The Scottish Property Podcast

The Scottish Property Podcast

By Nick Ponty and Steven Clark

A weekly podcast focused on keeping property investors informed and educated on the Scottish property market. Co-hosts Nick Ponty and Steven Clark share their own experiences, answer questions and tal... more

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Best of The Scottish Property Podcast

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

  1. Number 1: Why England Backed Away From Rent Controls After Scotland’s Failure

    Scotland-wide rents have fallen slightly—but some local markets are still recording strong growth. So where is tenant demand holding up, and what should property investors take from the latest figures? In this August market update, Nick and Steven examine the latest Citylets rental data and Zoopla house-price figures. They discuss why Glasgow’s one-bedroom flats are outperforming the wider market, how rents in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee compare, and why investors must research the specific area and property type rather than relying on national averages. They also discuss England’s response to Scotland’s experience with rent controls, the importance of reinvesting in ageing rental properties and whether younger people should buy their own home first—or use that money to build an income-producing portfolio. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • Why England is reconsidering rent controls after Scotland’s experience • Scotland-wide rents falling marginally by 0.2% • Why demand for one-bedroom flats remains strong in Glasgow • Average one-bedroom rents of approximately £912 in Glasgow and £1,095 in Edinburgh • Why Aberdeen’s rental growth is now outperforming Glasgow and Edinburgh • Dundee rents rising by approximately 2.7% • South Lanarkshire recording 6.4% growth across all property types and 10.5% for one-bedroom homes • Why national property data can hide significant differences between local markets • The dated rental properties struggling to compete with refurbished homes • Why landlords must budget for new kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and ongoing improvements • Scotland’s house prices rising by approximately 2.8% over the year • Why Aberdeen remains one of the UK’s few areas recording falling house prices • Higher mortgage rates reducing buyers’ purchasing power • Nick’s frustration with property sourcers who ignore clearly defined investor criteria • Is your own home really an asset—or should younger investors build a portfolio first? • How one investor built approximately £10,000 in monthly portfolio cash flow before buying his own home CHAPTERS 00:00 - August market update and summer catch-up 08:27 - Rant of the month: finding suitable property deals 13:01 - Steven’s rant about business and life in the UK 17:37 - Property news and the summer slowdown 19:04 - Why England backed away from rent controls 22:41 - Scottish rents fall by 0.2% 23:22 - Why Glasgow’s one-bedroom flats are bucking the trend 25:36 - Rental growth in Aberdeen, Dundee and surrounding areas 27:14 - Why landlords must reinvest in their properties30:19 - Scotland’s house prices rise by 2.8% 32:12 - Buyer demand, property sales and mortgage affordability 34:11 - Is your own home an asset or a liability? 37:28 - Should you build a portfolio before buying a home? NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 Would you buy your own home first, or use the deposit to build a property portfolio? Let us know in the comments 👇

    40min
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  2. Number 2: From Property Flips to a Scottish Aparthotel Development

    Michael Mower built his property career by taking on the projects other people avoided—from tired Glasgow flats to fire-damaged auction purchases. After years of running a stressful renovation business, he and his wife Liana decided to start building assets for themselves. That change led to successful property flips, buy-to-lets and serviced accommodation. Michael shares the numbers behind a Glasgow flat bought for £39,000 and sold for approximately £85,000, as well as a Newtown Mearns home bought for £350,000 and sold for £650,000. Now, Michael is converting a long-empty B-listed building on Callander Main Street into serviced accommodation, commercial space and offices. He talks Nick and Steven through the £100,000 purchase, estimated £250,000 refurbishment and targeted £630,000 end value. He also speaks openly about alcohol addiction, rehab and recovery. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • From plumbing apprentice to running a renovation company • Why Michael and Liana stopped renovating for clients and began investing for themselves • His first Glasgow flip: bought for £39,000 and sold for approximately £85,000 • Why their one-bedroom flips typically produced profits of around £35,000–£40,000 • The Newtown Mearns home bought for £350,000 and sold for £650,000 • Moving from flips into buy-to-let, auctions and serviced accommodation • Michael’s honest experience of alcohol addiction, rehab and recovery • Why his serviced accommodation can also work as long-term rental property • Callander units listed at approximately £270 and £210 per night • Transforming a B-listed building that had been empty for approximately 25–30 years • The planned serviced accommodation, commercial and office spaces • The £100,000 purchase, £250,000 refurbishment and targeted £630,000 end value • How extensive dry rot affected the work and bridging-finance plans CHAPTERS 00:00 - Meet Michael Mower 00:56 - Michael’s background and early life 04:58 - From plumbing apprentice to building contractor 09:23 - Leaving client renovations behind 11:40 - Flipping property in Glasgow’s south side 17:08 - The figures behind Michael’s flips 18:28 - Moving from flipping to holding property 20:11 - Launching a salon and renovating in Newtown Mearns 23:16 - Buying property at auction 25:46 - Alcohol addiction and the road to recovery 34:35 - Michael’s property portfolio today 35:25 - Moving into serviced accommodation 37:28 - Nightly rates for the Callander units 39:45 - The Callander aparthotel development 42:50 - The planned layout of the building 44:35 - Purchase price and due diligence 46:23 - Refurbishment costs and unexpected dry rot 48:23 - Funding the development 49:46 - The targeted £630,000 end value 50:58 - Local reaction and the planned opening 53:24 - What comes after the development 54:20 - Where to follow Michael CONNECT WITH MICHAEL Michael Mower — Built by Mike YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@Built_By_Milke⁩ NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 Would you take on a derelict B-listed building, or stick to smaller property projects? Let us know in the comments 👇

