

The Progressive Property Podcast
Kevin McDonnell
The Progressive Property Podcast helps you make smarter property & real estate investments, for leveraged property success & financial freedom, even with little or no money down. Whether you're a buy & hold investor, flipper, deal packager, multi-letter, want to get started, scale up, systemise or create multiple streams of property income, the Progressive Property Podcast will save you time & mistakes & help grow your knowledge, skills, & confidence. No fluff or filler, no ads and deep-dive real life information from real-deal investors who have some of the UKs largest portfolios. Interviews with millionaires, billionaires & successful real life Progressive Property community members will help you build your income generating portfolio in less time. Invest for freedom, choice & profit.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 23, 2024 • 24min
Property Mechanic's Education Drive: Never Give Up! A Conversation with Mark Akerman
Mark is a property investor based in Plymouth. He joins the show to talk to Kevin about his property journey, including what he was doing previously and his current projects. Mark’s investment journey hasn’t been linear, and he shares with Kev the lessons he learnt and how Progressive Property training has aided him in transforming his portfolio. KEY TAKEAWAYS Mark first started investing in property 20 years ago, but his progress hasn’t been straightforward, one of his first properties remained in negative equity for years after purchase. Mark wasn’t educated about adding value or how to be an effective property investor and landlord. This education has transformed the way he approaches his property business and investments. Adding value was one of the first and most important lesson Mark learnt from Progressive. It’s about recycling your money and being able to build growth. When buying off-plan, you will always overpay. No money down and HMOs resonated with Mark so these are the strategies he began to invest in. In 26 months, Mark has done 9 deals, which is more than one deal every 12 weeks! One of Mark’s proven strategies is sending out letters to potential landlords and investors. BEST MOMENTS "I’ve always had a passion for property” “If you want to be a property investor you should be adding value, recycling your money” “It wasn’t that property was bad it was just I was bad at it” “As entrepreneurs, we will never be happy with what we’ve got” VALUABLE RESOURCES MSOPI – Multiple Streams of Income: https://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Kevin McDonnell is a Speaker, Author, Mentor & Professional Property Investor. He is an expert when it comes to creative property investment strategies. His book No Money Down: Property Invest talks about how to control and cash flow other people’s property to create financial freedom. CONTACT METHOD https://www.facebook.com/kevinMcDonnellProperty/ https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progressiveproperty YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0g1KuusONVStjY_XjdXy6g Twitter: https://twitter.com/progperty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/progressiveproperty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressiveproperty/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressivepropertycommunity Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Progpertyprogressive, property, investing, rent, housing, buy to lets, serviced accomodation, block, auction, home, financial freedom, recurring income, tax, mortgage, assets: http://progressiveproperty.co.uk/

Apr 16, 2024 • 22min
Perseverance and Necessity Kick Started my Property Journey - A Conversation with Emerald Fisk
Join the conversation with Emerald Fisk, a former personal trainer turned successful property investor who shares her inspiring journey in this episode. Discover how Emerald went from having no money and support to building a thriving property portfolio through networking, education, and the right mindset. Learn about the challenges she faced, the opportunities she found, and the lessons she learned along the way. Emerald also shares valuable insights on the current property market, creative financing strategies, and the importance of investing in your local area. KEY TAKEAWAYS Networking, education, and the right mindset are crucial for success in property investing, even with no prior experience or funds. Joint venture partnerships can be a powerful way to leverage other people's resources and expertise to get started in property. Embracing challenges, stepping out of your comfort zone, and believing in yourself are key to overcoming obstacles and achieving your goals. The current property market presents massive opportunities for educated investors, while tired and uneducated landlords are selling up. Investing in your local area can be more advantageous than chasing cheap deals in unfamiliar locations. Creative financing strategies, such as no money down investing, can help you build a portfolio without using your own funds. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people and learning from their experiences can help you develop a more open and growth-oriented mindset. BEST MOMENTS "If I can do it, anybody can do it. You always need the right network around you, the right mindset and the right education. That's the three things that you need." "It's very hard to network when you don't have a conversation." "I see the educated people taking advantage of everything that's going on at the moment, and I see the uneducated people wanting to leave the property market." "If you're in the more expensive areas, that's great. Find people that want to work with you in those areas." "If you've got a closed mindset, the only way you can change that is go and spend time with other people with a more open mindset." VALUABLE RESOURCES MSOPI – Multiple Streams of Income: https://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Kevin McDonnell is a Speaker, Author, Mentor & Professional Property Investor. He is an expert when it comes to creative property investment strategies. His book No Money Down: Property Invest talks about how to control and cash flow other people’s property to create financial freedom. CONTACT METHOD https://www.facebook.com/kevinMcDonnellProperty/ https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progressiveproperty YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0g1KuusONVStjY_XjdXy6g Twitter: https://twitter.com/progperty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/progressiveproperty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressiveproperty/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressivepropertycommunity Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Progpertyprogressive, property, investing, rent, housing, buy to lets, serviced accomodation, block, auction, home, financial freedom, recurring income, tax, mortgage, assets: http://progressiveproperty.co.uk/

