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The Property Podcast

The Property Podcast

1,245 episodes — Page 15 of 25

ASK213: Should I release equity and give up my great mortgage rate? PLUS: Where in Scotland should I invest?

Rob & Rob are back again this week to answer more of your property related questions. So let’s get started! First up we’ve got Catherine from Bristol who is well underway with her property investment journey having built up a portfolio of five buy-to-let properties. She’s looking to build this portfolio to eight properties in order to achieve the income figure that she has in mind. The end goal is to be able to make big changes to the way she and her family live their lives. Currently, one of her properties in London is on an incredible mortgage rate of 1.54%! Definitely not the kind of rate you’d get now. After speaking to two mortgage advisors, both have said that she could release around £125,000 in equity from this property, so she has the deposit she needs to grow her portfolio. However, this means giving up the amazing mortgage rate she’s currently on. If she were to do this, straight away she’d be paying around £9,000 more a year in mortgage fees on that one property. Wowza! So should she wait it out for a few years until she can release equity from other properties and keep the great mortgage rate, or should she act now? Our second caller is Ben from Aberdeen, who wants to know where Rob & Rob would recommend to invest in, in Scotland. Something they get asked all the time. He’s had one buy-to-let property for the past six years and has recently bought a further two in the small town he grew up in. Ideally he wants to move his location focus away from his hometown, but still remain in Scotland. He already knows that his main goal is cash flow and long term he’d like to look at Edinburgh, but feels that’s currently too competitive for him. It’s finally the answer to a question a lot of you have been waiting for. Where would Rob & Rob invest in Scotland? 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.

Nov 19, 20196 min

TPP348: Landlord Licensing: Everything you need to know

This week on The Property Podcast, Rob & Rob are talking about landlord licensing. We know it’s not the most exciting of topics but it’s up there with one of the most important as a property investor. And luckily for you, The Robs will be talking you through exactly what licensing is and what you need to do. You may have ignored this topic in the past because it only ever applied to HMO’s - and maybe you’ve thought that this is still the case. But now, depending on where you are, even with single let properties, landlord licensing is something you might need to know about. Here’s what The Robs will cover in today’s episode: What are the requirements? How much does it cost? Will they inspect the property? What should you do? What if you should have a licence but don’t? This is a full-on episode, full of regulatory need-to-knows. If there’s one episode of The Property Podcast you need to listen to… this is it. By the end of the episode, you should be completely clued up on whether you need landlord licensing or not. And in the news this week, Rob B’s home city of Liverpool back in the press: ‘Liverpool endorses 2m sq ft office masterplan’. The article from Place North West says that the council has signed off on helping to build a world class commercial business district in the heart of Liverpool to tackle the shortfall of offices in the city. So once again, even more positivity and investment being ploughed into the city, which will bolster the number of investment plans already in motion, such as Liverpool Waters and the high number of property developments that are in the pipeline throughout the city and the wider areas. If you haven’t seen it already, we launched a new YouTube video yesterday and this one is all about tax! Some people love it, some people hate it and some just don’t understand it. In this video, Rob & Rob explain everything you need to know about tax and cover all the different types of tax that you may have to pay as a property investor. So go and check it out, let us know what you think or ask us any questions in the comments section, and don’t forget to hit that subscribe button! This week for our Hub Extra, we’re wanting to help make a difference to the planet and this week it’s a website called Team Trees. It’s all about helping to make the world that little bit greener. Maybe you’ve always considered planting a tree but you don’t want to get covered in mud or you just don’t have the spare time. Well this is the easiest option you’ll come across. Donating just $1 will plant one tree and Team Trees are aiming to have planted 20 million trees around the world by the 1st of January 2020. So go and do your bit for the planet and donate a dollar. 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.

Nov 14, 201917 min

ASK212: How can I buy my own home and invest at the same time? PLUS: How much stamp duty will I need to pay?

Rob & Rob are back again this week to answer two more fantastic property questions from two of our listeners. This week our first question comes in from Luke in Manchester, who’s been inspired by The Property Podcast to get started in his investment career. Luke is in a situation that most people are probably in when trying to start their buy-to-let journey. He’s looking to purchase his first personal home and an investment property at the same time. At the minute he’s only going to have enough funds for one mortgage so he’s considering buying a two bedroom apartment (or house) and is looking to rent out the second bedroom. But he has a few questions around this: Is there a particular mortgage he’ll need to enable him to do this? How much stamp duty will he have to pay? Are there any other considerations? ...and is this actually a good idea? Find out what Rob D thinks of this idea and if it’s actually doable. Maybe this could work for you as well. Our second caller is Sally who has a question about stamp duty. She’s changing her residential home to a buy-to-let so that she can buy a new house with her partner. She’s been given two different sets of figures from her solicitor and mortgage broker in terms of how much stamp duty she’ll pay. One is saying £2,200 and the other £9,250! Obviously that’s a huge difference so Sally wants this clearing up. So, is Rob B about to put her mind at rest or burst her bubble? 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.

Nov 12, 20196 min

TPP347: Build To Rent: The biggest competitor you didn't know you had

Last week Rob & Rob were joined on the Property Podcast by Build To Rent expert, Richard Berridge. Well, he’s back again this week for a second episode on the new craze that is Build To Rent. In last week’s episode, The Robs covered what Build To Rent actually is, and this week they’re discussing why it matters for you and what the future of Build To Rent might look like. Here’s some of what you can expect The Robs and Richard to cover in today’s episode: What will Build To Rent look like in 10 years time? What’s going to slow it down? How will Build To Rent properties react to market cycles? What marks an area as suitable or unsuitable for Build To Rent? There’s plenty more to be covered in this week’s episode too. So, should you be afraid or optimistic about Build To Rent? You should have a clearer picture after this episode. So tune in to listen. This week’s news story is possibly one of Rob B’s favourite headlines, ‘Welcome to Manc-hattan: how the city sold its soul for luxury skyscrapers’. It comes from The Guardian, and whilst the headline is actually pretty clever, it’s not very complimentary to the city. The article is talking about the ever-changing Manchester skyline and the number of skyscrapers that are appearing. They even touch on the homeless issue that we have here in Manchester. If you ask us, we’re really struggling to see how the amount of investment and regeneration that’s currently being ploughed into the city centre is a bad thing. If anything, it allows the council to use the additional higher rate council tax payments to put into schemes around homelessness. But have a listen and let us know what you think via email or social media. And for our Hub Extra this week, we’re bringing you another podcast. No, it’s not from Rob & Rob sadly, this one is called ‘Startup’ by a company called Gimlet. It’s been going for five years and sadly it is coming to an end. The purpose of the podcast at the beginning was to document their process of starting their business. And now, the podcast has come full circle as they are ending their podcast due to the fact that they have been purchased - by none other than Spotify! It’s really interesting to listen to how the deal came about, so it’s definitely well worth a listen. And while you’re there, why not subscribe to our podcast over on Spotify and be notified every week when our new episodes are released? 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.

Nov 7, 201925 min

ASK211: ​Should I invest in Birkenhead? PLUS: Should I overpay my interest-only mortgage?

This week The Robs are answering two fantastic questions on investing in Birkenhead, and talking about whether you should be overpaying on your mortgage. These are two questions that will definitely benefit a lot of listeners. Joe from Leeds got in touch recently, he’s currently living in London and has a budget of £80,000 - £100,000 and he’s looking for a buy-to-let deal up north. He’s considering our hotspot areas of Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool but has noticed significant growth in the Liverpool area. However, he’s wondering if Rob & Rob have any insider tips on investing just across the water from Liverpool, in Birkenhead. Could this be a good contender for capital growth when the ripple effect kicks in? Now we know this is an area that holds a special place in Rob B’s heart, so does he automatically think that Joe should be investing here? Next up we’ve got Adam from Surrey. Before listening to The Property Podcast, he bought his first buy-to-let property on a capital repayment mortgage and has since remortgaged to an interest only mortgage. The property makes a good income each month, so now Adam is wondering, now that he’s on an interest only mortgage, should he utilise the 10% interest free payments and chip away at his mortgage? So, should Adam risk potentially losing out on £200 per month in his back pocket to reduce his mortgage over time? Or should he wait and allow capital growth to do it’s thing? Tune in to find out what Rob D advises. 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.

