Chris Huxter – Commercial Property Strategist Driving Long-Term Wealth

With a background across major property groups including Lendlease and Mirvac, Chris now leads InvestorKit’s commercial property division, helping investors acquire quality income-producing assets across Australia.

His approach is built around disciplined due diligence, strong market research, careful negotiation and long-term client relationships.

How did you start down this career path?

Before joining InvestorKit, I built my career in corporate property with Lendlease and Mirvac, working across large-scale portfolios, acquisitions, research, valuations, leasing and development.

It was a strong career path, but I reached a point where I wanted to work more directly with investors.

I kept seeing high-income professionals, business owners and families earning strong incomes, but not always converting that income into long-term financial security. They were working hard, taking risk (majority are business owners) but often lacked the right asset base behind them.

That is what drew me further into property investing.

Commercial property appealed to me because it is not just about market sentiment or hoping the market goes up. You need to understand the tenant, the lease, the building, the location, the income, the risk and the exit strategy.

That suits the way I think.

Joining InvestorKit made sense because the business already had a strong research-led culture. The focus was never just “buy property”. It was about making better decisions through data, strategy and discipline.

We’re building the commercial division with a clear focus on quality over volume. Growth is important, but it only matters if the standard stays high. The number I care about most is not how many properties we buy, but how many clients we help make better long-term investment decisions.

What inspires you in your role and the industry?

The biggest driver for me is seeing clients make decisions that can genuinely improve their long-term position.

A good commercial property can change the way a client thinks about wealth. It can create stronger cash flow, reduce reliance on earned income and give them a clearer path toward financial independence. I also enjoy the complexity of the asset class.

Commercial property forces you to think deeply. You are not just buying land and a building. You are buying income, lease security, tenant demand, future re-letting prospects and long-term market relevance. That is what makes it interesting.

Every deal requires judgement. A property can look strong on yield but fall apart once you review the lease, tenant covenant, building condition or market depth. That is where good advice matters.

For me, the most rewarding part is helping clients see both sides clearly. Not just why a deal looks attractive, but what could go wrong and how we manage that risk before they commit.

What’s your approach to customer service that separates you from the rest?

My approach is simple.

I treat the client’s money as if it were my own.

That means we do not just chase transactions. We are very prepared to tell a client not to buy something if the risk does not stack up.

A big part of our role is protecting clients from poor decisions. Sometimes that means walking away from a deal after weeks of work. That is not always easy, but it is necessary.

1. We look at every acquisition through a broader strategy.

2. Does this asset improve the client’s cash flow?

3. Does it suit their borrowing position?

4. Is the lease strong enough?

5. Is the tenant likely to stay?

6. Is there enough demand in the market if the tenant leaves?

7. Are there building issues that could hurt the client later?

Those questions matter.

I also believe service does not stop at settlement. Clients need support after they buy, whether that is leasing advice, market updates, property management issues, rent reviews or planning the next acquisition. That long-term relationship is important to me.

The best clients do not want someone who simply finds a property. They want someone who can help them make clear, informed decisions over many years.

How do you innovate and stay ahead of industry trends?

For us, innovation is about making better decisions, not using technology for the sake of it.

InvestorKit has invested heavily in research, data and internal systems, including our EDGE platform. That gives us a stronger view of markets, supply-demand trends, rental conditions and broader investment fundamentals.

But data is only one part of the process.

Data can help you narrow the field. It can show you where the opportunity might be. But experience and judgement decide whether a specific property is worth buying.

That is especially true in commercial property.

Two assets can look similar on paper but have very different risk profiles once you review the lease, the tenant, the building, the location and the re-letting market.

So the real advantage is combining data with practical commercial judgement.

We are always reviewing where capital is moving, which sectors are showing stronger tenant demand, where rents are under pressure, where supply is constrained and where investors may be overpaying.

The goal is not to predict everything. The goal is to stay disciplined, read the market properly and avoid being reactive.

What is the toughest challenge you’ve faced in your role? How did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges in commercial property is helping clients make clear decisions during periods of uncertainty.

Markets move through cycles. Interest rates change. Lending conditions tighten. Buyer sentiment shifts. During those periods, many investors either become too cautious or too reactive.

Our role is to bring clarity back into the decision-making process.

That does not mean pushing clients to proceed. It means helping them assess the opportunity properly. We look past the noise and focus on the fundamentals: tenant demand, lease security, building quality, supply constraints, rental growth, location strength and long-term relevance.

Some opportunities should be avoided, even if they look attractive on paper. Others are worth pursuing, even when the broader market feels uncertain.

The key is having a disciplined process.

When clients can see the risks clearly, understand the upside, and make decisions based on evidence rather than emotion, they are in a much stronger position.

Those experiences have reinforced one of the biggest lessons in commercial property: the goal is not to be fearless. It is to be clear-headed, patient and selective.

What are some of your goals for the next five years?

The main professional goal is to continue building one of Australia’s leading commercial property advisory divisions within InvestorKit.

We have a clear ambition to surpass $1 billion in annual commercial acquisitions within the next five years, but the bigger goal is to do that while maintaining a very high standard of advice.

Volume on its own does not mean much.

The standard of the assets, the quality of the due diligence and the long-term client outcomes matter more.

I also want to help raise the standard of commercial buyer advocacy more broadly.

Clients are becoming more educated. They are asking better questions. They want deeper research, stronger communication and a more strategic approach.

That is a good thing for the industry.

Personally, I want to keep improving as an advisor, investor and leader.

The goal is to build something that clients can trust for the long term, not just for one transaction.

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