In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Kyle Black returns one year after his last appearance to share what has been a transformational 12 months for his property business, BLK. Kyle breaks down how he scaled rapidly, built an integrated “one-stop shop” model for investors, and why accountability, transparency, and long-term relationships sit at the core of everything he does.

This episode is a deep dive into real portfolio growth, business structure, and what it actually takes to scale sustainably in today’s market.

🚀 Rapid Portfolio Growth in Just 12 Months

-Kyle reveals that he and his business partner, Mark, acquired 21 properties in a single year, taking their total portfolio to 29 units.

-Major acquisitions include a £2.2 million HMO portfolio in Glasgow’s West End and a block of nine flats in Helensburgh.

-Kyle explains the operational challenges that come with scaling at speed and why systems become non-negotiable.

🏢 Building BLK as a One-Stop Shop for Investors

-BLK has evolved from a sourcing business into a fully integrated group offering property sourcing, lettings, and a traditional estate agency.

-The aim is to support investors end-to-end — from acquisition to management to refinance.

-Kyle also shares plans to eventually add a mortgage brokerage to complete the full investor journey.

🔁 Focusing on Long-Term Investor Relationships

-Rather than selling one-off deals, BLK works with investors looking to scale large portfolios.

-Kyle explains how sourcing, letting, and refinancing under one brand creates alignment and long-term trust.

-This approach allows BLK to grow alongside its clients.

📋 Accountability Through Lettings

-Launching a letting agency was a deliberate move to increase accountability.

-By managing the properties he sources, Kyle ensures that rental figures and valuations quoted upfront are realistic and achievable.

-This removes the temptation to oversell deals just to win business.

🤝 Clear Roles Within the Business Partnership

-Kyle positions himself as the face of the brand and lead generator, focusing on relationships and growth.

-His partner, Mark — an accountant by trade — handles the financial modelling, numbers, and operational detail.

-The clarity of roles has been key to scaling efficiently.

🏠 Innovative Staging Partnership

-Kyle recently partnered with Ellie Black to offer a flexible staging solution for developers.

-Staging and estate agency fees can be deferred until the property sells, easing cash flow during refurbishments.

-The goal is to maximise sale prices without increasing upfront pressure.

🤖 AI, Technology & the Future of Property

-Kyle discusses the role of AI in modern property businesses, including AI receptionists to handle high volumes of tenant calls.

-He also touches on virtual staging tools like “nano banana”, while explaining why physical staging still wins during viewings.

🔍 Radical Transparency in Property Management

-BLK’s letting agency operates with full transparency, using an online maintenance portal.

-Landlords can view videos of reported issues and see actual contractor invoices, not estimates.

-Kyle believes transparency is essential for trust at scale.

🧠 Modest Living & Reinvesting for Growth

-Despite rapid success, Kyle avoids lifestyle inflation.

-He continues to live in a one-bedroom flat, reinvesting profits back into the business.

-Luxury cars and flashy offices are avoided in favour of sustainable, long-term growth.

🎙️ Episode Highlights

🌍 From the Shetland Islands to Scaling a Business

-Gavin shares what it was like growing up in the Shetland Islands and why leaving at 18 was almost inevitable if he wanted to build a business.

-With limited local opportunities and a strong entrepreneurial drive, he moved south and began experimenting with online ventures early on.

-Those early years laid the foundations for a mindset focused on independence, problem-solving, and long-term thinking.

🏗️ Building Yatter to Sell — Not to Be the Face of It

-After years of growing a personal brand, Gavin made the strategic decision to build Yatter as a business that could be sold without him.

-He deliberately separated himself from the brand, focused on systems and processes, and avoided relying on his own profile to win work.

-Every decision — from hiring to operations — was made with exitability in mind.

👥 Hiring, