Expat Property Story

The Expat Property Guy
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Expat Property Story helps expats and overseas investors build and manage UK property portfolios remotely — from buy-to-lets and HMOs to auctions and refurbs.  Each week, John the Expat Property Guy talks to expat investors, agents, and specialists about the practical realities of investing from abroad: financing, tax structuring, remote project management, and deal sourcing.  Monday 'Mini-Sodes' feature Mortgage Updates, Auction Roundups, Tax Tips and Deal Reviews while longer Thursday shows provide everything else you need for UK property success. With a back catalogue of 300+ episodes, this is THE podcast for anyone building UK property wealth from outside the UK.

  1. 2d ago

    Expat Property Finance: UK Mortgage Rates, Bridging AVMs and Stamp Duty Changes

    #314 UK mortgage rates are rising even as the Bank of England holds.  Bridging lenders are embracing automated valuations.  And a potential overhaul of stamp duty and council tax is being discussed at government level. In this month's Mortgage Monday, the Expat Property Guy and Shaz Ahmed of Elan Property Finance unpack what's actually moving in UK property finance right now. And what it means for expat and overseas investors (and UK based investors too! Check out our shorts on YouTube Our WhatsApp  group Property Engine discounts (Code: EXPAT) Starter: 30 day trial Pro: 30 day trial/3 mths 1/2 price, Ultimate: 1/2 price 3 months Goalsetting Leave a review 37 Question Due Diligence Checklist / Auction Guide Our Sponsors: Finnigan McNeill Property Group We discuss: Bank of England holds at 3.75% — but mortgage rates keep climbing The MPC voted 6-3 to hold the base rate at 3.75%, with three members pushing for a rise to 4%.  That's a shift from last month, when only one member voted for an increase.  Shaz explains why this matters: swap rates — not the base rate — drive mortgage pricing, and they've been creeping up due to sticky inflation, higher funding costs, and geopolitical uncertainty.  Several lenders pulled products this month with little notice, repricing upward by around 0.25%.  The Bank of England base rate and your mortgage rate are not as connected as most people assume. If you're weighing whether to fix now, Shaz's view is that rates are more likely to rise before they fall — and when they do eventually come down, history suggests they won't return to previous lows. Mortgage approvals are up — but the market still feels sluggish Bank of England data shows mortgage approvals increased in June. Lenders have money to deploy and they need to lend it.  But affordability pressures, cost of living, and slower conveyancing mean many buyers are hesitating.  Residential brokers are busier, but chains are taking longer. Lenders are getting creative — including 100% mortgages Banks and building societies are relaxing affordability rules and packaging products differently to help buyers onto the ladder.  At least one lender has launched a genuine 100% mortgage for residential buyers. Shaz's view: the risk of negative equity in the current market makes this a concern worth taking seriously, regardless of what lenders say on paper about affordability. Mortgages cheaper than rent: Middlesbrough, Burnley, Merthyr Tydfil A recent analysis found mortgage payments are cheaper than rental costs across significant parts of the UK.  The top three locations: Middlesbrough, Burnley, and Merthyr Tydfil.  The catch, of course, is the deposit. The bank of mum and dad remains one of the UK's largest lenders. Stamp duty and council tax: could they be replaced by an annual property charge? While it's only a proposal at this stage, it's gained enough traction to be worth understanding.  The idea: replace stamp duty and council tax with an annual charge of 0.48% of property value for residential owners, and double that for investment properties.  For landlords, that increased cost is likely to flow straight through to tenants. The conversation also covers the parallel proposal to align England's conveyancing process with Scotland's earlier exchange system — reducing gazumping, speeding up chains, and giving both buyers and sellers more certainty earlier.  Shaz confirms that Scottish transactions do move materially faster. Bridging finance: automated valuations are changing the speed and cost equation One of the most practical updates in this episode for active investors: bridging lenders are increasingly comfortable with AVMs — automated valuations based on Rightmove and public data — rather than requiring a full physical survey.  The difference is significant. A physical valuation can cost up to £1,000 and take two weeks.  An AVM costs around £35 and turns around in a day. Lenders may request internal photos to confirm the property isn't a building site, but the direction of travel is clear. The 6-month refinancing rule: it's not as rigid as you think A question Shaz gets regularly from newer investors: do I have to wait 6 months after purchase before I can refinance?  The short answer is no — there are now enough lenders, at competitive rates, who will refinance within 6 months of ownership at full value, provided you have evidence of works carried out: invoices, schedule of works, bank statements. Foundation Home Loans goes further: their written policy allows day-one refinancing for auction purchases bought with cash or bridging, even without renovation, recognising that auction buyers may have secured a genuine below-market purchase. One important caveat on anti-money laundering: if your deposit came from a private third-party investor acting as an informal bridger, lenders will not be comfortable within 6 months.  Bridging finance is different — the bridging lender will typically have conducted AML checks on the investor already.

  2. 6d ago

    Why Property Investors Repeat the Same Mistakes: The Psychology Behind Your Patterns | Bahdar Shokar

    #313 If you're tempted to skip this one because it sounds like it's not for you — that instinct is probably worth examining. It's exactly what  Bhadar Shokar would say. Bahdar is a psychotherapist who has spent over 20 years working with vulnerable children who've experienced trauma.  In that work, he watched early experiences create deep patterns — ways of coping with the world — that shape a person's capacity to trust, regulate emotions, handle stress, and build relationships.  He then noticed those same patterns showing up, almost unchanged, in the adults those children became. In business. In property. He joined us first on Episode 269, where he talked through how he bought a block of flats with a 10% deposit. Today, he's back to talk about the part of the property story that nobody posts about on LinkedIn. Check out our shorts on YouTube Our WhatsApp  group Property Engine discounts (Code: EXPAT) Starter: 30 day trial Pro: 30 day trial/3 mths 1/2 price, Ultimate: 1/2 price 3 months Goalsetting Leave a review 37 Question Due Diligence Checklist / Auction Guide Our Sponsors: Finnigan McNeill Property Group We discuss: The Gap Between Financial Success and Fulfillment Bahdar's starting question isn't what's your goal. It's: if I gave you £1 million tomorrow, how would you actually choose to live your day? Most property investors have a number — £10,000 a month, financial freedom, a certain portfolio size. Very few have thought carefully about what sits behind the number. And when they reach it, or get close to it, they discover the number wasn't really the point. The restlessness doesn't stop. The drive doesn't stop. The relationships that suffered along the way don't automatically repair. Success and fulfilment, Bahdar argues, are not the same thing. And the patterns that got you to one may actively prevent you from experiencing the other. Entrepreneurship as a Trauma Response Where does the drive really come from? Bahdar traces it back to early experience. A mentor he worked with had been told by his uncle he'd never amount to anything. That became the engine. The property portfolio, the deal count, the financial freedom — all of it, at root, a response to one sentence from one person decades earlier. The need to be in control. The inability to delegate. The feeling that you're not employable. The sense that feedback is criticism, that criticism is shameful, that shame must be avoided at all costs. These aren't personality quirks. They're patterns. And they formed long before you found property. Bahdar asks: is entrepreneurship, at least partly, a trauma response? The wish to control your future because at some point you couldn't? The conversation is uncomfortable. It's also useful. The Negative Chatterbox — And Why You Can't Switch It Off Imposter syndrome when calling an estate agent. Paralysis when asking an investor for money. Paying for a mentoring programme and then doing nothing with it. Bahdar hears this constantly, and his view is direct: that's not a mentoring problem. That's an internal dialogue problem. The internal chatterbox — the voice that says you're not good enough, you don't belong here, who do you think you are — cannot be silenced. Bahdar is clear on this. Trying to stop the self-talk doesn't work. What does work is awareness. Catching the thought as it arrives. Watching it pass. Not letting it run your decisions without your knowledge. The patterns are in the unconscious. Most of us can't name, at the end of a day, what we've been saying to ourselves. But those conversations are happening regardless, and they're shaping every decision we make. Property Disaster: Scarborough, Distance, and Emotional Regulation Bahdar's own most recent property challenge involves the Scarborough block from Episode 269 — the refurbishment took longer and cost more than planned after the person managing it on the ground experienced a significant bereavement and disappeared from the project for six weeks. No schedule of works. No communication with the contractors. Bahdar, managing from a distance, had to take the reins while doing his day job. He could have lost his composure with the builders. He didn't. He held firm, stayed calm, laid out clear timelines, and asked whether they were reasonable. The contractor who had been getting heated on the phone rang him the next day to apologise. Bahdar's reflection: the cost was higher. The profit was lower. But neither is life-ending. Staying emotionally regulated under pressure is a learnable skill — and in property, it's one that pays returns in almost every direction. Property Is a People Business Tenants want to be heard. Builders want to be treated as professionals. Letting agents want clear instructions. Investors want to trust who they're backing. Every one of those relationships runs on the same thing: the patterns you've developed around trust, communication, and control. And if those patterns were formed in an environment where trust was scarce or control felt like survival, they will show up in your property business — often without you realising it. Bahdar's approach with his own tenants: he tells them to call him directly. He'd rather know about a problem than have it fester. He models his properties on places he'd be willing to live himself. He doesn't maximise rent just because the market would bear it. A measured increase, he argues, is not softness — it's relationship management. Three Things to Take Away These are John's three points to ponder from the conversation: 1. We are all probably susceptible to repeating unconscious patterns formed in childhood — patterns that shape how we deal with money, risk, relationships, and stress in our property business, often without realising it. 2. The negative internal dialogue cannot be stopped — but it can be noticed. The goal is awareness, not silence: catching the voice as it comes through, rather than letting it run your decisions from the background. 3. Property is a people business. Your patterns around trust, control, and communication will directly affect your results — with builders, agents, tenants, and investors alike. Guest Bahdar Shokar — Psychotherapist and Property Investor Bahdar works with property investors and business owners on the personal side of their property journey. Links to Bahdar in the episode description. First appeared on Episode 269. Key Takeaways Financial success and personal fulfilment are not the same destination — reaching one doesn't automatically deliver the otherThe drive behind many property investors traces back to early experiences: a parent's expectation, a teacher's dismissal, a need to prove something to someoneImposter syndrome and inaction after mentoring are internal dialogue problems, not knowledge problemsYou cannot silence the negative chatterbox — but you can build awareness of itEmotional regulation under pressure is a learnable skill, and in property it pays off in almost every interactionTreating a property as someone's home, not just an asset, changes the landlord-tenant relationship in practical and measurable waysExpat Property Story is the twice-weekly UK property podcast for expats and remote investors. Not financial or therapeutic advice — always consult qualified professionals. Keywords: property investor mindset, property psychology UK, imposter syndrome property investing, property investor mental health, entrepreneurship trauma response, internal dialogue property, UK property mindset podcast, emotional regulation property, property investing fulfillment, self-sabotage property investor, expat property podcast

