Your Property Podcast

How to Turn an Empty High Street Shop into a £340k Mixed-Use Property Deal | Sam Bastow

In this episode of the YPN Podcast, Ant Lyons is joined by property investor and developer Sam Bastow to break down a real mixed-use property deal that transformed an unloved, long-empty high street shop into a profitable investment.

Sam shares how he purchased a Grade II listed building in Evesham for £188,000, invested approximately £45,000 in refurbishment works, and secured a final valuation of £340,000 — creating three residential flats alongside a commercial shop, all on one title.

You'll discover how Sam approached planning, funded the purchase and refurbishment, and refinanced the property at 75% loan-to-value, leaving virtually no money left in the deal.

In this episode, we cover:

How to spot opportunities in empty high street shops and mixed-use properties.

Negotiating a purchase from £250,000 down to £188,000.

Converting commercial space into additional residential accommodation.

Navigating planning permission for a Grade II listed building in a conservation area.

Funding the project using bridging finance, private investment and personal funds.

Refurbishment costs, contractor management and avoiding unexpected expenses.

Achieving a £340,000 valuation and refinancing through a specialist lender.

Generating £30,600 in annual rental income across the building.

Why affordable commercial rents can help attract and retain long-term tenants.

The risks of commercial conversions and whether mixed-use investing is right for beginners.

How transforming neglected buildings can create homes, support local businesses and revitalise high streets.

Sam also shares a valuable lesson on planning applications: understanding the local authority's development plan and supplementary planning guidance can significantly improve your chances of success.

If you're looking beyond traditional buy-to-let and want to understand how commercial-to-residential conversions and mixed-use investments can create value, this is a real-world deal breakdown packed with practical insights.

With the average five-year fix tipping over 6% and landlords selling up ahead of the Budget, the headlines say property is in trouble. So why are experienced investors buying more than ever?

In this episode, Ant is joined by Adam McGhee from Mogul Finance, YPN’s property finance partner, for an honest look at where lending is right now and what’s coming in 2027.

Adam explains why bridging rates have actually come down, why commercial term debt is surprisingly well priced, and why nearly every new purchase is now going into a limited company. He also breaks down the supported living boom, including how yield-based commercial valuations can push a property’s value well above its bricks-and-mortar figure, what lenders look for in a care provider, and the fake leases you need to watch out for.

Plus: the mixed-use opportunity on the high street, the one question Adam asks every new investor, and why the best deal you ever do might be the one you walk away from.

In this episode, we're joined by Ash Gore from Teesside, who spent 16 years working rotations in oil and gas across the North Sea, Kazakhstan, Egypt and Iraq before going full-time in property in 2022.

Ash talks us through three very different deals. First is a fire-damaged house he bought from a work colleague for the £145K left on the mortgage. After a £23K refurb and three months of work, it sold for £245K before it even hit the market, making around £52K profit. Next is a derelict former butcher's shop in Guisborough that had sat empty for five years. Ash bought it for £125K using funds from his SSAS, then lost a blue-chip tenant two weeks before they were due to move in. He turned it around with two tenants paying a combined £32K a year on a seven-year lease, leaving no money in the deal. Finally, he bought a 10-property portfolio on a single title in Northumberland for £1M. It was valued at £1.495M, and he has already increased the rent roll from £80K to £90K in six months.

We also cover:

How Ash used his pension and a SSAS to unlock £130K to fund his deals

Why future-proofing a commercial unit saved the Westgate deal

Finding portfolio deals hidden in the commercial section of Rightmove

Handling a difficult vendor and bridging lender to get a £1M deal over the line

Why telling everyone what you do brings deals to your door

Adjusting to life at home after years of working away

From a nightmare property to a potential £500k valuation — this is a creative deal you won’t want to miss.

In this episode of the Your Property Network podcast, Ant is joined by Thomas Reed from Yellow Homes to break down one of his most interesting property deals yet.

The property started life as a tired seaside B&B, had problem tenants, more than £10,000 in rent arrears, an illegal laundry business, bed bugs, mould, damp and a whole host of compliance issues.

But rather than walking away from the problem, Thomas and his business partner found a way to structure a win-win deal with the vendor using vendor finance.

They agreed a £187,000 purchase price, acquired the property using 100% vendor finance, invested around £70,000 into a major back-to-brick refurbishment and transformed it into a 15-person HMO.

The projected commercial valuation? Around £420,000–£510,000.

Thomas talks Ant through:

• How the relationship with the vendor led to the deal

• Why helping the vendor before buying the property was so important

• How they structured the vendor finance

• How they bought the property without a traditional deposit

• The challenges of a £70k refurbishment

• How they negotiated an additional £16k from the vendor without reducing the purchase price

• How they approached the commercial valuation

• Why they're holding off on refinancing

• Creating multiple exit strategies from the outset

• Designing an HMO around the needs of its tenants

• Why relationships, trust and creating a genuine win-win are at the heart of creative property investing

A brilliant real-world example of how creative deal structuring, relationships and good property knowledge can turn a problem property into a very different proposition.

Find out more about Thomas and Yellow Homes:

yellow-homes.co.uk

Most property investors think design is just about scatter cushions and paint colours. Julian Maurice — design consultant, former contractor, and HMO investor — says that misunderstanding is costing landlords thousands.

In this episode, Julian breaks down why he believes most investors don't actually understand what "profit" means (hint: gross yield tells you nothing), and how applying Dieter Rams' 10 Principles of Good Design — the same framework behind Apple and Porsche — transformed his own property portfolio.

