The Red Giraffe Podcast: Recent Episodes
Debra Caldow
The Red Giraffe Podcast is all about sharing knowledge about property, investing and business. You will hear successful professionals sharing their expertise, experiences and their knowledge to help you get to where you want to get to that much quicker.
In property, it’s easy to get distracted by new strategies and great opportunities. In this episode Tom Appleton explains how having a clear end goal helps him stay on track and choose the right investment strategies. He shares not only his vision but also the plans he has in place to achieve this, so he can be living where he wants, when he wants, in the very near future. Having a clear roadmap, as he does, is always going to enable any one of us to get to our desired destination that much quicker.
Is London finished as an investment option? In this episode, Pelin Martin from Blue Crystal London talks about how the London market has fared during the last 6 months. You might be surprised by what she says as she discusses the impact of the lockdown. She also explains where the London market could go and the impact of the stamp duty freeze. Finally, she shares her thoughts on what should be considered for those who wish to invest in the London market.
Do the core principles of project management remain the same whatever size the project? In this episode Guillaume Black from Blacks Property Solutions talks about how he has found moving from managing large infrastructure projects to managing HMO refurbs. He discusses which principles transfer across, including building relationships and empowering the team. He also explains which ways of working need to be adapted, including having a short concise schedule of works and monitoring progress more regularly. Guillaume shares his thoughts on three things to focus on when thinking about any project: 1) have a clear finance and build plan; 2) invest time in the tender and procurement process; and 3) have a contingency in place. He also talks about effectively communicating with subcontractors and builders, how often to do site visits, how much you really should be paying up front and how to deal with over runs.
Fail to plan - plan to fail! exactly how true is this? In this episode Hugh Page from IVConsulting talks about why both strategic planning and execution are key to business success and sustainability. Hugh talks about the 5 components of the IVC strategy blueprint. Firstly deciding on a mission or the why of your business. Then identifying what your customers' problems are and how you might go about solving them. The next step is developing the activities that will solve those problems. Finally it's about measurement to make sure that what you are doing is actually solving your customers problems. Using the example of IKEA, Hugh explains how creating a unique value proposition to meet customer’s needs can also make a business model hard to replicate. He also discusses why strategy is a key in moving from Working In to Working On a business.
We all think it will never happen to us… but what if it does? In this episode John Ireland from Legacy Wills discusses why everyone should have a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). He explains the purpose of a LPA and details the two types of LPA’s: Health and Welfare and Property and Financial Affairs. John also addresses the implications of not having a LPA and the potential that has to limit choice of healthcare provision and cripple a business.
How do you conduct due diligence on commercial property? This week's episode guest Mark Dearing, from Mentors Inc, explains why you need to be very clear on the end result you are looking for when buying commercial property. He talks about how commercial differs from residential property, and some of the things you can do when it comes to assessing demand and getting comparables. Mark also discusses how to navigate planning and explains why much of it is about prior research and understanding what matters to your local development plan. Finally, he discusses the importance of understanding concepts like material planning reasons and working with planning officers to increase the likelihood of planning applications being successful.
What exactly do mortgage brokers need from us to make getting a mortgage a relatively simple process? This week's episode guest Kallem Brooks, from Bond Finance has at least some of the answers. Kallem is an experienced broker and he shares his thoughts on how to make sure your loan agreements are fit for purpose – there needs to be a clear money trail to make the process easier and quicker. He discusses what underwriters are looking for in your paperwork, and offers a simple way to make tracking rental income an easy win for your broker. Finally Kallem addresses the impact mortgage holidays will have for investors, and where the market is heading in terms of availability of finance.
A picture really is worth a thousand words when it comes to property. Creating the types of photos that showcases the best of any room is the focus of this episode with Roberta Thompson, from Photography by Roberta. She shares her tips on taking better property photos, including how to use light, the importance of ironing and what props to use. Roberta also discusses why a camera is still better than a phone and explains how to use photoshop to improve the quality of images.
Taking the step from investing in property to working in property full time is a big transition. In this episode, Morgan Roberts shares his journey as he nears the first anniversary of leaving his day job to become a full time property entrepreneur. He talks about why he got into property, how he accelerated building his portfolio and what strategies he used at the beginning. Morgan also discusses his latest business partnership in Colony Living, why getting formal JV agreements in place are essential, how to manage business partnerships and why working for yourself isn’t as easy as it sounds. Finally Morgan gives his opinion on where the SA and HMO market might go next, once the full impact of COVID-19 becomes clear.