  3. Jul 26

    Don't Be the Monkey: Auction Bidding Psychology and UK Property Market Update

    #312 Once a month, auction specialist Jay Howard from Hammered Auctions joins us to report from the front line of UK property auctions. Jay and his business partner Piotr Rusinek are property traders, authors of the UK's number one bestselling book on auctions, and the people behind the Auction Buyers Club, Property Trading Academy and Beyond the Hammer This month: a 100% clearance rate, the monkey brain that costs investors real money, why summer 2025 is Christmas for property traders, and a valuation question that almost every auction buyer gets wrong. Check out our shorts on YouTube Our WhatsApp  group Property Engine discounts (Code: EXPAT) Starter: 30 day trial Pro: 30 day trial/3 mths 1/2 price, Ultimate: 1/2 price 3 months Goalsetting Leave a review 37 Question Due Diligence Checklist / Auction Guide Our Sponsors: Finnigan McNeill Property Group This month... Barnet Ross: 100% Clearance Jay's Auction Buyers Club recently hosted two senior figures from Barnet Ross — a London-based auctioneer whose catalogue runs heavily to mixed-use and commercial property — for a live run-through of their upcoming lots. Out of roughly 20 lots, every single property sold. Not one withdrawal. 100% sold prior or on the day. That figure is harder to achieve than it sounds. A 100% clearance rate means no unsold lots, no vendor disappointments, no stock carried forward. It's the number auctioneers quietly compete on, and Barnet Ross had a very good month. Don't Be the Monkey: Pre-Auction Bidding Discipline Two members of the Buyers Club were tracking a property in a recent Savills auction, guided at around £1.1 million with a desktop valuation of £1.98 million. After running the numbers — holding costs, refurbishment, letting — their maximum was £1.225 million. They offered £1.2 million pre-auction. A competing buyer came in at £1.25 million. The question they brought to Jay: should we go to £1.3 million? Jay's answer: you can offer £1.3 million. But the moment you do, the other buyer goes to £1.35 million. Then you're looking at £1.4 million. Then £1.5 million. You're in an auction. And you've stopped investing and started competing. Jay calls it the monkey brain. You don't want the banana because it's a good banana. You want it because another monkey wants it. The moment that happens, you've lost the plot — and potentially a lot of money. The practical resolution: there are five near-identical properties going into the next Allsop auction. Let the other buyer overpay. Go get one of those bananas instead. "Christmas in Summertime": The Case for Buying Now Jay's market read this month is direct: now is the time to buy. Competition is muted. Many investors have stopped transacting. Flats in particular are trading at prices last seen in 2012 — which, Jay notes, doesn't require an economist to interpret. Buying a flat in a good area at 2012 prices and holding for one to two years represents significant capital upside, even before a refinance. His phrase for the current auction environment: Christmas in summertime. The deals are there. The competition isn't. Investors in his Trading Academy are cycling capital straight back into the next auction the moment a trade completes. For expat investors with capital ready to deploy, the message is clear: the window is open. AVM vs Desktop Valuation: What Auction Buyers Actually Need to Know A member of Jay's group raised a question about desktop valuations this month, and Jay's answer is worth unpacking properly because most auction buyers conflate two very different things. AVM (Automated Valuation Model) A piece of technology — Hometrack is one of the better-known examples — that pulls data from multiple datasets and produces a confidence-weighted value and a 90-day sale figure. Costs around £30. Completely unemotional: the algorithm doesn't earn a fee if you buy, so it has no motivation to inflate the number. Desktop Valuation A RICS-qualified surveyor doing their work remotely — comparables, pound per square foot, yield analysis — without visiting the property. More expensive than an AVM, more credible with lenders, but still a lender tool rather than a market price. The critical point Jay makes: neither figure has any meaningful correlation with what buyers will actually pay at auction. What a lender values a property at, and what the market will bid it to on the day, are always two different numbers — sometimes very different numbers. AVMs are useful for working out your maximum offer and your likely LTV. They are not a guide to auction value. A deal sourcer telling you the AVM supports their asking price has a motivation the AVM itself does not. Stick to Your Guns: The Post-Auction Phone Call A member of Jay's Property Trading Academy bid £150,000 on a property at a Pattinson's auction. The property went to £174,000. He didn't win. He moved on. The following day, the auctioneer called. The winning bidder had pulled out. The property was available — for £174,000. The investor's response: why would I pay £174,000? My maximum was £150,000. You can see my maximum was £150,000. You're asking me to pay £24,000 more than my number because someone else couldn't complete at theirs? Jay's advice: stick to your guns. Your number is your number because of the analysis behind it. The fact that someone else bid higher and then couldn't complete doesn't change the fundamentals of the deal. Going beyond your maximum at that point isn't bold investing — it's poor investing. Guest Jay Howard — Auction expert, property trader, author Jay and Piotr Rusinek are co-authors of the UK's number one bestselling book on property auctions. They run the Auction Buyers Club and the Property Trading Academy. Links in the episode description. Key Takeaways Barnet Ross achieved 100% clearance at their recent auction — every lot sold prior or on the dayPre-auction bidding can trigger the monkey brain: competing to win rather than investing to profit. Know your number and hold itSummer 2025 is a buyer's market at auction — competition is muted, flats are at 2012 prices, and capital is being redeployed fast by active tradersAVM and desktop valuations are lender tools, not market price guides — there is no reliable correlation between either figure and what buyers will bid on the dayAVMs are unemotional; deal sourcers are not. Understand the motivation behind any valuation figure you're shownIf you miss a lot and get a post-auction call, your maximum bid is still your maximum bid — the other buyer's failure doesn't change your numbersKeywords: UK property auction news, property auction UK, buying property at auction, AVM valuation UK, desktop valuation property, property auction tips, auction bidding strategy, UK property market summer 2025, property trader UK, Auction Buyers Club, expat property podcast, buy to let auction UK, property auction clearance rate, post-auction offer UK

