Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Scottish Property Podcast
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| He Made £30K on His First Property Flip — Then Went All In | 09 nov. 2026 | 00:54:22 | |
Ryan Cullen went from working as an electrician to making approximately £30,000 profit on his first property flip—a result that convinced him property could become more than a side project. Instead of simply repeating the same strategy, Ryan invested in his education, started learning how to source deals and cut his salary in half to work part-time. After one heated phone call with his manager, he quit the job he had held for eight years and committed fully to building a property business. Ryan explains how the business scaled to around 20 properties in six months, including buy-to-lets, serviced accommodation and an aparthotel. He also shares why the team has since focused on reducing leverage, improving due diligence and giving a smaller number of investors a more complete portfolio-building service. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • How Ryan went from a difficult time at school to completing an electrical apprenticeship • The employee share-save scheme that gave him the capital to begin investing • Buying a rundown Bathgate property without fully understanding the numbers • Completing much of the refurbishment himself and making approximately £30,000 profit • Why he spent money on property education instead of immediately buying another project • Setting himself the goal of sourcing one deal within six months • Cutting his salary in half so he could learn the property business part-time • The phone call that led him to quit his electrical job and go all in • Scaling from no properties to around 20 units in the business within six months • A £35,000 serviced-accommodation purchase producing nearly £2,000 in strong months • The aparthotel generating approximately £10,000–£12,000 net per month • Refurbishing eight Helensburgh flats for longer serviced-accommodation bookings • Why cash flow and loan-to-value matter more than chasing a large unit count • Moving from WhatsApp deal groups towards a smaller, premium investor service • The sourcing mistakes that taught Ryan the importance of contracts, communication and aftercare • Why the team now verifies comparables, rents and serviced-accommodation figures before presenting a deal • Raising private finance and learning how to structure vendor-finance opportunities • The discipline required to balance business growth, fitness and personal life CONNECT WITH RYAN Instagram: @ryancullenproperty NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow View upcoming speakers and book: 👉 https://scottishpropertypodcast.co.uk/events/ SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Follow so you never miss an episode 💬 Would you have left a secure trade after one successful property flip? Let us know in the comments 👇 | |||
| Scotland’s New Landlord Laws: What Changed and What’s Coming Next | 02 nov. 2026 | 00:46:47 | |
Scotland’s rental rules have changed again—and landlords and letting agents need to understand both what is already in force and what is coming next. In this market update, Steven is joined by Lyndsay from Rent Locally and Property Investors Network to break down Awaab’s Law, new succession rights, wrongful-termination compensation and protections against discrimination when choosing tenants. They also look ahead to April 2027, including changes to joint tenancies, rent-officer decisions, pets and decorating. Lyndsay explains what the rules could mean in practice for HMO landlords, letting agents and tenants—and why responsible landlords may already be following many of the same principles. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • What Awaab’s Law means when a tenant reports damp or mould • The response times discussed for inspecting a property and beginning remedial work • How to distinguish surface condensation from water ingress and structural damp • Lyndsay’s early experience across approximately 2,500 managed properties • Why the tenancy-succession qualifying period has fallen from 12 months to six • Compensation tenants may pursue following wrongful termination • What landlords should document if a property does not sell and is returned to the rental market • How councils are collecting data before deciding whether areas require rent controls • New protections for applicants with children or receiving benefits • Why letting agents should record affordability checks and tenant-selection decisions • The April 2027 changes allowing one joint tenant to leave without the other’s consent • Concerns about how the joint-tenancy rules could affect abuse survivors, HMOs and student lets • Why rent officers will no longer be able to set rent above the increase requested by the landlord • How requests to keep pets or decorate a rental property should be handled • Why additional disputes could create further pressure on the First-tier Tribunal • Whether increasing regulation is discouraging Lyndsay from investing CHAPTERS 00:00 - Scotland’s latest landlord-law update 01:10 - Awaab’s Law and damp-response times 02:39 - Condensation versus water ingress 05:32 - Succession rights fall from 12 months to six 06:49 - Wrongful termination and compensation 08:17 - Proving a genuine attempt to sell 10:18 - Rent controls and local-authority data 13:22 - New anti-discrimination protections 16:18 - Records letting agents need to keep 18:32 - Penalties for unlawful discrimination 18:58 - Joint-tenancy changes from April 2027 21:19 - Concerns for abuse survivors and HMOs 27:29 - Why rent-control rules are still being defined 30:00 - How rent officers assess market rent 32:15 - Staying ahead of legislative changes 36:04 - New limits on rent-officer decisions 38:15 - Pets and decorating requests 40:50 - Pressure on the First-tier Tribunal 44:46 - Do the new rules deter investors? 45:27 - Networking and the Scottish Property Investors Ball CONNECT WITH LYNDSAY Lyndsay on Instagram: @lyndsayyuill NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow View upcoming speakers and book: 👉 https://scottishpropertypodcast.co.uk/events/ SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 Which change do you think will have the biggest impact on Scottish landlords? Let us know in the comments 👇 | |||
| From Holes in His Shoes to Owning 400 Properties | 26 oct. 2026 | 01:16:39 | |
Alex Walker grew up in Govan with holes in his shoes and free-school-meal tickets. Determined to give his own children a different life, he worked in Glasgow’s fish market, built a business with three fish vans and later earned commission at Sky before accidentally becoming a landlord. What began with a Livingston flat he could not sell and a former council house bought for £9,000 has grown into a portfolio approaching 400 properties. After 26 years in the industry, Alex is still expanding—buying approximately 60–70 properties this year and growing his business by an average of 18.3% annually over the past five years. Alex shares how he survived the 2008 financial crisis with approximately £6 million of debt against a portfolio worth around £4 million, why he once considered selling everything for £2 million and why his plan to relocate to Dubai did not last. He also explains his current buy-to-let model, what he would do with £50,000 today and how new investors can avoid overpaying for sourced deals. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Meet Alex Walker 03:50 - Growing towards a 400-property portfolio 05:44 - How property networking changed the industry 11:35 - The setbacks behind Alex’s growth 13:34 - Surviving the 2008 financial crisis 16:17 - Using refinancing to scale the portfolio 18:38 - From holes in his shoes to property success 21:16 - Working in the fish market and running three vans 26:18 - Earning commission at Sky 27:56 - How Alex became a landlord by accident 29:16 - Scaling without an inheritance 31:43 - Moving from self-management to building a team 35:20 - Why Alex nearly sold his entire portfolio 40:40 - The plan to move to Dubai 44:03 - Why Dubai was not the life Alex expected 49:01 - Why Alex still backs traditional buy-to-let 49:28 - His ideal £140,000 three-bedroom investment 50:35 - £4,000 refurbishments and £300 monthly cash flow 52:08 - Why the portfolio remains around 70% LTV 58:01 - What Alex would do with £50,000 today 01:00:41 - What could make him stop investing 01:03:56 - Why Alex does not invest in Aberdeen 01:06:28 - Why he is buying in Edinburgh 01:07:32 - What makes a property sourcer worth paying 01:09:45 - Checking the numbers behind sourced deals 01:13:00 - Why Alex submits hundreds of offers 01:14:48 - The value of property networking NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow View upcoming speakers and book your ticket: 👉 https://scottishpropertypodcast.co.uk... SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 💬 If you had £50,000 to begin investing today, would you follow Alex’s low-cost buy-to-let strategy? Let us know in the comments 👇 | |||
| 700 Property Deals — And the 10 That Didn’t Go to Plan | 19 oct. 2026 | 01:07:26 | |
What really happens when a property deal goes wrong—and who should take responsibility? Matt Morrison returns to the podcast after completing more than 700 property deals. He also revisits a Borders investment that did not go entirely to plan, sharing his perspective on how the strategy changed from buy-to-let to serviced accommodation, why the refurbishment costs increased and what everyone involved could have communicated more clearly. Using the original deal pack, emails and costings, Matt explains the difference between the initial £15,000 refurbishment estimate and the final cost of £26,260. He also discusses why the property achieved the £90,000 valuation stated in the original deal pack and the lessons he has taken from the experience. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • How Matt progressed from around ten deals in his first year to more than 700 • Matt’s perspective on a Borders investment that did not go entirely to plan • How changing from buy-to-let to serviced accommodation affected the refurbishment • The emails showing a final refurbishment cost of £26,260 • Why clearer communication between the investor, sourcer and builder was needed • How the final valuation compared with the original deal pack • The ten deals Matt identified as having gone off plan • Damp, delays and a break-in at a £25,000 flat • Why a Home Report could have exposed non-traditional construction in Dundee • The Edinburgh flat where RAAC was discovered after purchase • How dry rot turned Matt’s £12,000 refurbishment into a £25,000–£30,000 project • Why Matt refunded £1,500 after a buyer’s solicitor failed to submit an offer • Whether property sourcers need stronger regulation • The title problem that left Matt with approximately £12,000 at risk • One flat being valued at £65,000, £45,000 and £70,000 within six weeks • Growing a portfolio towards 40 properties while managing more than 200 rental units • Why Matt wants to scale his marketing spend to approximately £20,000 per month • How he decides which deals to keep and which to offer investors CHAPTERS 00:00 - Meet Matt Morrison 00:38 - How Matt reached 700 property deals 01:50 - Revisiting a Borders property deal 06:20 - What the original deal pack showed 07:14 - Buy-to-let versus serviced-accommodation refurbishment 08:28 - The final £26,260 refurbishment cost 09:55 - Project management and the builder’s unexpected extras 12:00 - What went wrong with communication 16:18 - Why the £90,000 valuation matched the deal pack 20:03 - The ten deals that did not go to plan 21:06 - Damp, delays and a break-in at a £25,000 flat 22:11 - Why Home Reports matter on off-market deals 24:32 - A three-week refurbishment that took 16 weeks 25:41 - The Dundee flat only one lender would finance 29:14 - RAAC discovered after buying an Edinburgh flat 35:57 - Underestimated refurbishments and hidden dry rot 39:01 - Losing two Edinburgh deals and refunding the fee 42:22 - Should property sourcers be more regulated? 44:39 - The Westfield Court buyback 45:52 - Spending £12,000 before discovering a title problem 49:09 - One flat, three completely different valuations 51:37 - Matt’s business today55:01 - Building a 40-property portfolio 56:35 - Scaling marketing to £20,000 per month 59:30 - Why the same deal does not suit every investor 01:01:18 - Does Matt keep the best deals for himself? 01:02:55 - Matt’s advice for new property sourcers NETWORKING EVENTS View upcoming speakers and book your ticket: 👉https://scottishpropertypodcast.co.uk/events/ SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 💬 What due diligence would you insist on before buying through a property sourcer? Let us know in the comments 👇 | |||
| Buy-to-Let vs Serviced Accommodation — Which Is Really Riskier? | 12 oct. 2026 | 00:46:45 | |
Is serviced accommodation really a safer investment than a traditional buy-to-let—or does the potential for higher income come with significantly more risk? In this listener Q&A, Nick and Steven compare the predictability of vanilla buy-to-let with the fluctuating nightly rates, seasonal demand and contractor-led markets associated with serviced accommodation. They explain why buy-to-let may be “boring” but remains one of the least risky property strategies, while a serviced-accommodation deal can quickly struggle when local demand changes. They also answer questions about finding off-market deals, funding a first purchase, choosing quality assets over higher-yielding properties, living in a flip, starting a management business and raising private finance. The conversation then turns to property sourcing, who should take responsibility when a deal goes wrong and whether investors should scale or reduce portfolio debt. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS CHAPTERS NETWORKING EVENTS SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode | |||
| Could a Self-Employed Estate Agent Really Earn £100K a Year in Scotland? | 05 oct. 2026 | 01:07:39 | |
