Inside Commercial Property

Most sophisticated investors rule hotels and motels out before they understand them, and in doing so they overlook one of the most compelling yields in commercial property today. Hotels and motels are a new asset class in the Australian and New Zealand markets, and one that most investors have never been taught to understand. In this episode of Inside Commercial Property, Scott O'Neill is joined by Selin Ince, Rethink Group's hotels and motels acquisition specialist, to unpack the asset class: the investment structure of hotels and motels, why the misconceptions persist, and why the barrier to entry is far more achievable for the experienced private investor than most assume.

The hesitation almost always comes from one assumption: that the whole category means running a hospitality business. It doesn't. A leased hotel is a commercial lease with a strong tenant covenant, structurally no different from the leased industrial or retail these investors already own. The motel is a separate proposition, a smaller-ticket operating business with real value-add upside for the hands-on buyer. Selin sets out both with precision: the structure, the numbers, the finance, and the entry points that put this within reach of private capital, not institutions alone.

In this episode:
- Leased hotels versus motels: one is a passive lease, the other an operating business
- What ownership of a leased hotel really involves, and what it doesn't
- How leased hotel and motel yields compare with industrial and retail
- Where the private-buyer entry points sit, from motels through to passive boutique hotels
- How the finance stacks up, and the first move for an investor ready to take the asset class seriously

Book a Consultation: https://www.rethinkinvesting.com.au/lets-talk

Explore commercial property with Rethink Investing:
- Australia: https://www.rethinkinvesting.com.au/

Follow Scott O'Neill: https://www.instagram.com/scott_oneill_/
Follow Rethink Investing: https://www.instagram.com/rethinkinvesting/

(00:00) Trailer
(01:23) Why Commercial Property Leads Are Rising Now
(02:57) Introducing Hotels and Motels as an Asset Class
(04:16) What Makes a Hotels and Motels Specialist
(04:54) Why Off-Market Access Matters in Hotels
(06:26) Common Misconceptions About Hotel Investing
(07:13) Hotel and Motel Price Points Explained
(08:04) Leased Hotels vs Motels: The Key Difference
(10:47) Hotel and Motel Yields Compared to Industrial
(12:47) What You're Actually Buying With a Leased Hotel
(26:16) Where the Genuine Opportunity Now Sits
(31:36) Finance and Lending for Hotels and Motels
(38:20) Passive Hotel Entry Points for Investors
(41:31) The Sensible First Step Into the Asset Class

New Zealand commercial property is drawing serious attention from Australian investors, and the yields are a big part of why. In this episode of Inside Commercial Property, Scott O’Neill is joined by Matt Harris and Michael Vincent of Lighthouse Financial to unpack what’s making the New Zealand market so compelling right now.Lighthouse is one of New Zealand’s leading financial services firms, guiding more than 4,000 Kiwis toward financial freedom since 2014 with holistic advice spanning accounting, lending, and investment. The conversation covers the forces shaping New Zealand property in 2026. New Zealand has moved through the interest rate cycle ahead of Australia, with the official cash rate easing significantly from its peak, and that shift is changing how investors think. For an everyday Australian investor, the combination of a favourable exchange rate, no stamp duty, and a maturing commercial market makes a genuine case for diversification.Matt and Michael also explain the practical side of buying across the Tasman: how the structures, lending, and tax considerations work for a foreign investor, and why the experience is more familiar than most Australians expect.In this episode, we cover:- Why New Zealand’s position in the interest rate cycle is reshaping investor behaviour.- How the shift toward income-driven assets is opening the door to commercial property.- What the exchange rate, stamp duty, and lending environment mean for an Australian buyer.- How New Zealand’s commercial market is maturing, and where the opportunities sit.- The structures, tax, and first steps for an Australian investing in New Zealand.Explore New Zealand commercial property with Rethink Investing:- New Zealand: https://www.rethinkinvesting.co.nz/ - Australia: https://www.rethinkinvesting.com.au/ Book a Consultation: https://www.rethinkinvesting.com.au/lets-talk Explore Lighthouse Financial: https://lighthousefinancial.co.nz/

With sentiment turning cautious, interest rates remaining elevated, and major policy changes looming ahead of the Federal Budget, many investors are sitting on the sidelines. But as this podcast episode explores, market hesitation often creates the best opportunities for those willing to act with conviction.On Inside Commercial Property, host Phil Tarrant is joined by Scott O’Neill to unpack the current state of the property market, and why we may be entering one of the most important investment periods of the decade.In this episode, we cover:Why negative sentiment isn’t always a bad thing for investors.The impact of the upcoming Federal Budget and potential tax changes.Why affordability policy could reshape how and where people invest.The growing importance of cash flow versus capital growth.How commercial property differs structurally, and why it’s gaining attention.The risks of poor advice in an unregulated buyer’s agent market.How business principles (cash flow, margins, risk management) apply directly to investing.With potential changes to capital gains tax, negative gearing, and broader housing policy, the rules of the game may be shifting. But one thing remains constant: The investors who succeed are those who focus on fundamentals, not headlines.

With rising interest rates, geopolitical tension in the Middle East, and potential changes to capital gains tax, investors are facing a perfect storm of uncertainty. But while some are sitting on the sidelines, others are moving decisively – creating a clear two-speed market.In this Inside Commercial Property podcast episode, Phil Tarrant is joined by Scott O’Neill to discuss one of the most complex market environments in recent memory.The pair explore how global events are flowing through to Australian and New Zealand property markets, what higher rates mean for asset selection, and why income-focused investing is becoming more critical than ever.They also break down real, on-the-ground deals – highlighting where value is being found, how investors are negotiating in today’s market, and why fundamentals matter more than ever.If you’re trying to make sense of where the market is heading and where the opportunities lie, this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.

In this episode of Inside Commercial Property, host Phil Tarrant is joined by Scott O’Neill, CEO of Rethink Group, and Margie Baldock, senior buyer’s advocate at Rethink Investing, for a candid conversation on what really drives successful commercial property investing, beyond just yields and headlines.The discussion opens with the latest interest rate movement and its unexpected impact on investor behaviour. Scott explains why rising rates may actually strengthen the commercial case, as capital shifts away from low-yielding residential portfolios and towards higher-income, long-term assets.The episode also touches on the capital gains tax debate and why structural differences between residential and commercial ownership vehicles may further increase commercial property’s appeal. Margie’s perspective reframes the buyer’s agent role entirely: not just sourcing assets, but helping high-performing investors define “how much is enough”, align investments with life goals, and protect long-term strategy from emotional decisions. Also discussed in this episode:Why commercial property can still be accessed later in life, even when residential lending becomes restrictive.The structural advantages of lease-backed lending and self-managed super fund (SMSF) purchasing strategies.How to reframe vacancy as an opportunity rather than a failure, and how short leases can be leveraged into equity gains.Why most high-net-worth investors don’t actually know their required passive income number and how reverse engineering that number simplifies portfolio planning.The behavioural differences between overconfident and underconfident investors, and why sometimes “doing less” leads to stronger compounding outcomes.This episode is essential listening for investors who want a deeper understanding of how experienced commercial buyers think – from negotiating risk and pricing problems, to resisting short-term temptations, to structuring portfolios that genuinely support lifestyle freedom over decades.