The Property Podcast

This is the end! Well… it’s the end of Strategy September at least. And we have a great one to finish off on, because today we’re covering the refurb property strategy. And to help us, we’re welcoming Ian back to the Property Podcast.  Ian’s no stranger to our shows; he’s been on the podcast twice before and he has years of experience with building and construction, not to mention the fact that he’s a property developer and investor himself - so what better episode to have him share his practical knowledge and experience... Today you’ll learn: What a refurb actually is The varying types of refurbs The advantages of a refurb strategy How you can add value to a refurb The disadvantages of a refurb  How to keep your budget in check So there you have it - everything you need to know about the refurb strategy; made even better by Ian sharing some words of wisdom with us. Have a listen and let us know if the refurb strategy is for you.     Now, if you've followed Strategy September, hopefully you’ve found the right property strategy for you. We’ve covered: Buy-to-let HMO Flips   But if you haven't found the right one, don’t fear. We’ve got you! You can book a free goals call with one of our team by clicking here. Our team can help you get clear on your goals, identify what property strategy is likely to be right for you and more importantly, help you discover how you can get started and hit the ground running. And we’ll say it again…. It’s completely free.  Hit this link and pick your date and time.   And in the news this week, we’ve got another political story. Now don’t all shut down your computers at once, because it’s actually a pretty positive one. It’s a press release from the government: PM renews drive to give more power to Northern regions.  Typically for the government, there’s not a lot of detail here, but there are a few pleasing aspects of the release - particularly for Scotland. There’s a fair few things in here that have made Rob B smile, so listen to hear what he thinks of this latest update.    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 with another episode of Ask Rob & Rob, and the first question this week is from John. John would like to know how many mortgage applications he can have on the go at any one time. He’s looking at buying 3 buy-to-let properties but is concerned about the effect that 3 different buy-to-let mortgage applications could have on his credit file.  Is John right to be wary of multiple applications? Will these multiple marks on his credit file make a difference to his applications - and more importantly, could it cost him the mortgage product he’s wanting to go for? Listen as Rob B talks through what is likely to happen and find out how John can manage the impact of multiple mortgage applications.  The second question came in from someone who didn’t leave her name, so we’re calling her Pauline.  Pauline has recently been inspired by Mark who’s gone from 0-10 properties in 5 years. She loves the podcast but would like Rob & Rob to have more of a focus on Scotland, which is where she’s interested in investing.  We have previously done a whole episode on investing in buy-to-let property in Scotland where The Robs talk through the best places to invest and cover the property buying process - which differs vastly from those in England.  But what other nuggets has Rob D shared with Pauline about investing in Scotland? You’ll have to listen to find out. And don’t forget to tune in next week for another two questions on Ask Rob & Rob.   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.

It’s the penultimate episode of Strategy September and this week Rob & Rob are covering flips. Now flipping is probably the most glamorous property strategy there is. There are dozens of TV shows you can watch and it’s a good way to make a decent profit quickly.  However, there are a number of risks involved that you should consider and The Robs are going to cover them in today’s episode along with: How much capital will you need? What are your finance options? Where do you want to be looking? How do you do your numbers? How do you work out your refurb cost? What other expenses do you need to allow for?  How do you know what you’re going to sell for?  So before you rush into flipping properties, thinking it’s as easy as it looks on Homes Under the Hammer, you might want to give this episode a listen first. And, after you’ve given it a listen, make sure you go and take our free course over on Property Hub University and really test out your knowledge on flipping properties.    And in the news this week, we’ve got (another) negative headline. Apparently property investors make on average just £2,000 net return each year after ‘hidden costs’ are taken out. Now considering an average property is £183,000, that kind of profit seems hardly worth it.  So we might as well all give up and pack it in.  Or should we? Luckily, in the article they’ve listed these different hidden fees so we can see where they’ve got their figures from. We’re not quite sure where they’ve plucked them from, especially on an average priced property, but nevertheless, we think you’re pretty safe for the time being.   And to give you that extra bit of value, this week’s Hub Extra is another fitness site called Nano Workout. Now this might seem like a bit of a prank because when you think about it, it is actually quite funny. But this site has come up with different exercises that you can incorporate into your everyday life.  So there’s things you can be doing while you’re sitting at traffic lights, sat at your desk, and even ones you can do whilst you’re sat on the couch watching TV. If this sounds like something that could help you get into fitness, let us know what you think of it.   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 we’re talking about the ripple effect and also seeing if there’s a certain amount of cash you should be putting to one side for a rainy day.  Kicking us off on Ask Rob & Rob this week is Kevin. He’s listened to the podcast for over a year now and is interested in investing in the north. He’s obviously heard us bang on about our top city locations such and Manchester and Leeds, but he’s curious about the surrounding areas.  He’s particularly interested in Barnsley and Chesterfield.  He’s done some searching and thinks that both locations have all the right fundamentals - but will they benefit from the ripple effect of Sheffield and Leeds?  Listen as Rob B gives his two pennies and lets Kevin know what he thinks about the potential investment options a bit further up north.  The next question is from Graham who has a question about backup funds.  He started his buy-to-let journey two years ago and currently has three properties, with the aim of buying another two in the next six months. So Graham is wondering if there’s a general rule of thumb for putting a certain amount of money aside in the event of an emergency? He’s also wondering if this should change in-line with the more properties you purchase.  Is there a specific formula Graham should be considering? Listen as Rob D offers his advice on what Graham could do to save for the inevitable.  And don’t forget to tune in next week for another two questions on Ask Rob & Rob.   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.

