The Homeless Landlord With 12 Properties. Isaac Cross tells all.
Episode Overview
He owns 12 properties. He lives in his mate’s spare room. And he accidentally bought a Chinese restaurant from an airport while flying back from Japan.
In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Isaac Cross — a former offshore worker and CERN technician who saved £140k, came off the Scottish Property Podcast course in January, and went all in on property faster than almost anyone they’ve had on the show.
This one is raw, honest, and genuinely funny. Isaac doesn’t just talk about the wins. He talks about the bridging nightmare on five properties at once, the deals he overpaid for, the sourcing fees that didn’t add up, the solicitor with 98 problems to solve — and what he’d do differently if he were starting again.
Episode Timestamps
- 00:00 – Welcome to Isaac Cross & the 52 properties in 52 weeks goal
- 02:04 – Growing up between Aberdeen and Lanarkshire with a single mum
- 04:35 – ADHD diagnosis as a kid — and how it shapes the way Isaac works
- 05:21 – Wanting to go offshore like his dad
- 06:28 – Electrical apprenticeship & how he was the only one who applied
- 10:55 – Life offshore: earning £90k in his early 20s
- 16:20 – Moving to Switzerland for the CERN job
- 16:29 – The best job title, the most boring job
- 18:59 – First property: Holytown two-bed at 20
- 21:14 – Bad mortgage advice, blowing the profit, starting over
- 26:16 – The power of a good power team
- 33:24 – The Dennistoun flat — bought at home report in peak Covid
- 35:04 – Social media, personal brand & why Isaac went all in on content
- 36:38 – The January networking event that flipped the switch
- 44:04 – First deal in Aberdeen on a plane to Australia
- 52:07 – Five properties on one bridge — and 98 problems to solve
- 1:00:19 – The Chinese restaurant accident
- 1:02:53 – Bidding at auction from Heathrow flying back from Japan
- 1:06:45 – The community hub plan for the Carluke commercial unit
- 1:11:55 – First private investor on board & what comes next
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Would you have bought the Chinese restaurant? Drop it in the comments