  4. Jul 22

    Finding Builders You Can Trust From Abroad: Tony Walker

    #311 Someone in the Expat Property Story network recently shared a scary story.   A remote investor had a camera set up on site so they could check progress from abroad.  The builder knew exactly where the camera was pointing. Everything in frame looked fine.  Behind it?  Chaos. That's the world we're operating in when we run a UK refurb from Hong Kong, Dubai, or Singapore. And it's why this episode exists. For a free PDF on this episode, subscribe here. Tony Walker is a construction and property development consultant with decades of experience on both sides of the contractor relationship. He's worked for builders and against them and joined us just a few episodes ago on Episode 301 to talk about his role as co-founder of Refurb Calculator.  and project delivery.   Check out our shorts on YouTube Our WhatsApp  group Property Engine discounts (Code: EXPAT) Starter: 30 day trial Pro: 30 day trial/3 mths 1/2 price, Ultimate: 1/2 price 3 months Goalsetting Leave a review 37 Question Due Diligence Checklist / Auction Guide Our Sponsors: Finnigan McNeill Property Group Tony walks through how to find a builder you can actually trust from the other side of the world, how to structure payments so you never end up 90% paid out but only 50% finished, what the red flags are that should make you walk away before a single brick is laid — and the one phone call that will immediately tell you whether a builder is likely to disappear with your deposit. It's not where you'd expect. The Non-Negotiable: You Need Someone on the Ground You cannot run a construction project from 6,000 miles away without a trusted person in the UK. That might be a project manager, quantity surveyor (QS), your architect, or even just someone in your network who understands construction. It might simply be your main contractor. If you trust them. If you find a builder like that, don't let them go. Pay them on time. Do everything you agreed to do. A good builder is genuinely like gold dust.  How to Find a Reliable Builder in the UK Step 1: Get a real recommendation Not "I've heard of someone." Not "my mate Dave knows a builder." A real recommendation is: I have used this person, or I know someone who has used this person and I can put you in direct contact with them. The distinction matters more than it sounds. Tony gives the example of builders recommending their own electricians — only to discover the electrician wasn't even qualified. A second-hand mention isn't a vouching. Step 2: Join a property networking WhatsApp group in the area you're investing This is underused by remote investors. Property networking groups across the UK have WhatsApp groups full of local professionals — solicitors, project managers, QSs, electricians, builders — who have been used and vouched for by other investors in the group. Contact the host. Explain you're investing remotely and would like to connect with trusted tradespeople in the area. Most hosts are happy to help. Step 3: Ask for recent references — and contact them yourself Don't accept a written reference. Ask to speak directly to the person. And pay attention to the dates: if all the references are from 5 or 6 years ago, ask why. People's standards and capacity change.  Step 4: Do your own due diligence Are they a member of the Federation of Master Builders or similar? Are electricians NAPIT-registered? Are gas engineers Gas Safe? Can they provide public liability insurance at the drop of a hat? (They should be able to.) Tony's view on Checkatrade and Bark: not all bad, but they don't do the background checks people assume they do. Treat them as a starting point, not a seal of approval. Red Flags to Walk Away From A one-line estimate. For any meaningful project, you need a breakdown — not necessarily line by line, but enough to show what the money covers. Strip-out, electrics (first and second fix), plastering, kitchen supply and fit, tiling, bathroom — each with a cost. This isn't bureaucracy. This breakdown forms the basis of your payment schedule. Without it, you have no reference point and no protection. "Transfer £20,000 to this account." No invoice. No description. Just a bank number and an amount. In no other industry  would that be acceptable. An invoice is basic business practice — requesting one