The Property Funder Podcast

EP 109 Beyond The Gains - With Sam Hutchins

Sam Hutchins is a specialist property finance advisor at Blueberry Specialist Lending and the founder of Fitness in Finance, an online coaching platform built specifically for people working in financial services. In this episode, Sam and Michael talk candidly about why the industry’s long-hours culture is quietly burning people out, what drove a 25-year-old broker to launch a fitness coaching business while still working full time, and what a healthier, sharper finance professional actually looks like in practice. From diet, alcohol and sleep to body dysmorphia, wearables and the increasingly divisive topic of weight-loss jabs, this one covers far more ground than your average finance podcast. Honest, practical and genuinely entertaining. Guest: Sam Hutchins, Specialist Property Finance Advisor, Blueberry Specialist Lending Guest Socials: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-hutchins-260917227/ Sponsored by: Avamore Capital https://avamorecapital.com #SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #BridgingFinance #DevelopmentFinance #SpecialistLending #Bridging #Development #Business #Leadership #FitnessInFinance #MentalHealth #HealthAndWellbeing #FinanceLife #WorkplaceWellness #BrokerLife #PropertyFunding #AvamoreCapital #FitnessMotivation #SpecialistLending Chapters: 00:00:00 - Intro and Sam’s Finance Career 00:06:00 - Office Life, Covid and Career Development 00:09:39 - The Birth of Fitness in Finance 00:15:00 - Credibility Without Qualifications 00:20:00 - Training, Nutrition and the Social Media Problem 00:26:00 - Alcohol, Motivation and What Actually Sticks 00:32:39 - Client Coaching and Working With Different Abilities 00:42:49 - Weight Loss Jabs, Steroids and Body Dysmorphia 00:49:27 - Mental Health, Sleep and the Social Side of Fitness 00:56:54 - Time Management, Business Crossover and What’s Next

EP108 Every Deal Matters

Adam Butler, Director of Sales and Marketing at Avamore Capital, returns to the podcast to talk about the lender’s remarkable growth story – a 90% increase in volumes in H2 2025, driven by bespoke in-house tech, an expanded and increasingly diverse sales team, and a renewed commercial mindset. Adam unpacks Avamore’s £250 million lending target for the new financial year, explains how their new broker portal and DIP calculator are set to transform broker efficiency, and shares his take on certainty of funding, geographic expansion beyond the South-East, and why saying no the right way is sometimes the most powerful sales tool. Packed with insights on what makes deals progress well, how to compete with ‘hot lenders’, and why trust will always beat price in specialist finance. Guest: Adam Butler, Director of Sales and Marketing, Avamore Capital Guest Socials: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-butler1/ Sponsored by: Avamore Capital https://avamorecapital.com #SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #BridgingFinance #DevelopmentFinance #SpecialistLending #Bridging #Development #Business #Leadership #Fintech #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #TeamBuilding #SalesLeadership #BrokerRelationships #PropertyFunding #LendingTechnology #AvaMoreCapital #CertaintyOfFunding Chapters: 00:00:00 – Intro and Adam’s Career Milestones at Avamore 00:07:40 – Building a Diverse, Knowledgeable Sales Team 00:11:54 – Lending Appetite and Core Products 00:19:07 – Geographic Expansion Beyond the South-East 00:24:26 – Market Dynamics and the Competitor Landscape 00:29:15 – The £250 Million Target 00:33:04 – Tech That Enables, Not Replaces 00:43:39 – What Makes a Deal Progress Well 00:52:52 – Staying Focused Amid Market Noise 01:02:15 – Scaling the Team and Career Advice

