Under the Floorboard

This week Sean and Steven sit down with the man behind Empire Property Brokers for an honest, inspiring and seriously funny conversation about how one moment can change the direction of your life.

Liam takes us back to life before property and the motorcycle crash that changed everything. From there, he opens up about how he got into the property game, what the early days really looked like, and the setbacks that came with them. He shares the meetings where he felt completely out of his depth, and how he dove in anyway and made a success of them.

Fast forward to today, and Liam runs a fully operational property brokering service, handling everything from sourcing right through to refurb management. He's also now branching into the SAU market for rentals, and he shares where he sees that heading.

Expect real stories, real lessons and some proper laughs along the way.

In this episode:

Life before property

The motorcycle crash that changed everything

Getting started in property and the early days

Setbacks, and saying yes to meetings that felt way out of his depth

Building a full brokering service through to refurb management

Moving into the SAU rentals market

Plenty of laughs in between

👉 Follow Liam and Empire Property Brokers on Instagram: @empirepropertybrokers

If you enjoyed this episode, hit like, subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode of Under The Floorboard. Drop a comment below and let us know your biggest takeaway.

#UnderTheFloorboard #PropertyPodcast #PropertyInvesting #PropertyBroker #PropertySourcing #RefurbManagement #ScottishProperty #PropertyInvestor #EntrepreneurStory #UKProperty

In this episode of Under The Floorboard, Steven McKaveney and Sean Spalding sit down with estate agent Gordon Lee to talk about leaving the motor trade after more than two decades and taking the leap into self-employment and property.

Gordon spent 22 years working across the motor industry, from service departments and sales through to management, including time with brands such as Audi and Lotus.

But becoming a dad changed his priorities.

Long hours, weekends and the demands of the motor trade made Gordon start questioning what he actually wanted from his career — and, more importantly, how much time he wanted to spend with his family.

An Instagram advert eventually introduced him to a completely different opportunity: becoming a self-employed estate agent.

Property might have been a new industry, but Gordon quickly realised that the skills he'd spent more than 20 years developing — customer service, sales, negotiation and dealing with people — transferred perfectly.

We get into what makes Gordon's approach to estate agency different.

Rather than sellers being passed between valuers, negotiators, viewing staff and office teams, Gordon looks after the entire journey himself — from the first valuation right through to handing over the keys.

That leads us into one of the biggest debates in estate agency...

Is the highest valuation always the best valuation?

Gordon talks openly about agents overvaluing properties simply to win instructions, why he refuses to play that game, and why an honest, research-backed valuation can ultimately achieve a better result for the seller.

We also get into negotiation, property investors and off-market opportunities — and why strong relationships between estate agents and investors should always work both ways.

And Gordon shares one of the simplest, but potentially most powerful, negotiation techniques:

Sometimes the best thing you can say is absolutely nothing.

💬 In This Episode:

🚗 Gordon's 22-year career in the motor trade

👨‍👩‍👦 Why becoming a dad changed his priorities

🔄 Walking away from an established career and starting again

🏡 How an Instagram advert led him into estate agency

🤝 Why Gordon chose the self-employed agent model

🔑 Looking after a seller from valuation right through to key handover

🌍 Managing property sales for clients who aren't even in the country

📊 Why some estate agents overvalue properties to win instructions

🎯 Why Gordon believes in honest, evidence-backed valuations

💬 Why silence can be one of your strongest negotiation tools

🤝 Building relationships between estate agents and property investors

🏘️ Creating referrals and off-market opportunities

🚀 Gordon's plans for building his business and creating something for his son

This episode is about property and estate agency, but underneath all of that, it's really a conversation about knowing when it's time for a change.

After 22 years in one industry, starting again isn't the easy option.

But sometimes success isn't just about earning more.

It's about having control of your time, enjoying what you do and building something that works around the life you actually want.

We finish with some big rapid-fire questions too...