Planning for when we are not around is something most of us try to avoid. In this episode, John Ireland, from Legacy Wills, explains how you can ensure your assets go exactly where you want them to go by using trusts in conjunction with your will. John talks about Discretionary Trusts, how they work and how to set them up. He goes on to define what an Interest in Possession Trust is, and how to use one alongside a Discretionary Trust. Using real life examples, John describes in depth the financial implications of having trusts and what can happen when trusts aren’t in place and the unexpected happens. Finally, John defines what a business trust is, how to use one in a way that means those you leave behind can access your assets in a way they can use them.
Multiple streams of income are a great way to protect yourself in uncertain times. In this episode, Andrew Tonks, The Property Pilot, talks about how he combines his day job with his property investing. He describes which strategies he moved into first and the importance of leveraging other people's skills if property isn’t your main focus. Andrew discusses how he got into deal sourcing and explains the systems he has in place to source deals. He also speaks about the processes he uses to work with vendors and reflects on how important it is to be able to justify and explain the numbers. Andrew also talks about his third income stream, selling on Amazon – how he started and how it has expanded. Finally he talks about where he sees the market going in the short and long term.
Great customer service is easy if it sits within your core business values. In this episode, Beverley Lockett, best selling author and Director of Red Door Homes, talks about what motivates her to create a different type of shared accommodation. She discusses matching your values with solving your customers problems, and creating a customer experience not just a place to live. Beverley details how she links her own values, including environmental sustainability, into their houses with eco-friendly products for customers. She discusses how they create community by matching customers based on stage of lifecycle and how they are paperless when it comes to dealing with customers. Beverley explains how their model has led to their customers doing the marketing of rooms for them. Finally Beverley talks about improving your customer services by focusing on identifying and solving your customers problems.
In times of uncertainty sometimes the most useful skill is patience. In this Red Giraffe InnerView, Mike Frisby an experienced investor, talks about his business model and details the systems and processes in place and his role in all these. He discusses sourcing deals and how to add value to properties through planning gain. Mike explains how his business model may evolve through the next economic cycle. He also offers his top tips for managing the market now, these include not rushing into purchases and thinking about how and where demand might change. Mike also addresses the likely responses of mortgage companies and valuers to changing market conditions and the possible impact on loan to value.
Social Housing - An opportunity to give back. In this episode, Carly Houston from Sorella Investment Solutions talks about social housing, the challenges. the rewards and her motivation for investing in this sector. She explains how to get started and who to speak to. Carly also discusses the types of housing required as well as the challenges around negotiating the benefits system. She also discusses why she got involved in setting up a Community Interest Company (CIC) and the additional benefits that can bring to the people being served. Finally she offers her thoughts on what to think about before entering this sector, including doing it because you want to, doing your due diligence, and doing it because it is an opportunity to improve the level and reputation of social housing.
Predictable profit is the goal for any business - In this episode, Josh Keegan from The Profit Process discusses the 5 elements to consider in your business model so that you can have predictable monthly profit. He explains why increasing sales doesn't always lead to increased profit, and how to identify at what point you have reached the optimum economies of scale in your business. Finally he talks about why it's also important to factor your time into the profit process.
Systems are not I.T. - In this episode, James Williams from time-scale talks about why systems should always start with the needs of your customer, not a new piece of software. He outlines the benefits of having a system, including giving you more time to focus on key areas of your business and increasing your ability to scale your business. James shares a process for developing systems and explains how to find and implement the right software for any system.
Good design is not only timeless but it also enhances the customer experience. In this episode, Stuart Scott from Co-Living Spaces discusses how he develops the designs for his co-living projects. He explains the process from a sketch of the idea to developing prototypes and then getting feedback from customers. Stuart reflects on the importance of developing usable social spaces and how they use biophilic design to help improve customer well-being. Finally Stuart talks about what the future of co-living might look like and the increased role and importance of community and how that is managed within his business.
Some of us never quite get around to sorting out a will. In this episode, John Ireland from Legacy Wills outlines some of the reasons why this is the case. He explains the implications of not having a will, including increased inheritance tax and uncertainty around what your wishes for your estate actually were. He also addresses the personal costs for those left behind where a will isn't in place. Finally, John discusses the implications for your property business if you don't have a will.
Commercial property has been one of the sectors hit hardest by the COVID-19 lockdown and, in this episode Suzi Carter from Strongoak Investments discusses what’s happening in the sector at the moment. She talks about what is likely to happen in the short and long term, and where the buying opportunities are likely to be. Suzi also explains how smaller investors can enter the sector and what factors to consider.
