Unlock Expat Property - The Podcast

In this episode of Unlock Expat Property – The Podcast, host Jonathan Smith dives deep into one of the most important topics in UK property investing: risk. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned expat investor, understanding risk is what separates speculation from strategy. Jonathan breaks down every major category of risk — from market volatility and financing pitfalls to compliance, co...

In this week's episode Jonathan dives into the world of purchasing property through the modern method of auction.  By the end of the episode, you’ll understand exactly what the modern method of auction is, how it works, why sellers love it, why buyers need to tread carefully, and how you can actually use it to unlock property investment opportunities in the U.K. that others might overlook. He...

In this week's episode Jonathan takes you on a full journey of what it means to buy your first investment property, how to prepare, how to overcome the mental barriers, what practical steps you need to take, and most importantly, how to make sure that this isn’t just your first property—but the foundation of a portfolio that builds passive income, generational wealth, and freedom.  From devel...

In this week's episode, Jonathan is joined by Matt Hurley of Poseidon Real Estate to discuss how to invest in property in Dubai. Dubai has seen huge growth over the last few years but have investors missed the opportunity to take advantage of this?  Matt shares insights on how investors can leverage distressed assets to secure below market value deals, how he and his team utilize freely avail...

In this week's episode, Jonathan tackles and important topic - legacy building.  Because when the paychecks stop and the years speed up, it won’t be the job title or the passport stamps that matter most. It’ll be the legacy you’ve built. And property? That’s one of the most powerful tools to make it happen. So whether you’re an expat living in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, or beyon...

In this week's episode, Jonathan is joined by John De Goey, an investment and wealth portfolio manager and author based out of Canada.  John shares his insights on the best way to invest in order to secure long-term wealth. From diversifying your portfolio to ensuring you are focused and disciplined in your investment journey, John breaks down what it takes to be a successful investor.  Jonat...

In this week's episode Jonathan is joined by Danielle Hall, Founder of Co-Living Legends in Dubai.  Danielle shares a truly inspirational story of her property investing journey from building a UK property portfolio in her early 20s, to moving to Dubai for a teaching job and seeing a gap in the property market there to set up Co-Living Legends - a unique company which provides women across Du...

In this week's episode Jonathan provides an update on his first HMO conversion project. After partnering with a full turnkey solution provider in the UK and spending the last 3 months sourcing a suitable property he has now secured his first deal through the modern method of auction. Jonathan provides an open and honest review of the sourcing and purchasing process, including a bumpy road exp...

In this week's episode Jonathan dives into a topic that catches out far too many investors, both new and experienced - the real cost of buying UK property.  Buying a property is never just about the asking price. There are many other costs involved in purchasing a property which, if unchecked and unaccounted for, can easily erode the return on your investment and the amount of cashflow you ge...

In this week's episode Jonathan walks you through everything you need to know about down valuations.  He'll explore what they actually are and how they work and explain the most common reasons they happen, especially in today’s lending climate. He discusses the different ways a down valuation can impact your deals, whether you’re buying with a mortgage or refinancing a property you’ve ju...

In this week's episode, Jonathan discussed the expat trap. Nearly three quarters of expats who return home from their time abroad have little or nothing to show for their time away.  Jonathan explains what the expat trap is, how it happens and how you can flip the narrative to turn it from a trap into an advantage.  Many expats get sucked into the life of luxury, the fancy holidays, the nice...

Think inflation is the enemy? Think again. In this week's episode of Unlock Expat Property – The Podcast , we flip the narrative on inflation and reveal how smart UK property investors are using it to build wealth effortlessly. From capital growth to rent increases and even debt erosion, inflation can be your secret weapon — if you know how to use it. Whether you’re an expat just getting star...

In this week's episode, Jonathan shares his top ten property investing tips for new and seasoned property investors.  Jonathan handpicked these tips based on his own journey and experiences working with investors all over the world — especially those navigating the UK property market remotely. They’re practical, honest, and based on what works. From setting your strategy early on to building...

