The Property Podcast

This week our friend Pete Matthew is back, guiding us through alternative ways to get exposure to property – without owning it directly. We discuss different types of "collective investment" vehicles (such as REITs, OIECs and a whole bunch of other acronyms) as well as investments that track property rather than holding it, such as ETFs. During our chat we get to the bottom of: Why it's useful to look at alternatives to holding property directly All the different options, and how to tell them apart The pros and cons of these types of investment How to research the prospects of different opportunities If you enjoyed this episode, please check out more of Pete's fine work at Meaningful Money See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Simon... Asks Rob & Rob – Should I overpay my mortgage? PLUS: Joceline asks how should I approach estate agents? Another two answers from The Robs this week, and these would definitely feature in a property FAQ list. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's episode is just a quick update, but wow are we excited: The Property Hub website has been completely re-built! In this short episode we explain: Why it was high time for an overhaul Improvements we've made to create better conversations in the forum The improved podcast listening and discovery process How we can guide you to the most relevant content for you if you're new Check out the new site here! Normal service will be resumed next week, when Pete Matthew returns for an in-depth exploration of different ways to get exposure to property... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahmed & Drew - My tenant has left me, what should I do? PLUS: Using crowdfunding to buy property... Hear what Rob & Rob have to say in this weeks episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We need another 1.8 million rental properties, says RICS Landlords have lost their legal challenge over the Finance Bill Perhaps as a result of the same changes, 63% of new mortgage applications are for limited companies And mortgage applications are only going to get more arduous: the Bank of England have set out their new underwriting requirements, with tougher stress-tests and requirements for portfolio landlords Finally, it's more tough talk from another new government with the announcement of a £5bn fund to provide 25,000 new homes. Will it come to anything? Who knows... There was plenty to talk about, so take a listen and see what you think! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Bjorn... Asks Rob & Rob – How much of my net worth should be in property? The Rob's are possibly not unbiased on this frequently asked question, but they do try to give a balanced take on the well publicised adage that you shouldn't keep more that 10% of your net worth in bricks and mortar. Listen to this week's episode and let us know your thoughts on this one over on the forum. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grab your passport and join us as we head off around the world of property investment, investigating whether you should be hopping on a plane instead of into a car to research your next acquisition. We look into: The reasons why investing abroad is attractive to so many people The prospects for popular investment spots like Spain and the USA The risks and opportunities in up-and-coming locations like Eastern Europe The "wildcard" locations for if you're feeling particularly brave What to watch out for to make sure your the only risk of losing your shirt is if the airline misplaces your baggage If you'd like to learn more, we've also got a huge feature on investing overseas in the next issue of the Property Hub Magazine – with more detail on the areas we mention, plus other countries tipped by overseas investment experts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Mike... Asks Rob & Rob – Should I never sell a property? Rob D admits this is something you hear a LOT from everyone, including from The Robs. However he also says that his thinking has changed a little in recent year. If your property price is increasing a lot faster than the rent and your yield has fallen, you could take the view that you have had the majority of your gains and you could sell now and buy a property elsewhere where there's more growth in it. There's no right answer, and there is a logic in both approaches. Rob B says his attitude has changed too but only slightly - and that still feels that never selling is a decent principle. There's a time and place to take stock and maybe move some units on though - for example if you have a dud property that just hasn't performed as you expected, or was one of your earlier purchases and you made some mistakes on it, or you have had a constant string of bad tenants that have cost you a lot of time and money; then you should be prepared to walk away and move on to something else. Rob B continues by saying that as he believes in the 18 year property cycle, he will be inclined to move properties on when we're at the top of that cycle (which we are a fair way away from just now). So it's not quite a 'never sell a property' answer, and there is definitely a bit more to it than this, depending on your situation, your longterm plan, and where we are in the cycle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we're lucky enough to be joined by Pete Matthew from the Meaningful Money podcast, who talks us through how to set up your personal finances for property investment. Having Pete on the show allowed us to cover