The HMO Podcast

Andy Graham

Welcome to The HMO Podcast, the dedicated resource for HMO and Co-Living property investors and developers! Join me and my special guests to learn everything you need to know about HMO property investment, from the tips, tricks and hacks that can save you time and money, to the best practice advice, the technical 'know-how' and inspirational stories of success and failure that will help you start, scale and systemise your very own HMO portfolio or business today.

  1. How To Prepare For And Maximise a HMO Valuation

    3D AGO

    How To Prepare For And Maximise a HMO Valuation

    In today’s episode, we’re diving into one of the most important and most misunderstood parts of HMO investing: valuations and revaluations. Now, if you’re buying HMOs, adding value, and relying on pulling your money back out to go again, then your valuation at the end of a deal is absolutely critical. It’s what determines how much capital you’ve got to reinvest and ultimately how quickly you can scale. But here’s the problem… I see so many investors doing good deals, adding genuine value, and still not getting the valuation they expected. And equally, I see people expecting results that just aren’t supported by the work they’ve done or the data in the market. In this episode, I break down exactly what drives HMO valuations, how lenders and valuers actually look at your property, and most importantly, what you can do to put yourself in the best possible position to get the result you need. 🎯 What You’ll Learn The four key ways to create value in a HMOHow commercial valuations really workHow to speak to valuers, gather data, and set realistic expectationsWhat to include in a strong valuation pack What to do if your valuation comes in lower than expectedIf you’re serious about scaling your portfolio and recycling your capital effectively, this episode will help you close the gap between the value you create and the valuation you actually achieve. 💻 Resources & Mentions Join my Accelerator Programme: If you’d like my direct input on your current or next project, you can watch this video or book a complimentary strategy call with me here.The HMO Roadmap: Feeling overwhelmed? Access 400+ tools, templates, and lessons to help you start, scale, and systemise your HMO business - all in one place. Join here.The HMO Community: Got questions or need support? Come and connect with 10,000+ investors inside our Free Facebook Group here.Social: Follow me on Instagram for daily HMO tips, advice, and behind-the-scenes updates here.

    41 min
  2. The Risk, Reward & Reality of Building a HMO Business with Caroline Pattinson

    APR 8

    The Risk, Reward & Reality of Building a HMO Business with Caroline Pattinson

    Building and scaling a HMO business can look great from the outside, but when you’re actually in it, the reality is very different.  Costs increase, challenges come from every direction, and the margin for error gets smaller the bigger you go. It’s no longer just about finding a deal that works on paper. You need to manage risk, build in contingency, and create assets that perform over the long term. In this episode, I sit down with returning guest Caroline Pattinson of ChesterHomeshare to talk about the risk, reward, and reality of building a successful HMO business. This isn’t just a conversation about a big project or impressive numbers, it’s a real look at what it actually takes to scale. Caroline shares the story behind one of her most ambitious developments to date, and the lessons that came with it - both in business and personally. 🎯 What You’ll Learn Why financial discipline becomes even more important as you scaleHow to build contingency into your deals and protect yourself from riskThe reality of delivering larger HMO projects and what can go wrongWhy a tenant-first approach leads to stronger, more sustainable performanceHow to approach opportunities strategically and create long-term valueThe mindset required to keep moving forward when things don’t go to planIf you’re building or scaling a HMO portfolio, this episode will help you think more clearly about how to grow in a way that’s sustainable, resilient, and built to last. 💻Resources & Mentions Join Andy’s Accelerator Programme: If you’d like my direct input on your current or next project, you can book a complimentary strategy call with me here.The HMO Roadmap: Feeling overwhelmed? Access 400+ tools, templates, and lessons to help you start, scale, and systemise your HMO business - all in one place. Join here.Facebook Community: Got questions or need support? Come and connect with 10,000+ investors inside The HMO Community here.Social: Follow me on Instagram for daily HMO tips, advice, and behind-the-scenes updates here.If you enjoyed this episode, hit subscribe and drop a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - it helps more investors find the show!

    53 min
  3. Biz Update & My Response To The Middle East Conflict

    APR 1

    Biz Update & My Response To The Middle East Conflict

    In today’s episode, I’m unpacking what’s really happening in the property market right now and how I’m personally navigating a rapidly changing environment. Just a few weeks ago, things were starting to feel stable again. Inflation was easing, rates were coming down, and confidence was returning. But with rising global instability, that picture has shifted quickly. Rates are climbing again, uncertainty is back, and many investors are starting to second-guess their next move. I take you behind the scenes of my own business - from refinancing multi-million pound developments and selling assets, to how my HMO portfolio and trading businesses are performing right now. More importantly, I break down how I’m thinking about the months ahead. Because in uncertain markets, it’s not just about what’s happening, it’s about how you respond to it. If you’re feeling uncertain, hesitant, or unsure what your next move should be, this episode will help you cut through the noise, refocus on the fundamentals, and make clearer, more confident decisions. 💻 Resources & Mentions Join my Accelerator Programme: If you’d like my direct input on your current or next project, you can book a complimentary strategy call with me here.The HMO Roadmap: Feeling overwhelmed? Access 400+ tools, templates, and lessons to help you start, scale, and systemise your HMO business - all in one place. Join here.The HMO Community: Got questions or need support? Come and connect with 10,000+ investors inside our Free Facebook Group here.Social: Follow me on Instagram for daily HMO tips, advice, and behind-the-scenes updates here.