Could a self-employed estate agent build a six-figure business without sacrificing the personal service sellers expect? Fraser Kelly, founder of Kelly Residential, joins Nick and Steven to explain how he moved from corporate sales and property sourcing into estate agency. In five years, the business has grown to an 11-person team with five self-employed agents and six operations staff, while becoming one of the West of Scotland’s busiest offices for new instructions. Fraser breaks down the numbers behind the model, including monthly costs, commission splits and how agents can generate more than £100,000 in annual revenue. He also shares his view of the Scottish sales market, why some homes are being overvalued, the risks facing Glasgow city-centre flats and what it really takes to succeed in self-employed estate agency. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • Why Fraser left corporate sales and moved from property sourcing into estate agency • How Kelly Residential grew to five self-employed agents and six operations staff • The difference between a personal estate agent and the traditional corporate model • Why overvaluing a home can leave it sitting on the market for months • A Clarkston bungalow that sold for £140,000 above its Home Report • Why new-build incentives make some nearly new homes harder to resell • How factor fees and cladding issues are affecting Glasgow city-centre flats • The skills Fraser believes matter more than previous estate-agency experience • How some agents are generating more than £100,000 a year in revenue • Why new agents should consider holding six months of savings • The £350 monthly cost and 50/50-to-75/25 commission structure • Why Kelly Residential’s average fee is around £2,200 • The discipline and long hours required to make self-employment work • How Google reviews, social media and AI are changing property marketing CHAPTERS 00:00 - Meet Fraser Kelly 00:46 - Viral AI property videos and online backlash 03:11 - Why US and Australian estate agents spend more on marketing 03:55 - From corporate sales to property sourcing 05:22 - Moving into self-employed estate agency 08:04 - Why the UK estate-agency model is different 10:33 - Prime Property Auctions 11:58 - Building Kelly Residential 15:05 - Personal service versus the corporate model 20:20 - Scaling without losing service 23:20 - What is happening in the Scottish sales market? 25:19 - Managing sellers’ Home Report expectations 31:07 - A bungalow sold £140,000 above its Home Report 34:10 - The properties struggling to sell 35:30 - Glasgow flats, factor fees and cladding 38:12 - What makes a successful self-employed estate agent? 42:06 - How the Kelly Residential model works 43:16 - How agents can generate £100,000 a year 45:20 - How much savings should a new agent have? 49:07 - Growing from a local office across Scotland 50:47 - Why Fraser is moving into lettings 55:12 - Monthly costs and commission splits 57:16 - Estate-agent fees and the race to the bottom 01:03:10 - The discipline needed to succeed 01:05:16 - Where to connect with Fraser CONNECT WITH FRASER Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FraserKellyResidential LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fraserkellyresidential/ NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow View upcoming speakers and book your ticket: 👉https://scottishpropertypodcast.co.uk/events/ SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 Would you leave a salaried role to build your own estate-agency business? Let us know in the comments 👇 | |||
| Awaab's Law Hits Scottish Landlords on 6th October: What You Must Do | 28 sept. 2026 | 00:51:55 | |
From 6 October 2026, private and social landlords across Scotland must follow strict new timescales when damp or mould is reported: investigate within 10 working days, provide written findings within three working days and begin any required repairs within five working days of the investigation. Paul Newing of PRN Water Services joins Nick and Steven to explain Scotland’s implementation of Awaab’s Law and what landlords and letting agents need to do to prepare. They discuss when the clock starts, who can carry out an investigation, what evidence should be retained and why landlords can no longer dismiss a complaint as “tenant lifestyle” without investigating it properly. They also examine condensation, penetrating damp and rising damp; ventilation and extractor-fan problems; four-week humidity monitoring; treating mould correctly; repeat complaints; and the complications caused by communal repairs and property factors. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS CONNECT WITH PAUL OFFICIAL GUIDANCE NETWORKING EVENTS SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode This episode is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. | |||
| From Sleeping on Building Sites to Owning 30+ Properties | 21 sept. 2026 | 01:01:12 | |
Jordan Kynoch started investing in property at just 23, with no money, no experience and a long-term goal: to build enough freedom to be fully present when he eventually became a father. Thirteen years later, Jordan owns more than 30 properties across Scotland and Liverpool. The journey involved countless hours on the road, sleeping on building-site floors and using private investment to fund every property purchase—but that hard work now allows him to spend almost every day with his new son. In this episode, Jordan shares the numbers behind his portfolio purchases and property flips, including a six-title deal bought for £192,500 and a derelict house that generated approximately £80,000 in pre-tax profit. He also explains why he is selling some Liverpool HMOs, how he manages projects across different locations and why straightforward buy-to-lets still form the foundation of his portfolio. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS CONNECT WITH JORDAN NETWORKING EVENTS SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode | |||
| Are Property Flips Still Worth It in 2026? | 14 sept. 2026 | 00:27:25 | |
Are property flips still worth pursuing in 2026—or have rising costs and tighter margins made the strategy too difficult? In this listener Q&A episode, Nick and Steven examine the reality of flipping property in today’s market. With Scotland’s 8% Additional Dwelling Supplement, higher material prices, increased trade rates, bridging costs and tax on the eventual profit, investors now need to buy at a much deeper discount and control every expense carefully. They explain why straightforward, lower-value flips have become harder to find, while assisted sales, profit-share partnerships with builders, larger renovation projects and properties with potential for layout changes can still produce opportunities. They also answer listeners’ questions about sourcing fees, legal costs, purchasing portfolios, transferring letting agents and business banking. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • How a previous SPP episode helped a listener reduce his maximum auction bid from £80,000 to £71,000 • Why construction insolvencies and rising trade costs matter to property investors • How the 8% ADS, materials, labour and finance costs are squeezing flip margins • Why managing individual trades may be necessary to make the figures work • How assisted sales can reduce upfront costs and eliminate the ADS • Partnering with builders through profit-sharing arrangements • Why bridging delays and collapsed sales can consume the expected profit • Finding opportunities through architectural design and layout changes • Why larger family homes requiring major renovation may face less competition • Why the “low-hanging fruit” £70,000–£80,000 flips are becoming harder to find • The tax investors must include when calculating their final return • When a £5,000 or £25,000 portfolio sourcing fee could be justified • What investors should expect from a £4,000 property sourcing service • Typical legal costs and the additional charges buyers often overlook • Why Nick and Steven use multiple business banks • Due diligence when purchasing a portfolio with an existing letting agent • Whether Nick should buy or rent his next office CHAPTERS 00:00 - Listener Q&A and a property deal saved by due diligence 01:37 - Are property flips still viable in 2026? 02:10 - Construction insolvencies and rising trade costs 03:45 - Why flips have become more labour-intensive 04:53 - Assisted sales and profit-sharing with builders 05:46 - ADS, bridging finance and holding costs 07:13 - Finding creative opportunities in the flip market 09:14 - Are the easy property flips disappearing? 10:41 - The time, risk and rewards involved in flipping 11:32 - Tax and first-time-buyer flipping strategies 13:26 - What is a reasonable property sourcing fee? 14:17 - Typical sourcing fees and VAT 15:00 - What should investors receive for a £4,000 fee? 16:46 - Typical legal fees when buying property 17:30 - Business banking and spreading financial risk 19:29 - Buying a portfolio with an existing letting agent 24:30 - Nick’s search for a new office 26:17 - Buying commercial property versus renting NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow View upcoming speakers and book your ticket: 👉 https://scottishpropertypodcast.co.uk/events/ SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 Would you still take on a property flip in 2026, or choose a different investment strategy? Let us know in the comments 👇 | |||
| She Built a Seven-Figure Property Portfolio — But Says She’s Still Skint | 07 sept. 2026 | 01:08:51 | |
Amy Russell has built a seven-figure property portfolio—but with her money continually being reinvested, she still describes herself as “skint”. Her biggest cash-flow scare came from a sourced property bought for £62,500. The refurbishment was expected to cost approximately £20,000 but finished closer to £30,000, with little warning from the project manager. Amy then received an £85,000 valuation—despite the property having a Home Report value of £80,000 before the work began—leaving her needing to find additional money to exit the bridging loan. Amy shares what she learned from the experience, how she built a portfolio of eight buy-to-lets and one serviced accommodation property, and why she may not purchase another standard buy-to-let. She also discusses property sourcing, guaranteed-rent contracts, her first planned flip and the reality of building assets without always having cash available. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • How Amy built a medical-device compliance consultancy before entering property • Why she began investing as a long-term alternative to relying solely on a pension • Buying her first Hamilton buy-to-let with cash in 2021 • Growing to eight buy-to-lets and one serviced accommodation property • The sourced property bought for £62,500 against an £80,000 Home Report • How a £20,000 refurbishment estimate increased to approximately £30,000 • Why poor communication from the project manager created a serious cash-flow problem • Receiving two £85,000 valuations before successfully appealing to £90,000 • The additional bridging costs caused by the delayed refinance • Why investors must independently check refurbishment estimates and comparable properties • Amy’s Byres Road flat bought for £165,000 and later refinanced at approximately £220,000 • Her first planned flip: an £85,000 purchase with a £20,000 refurbishment and targeted value of £140,000–£150,000 • Transforming a heavily damaged South Queensferry property bought for £115,000 • Refinancing that property at £175,000 after spending approximately £30,000 • How a five-year guaranteed-rent contract provides around £1,700 per month • The pressure tactics some property sourcers use to secure fees quickly • Why the most expensive sourcing fees do not always come with the best deal packs • Achieving strong direct bookings and approximately 70%–100% occupancy in serviced accommodation • Buy-to-let versus serviced accommodation—and why Amy wants more cash flow • Her ambition to attract private investment for larger commercial projects CONNECT WITH AMY Aims Property Group: https://aimspropertygroup.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-russellphd/ Instagram: @aims_property_group TikTok: @aims.property.gro NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow https://scottishpropertypodcast.co.uk/events/ SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 Have you ever had a refurbishment or valuation go badly wrong? Let us know in the comments 👇 | |||
| Why England Backed Away From Rent Controls After Scotland’s Failure | 31 août 2026 | 00:39:03 | |
Scotland-wide rents have fallen slightly—but some local markets are still recording strong growth. So where is tenant demand holding up, and what should property investors take from the latest figures? In this August market update, Nick and Steven examine the latest Citylets rental data and Zoopla house-price figures. They discuss why Glasgow’s one-bedroom flats are outperforming the wider market, how rents in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee compare, and why investors must research the specific area and property type rather than relying on national averages. They also discuss England’s response to Scotland’s experience with rent controls, the importance of reinvesting in ageing rental properties and whether younger people should buy their own home first—or use that money to build an income-producing portfolio. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • Why England is reconsidering rent controls after Scotland’s experience • Scotland-wide rents falling marginally by 0.2% • Why demand for one-bedroom flats remains strong in Glasgow • Average one-bedroom rents of approximately £912 in Glasgow and £1,095 in Edinburgh • Why Aberdeen’s rental growth is now outperforming Glasgow and Edinburgh • Dundee rents rising by approximately 2.7% • South Lanarkshire recording 6.4% growth across all property types and 10.5% for one-bedroom homes • Why national property data can hide significant differences between local markets • The dated rental properties struggling to compete with refurbished homes • Why landlords must budget for new kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and ongoing improvements • Scotland’s house prices rising by approximately 2.8% over the year • Why Aberdeen remains one of the UK’s few areas recording falling house prices • Higher mortgage rates reducing buyers’ purchasing power • Nick’s frustration with property sourcers who ignore clearly defined investor criteria • Is your own home really an asset—or should younger investors build a portfolio first? • How one investor built approximately £10,000 in monthly portfolio cash flow before buying his own home CHAPTERS 00:00 - August market update and summer catch-up 08:27 - Rant of the month: finding suitable property deals 13:01 - Steven’s rant about business and life in the UK 17:37 - Property news and the summer slowdown 19:04 - Why England backed away from rent controls 22:41 - Scottish rents fall by 0.2% 23:22 - Why Glasgow’s one-bedroom flats are bucking the trend 25:36 - Rental growth in Aberdeen, Dundee and surrounding areas 27:14 - Why landlords must reinvest in their properties30:19 - Scotland’s house prices rise by 2.8% 32:12 - Buyer demand, property sales and mortgage affordability 34:11 - Is your own home an asset or a liability? 37:28 - Should you build a portfolio before buying a home? NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 Would you buy your own home first, or use the deposit to build a property portfolio? Let us know in the comments 👇 | |||
