The Business of Property

In this episode Simon chats with Julie Condliffe, an award-winning property auction solicitor and seasoned property investor. Julie shares her journey into property investment, highlighting a significant early investment in an apartment in Swindon. She discusses the allure of guaranteed rent and the challenges she faced when the promise fell through, leaving her financially strained. The episode p...

In this episode of the Business of Property podcast, Simon delves into the current financial challenges faced by UK landlords with buy-to-let properties. Simon discusses the financial strain caused by rising interest rates and changes in tax regulations (Section 24). Simon revisits a previously analyzed investment property, illustrating how increased mortgage costs and tax liabilities significantl...

Simon introduces a successful yet straightforward investment property acquired in 2017, highlighting the simplicity of the process compared to more complex deals discussed in previous episodes. Simon details the process of finding, purchasing, and managing a three-bedroom terrace home in Redhill. Emphasizing the importance of sharing both complex and simple property investment stories, he invites...

Simon welcomes Susannah Cole, an experienced landlord and property investor, to walk through in-depth details of an investment property case study. Susannah shares her journey of acquiring a property in Bristol, previously owned by a hoarder with nine dogs, highlighting the challenges and strategic decisions involved. Learn how Susannah found the property deal and her process for transforming it i...

Simon and seasoned mortgage broker Simon Glastonbury delve into the current state of the UK property market and the potential impact of the general election on mortgages and finance. They explore the outlook for interest rates, speculate on possible stamp duty changes, and discuss the implications of a base rate cut on fixed rates. The conversation shifts to tracker mortgages, examining their hist...

Host Simon provides a detailed guide on managing the end of a tenancy. Simon addresses a listener's question about handling council tax, utilities, and other administrative tasks, especially for properties owned by limited companies. He shares his own experiences as a self-managing landlord, highlighting the need for effective communication, documentation, and thorough inspections. Simon's insight...

In this episode, Simon delves into a follow-up discussion on achieving £1 million from a buy-to-let property portfolio, addressing listener questions from the previous episode. Simon introduces updates to the PaTMa Prospector software, which now offers enhanced features for evaluating multiple property strategies and clearer financial forecasts. Simon also offers a seven-day trial for the software...

In this episode, Simon explores the pathway to making £1 million from buy-to-let property investments. Simon outlines a simplified model that focuses on rental profit and equity gains. He details an investment strategy involving purchasing standard three-bedroom family homes in Brighton. Listen to find out how this simple property investment strategy can make £1 million. Join our email newsletter...

Simon explores strategies for optimizing a £million property portfolio for minimal time investment, without fully outsourcing. Have you considered how the structure of your property portfolio, and the properties within it, affects the amount of time you spend? Listen for Simon's thoughts on how you should structure a £million property portfolio with the intention of minimising the cost on your tim...

Simon welcomes Julia Scoville, the organizer of Crawley Property Meet. Learn the secrets of (attending) a successful property networking event. Julia recounts the meetup's humble beginnings in a hotel foyer, its growth to larger venues, and the pivot to virtual gatherings during the pandemic. She emphasizes the importance of support for landlords facing everyday challenges. Now at the helm, Julia...

Host Simon welcomes Rob Turner, Land Director at Virtue Property Group, to discuss the intricacies of land acquisition and the planning permission process. Rob shares his strategies for identifying land opportunities, emphasizing the importance of relationships with agents and thorough site evaluations. He details the planning application steps, including pre-application meetings with councils and...

Host Simon, a seasoned property investor, chats with Simon, an expert mortgage broker, about the intricacies of mortgage rates, the influence of the Bank of England base rate, and the specifics of limited company mortgages. The episode delves into the potential fluctuations of the base rate and its subsequent effects on mortgage rates, as well as the unique challenges and documentation requirement...

In the latest episode of the Business of Property podcast, host Simon welcomes Ami and Rita, co-owners of a property business specializing in blocks of apartments in the South East. They discuss their successful strategy of buying, refurbishing, refinancing, and holding properties, aiming to pull out all invested money with each project. The duo shared insights into a recent project involving a bl...

