Purchasing a 5 million dollar vineyard

I found a really beautiful vineyard on the real estate website I follow. Whilst i’m not 100% ready to purchase this type of property, I always love looking at whats available to get a clearer idea of what i’d like to buy (and also more importantly – what I dont want to buy).

This particular Hawkes Bay vineyard was a cool $5,000,000.

Now, my pragmatic self is screaming ‘you don’t have 5 million dollars, close that door, its not happening’.

But my overly-ambitious, delusional self will always to ask – well, why the hell can’t I?

Throughout my entire career, this has been my guiding light with deciding to do anything.

How pie-in-the-sky would it be to make this happen? , I thought.

If I seriously wanted to purchase said $5 mill vineyard, what do I realistically need to do to make this happen?

Naturally, I asked my favourite unbiased friend ChatGPT to figure this out for me because although I could make a plan myself, so often do the voices of doubt come to try burn the place down before you have pen to paper.

I tried this prompt:

I want to buy this vineyard in Hawkes Bay, it costs about $5,000,000 but I don’t have enough money currently, but have a small deposit ($######). I want to grow my wealth to be able to purchase this, write me a granular plan to do this, 1) step by step in a typical amount of time, 2) in the shortest amount of time possible.

Here’s how that went:

Buying a $5,000,000 vineyard is a bold and ambitious goal. Here’s a detailed step-by-step plan for achieving it, both on a typical timeline (5–10 years) and on an expedited timeline (3–5 years).

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Plan 1: Typical Timeline (5–10 years)

Step 1: Assess the Financial Picture (Months 1–3)

1. Calculate Total Costs:
   • Down payment for $5M: ~$1M (20%)
   • Ongoing costs: Mortgage payments, maintenance, operations, and legal fees.
2. Evaluate Current Assets:
   • Combined current savings (you + partner).
   • Estimate earning potential from current work/business.

Step 2: Strengthen Financial Position (Year 1)

1. Build Emergency Fund:
   • Set aside 3–6 months of living expenses for security.
2. Maximise Income:
   • Focus on growing your business into a 7-figure business, using high-margin services (e.g., X projects, X strategy).
   • Launch lead magnets and templates to create passive income streams.
   • Offer additional consultancy or premium services to increase client revenue.
3. Minimise Expenses:
   • Cut unnecessary costs and optimise personal/business budgets.

Step 3: Accelerate Wealth Building (Years 2–5)

1. Real Estate Investment:
   • Use the $150,000 deposit to buy a rental property.
   • Generate positive cash flow from tenants and use capital appreciation to reinvest.
2. Invest in Index Funds and Dividend Stocks:
   • Allocate a portion of monthly income to diversified portfolios for long-term growth.
   • Focus on high-dividend stocks for additional passive income.
3. Reinvest in Business Growth:
   • Use profits from your business to scale operations and hire talent, allowing more time to strategise.
   • Aim for a minimum annual profit of $500,000 by year 5.

Step 4: Secure Financing for the Vineyard (Year 5–10)

1. Save for the $1M Down Payment:
   • Combine business profits, personal savings, and investments.
   • Sell any appreciated real estate if needed.
2. Develop a Business Plan for the Vineyard:
   • Present it to banks or investors for financing the remaining $4M.
   • Highlight potential revenue streams (wine sales, tourism, events).

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Plan 2: Shortest Possible Timeline (3–5 years)

Step 1: Go All-In on Income Growth (Year 1)

1. Supercharge your business:
   • Transition focus to high-value X projects for established brands.
   • Charge premium rates (e.g., $50,000+ per project).
   • Expand into new markets (e.g., location A / location B).
2. Launch Digital Products & Courses:
   • Create high-demand templates, guides, and business tools (e.g., XYZ).
   • Leverage targeted ads and SEO to scale sales.
   • Aim for passive income of $200,000 annually within 2 years.
3. Optimise Partner’s Earning Power:
   • Encourage your partner to increase income via promotions, side hustles, or investing in skills.

Step 2: Aggressive Wealth Building (Year 2–3)

1. Leverage Real Estate:
   • Buy a small rental property with the $150,000 deposit.
   • Reinvest profits into more properties (using equity to buy additional ones).
2. Pursue Strategic Investments:
   • Allocate business profits to diversified investments.
   • Prioritise high-yield returns such as ETFs, REITs, or short-term gains in growth stocks.

Step 3: Attract External Investors (Year 3–5)

1. Develop a Vineyard Proposal:
   • Outline a revenue model (wine sales, experiences, tourism).
   • Approach angel investors or partnerships with wine-related businesses.
2. Secure Loans and Grants:
   • Research agricultural or tourism grants in New Zealand.
   • Apply for a business loan, leveraging your strong income and existing assets.

Step 4: Final Purchase and Transition

1. By Year 5, combine:
   • $1M down payment from personal savings, real estate sales, and business profits.
   • $4M financing from investors, grants, and loans.
2. Transition to vineyard operations, using your skills in marketing, branding, and digital strategy to make it a profitable venture.

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Key Mindset for Both Plans

• Think Big, Act Fast: Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity—create opportunities by leveraging your skills and network.
• Partner Strategically: Collaborate with your partner, investors, or industry professionals who align with your vision.
• Stay Disciplined: Maintain focus on your goal and regularly track financial progress.

Which timeline feels more realistic for you?

Which timeline feels more realistic for you? Cute GPT, you know the answer.

Because why not aim for the stars and build a rocket while you’re at it?

I love how this exercise transformed a fleeting dream into something that feels tangible. It offered super actionable steps, when upon review, I was already achieving a few of these steps already and had steps in place towards other steps.

Even if I don’t end up buying this specific vineyard, the process of planning and thinking big always sparks ideas and strategies that I can apply elsewhere.

So, for now, I’ll save the vineyard photos to my “vision board” and keep building my empire—one bold, overly ambitious plan at a time. Because if I’ve learned anything from business so far, it’s that the things that seem pie-in-the-sky today often turn into real opportunities tomorrow—when you’re willing to do the work.

Did me 5 years ago ever think i’d be where I am today? Hell no. So time to get building ☼