Best investment? Biggest regret? Worst advice he's ever received? What has the motor trade taught him about property? And where does Gordon want to take the business next?

🎙️ This is Under The Floorboard with Gordon Lee.

👇 Join the conversation

🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations around property, business, money and mindset.

💬 Would you walk away from a 22-year career to start again? Let us know in the comments.

📲 Follow Under The Floorboard for clips, behind-the-scenes content and upcoming guests.

#UnderTheFloorboard #GordonLee #EstateAgent #EstateAgency #PropertyPodcast #ScottishProperty #Property #PropertyBusiness #SelfEmployed #Business #Entrepreneurship

What happens when you're given a second chance at life?

In Episode 37 of Under The Floorboard, Sean Spalding and Steven McKaveney sit down with businessman and property investor Barry Lawson for a conversation that goes far beyond bricks and mortar.

Barry grew up around the family business and today runs Lawson Autotech alongside his dad, while also building a successful property portfolio across Buy-to-Let and Serviced Accommodation.

But Barry's journey took a dramatic turn following a near-death experience that completely changed his outlook on life.

We take the conversation back to that day, what happened, and most importantly, what changed afterwards.

What suddenly became important? What stopped mattering? And did being given that second chance ultimately give Barry the drive to build the life, businesses and property portfolio he has today?

From there, we get into the reality of balancing a family business with property investing, building a portfolio, and some of the lessons Barry has learned along the way.

We also tackle a side of property investing that isn't spoken about enough...

Investing with other people.

Barry opens up about his experience of a partnership that didn't go to plan, the warning signs investors should look out for, the importance of due diligence, and how one bad experience can completely change the way you approach business and trust.

💬 In This Episode:

🚗 Growing up around the family business and Lawson Autotech

🏡 How Barry first discovered property investing

❤️ The near-death experience that changed everything

🧠 How a life-changing event completely shifted his mindset

📈 Building a Buy-to-Let and Serviced Accommodation portfolio

⚖️ Balancing the garage, property, business and family

🤝 The reality of investing with other people

🚩 Warning signs to look for before entering a partnership or JV

💰 Lessons learned when a property partnership goes wrong

🔮 Barry's ambitions for the next chapter of his life

This episode is about property, business and investing, but underneath all of that, it's really a conversation about perspective.

Because sometimes it takes something life-changing to make you realise what you're actually working towards.

We finish with some big rapid-fire questions too...

Best investment? Biggest regret? Worst advice he's ever received? One thing money can't buy? And what advice would Barry give after being given a second chance at life?

🎙️ This is Episode 37: The Day Everything Changed.

📲 Follow Barry on Instagram: @barrylawson316

👇 Join the conversation

🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations around property, business, money and mindset.

💬 If you were given a second chance, what would you change? Let us know in the comments.

📲 Follow Under The Floorboard for clips, behind-the-scenes content and upcoming guests.

#UnderTheFloorboard #BarryLawson #PropertyPodcast #PropertyInvesting #ScottishProperty #ServicedAccommodation #BuyToLet #PropertyInvestor #Business #Mindset #Entrepreneurship

What does it take to build a successful lettings business — while running it with your partner?

In Episode 36 of Under The Floorboard, Steven and Sean sit down with Kyle Robin and Aimee Harle, the couple behind Glasgow-based Glashause Lettings.

We get into how they built the business, what the early days really looked like, the challenges of scaling and what landlords and investors consistently get wrong.

Kyle and Aimee also share the reality of working together as a couple — how they divide responsibilities, handle disagreements and stop business decisions spilling into everything else.

This is less about romance and more about what it actually takes to build and run a business together.