In this insightful episode, Simon welcomes Annette Gardner, a seasoned property presenter and stager, to the Business of Property podcast. Annette delves into the nuances of property staging, sharing her valuable experience in transforming homes to captivate potential buyers or tenants. She highlights the significance of neutral decor and strategic touches to foster a welcoming environment. Annett...

In the latest episode of the Business of Property podcast, host Simon delves into his process for evaluating properties from his desktop. He shares valuable insights on assessing floor plans, scrutinizing photos, and the benefits of virtual tours for a better grasp of a property's layout and condition. Simon also discusses using Google Street View and Maps to understand the property's surroundings...

In the latest episode of the Business of Property podcast, host Simon is joined by Stuart French, co-owner of Pineapple Group. Stuart imparts his expertise on navigating the myriad of challenges in the property investment landscape, from tax hurdles to financial planning and property management. Stuart's journey in property investment is nothing short of inspiring. Imagine achieving an infinite re...

Host Simon is joined by Simon Glastonbury, a seasoned independent mortgage broker. They note an uptick in available properties but a corresponding dip in buyer urgency, and round-up the latest mortgage rates. They delve into the nuances of the UK property market, noting an uptick in available properties but a corresponding dip in buyer urgency, which may lead to transaction delays. Simon G sheds l...

In this insightful episode of the Business of Property podcast, Simon chats with Philip Mallourides, a seasoned property investor, to unravel his unique property journey from rent-to-rent (before it was) to blocks of auction purchased flats. Philip recounts how he inadvertently became a landlord in 1996, a move encouraged by market conditions. He shares his early experiences in property management...

In this episode of The Business of Property podcast, co-hosts Simon and Stuart delve into the realities of managing property businesses. Stuart reflects on the lessons learned throughout his property journey so far. The discussion provides valuable insights into the challenges and successes of running a property business, as shared by Stuart from his personal experience. Join our email newsletter...

In this episode of the Business of Property podcast, co-hosts Stuart and Simon engage in a lively debate about the meaning of a "real property business". Simon presents a scenario where a property business makes a loss initially due to investment and maintenance costs but still generates income through rentals. Stuart stresses the importance of real-world profitability and is sceptical about a bus...

Simon and Stuart engage in a detailed conversation about the complexities of managing a diverse property portfolio. They discuss the unique challenges that come with different types of properties, such as buy-to-let, commercial spaces, serviced accommodation, and HMOs. They stress the importance of having a clear strategy and understanding what 'freedom' and 'legacy' mean to you, and within the re...

In this episode, Stuart, Simon, and resident mortgage broker Simon Glastonbury discuss the recent budget's impact on property businesses. They cover the VAT threshold increase, the capital gains tax reduction for property sellers, and the decrease in the tax-free allowance. Stuart welcomes tax reductions, while Simon Glastonbury highlights how the lower allowance might negate tax rate benefits for...

Stuart and Simon delve into the UK house price index, discussing its meaning for the property market and examining regional price variations. They note a slight national decrease in property prices but highlight significant regional disparities. Personal anecdotes from Simon and Stuart reveal a more complex market situation than the statistics suggest, with properties still attracting offers near...

Stuart and Simon explore the financial journey of Simon's property business. They start with the 2016-2017 tax year, where Simon's three buy-to-let properties yielded £36,000 in revenue and £29,000 in pre-tax profit. The conversation then covers the challenges posed by Section 24, which affected mortgage interest tax relief, increasing costs and reducing profits. Despite this, Simon remains focuse...

Stuart and Simon share strategies for landlords on finding and selecting tenants for rental properties. They discuss the importance of preparing the property, taking quality photos, and writing effective listings. They explore options for advertising on rental portals and the benefits of self-managing the process versus using agents. The duo also talks about using automated emails to screen enquir...