The Property Podcast

It’s Tuesday and that means Rob & Rob are back to answer two more listener questions. The first question this week comes from Florence. She’s thinking of remortgaging her property as she has around £190,000 of equity tied up.  However, she doesn’t know if she should pay the penalty to get out of her mortgage now, which will be around £1,040, or wait two years when her fixed mortgage rate is finished. She doesn’t yet know which route she should choose, but if she was to release the equity, she wants to try and beat the stamp duty fees coming back into play.  Next we’ve got Martin calling from Hong Kong.  Since he’s been listening to the podcast he’s purchased one small property in the UK with cash. He’s wanting to buy more properties in the UK and with being based abroad (and the current coronavirus situation), buying in cash seems to be easier than buying with a mortgage.  After listening to the podcast and Rob & Rob’s views on leverage, he wants to know if he bought a property with cash, could he then take out a mortgage on it in a year or two?  Is this a possible idea and is it beneficial? Tune in to find out.   Do you have a buy to let or property investment related question for Rob & Rob? You could feature on the next episode by giving us a call on 013 808 00035 and leaving a message with your name and question (normal UK call rates apply).  Or if you prefer, click here to leave a recording via your computer instead. The next question on Ask Rob & Rob could be yours.  Have you joined us over on the Property Hub Forum yet? Our online community is friendly, informative, and the members are waiting to welcome you with open arms. So get yourself over and introduce yourself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re exploring how QE could dramatically change property prices QE (short for Quantitative Easing) is currently at record levels that have never been seen before.  The approach has discreetly been changed by the government, so as a property investor you must understand what’s going on. And that’s exactly what Rob & Rob are discussing on today’s podcast episode. By the end of this episode you’ll know exactly what QE is and how to take advantage of it. Here’s what to expect on this week’s property podcast episode We get it, QE sounds really boring and while it’s really complicated... it’s also incredibly important. For us, it’s important that you understand QE just as much as you understand leverage or inflation, it’s a core concept to long-term property investing. Here’s what Rob & Rob are be covering on today’s episode on QE: What is QE? Amounts of QE The effects of QE (pre-2020) Asset price inflation since 2009  Why is 2020 QE different? What is the likely effect? What can you do about it? This is going to be an episode that may frazzle your brain a little so you might want to grab a pen and paper and take notes. You may even want to listen to it a couple of times to wrap your head around it but we promise it will be worth your while.   In the news A major news story in the property world this week comes from the BBC. ‘Cladding: Extra £3.5bn for unsafe buildings ‘too little, too late’.’ There’s another issue with the cladding scandal - and that’s the clarity around who it does (and doesn’t) help. And that’s because the government has stated that this funding is applicable to buildings over 18m high. So if you live in a development below 18m, the funding won’t help you, but there will be low cost loans available.  We don’t think this is the end of this ongoing battle. We’ll be keeping an eye on further developments.    Hub extra For Hub Extra this week The Robs are recommending a tool they’ve both been using since the first lockdown.  Rob B used to work on an iPad Pro because he travelled around a lot. But like most people, he’s been stuck at home and this meant the iPad wasn’t an ideal set-up.  So, he invested in a widescreen monitor. So we’re keeping it simple and recommending the very basic widescreen monitor itself. It can increase your productivity when you’re used to working on a laptop or iPad - and as you know… we’re ALL about the increase in productivity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rob & Rob are back again with another two great questions to answer. Up first we’ve got Jess.  She put in an offer on a flat and got a response from the vendor that they wanted something a bit closer to the asking price. Jess then put in a counter offer, all cash, £2,500 under the asking price.  In most cases this would be a pretty decent offer that’s likely to get snapped up with the ability to move fast on it.  However, Jess still hasn’t received an answer from the vendor. She hasn’t had her offer accepted or rejected and is questioning if he’s not a serious seller and should she just move on.  The second question this week comes from Neale who has a question about freehold. He has a one bedroom buy-to-let apartment which is one of five within the development.  It had previously been poorly managed and recently Neale and fellow landlords took over the management. The freeholder has recently indicated that they’re willing to sell the freehold to the five apartments.  All five parties are keen to proceed, but Neale wants to know if there’s any real benefit to owning part of the freehold? Will the value of the properties increase if he owned the freehold? Tune in to find out.   Do you have a buy to let or property investment related question for Rob & Rob? You could feature on the next episode by giving us a call on 013 808 00035 and leaving a message with your name and question (normal UK call rates apply).  