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

Useful Links

Join our monthly property networking events across Scotland and connect with investors, landlords and industry experts. View Upcoming Events

Know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 by introducing them to Prime Property Auctions. Visit Prime Property Auctions

Listen to more episodes of The Scottish Property Podcast and explore conversations with investors, landlords and industry experts across Scotland. Browse Episodes

Would you have bought the Chinese restaurant? Drop it in the comments

Cold pitching in our Facebook group, dodgy sourcers, and LinkedIn spam — we’ve had enough

Episode Overview

No guests. No filter. Just Nick and Steven saying what everyone in property is thinking.

From deal sourcers pressuring investors to buy in minutes, to buyers pulling out of flips at the last second, dodgy sourcers, LinkedIn inbox chaos, ego-driven cliques in the Scottish property community, and yes — American tipping culture at Starbucks drive-throughs.

This is the Scottish Property Podcast rants episode. It always does well. You’ll know why by the end.

Episode Highlights

  • Why rushed deal sourcing is putting new investors at risk
  • How to do due diligence on a sourcer before you spend a penny
  • The case for non-refundable deposits in Scottish property sales
  • Why cliques are killing the Scottish property community
  • Cold pitching in Facebook groups — add value first
  • Tipping culture in the US — a rant we all needed to hear

Episode Timestamps

  • 00:00 – Welcome to the rants episode
  • 03:00 – Cold pitching in our Facebook community group
  • 08:00 – LinkedIn inbox: why Steven doesn’t go on it anymore
  • 12:00 – Deal sourcers rushing investors into decisions
  • 18:00 – The 6-minute deal — how much due diligence is that?
  • 24:00 – Younger investors trying to keep up with social media portfolios
  • 29:00 – A sourcer called Natalie — the community calling it out
  • 34:00 – Steven’s Florida rant: Starbucks drive-through tipping culture
  • 40:00 – Scotland’s property system: buyers pulling out with no consequences
  • 47:00 – Three flips, two fall-throughs — the real cost of the Scottish system
  • 52:00 – Non-refundable deposits: should they be the norm?
  • 57:00 – Letting agents: the three-quotes rabbit hole
  • 1:03:00 – Egos and cliques in the Scottish property community
  • 1:10:00 – Going to other people’s events — why Steven loves it
  • 1:15:00 – Copying in business: where’s the line?
  • 1:20:00 – Every fucker’s got a podcast now
  • 1:24:00 – Wrap up, sponsors & G4 Studios shoutout

Useful Links

Join our monthly property networking events across Scotland and connect with investors, landlords and industry experts. View Upcoming Events

Know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 by introducing them to Prime Property Auctions. Visit Prime Property Auctions

Listen to more episodes of The Scottish Property Podcast and explore conversations with investors, landlords and industry experts across Scotland. Browse Episodes

What’s YOUR biggest property rant? Drop it in the comments

From Humble Beginnings to Building a Property Portfolio: The No-Excuses Property Journey

Episode Overview

No inheritance. No safety net. No excuses.

In this episode of The Scottish Property Podcast, Jason Kelly shares how he moved from oil and gas into property, using investor-finance property deals, off-market opportunities, and refurb projects to start building his portfolio in Scotland.

Jason’s story is a useful look at how investor-financed property strategies can help new investors move faster, while still requiring strong due diligence, reliable relationships, and careful deal analysis.

Episode Highlights

  • Leaving a well-paid job to go full-time in property
  • Funding your first deals with no cash using investor finance
  • Buy-to-let, flips & assisted sales — what actually works
  • Why project management fees are worth every penny
  • Finding off-market deals through relationships (not Rightmove)
  • Building a property portfolio in Scotland from scratch
  • Growing a property business through social media

