The ESPC Property Show

On this episode of The ESPC Property Show, Paul and Megan are joined by home designer Sarah Maguire of Raison Home to talk all things renovation and interior design. Sarah shares her end-to-end approach - from that first spark of an idea through to a finished, installed project - and how virtual reality now lets clients walk through their new kitchen or extension before a single wall is touched.

Along the way they cover the difference between renovating to sell and renovating to stay, how to set a realistic budget (and where the hidden costs catch people out), the design choices homeowners tend to regret, what buyers across Edinburgh and the Lothians are asking for right now, and how more people are adapting their homes to stay put rather than move.

Find out more about Sarah's services: https://www.raisonhome.com/en-gb/home-designer/sarah-maguire-edinburgh

Find an ESPC solicitor estate agent: https://espc.com/find-an-agent

More property advice: https://espc.com/advice

Chapters:

0:00–0:57 Intro & what's coming up

0:57–1:26 Meet Sarah Maguire & the Raison Home story

1:26–3:07 What a home designer actually does

3:07–4:53 From banking to design: Sarah's story

4:53–6:13 Designing in VR - seeing your home before it's built

6:13–9:00 Renovating to sell vs renovating to stay

9:00–11:03 Designing your forever home

11:03–13:58 The budget conversation (and the hidden costs)

13:58–15:27 Design choices people regret

15:27–16:05 Repurposing what you already have

16:05–18:24 What Edinburgh & the Lothians want right now

18:24–19:57 Future-proofing: adapting your home as you age

19:57–21:43 Thinking of renovating? Where to start

21:43–22:29 How payments work

22:29–24:29 Sarah's most memorable projects

24:29–26:10 Final thoughts & what's next

This week, Paul and Megan take the pulse of the mortgage market - and look ahead to the Bank of England's next base rate decision on Thursday 30 July.In part one, they unpack why the base rate has held at 3.75% since December, how global events like the conflict in the Middle East and rising oil prices feed through to inflation and your mortgage, and what to expect from the Bank of England's July meeting.In part two, they're joined by returning guest David Lauder from ESPC Mortgages to talk through what's really happening on the ground: where rates sit today, the return of tracker mortgages, how the size of your deposit shapes your rate, straightforward credit score advice, and exactly what to do if you're coming off a fixed deal this year.As always, it's honest, jargon-free and data-driven advice for anyone buying, selling or remortgaging in Scotland.Chapters0:00 Intro & what's coming up1:00 Why we watch the Bank of England1:15 The base rate at 3.75%: cut, hold or hike?1:58 The Middle East conflict & the oil price3:18 Why it all comes back to inflation4:21 The Bank of England's balancing act5:21 What to expect on 30 July5:57 What would push rates up to 4%?7:38 Guest: David Lauder, ESPC Mortgages7:52 Have rates changed this year? Life "in the fours"9:41 Your deposit & loan to value explained10:33 Are lenders still competing? The summer window12:26 Stock levels & sales falling through13:27 Tracker mortgages & the "switch and fix" option15:48 Why a variable rate is the one to avoid17:00 Lender criteria & income multiples17:56 Credit scores: the questions clients ask most19:43 Coming off a fixed rate in 202621:00 Product transfer, remortgaging & starting early23:51 Second steppers, family homes & maternity leave25:03 LBTT, mansion tax & the higher-end market26:55 David's advice: plan ahead28:32 Quickfire round31:25 Speak to a mortgage advisor early31:58 Paul & Megan wrap up34:09 Important informationRead our latest House Price Report and property market news at espc.com. Find an ESPC solicitor estate agent: https://espc.com/find-an-agentImportant informationThe initial consultation with an ESPC Mortgages adviser is free and without obligation. Thereafter, ESPC Mortgages charges for mortgage advice are usually £395 (£345 for first-time buyers). The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate Buy to Let Mortgages. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR OTHER LOANS SECURED AGAINST IT. ESPC (UK) Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Lyncombe Consultants Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Anything discussed in this episode is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice.