| From Property Flips to a Scottish Aparthotel Development | 24 août 2026 | 00:54:41 | |
Michael Mower built his property career by taking on the projects other people avoided—from tired Glasgow flats to fire-damaged auction purchases. After years of running a stressful renovation business, he and his wife Liana decided to start building assets for themselves. That change led to successful property flips, buy-to-lets and serviced accommodation. Michael shares the numbers behind a Glasgow flat bought for £39,000 and sold for approximately £85,000, as well as a Newtown Mearns home bought for £350,000 and sold for £650,000. Now, Michael is converting a long-empty B-listed building on Callander Main Street into serviced accommodation, commercial space and offices. He talks Nick and Steven through the £100,000 purchase, estimated £250,000 refurbishment and targeted £630,000 end value. He also speaks openly about alcohol addiction, rehab and recovery. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • From plumbing apprentice to running a renovation company • Why Michael and Liana stopped renovating for clients and began investing for themselves • His first Glasgow flip: bought for £39,000 and sold for approximately £85,000 • Why their one-bedroom flips typically produced profits of around £35,000–£40,000 • The Newtown Mearns home bought for £350,000 and sold for £650,000 • Moving from flips into buy-to-let, auctions and serviced accommodation • Michael’s honest experience of alcohol addiction, rehab and recovery • Why his serviced accommodation can also work as long-term rental property • Callander units listed at approximately £270 and £210 per night • Transforming a B-listed building that had been empty for approximately 25–30 years • The planned serviced accommodation, commercial and office spaces • The £100,000 purchase, £250,000 refurbishment and targeted £630,000 end value • How extensive dry rot affected the work and bridging-finance plans CHAPTERS 00:00 - Meet Michael Mower 00:56 - Michael’s background and early life 04:58 - From plumbing apprentice to building contractor 09:23 - Leaving client renovations behind 11:40 - Flipping property in Glasgow’s south side 17:08 - The figures behind Michael’s flips 18:28 - Moving from flipping to holding property 20:11 - Launching a salon and renovating in Newtown Mearns 23:16 - Buying property at auction 25:46 - Alcohol addiction and the road to recovery 34:35 - Michael’s property portfolio today 35:25 - Moving into serviced accommodation 37:28 - Nightly rates for the Callander units 39:45 - The Callander aparthotel development 42:50 - The planned layout of the building 44:35 - Purchase price and due diligence 46:23 - Refurbishment costs and unexpected dry rot 48:23 - Funding the development 49:46 - The targeted £630,000 end value 50:58 - Local reaction and the planned opening 53:24 - What comes after the development 54:20 - Where to follow Michael CONNECT WITH MICHAEL Michael Mower — Built by Mike YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ @Built_By_Milke NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 Would you take on a derelict B-listed building, or stick to smaller property projects? Let us know in the comments 👇 | |||
| Why High-Leverage Property Investors Could Be Trapped at Refinancing | 17 août 2026 | 00:32:50 | |
How can you scale a buy-to-let portfolio without leaving yourself dangerously exposed if the property market changes? In this episode, Nick and Steven discuss the risks of using 80% and 85% loan-to-value mortgages to grow a property portfolio. They explain how arrangement fees, falling valuations and changes to lending criteria could leave highly leveraged investors needing to inject substantial amounts of cash when refinancing. They also share practical ways to reduce risk, including investing in high-demand areas, maintaining cash reserves, stress-testing mortgage payments and using conservative end values. From researching comparable properties to calculating every purchase, renovation and holding cost, this episode explains the due diligence investors should carry out before committing to a deal. TIMESTAMPS NETWORKING EVENTS SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode | |||
| Rent Controls Backfired — And Landlords Changed Their Strategy | 10 août 2026 | 01:01:53 | |
Is Scotland heading for a property crash—or does the country’s chronic shortage of homes make that unlikely? Dr. John Boyle, Director of Research & Strategy at Rettie, joins Nick and Steven to examine the data behind Scotland’s housing emergency, house prices, rental growth and the future of the private rented sector. From Aberdeen’s dramatic fall and the 18-year property cycle to landlord exits, rent controls, build-to-rent and student accommodation, Dr. John explains what the latest figures reveal—and why some commonly quoted property statistics can be misleading. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • What Scotland’s housing emergency actually means and why homelessness and temporary accommodation are increasing • Why housing costs of approximately 25%–30% of gross income are generally considered affordable • How annual housebuilding has fallen from around 25,000 homes before the financial crash to fewer than 20,000 • Why a new social home can now cost approximately £250,000–£300,000 • Why Scotland’s 2026 house-price growth forecast was revised from 3.5% to around 0% • Why the Scottish market continues to average approximately 100,000 property transactions each year • Why Dr. John does not believe the 18-year property cycle will produce a house-price crash in 2026 • Why a collapse in transactions can be more damaging to the property industry than falling prices • How Aberdeen went from having higher average prices than Edinburgh to lower prices than Dundee • Why Aberdeen prices remain down while property transactions are beginning to recover • The risks of using short-term house-price figures to judge smaller towns and local markets • Why landlord registration figures do not provide a reliable picture of landlords leaving the sector • Why Dr. John describes the landlord exodus as a “trickle rather than a flood” • How rent controls encouraged landlords to raise rents to market value between tenancies • Why experienced landlords are now more likely to review and increase rents every year • How the 8% Additional Dwelling Supplement affects new landlords while producing record tax revenue • Why rent controls caused institutional build-to-rent investment in Scotland to stall • How construction costs rising faster than rents have created a viability problem for build-to-rent • Why purpose-built student accommodation can be more financially viable than standard rental developments • Whether Glasgow could eventually face an oversupply of student accommodation • How co-living developments could provide another housing option for young professionals CHAPTERS 00:00 - Meet Dr. John Boyle 01:08 - Scotland’s housing emergency explained 04:04 - Why Scotland is not building enough homes 07:08 - The rising cost of social housing 10:55 - Scotland’s property-market outlook 14:32 - Will the 18-year property cycle cause a crash? 18:25 - What could trigger the next property crash? 21:39 - What happened to Aberdeen’s property market? 25:31 - Finding growth areas and interpreting property data 30:28 - Are landlords really leaving Scotland? 35:23 - How the 8% ADS is affecting investors 37:47 - Why rent controls caused rents to rise 40:11 - The future of rent-control zones 44:57 - Build-to-rent and institutional investment 53:03 - Why build-to-rent schemes are struggling 56:47 - Is Glasgow building too much student accommodation? 59:49 - Could co-living help address the housing shortage? 01:00:52 - Where to connect with Dr. John CONNECT WITH DR. JOHN Dr. John Boyle MRICS — Director of Research & Strategy at Rettie & Co Website: https://www.rettie.co.uk/ NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | GlasgowFollow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ | |||
| Bridging, BRR and Property Sourcers — Your Questions Answered | 03 août 2026 | 00:58:51 | |
What would Nick and Steven do with £40,000 to invest—and would they choose a vanilla buy-to-let over stocks and shares? In this listener Q&A episode, Nick reveals that he currently owns 12 buy-to-lets and is still aiming for a portfolio of 20 producing around £5,000 in net monthly cash flow. Steven explains why he focuses less on the number of properties he owns and more on cash flow, loan-to-value and paying down debt. They also discuss how first-time buyers can use their position to get started, what makes a BRR deal stack up, how bridging finance works, whether 5.7% is a reasonable refinancing rate and how to find a trustworthy property sourcer. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • Nick’s goal of owning 20 buy-to-lets producing approximately £5,000 in net monthly cash flow • Why Steven focuses on cash flow, loan-to-value and debt reduction instead of property numbers • Houses versus flats—and why tenant turnover, factor fees and capital growth matter • Why buying quality property can outperform chasing the maximum amount of money from every refinance • Vanilla buy-to-let versus stocks and shares: how leverage changes the potential return • What Nick and Steven would do with £40,000 to begin building a property portfolio • How first-time buyers can use low deposits, house hacking and live-in flips to their advantage • The investment criteria Nick and Steven would use when purchasing property today • Their five and ten-year plans for acquiring properties and reducing portfolio debt • The discounts, added value and refurbishment costs needed to make a BRR deal work • How bridging finance works, including arrangement fees, monthly interest and exit costs • Whether fixing a buy-to-let mortgage at 5.7% could make sense • Kitchen versus bathroom: which refurbishment is more likely to improve a property’s value? • How to check a property sourcer’s track record, compliance and investment figures • Why tenanted properties require due diligence on both the building and the tenant CHAPTERS 00:00 - Nick and Steven answer listeners’ questions 01:15 - Portfolio targets and monthly cash-flow goals 04:03 - Houses versus flats 06:12 - BRR versus buying quality property 08:21 - Loan-to-value and paying down portfolio debt 10:52 - Prime Property Auctions 13:09 - Buy-to-let versus stocks and shares 20:49 - What would they do with £40,000? 23:03 - The advantages of being a first-time buyer 25:56 - Nick and Steven’s property-buying criteria 30:23 - Their five and ten-year property plans 36:18 - How to borrow, buy and recover your investment 38:32 - How bridging finance works 42:47 - Is 5.7% a reasonable refinancing rate? 46:10 - Kitchen versus bathroom refurbishment 49:56 - How to find a trustworthy property sourcer 55:28 - Nick and Steven’s perfect day NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 If you had £100,000 to invest, would you choose buy-to-let or stocks and shares? Let us know in the comments 👇 | |||
| Diagnosed With Cancer at 27 — Then Property Changed Her Life | 27 juil. 2026 | 00:57:56 | |
At just 27, Ally Wilkes was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer—an experience that completely changed how she viewed time, security and the life she wanted to build. After years working in the NHS, Ally took the leap into property. She completed a flip that made just under £30,000, used the BRR strategy to build her own portfolio and eventually left her job to run ACG Property, managing renovation projects for investors. In this honest conversation with Nick and Steven, Ally shares the numbers behind her deals, the reality of becoming self-employed, the nightmare first tenant who trashed her property and what investors should realistically expect to spend on a refurbishment today. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • How a cancer diagnosis at 27 changed Ally’s outlook on work, security and life • Why she had wanted to become a property developer from a young age • The numbers behind her first flip: bought for £81,000, spent around £17,000 and sold for £135,750 • How that first project produced a profit of just under £30,000 • Her first BRR: bought for £66,000, refurbished for around £30,000 and revalued at £130,000 • What happened when her first buy-to-let tenant trashed the property after only eight weeks • Leaving the NHS and adjusting to the lack of routine that comes with self-employment• How networking and sharing her journey online helped Ally secure her first clients • Why Ally charges 15% of the refurbishment cost for project management • Why Ally budgets roughly £15,000–£20,000 for a good two-bedroom refurbishment with kitchen and bathroom upgrades, excluding electrics, windows and boiler or heating work • The hidden problems investors cannot always spot before work begins, including thermal bridging • Why Ally prioritises good-quality assets instead of growing a portfolio for appearances TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Meet Ally Wilkes 01:47 - Wanting to work in property from a young age 06:38 - The cancer diagnosis that changed everything 15:37 - Why property became Ally’s next chapter 18:27 - The numbers behind her first flip 21:49 - Moving from flipping to BRR and buy-to-let 22:16 - A £66,000 purchase revalued at £130,000 22:53 - The nightmare first tenant 27:23 - Leaving the NHS for property full-time 33:26 - How networking brought Ally her first clients 35:42 - Building a personal brand by being authentic 38:19 - Why investors use a project manager 39:27 - Project-management fees and realistic budgets 43:17 - What a two-bedroom refurbishment costs today 45:09 - Thermal bridging and other hidden problems 48:12 - Kitchens, bathrooms and timeless design 51:53 - Managing a refurbishment for a remote investor 53:23 - Ally’s plans for ACG Property and her portfolio - 55:29 Where to connect with Ally CONNECT WITH ALLY Ally Wilkes — ACG Property Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allywilkesproperty_inhaus/ NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far.👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 Would you leave a secure career to pursue property full-time? Let us know in the comments 👇 | |||