Episode Timestamps

  • 00:00 – Introduction & Cadbury’s Heroes
  • 02:00 – Growing up in Linwood: humble beginnings
  • 06:30 – The car accident that changed everything
  • 12:00 – Leaving school & landing an oil & gas apprenticeship
  • 18:00 – Life offshore: the money, the lifestyle, the downsides
  • 26:00 – Becoming disillusioned with the rat race
  • 31:00 – Discovering property through a two-day event
  • 36:00 – First deal sourced & selling the Shawlands flat
  • 43:00 – Living in a flip (don’t do this)
  • 50:00 – Going full-time in property in April 2024
  • 56:00 – Project managing refurbs & building a team
  • 1:05:00 – Sourcing off-market deals & working with investors
  • 1:12:00 – The assisted sale that made £30k (and the Celtic legend connection)
  • 1:20:00 – Social media, TikTok investors & getting slaughtered offshore
  • 1:27:00 – The Hamilton Starbucks networking event
  • 1:32:00 – Where to find Jason

Useful Links

Join our monthly property networking events across Scotland and connect with investors, landlords and industry experts. View Upcoming Events

Know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 by introducing them to Prime Property Auctions. Visit Prime Property Auctions

Listen to more episodes of The Scottish Property Podcast and explore conversations with investors, landlords and industry experts across Scotland. Browse Episodes

Drop your questions in the comments

From New Mum to 27 Properties in One Year with Emma Thomson

Episode Overview

In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven are joined by Emma Thomson, a property investor who went from zero to building a 27-property portfolio within her first year — all while navigating maternity leave, redundancy, and a complete career pivot.

Emma shares how she transitioned from a high-paying tech sales career into full-time property investing, using a mix of education, calculated risk-taking, and investor funding to scale بسرعة. The episode dives into mindset, resilience, and the realities behind rapid portfolio growth — including the pressure, cash flow challenges, and personal sacrifices along the way.

This is a powerful, honest conversation about building a property business quickly — and what it really takes behind the scenes.

Episode Highlights

  • Why Emma knew early on that a traditional 9–5 career was not for her
  • How growing up in a hardworking household shaped her mindset
  • Running a deli franchise at just 20 years old
  • Moving into tech sales and building strong sales, communication and leadership skills
  • Why motherhood became the turning point that pushed Emma towards property
  • How she used the Scottish Property Podcast as her main source of property education
  • Why listening to real investor stories helped her gain clarity before taking action
  • How Emma scaled to 27 properties in less than a year
  • Moving from single lets into portfolio deals and larger acquisitions
  • Why taking action quickly helped her build confidence with each deal

Useful Links

Join our monthly property networking events across Scotland and connect with investors, landlords and industry experts. View Upcoming Events

Know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 by introducing them to Prime Property Auctions. Visit Prime Property Auctions

Listen to more episodes of The Scottish Property Podcast and explore conversations with investors, landlords and industry experts across Scotland. Browse Episodes

What helped you take action in property — education, mindset or a major life change? Share your thoughts in the comments.

15 Years in Property — Lessons From Starting at 19 with Jordan Robb

Episode Overview

In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick is joined by Jordan Rob, a long-term property investor who built his portfolio from the age of 19 and has spent over 15 years growing, refining, and diversifying his investments.

Jordan shares how he started with a small pot of capital and scaled into a substantial buy-to-let portfolio, while also exploring flips, HMOs, and alternative investments. The conversation dives into risk management, long-term thinking, and how his strategy has evolved from aggressive growth to capital preservation and diversification.

This episode is a powerful insight into building wealth through property over the long term — without hype, but through consistency, smart decision-making, and adapting as life and markets change.

Episode Highlights

  • How Jordan Robb started investing in property at just 19 years old
  • Why he had to be creative with limited capital and borrowing power
  • How joint mortgages and lower-value properties helped him get started
  • Why buy-to-let became the core strategy behind his portfolio
  • The importance of buying below market value and generating cash flow
  • Why sticking to your strategy matters when outside opinions create doubt
  • How short-term thinking can lead to decisions investors later regret
  • Why Jordan shifted from chasing volume to focusing on quality assets
  • How his strategy evolved towards capital preservation and diversification
  • Why long-term property investing requires consistency, discipline and adaptability

Useful Links

Join our monthly property networking events across Scotland and connect with investors, landlords and industry experts. View Upcoming Events

Know someone selling a property? You could earn £1,500 by introducing them to Prime Property Auctions. Visit Prime Property Auctions

Listen to more episodes of The Scottish Property Podcast and explore conversations with investors, landlords and industry experts across Scotland. Browse Episodes

Are you building for portfolio size or long-term asset quality? Share your thoughts in the comments.