some topics that we've not devoted enough attention to in the past, including: The importance of life insurance if you have mortgages Where to keep your money while you wait to invest What kind of emergency buffer you should have on hand How to view property as part of a wider investment portfolio ...and Pete shares the biggest personal finance mistake he sees people making If you need more Pete in your life – and frankly, who doesn't – make sure you're subscribed to Meaningful Money Resource of the week Thank you to Matt Chan for pointing us towards Mubert – a site that generates sounds designed to help you concentrate. We've covered similar in the past, but it's always worth checking out another – and if you're going to be looking into insurance policies and bank account comparison tables, you'll need all the help you can get... News this week The northern powerhouse powers on – as Theresa May confirms that it's not going to be scrapped along with the chancellor who coined it! Buzzword or not, investing and looking at policy to rebalance the economy geographically makes nothing but sense – and is good news for anyone with investments anywhere near the areas that are set to benefit. It's meetup time again! The first Thursday of the month is almost upon us, which can only mean one thing: MEETUPS! Again there are more than 30 across the country – and if you're in London, you can attend the launch of our brand new Waterloo meetup. View the full list and book your place here Join the conversation What other steps have you taken to secure your personal finances? Any other questions you'd like Pete to answer for us? We’d love to know, so join the discussion in The Property Hub! If you enjoyed The Property Podcast, please leave a review on iTunes Reviews are really important in helping other people to find the show, so by way of thanks we read out every single review we receive on air. If you’d like to hear your name on the show, leave us a review on iTunes here. Not sure how to leave a review? This video shows you how to review and subscribe on iTunes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Mike... Asks Rob & Rob – When it comes to refinancing, should I consider a longer term deal to avoid fees? Rob D & B agree that this is all about the numbers, but it can be tricky to work out. Get your mortgage advisor to do the calculations and work out what is best for you. Remortgaging can be an expensive business and even if the costs are not being paid out immediately, they are definitely still very real costs. Rob D asks his broker to give him all the figures including any associated fees, just to be 100% sure that he chooses the best deal when re-financing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week we talked about the whole property buying process, all the way up to completion. This week, we're looking at the easy-to-overlook steps you need to take in order to prepare your property to let. They include: Deciding whether to self-manage or use an agent Checking out the competition Informing the authorities and utilities about your ownership Obtaining any licenses that are needed Getting safety certificates in place Checking for any post-refurb minor maintenance issues Then it's time to either start marketing yourself, or hand it over to an agent. We've got you covered there too... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Andy... Asks Rob & Rob – What checks should you make when buying remotely? This is somewhat of a specialist subject for The Robs, as they both invest this way, and run companies which help people to invest with a completely hands-off method. This is an important question and Rob B starts by saying you need to be very clear in what you want from the people you work with. Give them really clear guidelines so people know exactly what is an investment you would consider, and what you wouldn't touch in a million years. This will help preserve your working relationships and save you all a lot of time and avoid frustration. Give as much detail as possible. Rob D agrees with the advice given but also says to clarify all information given - even if it's coming from a trusted partner. Get images, check market information, and do your research. This will give you complete clarity on your investment, and you wont feel like you really need to be there on the ground. This method is not for everyone, but for us it works really well. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting an offer accepted on a property is always a great moment – but this week we see that rather than being the finish line, it's actually just the firing of the starter's pistol. The process of doing the legals and getting your mortgage arranged can be a lengthy and arduous one, and it's your job to take control of all the people involved and keep things ticking along. In this episode we go step-by-step through everything you'll encounter, and provide tips for how to boost your chances of coming through unscathed. We discuss: The preparation you can do with your broker and solicitor in advance At what point you'll have to fork over money What your solicitor should be doing behind the scenes (and why you need to check that they are!) How to balance patience with keeping things moving The critical milestones in the process of getting your mortgage agreed What will happen in preparation for exchange And in case it's all a bit much to take in, we've got a resource of the week to help... