The Scottish Property Podcast

Hosted by Nick Ponty and Steven Clark

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344

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Aug 2026

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About the show

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 talk to experts in the industry.

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September 7, 2026Episode 3461 hr 8 min

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 👇

August 31, 2026Episode 34539 min

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 👇

August 24, 2026Episode 34454 min

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 👇

August 17, 2026Episode 34332 min

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. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Scaling buy-to-let safely in a changing market 01:20 - The 18-year property cycle and crash predictions 03:53 - Why 80% and 85% LTV mortgages raise concerns 05:40 - How mortgage fees push leverage even higher 07:27 - The refinancing risk across a large portfolio 09:22 - BRR valuations and recovering all your money 11:23 - Negative equity and product-transfer risks 13:37 - Could investors become trapped on a 9% variable rate? 14:38 - Investing in high-demand rental areas 15:44 - Stress-testing, cash reserves and avoiding overleverage 17:53 - Why longer fixed-rate terms can reduce risk 18:31 - Due diligence and conservative end values 19:21 - Comparing properties accurately 21:08 - Testing current demand with listings and estate agents 22:22 - The landlord costs investors frequently overlook 23:23 - Jobs, regeneration and school performance 26:43 - Getting every deal number right 28:02 - Purchase costs and property holding costs 30:04 - Renovation budgets and choosing quality materials 31:40 - Calculating the property’s true rental cash flow 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 use an 85% loan-to-value mortgage to scale faster, or keep more equity in each property? Let us know in the comments 👇

August 10, 2026Episode 3421 hr 1 min

Rent Controls Backfired — And Landlords Changed Their Strategy

Is Scotland heading for a property crash—or does the country’s chronic shortage of homes make that unlikely? Dr. John Boyle, Director of Research & Strategy at Rettie, joins Nick and Steven to examine the data behind Scotland’s housing emergency, house prices, rental growth and the future of the private rented sector. From Aberdeen’s dramatic fall and the 18-year property cycle to landlord exits, rent controls, build-to-rent and student accommodation, Dr. John explains what the latest figures reveal—and why some commonly quoted property statistics can be misleading. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • What Scotland’s housing emergency actually means and why homelessness and temporary accommodation are increasing • Why housing costs of approximately 25%–30% of gross income are generally considered affordable • How annual housebuilding has fallen from around 25,000 homes before the financial crash to fewer than 20,000 • Why a new social home can now cost approximately £250,000–£300,000 • Why Scotland’s 2026 house-price growth forecast was revised from 3.5% to around 0% • Why the Scottish market continues to average approximately 100,000 property transactions each year • Why Dr. John does not believe the 18-year property cycle will produce a house-price crash in 2026 • Why a collapse in transactions can be more damaging to the property industry than falling prices • How Aberdeen went from having higher average prices than Edinburgh to lower prices than Dundee • Why Aberdeen prices remain down while property transactions are beginning to recover • The risks of using short-term house-price figures to judge smaller towns and local markets • Why landlord registration figures do not provide a reliable picture of landlords leaving the sector • Why Dr. John describes the landlord exodus as a “trickle rather than a flood” • How rent controls encouraged landlords to raise rents to market value between tenancies • Why experienced landlords are now more likely to review and increase rents every year • How the 8% Additional Dwelling Supplement affects new landlords while producing record tax revenue • Why rent controls caused institutional build-to-rent investment in Scotland to stall • How construction costs rising faster than rents have created a viability problem for build-to-rent • Why purpose-built student accommodation can be more financially viable than standard rental developments • Whether Glasgow could eventually face an oversupply of student accommodation • How co-living developments could provide another housing option for young professionals CHAPTERS 00:00 - Meet Dr. John Boyle 01:08 - Scotland’s housing emergency explained 04:04 - Why Scotland is not building enough homes 07:08 - The rising cost of social housing 10:55 - Scotland’s property-market outlook 14:32 - Will the 18-year property cycle cause a crash? 18:25 - What could trigger the next property crash? 21:39 - What happened to Aberdeen’s property market? 25:31 - Finding growth areas and interpreting property data 30:28 - Are landlords really leaving Scotland? 35:23 - How the 8% ADS is affecting investors 37:47 - Why rent controls caused rents to rise 40:11 - The future of rent-control zones 44:57 - Build-to-rent and institutional investment 53:03 - Why build-to-rent schemes are struggling 56:47 - Is Glasgow building too much student accommodation? 59:49 - Could co-living help address the housing shortage? 01:00:52 - Where to connect with Dr. John CONNECT WITH DR. JOHN Dr. John Boyle MRICS — Director of Research & Strategy at Rettie & Co Website: https://www.rettie.co.uk/ NETWORKING EVENTS First 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/

