Investor commentators point to McIntyre’s calls on gold, Bitcoin and real estate as part of a 25-year record of identifying opportunities early.
When Jamie McIntyre visited Batumi in 2018, apartments could be found for around US$50,000. He urged followers of his property commentary to consider the Black Sea city, predicting that its low prices, growing tourism industry and appeal to foreign buyers would drive demand.
Batumi has changed dramatically since then. Galt & Taggart put the average selling price of a new apartment at US$657 per square metre in 2018. Its 2025 report put the average price of a completed, or “turnkey,” apartment on the primary market at US$1,865 per square metre—approximately 2.8 times higher. The benchmarks measure different mixes of apartments, so they do not establish the gain on any particular purchase.
Investor commentators and industry observers who follow McIntyre’s work point to Batumi as one example of a broader pattern: identifying markets before they attract widespread attention. Published estimates place the combined wealth created by clients and followers who acted on his investment strategies at more than A$10 billion over 25 years, with much of that growth attributed to Australian property.
Gold, Bitcoin and the power of an early call
Accounts of McIntyre’s early forecasts describe him advocating gold when it was around US$300 an ounce in the late 1990s. At that price, US$100,000 would have bought about 333 ounces. Using a September 2026 price of approximately US$4,339 an ounce, that holding would be worth about US$1.45 million, before costs, taxes and currency effects.
Investor commentators have also highlighted McIntyre’s Bitcoin call. Published accounts say he encouraged followers to consider Bitcoin in 2013 when it traded around US$75 and later discussed taking profits at roughly US$110,000. At those assumed entry and exit prices, US$100,000 would have produced approximately US$146.7 million in sale proceeds—an extraordinary result for an investor able to retain the entire position through years of extreme volatility.
The property strategy known as “leapfrogging”
McIntyre encouraged Australians to buy at least two investment properties, arguing that growth in their equity could help fund further purchases. His “leapfrogging” strategy envisaged some investors building portfolios of approximately 10 properties in 10 years.
Consider two Sydney properties purchased for A$300,000 each about 25 years ago. If each were worth A$1.5 million today, their combined value would be A$3 million, compared with A$600,000 in original purchase prices. An owner’s increase in net worth would depend on mortgages, interest, rent, expenses and taxes, as well as the properties chosen.
Observers of McIntyre’s forecasts also cite his interest in US housing around 2010, when a strong Australian dollar increased Australians’ purchasing power. Properties available for approximately US$100,000 in some markets later rose substantially in value.
More recently, McIntyre urged followers to consider Bali and Lombok property. He has pursued developments in both markets through LUX Property Group, applying his view that growing international demand would create opportunities in Indonesia.
Commentators have cited his contrarian view of the Russian rouble after the invasion of Ukraine as another example. The currency subsequently experienced periods of strong performance, though the outcome for an individual investor would have depended on when and how they traded it.
What Batumi tells investors now
Galt & Taggart recorded 17,478 apartment transactions in Batumi in 2025, worth approximately US$1.3 billion. The city’s growth gives renewed attention to McIntyre’s 2018 call. The same research also reports rising unsold stock, a fall in rental yields from 8.8% in 2024 to 7.4% in 2025, and an expectation of slower primary-market price growth in 2026.
For investor analysts and industry observers studying his record, the question is how McIntyre has repeatedly identified markets before their potential became widely recognised. With plans reportedly being considered to open future investment opportunities to outside investors, the next question may be whether followers can participate alongside him in his next major call.