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rob B issues a note of caution - beware those who tell you there is a way to do this that means you pay a little more now to get started as an investor. The truth is there is no real shortcut, and you probably should pay your debts off first. It's frustrating, and tempting to want to find a quicker alternative, but not the best move. Avoid the people making the big claims and the courses that say otherwise are a waste of money. If it's a choice of paying off your debts or investing, you need to make a decision based entirely around return. So if your debt costs you 9% a month and you can comfortably pay this, but you can get a property that gives you an 8% return, then it's a no-brainer - pay off your debt. But start by paying down your most expensive debt first, get that paid off as soon as you can, and then maybe you will reach a point where you have some cheaper debt which you can accept whilst investing. Rob D admits yes, it's not the fun approach but waiting is the right thing to do, but suggests you make a plan now. Work out when you are going to be ready to invest and use that time to get experience and learn, so that when you're financially ready, you are as educated as possible. So don't feel disappointed that you can't start now, get a plan together and get excited about what you will be able to do in the future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's no surprise that we're big believers in the long-term power of property...but we were surprised when the Bank of England's Chief Economist said he'd back property over a pension too. So in this week's episode we ask if property is really better than a pension. We cover: What the BoE's Andy Haldane said Whether property really has outperformed equities over the last 30 years The advantages of property as a long-term asset The advantages of pensions over property Why property isn't the right retirement choice for everyone Why you definitely shouldn't be relying on your main residence to fund your retirement ...and a bit of a rant about the disaster of pension provision (also listen to our pension crisis episode) It's far from being a whitewash – so take a listen, and see what you think. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a commonly asked question - basically 'how good is good enough'. The answer is different for everyone as Rob D points out, as everyone has a different approach and attitude to risk. Rob D does say that neither himself nor Rob B uses net yield as a measure, preferring to favour looking at ROI, this takes into account using a mortgage and tells us after factoring in that mortgage, how hard an investment is working. Rob D bases everything on ROI, occasionally looking at gross yield to compare different properties that have similar costs. Rob D (greedily) aims to get an ROI of 10% and in typical Rob D fashion, hasn't invested in a property that doesn't hit this measure, though definitely doesn't rule this out if the deal had the potential to make great capital growth or add value. Rob B has relaxed his approach slightly in recent time, having formally worked with a target of 10% as well. He will now accept 8% BUT only if this property needs zero work and is being handed over to Yellow Lettings to get let. That said, he has done deals in excess of 14%, and deals at less than 6% because whilst he does check out this measure, he wont necessarily be put off entirely if the ROI isn't so high IF the deal is right in terms of capital growth. Rob B adds a note of caution to remind us that ROI isn't all it's sometimes cracked up to be! If it is based on letting at the maximum market value, getting a great deal from your solicitor and the very best mortgage rate in the market then these things may well not happen! Finally, Rob D suggests you don't compare ROI with other investors too frequently as you don't know what another person has allowed in the way of rent void periods, maintenance costs etc. So don't get too hung up comparing your figures against someone else's, just know that you are happy with them personally. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Depending on who you listen to, it's either the perfect time to invest in property or it's horrendously overvalued and ripe for a crash. This week, we look at the data behind the claims that UK property is unaffordable – and show how easy it is to cherry-pick one measure to support an agenda. We look at affordability through the lens of: Actual house prices (and see the shocking impact of inflation over the long-term) Prices after adjusting for inflation, to identify the specific extent of house price inflation The price of houses as a multiple of earnings, and whether this is historically high The ongoing affordability of housing, looking at the monthly cost of a mortgage as a percentage of income There are some fascinating stats – as well as some really important insights into how affordability varies across regions, and where value might be found. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Charles... Asks Rob & Rob – What is the snowball effect? Rob B says that from a capital growth point of view, if you see your portfolio at the top of the hill, as the hill drops down that represents time, by the time your snowball has been pushed down the hill - it is bigger. The point being, if you do more work in the early stages (buying BMV), your 'snowball' will be bigger at the end. The first few properties are incredibly important and you need to make wise decisions. Rob D adds that when he thinks about the snowball effect, he thinks of compounding rent. For example, if you want to buy a property every year worth around 80K, with a 75% mortgage and cash for the rest, you would need to save 20k+ (with fees) to buy that property which for most people is a very big ask. But once you have your first property and it's making you money, if you don't touch that rent, you need to save less to put the deposit down on your next property - and if you keep doing that, you reach a stage where you can keep buying through rental income alone. Saving for the first two or three properties is sometimes a slog, but it doesn't take too long for your 'snowball' to take effect and make life a lot easier. ASK YOUR OWN QUESTION TO ROB & ROB! Don't be shy! All you need to do is leave a message with your name and whatever's on your mind. Just pick up the phone and call 013 808 00035 (normal UK call rates apply). Or if you prefer, click here to leave a recording via your computer instead. NEED MORE ANSWERS? The Property Hub Summit is the place to get all your questions personally answered by Rob & Rob, and build a network of other smart, motivated investors. Over the course of a full day at a swanky hotel we'll help you set your goals, form a plan to get you there, overcome your obstacles, and give you the support system you need to make sure nothing gets in your way. Just don't hang around - there are only four Summits each year, and just 16 places available at each! Interested? Click here to find out more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than any other type of property investment, the success of an HMO hinges on buying and setting it up right in the first place. We've talked recently about managing an HMO once it's up and running, but this week it's all about acquisition. We discuss: Where to buy, depending on your target market Two ways to find out where the "HMO areas" are Why you absolutely don't want to compromise on location The importance of understanding Article 4 The challenges involved in financing an HMO How lenders value HMOs (check out this episode of the Property Geek podcast for more on this) What you need to know about licensing The returns you can expect to earn The key components to setting yourself up for a high ROI See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rob B starts by reminding you that what may be right for one person, won't necessarily be right for another. There will be pros and cons to each approach and there's no absolutely 'right' answer for everyone. However, whilst there is definitely an advantage in being a 'local expert' it is unlikely that your local area will consistently be a smart place to invest, which is why Rob & Rob invest all over the UK in places they consider to have good fundamentals. Rob allocates a lot of his time to research, and considers it to be lower risk to invest in different locations. Rob D agrees, it's definitely lower risk to invest in different areas IF you do good research to avoid making any mistakes. Rob D also adds a note of caution for this weeks caller, who had stated she had received lots of BMV deals and reminds everyone to check out these deals really thoroughly before going ahead, and be super diligent with your fact-checking. ASK YOUR OWN QUESTION TO ROB & ROB! Don't be shy! All you need to do is leave a message with your name and whatever's on your mind. Just pick up the phone and call 013 808 00035 (normal UK call rates apply). Or if you prefer, click here to leave a recording via your computer instead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quantitative Easing: hard to understand, even harder to say...and about to have a serious impact on your property investing plans. In this week's episode we explain what QE is, what effects it has, and how you can position yourself to take advantage of it. Useful links: A video from the Bank of England explaining the mechanism by which QE works A letter to the Chancellor warning of the risks A report from the New Economics Foundation assessing QE and proposing an alternative TPP024: Inflation – your worst enemy or your best friend? TPP168: The disappearing middle class (and what you can do about it) We also said we'd reproduce a table with some of the figures we discussed in the episode: Percentage changes in asset prices since 5 March 2009: Average mortgage rate: -31% UK house prices: 32% UK stock market: 87% UK stock market with divs reinvested: 138% Total return from average deposit account: 5% Total return from UK gilts: 47% UK inflation: 16% Pension annuity rates: -27% Gold (in dollar terms): 38% See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Sam... Asks Rob & Rob – What's the catch with student pods? Rob D starts by agreeing that the propositions offered can look attractive and if all pans out as promised then they do indeed sound great. The key, however, is trying to figure out if things will work out as promised by the developer! So for this reason it's absolutely key to look at the previous projects of the developer and see if their history backs up their claims. Rob B is against student pods as he feels they're weighted heavily in favour of the people selling the product as opposed to those owning the product. He suggests that many of the claims made by the developers are greatly exaggerated at best. He also makes a very good point in saying that the mortgageability on student pods is pretty much non-existent, and the market if you want to sell is extremely limited. Rob B finalises by saying he'd never buy one and he would never offer them to RMP customers - so no