Bachelor star admits huge renovation blunder with Gold Coast investment property

Former dating show contestant Bill Goldsmith has launched a new career as a real estate agent.

And the 36-year-old Bachelorette star has shared his own costly mistakes as a house flipper after splashing out $1million on a renovation property on the Gold Coast in 2021.

Goldsmith says he blew out costs while doing up the ‘dated’ three-bedroom, two-bathroom pad in Burleigh Waters, before selling it in 2023 for $1,440,000.

‘It taught me the importance of budgeting and sticking to timelines,’ the one-time plumber told The Courier Mail on Tuesday.

Goldsmith said in the end he was ‘thrilled’ with the outcome, but added, ‘If I were to do it again, I’d spend more time sourcing trades to ensure efficiency and cost-effectiveness.’

In the new interview Goldsmith, who was a fan favourite on the 2018 season of The Bachelorette, shared his pointers for first-time property investors.

Former dating show contestant Bill Goldsmith has launched a new career as a real estate agent. (Pictured)

The 36-year-old Bachelorette star has shared his own costly mistakes as a house flipper after splashing $1million on a lavish renovation property on the Gold Coast in 2021. (Pictured)

Good landscaping, kitchens and bathrooms are key selling points he said.

And he also warned future house flippers if they want to go the ‘do-it-yourself’ route, they should avoid luxury finishes ‘where the market doesn’t demand it’. 

He also suggested that renovators should have a budget plan for unexpected costs.

Previously located in Victoria, Goldsmith moved to Burleigh Heads in 2021.

Goldsmith spent a year renovating the sprawling suburban fixer-upper.

He completely re-fitted the home, including installing a modern kitchen with a breakfast island and stone bench tops.

Designed with a thoughtful open plan, highlights include a cosy living and dining area that opens out to a timber deck and al fresco entertainment area.

There’s also a saltwater pool, air-conditioning and a large backyard. 

Goldsmith told The Courier Mail on Tuesday he blew out costs while doing up the ‘dated’ three-bedroom, two-bathroom pad in Burleigh Waters, before selling it in 2023 for $1,440,000. Pictured: The street view of the home which Goldsmith spent a year renovating

In the new interview Goldsmith, who was a fan favourite on the 2018 season The Bachelorette, shared his pointers for first-time property investors. Pictured: The entertainment deck

He completely re-fitted the home, including installing a modern kitchen with a breakfast island and stone bench tops. (Pictured)

In 2023 Goldsmith created a stir on Facebook when he put the property on the rental market for $2,600 a fortnight and a $4,000 bond.

Goldsmith was forced to respond after users, who saw the home advertised on the platform, complained about the cost.

‘Trying to make a living out of struggling families during a rental crisis, classy. Please actually put some effort into your pricing when doing research,’ one person wrote.

‘If you can’t afford it that’s cool, but please have some respect as it’s priced fair according to current market conditions,’ he said 

‘I have worked hard renovating this house into something beautiful.’

At the time, the average rental price for a similar property in Burleigh Waters was $1,182 a week.

He later removed the post from Facebook and told the Gold Coast Bulletin that he ‘stood by’ his pricing.

‘I’m not upping the rent on my house, I’m just advertising it at the market conditions.

‘I just think I advertised it to the wrong demographic on Facebook, lesson learnt.’

Goldsmith made headlines in 2021 after joining OnlyFans. 

OnlyFans is a subscription-based adult website where content can range from something as innocent as a suggestive selfie, all the way to hardcore pornography.

The reality star shot to fame as an early frontrunner on Ali Oetjen’s season of The Bachelorette in 2018.

While OnlyFans has made a name for itself because of its adult content focus, there are creators on the platform that use it for other forms of content, including fitness and cooking videos.

Goldsmith returned to reality TV in 2019 when he appeared on Bachelor in Paradise.