Or if you prefer, click here to leave a recording via your computer instead. The next question on Ask Rob & Rob could be yours.  Have you joined us over on the Property Hub Forum yet? Our online community is friendly, informative, and the members are waiting to welcome you with open arms. So get yourself over and introduce yourself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re exploring why predictions are crap Nine times out of ten you’ll listen to expert predictions.  But, believe it or not, they’re not always right! So this week on The Property Podcast we’re going back in time to take a look at what predictions have been made by both Rob & Rob, and other industry experts, and seeing whether they were right or wrong. Here’s what to expect on this week’s property podcast episode At the beginning of January Rob & Rob shared their 2021 predictions podcast episode and a few weeks later did their 2021 property hotspot predictions. But even though The Robs like making predictions and going back to review them, they also dislike them. That’s because predictions can sometimes be wildly inaccurate and if you take them too seriously, it can lead you in the wrong direction.  So in this episode Rob & Rob are going to go back and take a look at some significant years in property, take a look at what happened in those years and see what various people predicted was going to happen.  As they go through this episode they’ll be picking out patterns that’ll be worth keeping in mind as you review predictions in the future.   In the news This week’s news story comes from This is Money and the headline reads ‘Pets in lets: Government makes it harder to impose ‘blanket bans’ on tenants having animals’.  From reading the article, it makes it sound as though you now have to accept tenants with pets by default and have to object case by case if you don’t want pets in your property.  But like any good old headline, that’s not the case. There’s simply a new clause that’s been put into the government's standard AST.     AOB has moved You may have noticed that this week there was an extra episode of our Any Other Business podcast.  We’ve decided to now kick start your week the right way and you can now catch the latest podcast episodes on a Monday morning via your favourite podcast app.  But don’t worry, if you prefer to watch your podcasts, each episode will be going live on YouTube every Sunday so you can unwind, put your feet up with a brew and get ready for the week ahead. And don’t forget about our weekly free webinars where you can learn everything you need to know about investing in property in just 30 minutes and walk away with plenty of free resources after the session to continue your learning.   Hub extra We’ve got a new podcast recommendation for you this week. No, don’t worry, Rob & Rob haven’t started another podcast, but this one is from someone who often makes an appearance on The Property Podcast.  You may remember Sarah who’s one of the investors that we try to catch up with at least once a year to find out how her investment journey is going.  Well, she now has her own podcast called ‘Conning The Con’. It’s all about conning a con artist and it’s a super entertaining listen.   Let’s get social We’d love to hear what you think of this week’s Property Podcast over on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. You might even have a topic you’d like us to cover in the future - if so, pop us a message on social and we’ll see what we can do. Make sure you’ve liked and subscribed to our YouTube channel where we upload new content every week!  If that wasn’t enough, you can also join our friendly property community on the Property Hub forum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to another fun filled episode of Ask Rob & Rob. We’ve got another two great questions to answer, so let’s get stuck in. First up we’ve got Des who has a question about a property he already owns.  He previously bought it 15 years ago for around £80,000 and it’s now worth around £200,000.  The property is currently mortgaged at £150,000 as Des has previously released equity to invest elsewhere.  Des wants to know whether, after such good growth, he should sell it or rent it out?  The next question is from Imran who’s looking for a helping hand in getting his foot in the door of a letting agent.  He’s currently studying for a property qualification but has had no luck so far with the jobs he’s been applying for.  So naturally, he’s turned to Rob & Rob to see if they have any advice on how he can stand out from the crowd when trying to get a job in lettings. If you’re in similar positions as Des and Imran, then this is an episode for you.   Do you have a buy to let or property investment related question for Rob & Rob? You could feature on the next episode by giving us a call on 013 808 00035 and leaving a message with your name and question (normal UK call rates apply).  Or if you prefer, click here to leave a recording via your computer instead. The next question on Ask Rob & Rob could be yours.  Have you joined us over on the Property Hub Forum yet? Our online community is friendly, informative, and the members are waiting to welcome you with open arms. So get yourself over and introduce yourself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s what the February market update has in store for you Hold onto your seats because this February market update is a good one. Just to give you a taster of what’s to come on this week’s episode, The Robs have got some mortgage news, they’re discussing the best performing cities of 2020 and they’ve got positive news on the cladding crisis.  