More property sales are falling through across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and the Scottish Borders - 11.72% so far in 2026, compared with a ten-year average of 7.61%. So what's behind the rise?

Paul and Megan are joined by two friends of the show, Dave Marshall (Operations Director at Warners) and Tzana Webster (Head of Estate Agency at Ralph Sayer), to dig into the story behind the headlines. They discuss why property chains have become far more common in the local area, the questions every buyer should expect to be asked about their funding, what "subject to sale" really means for your offer, and what happens - practically and financially - if a sale does fall through.

Plus: the 11-property chain that fell through twice, why buying with cryptocurrency is more possible than you might think, and the single best thing sellers can do to protect their sale.

Thinking of selling? Book a free property valuation from a solicitor estate agent here.

Timecodes:

00:00 – Intro & Scottish Podcast Awards

01:35 – Meet the guests: Dave Marshall & Tzana Webster

02:14 – What does a sale "falling through" mean in Scotland?

03:05 – The headline stat: 11.72% of sales fell through in 2026

04:09 – Why sales fall through: chains, funding and expectations

06:36 – "Magic money" - why budgets matter

08:55 – The 11-property chain that fell through twice

10:18 – Why are property chains more common now?

13:45 – Have we hit peak fall-through?

14:34 – 24 offers in Craigleith — only 3 chain-free

16:55 – Mortgage lending & source of funds

19:55 – Buying a property with cryptocurrency

20:35 – Why fall-through rates are higher outside Edinburgh

23:00 – What happens to sellers when a sale falls through?

25:16 – The four-week review & pricing strategies

28:05 – The solicitor estate agent difference

29:20 – Who pays the fees if a sale falls through?

30:28 – Should the government change the process?

34:30 – Quick fire questions

36:39 – The good news: 90% of sales don't fall through

39:39 – Free valuations & next episode

On this week's episode, Paul & Megan do a data deep dive on the Edinburgh Tram line - specifically the effect of the City centre to Newhaven extension. They share some of the ESPC data on property prices in the areas surrounding the tramline through Brunswick, Leith Walk, The Shore and Newhaven.

In addition, they discuss the potential for future tram routes and how that could affect different areas and the property prices in those neighbourhoods.

Read our full article on the data around property prices on the traimline here: https://espc.com/news/post/three-year...

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

1:04 Has the Newhaven tram extension changed property prices?

2:12 Brunswick property prices

3:51 Leith property prices

6:22 What do these increases mean for buyers?

8:30 Where could the tram go next?

13:30 Is there support for a North/South tram route?

15:07 NIMBYism

17:07 What would a new tram route mean for property prices?

19:30 Closing thoughts

In this week's episode, Paul & Megan review their 2026 predictions and see what's come true and what has changed since December 2025.

Skip to the part that's most relevant to you:

0:00 Intro

1:24 Changes in interest rates

4:50 How unemployment is affecting markets

5:28 Edinburgh property market update

7:00 Offering over valuation

9:36 Did more sellers come to market this year?

10:45 Potential policy changes from Scot Gov

11:50 Top areas for listings

In this episode of The ESPC Property Show, Paul & Megan are joined by Andy McIver (Host on Holyrood Sources podcast and founder of Message Matters) to debrief the recent Scottish election. In the episode they cover everything from how Westminster "infects" Scottish politics, how John Swinney might run his minority government and whether or not the housing crisis can be solved in this term of government.Chapters:0:00 Coming up0:30 Introduction1:42 John Swinney chooses his cabinet3:15 Westminster affecting Scottish politics6:23 Did the cost of living crisis start in 2008?10:51 Any surprises in the Scottish election?11:38 The SNP have to do things differently13:30 How reliable are manifestos?16:28 How will John Swinney run a minority government?20:29 Is housing a priority for this government?22:55 Housing policy battles 25:46 First Home Fund 29:03 John Swinney's leadership32:32 How could the housing sector look in 5 years?34:51 Quick fire questions

