The Return: Property & Investment Podcast

Anna Clare Harper
  • 5.0 (23)
  • INVESTING
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Stay ahead of residential market trends with award-winning insights from industry leaders. --> Join 350k who’ve downloaded so far.  --> Top property podcasts on FeedSpot. Featuring expert guests like:  - Helen Gordon, CEO of Grainger PLC (the UK’s largest listed residential landlord)  - Aubrey Adams OBE, FTSE 250 and leading Housing Association Chair, and former CEO of Savills  - Liz Peace CBE, former CEO of the British Property Federation Plus leaders from Aviva Investors, Legal & General, JLL, Zoopla, British Land, University of Cambridge, Octopus Energy, and many more. Hosted by Anna Clare Harper, CEO of GreenResi.com and 3x bestselling property author. "The best property podcast out there - ★★★★★" – Oliver"Great… I can’t stop listening - ★★★★★" – Nicola"Compelling, insightful and easy to listen to - ★★★★★" – Ben

  1. University of Cambridge Professor Colin Lizieri: Smarter Investment Decisions

    DEC 18

    University of Cambridge Professor Colin Lizieri: Smarter Investment Decisions

    Send us a text 99% of real estate investors say the model tells the truth. But in practice, the data is messy. And the herd is loud. 3 weeks ago, I got to interview a real estate finance hero of mine: @ Colin Lizieri - Professor of Real Estate Finance  At the @ university of Cambridge. And a global authority on how markets really price risk. In 20 minutes, we dug into: → Signal vs noise Why real estate data is so unreliable  And quick checks to make sure your assumptions actually stack. → Herd-driven mispricing Real examples - pre-GFC, life sciences, “new paradigm” stories And how to tell if you’re investing on evidence or FOMO. → Bias in ICs How strong personalities bend models And simple fixes: written views before IC, a named devil’s advocate, And backtesting deals where you overruled the numbers. If you’re an institution or serious SME trying to avoid buying at the wrong price / wrong time this one’s worth a listen - link below. This episode is in association with (and thanks to) Lloyds. In association with: https://www.lloydsbank.com/business/industry-expertise/real-estate.html?utm_source=The+Return&utm_medium=podcast+partnership&utm_campaign=sponsored+episode Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-lizieri-996694214/ Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/

    22 min
  2. How property developers make deals stack in the 2020s

    DEC 4

    How property developers make deals stack in the 2020s

    Send us a text Most housing schemes don’t stack in this market.  Those that do get three things right. On the latest episode of @ The Return, @ Andy Garnett (CEO, Breck Homes) and @ Dale Parkinson (@ Lloyds Bank) shared what they’re seeing on schemes that actually work: - Buy smart - not late Secure land before planning (e.g. through options), or buy at a genuine discount when the timing is right (e.g. around budget changes) (For 20–30% margins vs 10% if you pay full “with planning” market price.) - Do more work upfront The best developers front-load the effort: constraints and layout, valuation feedback, historic issues, flood risk, plus sensitivities (rates, delays, costs). (All before the offer, to protect margins and avoid surprises later.) - Move fast and stand by your number In a slow market, sellers value certainty over a slightly higher price We also covered:  - Why relying on a single scheme is a silent killer for developers  - Where the best opportunities of this cycle might be Huge thanks to Andy and Dale for a rare, candid conversation - full of ideas you can apply tomorrow, not theory. Listen via link in comments This episode is in association with (and thanks to) Lloyds. In association with: https://www.lloydsbank.com/business/industry-expertise/real-estate.html?utm_source=The+Return&utm_medium=podcast+partnership&utm_campaign=sponsored+episode Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-garnett-b8308414/ Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/

    24 min
  3. How to deliver 1,000 homes per day with Alex Notay (repeat)

    NOV 20

    How to deliver 1,000 homes per day with Alex Notay (repeat)

    Send us a text It’s hard to make housing developments stack in today’s market. Build costs are up Policies are changing Planning is a dragging. So I asked Alex Notay - Chair of the Radix Big Tent Housing Commission and one of the most respected strategic voices in UK housing - what it really takes to deliver 1,000 homes per day. She shared the big lessons on the podcast, including: Treat housing as national infrastructure - not just a market product.Planning + policy + funding must operate as one ecosystem.Solve for delivery capability, not just land and capital.Communication matters - complexity without clarity kills momentum.The biggest risk in the sector? Unintended consequences from siloed decisions.If you’re trying to develop or retrofit UK housing over the next 2–5 years, this conversation is a powerful scene-setter - first published almost a year ago. Listen in. This episode is in association with (and thanks to) Lloyds. In association with: https://www.lloydsbank.com/business/industry-expertise/real-estate.html?utm_source=The+Return&utm_medium=podcast+partnership&utm_campaign=sponsored+episode Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandranotayparr/ Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/