    55min
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  3. Number 3: Why High-Leverage Property Investors Could Be Trapped at Refinancing

    How can you scale a buy-to-let portfolio without leaving yourself dangerously exposed if the property market changes? In this episode, Nick and Steven discuss the risks of using 80% and 85% loan-to-value mortgages to grow a property portfolio. They explain how arrangement fees, falling valuations and changes to lending criteria could leave highly leveraged investors needing to inject substantial amounts of cash when refinancing. They also share practical ways to reduce risk, including investing in high-demand areas, maintaining cash reserves, stress-testing mortgage payments and using conservative end values. From researching comparable properties to calculating every purchase, renovation and holding cost, this episode explains the due diligence investors should carry out before committing to a deal. TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Scaling buy-to-let safely in a changing market01:20 - The 18-year property cycle and crash predictions03:53 - Why 80% and 85% LTV mortgages raise concerns05:40 - How mortgage fees push leverage even higher07:27 - The refinancing risk across a large portfolio09:22 - BRR valuations and recovering all your money11:23 - Negative equity and product-transfer risks13:37 - Could investors become trapped on a 9% variable rate?14:38 - Investing in high-demand rental areas15:44 - Stress-testing, cash reserves and avoiding overleverage17:53 - Why longer fixed-rate terms can reduce risk18:31 - Due diligence and conservative end values19:21 - Comparing properties accurately21:08 - Testing current demand with listings and estate agents22:22 - The landlord costs investors frequently overlook23:23 - Jobs, regeneration and school performance26:43 - Getting every deal number right28:02 - Purchase costs and property holding costs30:04 - Renovation budgets and choosing quality materials31:40 - Calculating the property’s true rental cash flow NETWORKING EVENTSFirst Wednesday of every month📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | GlasgowFollow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode👍 Like the video if you found it valuable💬 Would you use an 85% loan-to-value mortgage to scale faster, or keep more equity in each property? Let us know in the comments 👇

    33min
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  4. Number 4: She Built a Seven-Figure Property Portfolio — But Says She’s Still Skint