sitting on the fence here! ASK YOUR OWN QUESTION TO ROB & ROB! Don't be shy! All you need to do is leave a message with your name and whatever's on your mind. Just pick up the phone and call 013 808 00035 (normal UK call rates apply). Or if you prefer, click here to leave a recording via your computer instead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Buying property within a limited company is becoming increasingly popular – but when it comes to obtaining mortgages for companies, there are some extra considerations you need to know about. This week, with the help of our friend Dave Cookson from TC Financial Services, we're running through the important details you need to be aware of. Including: The kind of range and selection you can expect to choose from How to set your company up correctly The documents you should have to hand before you start The personal requirements for company directors that lenders will want to see How to handle the tricky issue of multiple lenders against the same company Why this type of lending is particularly attractive for contractors and business owners What Dave thinks lies ahead for the sector Related listening: TPP125: Should you create a limited company for your property portfolio? TPP124: Post-budget survival tactics for property investors Free video course: Should you use a limited company to invest in property? Resource of the week If you ever need to visualise a process, a flowchart or a mindmap, draw.io is a great free tool to use. Rob B recommends it for fans of Lucidchart, who are now seriously restricting their free plan (the cheek!) News this week It won't have escaped your attention that the Bank of England have cut the base rate to 0.25%, as reported by the Economist – as well as announcing a new round of quantitative easing. If you've got tracker mortgages, enjoy the lower payments! As for the longer-term consequences...we'll be getting into that next week. Join the conversation Have you learnt anything from a company mortgage application that other listeners might find useful? Was it easier or more difficult than you expected? We’d love to know, so join the discussion in The Property Hub! If you enjoyed The Property Podcast, please leave a review on iTunes Reviews are really important in helping other people to find the show, so by way of thanks we read out every single review we receive on air. If you’d like to hear your name on the show, leave us a review on iTunes here. Not sure how to leave a review? This video shows you how to review and subscribe on iTunes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this weeks podcast, Jack asks a cracker of a question - where are we in the 18 year property cycle. Given that this is one of Rob & Rob's favourite topics to talk about, they didn't need a lot of convincing to answer this one! Rob B starts off by stating that he thinks we're just heading into the mid-term wobble - where London and the South East prices should soften a little, and the North should grow a little less slowly. Of course the media will term this as a 'crash' but it's likely that the results will show it to be far less dramatic. Rob D agrees the UK as a whole is heading into the mid-term wobble, and reminds us that the growth has been amazing in the past few years in London and the South East, so the 'wobble' is likely to be felt the most in these areas. Both Rob B and Rob D agree the aggressive growth is to come in the second half of the cycle, though London and the South East may grow slightly less aggressively due to their growth beforehand. Rob B reminds us that as most of our podcast listeners have predicted this is coming, it leaves us in a position to be a lot more relaxed about the situation, and make the most of it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the course of getting to know hundreds of investors, we've come across a whole cast of characters who probably shouldn't be investing in property at all – including Stressful Susan, Dithering Derek and Gung-Ho Grace. Will you recognise yourself in any of them? Do you have the right temperament to be a successful investor, or are there traits you need to get under control? Listen to this week's episode and find out! Related episodes we mention: - When Property Goes Wrong - How Rob B lost £40,000 on one deal Resource of the week If you ever need to put together a flyer for a property, or just brighten or resize some photos, you might want to try Picmonkey or Canva. Both are free and extremely easy online image editing tools – perfect for quick, everyday tweaks that don't require anything as powerful as Photoshop. News this week Chinese buyers' interest in the UK has spiked by 40% post-Brexit, as reported in The Telegraph. In a way not surprising as the pound is on sale for the rest of the world, but still a remarkable indicator when there's still so much uncertainty about how things will pan out. Join the conversation What other "characters" would you add to our collection? Do you have any traits that you need to work on to make yourself a better investor? We’d love to know, so join the discussion in The Property Hub! If you enjoyed The Property Podcast, please leave a review on iTunes Reviews are really important in helping other people to find the show, so by way of thanks we read out every single review we receive on air. If you’d like to hear your name on the show, leave us a review on iTunes here. Not sure how to leave a review? This video shows you how to review and subscribe on iTunes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, the