Nov 5, 20197 min

TPP346: Build To Rent: What it is and why you need to understand it

This week Rob & Rob are joined on the podcast by Build To Rent expert, Richard Berridge. After listening to this episode, you’ll know more about Build To Rent than most people in property. Build To Rent (or BTR) has been flying under the radar for a while now, but it’s only really just starting to become a well known, big thing. So whilst it’s a topic that has piqued Rob & Rob’s interest, they thought it would be best to bring in the experts to help not only you, but themselves learn all there is to know about Build To Rent. Richard is not only an authority figure on the subject, but he’s also a consultant, an advisor and a writer. He’s 100% the right man for the job. Here’s just a few of the questions that you can expect to get answers on from Richard: What is Build To Rent? Who’s the actual owner with Build To Rent? Is it only about income and not growth? Who makes it all happen? We cover a lot of ground in this episode so hit play and listen. This week in the news, Place North West are reporting that the region’s green belt has shrunk by 3,400 acres. So is the North West becoming the new concrete jungle? Well, not quite. What most people don’t realise is that green belt land isn’t always beautiful flourishing forests or national parks, it could be a really unattractive piece of land that’s more of an eyesore and could be put to much better use. So once again, a big scary headline that’s been blown out of proportion. Also…it’s that time of the month again, Meetups are just around the corner and heading your way next week! So, if you haven’t yet secured your spot, go and book yourself a ticket now! And this week’s Hub Extra is a book that Rob D is claiming to be the most inspiring book he’s read all year, and that book is Finding Ultra by Rich Roll. It goes on to tell his story of turning 40, being out of shape, a recovering alcoholic and going on to being one of the fittest men in the world. It even documents how he had a challenge with a friend to run five Ironman triathlons in a week! Who even thinks that’s a good idea?! He’s also got a very popular podcast too, which is also well worth checking out. We actually included this book on one of our Hub Extra emails a while back after Rachel in our invest team recommended it - The Property Hub book club is in full swing guys! 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.

Oct 31, 201933 min

ASK210: My property's gone up in value -– should I pull out as much equity as possible? PLUS: Do I need an extra insurance policy for my flat?

Rob & Rob are back again to answer two more fantastic questions sent in by our Hubbers. Martin from Birmingham has got in touch this week. He’s had a property for a few years and has remortgaged a couple of times and changed his mortgage rate. It’s coming up for renewal again soon and he’s not sure if he should withdraw some of the equity, or leave it in the property so he can get a better loan-to-value rate on his mortgage. So what should Martin do? Well first and foremost it all depends on where Martin is currently at in his investment process, but Rob D has some excellent advice as always. Our next caller has a question about insurance. She’s a landlord of a leasehold flat and only has building insurance. She’s become a little bit worried thinking of the what-if scenarios. What would happen if something went wrong? Would the tenant be liable for damage? Would building insurance be enough to cover her? Also, should she be taking out other insurance policies? Tune in to find out what Rob B has to say. 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.

Oct 29, 20195 min

TPP345: Rich Dad Poor Dad Revisited: 5 essential lessons, and 2 important warnings

They still hear it all too often ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad changed my life!’ So this week on The Property Podcast, Rob & Rob are going back and taking a revised look at the book and sharing the lessons that they took away from it, and what they just don’t agree with. In today’s episode you can expect to hear what the five key lessons are that you should take away from this book, but also the two things that you should be very careful of. This beloved motivational book is now 20 years old! But it still seems to have a huge impact on people’s lives. So Rob & Rob are going to explore why this book is so influential, their experiences, recap key lessons and let you know what they think of them now with the benefit of hindsight. Here are the five lessons Rob & Rob learnt from the book: Be in control of your finances - Your employer or government will not. Passive Income. Good debt vs bad debt. Pay yourself first. Keep your job and invest. And what don’t they agree with? You’ll have to tune in to find that out. This week’s news story is a 22 page report from HomeTrack on the current rental market, which is a quarterly report. Luckily the BBC website has summarised the report and what the key take away points are. There’s a number of cities where the rents are up, and wage growth has been relatively strong this year too. So even though there’s plenty of locations where rents have increased, there’s only three UK cities where rents have risen faster than wages, resulting in renting becoming less affordable. These locations are Nottingham, Leeds and Bristol. Looking at the report, there’s an odd mix of locations that are put together, but on the whole, it seems that Rob & Rob were right at the beginning of the year when they pegged certain cities as places to invest this year. In other news (and just in case you missed it!), yesterday we had a new YouTube video go live! You can now head over there and find out how to invest £50,000 - a question that The Robs get asked all the time. So head on over, give it a watch, and don’t forget to subscribe. You won’t be surprised that this week or Hub Extra recommendation is in fact the Rich Dad Poor Dad book, but as an added bonus, we’re also recommending Rich Dad Poor Dad 2: Cashflow Quadrant. These are by far the two strongest books that you need to read, so go grab a copy and let us know what you think of them. 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.

Oct 24, 201930 min

ASK209: What should I do as the property cycle reaches its peak? PLUS: I'm an expat – can I get a mortgage?

Rob & Rob are back this week for another episode of Ask Rob & Rob and this week they’re offering advice on releasing equity and purchasing property as an expat. Our first caller of this week’s episode has a question about one of Rob & Rob’s favourite topics, the 18 year property cycle. He wants to know what you should do at the height of the market? Essentially, should you release equity from your portfolio to purchase more property after the crash or should you sell up completely and then start again post crash? If you need to refresh your mind on the 18 year property cycle, head on over to Property Hub University and take a look at our free online course. Rob B tackles this question head on - ultimately, it all depends on if you plan to be an active property investor after the crash. He answers this question in two parts so it’s certainly worth listening to. The second question comes in from a chap all the way from Dubai. His current situation is that he’s living off his rental income which is through a limited company, however his broker has now told him that he won’t be able to purchase any more property through that limited company. Is this true and should he look for another way to invest in UK property? 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.

Oct 22, 20196 min

TPP344: Most asked questions for Property Hub Invest

As you can imagine The Robs get inundated with questions day in, day out on all our different platforms. From social media to our Property Hub forum, they get questions fired at them from all directions. But one of the places that they get asked lots of questions is through Property Hub Invest. So this week on The Property Podcast, Rob & Rob are answering the most asked questions for you all to hear. On a daily basis our Property Hub Invest team talk to clients who are at different stages of their property journey and everyone has a different question to ask, but nine times out of ten they’re all similar. So what better way to answer all these frequently asked questions than to compile them all into a podcast episode. Here are some of the questions you can expect to get an answer to: How to get a deposit together… How to find an area to invest… Where to invest and what returns should be expected? Is capital growth better on flats or houses? Is 1, 2, 3 etc bedrooms better? There’s even more questions getting answered in this episode. Maybe one of them has been circling around in your mind. Or if you have a completely different question, make sure you get in touch with a member of our Invest team. Our news story this week comes from Property Investor Today and the headline is ‘young Brits are on the move in the UK, and here’s where…’ For once this is a news headline that The Robs actually agree with. Although some aspects seem a little questionable, the overall stats seem to be pretty spot on - city centre living is on the up. The Robs have discussed this previously on the podcast and they talk all about the secret trend that nobody else is seeing, so you should definitely go and give that episode a listen. And finally, the Hub Extra comes with a warning this week… it might just depress you a little bit at just how old you are. It’s a website called ‘you’re getting old’, which basically shows you all different stats about how old you are. You simply enter in your date of birth and the site will show you things like how many days you’ve been alive, how many candles will have been on all your birthday cakes together as well as some interesting milestones throughout the years and how old you were at the time. It’s all a little bit of light hearted fun. 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.

Oct 17, 201934 min

ASK208: Can you invest in too many places? PLUS: How much do I need to spend on furniture?

