Dan Irwin is a Qualified Property Investment Adviser (QPIA®) who specializes in helping clients make strategic decisions in property investing. He works closely with his clients to build personalized, long-term property investment plans that not only meet their current needs and goals but also lay the foundation for future aspirations. With decades of experience in developing his own portfolio and assisting hundreds of clients since 2017, Dan provides guidance ranging from helping first-time buyers to delivering advanced property strategies. We at EliteX, are proud to introduce Dan Irwin as one of the 10 Elite Leaders in Real Estate, 2024.
Dan Irwin | Founder | Strike Property
Before venturing into the real estate industry, Dan served 11 years in the Australian Army, where he specialized in Engineering and Project Management. This background helped him discover his passion for assisting highly motivated individuals, families, and friends in building stress-free, self-supporting property portfolios. Following his passion, Dan founded Strike Property, an organization dedicated to providing the highest level of property advisory. Dan emphasizes the importance of professional standards, ensuring that his team at Strike Property aligns with the Property Investment Professionals of Australia (PIPA) standards. This alignment was recognised at the 2024 annual awards with Strike Property named the 2024 Business of the Year.
Dan’s motivation to pursue a career in real estate stems from a significant interest in property investment, inspired by his parents. Starting his own portfolio ignited a passion for monitoring the market, generating equity, and leveraging properties for additional income. Together with his wife Anne, Dan steadily expanded their portfolio through strategic acquisitions and small-scale subdivisions. This journey of wealth creation through property investment evolved into a business where Dan now helps others embark on their own wealth creation journeys.
“At Strike Property, we take all of our clients through a 7-step process, equipping them with comprehensive location information and a risk profile to maintain full transparency.”
Dan identifies several significant trends in the current Australian real estate market. He notes that while population growth has led to a booming demand for housing, there is a fundamental undersupply. This supply and demand imbalance has resulted in significant growth in many parts of Australia, yet rising interest rates have made it difficult for most buyers to enter the market. Traditional markets in inner-city Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane have become unattainable for the everyday buyer. Dan predicts a shift towards growing satellite cities, which will continue to develop over the next decade, offering an affordable alternative for both owner-occupiers and investors, and addressing the housing demand resulting from systemic undersupply.
Dan Irwin stays updated with the latest developments and changes in the real estate industry through a three-pronged approach: data, professional networks, and market analysis. He utilizes information from governmental bodies like the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and commercial sector data sources such as CoreLogic. This data provides insight into past market trends and offers minor clues about future market directions. Professional networking is also crucial for Dan. By engaging with industry professionals through conferences and seminars hosted by Property Investment Professionals Australia (PIPA) and the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA), he gains firsthand knowledge and diverse perspectives. Market reports and analysis provide comprehensive data and forecasts, essential for making informed decisions. Combining these methods ensures a well-rounded and up-to-date understanding of the real estate landscape.
In terms of risk management, Dan emphasizes education as the cornerstone of success. At Strike Property, clients go through a 7-step process that includes a planning phase. This gives clients access to an operations guide, a comprehensive playbook, and target location reports. These reports break down the location’s population, economic profile, commercial developments, and infrastructure, including transport, medical, education, sports, and recreation facilities. This information equips clients with a full risk profile of their chosen investment, ensuring complete transparency.
“By combining data, professional networks, and market analysis, one can maintain a well-rounded and up-to-date understanding of the real estate landscape.”
When making investment decisions, Dan prioritizes location and a thorough understanding of his clients’ goals and personal circumstances. Multiple strategy sessions focus on clients’ financial positions, growth and income goals, investor time horizons, and risk profiles. These elements are crucial before sourcing a property. Dan’s strategies are tailored to each client’s specific needs, recognizing that every client is different and requires a personalized approach.
One success story that Dan is particularly proud of involves an Australian Defence Force member. Between 2020 and 2022, he helped this client acquire two investment properties for a combined purchase value of $1.2 million. In 2023, the client purchased their own home using their defence housing entitlements. The client has seen significant growth in the past 18 months, with nearly half a million dollars in capital growth and an uplift of over $300,000 on their owner-occupied property within the last 12 months alone.
The details of the owner-occupied property are as follows:
Purchase price: $1,296,381
Settlement: January 3, 2023
Bank Valuation (June 2024): $1,600,000
With a portfolio now worth over $3.25 million, Dan continues to achieve remarkable success in the real estate market.
“With decades of experience in developing my own portfolio and assisting hundreds of clients since 2017, I provide guidance ranging from helping first-time buyers to delivering advanced property strategies.”