isn't distrust, it's the minimum standard that applies everywhere else. If a builder objects to providing one, that is your answer. No plan for who's on site and when. Ask before you start: is this your only job? How many people will be on site? Who manages the sub-trades? A builder who can't or won't give you a rough programme isn't being "a builder" — they're leaving you with no basis for holding them accountable. You don't need a formal Gantt chart. You do need to understand the shape of the project. References that are all several years old. Already mentioned, but worth repeating as a standalone warning. Follow it up. Starting quickly if they seem too available. The best builders are busy. An immediate start can mean a cancelled job — which is fine, dig a little deeper. But a very large deposit followed by a very quick start followed by a prolonged disappearance is a cash flow play, not a scheduling quirk. How to Structure Payments Properly Tony is direct on this: being 90% paid out but only 50% through the work is exactly how investors get left with unfinished projects.  Deposits: Fine for securing a slot or covering specific materials — but only with a written contract. A JCT minor works contract for larger projects, or a solicitor-drawn contract for anything significant. For material deposits specifically, Tony's preferred approach: ask for the supplier invoice, pay the supplier directly, and the materials belong to you the moment they arrive on site. If the builder doesn't turn up on Monday, you still own what's been delivered. Staged or milestone payments: Agree the stages before work starts. First fix electrics complete, then payment. Plastering signed off, then payment. Don't accept "we want £25,000 on Thursday" mid-project with no reference to the original breakdown. Valuation-based payments: Tony's preferred method for larger projects. Every fortnight or month, go through the schedule line by line — what % of each element is complete — and pay only for what's been done. 7-day payment terms from valuation. You should never be significantly more paid out than you are progressed. If the numbers are out of step, something has gone wrong. Managing the Project Once It's Underway Regular video calls — weekly or fortnightly, whatever suits you — with Tony or a trusted representative present. Not just a pre-recorded walk-through. A live video where you can ask to see specific rooms. If you haven't seen the bathroom in the last two updates, ask for it. Before paying for completed work, ask for the evidence: electrical certificate, gas safe report, photographs.  The Builders Merchant Tip Tony's standout piece of advice — the free phone call that tells you more about a builder than any reference check. Ring your local builders merchant — Travis Perkins, a local independent, whoever supplies the area — and ask them to recommend a builder. They will only recommend builders who pay on time. A builder who is a poor payer — weeks or months overdue — almost certainly has cash flow problems. And a contractor with cash flow problems is a contractor who will use your deposit to fund their last project, disappear for three weeks mid-refurb, and blame everything on supply chain delays. Keywords UK property investment, UK property market, UK property refurbishment, Expat property UK, UK property podcast, UK property portfolio, Remote property investing, UK buy-to-let, UK property management, Refurbishment project UK, Hiring builders UK, Project management UK property, Quantity surveyor UK, Property investment for expats, Managing refurbishments remotely, Choosing a builder UK, Building contracts UK, Construction consultant UK, How to manage a UK property refurbishment from abroad, Tips for expat property investors in the UK, Finding reliable builders for UK property projects, Red flags when hiring builders in the UK, Payment structure for UK property refurbishment, How to vet a builder before handing over money UK, What to ask for before paying a builder in the UK, Using builders merchants to find trustworthy contractors UK, Structuring payments for remote UK property projects, Protecting your investment in UK property refurbishments, Risks of being an absentee landlord in the UK, Recommendations for UK property project managers, How expats can find good project managers for UK properties