Certainly topics you’ve all been waiting to hear about for a while so let’s get stuck into the February market update. Here’s what to expect on this week’s property podcast episode Even though it’s only been a few weeks, there’s a lot to cover in today’s update.  Rob & Rob kick things off by taking a look at the December Hometrack report which covers the whole of 2020. To everyone’s surprise, house prices were up by 4.3% which is a huge increase.  The Robs are also talking about: Top performing cities of 2020 Falling city rents More mortgage products Stamp duty Cladding Scottish Help To Buy And naturally The Robs will go into depth on each topic so we won’t give too much away. Make sure you tune into the February market update.   Free education If you’re looking to get started on your buy-to-let journey, or are wanting a refresher of the basics then we’ve got just the thing for you.  Every week we host a number of free webinars at different times to suit your schedule. You can learn everything you need to know about investing in property in just 30 minutes. Plus, you’ll also walk away with plenty of free resources after the session to continue your learning. Make sure you book your free virtual place today to get started. We look forward to seeing you there.   Let’s get social We’d love to hear what you think of this week’s Property Podcast over on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. You might even have a topic you’d like us to cover in the future - if so, pop us a message on social and we’ll see what we can do. Make sure you’ve liked and subscribed to our YouTube channel where we upload new content every week!  If that wasn’t enough, you can also join our friendly property community on the Property Hub forum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob we’ve got a question on mortgages and another question on tenancy agreements..  Our first mortgage related question comes from Martin in Ireland.  Martin is wanting a bit of advice on interest-only mortgages. He’s looking to purchase his first property with an interest-only mortgage as he knows he’ll have more of a monthly rental income.  However, he’s a bit unsure as to how he actually pays that loan back in the long-term, say 20-25 years down the line.  Ideally he would like to allow his rental income to accumulate so that he can purchase a second property and keep that cycle going to build up a portfolio.  But he’s concerned that when it comes down to it, he’ll have several mortgages he’ll need to pay off and isn’t sure how he’ll do it.  Next we’ve got Luke who’s in Hong Kong! He’s just about to complete on his third buy-to-let property in the UK and is wanting some advice on tenancy agreements. Luke wants to know if after a fixed-term contract is up, should he allow the tenancy agreement to roll over to a periodic tenancy, or should he renew the fixed-term contracts every time?  He’s wondering if there are pros and cons to both or if one is better than the other. Tune in to find out.   Do you have a buy to let or property investment related question for Rob & Rob? You could feature on the next episode by giving us a call on 013 808 00035 and leaving a message with your name and question (normal UK call rates apply).  Or if you prefer, click here to leave a recording via your computer instead. The next question on Ask Rob & Rob could be yours.  Have you joined us over on the Property Hub Forum yet? Our online community is friendly, informative, and the members are waiting to welcome you with open arms. So get yourself over and introduce yourself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where are the best places to invest in 2021? It’s one of our favourite podcast episodes of the year... where should you invest in property 2021? We do it every year - and this year is no different. Rob & Rob are sharing their best places to invest in property in 2021 and there’s even a few surprises thrown in there. Here’s what to expect on this week’s property podcast episode We’re doing things a tad differently this year.  We usually unveil the top five cities we believe investors should be investing in. But this year, we’re giving you what we think are four safe bets and four outside picks, just to keep things interesting.  So here they are: Safe bets: Nottingham Liverpool  Leeds Greater Manchester Outside picks: Home counties Sheffield Belfast Derby We recommend particular areas through thorough research and due diligence. And while we’ll be focusing our own investment efforts here and sourcing deals for our Property Hub Invest clients in these locations, that doesn’t mean they’re the right places for you.  We recommend that you do your own research before committing to any investment. So, there you have it. Make sure you tune into the podcast to find out why Rob & Rob have chosen these locations to invest in this year.    In the news This week’s news story comes from Rightmove saying, ‘housing market sees busiest ever start to a year’.  Even despite the stamp duty holiday, this is still very impressive with Rightmove recording a 30% increase in just website visits compared to last year.  Not to mention people contacting estate agents about a property to buy is also 11% higher than at the start of 2020, and those enquiring about a property to rent is up by 22%. Certainly a very encouraging sign for the housing market at the beginning of a year.   