How Dustin Martin is buying up Richmond

The Tigers star dropped $6 million in one street alone, buying up big in Richmond and surrounds. This is where he invested.

Dustin Martin hugs his manager Ralph Carr after the 2019 AFL Grand Final. Picture: Mark Stewart

Richmond star Dustin Martin has been on a $14m property buying spree in Richmond and Abbotsford — including the purchase of three Richmond properties in the same street.

Martin and his manager Ralph Carr have dropped $6m in Butler Street alone, where they have bought three former warehouses between 2016 and 2020.

Belle Property Richmond principal director Daniel Atsis said investing in properties in Richmond and Abbotsford was a wise move.

“We’ve always had a lot of people invest in here, got a large rental market and we’re always able to rent them well,” he said.

Dustin Martin. Picture: Getty Images

“It’s bread and butter sort of stuff and despite what’s going on (with COVID-19) now is a great time to invest.

“Richmond is a bit unique, coming from an industrial area, a lot of it is commercial property and zoned very different.”

Martin and Carr, who is a close friend of the footy superstar as well as his manager, have teamed up to make the astute purchases via various individual companies of which they are directors.

Carr declined to comment about the bulging property portfolio when contacted yesterday. However, he has regularly likened his star client to international soccer star David Beckham and previously described him as having extraordinary earning power.

“(He is) not only one of the best ­players that has ever played the game, he is probably the most bankable sports brand in Australia,” Carr has said.

“I always thought with the right support and guidance he would become Australia’s ­Michael Jordan or David Beckham.

“He has real reach, real sell-through and will have strong currency well after he retires.”

All the property transactions have been made via companies.

In 2016 through one of their companies they purchased 29-31 Butler Street for $2.2m. They followed that up in 2018 by buying another warehouse, at 25 Butler Street, through a different company for $2.915m.

They bought a third warehouse in Butler Street, number 35, for $1.275m last year.

367 Victoria Street, Abbotsford. Picture: David Crosling

401-407 Victoria Street, Abbotsford. Picture: David Crosling

25-27 Butler Street, Richmond. Picture: David Crosling

29-31 Butler Street, Richmond.

That purchase was made by a company that lists Carr, Martin and businessman Chris Bissiotis as directors. The trio are also the directors of yet another company that purchased a property at 407 Victoria Street, Abbotsford, for $4.8m in 2020.

Another property, at 367 Victoria Street, Abbotsford, was snapped up for $3m in 2019 by a company of which Martin is the sole director.

Martin, 29, is one of the highest paid players in the AFL and boasts lucrative sponsorships and endorsements with brands including Bonds, Nike, Daily Voost and Kennedy. He is midway through a $9m, seven-year contract with Richmond and a documentary tracking his incredible career is in the works.

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