From First Home at 20 to an $8M Portfolio:
The Borrow Well Story
Hi, I’m Emma. I’m not just a mortgage broker—I’m an active property investor, a business owner, and a coffee lover.
Most people know me as the founder of Social Coffee in Adelaide. But behind the scenes, I have spent the last five years obsessed with property.
Starting with a single deposit at age 20, I have built a personal property portfolio of eight properties valued at over $8,000,000. I didn't inherit a fortune or win the lottery—I used a specific strategy of "Blue-Chip Renovation" and smart finance structures.
Now, through Borrow Well, I use that same experience to help young Australians, business owners, and aspiring investors build their own wealth.
Age 20: The First Deposit (Sacrifice & Strategy)
I bought my first property in Bridgewater when I was 20 for just over $420,000. I was working shift work (earning about $70k/year) and studying Medical Science full-time. That’s two full-time occupations.
I didn't have help from partners or parents. I saved my deposit by saying "no" to the typical 20-year-old lifestyle and saying "yes" to discipline and structured savings. I used a 10% deposit and paid LMI, this allowed me to get into my own home sooner than saving to 20%.
That first house wasn't perfect—it was on a steep slope with a crumbling retaining wall—but it taught me my most valuable lesson: Just start.
Age 21: Learning the "Value Add"
I sold that first property a year later for a $250,000 gross profit. I realised quickly that money isn't made in just buying real estate; it's made in improving it.
I reinvested that profit into two new properties:
A "renovator" in the Adelaide Hills (my new home/PPOR).
A dual-occupancy property in Mount Barker (for cashflow).
I lived in the renovation project, laying floors and painting walls on weekends. It wasn't glamorous, but it was building the foundation of my portfolio.
Age 22: Interstate & Cashflow Hacks
Leveraging the equity from my Adelaide renovations, I bought a townhouse in Paddington, Brisbane.
To make the numbers work, I lived in half the house and rented the other living area as a short-term rental. This effectively allowed me to live for free while the asset grew in value. At the same time I renovated upstairs, updated lighting, did a bathroom renovation, and painted the internals.
But this is where I hit a wall. I used a mortgage broker to buy this property, and it was a terrible experience. As a young female investor, I felt overlooked. The communication was poor, and I realised I wasn't getting strategic advice—I was just getting a transaction.
That frustration planted the seed for Borrow Well.
My portfolio grew rapidly because I didn't just "buy and hold." I used a strategy often called BRRR (Buy, Renovate, Rent, Refinance), but with my own twist: The Blue-Chip Renovation.
After I had moved back to Adelaide to open Social Coffee, I bought a "knock-down" property in Linden Park. It was advertised as land value only. Most people saw a headache; I saw an entry point into a blue-chip suburb.
By living in the property while renovating it (using "sweat equity"), I increased its value by $275,000 in just 6 months—spending only $50k on the renovation.
I then released that equity to buy two more properties in Bellevue Heights and Forestville.
But on paper, this wasn't simple. I was relying on income from my new business and rental cashflow to meet strict bank serviceability hurdles. Most standard brokers would have looked at my complex income and walked away.
Instead, I utilised a Self-Employed Alt-Doc loan structure. This allowed me to leverage my business cashflow rather than just taxable income, unlocking the lending I needed to keep growing my portfolio when the major banks said "no."
I built my portfolio from 0 to 8 properties in five years, generating over $1.8M in equity.
I learned that success in property relies on four systems:
Buying in stable, high-value suburbs.
Creating strong income (through dual-occ or smart rentals).
Being flexible and creative (thinking outside the box).
Support (getting the right finance team).
I started Borrow Well to be the broker I wish I had at 21.
I wanted to build a brokerage that doesn't judge you for being self-employed, doesn't overlook you for being young, and doesn't confuse you with jargon.
Whether you are buying your first home in Mount Barker, creating a dual-income investment in Adelaide, or are a business owner with complex financials—I’ve been there.
Let’s build your portfolio together.
The "Blue-Chip Renovation" Strategy
Why I founded Borrow Well.
