestate.com.au article titled “Baker who arrived with $1800 builds $11 million property empire.” The feature follows his journey from international student and Woolworths baker to property investor, business owner and director of Value Buyers.
Read the full realestate.com.au feature here
From International Student to Property Investor
Lakhwinder arrived in Australia in 2007 at the age of 21 to study business administration, bringing only $1,800 with him.
At the time, there was no grand plan to build a multimillion-dollar property portfolio.
After changing career direction, he began working as a baker at Woolworths, starting early mornings and using his spare time to educate himself about wealth creation and property investing.
Books, podcasts and property seminars became part of his education.
One book that particularly influenced him was 0 to 130 Properties in 3.5 Years by Steve McKnight — a book he says he still has today.
The goal was simple:
Buy his first property.
But that first step proved to be the hardest.
The First Property Was the Beginning
In 2015, Lakhwinder purchased land and built his first home in Sydney’s South West, in Camden, for approximately $490,000.
Rather than immediately treating it as an investment property, he initially lived in the home as an owner-occupier before eventually moving out and renting it.
This became the foundation of his property investment journey.
To help fund his next purchase, he used equity from his first property and took on additional work as a driver for a childcare centre.
At one stage, he was working two full-time jobs simultaneously.
It was exhausting.
But it also taught him one of the most important lessons of his investment journey:
Building a property portfolio is not simply about buying more properties. The numbers have to work.
The Lesson That Changed the Strategy
Like many investors, Lakhwinder initially focused heavily on acquiring properties and building his portfolio.
But aggressive property accumulation created another challenge — cash flow.
As the portfolio grew, so did the amount of money required to support negatively cash-flowing properties.
That experience changed his approach.
Instead of simply asking:
“How many properties can I buy?”
the question became:
“How can I make the properties I own perform better?”
This shift became an important part of his investment philosophy.
From Property Accumulation to Portfolio Performance
Over time, Lakhwinder began looking at ways to improve the performance of individual properties and the portfolio as a whole.
This included strategies such as:
- Adding granny flats and secondary dwellings
- Creating additional rental income
- Looking for dual-income opportunities
- Buying quality properties in strategic growth locations
- Considering new builds
- Improving rental appeal
- Looking at land and future development potential
- Focusing on sustainable cash flow
As realestate.com.au reported, his portfolio eventually evolved to include four granny flats and 18 rental income streams.
The objective was no longer simply to accumulate property.
The objective was to build a stronger, more resilient portfolio.
The Importance of Location, Timing and Entry Price
Lakhwinder’s investment journey has also demonstrated the importance of selecting the right property rather than simply buying property for the sake of buying.
In 2023, he purchased two properties in Perth for less than $460,000 each.
Those properties have since increased in value to more than $800,000 each, according to the realestate.com.au feature.
For Lakhwinder, these purchases reinforced three important principles:
Location.
Timing.
Entry price.
But importantly, these factors cannot be considered in isolation.
The right property needs to make sense based on the investor’s circumstances, borrowing capacity, cash flow, risk tolerance and long-term objectives.
Why Granny Flats Became Part of the Strategy
One of the biggest changes in Lakhwinder’s investment strategy was incorporating granny flats and secondary dwellings into suitable properties.
A well-designed secondary dwelling can potentially create an additional rental stream without requiring the investor to purchase an entirely separate property.
This can make certain established houses with suitable land particularly interesting for investors.
Instead of looking only at the existing house, the question becomes:
“What could this property become?”
That way of thinking is central to the Value Buyers approach.
We don’t believe property investment should be reduced to simply finding the cheapest house or chasing the latest hot suburb.
The opportunity can sometimes be in the potential of the property.
The Shift Towards New Builds
Lakhwinder has also increasingly incorporated new-build opportunities into his investment strategy.
The realestate.com.au feature highlighted his move towards building new properties, including the potential advantages created by Australia’s changing tax and housing policy environment.
For investors, new builds can offer several potential benefits, including:
- Modern tenant appeal
- Lower initial maintenance requirements
- Greater depreciation opportunities
- Potentially stronger rental appeal
- The ability to create additional housing supply
- Greater control over the design and construction process
However, a new build is not automatically a good investment.
The land, location, purchase price, rental demand, construction cost and long-term growth fundamentals still matter.
The strategy should come first. The property comes second.
Today: 14 Properties, 18 Rental Streams and an $11 Million Portfolio
Today, Lakhwinder’s portfolio consists of 14 properties, including four granny flats, creating 18 rental streams.