The Robs are back again this week for another round of Ask Rob & Rob, and this week they’ve got two cracking questions that they’re about to answer. Our first caller is a very enthusiastic property investor who unfortunately didn’t leave her name. She’s fortunate enough to have three property investments in three different locations, which at the moment is working pretty well for her and she’s happy enough being a remote investor. However, she’s wondering if there’s such a thing as investing in too many cities? So what do Rob & Rob think of this? Are there both pros and cons to investing in a number of locations? Next to get in touch is Lindsey who’s just completed on an apartment in Manchester. Her letting agent has told her that she should let out this apartment on a fully furnished basis. So what Lindsey is wanting to know is, should she be spending a lot more money on brand new furniture or would second hand be okay? Also, she’s questioning if the furniture will need safety checks before she can move any tenants in? Rob D offers some different options for Lindsey, depending on what her budget is. Tune in to hear the answers to this week’s two questions. 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.

Oct 15, 20196 min

TPP343: What happens after spending thousands of pounds in a property course?

Just like we promised, The Robs are back this week and once again joined by Mike Winnett who’s going to share just what happened after he bought everything he was offered. He’s giving you the insider knowledge to those ‘get rich quick’ courses that you’ve had your eye on, so you can save yourself the money and put it to better use. Just to recap, Mike sold his company for a substantial amount of money and used the cash to go on a bit of an adventure. He decided to click on all those adverts that you see on the internet and social media that promise you a formula to get rich quick. Does he think they actually work? If you’ve been considering paying for a property course, or maybe even a mentor, then this is an episode you’re going to want to listen to before you hand over any money. Or, if you’ve already attended one of these courses and ploughed cash into them, then this might rub salt into the wound, especially if said course didn’t do what it said it would. So give it a listen and let us know your thoughts. Do you agree on what Mike had to say about property courses and mentors? In the news this week, Property Wire is backing up what Rob and Rob have been saying for months, ‘property investment surge could come after Brexit, new poll suggests’. According to this recent data, 55% of people have paused their investment plans over the past six months as they await the outcome of Brexit, 60% are waiting for the budget and 37% have taken a property off the market because of a slow down in activity. So despite a slowdown in transactions, there’s still plenty of deals to be had with what is currently on the market, it’s just knowing where to look, and planning it around the 18 year property cycle. This week for Hub Extra, we’re still sharing the love for Mike Winnett because his latest video is just phenomenal. It’s very entertaining and the ultimate anti-marketing video for a pretty big event in Birmingham that you can attend and see some of these big wig entrepreneurs live on stage. 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.

Oct 10, 201931 min

ASK207: What do I do if I can't get a limited company mortgage? PLUS: Should I buy on the crossrail route?

We’re back again this week for another Ask Rob & Rob. Our first question this week comes from Dorian. His question is around income tax for buy-to-let properties, with the new Section 24 rules. Dorian and his wife are looking at investing in their first buy-to-let and they’ve been told that a lot of lenders won’t lend them the funds through a limited company because they’re first time landlords. Their other thought was to purchase as individuals which will then result in the income from the property being fully taxed on. So Dorian wants to know if there’s a way around this? Can they own the property as individuals and put the income through a company, or is that not doable? Rob B clears up the speculation on what Dorian has already been told and what he can do. The second question comes from Esmarelda who wants to know if she should invest her £230,000 in an apartment in Plumstead near the Crossrail or a house in Luton? We gathered from her question that she may want to be sticking to investing in the south, so Rob D pinpoints some areas that would be best to consider if the south is at the top of her checklist. Tune in to find out where he suggests. 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.

Oct 8, 20198 min

TPP342: The contrepreneur formula exposed: An interview with Mike Winnet

This is the podcast that most people and businesses in the property industry WON’T want you to hear. As you know, we’re strong on education. We firmly believe that education is how you can arm yourself with the right information to make informed decisions. We’re often asked for our thoughts on property investment courses that charge you to attend, and also what we think about the free courses that hook you in, only for the host to spend the entire event enticing you to part with your cash. That’s why we’re joined today by Mike Winnet - who’s become somewhat obsessed with exposing these ‘Contrpreneurs’. If you haven’t seen Mike’s video on the Contrepreneur Formula Exposed - watch it here! (It’s also our Hub Extra pick for the second time, because it’s just too good not to watch it again!) And listen to the reason why this video was BANNED, and why it’s now reappeared! Mike is an ex Sales Manager, and what started off as him marketing himself as a joke parody Business Guru on Linkedin - a ‘demotivational’ speaker - has quickly turned into a full on exposure of these so-called ‘financial gurus’ that we’ve all seen across the internet. He’s not just making assumptions - he’s become a get-rich-quick ‘ad-clicker’ - he basically takes every course and buys everything they try selling to him. Every single thing he comes across that promises to get him rich quick, he’s trying and reporting his findings. He’s literally putting his money where his mouth is! On today’s Property Podcast you’ll find out: What prompted Mike to ‘out’ these businesses? His thoughts on why these businesses are preying on vulnerable people The uncomfortable theatrics at these events and the manipulation of these environments Where the idea of the ‘Contrepreneur’ came from The magic formula: the back stories, the tactical pricing, the results - the lot! The shaming tactics he’s had to sit through This is a must-listen for everyone. We want to believe we can achieve great things, but what these people do is pretend there’s a shortcut to getting there. There aren’t any secrets - it’s hard work to make a success of anything, not just property. We’re not just stopping at this episode. Join us next week to find out what happened after Mike bought everything he was offered - is he now £6 million richer? And in the news this week, we’re talking about Airbnb as an auctioneer highlights Airbnb opportunity for UK investors. This auctioneer has been through the catalogue and highlighted the lots he reckons are suitable for short-term lets. There’s no doubt there’s been a rise in the popularity of short-term lets, but are investors approaching it in the right way? Rob D shares his thoughts on where investors are going wrong. Also, it’s Meetup night tonight, so head on over to our events page to reserve your spot. 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.

Oct 3, 201929 min

ASK206: How important is parking? PLUS: How much can I remortgage for?

Ask Rob & Rob is back for another week to answer all your burning property investment related questions. First up this week we have Charlie. Charlie is based in Manchester and wants to know how important parking is. He almost invested in a 2-bed apartment with his sister but pulled out due to the owner selling the parking separately. Did they do the right thing by walking away? Is this a yes or no answer, or are Rob & Rob right down the middle with this one? One thing is for sure… Rob B dishes out some really valuable advice today, and gives listeners some tips on how they can make a yes or no decision on a property like this. The second question today comes someone who didn’t leave their name, but they’re wanting to know about adding procurement costs after refurbishing a property. Today’s listener is using the example of purchasing a property for £80,000, and spending £10,000 on refurbishment. Can he add another £5,000 towards procurement? In other words, can he remortgage for £95,000 to allow funds for stamp duty and conveyancing? Is this possible or will he hit a roadblock? Rob D is looking at this example from a different perspective rather than what’s actually been spent on what. Have a listen and find out exactly how much our listener will be able to remortgage for - and the answer might just surprise you. 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.

Oct 1, 20195 min

TPP341: Strategy September - Refurbs

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.

Sep 26, 201926 min

ASK205: How many mortgages can I apply for at once? PLUS: Should I invest in Scotland?

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.

Sep 24, 20196 min

TPP340: Strategy September - Flips

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.

Sep 19, 201923 min

ASK204: Will these areas benefit from the ripple effect? PLUS: How much should I keep aside for a rainy day?

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.

Sep 17, 20196 min

TPP339: Strategy September - HMO

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.

Sep 12, 201919 min

ASK203: How would you spend £500k in the North? PLUS: Should I pursue a serviced accommodation strategy in Manchester?

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.

Sep 10, 20198 min

TPP338: Strategy September - Buy-to-let

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.

Sep 5, 201926 min

ASK202: HS2 to be scrapped? An Ask Rob & Rob special

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.

Sep 3, 20195 min

TPP337: The winning mindset behind rapid portfolio growth

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.

Aug 29, 201919 min

ASK201: Am I too late to be excited about Manchester? PLUS: Can I avoid paying Stamp Duty on my holiday let?

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.