We’re back for part two of Strategy September and this week we’re talking about HMO’s.  The Robs have talked about HMO’s numerous times on The Property Podcast, but they wouldn’t consider themselves experts.  So this week they’ve brought in another Rob who knows pretty much anything and everything about HMO’s. Enter Rob from Maygreen Investments who, along with his wife Sarah, has built up a portfolio of HMO’s that are absolutely beautiful. You can have a nosey here.  Here’s a little taster of what you can expect The Robs, and Rob, to cover: What is a HMO? And an example of one The advantages and disadvantages of a HMO Who should be looking at investing in a HMO? Some great tips from Rob if you’re looking at a HMO strategy This is a jam-packed episode, so make sure you’re listening carefully and have a pen and paper at the ready.    And in the news, we’re elaborating on an article we included in last Friday’s Hub Extra email - yes, we’re talking about politicians again. The article comes from The Daily Mail and it reads, ‘John McDonnell is to declare war on buy-to-let landlords by giving tenants the chance to purchase their property at a DISCOUNT price’.  We might need to apologise in advance before you listen to this episode as The Robs get a little political on this topic. It’s not with the intention to offend, but quite frankly it’s all a bit ridiculous. We can’t blame them for voicing their opinions on something so bizarre. Have a listen and let us know your thoughts on the matter.    And in this week’s Hub Extra, we’ve got a new podcast for you. This one is called ‘Land of the Giants’ and the concept is that in each of the series they’re going to focus on one of the tech giants like Google, Apple, and other similar businesses. The first series is on Amazon, and each episode explores how Amazon has got to where they are today and how it’s not only evolved but changed the world as well. It’s a great podcast on the businesses that we just can’t seem to live without.    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 we’re back to normality and The Robs are answering two fantastic questions that have come in from our Hubbers.  First up, we’ve got another Rob. He lives in Dubai and he’s got a whopping £500,000 to invest! He’s looking to invest his cash in the North of England and his strategy is to generate an income.  Obviously being in Dubai, viewing properties is a little tricky for Rob, so he has no idea what kind of property he should be investing in or where he should ideally be looking to generate that income.  Essentially, he’s asking Rob & Rob, if they had £500,000 to invest in the North of England, where and what would they buy? So how would The Robs invest half a million pounds? Tune in to find out.  Next we have Amy from Hastings. She and her partner are looking to invest and are in the process of releasing some equity from their residential property.  To begin with they’re looking at buy-to-let properties in either Manchester or Leeds, but just off the bat, she wants to know Rob & Rob’s thoughts on Airbnb or serviced accommodation in general.  She’s not run the numbers on it yet and before she wastes her time doing so, she’s wanting to know if it’s a good strategy to go with?  Would Rob & Rob approve of a serviced accommodation strategy?  Hit the play button 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.