| How an Architect Spots Hidden Value in Property Deals | 20 juil. 2026 | 01:05:52 | |
Most investors look at a floor plan and see a two-bed. Ross McIlvean looks at the same floor plan and sees £15,000–£20,000 of hidden value nobody else spotted. 🏗️ In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Ross McIlvean of LTJ Architecture — property investor, architect, and one of the most practically useful guests to appear on the show. Ross covers everything from his nana's buy to let that got him started, to his first flip in Woodbank, building a six-property portfolio entirely in one street in Dunfermline, the illegal attic conversion he bought at £115k and got valued at £180k, and a brand new static caravan STL down at Pease Bay. This one is packed with genuinely actionable advice on 2-bed to 3-bed conversions, planning vs building warrants, how to price refurbs, and why Ross never buys anything that doesn't start with Weatherburn. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro: Ross McIlvean joins the podcast CONNECT WITH ROSS Instagram: @ltj.architecture Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ltjarchitecture/ NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like if you found this valuable 💬 Would you buy everything in one street like Ross? Drop it in the comments 👇 | |||
| The Property Accountant With 54 Buy-to-Lets | 13 juil. 2026 | 01:02:49 | |
He's your accountant by day and a 54-unit landlord by night. And he charges less than you'd spend on a Friday night out. 🏠 In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Matt Herbert — qualified property accountant and 54-unit investor across Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Matt covers everything from his dad being made redundant and discovering property by accident, to doing refurbs after work in his finance job, building a 54-unit portfolio, and why he'd rather help investors structure their businesses properly than charge a fortune for it. If you've ever wondered what a property accountant actually does for your portfolio — this is the episode to watch. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome to Matt Herbert — accountant and 54-unit investor 00:14 – Qualified property accountant at the Glasgow networking events 00:28 – 54-unit buy to let portfolio across Aberdeen and Edinburgh 00:52 – Why Aberdeen is controversial — and Matt's take on it 01:30 – Growing up: dad moved from Wales to Aberdeen for oil and gas 02:06 – Dad made redundant and retrained as a teacher — the lesson it taught Matt 05:54 – Dad's first property: rented to his girlfriend 06:54 – Oil and gas crash 2015 — everyone made redundant 10:40 – First investment property — and the finance stories 12:41 – The First Home Fund: government equity stake explained 14:03 – Planning to buy a bigger home — and how it changed 15:30 – First refurb: doing it himself after work in Edinburgh 16:59 – What clients actually want: financial freedom and passive income 21:45 – Ex-council and social housing stock — what to know 24:27 – Aberdeen market deep dive — buying flats under £40k 24:43 – Partnering with Aiden — sourcing and project management 26:39 – Finding deals at offers over £45k and getting them down 27:57 – Target ROI: 20–25% on all capital invested 28:42 – Aberdeen pitfalls: what to watch out for 28:52 – Structural issues in Aberdeen stock — the same problems everywhere 37:43 – The condemned street nobody saw coming 40:34 – Porous concrete explained — and why it's a serious problem 42:38 – Net cash flow reality: why Aberdeen yields aren't always what they seem 48:41 – Edinburgh: inflated rents and the Alex Walker connection 55:33 – Shareholder structure: getting the limited company right from day one 57:40 – Year end tax planning: what to do when the bill hits £50k 1:00:15 – Mortgage strategy: 75% LTV, five-year fixes 1:00:33 – Set and forget — why Matt loves boring, stable assets CONNECT WITH MATT https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-herbert-fcca-76558a8a/ https://www.facebook.com/matthew.herbert.980 https://ljyaccountants.co.uk/ NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like if you found this valuable 💬 Would you do your own refurb to save money? Drop it in the comments 👇 | |||
| From Managing 70 Short Term Lets to Building a New Boutique Hotel Brand | 06 juil. 2026 | 01:04:52 | |
He built a short term let business to 70 units and 20 staff — then walked away at 29 to start from scratch. The very next day he went to view a hotel. 🏨 In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Laurence Malyon — founder of Moment aparthotel brand — for one of the most wide-ranging conversations they've had on the show. Laurence covers everything from running concerts for the neighbours at age 5 and rebranding his family's fire suppression business at 15, to building Donnini Apartments with his uni flatmate Jake, exiting after seven years, and launching a hospitality brand that just did a £2.325 million deal on Edinburgh's George IV Bridge. This one is packed with lessons on business partnerships, aparthotel strategy, STL licensing, commercial funding, and why Glasgow and Edinburgh are completely different beasts. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome back to Laurence & what he's been building since 01:08 – Exiting Donnini & launching Moment hotel brand the very next day 01:58 – Growing up in a rundown farmhouse near Beattock 02:59 – The family fire suppression business 03:36 – Rebranding the family business at 15 05:15 – Why London and Dubai are the real competition 07:41 – Running concerts for the neighbours at age 5 09:01 – Selling fruit and veg to teachers for profit 10:39 – First flip at uni with Jake 13:47 – Discovering Airbnb as it was becoming a thing 14:10 – Touchstone / Progressive property training 16:59 – The rent to rent model that started it all 17:26 – STL legislation: why serviced accommodation is so much harder now 19:40 – Planning consent: licences, planning, or both 28:45 – The plan to go beyond Edinburgh and Glasgow 33:25 – Becky, the business conversation that changed everything 34:22 – The Moment trademark — what it means and why he owns it 35:00 – 12 George IV Bridge Edinburgh — the flagship deal 38:07 – £2.325 million on practical completion 39:39 – RBS as main lender — the journey to get there 40:22 – Oak North bank and how they got funding over the line 47:28 – First hire CJ — building the team 50:00 – Remote team in the Philippines 52:41 – 18% management fee — how it's structured 59:01 – Sonder went bust: lessons from the big operators 1:01:18 – Stay Cool: what the brand offers and why it's different 1:03:40 – Expansion plans: Lisbon, Paris and beyond CONNECT WITH LAURENCE Moment Aparthotels: momentstays.com @moment.stays on Instagram NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like if you found this valuable 💬 Would you have walked away from 70 units to start again? Drop it in the comments 👇 | |||
| Pension Funds Are Buying Rental Homes — So Is Buy-to-Let Really Dead? | 29 juin 2026 | 00:43:19 | |
Pension funds are quietly buying up rental homes across Scotland. If buy-to-let was dying, nobody told them. 🏴 Nick and Steven are back with the June market update — running on two hours sleep after Scotland vs Brazil — covering the Prime Minister change, house prices, the rental market, the LHA rate freeze that's about to hit 45,000 households, and a £10.8 million build to rent deal in Edinburgh backed by your pension fund. Yes, yours. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Intro: Scotland vs Brazil, two hours sleep, six episodes to record 01:25 – What's coming up: PM change, house prices, rents, LHA & build to rent 01:50 – House prices & rental market overview 01:58 – Local housing allowance — why it matters to landlords 02:36 – Build to rent & pension funds flooding into Scottish property 03:27 – Keir Starmer resigns — what happened 04:18 – Andy Burnham likely next PM — and his history with rent freezes 04:28 – Rent controls in England: why Scotland is one step ahead 05:21 – Capital gains tax: what a new Labour leader could mean for landlords 14:20 – Fred Harrison's 18-year cycle — five months left for the 2026 crash prediction 15:36 – SpaceX IPO: Elon Musk becomes a trillionaire 20:01 – First Home Fund launched this week — will it empty in days again? 21:56 – Land Registry data: Scotland up 2.2% 23:57 – Bitcoin at $59k — down 50% from its peak 31:15 – LHA rate freeze: 87 of 90 regions can't cover the bottom 30% of rents 34:30 – Scotland's discretionary housing payment — sticking plaster or real solution? 35:52 – 45,000 households and 31,000 children affected 35:57 – Scotland puts in £8.7m in support 36:43 – Avant Homes sells 41 Edinburgh homes to Thriving Investments for £10.8m 37:52 – £263k per home — and who's actually funding it 38:19 – Is mid-market rent exempt from rent controls? The question nobody can answer NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a market update 👍 Like if you found this valuable 💬 Do you think pension funds investing in rental property proves buy-to-let still works? Drop it in the comments 👇 | |||
| From Steelworker to 46 Properties and 800 Under Management | 22 juin 2026 | 01:07:56 | |
He had $300 to his name, sleeping on a mate's floor in Perth, Australia. Then a stranger in an empty pub changed everything — and 23 years later he owns 46 properties and manages 800 more. 🏠 In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with David Lamb — founder of Orange Sales and Lettings in the North East of England. David's journey takes in steelworks apprenticeships, delivering tea bags with a wicker basket, a commercial conversion that doubled in cost during Covid, backpacking through Southeast Asia on passive income, and a chance meeting with a stranger in a pub that got him his first offshore job. This one's got everything — the crashes, the lessons, the laughs, and a masterclass on building a letting agency from zero to nearly 1,000 properties under management. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome & David's story in numbers 01:01 – Growing up in Billingham, Teesside 01:36 – Private school, kicked out, and finding his feet 03:01 – Walking out on his business teacher after 6 weeks 04:19 – Delivering tea bags door to door with a wicker basket 07:17 – First flip: bought for £52k, made £26k, slept on the floor 10:13 – The 2008 crash — and two new builds he'd just completed on 11:39 – Why new builds off plan was his biggest property mistake 15:03 – Zero knowledge of leverage — the lightbulb moment 16:46 – 46 personal properties: the buy to let foundation 17:05 – Converting 17 offices into 11 apartments 22:44 – Made redundant from the steelworks 23:30 – Backpacking Australia & Southeast Asia 23:51 – $300 left, Perth, and an empty pub 24:29 – The stranger who bought him a pint and changed his life 25:21 – Email Paul Gordon — one message, one offshore career 29:53 – Earning offshore and feeling passive income for the first time 32:33 – Rich Dad Poor Dad, all the books, and going property shopping 34:58 – The 17-office business centre: bought for £450k 35:24 – Covid hits — £450k becomes £750k 37:10 – Starting Orange from a portacabin on site 47:04 – First hire Charlotte — and building the team 49:37 – First agency acquisition 51:01 – Asset purchases vs share purchases explained 51:48 – How David structures every agency deal 51:54 – The deal that'll take Orange over 1,000 properties 53:22 – Why relationships are the real currency in business 54:09 – David's sole role at Orange now: buying agencies 1:00:15 – Business rates, national insurance & the real costs of running a team 1:00:25 – AI in property management — what David is integrating right now 1:03:44 – Why AI will never replace emotions in property 1:05:44 – The bank conversion: planning, apartments & serviced accommodation 1:07:07 – Wrap up & Marbella plans CONNECT WITH DAVID @davidlambproperty on Instagram NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like if you found this valuable 💬 Would you have sent that email to Paul Gordon? Drop it in the comments 👇 | |||
| The Hidden Stress of Scaling a Property Portfolio | 15 juin 2026 | 01:07:41 | |
A complicated miscarriage. A goodbye in a hospital room. Two years of everything going wrong. Then they bought their first property — Claire eight months pregnant, the world in lockdown. 🏠 In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Claire and Dan MacDonald of Cladan Property — a husband and wife team who started investing in 2020 with no strategy and a sold car, and have quietly built a portfolio of 24 properties in five years. This one isn't about overnight success. It's about a slow, steady, intentional approach — two young kids, a teaching job, a brand new mortgage advisory business, and a portfolio that's just gone through its biggest and most challenging growth phase yet. 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome to Claire and Dan 02:02 – Growing up in the Highlands & how they met 06:39 – The honeymoon that sparked the business idea 07:54 – One-day property events & the financial advisor who said don't bother 14:05 – Claire's teaching career & the stress behind it 17:59 – The difficult years: loss of Dan's mum 24:26 – The complicated miscarriage & why it changed everything 00:20 – Claire starts investing eight months pregnant in lockdown 19:06 – First deal: analysis paralysis & what pushed them through 19:14 – Analysis paralysis & the first purchase 21:23 – Releasing equity to fund deals three and four 22:07 – Selling the car to fund the second property 32:13 – Working with Jillian and Darren Green — mindset & clarity 33:36 – The vision: cash flow number, lifestyle goals & what they're building toward 34:36 – Dan's civil engineering background & the move into property 39:11 – The pivot to short-term lets & the Highland cottage 41:04 – The cottage flat STL in Cardonald 41:14 – 8 months to get the STL licence — what they learned 43:26 – Winter cash flow struggles & the unpredictability of STL 43:40 – The Joseph Todd liquidation post & what it meant for the market 49:25 – Speaking at the April networking event — how it led to two portfolio deals 49:31 – Direct to vendor: the portfolio acquisitions that changed everything 53:31 – Tenanted portfolio — when the cracks started appearing 55:59 – Butting heads as a couple & how they're working through it 1:00:56 – Dan's mortgage advisory business & where to find them 🔑 KEY TOPICS ✅ Starting a property portfolio with savings, a sold car & family equity ✅ The real challenges of buying a tenanted portfolio — what nobody talks about ✅ ADS savings through portfolio deals of 6+ properties ✅ Short-term lets: the cash flow highs, the winter lows & the licensing uncertainty ✅ How speaking at a networking event led to two direct-to-vendor portfolio deals ✅ Balancing a marriage, young kids, teaching and a growing property business ✅ When to pay someone to project manage a refurb (and when their fee pays for itself) ✅ Why Claire and Dan prefer quality and cash flow over chasing numbers 📲 CONNECT WITH CLAIRE & DAN Instagram: @cladanproperty Mortgage enquiries: reach out via Dan's Instagram 📅 NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details 🤝 SPONSORED BYPrime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Lewis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far.👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🎙️ ABOUT SCOTTISH PROPERTY PODCAST Real conversations with real Scottish property investors. No fluff — just honest stories, market updates, and investor journeys. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like if you found this valuable 💬 Are you investing as a couple? Drop your experience in the comments 👇 | |||
