The Scottish Property Podcast

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 👇

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 👇

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 👇

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 👇

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/