August 3, 2026Episode 34158 min

Bridging, BRR and Property Sourcers — Your Questions Answered

What would Nick and Steven do with £40,000 to invest—and would they choose a vanilla buy-to-let over stocks and shares? In this listener Q&A episode, Nick reveals that he currently owns 12 buy-to-lets and is still aiming for a portfolio of 20 producing around £5,000 in net monthly cash flow. Steven explains why he focuses less on the number of properties he owns and more on cash flow, loan-to-value and paying down debt. They also discuss how first-time buyers can use their position to get started, what makes a BRR deal stack up, how bridging finance works, whether 5.7% is a reasonable refinancing rate and how to find a trustworthy property sourcer. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • Nick’s goal of owning 20 buy-to-lets producing approximately £5,000 in net monthly cash flow • Why Steven focuses on cash flow, loan-to-value and debt reduction instead of property numbers • Houses versus flats—and why tenant turnover, factor fees and capital growth matter • Why buying quality property can outperform chasing the maximum amount of money from every refinance • Vanilla buy-to-let versus stocks and shares: how leverage changes the potential return • What Nick and Steven would do with £40,000 to begin building a property portfolio • How first-time buyers can use low deposits, house hacking and live-in flips to their advantage • The investment criteria Nick and Steven would use when purchasing property today • Their five and ten-year plans for acquiring properties and reducing portfolio debt • The discounts, added value and refurbishment costs needed to make a BRR deal work • How bridging finance works, including arrangement fees, monthly interest and exit costs • Whether fixing a buy-to-let mortgage at 5.7% could make sense • Kitchen versus bathroom: which refurbishment is more likely to improve a property’s value? • How to check a property sourcer’s track record, compliance and investment figures • Why tenanted properties require due diligence on both the building and the tenant CHAPTERS 00:00 - Nick and Steven answer listeners’ questions 01:15 - Portfolio targets and monthly cash-flow goals 04:03 - Houses versus flats 06:12 - BRR versus buying quality property 08:21 - Loan-to-value and paying down portfolio debt 10:52 - Prime Property Auctions 13:09 - Buy-to-let versus stocks and shares 20:49 - What would they do with £40,000? 23:03 - The advantages of being a first-time buyer 25:56 - Nick and Steven’s property-buying criteria 30:23 - Their five and ten-year property plans 36:18 - How to borrow, buy and recover your investment 38:32 - How bridging finance works 42:47 - Is 5.7% a reasonable refinancing rate? 46:10 - Kitchen versus bathroom refurbishment 49:56 - How to find a trustworthy property sourcer 55:28 - Nick and Steven’s perfect day NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 If you had £100,000 to invest, would you choose buy-to-let or stocks and shares? Let us know in the comments 👇

July 27, 2026Episode 34057 min

Diagnosed With Cancer at 27 — Then Property Changed Her Life

At just 27, Ally Wilkes was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer—an experience that completely changed how she viewed time, security and the life she wanted to build. After years working in the NHS, Ally took the leap into property. She completed a flip that made just under £30,000, used the BRR strategy to build her own portfolio and eventually left her job to run ACG Property, managing renovation projects for investors. In this honest conversation with Nick and Steven, Ally shares the numbers behind her deals, the reality of becoming self-employed, the nightmare first tenant who trashed her property and what investors should realistically expect to spend on a refurbishment today. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • How a cancer diagnosis at 27 changed Ally’s outlook on work, security and life • Why she had wanted to become a property developer from a young age • The numbers behind her first flip: bought for £81,000, spent around £17,000 and sold for £135,750 • How that first project produced a profit of just under £30,000 • Her first BRR: bought for £66,000, refurbished for around £30,000 and revalued at £130,000 • What happened when her first buy-to-let tenant trashed the property after only eight weeks • Leaving the NHS and adjusting to the lack of routine that comes with self-employment• How networking and sharing her journey online helped Ally secure her first clients • Why Ally charges 15% of the refurbishment cost for project management • Why Ally budgets roughly £15,000–£20,000 for a good two-bedroom refurbishment with kitchen and bathroom upgrades, excluding electrics, windows and boiler or heating work • The hidden problems investors cannot always spot before work begins, including thermal bridging • Why Ally prioritises good-quality assets instead of growing a portfolio for appearances TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Meet Ally Wilkes 01:47 - Wanting to work in property from a young age 06:38 - The cancer diagnosis that changed everything 15:37 - Why property became Ally’s next chapter 18:27 - The numbers behind her first flip 21:49 - Moving from flipping to BRR and buy-to-let 22:16 - A £66,000 purchase revalued at £130,000 22:53 - The nightmare first tenant 27:23 - Leaving the NHS for property full-time 33:26 - How networking brought Ally her first clients 35:42 - Building a personal brand by being authentic 38:19 - Why investors use a project manager 39:27 - Project-management fees and realistic budgets 43:17 - What a two-bedroom refurbishment costs today 45:09 - Thermal bridging and other hidden problems 48:12 - Kitchens, bathrooms and timeless design 51:53 - Managing a refurbishment for a remote investor 53:23 - Ally’s plans for ACG Property and her portfolio - 55:29 Where to connect with Ally CONNECT WITH ALLY Ally Wilkes — ACG Property Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allywilkesproperty_inhaus/ NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far.👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like the video if you found it valuable 💬 Would you leave a secure career to pursue property full-time? Let us know in the comments 👇