| The Homeless Landlord With 12 Properties | 08 juin 2026 | 01:16:46 | |
He owns 12 properties. He lives in his mate's spare room. And he accidentally bought a Chinese restaurant from an airport while flying back from Japan. 🏠 In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Isaac Cross — a former offshore worker and CERN technician who saved £140k, came off the Scottish Property Podcast course in January, and went all in on property faster than almost anyone they've had on the show. This one is raw, honest and genuinely funny. Isaac doesn't just talk about the wins. He talks about the bridging nightmare on five properties at once, the deals he overpaid for, the sourcing fees that didn't add up, the solicitor with 98 problems to solve — and what he'd do differently if he was starting again. 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome to Isaac Cross & the 52 properties in 52 weeks goal 02:04 – Growing up between Aberdeen and Lanarkshire with a single mum 04:35 – ADHD diagnosis as a kid — and how it shapes the way Isaac works 05:21 – Wanting to go offshore like his dad 06:28 – Electrical apprenticeship & how he was the only one who applied 10:55 – Life offshore: earning £90k in his early 20s 16:20 – Moving to Switzerland for the CERN job 16:29 – The best job title, the most boring job 18:59 – First property: Holytown two-bed at 20 21:14 – Bad mortgage advice, blowing the profit, starting over 26:16 – The power of a good power team 33:24 – The Dennistoun flat — bought at home report in peak Covid 35:04 – Social media, personal brand & why Isaac went all in on content 36:38 – The January networking event that flipped the switch 44:04 – First deal in Aberdeen on a plane to Australia 52:07 – Five properties on one bridge — and 98 problems to solve 60:19 – The Chinese restaurant accident 62:53 – Bidding at auction from Heathrow flying back from Japan 66:45 – The community hub plan for the Carluke commercial unit 71:55 – First private investor on board & what comes next 🔑 KEY TOPICS ✅ How Isaac went from zero to 12 properties in 3 months ✅ Bridging five properties at once — the fees, the problems, the lessons ✅ Why cheap Aberdeen stock served a purpose but he'd do it differently now ✅ Sourcing fees that don't add up — and how to spot them ✅ Accidentally buying commercial property at auction ✅ Building a private investor relationship from scratch ✅ Why social media is already bringing the right people to Isaac ✅ His honest advice to anyone thinking about starting 📲 CONNECT WITH ISAAC Follow Isaac's property journey on Instagram — @isaaccrossproperty 📅 NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | GlasgowFollow our socials for speakers and details 🎙️ ABOUT SCOTTISH PROPERTY PODCAST Real conversations with real Scottish property investors. No fluff — just honest stories, market updates, and investor journeys. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like if you found this valuable 💬 Would you have bought the Chinese restaurant? Drop it in the comments 👇 | |||
| Scotland’s £10k First Home Fund Is Back — Will It Be Gone in Days? | 01 juin 2026 | 00:54:22 | |
The last time Scotland launched this fund it had £60 million and it was gone in eight days. This time they've got £100 million. Nick and Steven give it two weeks. 🏴In this month's market update, they break down exactly how the £10k First Home Fund works, what the catches are, and why investors should be paying attention too — because when first-time buyers pile into the 80–100k market, it gets competitive fast.That's just one of the stories this month. Gilt rates just hit their highest level since 2008. Scottish rents have dropped annually for the first time in eight years. And a new law coming in April 2027 means one tenant in a joint tenancy can end the lease for everybody — a potential nightmare for HMO landlords.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🕐 TIMESTAMPS━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━00:00 – Intro & what's coming up this episode01:48 – Rants episode feedback — scarcity selling & FOMO in the market05:30 – The dodgy deal story — unfactored building, hole in the wall, empty property12:21 – Listener email — "Fatty" tells Nick to stop interrupting Steven15:04 – Fuel prices & the macro economy17:26 – CPI inflation came in at 2.8% — lower than expected19:47 – Interest rates & why cuts are off the table21:54 – The 80–100k sweet spot for Scottish BTL right now24:24 – Post-election results — Reform, SNP minority, what it means28:31 – The £10k First Home Fund — how it works & the catches32:16 – Last time this fund launched it was gone in 8 days34:00 – House prices & the Zoopla index38:07 – Average time to sell in Scotland: 15 days, fastest in the UK39:04 – Down valuations — are surveyors getting more cautious?43:01 – Rental market update — Citylets data43:21 – First annual rent drop in 8 years44:49 – City breakdown: Dundee, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh46:46 – Rent controls — nothing until late 2027 at the earliest50:36 – Rent adjudication changes — tribunal loophole closing April 202752:12 – Joint tenancy bombshell — one person can end it for everyone━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🔑 KEY TOPICS━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━✅ The £10k First Home Fund — how it works, the equity catch, and how long it'll last✅ Rants episode feedback — scarcity selling, FOMO and deals passed around 15 WhatsApp groups✅ Fuel prices, inflation & why CPI came in lower than expected at 2.8%✅ Interest rates: why three or four cuts this year is now off the table✅ Scottish house prices: Glasgow up 2.9%, Scotland up 2.6%, Aberdeen finally climbing✅ Average time to sell in Scotland — 15 days, fastest in the UK✅ Rental market: first annual rent drop in 8 years — and why Nick thinks it's already bouncing back✅ City rents breakdown: Aberdeen up 1.7%, Glasgow up 0.4%, Edinburgh flat✅ Rent controls update — nothing happening until late 2027 at the earliest✅ The joint tenancy bombshell — one tenant can end the tenancy for everyone from April 2027✅ Why this is a major problem for HMO landlords✅ Rent adjudication changes — the tribunal loophole is closing✅ Down valuations — are surveyors getting more cautious?✅ The 80–100k sweet spot for Scottish BTL investors right now━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📅 NETWORKING EVENTS━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━First Wednesday of every month📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | GlasgowFollow our socials for speakers and details━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🎙️ ABOUT SCOTTISH PROPERTY PODCAST━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Real conversations about Scottish property. No fluff — market updates, legislation changes, and honest investor chat every month.🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a market update👍 Like if you found this valuable💬 Do you think the fund will be gone in days again? Drop it in the comments 👇 | |||
| Cold pitching in our Facebook group, dodgy sourcers, and LinkedIn spam — we've had enough | 25 mai 2026 | 00:40:04 | |
No guests. No filter. Just Nick and Steven saying what everyone in property is thinking. From deal sourcers pressuring investors to buy in minutes, to buyers pulling out of flips at the last second, dodgy sourcers, LinkedIn inbox chaos, ego-driven cliques in the Scottish property community, and yes — American tipping culture at Starbucks drive-throughs. This is the Scottish Property Podcast rants episode. It always does well. You'll know why by the end. 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome to the rants episode 03:00 – Cold pitching in our Facebook community group 08:00 – LinkedIn inbox: why Steven doesn't go on it anymore 12:00 – Deal sourcers rushing investors into decisions 18:00 – The 6-minute deal — how much due diligence is that? 24:00 – Younger investors trying to keep up with social media portfolios 29:00 – A sourcer called Natalie — the community calling it out 34:00 – Steven's Florida rant: Starbucks drive-through tipping culture 40:00 – Scotland's property system: buyers pulling out with no consequences 47:00 – Three flips, two fall-throughs — the real cost of the Scottish system 52:00 – Non-refundable deposits: should they be the norm? 57:00 – Letting agents: the three-quotes rabbit hole 1:03:00 – Egos and cliques in the Scottish property community 1:10:00 – Going to other people's events — why Steven loves it 1:15:00 – Copying in business: where's the line? 1:20:00 – Every fucker's got a podcast now 1:24:00 – Wrap up, sponsors & G4 Studios shoutout 🔑 KEY TOPICS ✅ Why rushed deal sourcing is putting new investors at risk ✅ How to do due diligence on a sourcer before you spend a penny ✅ The case for non-refundable deposits in Scottish property sales ✅ Why cliques are killing the Scottish property community ✅ Cold pitching in Facebook groups — add value first ✅ Tipping culture in the US — a rant we all needed to hear 📅 NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details 🎙️ ABOUT SCOTTISH PROPERTY PODCAST Real conversations about Scottish property. No fluff, no filter — just honest talk from people in the trenches. 💬 What's YOUR biggest property rant? Drop it in the comments 👇 | |||
| 17 years in the RAF, walked away 3 years before his pension — Ross Orrock's property story | 18 mai 2026 | 01:07:13 | |
17 years in the Royal Air Force. Iraq. Afghanistan. The Falklands. Then he walked away — 3 years short of a guaranteed pension — to go all in on property. 🏠In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Ross Orrock — deal sourcer, property investor, and one of the most honest voices in the industry. Ross doesn't just talk about wins. He talks about the Samuel Leeds course that cost him £12k, the social housing Hmos that turned the community against him, the £44-unit rent-to-rent scheme that turned out to be a nationwide scam, and the Grade 2 listed cottage that cost him £90k in losses.250 deals later, Ross is still standing — and his story is one every property investor needs to hear.🕐 TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Intro: 17 years RAF, walking away from the pension04:00 – Deployments: Iraq, Afghanistan & 4 months on a Falklands mountaintop09:00 – The breaking point — missing 800 days of his daughter's life14:00 – Discovering Samuel Leeds on YouTube while deployed19:00 – Spending £12k inheritance on a property course24:00 – Starting from zero: divorced, sleeping on his grandad's couch29:00 – Why he chose deal sourcing over rent to rent34:00 – Building his personal brand on Instagram from scratch39:00 – Investor first vs deal first — Ross's strong take44:00 – The budget HMO years: cheap terraces, chaos, and high turnover50:00 – Social housing & asylum seeker contracts — bricks through windows57:00 – The City Gate scam: £44 units, a pyramid scheme, and a £96k investor loss1:06:00 – How it destroyed his reputation (and how he rebuilt it)1:12:00 – Why he ditched HMOs and went all in on buy to let1:18:00 – The Grade 2 listed cottage disaster — a £90k lesson1:26:00 – Building his own portfolio: 10 buy to lets and counting1:32:00 – How to onboard investors and weed out time wasters1:38:00 – Northeast property market: where to invest and what to spend1:44:00 – Oric Property: sourcing, lettings & estate agency🔑 KEY TOPICS✅ Leaving the military 3 years short of a full pension✅ The honest truth about property courses — are they worth it?✅ Why budget HMOs are a trap (and what works instead)✅ The City Gate rent-to-rent scam exposed✅ Social housing & asylum seeker contracts — the real story✅ Why Ross never puts his name against third-party builders✅ Investors first vs deals first — the debate settled✅ Long term capital growth vs cash flow — where the real wealth is✅ Northeast England property: areas, prices & what to expect🎙️ ABOUT SCOTTISH PROPERTY PODCASTReal conversations with real property investors. No fluff — the wins, the losses, and everything in between.👍 Like if you found this valuable💬 Have you ever been caught out by a property scam? Drop it in the comments 👇 | |||
| £5M retail brand, 10 cash properties, still lives at home — Taylor McNeillie's no-excuses story | 11 mai 2026 | 00:56:49 | |
At 23 years old, Taylor McNeillie has built a £700k property portfolio — mortgage free — while running a retail business doing over £1 million a year. And he still lives at home. 🏠 In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Taylor to hear the full story: from reselling Yeezys at 12 years old and skipping class to cop Supreme drops, to opening Empire Glasgow at 18, scaling to £1.8 million in revenue, and quietly buying 10 properties in cash before most people his age have a savings account. This one is packed with lessons on business, money, social media, and why building a cash-generating business first might be the smartest property strategy of all. 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Intro: Taylor's story in numbers 02:30 – Growing up in East Dorsetshire & early entrepreneurial spark 06:00 – Reselling Yeezys at 12 using his dad's credit card 11:00 – Supreme drops from the school toilet at 11am 16:00 – Building the Empire Glasgow Instagram page 22:00 – Covid hits — and changes everything 27:00 – Opening the pop-up in Princes Square at 18 33:00 – Going full time: signing the long-term lease 38:00 – Silverburn Christmas pop-up & £790k quarter 43:00 – Running 9 staff at 19 — winging it and winning 49:00 – Revenue peaks at £1.8M — then the Yeezy disaster 55:00 – Business rates, retail challenges & Glasgow high street 1:02:00 – The property lightbulb moment & 500k sitting in the bank 1:08:00 – First deal: 2-bed in Cambuslang for £65k (never seen it) 1:14:00 – Buying mortgage free — the no-debt philosophy 1:20:00 – TikTok, the £28k flat and the "parasite landlord" comments 1:28:00 – 10 properties, £700k portfolio, still at home with mum 1:34:00 – Future plans: portfolio deals, refinancing & commercial property 🔑 KEY TOPICS ✅ How Taylor built £500k in business profit before touching property ✅ Buying 10 properties mortgage free in under 2 years ✅ Why he treats tenants like customers ✅ Using social media to find off-market deals ✅ The Yeezy stock crisis — and how he handled it ✅ Business rates in Glasgow & the retail landscape ✅ Why Taylor avoids serviced accommodation and shiny penny strategies ✅ His plan to refinance a portfolio deal and scale further 📲 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE 🏪 Empire Glasgow — Princes Square & Buchanan Street, Glasgow 🔑 Kyle Black — property sourcing 🔑 Callum McWilliam — Rapid Removals & sourcing 📊 Slater Hogg — letting agents 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like if you found this valuable 💬 What do you think of the no-mortgage approach? Drop it in the comments 👇 | |||