Hub Extra If today’s podcast episode on where to invest in 2021 wasn’t enough for you then you’re in luck. We’ve also got a YouTube video sharing our 2021 hotspots and The Robs have covered them in a slightly different way - and there’s plenty of people getting involved in the comments.  So make sure you go give that a watch as well.   Let’s get social We’d love to hear what you think of this week’s Property Podcast over on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. You might even have a topic you’d like us to cover in the future - if so, pop us a message on social and we’ll see what we can do. Make sure you’ve liked and subscribed to our YouTube channel where we upload new content every week!  If that wasn’t enough, you can also join our friendly property community on the Property Hub forum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re back again this week with another two fantastic questions from our podcast listeners.  First up we’ve got Arthur.  Arthur is looking for advice on purchasing his own residential property and getting a lodger to live with him. He’s thinking about leaving London and moving to Manchester where he can afford a two-bedroom terraced house.  However, he keeps waiting for prices to drop or for there to be a crash, but since this is going to be his residential property, should he not care as much? He wants to know if he should just go for it now, but is concerned that as soon as he does there will be a crash.  Hopefully Rob & Rob can help him with this one. Our second caller this week is Will who’s got a bit of a personal question for The Robs.  Obviously, Rob & Rob are massively into investing in property, but he wants to know if either of The Robs put money into their tax free ISAs?  Does Rob D just stick to property or does he do both? Tune in to find out.   Do you have a buy to let or property investment related question for Rob & Rob? You could feature on the next episode by giving us a call on 013 808 00035 and leaving a message with your name and question (normal UK call rates apply).  Or if you prefer, click here to leave a recording via your computer instead. The next question on Ask Rob & Rob could be yours.  Have you joined us over on the Property Hub Forum yet? Our online community is friendly, informative, and the members are waiting to welcome you with open arms. So get yourself over and introduce yourself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are our go to business resources? Everyone always loves the episodes where we share our business resources and this week we’re going bigger and better.  There are so many business resources we’re covering in today’s episode that they might just see you through to the end of lockdown. They’re all ones that you can use and implement straight away, so let’s get going! Here’s what to expect on this week’s property podcast episode As you should know by now, we’re starting a new business - our biggest project to date. And alongside this, we’ve created a new podcast - Any Other Business.  So today we’re keeping this podcast episode focused on… you guessed it - business!   Rob & Rob are sharing the business resources they use themselves, and ones which will help them on their new business journey.  We’ve got loads to get through so let’s get going. Getting started The $100 Start Up - Chris Guillebeau Tropical MBA - Podcast Google Workspace Marketing OKdork.com by Noah Kagan Digital Marketer Podcast Fiverr.com  Sales The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge your business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies - Chet Holmes Pipedrive Trello Customer service Delivering happiness A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose - Tony Hsieh Zendesk or Helpscout People Powerful - Patty McCord Upwork.com Finance The ultimate blueprint for insanely successful business - Keith J Cunningham Xero Starling Operations Traction - Gino Wickman Rockefeller Habits So, there you go, plenty to keep you busy and focused. And you’ve got a load of resources to help you build or scale your business.     In the news A record number of buy to let landlord companies set up. A pretty positive headline to start the year, so where have they all come from? According to research from Countrywide agency Hamptons, 41,700 new buy-to-let limited companies were set up in 2020. Which turns out to be a new record in a single year and a 23% increase on 2019.  Probably not a surprise considering the stamp duty holiday that came into play, saving buy-to-let landlords a small fortune.   Hub Extra If you’re wanting to learn more and get an inside perspective on what it takes to start and grow a business, then make sure you’re subscribed to the Any Other Business podcast.  And don’t forget about our YouTube channel where you can watch the raw emotions of Rob & Rob as they take you on this journey with them.   Let’s get social We’d love to hear what you think of this week’s Property Podcast over on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. You might even have a topic you’d like us to cover in the future - if so, pop us a message on social and we’ll see what we can do. Make sure you’ve liked and subscribed to our YouTube channel where we upload new content every week!  If that wasn’t enough, you can also join our friendly property community on the Property Hub forum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.