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20. Going, going… gone wrong: How digital auctions could fix the UK’s broken property Market
26:34||Season 1, Ep. 20In Property News this week:Mortgage approvals hit 64,000 in June—tracking with the 12-month average—signalling stable demand.Mortgage lending surges to £5 billion, the second-highest monthly figure since October 2022.Rents up again: The average UK monthly rent climbs 0.4% to £1,313, amid fierce competition and dwindling rental stock.This week’s guest: Philip FarrellRussell is joined by Philip Farrell, CCO and Founder at Offr.io, the company behind a platform that lets estate agents run fully digital auctions directly from their own websites.With 30 years in estate agency behind him, Philip explains why the traditional house-buying process is stuck in the past—and how modern, tech-powered auctions could finally bring speed, transparency, and certainty to UK property sales.One in three deals collapse: Learn why buyers walk away—and why most of it comes down to poor visibility and paper-based delays.From cattle markets to click-to-bid: Philip busts the myths about auctions and explains how Offr.io is dragging the process out of the 1970s and into the 21st century.The future is digital: With 42% of offers now made outside business hours, estate agents who fail to modernise may find themselves left behind.Have a question or comment? Email us at HomeFront@radionewshub.com
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18. Rogue Builders & The £14 Billion Scandal: How to protect yourself from renovation ruin
30:01||Season 1, Ep. 18In Property News this week:The UK’s average house price remains flat month-on-month at £296,000, with annual growth still tracking at 2.5%.Homes that won’t sell: New data reveals one in five properties on the market has been listed for over six months—prompting calls for sellers to price more realistically.This week’s guest: Brian Berry – CEO, Federation of Master BuildersRussell is joined by Brian Berry and Iona Stewart-Richardson from the Federation of Master Builders for a sobering look at the true cost of rogue builders—and how to avoid becoming a victim:No licence, no oversight: Why anyone in the UK can call themselves a builder—without accreditation, training or regulation.Cowboy chaos: From unfinished kitchens to collapsing roofs, discover how innocent homeowners are losing life savings—and even their homes.Your builder checklist: Learn the 14-point vetting process used by the FMB, the red flags to watch for, and why a good builder will never be able to start on Monday.If you have a question or comment? Email us at HomeFront@radionewshub.com17. The Dubai Property Boom: Everything you need to know about buying in the UAE
28:04||Season 1, Ep. 17In Property News this week:• Mortgage borrowing boost? Chancellor Rachel Reeves proposes allowing lenders to offer mortgages up to six times salary—a potential 33% increase in affordability.• Valuation scandal exposed: A Panorama investigation reveals how some estate agents are accused of overvaluing properties—raising fresh concerns about industry practices. This week’s guest: Lucy Parker – Keller Williams Real Estate, DubaiRussell is joined by Dubai-based estate agent Lucy Parker for a compelling look at what’s drawing thousands of Brits to the UAE—and what it really costs to buy there:• Why millionaires are flocking to Dubai: From tax breaks to total safety, Lucy explains why over 16,000 wealthy Brits are heading east.• Off-plan gold rush: How buyers are doubling their equity within months—and why Dubai’s housing shortage is fuelling the rise.• Golden visas & AI in schools: With 10-year residencies, world-leading education, and chilled pools in 50-degree heat, Dubai is reimagining modern living. If you have a question or comment? Email us at HomeFront@radionewshub.com16. The Secret to Selling Smarter: How One Agent Is Changing the Property Game
31:37||Season 1, Ep. 16In Property News this week:US House price crash? One in six American homeowners are now selling at a loss—up from just 4.4% a year ago. Could this be a warning for the UK market?Wi-Fi tops wish iist: Reliable internet is now officially the number one must-have feature when buying a home—beating driveways and walk-in wardrobes.Homes England completions rise 12%: Government-backed schemes saw nearly 37,000 new homes completed in the last 12 months, with 79% of new starts classed as affordable.This week’s guest: Steve Wayne – Founder, Benjamin Stevens Estate AgentsRussell is joined by Northwest London estate agent Steve Wayne for a wide-ranging and eye-opening conversation about how the UK housing market really works—from micro-markets to marketing tricks:How local schools drive prices up: Steve reveals how one high-performing school caused a 20% jump in property values.The empty homes problem: Thousands of UK homes are sitting derelict and forgotten—Steve explains how some owners don’t even know they own them.The sole agency trap: Why Steve is campaigning for a maximum 4-week agreement.Email us at HomeFront@radionewshub.com15. Pets, Politics & Property: The Renters’ Rights Bill Unpacked
28:11||Season 1, Ep. 15In Property News this week:Mortgage Approvals Rebound: After four straight months of decline, May saw a 3.9% jump in mortgage approvals—good news for estate agents, and possibly a sign of renewed market confidence.Move-In Times Hit 205 Days: According to new figures, it now takes over 200 days on average to move house.Cornwall Tax Crackdown Backfires: A doubling of council tax on second homes is forcing homeowners to slash prices by up to £100,000, as demand plummets in picturesque hotspots.This week's guest: Ben Beadle – CEO, National Residential Landlords AssociationRussell sits down with Ben Beadle to break down the biggest shake-up in landlord legislation in decades:Section 21 Is Dead: The so-called ‘no-fault eviction’ is being scrapped—replaced by mandatory reasons for repossession and a raft of new compliance rules.Pets Without Permission: Landlords will no longer be able to refuse pets without a valid reason.The Landlord Exodus: With rising costs, new energy rules, and shrinking control, are landlords are quitting the market—or not?Email HomeFront@radionewshub.com14. How to know what your home is really worth in today’s market
35:28||Season 1, Ep. 14In Property News this week:Interest-Only Mortgages Crash: Are borrowers losing interest—or are lenders pulling the plug?Non-Doms Flee: Changes to the non-domicile tax regime cost the government £401 million in lost stamp duty, according to estate agents, Knight Frank.Land Banks Unlocked: Developers finally dip into their hoarded land plots—600,000 of them worth £200 billion.This week's guest: Charlie Lamdin – Founder, Best AgentRussell challenges property expert Charlie Lamdin, who offers uncomfortable truths for both sellers and buyers:The Housing Market Doesn’t Exist: Charlie dismantles the myth of “a” housing market, revealing tens of thousands of micro-markets, often split not just by region, but by street.Overpricing Epidemic: Estate agents are often overvaluing homes to win instructions, distorting prices and clogging the market. First-Time Buyers Rule the Market: A record-breaking 54% of 2024 transactions were from first-time buyers with mortgages. Got a question about your own buying or selling journey? Email HomeFront@radionewshub.com and it could be answered on a future episode.13. Looking to buy in 2025? Here's what you need to know first
44:28||Season 1, Ep. 13In Property News This Week:• Rightmove reports an unusual 0.3% drop in asking prices for June—despite buyer demand being 3% higher than last year• New government pledge of £39 billion for affordable housing could result in up to 500,000 new homes • Over 20 years, UK house prices have soared by 74%—but market sentiment is shifting This Week’s Guest: Lucian Cook – Head of Residential Research, SavillsRussell is joined by one of the UK’s foremost property analysts to explore what’s really happening behind the headlines in today’s market.• Why a muted housing market may signal short-term price dips—but not a crash• How stricter mortgage regulations insulated homeowners from a steeper downturn• What six-times-income mortgages mean for buyers—and whether they pose a riskGot a question about your own buying or selling journey? Email HomeFront@radionewshub.com and it could be answered on a future episode.