July 20, 2026Episode 3391 hr 5 min

How an Architect Spots Hidden Value in Property Deals

Most investors look at a floor plan and see a two-bed. Ross McIlvean looks at the same floor plan and sees £15,000–£20,000 of hidden value nobody else spotted. 🏗️ In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Ross McIlvean of LTJ Architecture — property investor, architect, and one of the most practically useful guests to appear on the show. Ross covers everything from his nana's buy to let that got him started, to his first flip in Woodbank, building a six-property portfolio entirely in one street in Dunfermline, the illegal attic conversion he bought at £115k and got valued at £180k, and a brand new static caravan STL down at Pease Bay. This one is packed with genuinely actionable advice on 2-bed to 3-bed conversions, planning vs building warrants, how to price refurbs, and why Ross never buys anything that doesn't start with Weatherburn. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro: Ross McIlvean joins the podcast 00:34 Ross’s background and route into architecture 01:22 Why buildings and local architecture matter 04:35 Architecture that adds commercial value 05:11 Ross’s first step into property investing 06:17 Property education and learning the basics 07:49 Ross’s first flip in Cowdenbeath 10:26 Why flipping is harder in today’s market 11:45 Using architecture to unlock hidden value 13:13 Pricing refurbs and understanding project costs 17:48 How architects price their work 19:57 Building a portfolio after the first flip 21:12 Turning two-bed properties into three-beds 23:52 Removing chimneys and changing layouts 26:34 Minimum bedroom sizes and practical layouts 28:51 Solving an unofficial attic conversion problem 31:13 Undoing bad work to make a property compliant 33:44 Rental growth in Dunfermline 35:39 Ross’s static caravan investment 38:37 Moving from employment to self-employment 42:13 Working with Jay Alexander and the Flour Mill project 45:36 Starting LTJ Architecture during Covid 48:34 Planning delays and the council process 49:50 Planning permission vs building warrant 52:01 Retrospective building warrants and why they’re risky 54:21 Building control inspections and completion certificates 55:12 Ross’s role through the design and approval process 56:20 AI, architecture and design visuals 59:57 What’s next for Ross and his portfolio 1:04:56 How to connect with Ross 1:05:47 Final thoughts CONNECT WITH ROSS Instagram: @ltj.architecture Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ltjarchitecture/ NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like if you found this valuable 💬 Would you buy everything in one street like Ross? Drop it in the comments 👇