💬 *In This Episode:*

🚀 How Kyle and Aimee got into property

🏢 Why they launched Glashause Lettings

❤️ What it’s really like running a business as a couple

⚡ How they handle disagreements and tough decisions

📈 The challenges of growing a lettings business

🏠 The biggest mistakes landlords make

🤝 What makes a good landlord to work with

🔑 What makes a property easy — or difficult — to manage

🏴 What’s changing in the Scottish rental market

🛡️ How landlords can future-proof their portfolios

💰 What they would change if handed 10 rental properties tomorrow

📊 How they build trust with investors and landlords

🎯 Where they want to take Glashause over the next five years

Whether you’re a landlord, investor or building a business yourself, this episode gives a candid look at property management, growth and the realities of running a company with your partner.

Because building the business is one challenge.

Building it together is another.

👉 Follow Kyle on Instagram: @kyle_glashaus_lettings

👉 Follow Aimee on Instagram: @aimeeharle

👇 Join the conversation

🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations around property, business and mindset.

💬 Could you run a business with your partner? Let us know in the comments.

📲 Follow Under The Floorboard on socials for clips, behind-the-scenes content and upcoming guests.

#UnderTheFloorboard #GlasHausLettings #PropertyPodcast #ScottishProperty #LettingAgent #PropertyInvesting #Landlords #PropertyManagement #BusinessCouple #Entrepreneurship

Under The Floorboard | Episode 35 – Building Wealth, Going Commercial & Building the Dream Home with Mark Murray

What does building real, long-term wealth through property actually look like?

In Episode 35 of Under The Floorboard, Steven McKaveney and Sean Spalding sit down with Scottish property investor Mark Murray to unpack his journey from his first investment to building a significant portfolio, starting in commercial property and moving into residential, before taking on the challenge of buying land and building his own dream home.

But one thing comes through just as strongly as Mark’s property experience — his mindset and personality.

Mark has an incredibly positive outlook, a quiet confidence that things will work out, and a laid-back approach that makes even the biggest challenges seem manageable. He’s successful without being flashy, confident without arrogance, and genuinely one of the nicest and most down-to-earth people you could meet — something that comes across throughout the entire conversation.

This isn’t just a conversation about buying more properties.

Mark shares how his approach has evolved as he’s gained experience, the deals that moved the needle, the mistakes that cost money, and what experienced investors begin to understand that beginners often don’t.

We also dive deep into commercial property — why Mark was attracted to it, how it differs from residential investing, the risks involved, and why it could still be an overlooked opportunity for investors willing to educate themselves.

And then we get into one of Mark’s biggest projects yet…

🏡 Buying land and building his own home from the ground up.

From finding the land and navigating the process to unexpected challenges, costly lessons and whether he’d ever do it again, Mark gives us the reality behind a dream many people have but very few actually pursue.

💬 In This Episode:

🏡 How Mark started his property journey
📈 Building and evolving a long-term property portfolio
💰 The deals — and mistakes — that changed his approach
🏢 Why he moved into commercial property
⚠️ The risks and rewards of commercial investing
🔑 What you should know before buying your first commercial unit
🌳 Buying land and building a dream home from scratch
🧱 The reality and lessons behind a self-build
🧠 The positive mindset and quiet confidence behind Mark’s success
😎 Why staying calm and believing things will work out has shaped his journey
💙 Remaining grounded, approachable and genuinely down-to-earth as the portfolio grows
💷 Financial freedom, legacy and long-term thinking
🚀 What Mark would do if he had to start again from zero

Whether you’re buying your first property or already building a substantial portfolio, there’s something in this conversation for every stage of the journey.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that success isn’t only about the properties you buy or the money you make. Mark’s positivity, confidence, calmness and ability to enjoy the journey are a big part of why this episode is such an enjoyable listen.

It’s less about getting rich quickly and more about making the right moves over a long enough period of time — while still being a good person along the way.

Follow Mark on Instagram 👉 @mark_murray_property

👇 Join the conversation

🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations around property, business and mindset.
💬 What’s your goal — building a portfolio, moving into commercial, or eventually building your own home? Let us know in the comments.
📲 Follow us on social media for clips, behind-the-scenes content and upcoming guests.