| SNP, Labour, Reform — who's best for property investors in Scotland? | 04 mai 2026 | 00:42:53 | |
The Scottish election is days away — and if you're a property investor or landlord, what happens on May 7th actually matters. 🗳️In this market update, Nick and Steven cut through the political noise and break down exactly what each party's housing policies mean for landlords, investors, and anyone trying to build a portfolio in Scotland right now.From ADS cuts to rent controls, council tax hikes of up to 500%, first-time buyer grants, and a housing building crisis — this one is packed with real talk on the policies that will shape the Scottish property market for years to come.🕐 TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Intro: why this election matters to property investors02:00 – Election overview: latest polls & party predictions06:00 – Reform's rise in Scotland & what it means10:00 – ADS (Additional Dwelling Supplement): party by party breakdown18:00 – LBTT: who wants to cut it, scrap it, or raise it?24:00 – Multiple Dwellings Relief (MDR): is it safe?28:00 – Rent controls: CPI+1% capped at 6% — is that fair?35:00 – Council tax: the 500% increase in Midlothian explained42:00 – Short-term lets, Airbnb & the small business bonus loophole closing48:00 – Edinburgh tourist levy from July 202652:00 – First-time buyers: right to buy & the £10k SNP grant1:00:00 – House building targets: will any party actually deliver?1:08:00 – The £307k social house in Clydebank worth £200k1:18:00 – Build to rent, private equity & what Scotland needs1:25:00 – Energy, North Sea drilling & the Norway comparison1:30:00 – Who are they voting for? Networking events & wrap-up🔑 KEY TOPICS✅ ADS breakdown by party — Tories want to cut from 8% to 4%✅ Rent controls: CPI+1% capped at 6% — what it means for you✅ Council tax on second homes — up to 500% in some areas✅ Short-term let licence & small business bonus scheme changes✅ SNP's right to buy proposal & £10k first-time buyer grant✅ Why Scotland's house building targets keep getting missed✅ The social housing cost crisis & impact on private developers✅ Edinburgh's 5% tourist levy coming July 2026 💬 Drop your questions or opinions in the comments — who are YOU voting for? | |||
| From Offshore Work to Building a Property Portfolio | 27 avr. 2026 | 01:06:06 | |
After more than a decade working offshore in the oil and gas industry, Jason Kelly made the move into property investing and eventually went full-time in April 2024. In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Jason shares how he transitioned from offshore work to building his property business, sourcing off-market deals, managing refurbishments and working with private investors. We discuss the lessons he's learned, the challenges of making the transition and what it really takes to build a career in property. 🕐 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 – Introduction & Cadbury's Heroes 02:00 – Growing up in Linwood: humble beginnings 06:30 – The car accident that changed everything 12:00 – Leaving school & landing an oil & gas apprenticeship 18:00 – Life offshore: the money, the lifestyle, the downsides 26:00 – Becoming disillusioned with the rat race 31:00 – Discovering property through a two-day event 36:00 – First deal sourced & selling the Shawlands flat 43:00 – Living in a flip (don't do this) 50:00 – Going full-time in property in April 2024 56:00 – Project managing refurbs & building a team 1:05:00 – Sourcing off-market deals & working with investors 1:12:00 – The assisted sale that made £30k (and the Celtic legend connection) 1:20:00 – Social media, TikTok investors & getting slaughtered offshore 1:27:00 – The Hamilton Starbucks networking event 1:32:00 – Where to find Jason 🔑 KEY TOPICS ✅ Leaving a well-paid job to go full-time in property ✅ Funding your first deals with no cash using investor finance ✅ Buy-to-let, flips & assisted sales — what actually works ✅ Why project management fees are worth every penny ✅ Finding off-market deals through relationships (not Rightmove) ✅ Building a property portfolio in Scotland from scratch ✅ Growing a property business through social media 📲 CONNECT WITH JASONFacebook: GWK Property InvestmentInstagram: @jwk_property_investmentTikTok: GWK Property Investment📅 NETWORKING EVENTSFirst Wednesday of every month📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgowhttps://scottishpropertypodcast.co.uk/events/Follow our socials for speakers and details🤝 SPONSORED BYPrime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far.👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/🎙️ ABOUT SCOTTISH PROPERTY PODCASTReal conversations with real Scottish property investors. No fluff, just the honest journey — from first deal to full-time portfolio building.🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode👍 Like if you found this valuable💬 Drop your questions in the comments | |||
| Turning £20K Amazon Side Hustle into a £250K Business... Then Purchasing 13 Properties | 20 avr. 2026 | 01:08:57 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Adam Boyd — entrepreneur, Amazon FBA operator, and property investor. Adam shares his journey from experimenting with multiple failed business ideas to building and selling an Amazon business for a life-changing sum, before scaling into a portfolio of e-commerce brands and property investments. From selling hand sanitiser during lockdown to spotting an opportunity in simple spray bottles, Adam’s story highlights the power of taking action, learning through failure, and recognising opportunities at the right time. He also opens up about transitioning into property, completing multiple flips, and acquiring a 13-property portfolio with minimal money left in the deal. 🎙️ Episode Highlights 🌟 Early Entrepreneurial Mindset 📦 Amazon Journey & First Breakthrough 🚀 Scaling a Simple Product into a Real Business 💰 Selling the Business & Building Wealth 🌍 Scaling Through Acquisitions 🏡 Entering Property & First Flip 📈 Scaling Property & Portfolio Deal ⚠️ Lessons, Mistakes & Realities ✅ Key Takeaways | |||
| The Reality of Dubai Real Estate (No One Talks About This) | 13 avr. 2026 | 01:03:45 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Emily Henaghen — estate agent, entrepreneur and social media personality — to unpack her journey from university and early property exposure, to building a personal brand, launching her own estate agency career, and taking a bold leap to Dubai. Emily shares the realities behind social media success, the challenges of working in Dubai’s high-pressure property market, and the lessons she’s learned about resilience, confidence, and carving your own path in business. This episode offers a raw and honest look at what it really takes to succeed as a young agent — from overcoming imposter syndrome to building a brand that attracts clients before you even walk through the door. 🎙️ Episode Highlights 🏡 Getting Started in Property 📱 Building a Personal Brand & Winning Business 💬 Confidence, Imposter Syndrome & Dealing with Clients 🌍 Moving to Dubai — Opportunity vs Reality ⚠️ Challenges, Setbacks & Personal Safety 🔄 Career Pivot, Growth & Returning Home ✅ Key Takeaways | |||
| Is the Iran War About to Crash the Property Market? | 06 avr. 2026 | 00:52:23 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven return for a market update, diving into one of the most uncertain global backdrops in recent years. From rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East to mortgage rate volatility, inflation risks, and shifting investor sentiment, this episode breaks down what’s actually happening — and what it could mean for the UK and Scottish property market. Alongside global events, the discussion also covers rental trends 📊, property price resilience 🏡, EPC regulation changes ⚠️, and the growing impact of AI on jobs and the wider economy. As always, the focus is on cutting through headlines and understanding what investors should actually pay attention to. 🎙️ Episode Highlights 🌍 Global Conflict & Its Impact on Property 📉 Mortgage Rates, Inflation & Market Sentiment 🏡 Property Market Resilience vs Risk 📊 Rental Market Trends 🤖 AI, Economy & Future Risks ⚠️ EPC Changes & Government Policy Uncertainty ✅ Key Takeaways • Global events can impact property indirectly through inflation and lending • Mortgage rates can shift quickly based on market sentiment • Scottish property market remains resilient due to lack of supply • Rental growth is slowing but demand remains strong • AI and unemployment may pose bigger long-term risks than geopolitics • Interest rates are the key driver to watch for market movement • EPC regulations remain uncertain — avoid reacting too early • Opportunities can arise during short-term market slowdowns • Strong fundamentals still support long-term property investing | |||
| From New Mum to 27 Properties in One Year | 30 mars 2026 | 01:04:58 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven are joined by Emma Thomson, a property investor who went from zero to building a 27-property portfolio within her first year — all while navigating maternity leave, redundancy, and a complete career pivot.Emma shares how she transitioned from a high-paying tech sales career into full-time property investing, using a mix of education, calculated risk-taking, and investor funding to scale بسرعة. The episode dives into mindset, resilience, and the realities behind rapid portfolio growth — including the pressure, cash flow challenges, and personal sacrifices along the way.This is a powerful, honest conversation about building a property business quickly — and what it really takes behind the scenes.🎙️ Episode Highlights:🚀 Starting Young — And Thinking Differently Early On -Emma reflects on always knowing she didn’t want a traditional 9–5 career, even from a young age. -Growing up in a hardworking household shaped her mindset, but she quickly realised she wanted more control over her time, unlimited earning potential, a path outside conventional employment💼 From Business Owner to Tech Sales Career -Before property, Emma had already stepped into entrepreneurship — running a deli franchise at just 20 years old. -She later moved into tech sales, where she built a strong income through commission and bonuses, developed key skills in sales and communication, progressed into leadership roles managing teams👶 Motherhood as the Turning Point -A major shift came after the birth of her daughter. -Following a difficult experience and time in hospital, Emma made a clear decision; she didn’t want to return to full-time employment, wanted full control of her time, she was determined not to miss key moments again -This became the emotional driver behind going all-in on property.🎧 Learning Through the Scottish Property Podcast -Instead of traditional property education routes, Emma took a different approach. -She listened to every episode of the podcast from start to finish, learned from real investor experiences, built knowledge through consistent exposure. -This self-education phase helped her gain clarity before taking action.📈 Scaling to 27 Properties in One Year -The most striking part of Emma’s journey is how quickly she scaled. -Within less than a year, she acquired 27 properties, transitioned from single lets to portfolio deals, completed larger acquisitions, including multi-unit buildings -Her growth was driven by taking action quickly, leveraging education and mentorship, building confidence with each deal | |||
| 15 Years in Property — Lessons From Starting at 19 with Jordan Robb | 23 mars 2026 | 01:10:21 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick is joined by Jordan Rob, a long-term property investor who built his portfolio from the age of 19 and has spent over 15 years growing, refining, and diversifying his investments.Jordan shares how he started with a small pot of capital and scaled into a substantial buy-to-let portfolio, while also exploring flips, HMOs, and alternative investments. The conversation dives into risk management, long-term thinking, and how his strategy has evolved from aggressive growth to capital preservation and diversification.This episode is a powerful insight into building wealth through property over the long term — without hype, but through consistency, smart decision-making, and adapting as life and markets change. 🎙️ Episode Highlights 🧑💼 Starting at 19 — Building a Portfolio From Scratch -Jordan began investing in property at just 19 years old, using a relatively small amount of capital to get started. -With no traditional job and limited borrowing power, he had to be creative — including using joint mortgages and focusing on lower-value properties to enter the market. -His early strategy was simple: buy below market value, generate cash flow, recycle capital where possible. This foundation allowed him to build momentum quickly in the early years. 🏠 Buy-to-Let as the Core Strategy -The backbone of Jordan’s portfolio has always been buy-to-let property. -He focused heavily on: lower-value flats, strong rental demand areas, consistent cash flow over speculation. This approach allowed him to scale steadily, without overexposing himself to risk. 🧠 The Importance of Sticking to Your Strategy -A key theme in the episode is decision-making discipline. External noise influenced decisions, he sold properties he originally intended to keep, emotions or short-term thinking impacted outcomes -His biggest lesson is to stick to your strategy and avoid being swayed by outside opinions or short-term issues. 📈 From Volume to Quality -In the early years, growth was focused on acquiring as many properties as possible. -But over time, the strategy shifted toward higher-quality assets, better locations, stronger long-term value -Jordan now focuses less on the number of properties and more on asset quality, income strength, long-term sustainability | |||