  5. Jul 19

    How to Spot the Next UK Property Hotspot: The Accrington Regeneration Story

    #310 Here's a question worth sitting with: how do you find the next UK property hotspot before everyone else has already found it?    Not by following property magazines. Not by watching what's trending on Rightmove. The answer, it turns out, is more systematic than that and in this episode, Darren McNeill from our sponsors FMP uses Accrington in Lancashire as a live case study to show you exactly how it's done. This month's property is a three-bedroom mid-terrace, purchased in July 2021 for ¬£85,000. It's now worth around ¬£115,000. Rent has gone from ¬£625 to ¬£725 a month. But the deal is really just the evidence. The more useful thing is the framework behind it. Check out our shorts on YouTube Our WhatsApp  group Property Engine discounts (Code: EXPAT) Starter: 30 day trial Pro: 30 day trial/3 mths 1/2 price, Ultimate: 1/2 price 3 months Goalsetting Leave a review 37 Question Due Diligence Checklist / Auction Guide Our Sponsors: Finnigan McNeill Property Group   The Four-Pillar Framework: How to Evaluate Any UK Property Location   Before Darren's team recommends a town to a client, they run it through four criteria: population, employment, infrastructure, and schools.   Population You need a large enough population to sustain genuine rental demand, but not so large that you're competing with institutional investors for stock. Accrington's population sits at around 35,000 ‚Äî large enough for a healthy tenant pool, small enough that property is still sensibly priced. The census figure is from 2022; the true number is almost certainly higher now. Education Accrington is part of the Nelson and Colne College group, currently one of the highest-performing college groups in England. This matters more than it sounds. Families with children make decisions about where to rent based on school catchment areas and further education options. Strong education infrastructure is a retention mechanism ‚Äî it keeps families in the area, and families in three-bedroom terraces. Employment This is where Accrington genuinely surprises. It has a strong advanced manufacturing base, including the UK's largest plastic housewares manufacturer and a major brick manufacturer. Beyond that, its position next to the M65 has made it a natural home for warehousing and distribution. Altham Business Park, a short drive from the town centre, is one of Lancashire's premier employment locations. Every new logistics hub that opens along the M65 corridor ‚Äî and they are still opening ‚Äî adds more jobs to the catchment area. Online retail is not going to stop requiring storage and last-mile delivery. That's a structural tailwind, not a trend. Infrastructure and Transport The M65 gives Accrington access to Manchester within an hour, and to Preston and Leeds with comparable ease. Land is cheaper here than in Greater Manchester, which is why industrial and logistics developers continue to choose this corridor over city-adjacent locations. Cheaper land, good motorway access, and growing employment: that combination is not accidental.   The Regeneration Signal: £90 Million of Committed Investment   One of the clearest forward-looking signals an area can send is public and government investment in regeneration. Accrington has sent that signal loudly.   There's a £70 million town centre masterplan: one of the largest regeneration programmes in Lancashire, focused on the town centre fabric and public realm.  In 2025, the town secured a further ¬£20 million in government "Pride in Place" funding, targeting long-term neighbourhood improvement, heritage restoration, and support for local businesses.   That's £90 million of committed investment in a town of 35,000 people. The people committing that money aren't guessing about the area's future any more than a major housebuilder is.   The New-Build Estate Strategy: Following the Developers    Which brings us to one of Darren's most transferable tips, and one worth keeping in your investing toolkit wherever you're looking.    Large-scale residential developers ‚Äî the ones committing to 1,000 or 2,000-home garden village projects ‚Äî do more due diligence on a location than most individual investors will ever do. They model demographics, employment projections, transport infrastructure, and planning policy before they put a single brick in the ground. They cannot afford to get it wrong.    So when a major developer commits to building in an area, that commitment is itself a data point.    Accrington is getting the Huncoat Garden Village: 1,800 new homes, a primary school, parks and green space, with direct access to Huncoat railway station and junction 8 of the M65. New-build prices at schemes like this typically start at ¬£200,000 or more ‚Äî because nobody is building starter homes anymore. The population that moves into those homes will have more disposable income than the current average, will spend in local businesses, and will gradually shift the economic and social profile of the whole area.   If you own a three-bedroom terrace in the streets surrounding that development, that shift works in your favour. Practical Considerations for This Property Type    The third bedroom question  Not all three-bedroom terraces are truly three-bedroom terraces in the eyes of a valuer. A room needs to meet minimum size requirements ‚Äî roughly 6.5 square metres ‚Äî to be classified as a bedroom rather than a box room. Older bay-fronted terraces tend to be better proportioned; later builds, where internal bathrooms were retrofitted at the expense of room size, can be tighter. Check before you buy.    **End-of-terrace**  Darren owns several end-of-terrace properties in his own portfolio and reports no significant issues, provided the external end wall is properly rendered and pointed. Damp can appear if the wall has been neglected, but buyer hesitation around end terraces is often greater than the actual risk ‚Äî which creates negotiating room if you know what you're looking at.    The Proof: Norfolk Street, Five Years On    The Accrington thesis wasn't theoretical. The Norfolk Street three-bed mid-terrace went in at ¬£85,000 in July 2021. It's now valued at ¬£110‚Äì120,000 ‚Äî call it ¬£115,000, which is a ¬£30,000 gain and roughly 35% growth. Rent started at ¬£625 and sits at ¬£725, with the market rate for comparable properties now around ¬£750.    That's what the four-pillar framework, applied consistently, looks like in practice. Keywords UK property, buy to let UK, UK property investment, UK property market, UK real estate, Accrington property, Northwest property investment, Greater Manchester property, Buy to let Accrington, FMP property deals, Town centre regeneration UK, Rental yield UK, UK terrace houses, End of terrace UK property, Accrington rental market, Huncourt garden village, Best buy to let locations in Northwest England, Investing in Accrington property market, Hands-free turnkey property service UK, Population and employment trends in Accrington, Are end terrace houses a good investment UK, What to consider when buying three bedroom terraces UK, How regeneration schemes affect UK house prices, Buying near new build estates in the UK, Norfolk Street Accrington property case study, Rental demand for families in Accrington, Impact of infrastructure on UK property prices, Advanced manufacturing employment in Accrington, Government funding for Accrington regeneration