Aug 27, 20196 min

TPP336: 0 to 10 properties in five years – one listener's story

Forget location, location, location - we’re talking about education, education, education. And today we have a guest who’s put ALL our property education into practice. Today we’re kickstarting a two-part series and talking to Mark Ward who has taken all those property lessons and built himself a double digit portfolio in just five years! Impressive stuff. So settle in and get ready to listen to what Mark has achieved and just how he did it. Who knows, this might just give you the kick start you need. To give you some back story, Mark got in touch with us over on Instagram. Like many Property Podcast listeners, his journey started out accidentally - so for all you accidental landlords out there, this is an episode for you! Mark has bought two properties per year at below market value, he’s then refurbished and refinanced them to release some cash. And in just 5 years, he’s got a pretty sweet, double-digit portfolio on his hands. Rob D caught up with Mark to have a little chat about his journey so far. It’s definitely an episode you’ll want to listen to, no matter what stage of your property investment journey you’re at. The Robs are also discussing the latest Hometrack price index in this episode. Once again Liverpool is top of the list, closely followed by Nottingham, Leicester, Manchester and Birmingham. Just behind them are Sheffield and Leeds which are all locations we tipped for big things at the start of the year. This month, the report has looked at the amount of stock coming onto the market compared to the number of sales that have been agreed. In Manchester the ratio of sales to new supply has increased which is a signal that Manchester is likely to continue to grow in house prices - phenomenal considering how much Manchester has already grown in the past few years! If you’re wanting further info on these hotspot locations, you can find our useful location guides over on the education section of our website which will certainly help you with narrowing down the areas you’d like to invest in. Our Hub Extra this week is a new podcast recommendation! Don’t worry, The Robs haven’t started another podcast - not yet anyway. This podcast is called Heavyweight from Gimlet who produce a lot of great podcasts, but this one takes someone back to a moment in their life that they regret or keep thinking back to, and he helps them resolve that situation and move on. It’s not ‘heavy’ in the tone of voice, it’s actually quite comical and really entertaining. So this is a good one for you to unwind with. 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.

Aug 22, 201919 min

ASK200: Are new builds overpriced? PLUS: Can I use my Lifetime ISA to buy an investment property?

It’s our 200th Ask Rob & Rob episode! Can you believe it? So what better way to celebrate than continuing to do what we do best and answer your property questions! This week’s first question comes in from Steve. He’s seen some new build properties that look slightly overpriced compared to other new builds in similar areas. So he’s wanting to know from an investor perspective whether Rob & Rob reckon he’s better off investing in a new build or maybe purchasing something a little older? Rob B points out that he does indeed think new builds can be overpriced, but then again, rightly highlights that any property can be overpriced. In true Rob B style, he has some winning advice that Steve can take on board. So listen carefully if you have your eye on a new build buy-to-let purchase in the future. The next question is from Brogan. He opened up a lifetime ISA when he started his graduate job to help him buy his first property. Since then he’s found our wonderful podcast (good man!) and had his eyes opened to the buy-to-let world. Now Brogan wants to use the money in his ISA to purchase his first buy-to-let property. However, the T&C’s of a lifetime ISA state that you have to use this scheme to purchase a property to live in. Is there any way to get around this? Tune into this week's episode to find out what Rob D suggests. 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.

Aug 20, 20198 min

TPP335: Manchester v Leeds: Let bat

This week The Robs are looking at more listener deals but this time they’re taking on the challenge of helping Nathan decide between two deals. He’s torn between two properties and doesn’t know which one to go for. Should be invest in Leeds or Manchester?! Two fantastic cities and two very different deals. So which one do The Robs think he should go for? Settle in as Manchester and Leeds battle it out to win Nathan’s investment. First up we have a two bedroom flat in the middle of Manchester on Princess Street for £240,000. It’s pretty central and close to two main train lines and was converted around 15 years ago. Certainly move in ready. He thinks he’ll be able to achieve £920 pcm after taking off his management fees. Once other fees have been deducted, he’s looking at a net profit of just under £200 per month, giving him an ROI of 3%. A 3% ROI isn’t exactly going to get you excited, but Nathan said he’s in this for the long run and capital growth is more his long-term plan. So should this be the property he goes for? The second option is a two bedroom flat in the middle of Leeds at Westpoint for £245,000. It’s pretty much the same as the Manchester deal in terms of central location and rental price of £1,000 pcm. It just has a slightly higher ROI of 4.1% which is the equivalent of about £60 a month, so not life changing amounts. Compared to the Manchester conversion, this property is a high-end new build. It’s got a huge balcony and whereas the Manchester apartment was 600 sqft, the Leeds apartment is over 900 sqft! So does this make it a no brainer and Nathan should be going for bigger and newer? Tune in to find out what The Robs have to say and which property they think Nathan should go for. And if you want to find out more about whether you should invest in Manchester or Leeds, we have some handy resources for you right here: Click here to find out why you should invest in Manchester Click here to find out why you should invest in Leeds This week’s news story isn’t coming from one of our beloved tabloids, we’re reading an open consultation from the government. So this lengthy headline of ‘A new deal for renting: resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between landlords and tenants’ is actually worth reading as it’s to do with the appeal of section 21. Everyone pretty much lost their minds a few months ago when section 21 came into play, but what are they hoping to do about it now we’ve all had a chance to digest it? Are there changes ahead? Have a read and listen to what The Robs think on this week’s episode. This week’s Hub Extra is a book called ‘The Ultimate Blueprint for an Insanely Successful Business’ which is highly recommended by Rob D about accounting. Now don’t switch off just yet, we know accountancy isn’t the most exciting of topics, but this book will become more appealing to you the bigger you grow your business. Even Rob B picked this as one of his holiday reads! So give it a read and let us know what you think. 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 Propert See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 15, 201925 min

ASK199: Are repossessed properties mortgageable? PLUS: Are you sure there won't be a post-Brexit crash?

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, we have the B word again - and the R word. So if you’d like to know more about Brexit or repossessions, this is the podcast episode for you! First up we have Christiano. He’s wanting to know if he was to go ahead with a repossessed property, will it be mortgageable once he’s bought it? He’s also wondering if Rob & Rob have any advice on what tactics he should use when looking to get the best deal on a repossessed property. It’s good news for Christiano! Listen as The Robs explain why mortgages shouldn’t be an issue with repossessed property as financial issues sit with the previous owner - not the property. However, if he’s looking at bagging a cracking deal, it might not be all plain sailing. The vendor has a duty (to the lender) to achieve the maximum price they possibly can - so does that mean that getting a great deal is dead in the water? Find out what Rob D has to say. Our second question comes in from Baz who’s still concerned about Brexit and is contradicting The Robs’ views. Baz is seeing quite a steep rise in house prices in Birmingham (which doesn’t seem consistent with the growth he’s been witnessing over the past four years). He’s putting it down to the fact that there’s not a lot of choice on the market and he’s being significantly outbid by owner occupiers on properties he’s been looking at. So now he’s being cautious about buying any property within the next six months. Ultimately, he’s wanting to know how confident Rob & Rob are that there won’t be a market crash the minute we get a deal with the EU. It’s a great question, and probably one which many other listeners will want to know the answer to. Tune in to find out what The Robs have to say. 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.