The portfolio is valued at approximately $11 million and generates more than $450,000 in gross rental income each year, according to realestate.com.au.
But perhaps the most important part of the story is not the $11 million figure.
It is how the strategy evolved to get there.
From:
$1,800 → First Property → Equity → More Properties → Better Cash Flow → Granny Flats → Dual-Income Strategies → New Builds → Portfolio Optimisation
The journey has been one of continuous learning and adaptation.
What This Journey Teaches Property Investors
There are several lessons investors can take from Lakhwinder’s experience.
1. You Don’t Need to Start Big
Every portfolio starts somewhere.
Lakhwinder’s started with a single property after arriving in Australia with $1,800.
The first objective wasn’t to build an $11 million portfolio.
It was simply to get started.
2. Education Matters
Before building his portfolio, Lakhwinder spent years learning about property, finance and wealth creation.
Property investment involves significant financial decisions. Understanding the fundamentals can be just as important as finding the property itself.
3. Don’t Confuse Property Numbers With Portfolio Strength
Owning more properties does not automatically mean having a better portfolio.
Cash flow, equity, debt levels, rental income, land value and future potential all matter.
4. Strategy Needs to Evolve
The strategy that works for a first property may not be the same strategy that works for a portfolio of ten or fourteen properties.
As circumstances change, the strategy should change too.
5. Look Beyond the Existing Property
A house with suitable land may have opportunities that aren’t immediately obvious.
A granny flat, secondary dwelling, renovation or dual-income configuration can potentially change the financial performance of an asset.
6. Think Long Term
Property investment is generally a long-term game.
Instead of trying to predict every short-term market movement, investors can focus on buying quality assets in locations with strong fundamentals and creating a portfolio that can withstand different market conditions.
The Philosophy Behind Value Buyers
Lakhwinder’s personal investment journey ultimately shaped the philosophy behind Value Buyers.
Today, the focus isn’t simply on helping clients buy property.
It is about helping investors understand why a particular property may or may not make sense for their strategy.
That can mean considering:
Established properties.
Brand-new homes.
Off-the-plan opportunities.
New builds.
Dual-income properties.
Granny-flat opportunities.
Land value.
Rental demand.
Cash flow.
Capital growth potential.
Long-term portfolio strategy.
Every investor is different.
There is no single property that is perfect for everyone.
The Goal Isn’t Just to Own More Properties
Perhaps the biggest lesson from Lakhwinder’s journey is that success shouldn’t simply be measured by the number of properties someone owns.
Today, his objective is to continue building equity while gradually moving towards simpler, lower-debt assets capable of producing sustainable passive income.
That reflects an important shift in thinking:
Property investing isn’t about collecting properties.
It’s about building a portfolio that supports the life you ultimately want.
Featured on realestate.com.au
We are proud to see Lakhwinder’s property investment journey recognised by realestate.com.au, one of Australia’s leading property platforms.
The feature is not just a story about an $11 million portfolio.
It is a story about starting with very little, learning the fundamentals, taking calculated risks, adapting when things didn’t work and developing a property investment strategy over time.
From an international student arriving in Australia with $1,800…
To a baker working early mornings…
To purchasing his first home…
To building a portfolio of 14 properties…
To creating 18 rental streams…
To building an approximately $11 million property portfolio…
The journey is a reminder that the right strategy can start with one property.
And sometimes, the biggest investment decision isn’t how much property you can buy.
It is understanding what you should buy, why you should buy it and how that property fits into your bigger strategy.
Want to Build a Property Portfolio With a Strategy Behind It?
At Value Buyers, we believe successful property investing starts with strategy — not simply searching for properties.
Our approach considers the investor’s goals, budget, borrowing capacity, cash flow requirements and long-term objectives before identifying suitable property opportunities.
Whether you’re considering an established property, brand-new home, off-the-plan opportunity, new build, dual-income property or a property with granny-flat potential, the focus should always be on how the asset fits into the bigger picture.
Because the goal isn’t just to buy property.
The goal is to build a portfolio that works for you.
Source
This story was featured by realestate.com.au in “Baker who arrived with $1800 builds $11 million property empire,” published 27 July 2026.
Read the original realestate.com.au feature
General information only. Property investment involves risks and individual results vary. Investors should obtain independent financial, tax and legal advice appropriate to their circumstances before making investment decisions.