We cover:

🏠 Why the average leveraged landlord only keeps 15% profit on turnover — and how letting agents can eat over half of it

🛋️ The £1,500 refurb that can double a flat's monthly profit (real Rightmove example included)

🪑 Why fitted furniture beats IKEA and landlord packs every time — even at double the cost

📐 The hidden design mistakes killing HMO longevity (hint: it's not the ensuites)

🎓 What student co-living blocks can teach us about building to last 20+ years

🧭 Julian's concept of "custodial design" — treating your property like a legacy, not a quick flip

Whether you're refurbishing your first single let or managing a portfolio of HMOs, this conversation will change how you think about every pound you spend on design.

From Police Sergeant to £10M Property Portfolio: Rick Gannon's HMO Story | YPN Podcast

In this episode of the YPN Podcast, Ant Lyons sits down with prolific property investor and educator Rick Gannon to unpack the emotional story behind his exit from the police force and into property — sparked by a promise made to his son, Ben.

Rick shares how he built a portfolio from just 2-3 buy-to-lets into a £10 million business spanning HMOs, serviced accommodation, holiday lets, and multi-unit freehold blocks — plus how he founded and sold his own property management software, GoTenant.

We cover:

🏠 Why HMOs offered the fastest route to replacing his police salary

💷 "Momentum investing" — how to recycle your capital instead of running out of money

⚠️ The dangers of borrowing other people's money without a repayment plan

👥 When to hire your first member of staff (and why it should pay for itself)

✅ The compliance mistakes even experienced landlords still make

🐾 What the Renters' Rights Act means for pets, Section 21, and tenant screening

🤝 How to build a harmonious HMO and handle tenant conflict

Whether you're just starting out or scaling an existing portfolio, this episode is packed with real, hard-won lessons from someone who's genuinely walked the walk.

Andy Graham talks HMO investing, market survival, and building a business that gives you your life back.

In this episode, Ant sits down with Andy Graham — co-founder of HMO Roadmap — to talk about what's really working in HMO investing right now, and what isn't.

Andy shares why he's still bullish on UK property despite the Renters' Rights Act, rising costs, and a tougher lending environment, and breaks down the exact numbers he uses to judge a good deal (hint: it's not just about yield). They also get into:

🏠 Why £250 net cashflow per room per month is Andy's baseline for a "good" HMO deal

📊 The difference between return on capital employed and just chasing yield

⚠️ The biggest mistakes new HMO investors make — and the one Andy made himself

🎓 Student lets vs. professional lets vs. social housing — which model fits which investor

💷 How Andy built a clear exit plan and why every deal has to serve it

👨‍👩‍👧 Balancing an ambitious portfolio with fatherhood and knowing when "enough is enough"

Whether you're just getting started with your first HMO or scaling a serious portfolio, this is a masterclass in thinking like a professional investor, not just a landlord.

Thinking about flipping property for profit? In this episode, we sit down with Martin Rapley — YPN's resident expert on refurbishment, development, and adding value — to break down exactly how to make sure your flip doesn't turn into a flop.

Martin shares his 12 top tips covering the full journey of a flip: understanding your market and target buyer before you even view a property, building an accurate budget (including the hidden costs most investors miss), reverse-engineering your offer price from end value, managing architects and builders effectively, avoiding costly mid-project changes, getting proper contracts in place, and staging your finished property to sell faster.

Whether you're planning your first flip or you've got a few under your belt, this conversation is packed with practical, real-world advice to help you protect your profit at every stage.

🔗 Learn more from Martin at refurbishmentmastery.com — including free consultation calls and weekly podcast content.

In this episode, Ant sits down with Markus Zeller — a former pharmaceutical CFO turned property investor — to unpack how he's built a genuine flipping business alongside a demanding corporate career.

Markus shares his journey from "accidental landlord" to disciplined property trader, and the finance mindset he's brought with him: locking in profit at the point of purchase, weighing absolute vs. relative returns, and treating opportunity cost as seriously as any spreadsheet model.

We dig into a real deal — a smelly, unloved probate bungalow in Southend-on-Sea — and talk through vendor motivation, agent relationships, and the discipline it takes to buy for the market rather than your own taste. Markus also opens up about working with Susie Cole to professionalize his approach, the challenge of staying separate from his corporate identity, and why he believes there's no such thing as overnight success — just years of consistent effort.

If you're balancing a full-time career with building a property business, or just want an honest, numbers-driven take on flipping, this one's for you.

Topics covered:

Accidental landlord to full-time property ambitions

Why 20% profit / £50k minimum is his deal criteria

The hidden risks of "low value" flips

Building trust with agents (and why he discounts what they tell him by 10%)

Structuring investor finance: loans vs. profit share

Working with a mentor to fill knowledge gaps

Time management, work-life balance, and staying disciplined

In this episode of the Your Property Network Podcast, Ant is joined by experienced property developer Gavin to explore the realities of developing and restoring period properties in today's changing market.

After leaving a career in finance, Gavin has spent more than 20 years renovating historic buildings, converting neglected properties into beautiful homes while overcoming the unique challenges that come with older buildings.

The conversation centres around one of his latest projects—a former council-owned property in Cheltenham that was originally planned as a seven-flat development before a change in strategy led to the creation of two high-quality homes instead.

Along the way, Gavin shares invaluable lessons on:

Adapting your development strategy when the market changes.

Avoiding costly mistakes when renovating period properties.

Managing finance, holding costs and project risk.

Preserving original features while meeting modern building regulations.

Creative approaches to selling developments in a slower market.

His outlook on the future of buy-to-let investing.

Whether you're an experienced developer, a property investor, or simply passionate about restoring historic buildings, this episode is packed with practical advice, honest insights and real-world experience.

Find out more about Your Property Network at www.yourpropertynetwork.co.uk and discover more property education, webinars, articles and podcasts designed to help you become a better property investor.

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