brilliantly named Rob, asks a question regarding the build to rent scheme, and how this may impact upon the existing PRS. Asking is this a ploy by The Government to eradicate small time BTL Landlords. Rob D begins by acknowledging that there will definitely be more institutional investment in BTL, and that it is probably healthy for the sector not to be controlled entirely by private BTL Landlords. But thinks there is room for both in the marketplace, due to the demand for different types of products. Rob B agrees that whilst the balance my shift, it shouldn't do so radically. Rob B goes on to discuss how quality has improved for student accommodation, and how in the long term this could give us a glimpse into the future of the BTL market, and that it could be a good thing if this competition increases the quality of stock available to tenants. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we're talking about how to hire for your property team – whether it's a property manager, an assistant, a bookkeeper, or just about any other role you can think of. We've talked about the benefits of hiring many times, so this week we talk through the exact process we use to maximise our chances of finding the perfect candidate. We cover: How to set yourself up for success before hiring begins The different hoops we make applicants jump through (and why) How we organise the process to keep track and minimise our time input The questions to ask in an interview One critical step you mustn't miss out The killer question to ask when taking up references Resources we mention are: Topgrading Who: The A-method for hiring (book) Talent Dynamics Resource of the week This week's resource is a Trello board, which is the template we use when we're executing the hiring process we talk about in this episode. Take it, make whatever modifications you want, and you'll find that it makes it way easier to keep track of where you're up to with all your applications. Get the Trello board here And as an extra bonus resource, Rob B was on the Graduate Jobs podcast talking about how to land a job in property – so if you're seeking a role rather than hiring for one, make sure you check out his words of wisdom. News this week House price growth is hotting up in the north and cooling down in the south, according to The Telegraph. Wow, does that mean we've actually got a prediction right for once? Don't forget to register for a meetup! Next week will be the first Thursday of the month, which means...it's meetup time again! There are over 30 meetups taking place, and they're totally free. All you need to do is find one near you, put your name down, and turn up for an evening of friendly and informative chat with other property obsessives. See the full list and sign up here Join the conversation Do you have any tips from when you've hired for your property team? Which tasks do you wish you could hire someone to take off your hands? We’d love to know, so join the discussion in The Property Hub! If you enjoyed The Property Podcast, please leave a review on iTunes Reviews are really important in helping other people to find the show, so by way of thanks we read out every single review we receive on air. If you’d like to hear your name on the show, leave us a review on iTunes here. Not sure how to leave a review? This video shows you how to review and subscribe on iTunes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode, Rob & Rob talk about getting a mortgage when you're not yet a property owner. Rob B says that there are a lot of mortgage lenders out there, but as a non home owner, and not yet a property investor, the pool of products available are actually quite small. Rob B goes on to say that in 6 months time there will be more options. Both Rob and Rob discuss the options available to you and say how important it is to have a good mortgage advisor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week it's all about the money, as we explore alternative ways to raise funds for your property investments. We explore the pros and cons of using: Credit cards (!) Bridging finance Private finance Joint ventures Second charge loans Each funding source we discuss could be (and most will be) a separate episode in itself – but in this value-packed episode we give you a quick run-through of the different strategies you might want to have in your kit, and how to decide which is the right tool for the job. Resource of the week You've probably rhetorically asked yourself, "where did today go?" – but with Toggl, you can actually look back and check. It's a time-tracking tool (that integrates nicely with Chrome) that makes it easy to monitor the amount of time you spend on different tasks and projects. It involves some manual work and discipline, but the act of being mindful of your time can be beneficial in itself – and Toggl gives you reports that you can dig into to review your biggest time-sucks. Certainly this won't be for everyone – but if you feel like you'd benefit from the insight of knowing how you spend your days, Toggl is a great (and free) way of doing it. News this week As reported in The Telegraph, six commercial property funds have suspended trading – basically meaning that investors aren't allowed to take their money out. We discuss the nature of different types of funds, and what (if anything) this news tells us about the future of commercial property. Join the conversation Which of the financing methods we mentioned have you made use of? Are there any others that we didn't