    Amy Russell has built a seven-figure property portfolio—but with her money continually being reinvested, she still describes herself as “skint”. Her biggest cash-flow scare came from a sourced property bought for £62,500. The refurbishment was expected to cost approximately £20,000 but finished closer to £30,000, with little warning from the project manager. Amy then received an £85,000 valuation—despite the property having a Home Report value of £80,000 before the work began—leaving her needing to find additional money to exit the bridging loan. Amy shares what she learned from the experience, how she built a portfolio of eight buy-to-lets and one serviced accommodation property, and why she may not purchase another standard buy-to-let. She also discusses property sourcing, guaranteed-rent contracts, her first planned flip and the reality of building assets without always having cash available. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • How Amy built a medical-device compliance consultancy before entering property • Why she began investing as a long-term alternative to relying solely on a pension • Buying her first Hamilton buy-to-let with cash in 2021 • Growing to eight buy-to-lets and one serviced accommodation property • The sourced property bought for £62,500 against an £80,000 Home Report • How a £20,000 refurbishment estimate increased to approximately £30,000 • Why poor communication from the project manager created a serious cash-flow problem • Receiving two £85,000 valuations before successfully appealing to £90,000 • The additional bridging costs caused by the delayed refinance • Why investors must independently check refurbishment estimates and comparable properties • Amy’s Byres Road flat bought for £165,000 and later refinanced at approximately £220,000 • Her first planned flip: an £85,000 purchase with a £20,000 refurbishment and targeted value of £140,000–£150,000 • Transforming a heavily damaged South Queensferry property bought for £115,000 • Refinancing that property at £175,000 after spending approximately £30,000 • How a five-year guaranteed-rent contract provides around £1,700 per month • The pressure tactics some property sourcers use to secure fees quickly • Why the most expensive sourcing fees do not always come with the best deal packs • Achieving strong direct bookings and approximately 70%–100% occupancy in serviced accommodation • Buy-to-let versus serviced accommodation—and why Amy wants more cash flow • Her ambition to attract private investment for larger commercial projects CONNECT WITH AMY Aims Property Group: https://aimspropertygroup.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-russellphd/ Instagram: @aims_property_group TikTok: @aims.property.gro NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow https://scottishpropertypodcast.co.uk/events/ SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 Have you ever had a refurbishment or valuation go badly wrong? Let us know in the comments 👇

    1h 9min
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  5. Number 5: Are Property Flips Still Worth It in 2026?

    Are property flips still worth pursuing in 2026—or have rising costs and tighter margins made the strategy too difficult? In this listener Q&A episode, Nick and Steven examine the reality of flipping property in today’s market. With Scotland’s 8% Additional Dwelling Supplement, higher material prices, increased trade rates, bridging costs and tax on the eventual profit, investors now need to buy at a much deeper discount and control every expense carefully. They explain why straightforward, lower-value flips have become harder to find, while assisted sales, profit-share partnerships with builders, larger renovation projects and properties with potential for layout changes can still produce opportunities. They also answer listeners’ questions about sourcing fees, legal costs, purchasing portfolios, transferring letting agents and business banking. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • How a previous SPP episode helped a listener reduce his maximum auction bid from £80,000 to £71,000 • Why construction insolvencies and rising trade costs matter to property investors • How the 8% ADS, materials, labour and finance costs are squeezing flip margins • Why managing individual trades may be necessary to make the figures work • How assisted sales can reduce upfront costs and eliminate the ADS • Partnering with builders through profit-sharing arrangements • Why bridging delays and collapsed sales can consume the expected profit • Finding opportunities through architectural design and layout changes • Why larger family homes requiring major renovation may face less competition • Why the “low-hanging fruit” £70,000–£80,000 flips are becoming harder to find • The tax investors must include when calculating their final return • When a £5,000 or £25,000 portfolio sourcing fee could be justified • What investors should expect from a £4,000 property sourcing service • Typical legal costs and the additional charges buyers often overlook • Why Nick and Steven use multiple business banks • Due diligence when purchasing a portfolio with an existing letting agent • Whether Nick should buy or rent his next office CHAPTERS 00:00 - Listener Q&A and a property deal saved by due diligence 01:37 - Are property flips still viable in 2026? 02:10 - Construction insolvencies and rising trade costs 03:45 - Why flips have become more labour-intensive 04:53 - Assisted sales and profit-sharing with builders 05:46 - ADS, bridging finance and holding costs 07:13 - Finding creative opportunities in the flip market 09:14 - Are the easy property flips disappearing? 10:41 - The time, risk and rewards involved in flipping 11:32 - Tax and first-time-buyer flipping strategies 13:26 - What is a reasonable property sourcing fee? 14:17 - Typical sourcing fees and VAT 15:00 - What should investors receive for a £4,000 fee? 16:46 - Typical legal fees when buying property 17:30 - Business banking and spreading financial risk 19:29 - Buying a portfolio with an existing letting agent 24:30 - Nick’s search for a new office 26:17 - Buying commercial property versus renting NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow View upcoming speakers and book your ticket: 👉 https://scottishpropertypodcast.co.uk/events/ SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 just for making an introduction. John and Luis handle everything from the first call to the sale. Over £350,000 in referral fees paid out so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 Would you still take on a property flip in 2026, or choose a different investment strategy? Let us know in the comments 👇

    28min
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