Aug 13, 20197 min

TPP334: Rob & Rob critique your deals

This week on The Property Podcast, Rob & Rob are back by popular demand, evaluating your listener deals live on the show. These episodes are ones that The Robs absolutely love doing, and this week we’ve got three cracking deals to get through. So grab a brew and settle down as we listen to how Rob & Rob scour Rightmove and offer advice to our three lovely listeners Tim, Sarah and Ahmed. First up we have Tim who has been looking at three bedroom terrace house in Worthing. The property was on the market for £325,000 but Tim managed to get a cracking deal and had an offer of £285,000 accepted. Kudos to you! He reckons that realistically the rent is likely to be £1,150 pcm, however this valuation won’t pass the stress test criteria and Tim will have no choice but to go for a 5 year fixed term mortgage to be able to get the full 75% loan to value rate. After running some quick numbers, it looks like Tim will potentially end up with a net yield of 1.5% and about £400 in his back pocket each month. Would The Robs choose this deal to add to their property portfolio? Rob & Rob also take a look into Sarah’s two bedroom apartment in Didsbury that she bagged for £205,000 and Ahmed’s three bedroom terraced house in Birmingham that he got for £13,000 below asking price, but needs a lot of work doing to it! So which of these three deals would Rob & Rob be most likely to invest in themselves? Tune in to find out and listen to what advice they guys have to dish out. In the news this week, Boris Johnson is in our good books again as he’s now announced a new railway link between Manchester and Leeds. Transport for the North proposed this a while ago, but Boris has blown this right out of the water and is moving for a bigger and better plan! Not only will there be new connections from Manchester to Leeds, but also Manchester to Liverpool and Sheffield. Hopefully this isn’t just a pipedream and Boris will actually follow through with it - we’ll just have to wait and see. This week’s Hub Extra comes in from one of our Hubbers, David. It’s a website called Get The Data and it’s a site where you enter the postcode and it pulls loads of information about that location from a number of different sources. It will give you everything from the nearest public transport stop to the food hygiene ratings of local restaurants and takeaways. So this is a great resource to use if you’re looking to invest in a new area and are wanting to get clued up on any particular location. 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.

Aug 8, 201924 min

ASK198: What will Boris Johnson as Prime Minister mean for property investors?

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, the guys are only answering one question because it warrants a pretty comprehensive answer. AND it’s a question that’s on everyone's lips right now... What impact will Boris Johnson have on property investors now that he’s our new Prime Minister? Thanks for the question Becky - let’s dive right in! Boris has already made noises that he’s going to make changes to stamp duty, and if you didn’t read last week’s Hub Extra, we actually included this story. Surprisingly, it’s not as doom and gloom as you might think. He wants to move the threshold of where stamp duty becomes payable to £500,000 - which is a big difference to the current £125,000 and will make a huge difference to buy-to-let property investors and homeowners. There’s also considerations that stamp duty will be payable by the seller rather than the buyer. Now, this isn’t something he’s officially made a comment on, but if it goes ahead it will have a bit impact on the market. However it looks like the 3% surcharge for buy-to-let properties isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Bah! Rob & Rob have talked about stamp duty numerous times on The Property Podcast and we even explain in depth what it is and how it works in this article. But what do The Robs think of Boris Johnson running our country altogether? Well, you’ll have to tune in to find out their opinion. 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.

Aug 6, 20197 min

TPP333: How to recycle your capital and supercharge your portfolio's growth

This week we’re going to teach you how you can recycle your capital and grow your portfolio at speed. This might seem like a daunting topic and you might be thinking it’s going to take you at least another two years to build up your deposit pot to be able to buy your next property. But fear not! We’ve got mortgage expert Dave Cookson on the show this week who’s going to demonstrate how you can build your portfolio at a pace you probably didn’t think was possible. Just by listening to Dave you can tell how passionate he is about helping people finance their properties and chances are, some solutions he suggests you might not have thought of yourself. And believe it or not, Dave reckons that the financing is the easy part, it’s finding the property that’s the hard part! Here’s what The Robs and Dave are going to cover: Recycling your cash for deposits Adding value Funding the purchase and cost of the works Finding the right property Anticipating the risks. You’re definitely going to want to grab a notepad and pen for this episode. In the news this week, London’s first high-end build to rent homes. When you think of a build to rent scheme you’ll often picture a block of apartments that have been designed for that specific reason with dedicated communal facilities. Well not this development. Essentially this development in St Johns Wood is just five houses. Now don’t get us wrong they’re very nice houses, but do you have a spare £5,500 a week to live in one of them? Oh, and you’ll need your own furniture too as that’s not even included in the price! In a nutshell, once again headlines are being incredibly misleading and this development is essentially a buy to let scheme, which as we all know has been around for a long time. This week’s Hub Extra is an audio book that both Robs have thoroughly enjoyed. It’s called The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre and it’s a story about a spy in the cold war and the effect it had on his own life. So if you like a thrilling, gripping book and one that also educates you in history, then this is definitely a book for you. 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.

Aug 1, 201921 min

ASK197: How can I use a survey to negotiate a discount? PLUS: Can my agent hike their fees?

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, the guys are dishing out advice on how to best handle homebuyer surveys whilst using them to your advantage, and what to do when your letting agent adds in new fees to your contract. They’re certainly two questions that probably 90% of investors will come across at some point in their property journey, so this is definitely an episode to bookmark! Our first question comes in from Cassie. She wants to know how you can use a home buyers survey to negotiate a price. She’s previously had one done that says a property needs a lot of repairs doing to it. Can she use this survey along with the property valuation to her advantage to negotiate a better deal? Rob B explains the different levels of homebuyer surveys you can get and advises Cassie on what she should do, with one potential outcome being to walk away from the deal. Rob D points out that Cassie is in an even better position than she was at the beginning now that she has this additional information. Ultimately, it’s her choice what she does, if she can get a better deal, great! But if the numbers aren’t going to stack up, then as The Robs mentioned last week, sometimes walking away is the best possible option. The second question is from Matt who’s having a bit of a dispute with the letting agent for one of his properties. The current tenant has just given notice to leave and the letting agent is now saying that due to the new tenant fee ban, they need to charge Matt to get new tenants in. Is the letting agent allowed to do this? Can Matt dispute it and within his rights to avoid paying for it or is he going to have to suck it up and take on the new agreement? Matt certainly isn’t alone in this situation, there’s numerous letting agents who are implementing these new charges so that they’re not out of pocket. So what advice do The Robs have for Matt? Should he stick with his current letting agent and accept the fees, or should he start to shop around for a new agent? To make life easier, he could just head on over to Property Hub Lets, but tune in to find out what Rob & Rob suggests. 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.

Jul 30, 20198 min

TPP332: Why we'd walk away from a deal

This week The Robs are talking about what it takes for them to walk away from a deal. Usually you’ll hear The Robs talking about taking action, but there are inevitability times when it’s better to walk away. There are certain deals that need a firm ‘no’. So what does it take for The Robs to walk away from a deal? And how should you decide whether a deal is really the right one for you? Here’s what Rob & Rob are going to cover on today’s episode: Price Fundamentals Rental potential Neighbours Leasehold houses Leases with doubling ground rent This is an episode that you will benefit from no matter what stage of the property investment process you’re in. So hit that play button and let us know what you think of this week’s episode. In the news this week, we’re looking at Wirral Waters, one of the biggest regeneration projects in the country. When it’s complete, the money invested into the area will top over £1 billion, if not more! Peel Group have teamed up with developer Urban Splash to bring a £55 million scheme to Wirral Waters. As you’ll know if you’ve listened to The Property Podcast over the past few months, The Robs are big fans of Urban Splash and everything they do - Tom Bloxham MBE even appeared on a few episodes. This is a development of 337 modular homes, which are factory built and something that Urban Splash are renowned for. And in other news… it’s nearly Meetup week! These seem to come around so quickly, but next week we’re back! Some of our more popular locations like London are already sold out, but we do have some tickets left. So be quick and grab yours here. This week’s Hub Extra is something the whole team at Property Hub has been using over the past month. It’s a little app called Count.It which encourages you to get up and get fit with a little competitiveness thrown in for good measure. You can do this with your colleagues, friends or family and set up a league table to find out who’s the most active. So download the app, invite your competitors and get walking! 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.

Jul 25, 201922 min

ASK196: Should I sell now or wait for the boom? PLUS: Could new tax bands change my strategy?

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, the guys are answering two questions that are affected by current and ongoing situations from property booms to increasing tax bands. This week’s first question is from Lee - he has a clear strategy and wants to use property to increase his regular cash flow so that eventually he can be financially free. He’s roughly 60% through this process but his next property might allow this to happen a lot faster. He has a 3-bedroom property in South London and the property price has grown 50% since he bought it back in 2010 - happy days! Lee thinks he’s got about £120,000 worth of equity in the property and has considered selling up and purchasing two properties to double his income - but this is where he gets a bit stuck. Should he sell up now, or hang on and wait for a property boom and hopefully get more money than what the property is currently valued at? Tune in to find out what The Robs think he should do. Our second question comes in from Chaz who’s wanting to know if a change in tax bands, dependant on who our next Prime Minister is, could result in him needing to change strategy? It’s a bit of a tricky one because how many politicians actually follow through with what they say they’re going to do? But nevertheless, Rob & Rob give their opinion to help Chaz and his future strategy. 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.