Apr 9, 2024 • 25min
Turning Properties into Profits: A Conversation with Wendy Brumwell, Commercial Conversion Entrepreneur
Wendy Brumwell, a successful commercial conversion property investor joins Kev in this episode. Wendy talks about the strategies she has used in the past 11 years of her property investing journey and shares the lessons she has learnt along the way. KEY TAKEAWAYS For ten years Wendy knew what she wanted to do in property but she thought she had to have the cash to do it. She immediately realised this wasn’t the case when she attended her first property investing course. Permitted development ‘PD’ is planning that is already set at a government level. This means as long as you meet all of the criteria outlined then you already have agreed planning permission. Wendy takes time every morning to do something for her whether such as reading or exercise. She does this to set up her day. Wendy learnt so many lessons from her self-build project that she now wants to do it all over again! Anybody can do property, including commercial conversions. They just need the right education. BEST MOMENTS "You spent ten years saving it all up, I spent ten years messing it all up” “Sometimes being an entrepreneur, if you enjoy what you do it doesn’t feel like work” “I learnt so much from it that I would do it again and do all those things differently” "You can start with smaller projects and work your way up" VALUABLE RESOURCES MSOPI – Multiple Streams of Income: https://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Kevin McDonnell is a Speaker, Author, Mentor & Professional Property Investor. He is an expert when it comes to creative property investment strategies. His book No Money Down: Property Invest talks about how to control and cash flow other people’s property to create financial freedom. CONTACT METHOD https://www.facebook.com/kevinMcDonnellProperty/ https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progressiveproperty YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0g1KuusONVStjY_XjdXy6g Twitter: https://twitter.com/progperty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/progressiveproperty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressiveproperty/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressivepropertycommunity Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Progpertyprogressive, property, investing, rent, housing, buy to lets, serviced accomodation, block, auction, home, financial freedom, recurring income, tax, mortgage, assets: http://progressiveproperty.co.uk/

Apr 2, 2024 • 26min
Why Hosting a PPN Event Can Grow Your Property Business
Kev is joined by Justine in this episode. Justine shares why she chose to start running progressive property networking events and all about her property investing journey. Justine also talks about why mindset is paramount in building your own property business. KEY TAKEAWAYS Justine has over 30 years of experience in property investing. She stresses the importance of diversifying and being adaptable to remain agile and profitable in the property space. Mistakes were part of Justine’s early journey, she recognises that these could have been avoided if she had focused on property education before getting started. Learning in person and from others has a far higher implementation and success rate than simple reading books. You have to have a forever-pupil mindset in property investing and all business ventures, there is always something you can learn. Justine’s strategy is focused on building her lifestyle, so HMOs for example wouldn’t be a workable strategy for her. Hosting a PPN event helps Justine remain accountable Anyone can build a property business, they just need the right mindset and the dedication to learn. BEST MOMENTS "Good luck to you if you want to do it on your own but you’re only going to get so far” “Everybody has their own strategy that works for them, mine is about lifestyle” “It feels more like a community” "It's about having the right mindset, anybody can do it you just have to have the belief" VALUABLE RESOURCES MSOPI – Multiple Streams of Income: https://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Kevin McDonnell is a Speaker, Author, Mentor & Professional Property Investor. He is an expert when it comes to creative property investment strategies. His book No Money Down: Property Invest talks about how to control and cash flow other people’s property to create financial freedom. CONTACT METHOD https://www.facebook.com/kevinMcDonnellProperty/ https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progressiveproperty YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0g1KuusONVStjY_XjdXy6g Twitter: https://twitter.com/progperty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/progressiveproperty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressiveproperty/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressivepropertycommunity Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Progpertyprogressive, property, investing, rent, housing, buy to lets, serviced accomodation, block, auction, home, financial freedom, recurring income, tax, mortgage, assets: http://progressiveproperty.co.uk/