EP107 Understanding The Risk

In this episode, Michael sits down with Deepak Ohri, Partner at Merali Beedle and one of the more colourful characters in specialist property law. The conversation is wide-ranging, frank, and refreshingly commercial: from why every lawyer ought to run a business before they can truly understand risk, to the creeping post-COVID decline in legal service quality, the case for and against title insurance and indemnity policies, and a candid dissection of fraud in property transactions — including a shared episode that Deepak and Michael were both involved in. They also dig into the state of the market, why now might be a generational buying opportunity for block purchases, the enduring appeal of HMOs, and why some bridge lenders were never really cut out for development in the first place. Deepak opens up about the commercial instincts he developed long before law — from market stalls to helping his wife build a restaurant business — and why that real-world grounding shapes how he handles risk and client relationships today. He and Michael unpick the hidden cost of using a cheap conveyancer, how lenders’ and borrowers’ lawyers can do more to stop transactions grinding to a halt, and the uncomfortable truth that valuations are far more subjective — and far less reliable as security — than many bridging lenders seem to appreciate. They close with Deepak’s advice to his younger self: get out there, meet different people, and think about things in a wider way. Guest: Deepak Ohri, Partner, Merali Beedle Guest Socials: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepak-o-44b2b33a/ Sponsored by: Avamore Capital https://avamorecapital.com #SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #BridgingFinance #DevelopmentFinance #SpecialistLending #PropertyLaw #Conveyancing #FraudPrevention #HMO #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #TitleInsurance #IndemnityPolicy #DevelopmentLending #ValuationRisk #BuyingOpportunity #MarketOutlook #LegalProfession #MeraliBeedle #AvaMoreCapital Chapters: 00:00:00 – Why every lawyer should run a business 00:06:43 – Theoretical lawyers and the cost of opportunistic title disputes 00:13:02 – The restaurant world, food influencers, and running a service business 00:15:41 – Post-COVID legal quality: fees up, service down 00:19:43 – Streamlining transactions and the hidden cost of cheap conveyancers 00:24:44 – Title insurance and indemnity policies: are they fit for purpose? 00:26:39 – Fraud in property transactions and how to mitigate it 00:30:34 – Market themes: equity gaps, refinancing pressure, and a tough environment 00:35:17 – Generational buying opportunity: blocks, discounts, and stamp duty strategy 00:40:52 – HMOs, assisted living, and 2026 market themes 00:46:36 – Development lenders pulling back — and the bridging oversaturation problem 00:51:47 – Valuation risk: why 65% LTGDV dev might be safer than 75% LTV bridging 00:53:43 – Advice to your younger self

EP106 Broker Growth Unleashed with Saam Lowni

Michael Dean sits down with Saam Lowni, founder and director of Maryoaks, to talk about scaling a specialist finance brokerage from a two-person operation to a growing team, the realities of doing 60 deals in 12 months, and why development finance enquiries are finally picking back up. They get into the weeds on AI’s impact on brokers and lenders, whether we’ve hit peak HMO, the case for commercial property investment, and how podcasting has become a genuine business differentiator. Saam also shares a powerful personal perspective on gratitude, identity, and making the most of the opportunities life throws your way. Guest: Saam Lowni – Founder & Director, Maryoaks Guest Socials: www.maryoaks.com | https://www.linkedin.com/in/saamlowni/ Sponsored by: Avamore Capital https://avamorecapital.com [https://avamorecapital.com] CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Introduction & Catching Up 00:06:04 – Maryoaks: 2025 in Review 00:11:18 – Adding Protection & New Revenue Streams 00:17:22 – Podcasting as a Business Differentiator 00:22:28 – AI, Tech & the Future of Broking 00:30:26 – Human vs AI Underwriting – Who Wins? 00:38:52 – Tech Platforms & Packaging Applications 00:46:22 – Commercial Property & Investment Strategy 00:53:31 – Peak HMO, Planning Reform & Development Trends 01:00:31 – Family, Gratitude & Perspective #SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #BridgingFinance #DevelopmentFinance #CommercialProperty #HMO #AI #PropTech #Brokerage #PropertyInvestment #BusinessGrowth #Podcasting #TeamBuilding #Entrepreneurship #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #CreativeFunding #Planning #NPPF

EP105 Do The Right Thing

Episode Summary: Adam Stiles, Director and co-founder of Helix Structured Finance, returns to the podcast for a third time to share his unfiltered take on the state of the market heading into 2026. From the psychology of vetting borrowers and why broker-lender relationships still trump rate sheets, to the tech revolution reshaping the industry and why brokers who don’t adapt risk being left behind — Adam covers it all. He also opens up about mental health pressures in the broker community, his decision to give up alcohol, and why commercial property is the most underserved and exciting corner of the market right now. Plus, he doesn’t hold back when asked what the industry needs to stop ignoring. Guest: Adam Stiles, Director & Co-Founder, Helix Structured Finance Guest Socials: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamstilesuk/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamstilesuk/] Sponsored by: Avamore Capital https://avamorecapital.com [https://avamorecapital.com] #SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #SpecialistLending #BridgingFinance #DevelopmentFinance #Bridging #Development #Business #MentalHealth #TechInFinance #BrokerLife #CommercialProperty #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #Entrepreneurship #HelixStructuredFinance Episode Chapters: 00:00:00 – Market Outlook & Business Update 00:06:46 – Vetting Deals & Reading Red Flags 00:12:30 – Technology & The AI Revolution 00:17:05 – Mental Health & Giving Up Alcohol 00:23:30 – BDM Relationships & The Death of the Pub Meeting 00:29:31 – The Future of Broking 00:35:55 – Relationships Over Rates 00:42:11 – New Market Entrants & Lender Consolidation 00:49:12 – Growing Teams & Young Talent 00:56:10 – Looking Ahead & Industry Home Truths