Jul 23, 20198 min

TPP331: The property calculation you’ve not heard of, but need to use

This week The Robs are talking about an important calculation. They’ve never talked about it before, but it’s one you need to start using. That’s right, they’re talking about how you can make money from property and the different ways you can achieve this. There’s a popular debate on whether you should optimise your goals based on the monthly rental income you need or the capital growth potential. But what they’ve not really talked about in detail is the total return that you’re going to make from property over time. So this week, The Robs are covering the total return that you can make from your property investment, including how to calculate it and ultimately, why it matters. Want to know how you can work out the return on investment for your potential property? Tune in to listen to how The Robs break it down. In the news this week we’re looking at the latest figures from Hometrack and the House Price Index for May 2019. When you look at the top cities in the country, The Robs are pretty pleased that they tipped four of the top five as ones to invest in this year. Especially Liverpool with prices being up by 5%! The report looks at the most affordable cities as a first time buyer and no surprise that London, Cambridge and Oxford were at the bottom of the list. But what was surprising was that the most affordable location in the UK for a first time buyer is Liverpool! Now this is fantastic news as it sets the indicator that the growth Liverpool is currently seeing is set to continue and has the furthest to grow, even though it’s a current hotspot. Check out the report and see what other cities tick the affordability box. We’ve also got ANOTHER new video up on YouTube for you. This time The Robs are talking about using a limited company as a buy to let investor, and if they’re really necessary. Head on over to our channel to check it out, leave us a comment on what you think about limited companies (and if you use one), and don’t forget to hit that subscribe button. And finally, this week’s Hub Extra is a Google Chrome extension called Just Read. Essentially it strips all of the rubbish out of a webpage so you can read it properly. If adverts and pop ups drive you mad, this extension will be your new favourite tool! You’re welcome! 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.

Jul 18, 201919 min

ASK195: How can I cut down the amount of time I have to save up for? PLUS: Is there a limit to how many mortgages you can have?

This week on Ask Rob & Rob we’ve got two great questions that we’re pretty sure most investors will want to know the answers to. Especially if you’re just starting out or trying to grow your portfolio. Our first question this week comes in from Ian who’s been a Hubber for well over a year and an avid podcast listener. He feels like he is clued up on the educational side of investing and is ready to take the plunge, but the financial side of things are holding him back. His goal is to be able to replace his income with property through buying and refurbishing below market value properties. At present he could realistically afford to save £1,000 per month, which is a decent amount to be putting away each month, but still means he’s roughly two years away from starting his investment journey. So Ian is wanting to know what strategy would The Robs suggest for someone who has a low amount of capital to start off with, and are there any ways of raising the finances other than a traditional mortgage lender? What advice can The Robs offer Ian to bring that start date that little bit further? Have a listen to find out. The second question comes in from Justin who has just exchanged on his fourth buy to let property - congrats! Two of his properties are in his personal name and the others through a limited company. Justin has ambitious plans for the next few years in growing his portfolio and now he’s wondering if there are a limited number of mortgages that an individual can get? Are there issues and more hoops to jump through for accessing mortgages with the more mortgaged properties you have and the bigger your portfolio gets? It’s good news for Justin, there are no limits to how many mortgages you can have. Hooray! But there are some certain criteria that any investor should have a look into before applying for another mortgage. Tune in as Rob D explains all. 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.

Jul 16, 20196 min

TPP330: Brutal truths about property that no-one else will tell you

The Robs aren’t holding back on this week’s Property Podcast. They’re telling you the brutal truths about property investment that you won’t hear from anyone else. That’s right, they’re dropping some truth bombs and showing you how slick marketing can lead you astray [sorry marketers!]. You’ll also learn about the (many) things that can go wrong and the (many) frustrations that come with being a property investor. But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom. When starting out on your property investment journey, you’ll only ever hear about the positives and how much money you can make from property. You know the type - the “get rich quick” type. But many of these businesses are only in the property game to make money. They’ll tell you about the results, but not the process and where things can go wrong. 90% of the time, Rob & Rob have nothing but positive things to say about property investment, but it’s also important to be realistic and talk about the things that can, and more than likely will go wrong. Property can be a bumpy ride. Having a goal and a clear strategy in place will stop you from making a fair few mistakes. And if you don’t know where to start with this, you can take us up on a free goals call where you can have a chat with a member of our Invest team and become a bit clearer on what your goals are and how to execute them. For free. You can also take our free goals course on the Property Hub University in the meantime. So buckle up, and tune in to listen to the property truths Rob & Rob are dishing out. Trust us, you won’t get this type of honesty from many others in the property investment industry. And if you’ve experienced any of the issues mentioned today, or you’ve been in a situation we’ve not covered, we want to hear about it. Or maybe you’ve been in a sticky situation and managed to get yourself out, we want to know how you did it - make sure you get in touch. Our news story this week comes from Property Investor Today which is looking at the ‘Best UK university towns and cities for property investment’. They’ve ranked them based on yield and capital growth, so no surprise that Oxford and Cambridge were at the bottom. But the location at the top spot came as a surprise - The Robs haven’t really spoken about this city much. Newcastle didn’t make The Robs’ hotspot list this year, but it’s certainly a location to watch in the years to come. 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.

Jul 11, 201920 min

ASK194: Is it a good idea to get into student lets? PLUS: How can I improve an EPC rating?

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, we’ve got another two great questions for you about student accommodation and EPC ratings. Our first caller is Dawson who is looking at investing in student accommodation. She’s based in the south but has a clear understanding that yields are better in the north. She’s looked at Manchester and Liverpool but she’s finding that they’re getting quite saturated with a lot of properties left empty - she thinks this is mainly due to the new rules and the amount of new developments becoming available. So where would Rob & Rob recommend she look for a good student let with a high yield? Or is this market not worth getting into? The next question is from Thomas who has been looking at a property to buy up north in Barnsley. He’s had the EPC come through showing a rating of 9, which has obviously sparked concerns of how much it’s going to cost to get the property up to standard so they can rent it out. Do Rob & Rob know the best way is to get this improved? Are there any grants or funding that Thomas can apply for to give him a helping hand? It’s safe to say that Rob B is absolutely baffled by such a low rating but answers Thomas’ question regardless and gives him some guidance. Tune in to find out what he suggests. 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.

Jul 9, 20196 min

TPP329: Rob and Rob's Brain Hacks

Have you ever wanted to step into Rob and Rob’s shoes and know what it’s like to be them for a day? Well now you can. This week on The Property Podcast The Robs are sharing their top seven brain hacks with you. These aren’t just brain hacks that The Robs are dishing out from other people. They both live by these day in, day out. If you implement them they’ll make a huge impact on your life too. So what are the seven brain hacks that Rob & Rob live by religiously? Habit stacking Practice gratitude Finding the positive Give yourself a reset Dedicated worry time Visualisation Tracking habits to keep them They go into a lot of detail explaining why they live by these rules so it’s definitely worth a listen. Who knows, in 30 minutes time you could feel more motivated than you have in a while and have completely changed your mindset. So if you decide to implement any of these brain hacks and improve your way of living, make sure you get in touch and let us know. We want to hear all about it. Brace yourself, we’ve actually got a positive news story! ‘Property market bounce back? Demand from buyers and sellers increases as Brexit fatigue fades, estate agents claim’. Granted it is based on self reported data so who knows how true it is but the National Association of Estate Agents have surveyed their members and found that there’s been a 16% increase in the last month of new buyers registering with them. There’s also been an increase in supply. Nothing significant has changed to cause this, so give the article a read and see what you think. Keeping in theme with today’s podcast, our Hub Extra is an app called Strides, which is a habit tracking app. So if after listening to today’s episode you’re feeling a surge of motivation and wanting to take action, go ahead and download it. Meetups are next tonight! Most events are sold out but there’s a couple with tickets left. If you’d like to attend, you can find your nearest meetup venue here on our website. Or register early for next month! This week on our YouTube channel we published a new video on finding the right accountant for your property business. Now obviously we have Property Hub Tax who are amazing at what they do (not to blow our own trumpet) but they might not tick your boxes. So go give it a watch and let us know your thoughts. Don’t forget to subscribe! 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.