    32 min
  4. Former Homes England CEO Peter Denton CBE: How to get funded

    NOV 6

    Former Homes England CEO Peter Denton CBE: How to get funded

    Send us a text People say the housing market is broken. Homes England aims to fix it. It touches 1 in 4 new homes. I spoke to ex-CEO Peter Denton CBE. About how developers and housing providers  Use Homes England support to build more homes. We covered:  - What it is. Who it serves. How it helps. (From grants to Compulsory Purchase powers.)  - How to frame your ask for success. (Lead with the market failure you’ll unlock.)  - How to avoid common mistakes. (Respect procurement and social impact metrics. Don’t ‘goal-seek’ viability after overpaying for land.) This episode is in association with (and thanks to) Lloyds. In association with: https://www.lloydsbank.com/business/industry-expertise/real-estate.html?utm_source=The+Return&utm_medium=podcast+partnership&utm_campaign=sponsored+episode Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterdenton71/  Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/

    21 min
  5. How I scale Real Estate Businesses

    OCT 23

    How I scale Real Estate Businesses

    Send us a text It's hard to scale in real estate  Without a big budget, expensive team or endless meetings. I asked Kelly Bream  A multi-time founder and ex-COO, Bidwells How she has grown multiple real estate businesses from local to national.  She shared the playbook for local to national growth on the podcast, including:  - People > platforms first. Hire complements (e.g. brand/marketing), not clones.  - Standardise the boring; localise the value. Central compliance/process. Local nuance + relationships. - What and where, before how. Win work before the tooling is perfect.  - Measure what matters early. Lead conversion, cash runway - not vanity metrics. This episode is in association with (and thanks to) Lloyds. In association with: https://www.lloydsbank.com/business/industry-expertise/real-estate.html?utm_source=The+Return&utm_medium=podcast+partnership&utm_campaign=sponsored+episode Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-bream-5b4aa541/ Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/

    18 min
  6. MD at £50bn Insurer: How I Invest

    OCT 9

    MD at £50bn Insurer: How I Invest

    Send us a text Anna Clare Harper is joined by Hayley Rees, Managing Director at £50bn+ Pension Insurance Corporation. In Anna’s words:  There’s lots of advice for private investors. Almost nothing on how big institutions back UK housing. Yet it’s a major growth area. So I asked Hayley (MD at £50bn+ insurer PIC) what actually works. We covered: How to choose investments: Compare returns to UK government bonds (gilts). Avoid 10 year projects, as there’s a lot of competition for 10 year money. Look for ‘relative value’ - extra returns over 20-30 years. How to structure deals: Set them up to pay steady, long-term income that matches pension promises. Case study – Miller’s Quay: A simple lease helped unlock 500 homes. Fix viability first: The hardest thing today is making the numbers work before you start. Teams who solve this win.Listen for lessons from £14bn+ invested across UK housing.  In association with: https://www.ukreiif.com/ Guest website: https://www.pensioncorporation.com/ Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayleyrees1/?originalSubdomain=uk Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/

    21 min
  7. What next for UK rentals?

    SEP 25

    What next for UK rentals?

    Send us a text Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla joined Anna Clare Harper to share what the latest rental market data means for investors, and how to underwrite real estate deals with the right rent growth assumptions. Topics include: Rent growth has slowed - why and what next for UK rentalsUnderwriting rents to earnings, not history or inflationThe most invest-able places (and EPC grades) Renters Rights Bill opportunities and risksWe also covered what strategy Richard would invest in With the benefit of market-leading data: “I’d put £100m into mid-market second-hand homes  Near cities in the Midlands and North.” Thanks to Alto Software Group, sponsors of this mini-series Sponsor offer: bit.ly/offer-alto Guest website: zoopla.co.uk  Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-donnell/  Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/ Host website: annaclareharper.com

    21 min
  8. £50m Real Estate CEO: Growth in 2025

    SEP 11

    £50m Real Estate CEO: Growth in 2025

    Send us a text Riccardo Ianucci-Dawson, CEO of £50m Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) Alto Software Group, joined Anna Clare Harper for this episode. It’s hard to get real estate deals done in 2025. With caution, fall-throughs and zombie pricing. So some smart investors are buying real estate businesses. Not just assets. @Riccardo Ianucci-Dawson is CEO of Alto A £50m ARR estate agency CRM powering 25,000 agents. We discussed: How smart investors are growing in 2025Top leadership lessons from raising a daughter with autismWhat he has learned scaling and selling 3 businesses before age 35. P.S. Thanks to Alto, sponsors of this mini-series of The Return. Guest website: https://www.altosoftware.co.uk/ // bit.ly/offer-alto  Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riccardoid/ Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/

    20 min
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5
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

Stay ahead of residential market trends with award-winning insights from industry leaders. --> Join 350k who’ve downloaded so far.  --> Top property podcasts on FeedSpot. Featuring expert guests like:  - Helen Gordon, CEO of Grainger PLC (the UK’s largest listed residential landlord)  - Aubrey Adams OBE, FTSE 250 and leading Housing Association Chair, and former CEO of Savills  - Liz Peace CBE, former CEO of the British Property Federation Plus leaders from Aviva Investors, Legal & General, JLL, Zoopla, British Land, University of Cambridge, Octopus Energy, and many more. Hosted by Anna Clare Harper, CEO of GreenResi.com and 3x bestselling property author. "The best property podcast out there - ★★★★★" – Oliver"Great… I can’t stop listening - ★★★★★" – Nicola"Compelling, insightful and easy to listen to - ★★★★★" – Ben

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