    33 min
  4. How To Future Proof Your HMO With Architects Andrew & Mary

    MAR 25

    How To Future Proof Your HMO With Architects Andrew & Mary

    The HMO market can feel increasingly uncertain when you’re in the middle of it. Regulation is tightening, standards are rising, tenants have more power, and the margin for error is getting smaller. It’s no longer enough to create a property that works on day one - landlords need HMOs that can stand up to scrutiny, perform over the long term, and remain profitable for years to come. In this episode, I sit down with our partner architects, Andrew and Mary, to talk about what it really means to future-proof your HMOs. This isn’t just a conversation about design trends or cosmetic upgrades - it’s a practical look at the technical details that many investors overlook, from insulation, heating, ventilation, damp and mould prevention, to compliance, documentation, and defensibility when things go wrong. 🎯 What You’ll Learn Why future-proofing your HMO matters more than ever in today’s regulatory environmentHow better planning, drawings, and documentation can protect you from disputes and compliance issuesWhat landlords should be thinking about when it comes to insulation, energy efficiency, and heating systemsHow ventilation strategies can help reduce damp, mould, and long-term maintenance problemsWhy thoughtful design, adaptable spaces, and better storage can improve tenant satisfaction and encourage longer staysIf you’re refurbishing, converting, or reviewing an existing HMO, this episode will help you think more strategically about how to protect your investment and build assets that work not just today, but 5, 10, or 20 years from now. Contact Andrew and Mary here, if you’re interested in discussing your HMO design and architectural needs here. 💻Resources & Mentions Join Andy’s Accelerator Programme: If you’d like my direct input on your current or next project, you can book a complimentary strategy call with me here.The HMO Roadmap: Feeling overwhelmed? Access 400+ tools, templates, and lessons to help you start, scale, and systemise your HMO business - all in one place. Join here.Facebook Community: Got questions or need support? Come and connect with 10,000+ investors inside The HMO Community here.Social: Follow me on Instagram for daily HMO tips, advice, and behind-the-scenes updates here.If you enjoyed this episode, hit subscribe and drop a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - it helps more investors find the show!

    47 min
  5. Your Best HMO Deal Will Be The One You Don’t Do

    MAR 18

    Your Best HMO Deal Will Be The One You Don’t Do

    In today’s episode, I’m breaking down one of the most important and often overlooked skills in property investing: knowing when to walk away from a deal. Many investors know how to analyse a deal. They can model yields, cash flow, refinance projections, and ROI. But long-term portfolio performance isn’t determined by how many deals you do or how profitable they look on paper. It’s determined by the quality of the decisions you make before you buy. A deal can show strong numbers and still weaken your position. It can look profitable while quietly increasing your risk, stretching your capacity, or relying on assumptions that simply aren’t robust enough. In this episode, I walk through five clear reasons why the right decision might be to say no, even when the spreadsheet says yes. Because disciplined investors understand that avoiding the wrong deals is just as important as finding the right ones. 🎯 What You’ll Learn Why risk vs reward must be properly balanced before committing to a dealHow optimistic assumptions can quietly undermine an otherwise “good” investmentWhy every deal needs a credible downside route and Plan BHow overstretching your operational capacity can derail your businessThe danger of emotional decision-making and how it leads investors to defend bad dealsIf you’re analysing a deal right now or feeling pressure to push ahead with one, this episode will help you step back, reassess the fundamentals, and make smarter long-term decisions for your portfolio. 💻 Resources & Mentions Join my Accelerator Programme: If you’d like my direct input on your current or next project, you can book a complimentary strategy call with me here.The HMO Roadmap: Feeling overwhelmed? Access 400+ tools, templates, and lessons to help you start, scale, and systemise your HMO business - all in one place. Join here.The HMO Community: Got questions or need support? Come and connect with 10,000+ investors inside our Free Facebook Group here.Social: Follow me on Instagram for daily HMO tips, advice, and behind-the-scenes updates here.