Jul 4, 201922 min

ASK193: How do I get the ball rolling with a joint venture? PLUS: What is a safe loan−to−value percentage?

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, the guys are answering another two cracking questions sent in by our Hubbers. First up is Mike. He’s an avid Property Podcast listener and after just four or five months he took the plunge and invested in a great Liverpool buy-to-let deal we launched just a few months ago. Mike is wanting more information on joint property ventures - particularly on how he can get the ball rolling. Now that he’s made his first investment, he’s got the bug and wants to see how he can secure his second property without having to wait too long to release some capital from his first. Can an individual go into a joint venture with a limited company? A pretty decent question if you ask us. So what’s the answer? And are The Robs a fan of joint ventures? Our second question comes from James who’s wondering what a sensible loan-to-value ratio is. Do The Robs think having a portfolio at a 75% LTV is a risky move? Rob D explains that a 75% loan to value is pretty standard these days and for it to be a bad idea, the market would have to drop more than 25% overnight. But there’s much more to be said on this topic. So tune in to find out what else Rob D has to say about loan-to-value ratios when investing in investment property. 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.

Jul 2, 20198 min

TPP328: The investments you must avoid in the coming property boom

This week on The Property Podcast, The Robs are discussing the investments you should be avoiding in the upcoming property boom. No, they’re not psychic. Nor do they have a crystal ball. But the property boom will come, and when it does, it’s important to know the potential risks and how to avoid them. If you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, you’ll know that Rob & Rob believe we’re currently in the mid-cycle wobble, and after the wobble comes the boom. Quite often in a boom, people start to get excited and you could be sold something that could lose you a vast amount of money. The perk of the property cycle is that you know what’s coming next. So you can look at the last property boom and see what type of investments people were making that went horribly wrong... and avoid them. So what are the investments you should be avoiding in the next boom? Overseas property No money down (NMD)/highly leveraged Investments that cost you to own it (Always) student pods and hotel rooms Parcels of land There are a lot of issues and warnings in this episode but it’s not just us scaremongering, you genuinely need to be aware of these issues and take them seriously. If you’ve had a bad past experience with one of these investment types or you were affected by the last property boom, then we want to hear from you. Get in touch over on Facebook, Instagram or even the forum. And in the news this week, The Robs have found another headline that isn’t actually news - it’s more misleading. It comes from the BBC and the headline is ‘flats out of fashion with first time buyers’. According to the article, first time buyers are going straight for houses which is causing a fall in the cost of apartments. So that’s it. Investors should stop what they’re doing and we need to go back and revise the podcast we did on city living. Wrong. Yet again, the media is blowing a simple comment made about the London market completely out of proportion. One comment about one city and naturally that means it’s the same story for the rest of the country. Our Hub Extra this week is for MacBook and iPhone users, sorry Android. It’s an app called Soulver, and it’s essentially the same as the notepad app but it’s designed to work with numbers in a more natural way. It’s incredibly useful if you’re trying to take notes and make calculations at the same time. Give it a try and let us know what you think. Meetups are next week! Some events are sold out but we do have some tickets left for others. Although they’re selling fast. If you’d like to attend, you can find your nearest meetup venue here on our website. If you haven’t yet checked out our YouTube channel then what are you waiting for? One of our most popular videos is our UK hotspots one and people have been questioning our choices. So go give it a watch and let us know your thoughts. Don’t forget to subscribe! 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 27, 201923 min

ASK192: Is this HMO over-priced? PLUS: Should I get planning permission before I buy?

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, the guys are answering two very different questions on the topic of HMOs. The first question comes in from another Rob who’s got in touch for some feedback on a potential HMO in Stoke-on-Trent. The property is fully tenanted and has five double bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms. On the face of it, the property seems like a pretty good deal. The monthly gross rental income is £3,870 on a purchase price of £335,000 - that’s a gross yield of over 13%! However, his concern is the bricks and mortar valuation. The property was purchased for £95,000 at the back end of 2015 as an office with a much smaller HMO above. Rob is finding it hard to believe that the refurb price would have cost more than around £130,000 - £150,000 considering house prices have probably only risen by about 15% over the last 4 years. His other concern is the lack of local comparables for him to do a true bricks and mortar valuation. He’s worried that the property is overvalued as a stand alone asset. So what would Rob & Rob do in this situation? Our second question comes in from Mahlia who’s looking to purchase more HMO properties in Manchester and Leeds, but has been put off by article four which requires planning permission to change residential property to a HMOs. Should this be a real concern or should she still proceed with the aim of getting planning permission? Rob D’s response is pretty clear on this one. Tune in to have a listen. 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.

Jun 25, 20197 min

TPP327: 7 property tips you can start using today

This week on The Property Podcast, we’re giving you seven property tips that you can start using today, because we want you to start taking action! You’ll know by now if you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while that we love doing the big picture, philosophical and mindset episodes but now we want to give you something actionable. So on today’s podcast we’re going to cover everything from before you buy a property, through management, through to your exit and how you run your business. The seven main tips Rob & Rob have for you are: Account for your time Become a Rightmove power user - look back at episodes 235 & 14 for more info on this Think about your exit from the start Make sure your mortgage broker is experienced in working with investors Hold block viewings Consider pets Run your investments like a business Tune into this week’s episode and see how many of these tips you’re already doing and which ones you can action today. Our news story this week comes from the BBC, just for a change. The headline is ‘soaring second home ownership is hitting young people’. Apparently the number of people who own a second home or a buy to let has doubled since 2001 and 1 in 10 people now own an additional property. The report claims that this is hitting young people and making property unaffordable and home ownerships for young people are falling. Now unsurprisingly the report hasn’t looked into all the facts and figures, so this is where Rob & Rob clear things up and set the record straight. We also want to say a big thank you to everyone who has already subscribed to our YouTube channel. This week we hit 5,000 subscribers! We’re consistently pushing out more content on our channel with the aim to bring you a new video every week. So if you haven’t subscribed yet, we’d love it if you took this opportunity to do so. Meetups are back again in a couple of weeks time and we’ve still got spaces available for the majority of our locations. Our meetups are a great way for like minded property lovers to meet each other and talk about everything property related and discuss your goals and strategies. If you’d like to attend, you can find your nearest meetup venue here on our website. 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.

Jun 20, 201922 min

ASK191: Does it make sense to sell up before a crash? PLUS: Should I worry about my tenant staying too long?

The Robs are back again for another fantastic episode of Ask Rob & Rob where they’re talking about property crashes and tenants staying too long. First up we have Pete who has a question about the 18-year property cycle. He’s clearly been listening to our podcasts and taken the university course, as he’s correctly identified that we’re about 7 years away from the next property market crash. Pete already has two properties that he bought for around £100,000 each and is hoping that in the next 7 years they’ll have pretty much doubled in value. If this was just before the next market crash, would it be wise for him to sell up pre-crash? For Pete, his properties are all about the monthly rental income, however he doesn’t want to miss out on that potential capital growth. So should he sell up and pocket the capital growth? Or should he keep hold of his properties but run the risk of being back to square one? Find out what The Robs have to say on this topic. Next up we have Bartholomew who wants to know if he should be worried about his tenant staying too long. He has a tenant who’s been in his property for the last seven years and is wanting to know if this tenant has any long-term tenancy rights. He’s also looking at purchasing a property that’s had the same tenants for the past three years. If they decided to stay long-term, do they qualify as sitting tenants? So what should Bart do? Should he try and evict these long-term tenants? Or should he see it as a blessing that they’re dependable who haven’t caused him any issues for the past 7 years? Find out on today’s 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.