July 13, 2026Episode 3381 hr 2 min

The Property Accountant With 54 Buy-to-Lets

He's your accountant by day and a 54-unit landlord by night. And he charges less than you'd spend on a Friday night out. 🏠 In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Matt Herbert — qualified property accountant and 54-unit investor across Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Matt covers everything from his dad being made redundant and discovering property by accident, to doing refurbs after work in his finance job, building a 54-unit portfolio, and why he'd rather help investors structure their businesses properly than charge a fortune for it. If you've ever wondered what a property accountant actually does for your portfolio — this is the episode to watch. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome to Matt Herbert — accountant and 54-unit investor 00:14 – Qualified property accountant at the Glasgow networking events 00:28 – 54-unit buy to let portfolio across Aberdeen and Edinburgh 00:52 – Why Aberdeen is controversial — and Matt's take on it 01:30 – Growing up: dad moved from Wales to Aberdeen for oil and gas 02:06 – Dad made redundant and retrained as a teacher — the lesson it taught Matt 05:54 – Dad's first property: rented to his girlfriend 06:54 – Oil and gas crash 2015 — everyone made redundant 10:40 – First investment property — and the finance stories 12:41 – The First Home Fund: government equity stake explained 14:03 – Planning to buy a bigger home — and how it changed 15:30 – First refurb: doing it himself after work in Edinburgh 16:59 – What clients actually want: financial freedom and passive income 21:45 – Ex-council and social housing stock — what to know 24:27 – Aberdeen market deep dive — buying flats under £40k 24:43 – Partnering with Aiden — sourcing and project management 26:39 – Finding deals at offers over £45k and getting them down 27:57 – Target ROI: 20–25% on all capital invested 28:42 – Aberdeen pitfalls: what to watch out for 28:52 – Structural issues in Aberdeen stock — the same problems everywhere 37:43 – The condemned street nobody saw coming 40:34 – Porous concrete explained — and why it's a serious problem 42:38 – Net cash flow reality: why Aberdeen yields aren't always what they seem 48:41 – Edinburgh: inflated rents and the Alex Walker connection 55:33 – Shareholder structure: getting the limited company right from day one 57:40 – Year end tax planning: what to do when the bill hits £50k 1:00:15 – Mortgage strategy: 75% LTV, five-year fixes 1:00:33 – Set and forget — why Matt loves boring, stable assets CONNECT WITH MATT https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-herbert-fcca-76558a8a/ https://www.facebook.com/matthew.herbert.980 https://ljyaccountants.co.uk/ NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like if you found this valuable 💬 Would you do your own refurb to save money? Drop it in the comments 👇

July 6, 2026Episode 3371 hr 4 min

From Managing 70 Short Term Lets to Building a New Boutique Hotel Brand

He built a short term let business to 70 units and 20 staff — then walked away at 29 to start from scratch. The very next day he went to view a hotel. 🏨 In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Laurence Malyon — founder of Moment aparthotel brand — for one of the most wide-ranging conversations they've had on the show. Laurence covers everything from running concerts for the neighbours at age 5 and rebranding his family's fire suppression business at 15, to building Donnini Apartments with his uni flatmate Jake, exiting after seven years, and launching a hospitality brand that just did a £2.325 million deal on Edinburgh's George IV Bridge. This one is packed with lessons on business partnerships, aparthotel strategy, STL licensing, commercial funding, and why Glasgow and Edinburgh are completely different beasts. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome back to Laurence & what he's been building since 01:08 – Exiting Donnini & launching Moment hotel brand the very next day 01:58 – Growing up in a rundown farmhouse near Beattock 02:59 – The family fire suppression business 03:36 – Rebranding the family business at 15 05:15 – Why London and Dubai are the real competition 07:41 – Running concerts for the neighbours at age 5 09:01 – Selling fruit and veg to teachers for profit 10:39 – First flip at uni with Jake 13:47 – Discovering Airbnb as it was becoming a thing 14:10 – Touchstone / Progressive property training 16:59 – The rent to rent model that started it all 17:26 – STL legislation: why serviced accommodation is so much harder now 19:40 – Planning consent: licences, planning, or both 28:45 – The plan to go beyond Edinburgh and Glasgow 33:25 – Becky, the business conversation that changed everything 34:22 – The Moment trademark — what it means and why he owns it 35:00 – 12 George IV Bridge Edinburgh — the flagship deal 38:07 – £2.325 million on practical completion 39:39 – RBS as main lender — the journey to get there 40:22 – Oak North bank and how they got funding over the line 47:28 – First hire CJ — building the team 50:00 – Remote team in the Philippines 52:41 – 18% management fee — how it's structured 59:01 – Sonder went bust: lessons from the big operators 1:01:18 – Stay Cool: what the brand offers and why it's different 1:03:40 – Expansion plans: Lisbon, Paris and beyond CONNECT WITH LAURENCE Moment Aparthotels: momentstays.com @moment.stays on Instagram NETWORKING EVENTS First Wednesday of every month 📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow Follow our socials for speakers and details SPONSORED BY Prime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far. 👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/ 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like if you found this valuable 💬 Would you have walked away from 70 units to start again? Drop it in the comments 👇