Expat Property Portfolio

Trying to predict the perfect moment to invest often costs more than it saves, in missed income, missed equity growth, and missed compounding. In this episode, Callum looks at recent moves in SpaceX, Bitcoin, the S&P 500, Australian property, Dubai, and the UK property market to unpack what they teach us about investing for the long term. In this episode, Callum covers: Why FOMO and market hyp...

Property markets move in cycles: prices rise, prices fall, and different markets peak at different times. Using Savills data across prime residential markets, Callum breaks down what these cycles actually teach investors about building long-term wealth, and why understanding where a market sits matters. In this episode, Callum covers: What's driving current price movements in Dubai, Australia...

The Property Framework I've Used for 11 Years Most goal setting fails because the goals are too vague and there's no system behind them. Callum shares the four F framework he's refined over 11 years, covering finance, fitness, friends and family, and focus. Includes a practical breakdown of how to set a specific property goal for the year and work backwards month by month, week by w...

The Vanderbilts built a $200 billion fortune and lost it within two generations. It wasn't bad investments or tax, it was a lack of structure and communication. Callum breaks down why generational wealth fails, what the Hartford family did differently, and how expat property investors can build wealth that actually lasts. Covering UK limited companies, discretionary trusts, cross-border struc...

The Boring Foundation A personal one. I own property in Phuket, and this episode is about sitting with that exposure honestly as Thailand's nominee company crackdown escalates. He explains what a nominee structure is, walks through the enforcement timeline, the IBAS detection system, the shift from forced sale to state forfeiture. Then he uses his own portfolio as the example for his three la...

Every Market Has Its MIRAS Moment Negative gearing is dead, the headlines said. It isn't. This episode breaks down Australia's May 2026 tax reforms, what actually changed versus what got misreported, and why the grandfathering rules matter more than the headline. Then it zooms out. The UK's MIRAS abolition, Dubai's correction, Thailand's nominee crackdown- same pattern, fo...

Every goal has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The beginning is easy. The end is in sight. It's the middle that breaks most people. In this episode, I talk about the messy middle, the part of building a property portfolio that nobody warns you about. Years two, three, four, when the excitement has worn off, the finish line isn't visible yet, and it's easy to quietly drift away fr...

Something a little different this week. No market data, no interest rates, just a concept that might be the most expensive thing most of us do without realising it. Deferred happiness syndrome. The idea that your real life hasn't started yet, that you're in a prelude to something better. A client conversation and a story about a Mexican fisherman brought it into sharp focus, and I think...

The stock market is showing a warning sign that's only appeared twice before in the last 155 years. In this episode, I break down the CAPE (Shiller) Ratio, what it could mean for investors, and why many people are looking at ways to protect and diversify their gains. We also compare stock market returns with property and explore how leverage can change the equation. This is not financial advi...

Should expat property investors wait for UK interest rate cuts, or buy now? In this episode, I run the numbers across four interest rate scenarios on a £200,000 buy to let at 75% LTV, then compare that to Savills' five year house price forecasts and the rent you would miss out on by waiting. The gap between best and worst case on rates is around £16,000 over five years, but the opportunity co...

Why You Should Never Buy Property With Cash (Or Sell It) Buying a property with cash feels safe. But when you run the numbers, it's one of the most expensive decisions you can make.  In this episode I compare a cash purchase to a mortgage on the same property, show what leverage actually does to your real returns, and make the case for never selling, remortgaging instead, to access tax-free c...

Buying a UK property while living abroad?  I break down the real cost differences between buying as an expat versus a UK resident, deposits, stamp duty, and mortgage rates, and show why waiting could save you over £36,000 and unlock far more buying power. 📘 BUILDING A UK PROPERTY PORTFOLIO FROM OVERSEAS?  Most expats overcomplicate it, overpay for it, or never start at all. My book breaks down ex...

Bank of England rate hold & what it means for investors The headlines are screaming doom, but is the negativity warranted?  In this episode, I break down the Bank of England's decision to hold the base rate at 3.75%, what it means for your mortgage, and why the UK property market may have already had its crash without most people realising it.  Drawing on Savills research, real house pric...