| How to Start and Grow a Short-Term Let Management Business with Gillian Green | 16 mars 2026 | 00:55:10 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven are joined by Gillian Green, a property investor and short-term rental operator who has expanded from traditional buy-to-lets into serviced accommodation, commercial property, and an apart-hotel project.Gillian shares how her journey evolved from building a personal property portfolio to running a growing short-term rental management company with around 50 units under management. The conversation explores the realities of operating in the short-term rental space, why it’s more hospitality than property investing, and the operational challenges that most investors underestimate.This episode offers a practical look at scaling a short-term let management business — from sourcing deals and managing guests to handling cleaners, maintenance, and fluctuating seasonal demand.🎙️ Episode Highlights 🏨 Why Short-Term Rentals Are Really a Hospitality BusinessGillian explains that many investors enter serviced accommodation thinking it’s simply another property strategy — but the reality is much closer to running a hospitality business.Guest experience, fast response times, and operational systems become just as important as the property itself.Managing guest expectations, handling issues quickly, and maintaining high standards across multiple units are key to building a sustainable short-term rental operation.📈 From Property Investor to Managing 50+ UnitsWhat began as a personal property investment journey gradually evolved into a full short-term rental management business.Gillian shares how the company now manages around 50 properties across several locations, working with property owners to maximise returns while handling the day-to-day operations.The episode explores how the business grew organically through partnerships, networking, and identifying demand in local markets.🏢 Diversifying Into Commercial PropertyAlongside short-term rentals, Gillian and her husband have invested in commercial property — including a multi-occupancy commercial building that houses several small businesses.The deal highlights the benefits of diversification within a property portfolio, particularly when it comes to spreading risk across multiple income streams.With several tenants occupying individual units, vacancy risk becomes far more manageable compared to relying on a single tenant property.🛠️ The Operational Reality of Running Short-Term LetsRunning serviced accommodation involves constant operational oversight.Gillian discusses the practical challenges that come with managing multiple units — including heating issues, maintenance problems, cleaning coordination, and guest communication.These operational responsibilities often surprise investors who expect short-term rentals to be more passive than they really are.🧹 The Importance of Cleaners and Reliable SystemsOne of the most important factors in a successful short-term rental business is having a reliable cleaning team.Cleaners play a critical role in maintaining standards, preparing properties for new guests, and ensuring positive reviews.Gillian explains that building strong relationships with cleaning teams and maintenance contractors is essential when scaling a hospitality-style property business.📊 Understanding Demand, Seasonality & Booking ChannelsThe conversation also explores the reality of demand cycles within the short-term rental market.While summer months and holiday periods can generate strong revenue, winter seasons often see reduced bookings in certain areas.Platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com provide valuable exposure, but Gillian also discusses the importance of developing direct booking channels and contractor relationships to stabilise occupancy levels.. | |||
| How £40K Became a £60M Surf Resort in Scotland with Andy Hadden | 09 mars 2026 | 01:04:39 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, the hosts sit down with Andy Haddon, founder of Lost Shore Surf Resort, the £60M surf park development just outside Edinburgh.What started as a bold idea after a visit to a secret surf technology test facility in Spain became one of the most ambitious leisure developments in Scotland. Today, Lost Shore has been voted Best Surf Park in the World for Customer Experience and Most Innovative Surf Park, competing against nearly 40 surf parks globally.Andy shares the full story behind the project — from early career setbacks and raising the first £40,000, to securing institutional investment and navigating the enormous challenges of building something that had never been done in Scotland before. This episode is packed with lessons on entrepreneurship, persistence, fundraising, and how a passion project can evolve into a global-scale business. ⭐ Episode Highlights 🌊 From Surf Trip to £60M Development The idea for Lost Shore started in 2012 when Andy came across an internal email about a surf park feasibility study while working as a surveyor. Curious, he travelled to Spain to see the Wavegarden technology firsthand and realised the concept could work as a commercial surf resort. 📈 Turning £40K into a Multi-Million Pound Project Andy’s uncle loaned him £40,000 to pay early consultants and feasibility studies. That initial capital eventually helped secure land, planning permission, and early investors — forming the foundation of a £60M development. 🏗 The Power of Property Strategy Instead of launching straight into development, Andy focused on land strategy first. After securing planning permission, the land’s value increased dramatically — helping attract investors and reduce risk. 💰 Raising Millions from Angel Investors Andy raised around £3M from 52 angel investors, which funded early planning, engineering, and ground studies. These investors bought into the long-term vision of the project and the potential upside of the land value. 🏦 The Breakthrough Investment The turning point came in 2021, when Andy secured institutional investment from a Goldman Sachs–managed pension fund through a sale-and-leaseback agreement. This deal unlocked development finance and made the project viable at scale. ⚙️ How the Surf Park Works Lost Shore uses Wavegarden technology — a lagoon roughly the size of three football pitches powered by 52 engines, capable of producing around 1,000 waves per hour. | |||
| Mortgage Rates Are Falling Again… Is Now the Time to Buy? with Fraser Kelly | 02 mars 2026 | 01:02:46 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Fraser Kelly, founder of Kelly Residential, returns to break down the current state of the UK and Scottish property market in early 2026. The conversation dives into falling mortgage rates, shifting buyer demand, rental market normalisation, and how AI is beginning to reshape property search and estate agency. Fraser also shares key insights on Making Tax Digital and what it means for landlords moving forward. 📊 Economic & Mortgage Market Update
🏡 Scottish Property Market Performance
Top performing areas:
High-demand locations include:
➡️ Demand is shifting toward commuter towns and more affordable areas 👀 Buyer Demand & Market Behaviour
🏠 Rental Market Trends
Why demand is cooling:
➡️ Key takeaway: The market is normalising, not crashing 🧾 Making Tax Digital (Landlords)
New requirements:
⚠️ Likely impact:
🤖 AI & The Future of Property Search
However:
💡 Key insight:
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| £120K Flats Now Worth £50K… Aberdeen’s Property Reality with Brian Smith | 24 févr. 2026 | 01:05:01 | |
🔍 Episode Highlights 🛢️ Aberdeen: The Oil Capital Effect
📉 The Reality of Market Cycles
◦£120K flats dropping to £40–50K ◦Thousands of job losses and outward migration 🏠 Brian’s Early Property Wins
◦Total cost: £135,000 ◦Revalued at £175,000 on completion 🧱 Building a Portfolio Later in Life
◦17 properties ◦15 Buy-to-Lets ◦2 Serviced Accommodation units
⚖️ Buy-to-Let vs Serviced Accommodation
◦BTL: ~£250/month each → ~£15K/year ◦SA: ~£18K/year but less stable
🎯 Investing for the Long Term
◦Building generational wealth ◦Passing assets to his son ◦Using a company structure for tax efficiency | |||
| He Lost £30,000 at 22... Then Owned 13 Properties by 26 with Adam Newlands | 17 févr. 2026 | 01:01:22 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, we’re joined by Adam Newlands, a 26-year-old accountant who rebuilt his finances and went on to build a 13-property portfolio after losing £30,000 in his early 20s.Adam shares a brutally honest account of how chasing “rent-to-rent” opportunities in England — influenced by online algorithms and high-profile property education — led to financial losses, compliance issues and hard lessons. But instead of quitting, he regrouped, refocused on Aberdeen, and built a sustainable business through deal sourcing and disciplined investing.This is a powerful conversation about resilience, accountability and why local knowledge always beats hype. 🔑 Key Highlights 💼 From Apprenticeship to Investor
💸 The £30,000 Lesson
🔄 The Pivot
🏘️ Aberdeen Opportunity
🚀 Portfolio Growth
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| £130k at 27 — Why He Still Walked Away From Purplebricks with Scott Miller | 09 févr. 2026 | 00:56:51 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Scott Miller, founder of Miller Estate Agents, for a no-holds-barred conversation about the reality of the estate agency industry, how it’s changing, and what sellers and buyers should actually be paying attention to. Scott shares his journey from dropping out of university, to cutting his teeth in a corporate agency environment, becoming a top performer at Purplebricks, and eventually walking away from six-figure earnings to launch his own independent agency built around trust, service, and transparency. This episode pulls back the curtain on the parts of estate agency most people never see — from upsells and awards, to commission pressure, portals, and the growing role of AI. Scott explains how he entered the industry after leaving university, starting out at a family law firm–linked estate agency. 🎙️ Episode Highlights: 🚪 Breaking Into Estate Agency Joining Purplebricks in 2017, Scott arrived during its peak as a major industry disruptor. At just 27 years old, he was earning over £130,000 per year, handling extreme volume:
However, the business model shifted — moving from a self-employed, high-reward structure to a salaried employed model with reduced earning potential, prompting Scott to reassess his future. 🚀 The Purplebricks Years Scott made the leap to start Miller Estate Agents on just two weeks’ notice. His approach was intentionally different:
🏗️ Launching Miller Estate Agents The goal was simple: deliver a better service by avoiding volume overload. Scott lifts the lid on industry practices many sellers aren’t aware of:
⚠️ The Shadier Side of Corporate Estate Agency Scott is openly critical of industry awards where agents must pay thousands for tables and sponsorship to “win”. He describes them as:
Scott argues the industry needs stronger regulation:
🤖 The Future of Property & AI Looking ahead, Scott discusses how AI could reshape property search, potentially allowing buyers to search across all agent websites using detailed criteria — reducing reliance on portals like Rightmove. That said, he’s clear: agents still need to be where the buyers are, and for now, that means the major portals — with social media acting as a powerful supporting tool, not a replacement. | |||
| Is the Scottish Rental Market Flatlining in 2026? (with Mark Shanta) | 02 févr. 2026 | 01:02:12 | |
Episode OverviewIn this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, we’re joined by Mark Shanta, property expert, letting agent, and returning guest, for a deep dive into the Scottish property market at the start of 2026.Together, we unpack what’s really happening across sales, rentals, tax policy, and regulation — cutting through the noise to give landlords, investors, and property professionals a clear, on-the-ground view of where the market stands and what’s coming next.From flatlining rents and budget uncertainty, to Aberdeen’s standout performance and the rise of alternative investments like paddle courts, this episode is packed with insight you can actually use. 🔍 Episode Highlights 🏘️ Market Sentiment Across Scotland
💷 Rental Market Update
🧾 Scottish Budget & Tax Updates
📊 Smart Tax & Pension Planning
📈 Investment Opportunities to Watch
⚖️ New Regulations: Awaab’s Law
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| 4 Proven Ways to Profit from Property Auctions in 2026 (with Prime Property Auctions | 26 janv. 2026 | 01:01:35 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven are joined by John and Luis from Prime Property Auctions to break down how their business has scaled rapidly, why auctions are becoming the go-to exit strategy for many landlords, and what really drives seller decisions in today’s market. They reflect on a standout year for the business, discuss the realities behind auction volumes and growth, and lift the lid on the marketing, sales psychology, and lead-tracking systems that underpin their success. This episode offers a practical, behind-the-scenes look at how a modern auction house operates — and how investors can plug into it. 🎙️ Episode Highlights: 📈 2025 Performance & Business Growth
📺 Why Prime Property Auctions Went Big on Marketing
📊 Tracking Leads From First Click to Sale
🧠 Founder-Led Trust & the Power of Personal Brand
📞 Sales Psychology: Speed Beats Negotiation
🧲 Lead Generation for Investors With Time, Not Money
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| The Truth About Commercial-to-Residential Conversions with Fraser Walsh | 19 janv. 2026 | 01:03:25 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Steven is joined by Fraser Walsh, an architect with over 20 years’ experience and co-founder of W9 Architects, to explore what really happens when investors move beyond buy-to-let and into commercial property and complex conversions. Fraser shares a behind-the-scenes look at commercial-to-residential projects, planning risk, listed buildings, and why even seasoned investors can get caught out when scaling up. Drawing on his experience working with major housebuilders, Scottish Government, and his own property investments, Fraser explains how projects can be de-risked, phased, and structured to stack up financially. This episode is packed with practical insight for investors looking to move into commercial conversions, apart-hotels, guest houses, and mixed-use projects — and avoid expensive mistakes along the way. Episode Highlights:
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| Inside A Rapidly Scaling Property Business with Kyle Black | 12 janv. 2026 | 01:05:05 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Kyle Black returns one year after his last appearance to share what has been a transformational 12 months for his property business, BLK. Kyle breaks down how he scaled rapidly, built an integrated “one-stop shop” model for investors, and why accountability, transparency, and long-term relationships sit at the core of everything he does. This episode is a deep dive into real portfolio growth, business structure, and what it actually takes to scale sustainably in today’s market. 🚀 Rapid Portfolio Growth in Just 12 Months -Kyle reveals that he and his business partner, Mark, acquired 21 properties in a single year, taking their total portfolio to 29 units. -Major acquisitions include a £2.2 million HMO portfolio in Glasgow’s West End and a block of nine flats in Helensburgh. -Kyle explains the operational challenges that come with scaling at speed and why systems become non-negotiable. 🏢 Building BLK as a One-Stop Shop for Investors -BLK has evolved from a sourcing business into a fully integrated group offering property sourcing, lettings, and a traditional estate agency. -The aim is to support investors end-to-end — from acquisition to management to refinance. -Kyle also shares plans to eventually add a mortgage brokerage to complete the full investor journey. 🔁 Focusing on Long-Term Investor Relationships -Rather than selling one-off deals, BLK works with investors looking to scale large portfolios. -Kyle explains how sourcing, letting, and refinancing under one brand creates alignment and long-term trust. -This approach allows BLK to grow alongside its clients. 📋 Accountability Through Lettings -Launching a letting agency was a deliberate move to increase accountability. -By managing the properties he sources, Kyle ensures that rental figures and valuations quoted upfront are realistic and achievable. -This removes the temptation to oversell deals just to win business. 🤝 Clear Roles Within the Business Partnership -Kyle positions himself as the face of the brand and lead generator, focusing on relationships and growth. -His partner, Mark — an accountant by trade — handles the financial modelling, numbers, and operational detail. -The clarity of roles has been key to scaling efficiently. 🏠 Innovative Staging Partnership -Kyle recently partnered with Ellie Black to offer a flexible staging solution for developers. -Staging and estate agency fees can be deferred until the property sells, easing cash flow during refurbishments. -The goal is to maximise sale prices without increasing upfront pressure. 🤖 AI, Technology & the Future of Property -Kyle discusses the role of AI in modern property businesses, including AI receptionists to handle high volumes of tenant calls. -He also touches on virtual staging tools like “nano banana”, while explaining why physical staging still wins during viewings. 🔍 Radical Transparency in Property Management -BLK’s letting agency operates with full transparency, using an online maintenance portal. -Landlords can view videos of reported issues and see actual contractor invoices, not estimates. -Kyle believes transparency is essential for trust at scale. 🧠 Modest Living & Reinvesting for Growth -Despite rapid success, Kyle avoids lifestyle inflation. -He continues to live in a one-bedroom flat, reinvesting profits back into the business. -Luxury cars and flashy offices are avoided in favour of sustainable, long-term growth. | |||
| The Reality of Building a Business You Can Actually Sell with Gavin Bell | 05 janv. 2026 | 01:02:40 | |
🎙️ Episode Highlights 🌍 From the Shetland Islands to Scaling a Business -Gavin shares what it was like growing up in the Shetland Islands and why leaving at 18 was almost inevitable if he wanted to build a business. -With limited local opportunities and a strong entrepreneurial drive, he moved south and began experimenting with online ventures early on. -Those early years laid the foundations for a mindset focused on independence, problem-solving, and long-term thinking. 🏗️ Building Yatter to Sell — Not to Be the Face of It -After years of growing a personal brand, Gavin made the strategic decision to build Yatter as a business that could be sold without him. -He deliberately separated himself from the brand, focused on systems and processes, and avoided relying on his own profile to win work. -Every decision — from hiring to operations — was made with exitability in mind. 👥 Hiring, Culture & Scaling to a 12-Person Team -Yatter grew methodically from a one-man band to a 12-person agency without external investment. -Gavin discusses why he often hired for attitude over experience and trained people internally. -He challenges the idea that culture is “values on a wall”, explaining that real culture is behaviour, energy, and how people feel walking into the office. 🌐 The “Halo Effect” of Long-Term Marketing -Some of Yatter’s best clients didn’t convert for months — sometimes over a year — after first seeing ads. -Gavin describes the “halo effect”, where repeated exposure builds familiarity and trust long before a buying decision is made. -He explains why attribution is often misleading and why not everything that works can be tracked perfectly. 🤖 AI, Personal Branding & Cutting Through the Noise -As AI-generated content explodes, Gavin believes personal branding is becoming more important, not less. -People are increasingly drawn to real voices, real experiences, and genuine opinions. -He shares how he uses AI as a thinking partner, productivity tool, and decision aid — while warning against relying on it to replace authenticity. 💼 Selling Yatter — A One-Year Exit Process -Gavin walks through the reality of selling an agency, from hiring M&A advisors to packaging the business for buyers. -The deal took a full year and was completed one minute before midnight ahead of major tax changes. -He reflects on the emotional toll of the process and the relief that came with finally closing the deal. 🏡 Property, Wealth & Why Business Came First -Although Gavin successfully renovated and flipped several properties, he chose not to scale a large portfolio. -He explains why, for him, capital and energy delivered better returns inside a business than in property. -Property became a wealth preserver rather than a growth vehicle — a strategic decision based on skillset and time. 🧠 Life After Exit, Identity & What’s Next -After stepping away completely, Gavin shares the unexpected challenge of redefining identity without a business to run. -He talks openly about slowing down, spending time with family, and reintroducing sport and balance into daily life. -The episode closes with a look ahead to his next venture — a tech-led healthcare business built around solving real-world problems. | |||
| 2025 RECAP: Wins, Lessons & What’s Next | 29 déc. 2025 | 00:56:23 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven jump on the mics for a no-guest, no-filter conversation covering what they’re seeing right now in the Scottish property market. From landlord sentiment and ADS frustrations, to interest rates, buyer behaviour, tenanted sales, and why so many people are quietly exiting the sector, this episode is a candid market update based on real conversations with investors, agents, and landlords across Scotland. It’s an honest, boots-on-the-ground discussion about what’s actually happening — not what headlines or politicians claim is happening. 🎙️ Episode Highlights: 📊 What’s Really Happening in the Scottish Property Market 🏘️ Why So Many Landlords Are Selling Up 💷 Interest Rates, Stress Tests & Affordability ⚠️ The Ongoing ADS Problem 🏠 Selling Tenanted Properties: The Reality 🧠 Why Education and Adaptability Matter More Than Ever 🗣️ Online Noise vs Real Life ---------------------------------------------------- Know someone looking to sell? Send the guys at Prime a message now: https://wa.me/447938603856 ---------------------------------------------------- Follow us on all of our social media accounts and join our monthly networking events in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee! Vist: https://linktr.ee/scottishpropertypodcast | |||
| Property Isn't Passive - Here's the Proof with Russel Godfrey | 22 déc. 2025 | 01:08:27 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven are joined by Russel Godferry, a hands-on property investor who shares an honest account of navigating the realities of property investing through changing market conditions, COVID disruption, and shifting tenant behaviour. Russel talks openly about lessons learned from deals that didn’t go to plan, how his strategy evolved over time, and why resilience, adaptability, and realistic expectations matter far more than hype. This episode is a grounded, experience-led conversation that cuts through “Instagram property” and focuses on what actually happens once you’re in the game. 🎙️ Episode Highlights 🏠 Getting Started in Property — And the Reality Check 🦠 The Impact of COVID on Property Plans 📉 When Deals Don’t Perform as Expected 🧠 Learning the Hard Way — Then Adapting 👥 Tenants, Communication & Expectations 📊 Why Numbers on Paper Aren’t the Whole Story 🗣️ Honesty vs Hype in Property Education | |||
| How Clark Adam Built a High-Income Portfolio at 69 | 15 déc. 2025 | 00:50:30 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Clark Adam, a 69-year-old property investor with one of the most fascinating life stories ever featured on the show. From growing up as a self-confessed “Ned” in Glasgow’s Cardonald, to joining the army at 15, to spending 25 years overseas protecting UK diplomats in some of the world’s most dangerous countries — Clark’s journey is anything but ordinary. After realising his pensions wouldn’t cover retirement, Clark began investing in buy-to-lets in 2008. Fast forward to today, he owns a high-cashflow portfolio in Montrose, earns close to £10,000 per month, and is part of an elite property group where only investors netting over £100k annually are allowed in. His favourite strategies now include serviced accommodation, long-term corporate lets, purchase with delayed completion, and upcoming moves into M&A and hotels. This episode is packed with wisdom, wild stories, and truly unique insights into risk, discipline, and building wealth later in life. 🎙️ Episode Highlights 🌟 From Glasgow “Ned” to Army Captain 🏘️ Starting Property to Fix a Pension Gap (2008) 📚 £40,000+ Invested in Property Education 🏠 Serviced Accommodation & 5–10 Year Corporate Contracts ⚡ Why Montrose Is a Hidden Investment Goldmine 🔧 Other Strategies: Rent-to-SA, Lease Options & PDC 💰 The £100k Club — and Next Goal: £200k 🏨 Next Moves: Hotels, Blocks of Flats & M&A | |||
| Major Red Flags Buyers Miss in Tenanted Sales with Portolio | 08 déc. 2025 | 01:03:49 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Scott sits down with Portolio — Scotland’s specialist estate agency dedicated to selling tenanted properties. Since 2017, Portolio has carved out a unique position in the private rented sector by staying niche, focusing solely on tenant-in-situ sales, and championing transparency across the industry. In this conversation, Portolio breaks down how the market has shifted in 2025, why so many long-term landlords are exiting, and what serious investors truly look for today. From yields 📈 and fixed pricing, to MDR savings 💷, portfolio deals 🏘️ and industry ethics, Portolio gives a clear and honest look at what “fair sale price” means in the current market. 🎙️ Episode Highlights 🏡 How Portolio Built a Niche in Tenanted Property Sales • Launched in 2017 when tenant-in-situ sales were still uncommon • Built the business by staying niche, consistent and transparent • Focused solely on tenanted sales to build trust with investors and landlords 👵➡️👨💼 Why Landlords Are Selling & Who’s Buying in 2025 • Most landlord exits are driven by retirement after 20–30 years of ownership • Younger, more professional investors are now rapidly taking over the PRS • Buyers increasingly use limited companies to scale portfolios 💰 Pricing, Yields & Setting Realistic Expectations • Portolio avoids inflated valuations and uses evidence-based pricing • Long-term stagnant rents can impact achievable yields and sale values • Some properties require rent reviews before a sale can succeed 📌 How Fixed Pricing Speeds Up Sales • Fixed price avoids confusion and unrealistic offers • Serious investors act quickly when yields and numbers are clear • Many buyers now expect upper-6% or 7%+ gross yields due to lending conditions 🧾 Why Proper Due Diligence Matters • Full compliance documentation is prepared before listing • Buyers get tenancy info, safety certs and rent statements upfront • Prevents surprises like arrears, missing paperwork or access issues ---------------------------------------------------- Know someone looking to sell? Send the guys at Prime a message now: ---------------------------------------------------- Follow us on all of our social media accounts and join our monthly networking events in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee! | |||
| Budget 2025: Landlords Face a 2 % Tax Hit on Rental Income and Dividends with Davy Hutton | 01 déc. 2025 | 01:08:34 | |
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with returning guest Davy Hutton, known for his outspoken views on politics, economics, AI and society. What begins as a conversation on Budget 2025 quickly evolves into one of the broadest and most thought-provoking episodes ever recorded on the podcast. Davy breaks down the 2% tax hit on rental income and dividends, explains why the middle class feels squeezed, and discusses how global corporations and AI are reshaping wealth, work and the future of the property market. 🎙️ Episode Highlights 🟦 Budget 2025: The Real Impact on Landlords
🟦 Why the Economy Feels Worse Than the Data Says
🟦 Corporations, Power, and the Real Drivers of Inequality
🟦 Scottish Property Market Overview
---------------------------------------------------- Know someone looking to sell? Send the guys at Prime a message now: ---------------------------------------------------- Follow us on all of our social media accounts and join our monthly networking events in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee! | |||