We’ve got something exciting for you over the next few weeks. We’re bringing you ‘Strategy September’ and going back to basics discussing all the possible strategies that are out there. They’re going to be talking about flips, HMO’s and refurbs. This week The Robs are kicking it off with buy-to-let and here’s what they’re going to cover in today’s episode: What is buy-to-let? Examples of buy-to-let properties  The advantages The disadvantages  Who is it for? Tips for finding the perfect deal Plus, you’ll get to hear The Robs get personal and tell you all about how and why they got started in property in the first place, over 10 years ago. Make sure you tune in, it’s going to be a good one!   This week our Hub Extra is an app called ‘Seven’ and it’s a seven minute workout app. Rob B came across this app after Jack Dawsy mentioned it when explaining how he plans out his week so he thought he’d give it a go.  It basically gives you a seven minute workout and it’s been proven that if you do a high intensity workout (HIIT) that’s the minimum amount of exercise you need to do each day. So no more excuses not to go to the gym now!  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 brand new 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 we have one question that’s taking centre stage. But it’s one that A LOT of you have been talking about... so here’s Vicky asking the question on everyone’s behalf.  Her question is about the HS2. Since Boris Johnson came into power there have been a number of mixed messages floating around: “It’s going ahead…” “It’s not going ahead” “It’s over budget…” “It’s only going to serve the north…”  The list is endless. Vicky is wanting to know what The Robs think of it all and what impact they think it will have on the likes of Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds. Rob & Rob are big fans of HS2, so tune in and have a listen to what they really think of all these mixed messages.   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.

We’re back with Property Podcast listener Mark Ward who last week told us how his strategy helped him to grow a double digit portfolio in just five years.  This week The Robs are delving into how Mark managed to change his mindset to that of a winning one which was the driving force behind the growth of his buy-to-let portfolio. He’s focusing on the strategy of buying below market value, refurbishing and refinancing. While he’s been using traditional mortgages and a little bit of bridging too, Mark’s also been doing a couple of really unique things. When you consider some of the bonkers things Mark has done - which goes far beyond the usual ‘putting in an offer without viewing it’ - (go here to listen to how he’s purchased in a known flood zone, done some intense refurbishing and entered the terrifying world of bridging finance) it makes you question just how Mark actually made this all work to his advantage. Mark might knows exactly what he’s looking for and where he wants to go with it, which is great! But ultimately, a lot of this also boils down to his mindset.  And that’s exactly what we find out more about in the second part of this interview with Mark and Rob D.    In the news this week, a dramatic headline from The Express, ‘Brexit property WARNING: Sell your house after this date to avoid losing money’. In a nutshell, the article basically says if you’re looking to sell your house, wait until after the 31st October, which is when we’ll apparently know what’s happening with Brexit.  Even though we’ve heard this a number of times throughout the year, even Rob B admits that he’s noticed a decline in the number of new properties coming to the market in his local area. For once, even The Robs agree with this headline and think that you probably shouldn’t sell your property before the 31st October. However, if you’re looking to buy a property, you should 100% be focussing on buying before it.    This week’s Hub Extra is in-keeping with today’s episode and it’s a simple but effective quote from Benjamin Franklin; ‘well done is better than well said’.  Which reiterates what The Robs are always saying, it’s all about taking action! It’s all well and good talking about your goals and what you’re planning on doing, but you won’t reap the benefits until you put those words into action.  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 brand new 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 after a long weekend with two more fantastic questions from our listeners. This week we’re answering questions on one of our favourite cities - Manchester -  as well as trying to avoid stamp duty. First up, we’ve got another Rob! There’s just no escaping them. Rob is new to property investment and after securing two properties in London where he lives, he’s looking to start his property journey up north.  After he listened to Boris Johnson’s speech, the growth potential of Manchester and the Greater Manchester area really excites him, but he’s wondering if the market is now saturated or if the long term potential is here to stay?  He’s also wondering how familiar he needs to be with the area before he considers investing?  If you’ve listened to The Property Podcast for a while, you’ll know how much The Robs love talking about Manchester and could spend hours giving Rob advice on investing in the area.  But they won’t keep you all day, they’re just dishing out the top tips on how to go about investing in property in Manchester.  Next we’ve got Tim. He’s got a couple of properties already, one being serviced accommodation and the other a standard buy-to-let. He’s just retired and is looking to make property his full time income to make himself financially free. He’s been listening to a number of podcasts and webinars, one of which has said that he can avoid paying stamp duty if his property is being used as serviced accommodation.  So is it true or not?  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.