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Expat Property Story

Expat Property Story

By: 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.

© 2026 Expat Property Story Economics Personal Finance
Episodes
  • "Non-Resident Landlord Scheme UK: Are You Paying Too Much Tax?"

    "Non-Resident Landlord Scheme UK: Are You Paying Too Much Tax?"
    Jul 12 2026

    #308

    Check out our new YouTube Channel @ExpatPropertyStory
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    7 mins
  • Down Valuations UK: What Really Happens Behind the Scenes

    Down Valuations UK: What Really Happens Behind the Scenes
    Jul 8 2026
    #307Picture 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 YouTubeOur WhatsApp groupProperty Engine discounts (Code: EXPAT)Starter: 30 day trialPro: 30 day trial/3 mths 1/2 price, Ultimate: 1/2 price 3 monthsGoalsettingLeave a review37 Question Due Diligence Checklist / Auction GuideOur Sponsors: Finnigan McNeill Property GroupWhat We Cover in This EpisodeThis 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 ...
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    25 mins
  • UK Mortgage Rates 2026: Why Swap Rates Say One Thing, Lenders Do Another

    UK Mortgage Rates 2026: Why Swap Rates Say One Thing, Lenders Do Another
    Jul 5 2026
    #306Episode 306 — UK Mortgage Rates 2026: Why Swap Rates Say One Thing, Lenders Do Another (Mortgage Monday with Shaz Ahmed)UK mortgage rates are sending mixed signals in 2026 — and if you're investing in UK property from overseas, the contradiction is worth understanding before you fix your next rate.This month's Mortgage Monday brings Shaz Ahmed of Elan Property Finance back to explain a puzzle: SWAP Rates, the real engine behind mortgage pricing, are quietly climbing.Yet some lenders are cutting rates and fees at the same time.Shaz unpacks why that's happening, and what it tells you about where UK mortgage rates head next.We get into swap rates versus the Bank of England base rate, and why the base rate held at 3.75% isn't the number that actually sets your mortgage.Shaz explains why lenders sitting on a glut of money they need to lend are trimming rates and dropping those eye-watering product fees, even as their own funding costs edge up.We also look at a UK property market where transactions are slowing — purchase activity down 7.6% year on year, and homes taking around 68 days just to get an offer in stronger urban areas, longer elsewhere.And Shaz makes a pointed case against the "wait and see" mentality that's leaving buyers with expired offers and collapsed chains, while affordability and unrealistic seller pricing keep gumming up deals.For overseas investors specifically, we look at expat buy-to-let mortgages, including a lender cutting expat rates, and how Sharia-compliant (Halal) mortgages are structured for foreign investors.Check out our shorts on YouTubeOur WhatsApp groupProperty Engine discounts (Code: EXPAT)Starter: 30 day trialPro: 30 day trial/3 mths 1/2 price, Ultimate: 1/2 price 3 monthsGoalsettingLeave a review37 Question Due Diligence Checklist / Auction GuideOur Sponsors: Finnigan McNeill Property GroupWhat you'll learn:Why UK swap rates, not the Bank of England base rate, are the real driver of your mortgage rate.How lenders can cut mortgage rates and fees even while swap rates are rising.What falling product fees mean for UK property investors weighing a new deal.Why UK property transactions are slowing, and how long homes are really taking to sell in 2026.The hidden cost of the "wait and see" approach, and why hesitation is losing buyers their deals.What expat buy-to-let mortgage options and Sharia-compliant finance mean for overseas investors.Guest: Shaz Ahmed, founder of Eland Property Finance and host slot "Mortgage Monday" — a UK mortgage and property finance specialist known on Instagram as @whereshaz.If you're a remote investor trying to make sense of UK mortgage rates in 2026, this monthly finance update gives you the real mechanics behind the headlines — so you can decide your next move rather than sit on your hands.KeywordsUK property, UK property finance, UK property market, UK mortgage rates, UK property investment, UK expat property, UK mortgage update, property transactions UK, UK house sales statistics, UK residential mortgages, UK buy to let, expat buy to let mortgages, UK swap rates, UK base rate, UK property affordability, UK property market predictions, UK lender incentives, Sharia compliant mortgages UK, Gatehouse Bank mortgages, Tipton and Coseley expat mortgage, property finance news UK, mortgage fees UK, mortgage incentives UK, property market trends UK, How do swap rates affect UK mortgage rates?, UK expat buy to let mortgage options, Mortgage incentives for expats in the UK, Gatehouse Bank Sharia compliant mortgages for UK property, Middle Eastern investors buying UK property, Average time to sell a house in the UK 2024, UK property affordability issues for first-time buyers, AI in UK property finance and mortgage brokering, Impact of political changes on UK property finance, Expat residential mortgage vs buy to let mortgage UK, Bridging loan incentives for UK rental investors, Lender fee comparison for UK buy to let mortgages, Transaction times for rural vs urban UK property, Effect of Bank of England base rate holds on property, Discount cards for bridging loans UKCheck out our new YouTube Channel @ExpatPropertyStory
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    10 mins
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