Mar 26, 2024 • 27min
How to Turn Your Property Side Hustle into a Stable Income: Heidi Mobbs
Join Kev as he speaks to property investor and progressive property network host Heidi Mobbs. Heidi reveals the strategies she used to replace her income completely with property investing. Kev and Heidi talk about the benefits of Progressive networking events and Progressive Property courses and Heidi stresses why it’s essential to have goals and a purpose to push you through the challenges of starting your own property business. KEY TAKEAWAYS Heidi needed to be confident she was successful enough in property investing before she left her established role in social housing. She had a lot to lose. Networking and negotiating with investors to give her opportunities is how she first started to build her portfolio. Heidi scaled very quickly, she didn’t leave her job until she had all systems in place including employees and CRM systems. The hardest part of her journey was managing this whilst working full-time. Progressive networking events provide support and opportunities for property investors. Heidi wanted to utilise this and host a networking event rather than doing something independent. Hosting PPN events gave Heidi instant credibility as a property investor. Not all projects go to plan, Heidi has had to give properties back that she has been unable to manage and has lost money too. You will never find great property deals without making some mistakes along the way. BEST MOMENTS "Just give us a go, I’ll prove a point and I’ll turn that property around” “You’ve got to have a big enough why to quit your job and that keeps you going through the bad days” “PP and Progressive are like a family” “The networking boosted my credibility straight away” “I’ve done loads of deals where they kind of didn’t work out the way I hoped them to, but I wouldn’t have got the good ones if I didn’t go through the bad ones” VALUABLE RESOURCES MSOPI – Multiple Streams of Income: https://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Kevin McDonnell is a Speaker, Author, Mentor & Professional Property Investor. He is an expert when it comes to creative property investment strategies. His book No Money Down: Property Invest talks about how to control and cash flow other people’s property to create financial freedom. CONTACT METHOD https://www.facebook.com/kevinMcDonnellProperty/ https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progressiveproperty YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0g1KuusONVStjY_XjdXy6g Twitter: https://twitter.com/progperty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/progressiveproperty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressiveproperty/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressivepropertycommunity Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Progpertyprogressive, property, investing, rent, housing, buy to lets, serviced accomodation, block, auction, home, financial freedom, recurring income, tax, mortgage, assets: http://progressiveproperty.co.uk/

Mar 19, 2024 • 18min
Anyone Can be a Progressive Property Network Host with Mike Chadwick
Kev is joined by Mike Chadwick in this episode who has been part of the progressive property network for 10 years! Mike talks to Kev about what his journey has looked like and what he has planned for the future. He also talks about why he became a PPN host and why anyone can do it! KEY TAKEAWAYS Hosting network events gives accountability, you have to show up every month. One he learnt about multiple income streams, Mike couldn’t forget about it and it’s why he always has to do more in his career and life than one job. Mike has started exploring new property strategies in the past couple of years including HMOs and serviced accommodation. Being a host of PPN events gives you exposure to other property investors and can present unique opportunities. Make sure people you are hosting know what you are doing in property, nurture those relationships. BEST MOMENTS "To me it’s not work, I love hosting the event, to me it’s like meeting your friends every month” “Some people can use it as a way to make progress in property” “Because I did training with Progressive, I understood the ins and outs of it” “Make sure you’re telling people what you’re doing” VALUABLE RESOURCES MSOPI – Multiple Streams of Income: https://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Kevin McDonnell is a Speaker, Author, Mentor & Professional Property Investor. He is an expert when it comes to creative property investment strategies. His book No Money Down: Property Invest talks about how to control and cash flow other people’s property to create financial freedom. CONTACT METHOD https://www.facebook.com/kevinMcDonnellProperty/ https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progressiveproperty YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0g1KuusONVStjY_XjdXy6g Twitter: https://twitter.com/progperty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/progressiveproperty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressiveproperty/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressivepropertycommunity Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Progpertyprogressive, property, investing, rent, housing, buy to lets, serviced accomodation, block, auction, home, financial freedom, recurring income, tax, mortgage, assets: http://progressiveproperty.co.uk/