    24 min
  6. Market & Lender Update With Ellie Broadhurst

    MAR 11

    Market & Lender Update With Ellie Broadhurst

    The market can feel uncertain when you’re in the middle of it. House prices move in small increments, rents start to soften, lenders shift appetite quietly behind the scenes, and it becomes harder to know whether things are improving or whether that’s just wishful thinking. In this episode, I sit down with mortgage and finance expert Ellie Broadhurst to unpack what’s really happening in the property market as we head through the first quarter of 2026.  Ellie works at the sharp end of specialist lending, so this isn’t theory or headline-chasing - it’s a practical look at what she’s seeing from mortgage approvals, refinancing activity, lender behaviour and investor sentiment right now. 🎯 What You’ll Learn What recent lender behaviour could tell us about the direction of the marketHow interest rates, inflation, and sentiment are shaping opportunities for HMO investorsHow EPC ratings could unlock better lending terms and why many investors are missing outThe growing risks around Article 4, planning evidence, and refinancing HMO propertiesIf you’re buying, refinancing, or planning your next move in the HMO market, this episode will help you understand where things stand now and what to watch closely in the months ahead. Contact Ellie here, if you’re interested in discussing your HMO mortgage and finance needs. 💻 Resources & Mentions Join Andy’s Accelerator Programme: If you’d like my direct input on your current or next project, you can book a complimentary strategy call with me here.The HMO Roadmap: Feeling overwhelmed? Access 400+ tools, templates, and lessons to help you start, scale, and systemise your HMO business - all in one place. Join here.Facebook Community: Got questions or need support? Come and connect with 10,000+ investors inside The HMO Community here.Social: Follow me on Instagram for daily HMO tips, advice, and behind-the-scenes updates here.If you enjoyed this episode, hit subscribe and drop a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - it helps more investors find the show!

    37 min
  7. Risk Is The Job: Reducing Exposure And Increasing Profits In HMOs

    MAR 4

    Risk Is The Job: Reducing Exposure And Increasing Profits In HMOs

    In today’s episode, I’m breaking down one of the most misunderstood aspects of property investing: risk - where it actually sits in your HMO deals, how it stacks up, and how professional investors manage exposure before they commit. Risk isn’t something to fear or avoid entirely. It’s embedded into every return we chase. Higher yields exist because something could go wrong. The real question isn’t “Is this risky?” it’s “Is the reward sufficient given the exposure?” This episode is about structure and discipline. I walk through the four core risk categories in HMO investing, share real examples of deals that escalated due to poor planning, and explain how to build a practical risk register that protects your capital, your relationships, and your long-term business. 🎯 What You’ll Learn The four core risk categories in HMO investingWhy risk stacking - not single events - is what sinks most dealsHow to stress-test valuations, refinance assumptions, and timelines properlyThe difference between mitigation strategies and contingency planningHow to build and use a risk register before you exchange or commit fundingIf you’re analysing a deal right now or about to commit to one, this episode will help you think more strategically about exposure, resilience, and long-term durability. 💻 Resources & Mentions Join my Accelerator Programme: If you’d like my direct input on your current or next project, you can book a complimentary strategy call with me here.The HMO Roadmap: Feeling overwhelmed? Access 400+ tools, templates, and lessons to help you start, scale, and systemise your HMO business - all in one place. Join here.The HMO Community: Got questions or need support? Come and connect with 10,000+ investors inside our Free Facebook Group here.Social: Follow me on Instagram for daily HMO tips, advice, and behind-the-scenes updates here.

    30 min
  8. How Adriana Cafasso Switched from Law to Building a Multi-Million Pound Property Business

    FEB 25

    How Adriana Cafasso Switched from Law to Building a Multi-Million Pound Property Business

    Property can look straightforward from the outside. Find a deal, add value, refinance, repeat. But anyone who’s actually building a business in this market knows it’s rarely that simple. In this episode, I sit down with Adriana Cafasso, an investor operating in the North East who’s scaling both her own portfolio and a high-volume, end-to-end investment business. She’s not watching from the sidelines - she’s actively acquiring, refurbishing and structuring HMO and mixed-use projects in a market that’s becoming more competitive and more regulated by the month. We talk about how she moved from law into property during lockdown, the early setback that could easily have knocked her out of the game, and what changed in her approach as she moved from “trying to do a deal” to building a proper operation with the right partners and systems around her. This is a practical conversation about execution, decision-making and staying consistent when results don’t come overnight. 🎯 What You’ll Learn What it really takes to build and scale an HMO business in 2026The hard lessons Adriana learned from an early deal that went wrongWhy consistency and visibility can create opportunities before you feel “ready”What “good sourcing” looks like (and why most deal packs aren’t good enough)The key ingredients of a strong HMO deal: cash flow, capital recycle, and location fundamentalsWhat Adriana is seeing on the ground in the North East and how she’s adapting to the marketIf you’re building or planning to build a HMO portfolio in today’s environment, this episode offers a realistic perspective from someone actively doing the work. 💻 Resources & Mentions Join Andy’s Accelerator Programme: If you’d like my direct input on your current or next project, you can book a complimentary strategy call with me here.The HMO Roadmap: Feeling overwhelmed? Access 400+ tools, templates, and lessons to help you start, scale, and systemise your HMO business - all in one place. Join here.Facebook Community: Got questions or need support? Come and connect with 10,000+ investors inside The HMO Community here.Social: Follow me on Instagram for daily HMO tips, advice, and behind-the-scenes updates here.If you enjoyed this episode, hit subscribe and drop a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - it helps more investors find the show!

    37 min

About

Welcome to The HMO Podcast, the dedicated resource for HMO and Co-Living property investors and developers! Join me and my special guests to learn everything you need to know about HMO property investment, from the tips, tricks and hacks that can save you time and money, to the best practice advice, the technical 'know-how' and inspirational stories of success and failure that will help you start, scale and systemise your very own HMO portfolio or business today.

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