  6. Jul 15

    EPC Changes 2026: Why 67% of UK Landlords Aren't Ready

    #309 EPC rules for UK landlords are changing from October 2026 — and a recent Nationwide report found that 67% of landlords have no idea it's coming. This episode is here to make sure you're not in that 67%. Energy Performance Certificates are about to get a major overhaul in England and Wales, and if you're a remote landlord managing UK property from abroad, these changes affect what you can rent, what you must upgrade, and how much it could cost you. To break it all down, I'm joined by Tim Kampel of Box Property Solutions, who has spent nearly two decades doing EPCs day in, day out — as a domestic, commercial and retrofit assessor, and as a property investor himself. Tim explains the new four-metric EPC system arriving in October 2026, which will score properties separately on fabric performance, heating system, energy cost, and smart readiness — replacing the single headline rating landlords are used to. We cover the exemptions being removed, so heritage properties, HMOs where even a single room is let, and short-term rentals will all need a valid EPC. We get into the big one: the requirement for most privately rented UK properties to reach EPC band C by 2030, with a £10,000 per-property spending cap. Tim also gives an honest reality check on why EPC deadlines keep shifting, how the rules are being used as a political bargaining chip, and why "proposed" doesn't mean you can afford to ignore them. And crucially for overseas landlords, Tim shares the single most important takeaway of the whole episode: under the new regime, you have to be able to prove everything — without evidence, the work simply won't count. Please note this episode focuses on England and Wales; Scotland has its own EPC rules. Check out our shorts on YouTube Our WhatsApp  group Property Engine discounts (Code: EXPAT) Starter: 30 day trial Pro: 30 day trial/3 mths 1/2 price, Ultimate: 1/2 price 3 months Goalsetting Leave a review 37 Question Due Diligence Checklist / Auction Guide Our Sponsors: Finnigan McNeill Property Group What you'll learn: The new four-metric EPC system coming to England and Wales in October 2026, and what each metric measures. Which EPC exemptions are being removed, and why heritage homes, HMOs and short-term lets are now caught. What the EPC band C by 2030 requirement means for UK landlords, and how the £10,000 spending cap works. Why EPC deadlines keep getting pushed back, and how to plan around rules that aren't yet law. The order EPC improvements should be tackled in, from fabric-first insulation to heating systems, and when that advice isn't practical. Why a recent software change has pushed some properties up to a C rating automatically, and why it's worth getting reassessed. How solar could become one of the smartest ways for landlords, especially HMO owners, to raise a rating and cut running costs. Guest: Tim Kampel of Box Property Solutions — a domestic, commercial and retrofit EPC assessor with nearly twenty years' experience, and a property investor himself. If you own or plan to buy UK rental property, understanding these EPC changes now — rather than in 2029 — could save you thousands and keep your properties legally lettable. Details of how to join our WhatsApp group for overseas investors are below. Keywords UK property, UK property investment, UK property market, UK landlords, Expat property, UK real estate, Buy-to-let UK, Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), EPC legislation UK, EPC band C requirements, EPC rules England and Wales, Property investment UK, UK rental property, HMO EPC requirements, Heritage property UK, Solar panels UK property, EPC changes 2026 UK, Landlord tips UK, EPC compliance UK, Property refurbishment UK, Non-standard construction UK, How to improve EPC rating UK property, EPC exemptions for landlords UK, EPC and mortgage eligibility UK, Using EPC data for property investment UK, Best energy improvements for UK rental property, Proven ways to reach EPC band C UK, EPC requirements for short term rentals UK, Solar installation cost for UK landlords, Documenting property improvements for EPC UK, Landlord guide to energy efficiency UK, Avoiding non-standard construction in UK real estate, EPC for HMOs England and Wales, What can boost EPC rating in UK homes, Preferential green rate mortgages UK property, Tips for choosing an EPC assessor UK

  7. Jul 12

    "Non-Resident Landlord Scheme UK: Are You Paying Too Much Tax?"