Mar 12, 2024 • 20min
The Budget: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly for Property Investors with Richard Stone
Join Kevin as he speaks to property expert Richard Stone about Jeremy Hunt's latest budget. They discuss how this may impact property investors, including VAT, capital gains tax and changes around national insurance for the self-employed. VALUABLE RESOURCES MSOPI – Multiple Streams of Income: https://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Kevin McDonnell is a Speaker, Author, Mentor & Professional Property Investor. He is an expert when it comes to creative property investment strategies. His book No Money Down: Property Invest talks about how to control and cash flow other people’s property to create financial freedom. CONTACT METHOD https://www.facebook.com/kevinMcDonnellProperty/ https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progressiveproperty YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0g1KuusONVStjY_XjdXy6g Twitter: https://twitter.com/progperty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/progressiveproperty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressiveproperty/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressivepropertycommunity Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Progpertyprogressive, property, investing, rent, housing, buy to lets, serviced accomodation, block, auction, home, financial freedom, recurring income, tax, mortgage, assets: http://progressiveproperty.co.uk/

Mar 5, 2024 • 29min
How to Avoid Nightmare Tenants
Kevin and his team share the various tenant issues they have had over the years. They talk about how to defend yourself against bad tenants including why referencing isn’t always enough and reveal the worst tenants they have ever had to deal with. However, let this prepare you, not put you off property as Kevin and his team mostly deal with perfect tenants! KEY TAKEAWAYS Nightmare tenants usually have a honeymoon period before showing their ‘true colours’ Alcohol, drugs and visitors are often the start of many issues. Referencing is key as a first defence against nightmare tenants. Landlords may not always be completely honest about current tenants as they want them to move. If you can find potential tenants on social media that can give you more information to decide on whether to rent to them. Dealing with aggressive tenants is one of the biggest challenges, especially in a HMO situation. You have to deal with bad tenants swiftly or you risk losing the good tenants. Don’t give bad tenants an inch or they will take a mile. You need to be fair but firm. Regular inspections can help you combat issues early. BEST MOMENTS "Most tenants are great but there is always that nightmare tenant that appears every so often” “We use a referencing company, but you will always find a landlord reference doesn’t always reflect the truth” “We have over 300 tenancies and very rarely do we have a bad one” “That’s not really a bad tenant, that’s a tenant with a problem and we as landlords aren’t social workers” “If you don’t deal with the bad tenant quickly the good ones will leave” "Cat fleas are worse than cats" VALUABLE RESOURCES MSOPI – Multiple Streams of Income: https://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Kevin McDonnell is a Speaker, Author, Mentor & Professional Property Investor. He is an expert when it comes to creative property investment strategies. His book No Money Down: Property Invest talks about how to control and cash flow other people’s property to create financial freedom. CONTACT METHOD https://www.facebook.com/kevinMcDonnellProperty/ https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progressiveproperty YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0g1KuusONVStjY_XjdXy6g Twitter: https://twitter.com/progperty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/progressiveproperty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressiveproperty/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressivepropertycommunity Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Progpertyprogressive, property, investing, rent, housing, buy to lets, serviced accomodation, block, auction, home, financial freedom, recurring income, tax, mortgage, assets: http://progressiveproperty.co.uk/