In this episode of the ESPC Property Show, Paul & Megan are joined by Will Mushet & Martin Fallon from CoHaus. CoHaus is a platform launching in Edinburgh to help first-time buyers learn more about buying a property with friends in order to get onto the property ladder. Will & Martin discuss why they created CoHaus and how it can help the next generation of home owners buy property and build equity. Find out more about joining their Edinburgh pilot here: https://cohaus.tech/pilotSkip to the part you're most interested in:0:00 - Introduction2:20 - What is CoHaus?3:18 - The appetite for co-buying4:12 - The practicalities of co-ownership4:54 - Why create CoHaus now?7:12 - Who is the target audience for CoHaus?8:25 - How does CoHaus work?10:18 - How to establish co-ownership compatibility13:08 - Exit strategies15:24 - Deciding on financial compatibility17:53 - First steps once you have found your co-buyers19:54 - Risks of going into co-buying without advice21:07 - Why CoHaus is starting in Edinburgh24:09 - How to join the CoHaus pilot

In this episode of the ESPC Property Show, Paul & Megan dissect five of the six major political parties' manifestos ahead of the upcoming Scottish election on 7th May. They lay out ESPC's own manifesto and what they were hoping to see across the manifestos. They also explain the key topics affecting the current housing market and break down how each party proposes to tackle them.

Skip to the part more relevant to you:

0:00 Introduction

1:06 The ESPC manifesto

5:10 How many houses will be built?

9:44 How will they help first-time buyers?

14:48 Changes to LBTT

17:53 Additional Dwelling Supplement changes

22:06 Council tax reform

25:28 How would they change rental controls?

29:40 Energy efficiency in homes

33:26 Proposed planning changes

37:11 Election results predictions

In today's episode Paul & Megan are joined by four property market experts for the ESPC Spring roundtable. The panel discuss what the market is currently like for buyers and sellers and what could lie ahead for the rest of the year. The panellists for this episode are Graham White (Anderson Strathern), James Armstrong (DMD Law), Laura Sheilds (Monarch Legal) and Robbie Horn (Gillespie Macandrew). CHAPTERS0:00-2:24 Intro 2:24-6:45 How is the property market right now? 6:45-7:49 Could house prices drop? 7:49-9:26 Is property still a good investment?9:26-10:54 There's not enough property on the market10:54-16:24 Is the market getting busier in Spring?16:24-19:05 Has buyer behaviour been influenced by interest rates?19:05-23:18 How much are buyers paying over valuation?23:18-27:41 What are the mistakes that buyers are making?27:41-29:52 Advice for pricing your property for market29:52-32:12 Why use "offers over" pricing strategy32:12-35:52 What's going to happen to house prices for the rest of the year?

On this episode of the ESPC Property Show, Paul & Megan sit down with property experts Louisa Raistrick (Head of Estate Agency, Coulters) and Sean Nicol (CEO, Simpson & Marwick) to discuss what happens at a property valuation. The chat includes the reason you shouldn't rely on an instant valuation tool online and when is the best time to put your home on the market. Get a valuation from an ESPC solicitor estate agent here.CHAPTERS:0:00-1:52 Intro1:52-3:30 What is a property valuation? And how does it differ from an online valuation?3:30-5:01 How long does a property valuation take? 05:01-7:04 How is a valuation different from a Home Report valuation?7:04-8:31 How to prepare for a valuation?8:31-10:16 What rooms do property valuers focus on?10:16-11:06 Floorplans11:06-13:11 Documentation required at valuations13:11-15:01 When should you get a property valuation?15:01-19:09 What are the factors that determine a property's value?19:09-20:41 How can a seller trust that a valuation is correct?20:41-21:50 Will an agent give you an exact price or a range? 21:50-24:22 What are the biggest misconceptions about valuation?24:22-27:00 How do valuers manage seller expectations?27:00-28:54 Advice for anyone thinking of selling their home28:54-30:55 What happens after a valuation?30:55-35:20 When is the best time of year to sell?