    #308

  8. Jul 8

    Down Valuations UK: What Really Happens Behind the Scenes

    #307 Picture the scene. It's a Tuesday morning in Hong Kong. March 2023. I'm checking emails and there's one with the subject line: Valuation report attached. My stomach churns — exactly like A-level results day. We'd spent months refurbishing a block of four one-bed flats bought at auction. We needed a specific number from the valuer to move the deal forward. I open the attachment. Scroll straight to the bottom, the way you always do, skipping past the caveats. The figure is £20,000 short of what we needed. Decided by one person. On one visit. On one day. Based on rules I didn't even know existed. That Tuesday morning is the reason for this episode. By the time we get to the end, you're going to understand exactly what happens behind the scenes of a UK property valuation, why valuers make the decisions they make, what red flags to look out for — and I'll share the one top tip that would have stopped that sinking feeling in its tracks. Check out our shorts on YouTube Our WhatsApp  group Property Engine discounts (Code: EXPAT) Starter: 30 day trial Pro: 30 day trial/3 mths 1/2 price, Ultimate: 1/2 price 3 months Goalsetting Leave a review 37 Question Due Diligence Checklist / Auction Guide Our Sponsors: Finnigan McNeill Property Group What We Cover in This Episode This is a solo deep dive, broken into eight sections: 1. What a UK Property Valuation Actually Is Most of us throw the word "valuation" around without thinking too hard about what's happening underneath it. When a lender sends out a RICS surveyor, they're protecting their money — not yours. That reframe matters. 2. The Two Main Types of Valuation — and Why It Matters Which One You're Getting Bricks and mortar valuations vs commercial (yield-based) valuations. Same property. Completely different methodology. Completely different numbers. And here's the counterintuitive bit: the lower the expected yield, the higher the commercial valuation comes out. Worth remembering. 3. The Three Flavours of Down Valuation A "down valuation" isn't one thing. There are at least three distinct types — a straightforward lower number, a retention (money held back until repairs are done), and the nastiest of the lot, a nil valuation. The fix for each one is completely different, so it's worth knowing which you've actually got. 4. Why Valuations Matter — and When They Don't Plenty of genuinely good deals with a willing buyer and a willing seller on both sides collapse purely because of one person's opinion on one particular day. But if you're holding for the long term, a down valuation is often just a paper event. Your equity hasn't disappeared — it's just temporarily invisible. 5. The Valuer's Perspective (and Why They're Working Inside a Cage) Here's the reframe that changes everything. After the 2008 financial crisis, valuers across the UK quietly adjusted their behaviour — being too generous is the version of being wrong that gets you sued. And lenders dictate exactly which comparables a valuer is allowed to use: sold only, not listed; within a certain radius; within the last six months. A perfectly good comparable just outside that window? Not permitted. Once you understand the cage the valuer is working inside, a lot of down valuations suddenly make a lot more sense. 6. Working With Valuers — The Valuation Pack Presentation matters. Richard Nichols, who values HMOs professionally, says you can tell within the first hallway. Martin Smedley (episode 126) walks through the ideal valuation pack in detail — around 20 pages, bullet points, no essays, comparables with clickable links, floor plans, maintenance schedule. You're not just providing evidence. You're demonstrating competence, and valuers respond to that. Gary and Kirsty from Ormad Properties add rental evidence to their packs — viewings booked, Rightmove listings, tenancy agreements in progress — even before a tenancy is signed. (And yes, a cup of Yorkshire tea on the day of the visit doesn't hurt either.) 7. The Red Flag: Hybrid Valuations Beware this one. Some so-called commercial valuations are not really commercial valuations at all. The lender takes your gross rent, knocks off a chunk for voids and maintenance, and lands at a number barely different from a standard bricks and mortar valuation — dressed up in commercial language, often costing upwards of £1,000. Whenever you hear "hybrid valuation" in a sales conversation, ask specifically which method is actually being used. The answer is rarely as exciting as the name suggests. 8. Valuation Strategy: Reverse Engineer From the Outcome You Need Choose your lender and exit route before you buy — because the lender sets the rules the valuer has to play by, long before anyone walks through the door. And here's my top tip: commission your own independent valuation before the lender sends theirs. Your independent surveyor isn't working for a lender. They know the local area. They're more likely to give you a fair market value. And when the bank's valuer turns up, you're stood at the front door with a copy of that report. Surveyors don't like contradicting each other. That's the whole game. UK property, UK property valuations, UK property podcast, UK property investment, UK buy-to-let valuations, UK property surveyor, UK property market, UK mortgage process, UK commercial valuation, Expat UK property, UK bricks and mortar valuation, Down valuation UK property, UK HMO valuation, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors UK, How do valuations work for UK property?, Why was my UK property down valued?, Preparing a valuation pack for UK property, What is a hybrid valuation in UK property?, Working with UK property valuers as an expat, Avoiding disappointment with UK property valuations, What to include in a UK HMO valuation pack?, Common red flags in UK property valuations, Strategies for UK expats investing in property, Differences between commercial and residential valuations UK, Impact of valuations on UK property refinancing, How to appeal a down valuation in the UK property market, Choosing the right lender for UK property investment, Tips for remote investors in UK property, Guide to independent property valuations in the UK

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About

Expat Property Story helps expats and overseas investors build and manage UK property portfolios remotely — from buy-to-lets and HMOs to auctions and refurbs.  Each week, John the Expat Property Guy talks to expat investors, agents, and specialists about the practical realities of investing from abroad: financing, tax structuring, remote project management, and deal sourcing.  Monday 'Mini-Sodes' feature Mortgage Updates, Auction Roundups, Tax Tips and Deal Reviews while longer Thursday shows provide everything else you need for UK property success. With a back catalogue of 300+ episodes, this is THE podcast for anyone building UK property wealth from outside the UK.

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  • Creator
    The Expat Property Guy
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    315
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Expat Property Story
  • Show Website
    Expat Property Story

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