| QLD No.1 |
Wholesale
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Affordable
What is a Wholesale Builder?
It’s not a term that is commonly used outside property circles – which is not surprising as “wholesale” builders are not consumer-facing in the usual sense. They often don’t have display homes or provide ways for the public to buy their homes directly.
Instead, wholesale builders partner with referral groups, who introduce clients looking to build their first home, second home or an investment property.
This model has produced some of the fastest-growing builders in the country.
According to Australian Construction Data, 17 of Queensland’s top 35 builders are either fully wholesale or operate a significant wholesale division. Collectively, those builders delivered 3,480 homes last financial year.
Builders vs Wholesale Builders
• Traditional retail builder → Client
• Wholesale builder → Referral channel → Client
When a referred client signs a build contract, the wholesale builder pays the referral channel a commission – typically $30k–$40k, with a range of $15k–$45k depending on the project.
Main referral channels
The largest referrers tend to include:
• Builder brokers
• Buyers’ advocates
• Financial planners and investment advisers
They can also be:
• Accountants
• Real estate agents
• Mortgage brokers
• Property developers
• Buyers agents
• Property clubs
• And a long list of creatively titled operators
Major Players
It may come as a surprise to learn that referral channels generate roughly 30% of all home-building sales in Queensland.
This is because large-scale home building is, for better or worse, largely a sales and marketing business. The top-performing referral channels know how to do this well. They build trust faster and provide a higher level of care than many traditional retail builders, particularly for first home buyers and investors.
First home buyers can also benefit from working with referral channels as they can help:
• Manage finance and buyer constraints
• Educate clients and connect them with quality mortgage brokers
• Assist with land negotiation and acquisition
• Guide buyers through design, quoting, and construction
For investors, they also help:
• Build long-term property strategies
• Remove the friction of dealing with developers, builders, and property managers
• Provide cash-flow modelling and depreciation reports
• Offer clear pathways into higher-yield options such as NDIS, co-living, and specialist housing
The result is a far more seamless experience.
Choosing your Wholesale Builder
Like any industry, there are ethical, high-quality operators creating real value – and others chasing a quick commission who damage the sector’s reputation.
And choosing the right wholesale builder?
We are naturally biased but a good wholesale builder will:
• Offer higher specifications and upgrades (like stone benchtops, ducted air conditioning, undermount sinks, solar, etc.)
• Deliver genuinely turnkey, fixed-price contracts, including site costs
• Run highly efficient contract administration
• Secure land more effectively than retail builders