Jun 18, 20197 min

TPP326: Are rental prices out of control?

This week on The Property Podcast, The Robs are talking economics and looking at data to see whether rental prices really are out of control. It’s certainly an episode worth listening to because we’ve got something exciting coming up... Yes, we’re going to be those people who tease you about something coming up next week and make you wait a whole 7 days to see what it is - sorry! What we can tell you though is that it’s very exciting and it’s exclusively for you - our podcast listeners. So whether you listen to The Property Podcast regularly or you’re only a few episodes in. Make sure you tune in next week when we reveal all! In recent headlines, it’s been said that renting is unaffordable, and action is needed. Maybe even rent controls. But is this true? Zoopla has recently brought out a really interesting report. They’ve taken their own rental data, compared it with average wages and looked at the period between 2007 and 2018 to see how affordability and rent levels have changed over that period. The conclusions are actually quite surprising, so The Robs dig right in on today’s episode. The three main topics Rob & Rob discuss today are: The raw rentals Rents compared to earnings Regional breakdown So tune into this week’s episode as Rob & Rob see whether renting really is unaffordable. Give the Zoopla report a read and let us know what you think. And in this week’s Hub Extra, Rob D is recommending something he uses regularly. It’s a meditation app called Waking Up, developed by a guy named Sam Harris. Sam is a neuroscientist, philosopher, author, podcaster and an all-around interesting guy. This app is a series of guided meditation and lessons - which isn’t dissimilar to other apps, but for Rob D, it’s Sam’s approach that has been the gamechanger. So if you’ve been struggling to make meditation stick or can’t seem to get into it, give this one a try and see if it helps. And in the news this week, The Robs are loving the headlines from The Daily Express. The one which caught their attention is ‘Corbyn’s garden tax: ‘DISASTROUS’ for property market and will hit families and pensioners’. Rob D voices a bit of an unpopular opinion on this. But both of The Robs don’t think it’s half as bad as the media are making out. Essentially it’s just a rebranding of council tax. In fact it might make things fairer! However it was also announced that Labour are proposing that landlords pay tenants’ council tax bills. Needless to say, this sparked a bit of a heated debate, especially over on our Instagram. 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.

Jun 13, 201918 min

Ep 1ASK190: Help! My property isn’t making a profit! PLUS: Is there a minimum value that makes sense for a buy-to-let?

The Robs are back again for another fantastic episode of Ask Rob & Rob. After a few weeks of mortgage questions with Dave Cookson, the trio is now back to a duo! First up we’ve got Horatio who’s in a bit of a pickle. He made an offer to purchase a buy-to-let investment property in Birmingham about six months ago and has recently completed. However, he’s run his numbers again and has realised that his investment property isn’t even making £50 a week! A situation no investor wants to be in. So how does Horatio get out of this sticky situation? Is there a way out? Could a change in strategy make him a small profit at least? Second up, we’ve got Nick. He wants to know if there’s a minimum purchase price to look for when purchasing a buy to let property? He’s wanting to know which works better for a portfolio; having six properties valued at £100,000 each or 12 at £50,000 each. Ultimately there are a number of variables to consider and, as always, it also depends on your goals. So how low should you go when you want to buy cheap buy-to-let investment properties? And does cheap always mean it’s an instant money saver? We’ve all heard the phrase “buy cheap, buy twice”... Find out on today’s 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.

Jun 11, 20198 min

Ep 1TPP325: 6 lessons from a hard mofo: David Goggins

This week on The Property Podcast, The Robs are doing something a bit different and talking some hard truths. Which, if you implement them, could be a complete game changer. On today’s podcast The Robs are passing on six lessons from one of the most impressive (and possibly insane) individuals, David Goggins. Rob B has hailed David Goggins’ book ‘Can’t Hurt Me’ as his book of the year, after a recommendation from Rob D. For those of you who don’t know who David Goggins is, he’s a former Navy Seal, an ultra marathon runner, a distance cyclist, an endurance athlete, a tri-athlete, a motivational speaker and now an author. He’s certainly one-of-a-kind and quite possibly like no one you’ll have ever met or heard of before. Today we’re going to take six lessons from David Goggins that you can implement in your life, and we reckon it’ll help set you apart from everyone else. Here’s the six lessons The Robs will go through on today’s podcast, complete with quotes from David Goggins himself: To grow in life, be willing to suffer Don’t let your mind hold you back Self-talk and visualization are the keys to fighting negativity If you choose to do something, attack it Use the accountability mirror Create a vision in your mind This week’s podcast will get you raring to go - so be prepared for a flurry of self-activity afterwards. You’ve been warned! For this week’s Hub Extra we’ve got a great video for you that’s done the rounds here at the Hub It’s called The Contrepreneur Formula Exposed and is done very nicely by Mike Winnet. Mike has attended several wealth creation seminars, and highlights what exactly goes down at these events and reveals how they’re very cleverly designed to separate you from your money. It’s a fitting tale considering The Robs have been vocal in their dislike for courses that charge you the earth and promise you’ll get rich quick, yet fail to deliver. Mike’s formula works for whatever seminar you attend. Go give it a watch, it’ll be well worth your time. The Robs are extremely jealous they never thought of doing this themselves! In the news this week, The Daily Express is revealing the areas of the UK with the best recovery from the financial crash. The City of London has seen the best recovery over the past 10 years, where house prices are up 143%. What’s interesting is it shows the areas that are still yet to recover, which could be a good insight if you’re planning on investing in these areas. 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.

Jun 6, 201924 min

Ep 1ASK189: What would happen to my mortgages if I die? PLUS: How should I “interview” a mortgage broker?

Once again, our favourite mortgage broker, Dave Cookson is back. He’s joining The Robs to answer your mortgage questions on today’s Ask Rob & Rob. First up we’ve got Rita who wants to know what would happen to her property portfolio should she die, and how can she protect her family? She has interest only mortgages on all her properties at 75% LTV. So she’s wanting to know if she died, would her husband be forced to sell the properties and pay off the mortgages? It’s not a question that comes up very often, but it’s an important one that the majority of property investors should be asking themselves. Find out what advice Dave has to offer and listen to how insurance can play a key part in this! The next question comes from Adam. He’s wanting to know what kind of questions he should be asking a mortgage broker before he works with them, to find out if they’re any good. The Robs always bang on about the importance of working with a good mortgage broker and how it can make your life easier. So what questions does Dave think are the most important to ask? 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.

Jun 4, 20196 min

TPP 324: Is buy-to-let dead?

This week on The Property Podcast, buy-to-let is dead apparently. So will this be The Robs last ever podcast?! Firstly, before we get into today’s podcast episode, we want to say thank you for all the lovely and positive feedback we’ve received over the last couple of weeks in terms of Property Hub Mortgages. And on the back of that, Rob D would like to give a special shoutout to his mortgage broker, Amy at Keys Mortgages, who recently got him out of a sticky situation. She’s a prime example of what a good mortgage broker looks like, so give it a listen to find out just what Rob D had gotten himself into. Now onto this week’s episode, recently there’s been a lot of click bait headlines on the internet stating that buy-to-let is dead, but having nothing to back the statement up in the articles. But this week, Money Week brought out an article headlining; ‘the death of buy-to-let property’ and it actually had a bit of substance to it. So we thought that we needed to address it. And that’s exactly what we do in this episode. So, is buy-to-let really dead and is this goodbye? Tune in to find out... For this week’s Hub Extra we’re bringing you Freetrade. It’s an app that’s available on both Apple and Android and allows you to buy and sell stock shares for free. Usually investing in shares involves a hefty commission fee when you buy and sell which can wipe out any gains you make. So if you decide to have a dabble, let us know if you’re successful, but remember to be sensible with it, we’re not liable for your actions. In the news this week, not a news article, but a gentle reminder that the lettings and landlord fee ban comes into play at the end of the week! It’s already had an effect with some letting agents shutting down and some landlords saying that their fees have gone up to cover the loss. Someone got in touch and said that their fees have changed by a huge £500 per month! 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.

May 30, 201926 min