Serviced accommodation faces many challenges after COVID-19 and in this episode John Kerr from Your Partner In Property outlines the priorities for SA providers. He discusses how to run SA remotely, and the way cleaning will need to change, including how RIDDOR may now apply in relation to COVID-19. John also suggests advantages to applying standards like those from Quality in Tourism to ensure your SA is Safe, Clean & Legal.
The road out of lockdown looks like it might be a bumpy one for buy to let investors. In this episode, Bruce Mainwaring from Bond Finance outlines the possible scenarios moving forward and how taking a mortgage holiday might impact on investors. He shares his two top tips for anyone in the market for a mortgage, namely act quickly and get all your paperwork in order. Good advice at any time but especially useful right now as the property market starts up again and there is more uncertainty than certainty.
Title splits are an attractive strategy for many property investors. But as Michelle Cairns shares, sometimes a title split isn't the best option, even if that looks like the obvious one. She talks us through two examples of this discussing how the properties were sourced, the development process and why there was a better ROI by not title splitting. Michelle also shares some top tips on what to consider if title splits are one of the strategies you want to use.
Dealing with the challenges Serviced Accommodation providers face during lockdown and planning for when lockdown ends is the topic of discussion in this episode with Ankie Bell from West Drayton Farm. Ankie talks about the impact of lockdown and moving to providing accommodation to key workers. She also discusses the plans they are putting in place and the marketing strategies they are implementing to ensure they can get back to full occupancy as quickly as possible once the lockdown is lifted.
Planning for planning is the topic of discussion in this episode with Stephen Ray from Nicehouse. Stephen discusses the need to look at applications from the planning officers perspective. He also highlights the importance of being active not reactive when it comes to potential planning issues.
How to keep a build project moving forward during COVID-19 is the topic of this episode with Stephen Blunston from Alpha 1 Properties. Stephen discusses the importance of planning and preparation, how to mitigate the risks and lessons learned.
For anyone in the Rent To Rent sector the COVID-19 lockdown could bring with it some challenging times. In this episode Paul Trowell from Latitude Living discusses how his business is coping in terms of rental payments. He also talks about the importance of getting the sums right at the beginning so that in situations like this there is an element of future proofing your business already in place. In addition, Paul addresses when and how to approach landlords if tenants do start to default on rental payments. Finally he discusses where the R2R sector might go after we come out of lockdown.
Difficult conversation to have? In this episode we are talking Rob McPhun from PERfecting Conversations about managing those difficult conversations. Rob discusses why planning and preparation are so essential before you speak to anyone. He also talks about the importance of not making assumptions about what the other person wants before you actually talk to them. Finally he addresses why pragmatism is key and the need to reach an understanding so you can move forward in the short term while also having a long term plan.
In this episode we are talking to Paul Hartle from Coversure Insurance Nottingham about issues around property insurance because of the COVID-19 lockdown. Paul talks about what we need to do if we have any vacant properties and the importance of contacting your insurance company/broker. He also discusses other options you might have in terms of cover for your properties. Finally he suggests what you should think about moving forward in terms of what products you purchase in the future.
In this episode we are talking to Bruce Mainwaring from Bond Finance about what property investors can do now valuers are no longer able to do any on-site valuations because of COVID-19. Bruce discusses the current situation with valuations and what lenders are doing. He also talks about where technology has been used already and how it might be used in the future for some valuations. Finally he offers top tips on what to do if you’re in the middle of a valuation or looking to get one in the near future.
In this episode we are talking to James Rogers, from The Fleur Property Group, talk about finding end to end property services. James talks about the need to firstly decide exactly what gaps you currently have in the services you're using and what you might need in the future to move your business forward. He discusses the kinds of service you might want to outsource and how to do this. Finally James discusses why due diligence is so important in deciding which service suppliers you decide to work with.
In this episode we are talking to Anita Combe about negotiating deals and the need to get to know the person, not the property. She talks about the kinds of questions to ask and how this depends on the deal in question and whether it’s a Rent to Rent or Purchase Lease Option (PLO), or potentially a combination of the two. Anita also stresses the need to actually aim for the win-win scenario, not just give it lip service. Finally she talks about identifying what unsubstantiated fears might be holding a vendor back from doing that mutually beneficial deal with you.
The legislative landscape is constantly changing in property. In this episode we are talking about some of these recent legislative changes with Sunil Popat from Family Homes. Sunil discusses the impact of section 24 on landlords profitability. He also talks about the tenant fee ban and explains the reasoning behind the ban as well as the long term impact the ban will have on letting agents.