#UnderTheFloorboard #MarkMurray #PropertyPodcast #CommercialProperty #PropertyInvesting #SelfBuild #PropertyInvestor #ScottishProperty #WealthBuilding #FinancialFreedom

🎙️ Under The Floorboard | Episode 35 – Inside Glashause Lettings, with Kyle Robin & Aimee Harle

What does it actually take to run a letting business investors trust?

In this episode Steven McKaveney and Sean Spalding are joined by Aimee and Kyle, the team behind Glashause Lettings — a Glasgow-based letting and management business built around investors.

Most landlords hand over management and hope for the best. Kyle and Aimee explain what actually separates a property that runs smoothly from one that doesn't — and what they'd change first if they took over a struggling portfolio.

They talk honestly about starting Glashause: the problem they set out to solve, what the first six months really looked like, and the biggest challenges of growing a letting business in the current Scottish market.

Yes, they also happen to run it as a couple — and they're candid about how that works. But this is a conversation about the business, the market, and what landlords get wrong.

Whether you're weighing up management, self-managing and struggling, or just want a real look behind a growing Scottish letting company, there's something here for you.

💬 In This Episode:

🏗️ The problem Glashause set out to solve — and why it launched
🏠 The biggest mistakes landlords make before handing over management
📋 What makes a landlord easy to work with — and what makes one difficult
🔧 What makes a property genuinely easy to manage
📈 What's changed most in the Scottish rental market
🧠 What landlords should be doing now to future-proof their portfolios
🤝 What it's like building the business as a couple
🔮 Where they see Glashause in five years

One of our favourite questions...

"If someone handed you ten rental properties tomorrow, what would you change first?"

Their answer says a lot about how they think.

If you're a landlord who wants the reality of good management, this is one to watch.

Follow Glashause on Instagram 👉 [@handle — need this from you]

👇 Join the conversation

🔔 Subscribe for more real conversations on property, business and mindset.

💬 Landlords — what's the one thing your letting agent should stop doing? Let us know in the comments.

📲 Follow us on social media for exclusive clips, behind-the-scenes content and upcoming guests.

#UnderTheFloorboard #GlashauseLettings #GlasgowProperty #LettingAgent #PropertyManagement #ScottishProperty #PropertyInvesting #BuyToLet #RealEstate

Under The Floorboard | Episode 34 – Is Aberdeen Really That Bad? A Property Masterclass with Sam Dyer

Would you invest where everyone else is too scared to?

In Episode 34, Sean Spalding and Steven McKaveney are joined by Sam Dyer for what can only be described as an Aberdeen property masterclass.

Aberdeen is one of the UK's most debated investment locations. Some investors won't touch it. Others believe it's one of the country's biggest opportunities.

So... who's right?

As someone investing in Aberdeen day in, day out, Sam cuts through the headlines and social media opinions to explain what's really happening on the ground. From tenant demand and yields to the best (and worst) areas to invest, this episode is packed with practical knowledge that every property investor should hear.

Whether you're actively considering Aberdeen or you've already written it off, this conversation might completely change the way you think about the city.

💬 In This Episode:

🏙️ Why Aberdeen developed such a negative reputation

📉 Has the city really recovered from the oil crash?

📈 Where the biggest investment opportunities are today

🏠 The best areas to buy—and the areas to avoid

💰 Yield vs capital growth—which strategy wins?

🧠 How to invest confidently when everyone else is fearful

🔮 Sam's predictions for Aberdeen over the next five years

One of our favourite questions...

"If someone handed you £500,000 today... would you invest it all in Aberdeen?"

Sam's answer might surprise you.

If you're looking for facts instead of fear, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Follow Sam on Instagram 👉 @samdyerinvestment

👇 Join the conversation

🔔 Subscribe for more real conversations on property, business and mindset.

💬 Would you invest in Aberdeen? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

📲 Follow us on social media for exclusive clips, behind-the-scenes content and upcoming guests.