Dubai asking prices have been slashed by up to 27%, real house prices are down 5.9%, and transactions have fallen off a cliff. So is this the start of a Dubai property crash, or a once in a cycle buying opportunity? In this episode I compare the UK vs Dubai across six key metrics: gross yields, net yields after tax, capital appreciation, liquidity, financing access, and political and regulatory ri...

Renters Reform Act & Making Tax Digital - what does it mean for you? Interest rates, the Renters Reform Act, and Making Tax Digital are all shifting at once, but what does it actually mean for your property portfolio? In this episode, I break down the latest from the Bank of England, what the new legislation means for landlords, and how upcoming tax changes could impact you.  We also touch on...

Should you buy property based on numbers… or emotion? After 15+ years in property and over a decade as an expat, I’ve seen the same mistake time and time again: people trying to buy something that works as both a home and an investment. In this episode, I explain why that approach rarely works, how to clearly define your goal, and what actually makes a strong investment property versus a lifestyle...

The Bank of England has held interest rates at 3.75%, but rising inflation and global tensions around the Strait of Hormuz are changing the outlook. In this episode, we break down what this means for mortgage rates, buyer behaviour, and the property market, plus why long-term investors should stay focused. Featuring a powerful lesson in resilience from Ernest Shackleton and how it applies to prope...

Oil Prices, Inflation & UK Property: The Chain Reaction In this episode, I explain how rising oil prices and conflict in the Middle East could impact inflation, interest rates, and the UK property market. I also look at 20 years of UK house price data to show how property has performed through wars, crises, and economic uncertainty, and why long-term investors focus on the bigger picture rathe...

The truth about expat mortgages Many expats believe they can’t get a UK mortgage, but that’s a myth.  In this episode, I explain how expat mortgages actually work, why high street banks often say no, and how specialist brokers help overseas investors secure financing.  I also cover the key documents you’ll need and the typical process from start to finish. Resources: 👉 Get a free copy of my book,...

It takes 52 years to recover from this property tax mistake. In this episode, we break down a real case study of an investor with five properties considering moving them from personal ownership into a company structure. Once you factor in Capital Gains Tax, Stamp Duty (including overseas surcharge), and the actual annual tax savings, the maths tells a very different story. Resources: 👉 Get a free...

Why Limited Companies Are Taking Over UK Property 66,500 new limited companies were set up in 2025 to hold UK property, up 8% on last year and nearly 340% higher than a decade ago. In this episode, I break down why more landlords are moving away from personal ownership and into limited company structures, including a simple tax comparison showing how the numbers stack up. I also cover: Whether buy...

Is the 18-year property cycle about to signal the start of the next UK boom? In this episode, I break down the 18-year cycle, where it comes from, how its four phases work, and whether it still maps onto real house price data. We cover: The origins of the cycle and how it’s been used historically Whether the UK has already had a “silent crash” in real (inflation-adjusted) house prices Current pric...

What Is The Best Property Strategy? This week, we break down the UK locations that saw the strongest house price growth in 2025, and why chasing “top growth” headlines can be a fast way to overcomplicate things (we’ve all been there). We also look at what Santander’s new 98% mortgage could mean for UK house prices, using what happened in Australia at the end of 2025 as a blueprint for how higher L...

UK house prices have just recorded their strongest January on record , mortgage rates are falling, and 200,000 landlords have left the market, but none of that matters as much as most people think. In this episode of The Expat Property Portfolio , we explain why interest rates shouldn’t dictate your property decisions , and why waiting for the “perfect rate” often costs investors far more in misse...

From Welsh Rugby to Expat- Sion Bennett’s Expat Journey In this episode of The Expat Property Portfolio, I sit down with Sion Bennett to explore a truly unique expat story. Sion went from captaining Wales U16s and playing alongside world-class athletes to dealing with injuries, career crossroads, and a last-minute choice that moved him from the UK to Hong Kong. We dive into: - How a professional s...