Growing your business while you are still doing everything yourself is impossible. In this episode Richard Evans from VaVaVoom shares his thoughts on the benefits of employing a Virtual Assistant (VA). Richard also discusses how having a systemised business is key to getting the best from any VA. He details the three elements necessary: software, process and people. Finally, Richard explains why having a VA, and local staff as well, can really help you to accelerate your business growth.
Developing a good working relationship with your builder is paramount and can help alleviate many of the challenges of doing refurbishments. In this episode Martin Rapley from Refurbishment Masterclass discusses 3 things we should think about when working with builders. Firstly that most builders are not property investors so will not automatically understand what you are after, particularly if you're developing a HMO. Secondly, most builders are running their own businesses and are doing this for the flexibility that brings with it. Thirdly why it is not always your best option to go with the cheapest builder.
Achieving good revaluations after a refurbishment are key for any property investor. In this episode Neil Chaudhuri from Vogue Abode shares his thoughts on how creating a comprehensive valuer pack can be key to achieving higher valuations for your properties. Neil shares his tips on exactly what to include in the valuer pack. He also talks about the importance of knowing the difference between a bricks and mortar or commercial valuation. Finally he explains the importance of being honest in terms of the information and evidence you are providing to a valuer.
Serviced Accommodation is a challenging property strategy but can also when done right be very profitable. In this episode Anna Koivu shares her insights on running a Serviced Accommodation (SA) business. She talks about the challenges of finding the right channel manager . Anna also talks about sourcing SA properties and whether to use a sourcer or not. Finally Anna talks about the some of the practical challenges of SA including speeding up the changeover process.
For many people meditation is an essential part of their daily routine. In this episode Nav Tohan talks about how meditation can have a positive impact on both your personal and business life. She also explains the difference between meditation and mindfulness. Nav talks as well about the importance of a morning routine and focusing on both your mind and body. Finally Nav also shares some of the resources you can refer to if you are thinking that meditation might be something you want to try.
Networking is something many people struggle but something which, when done well, can lead to valuable business relationships. In this episode Leo Santana, from Right Fit Properties, shares his top tips on effective networking. He talks about the importance of remembering what networking is about, which is establishing a connection with someone rather than selling. Leo shares some practical strategies that could help improve your networking skills and also make going to networking events a more enjoyable experience for everyone. Finally Leo discusses why we shouldn’t just be focused on swapping business cards and talking to as many people as possible in the time available.
Using an Estate Agent is the main way people sell their house and can still be the source of some great property deals for investors. In this episode Louise Smith talks about how to build and manage relationships with Estate Agents. She explains how to build rapport and find personal connections. She also talks about the importance of maintaining the relationship with consistent weekly follow ups. Finally Louise discusses the importance of building trust with the agent by being responsive and always doing what you said you would do.
Converting leads is no easy task. In this episode Jo Jamison Da Silva from Flex Property Lead Generation shares her strategies on just how to convert those leads. Jo explains the importance of being prepared for those phone calls and having a clear plan of how to respond to a motivated seller., She also talks about how to build rapport and the importance of reassuring the seller that you are looking for a win-win solution.
In this episode Tim Matcham, from Blue Line Coaching, shares his knowledge around raising finance and why he believes that being yourself is so important when you are looking to attract investors for your projects. He also talks about the importance of building your brand so that others understand what you stand for. Finally he reminds us to not underestimate what we know and the value we have to offer to others.
Finding good deals is an essential part of being a successful property investor. In this episode, experienced property investor, Hanif Khan talks about deal sourcing and the criteria he applies to a good deal. He also shares his insights into how to find deals and the strategies that work, as well as the importance of creating a follow up system.
We all know the importance of networking and in this episode Sabina Thorpe shares her tips on how to be a more effective networker. Sabina talks about how how to approach people at an event by reading their body language and making sure you talk to as many people as you can. She also talks about the importance of actually asking the right question. She also explains the importance of looking beyond just property networking events.
In this episode, David Granat, from Ox Living talks not only about his motivation to get into property investing but also about the strategies he uses in his shared houses to bring people together. He discusses the way in which his business provides social activities as well as a quality room and talks about the impact this co-living approach has had on reducing turnover and increasing demand via positive word of mouth marketing from current tenants.
In this episode Paul Bellas, host of the Harrogate pin, talks about his property strategy, the benefits of the property investors network and offers some expert insights into what to think about before moving into the HMO market.
Welcome to The Red Giraffe Podcast where we share knowledge about property, investing and business. You will hear successful professionals sharing their expertise, experiences and their knowledge to help you get to where you want to get to that much quicker.