In this week's episode, Jonathan is joined by Johannes Schenk of Emme Homes and Coastalbliss to discuss how to invest in property in Cyprus.  We usually focus on investing in property in the UK on the podcast, however, after a chance encounter with Johannes as a result of booking one of his villas for a recent holiday to Paphos, Cyprus we discovered a great opportunity to share valuable insig...

In this week's episode, Jonathan discusses how you can make money from property – without investing in property. No, it's not a typo, you read that correctly. You don’t need to buy a house, you don’t need to manage a renovation, and you definitely don’t need to deal with tenants or leaky toilets. There's one simple way to make competitive, market-beating and truly passive returns on...

In this week's episode Jonathan is on the other side of the microphone when he appeared on Steve Cowgill's Expat Property Podcast.  Jonathan shares how a mindset shift helped him to kickstart his own UK property portfolio while working full-time in Saudi Arabia.  He explains how he first became an expat, how it took him nearly 10 years to finally take the plunge and invest in UK property...

In this week's episode, Jonathan is joined by Rob Peters of Simple Fast Mortgage. Rob is an expert specialist mortgage advisor with a background in financial advice and wealth management.  As a result, Rob and Simple Fast Mortgage offer investors a strategic outlook on the best fit mortgage products available to both UK residents and international investors.  Rob shares some fantastic insight...

In this week's episode of Unlock Expat Property - The Podcast, Jonathan is joined by Arjun Kumar of Taxd. Arjun and his company provide a seamless, user-friendly experience for filing your self-assessment and limited company tax returns without incurring the high fees usually associated with accountants.  Taxd is a simple, easy to use platform which has supported first-time and seasoned inves...

In this week's episode Jonathan explores the biggest decision every property investor must make - should you invest in houses or apartments?  Whether you're just getting started or expanding your portfolio from abroad, the choice between houses and flats can dramatically shape your cash flow, growth potential and long-term success.  Jonathan will break down the key differences between ho...

In this week's episode, Jonathan will dive into how taking action can unlock your expat property potential.  Are you exploring the world of property but haven't taken that first step? Perhaps you want to ensure you have full knowledge and information before taking the leap? Or maybe you are fearful of making costly mistakes. In this episode, Jonathan shares tips and insights into how you...

In this episode of Unlock Expat Property - The Podcast, we explore the top 10 benefits that make UK property one of the most powerful wealth-building tools - especially for expats looking to generate passive income and long-term security.  From strong capital growth and consistent rental income, to leveraging mortgages, tax efficiency and building generational wealth, Jonathan breaks down exactly...

In this week's episode Jonathan is joined by Sam Crabtree of API Global.  Sam is an expat himself, having lived in Dubai for the last 3 years and previously in Sydney, Australia. During this week's show, Sam talks about the vast benefits of investing in new build and off plan property in the UK.  He shares valuable insights on why expats should be investing in new build property, how to...

Getting a mortgage as an expat doesn't have to be complicated - if you know the steps.  In this week's episode, Jonathan breaks down the full expat mortgage journey: from utilizing the expertise of brokers, securing your decision in principle, handling valuations, and preparing your documents.  Jonathan also shares his own real-life experiences in the mortgage process and provides some u...

Are new builds really over-priced? Do you need to put in large deposits? Are they more risky than investing in existing property stock?  In this week's episode, Jonathan pulls back the curtain on 10 of the most common myths surrounding new build property investing.  As an expat investor, it's easy to get caught up in the online noise, marketing hype, and outdated assumptions. But today,...

In this week's episode Jonathan shares his insights on the sudden and serious turbulence in the global stock markets.  Why have markets tumbled? US President Donald Trump. With Trump announcing the implementation of his sweeping trade tariffs the global stock market didn't react well - in fact, significant crashes were experienced across all market indices.  Jonathan explores what the ne...