think of? We’d love to know, so join the discussion in The Property Hub! If you enjoyed The Property Podcast, please leave a review on iTunes Reviews are really important in helping other people to find the show, so by way of thanks we read out every single review we receive on air. If you’d like to hear your name on the show, leave us a review on iTunes here. Not sure how to leave a review? This video shows you how to review and subscribe on iTunes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode, Rob & Rob discuss the pros and cons of buying a home or an investment property. Tony has been living overseas and is looking to return to the UK with his young family - he doesn't have enough to buy in the location the family want to live and he wants to know whether to buy an investment property instead. Rob B starts off by addressing the pros of investing in a property, then renting a home to live in. He says that if you're moving to a new area, renting will give you a chance to see if the area is actually right for you. He then goes on to say that you can build your asset base by investing in property, then use your capital to invest back into buying your own home, leading to a double win. Rob D talks about shaking off the mindset of "You have to own your own home", and goes on to cover some of the advantage of owning your own property, such as accessing more mortgage options. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian from Birmingham and his partner are eager to invest and have saved up to buy their first property, but will need some more capital in order to complete their first flip. Rob & Rob give their tips on gaining finance in this situation and note the things to be aware of as potential pitfalls to gaining finance with no previous investment track record. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, Brexit happened...now what? That's the question we attempt to answer in this week's episode. What happens next in general, what happens next for the property market in particular...and perhaps more importantly, what general lessons can we take away from the whole thing? We discuss: What's happened during the last couple of weeks since the result What it means for property in London – and the UK market in general What to absolutely not do now as an investor Where there might be opportunities to profit from uncertainty The psychology of investors, and what Brexit can teach us about preparing for future major events Further listening: Our Brexit special from last week Pete Matthew discussing Brexit on the Meaningful Money podcast Resource of the week Thank you to Charles for pointing us towards Office Lens (iTunes store and Android store). It's another document scanning app, but Charles and Rob B agree that the quality is far superior to anything else they've tried – and even works for whiteboards. Rob D noted that Evernote has raised its document scanning game too, and the mobile version ofGoogle Drive is improving all the time. It's meetup day! It's the first Thursday of July, which means meetups – 30 of them in fact, across the UK and beyond! Go to thepropertyhub.net/meetups to find your nearest and book your free place. And if you're in Leeds or Leamington Spa, one of the Robs will see you there! Join the conversation Will you be taking advantage of the post-Brexit uncertainty? How have your plans changed, if at all? We’d love to know, so join the discussion in The Property Hub! If you enjoyed The Property Podcast, please leave a review on iTunes Reviews are really important in helping other people to find the show, so by way of thanks we read out every single review we receive on air. If you’d like to hear your name on the show, leave us a review on iTunes here. Not sure how to leave a review? This video shows you how to review and subscribe on iTunes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rob & Rob own multiple property businesses as well as their own portfolios...but what do they actually do every day? That's what we attempt to answer in this episode, as a means of both showing what a full-time career in property looks like and extracting useful lessons for investors at all stages. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special episode, Rob & Rob give their immediate reactions to what Brexit means for property investors. We'll be returning to the topic again in more detail next week! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Rob and Rob give pointers on how to establish the value of the house with the current lease, the importance of working with a specialist and also having a process in place to make it an effective strategy for you. Listen in to get Rob D's magic lease number that he recommends as a guideline for lease length. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re talking about one of the hottest topics in property investment: serviced apartments. Setting up a property as a serviced apartment can allow investors to achieve levels of return normally associated with high-yielding investments like HMOs – but as always, there’s hard work involved and pitfalls to watch out for. In this episode […] The post TPP171: Serviced apartments: the next big thing? appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Ed asked: What will happen to mortgage availability as you get older? The answer touched upon the fact that the trend is leaning more and more towards people getting mortgages later in life. This is for a couple of major reasons: firstly the change in pension reforms that have […] The post ASK44: What will happen to mortgage availability as you get older? appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many investors are drawn to HMOs by their seemingly high returns, but then deterred (us included) by the amount of work they seem to involve. And there’s no getting away from it: HMOs are more effort than your standard single let. Nevertheless, there are steps you can take to boost your chances of making HMOs […] The post TPP170: How to make HMOs work for you appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Steven asked: How do you handle renovations from a distance? A great question! The answer focused on a couple of older Property Podcast episodes, which talk about this very issue and how to tackle it (see links below). It also mentioned having someone to run the project that you […] The post ASK43: How do you handle renovations from a distance? appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we unpack the often-repeated claim that property prices double every 10 years. Have they done in the past…and most importantly, can we expect to see it happen in the next 10 years? We talk about: The true pace at which prices have grown in the past Why property prices tend to go up […] The post TPP169: Will property prices double in the next 10 years? appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Tim Freeman… Tells off Rob & Rob! The episode this week is all about the Robs’ attitude towards DIY and repair, and listener Tim Freeman calls out the Robs on not having DIY knowledge, when they so regularly preach about how knowledge is the most important thing and […] The post ASK42: R&R get told off! appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve activated gloom-mode this week to talk about what’s set to become an endangered species in the UK: the middle class. By “middle class” we don’t mean whether you say “sofa” or “settee”: it means middle-income earners, who are increasingly being squeezed out. Over the last 30 years, the proportion of households in London described […] The post TPP168: The disappearing middle class appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Yael asked: How do you start? Not an easy one to answer! The answer, however, starts with sorting your finances. Ultimately, you need money to invest in property, and if you don’t have funds, there’s nothing you can do. You don’t need millions, but you will need access to […] The post ASK41: How do you start? appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re delving into one of the invisible forces that guides the property market: supply and demand. It’s not the only force that operates on property (we’ll be looking at some of the others in the coming weeks), but over the long-term it’s one of the most important. We discuss: What the laws of […] The post TPP167: Supply and demand explained appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Paddy asked: What do you do in a boom? Slow and steady wins the race. This question (as many do) refers to the 18-year property cycle, so be sure to check out our episode on that. The answer talks about looking at your portfolio in the period leading up to […] The post ASK40: What do you do in a boom? appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re featuring another interview we recorded at the Property Investor Show – this time, we’re talking auctions with Rob Marchant from Clive Emson auctioneers. Rob tells us how best to prepare for an auction in advance, if it’s really still possible to find a bargain in a post-Homes Under The Hammer world, and […] The post TPP166: Auctions! (from The Property Investor Show) appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Graham asked: How will Brexit affect the property market? A popular question! The answer touched upon the important fact that neither Robs believe that Brexit is actually going to happen – people tend towards keeping things as they are, and in all likelihood, Britain will remain in the EU. […] The post ASK39: How will Brexit affect the property market? appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the Property Investor Show, we grabbed interviews with experts on two of landlords’ least favourite topics: tenants and taxes. First we spoke to Paul Shamplina from Landlord Action about the messes landlords get themselves into with troublesome tenants. Then, to keep the party mood going, we turned our attention to tax – grabbing Janice […] The post TPP165: Tenants and taxes – interviews with Paul Shamplina (Landlord Action) and Janice Parker (Rita4Rent) appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ask Rob & Rob, Raj & Ruth asked: Does the stamp duty surcharge apply to limited companies, & can you use a mortgage to buy a flip? Two questions this week in our first ever double bill! To answer Raj’s question: yes, you have to pay stamp duty if you have a limited […] The post ASK38: Double bill! Can you use a mortgage to buy a flip? (and more!) appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re finding out if there’s any substance behind the buzzword that is the “Northern Powerhouse”. We talk transport links, government projects, multi-billion pound regeneration schemes…and most importantly, what it all means for property investors. Useful links: The official website for HS2 The government’s northern transport strategy document Resource of the week Archilogic is […] The post TPP164: What is the Northern Powerhouse all about? appeared first on The Property Hub. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.