Is property investing really as easy as social media makes it look? Or is there much more happening behind the scenes?In this episode of The Healthy House Podcast, Aaron is joined by Barry Marshall from Gold Star Property Group to explore the realities of property investment, property development and building a successful portfolio.Barry shares his journey from running Domino's Pizza stores to purchasing his first property at auction, eventually moving into buy-to-let investments and HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation).Together, they discuss what it really takes to succeed in property, from managing renovation projects and understanding refurbishment costs to dealing with rising mortgage rates, unexpected maintenance and the challenges of being a landlord.Barry also shares why effective project management, building relationships with reliable tradespeople and investing in the right education can save investors thousands of pounds.The conversation explores the realities that rarely make it onto social media, including financial risks, costly mistakes, damp issues and the importance of having the right people around you.Whether you're an experienced property investor, a first-time landlord or someone considering getting into property development, this episode offers practical advice, honest experiences and valuable lessons from someone who's been through it.🎙️ The Healthy House Podcast, brought to you by Weatherwise.Produced by Crawford & Beattie.

What makes a house truly feel like home?

In this episode of The Healthy House Podcast, we’re joined by award-winning interior designer Katie to explore how the spaces we live in influence how we feel, and why good interior design goes far beyond appearances.

Katie shares her journey from studying linguistics and working as a teacher to building her own interior design business. She talks about following her passion, growing through blogging and learning the business skills needed to turn creativity into a career.

We explore why understanding how someone wants to feel at home is central to her design process. From choosing colours to giving treasured furniture a new life, Katie explains how personal stories and memories can shape a space. She also shares the moving story of a client whose much-loved chair became an important part of his new home after losing his wife.

The conversation covers finding inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram, the overwhelm of endless choices, and why an attractive AI-generated image doesn’t always translate into a practical room.

Whether you’re renovating, refreshing a room or simply curious about the connection between your home and your wellbeing, this episode offers a thoughtful look at designing spaces around the people who live in them.

Brought to you by Weatherwise.
Produced by Crawford & Beattie.

Could a dog uncover a hidden problem on your property that the human eye can’t see?

In Episode 10 of The Healthy House, we’re joined by Kat to explore the fascinating world of detection dogs and their role in finding Japanese knotweed, supporting property surveys and protecting the natural environment.

Kat explains how she trains dogs to recognise specific scents, locate knotweed rhizomes underground and work alongside surveyors to investigate problems that aren’t visible on the surface. She shares a remarkable case in Wales where her dogs helped identify 44 confirmed locations of knotweed after visual inspections and exploratory digging had struggled to find it.

We also explore the wider possibilities of scent detection, from searching for rare waxcap fungi to detecting bedbugs, water leaks and dry rot. Along the way, Kat shares the story of her rescued Dutch shepherd, who went from being terrified in a pound to working on a conservation project.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How detection dogs are trained and how their abilities are tested.
• Why Japanese knotweed can remain a problem beneath the surface.
• The role of detection dogs in property purchases and construction projects.
• How checking soil and machinery can help prevent knotweed spreading.
• The limitations of detection dogs and why no survey should promise 100% accuracy.
• Using scent detection to help protect biodiversity.
• The potential for dogs to help locate hidden dry rot in buildings.

Kat also shares her Healthy House Checklist, covering awareness of knotweed in your area, recognising potential warning signs and seeking specialist advice before trying to tackle it yourself.

Whether you’re a homeowner, surveyor, developer or simply a dog lover, this conversation offers a fascinating look at the work these dogs do and the problems they can help uncover.

The Healthy House is brought to you by Weatherwise.
Produced and managed by Crawford & Beattie.