#UnderTheFloorboard #SamDyer #AberdeenProperty #PropertyPodcast #PropertyInvesting #BuyToLet #ScottishProperty #RealEstate #PropertyEducation

From the city to the sand... to build a better future.

This week Steven and Sean are joined by Mark Downie (@mark_downie_property) as he shares why he made the bold decision to move to Saudi Arabia, how it changed his outlook on money and business, and why he eventually returned home to build a career in property.

We cover:

🌍 Why Saudi Arabia?

💰 Building wealth while working overseas

🏡 Growing a property portfolio from abroad

🔨 Project management mistakes investors make

🧠 Mindset, business & long-term thinking

🚀 What he'd do differently if starting again today

A brilliant conversation packed with honest lessons and practical advice for anyone looking to build wealth through property.

👉 Watch now on YouTube or listen on all major podcast platforms.

#UnderTheFloorboard #MarkDownie #SaudiArabia #PropertyPodcast #PropertyInvesting #Business #Entrepreneur #ProjectManagement #Mindset #ScottishProperty

Under The Floorboard | Episode 32 – From Accidental Landlord to Property Auctions with David McGinty

In Episode 32, Steven and Sean sit down with the ever-insightful David McGinty from Prime Property Auctions.

David shares his journey into property, from working down south and unexpectedly becoming an accidental landlord, to building a successful career within one of Scotland's leading property auction companies.

We explore the lessons learned along the way, how his perspective on property has evolved, and what it's really like being part of the Prime Property Auctions team. David also discusses his involvement with Glasgow PIN, helping connect property investors, business owners, and aspiring entrepreneurs through the power of networking.

💬 What We Cover:

How an accidental landlord journey led to a career in property

Working away from home and transitioning into investing

Lessons learned from real-life property experiences

Behind the scenes at Prime Property Auctions

The value of networking and building relationships

Glasgow PIN and helping others grow their network

Opportunities and challenges in today's market

Whether you're new to property or years into your journey, David brings practical advice, valuable insights, and a refreshing perspective on building success through relationships and action.

Follow David on Instagram 👉 @david_prime_property_auctions

👇 Join the conversation:

🔔 Subscribe for more real conversations on property and business

💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway

📲 Follow us on socials for clips, updates, and behind-the-scenes content

#UnderTheFloorboard #DavidMcGinty #PrimePropertyAuctions #PropertyPodcast #GlasgowPIN #PropertyInvesting #Networking #EntrepreneurLife #RealTalk

🎙️ Under The Floorboard | Episode 31 – From Property Deals at 18 to Mortgage Broker Success with Robbie Turner

In Episode 31, Steven and Sean sit down with rising Scottish property professional Robbie Turner to discuss his journey from sourcing and selling property deals at just 18 years old to becoming a fully qualified mortgage broker.

Robbie shares the challenges of breaking into the property industry at a young age, building credibility, and developing the confidence needed to succeed. He also reflects on working alongside Matt Morrison and the valuable lessons that helped shape his career.

Now operating as a mortgage broker, Robbie helps investors and homebuyers secure the right finance, avoid costly mistakes, and structure deals that support their long-term goals.

What We Cover:

• Getting started in property at 18
• The realities of sourcing and selling deals as a young entrepreneur
• Building trust and credibility in a competitive industry
• Lessons learned from working alongside Matt Morrison
• Transitioning into mortgage broking
• Common finance mistakes property investors make
• Robbie's future ambitions and business goals

This episode is packed with practical advice, honest insights, and a powerful reminder that success in property is driven by determination, knowledge, and action—not age.

📲 Follow Robbie on Instagram: @robbieturnerproperty_

👇 Join the conversation:

🔔 Subscribe for more property and business conversations
💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway
📲 Follow us on social media for clips, updates, and behind-the-scenes content

#UnderTheFloorboard #RobbieTurner #MortgageBroker #PropertyPodcast #PropertyInvesting #PropertyFinance #PropertyInvestor #BusinessPodcast #Entrepreneurship