Feb 27, 2024 • 15min
Why the UK Recession is Good News for Property Investors
The UK is officially in a recession. In this episode, Kev talks about the news and how it may impact you as a property investor. He discusses what might happen with interest rates, the opportunities and creative techniques available to property investors and why this is the perfect time for you to scale your business. KEY TAKEAWAYS There are different challenges now to 2008, particularly around inflation. The Bank of England will be feeling pressure to reduce interest rates. A recession can be an opportunity for property investors, there will be a lot of deals out there. There are two types of sellers in a recession, those that want to sell and those that have to. The main form of control you have as an investor is the money you put in today, the rental income you make and how you scale your business. Recessions are great periods to scale your business. Don’t confuse good debt with bad debt. Good debt is serviced by someone else that creates profit for you. There is a looming house price drop but in the long term, the prices will always increase. Property investing is about the longer-term trends. BEST MOMENTS "This is the longest recession ‘not a recession’ I’ve lived through” “People are poorer” “That creates a lot of opportunities for creative property investing” “The techniques you can use in a recession can allow you to scale massively” “There are loads of £1 deals out there!” “We are going to see a house price drop” VALUABLE RESOURCES MSOPI – Multiple Streams of Income: https://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Kevin McDonnell is a Speaker, Author, Mentor & Professional Property Investor. He is an expert when it comes to creative property investment strategies. His book No Money Down: Property Invest talks about how to control and cash flow other people’s property to create financial freedom. CONTACT METHOD https://www.facebook.com/kevinMcDonnellProperty/ https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progressiveproperty YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0g1KuusONVStjY_XjdXy6g Twitter: https://twitter.com/progperty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/progressiveproperty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressiveproperty/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressivepropertycommunity Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Progpertyprogressive, property, investing, rent, housing, buy to lets, serviced accomodation, block, auction, home, financial freedom, recurring income, tax, mortgage, assets: http://progressiveproperty.co.uk/

Feb 20, 2024 • 36min
Title Splitting Masterclass with Rachel Knight
Join Kev as he talks to title-splitting expert Rachel Knight. Rachel talks through the implications of the recent announcements by the government that will release positive opportunities for property investors. She also reveals her unique strategy for getting high value from her properties with less work than you may think! KEY TAKEAWAYS Title splitting is the creation of leasehold from freehold. The government are looking at changing the current system of leasehold/freehold to common value. This means the value will be in the lease, no longer the freehold. Think outside of the box, Rachel reconfigured two flats she owned together to make 3 luxury 2-bed apartments. The number 1 advantage to title splitting is you get the capital growth from day 1. This title-splitting strategy can work in any area. You need the right people to understand this title-splitting method, not every solicitor will know how to achieve it and neither will all banks. You can title split at any point, not just when you are buying or selling. If you split before you may want to sell, it means you can sell flats individually to retail buyers, not just to another investor as a ‘job lot’ of flats as many people do. Title splitting is a good way to diversify your portfolio. For example, switching your SA to single let or vice versa. BEST MOMENTS "Title splitting is something that has been around for centuries” “I got a massive value uplift in doing that” “This is out of the box to legally get round things you might consider a blocker to your business” “You want things that are easier to manage as you get older” “You need a solicitor who knows what they’re doing” “Title splitting is a good way of diversifying” VALUABLE RESOURCES MSOPI – Multiple Streams of Income: https://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Kevin McDonnell is a Speaker, Author, Mentor & Professional Property Investor. He is an expert when it comes to creative property investment strategies. His book No Money Down: Property Invest talks about how to control and cash flow other people’s property to create financial freedom. CONTACT METHOD https://www.facebook.com/kevinMcDonnellProperty/ https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@progressiveproperty YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0g1KuusONVStjY_XjdXy6g Twitter: https://twitter.com/progperty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/progressiveproperty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progressiveproperty/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressivepropertycommunity Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Progpertyprogressive, property, investing, rent, housing, buy to lets, serviced accomodation, block, auction, home, financial freedom, recurring income, tax, mortgage, assets: http://progressiveproperty.co.uk/


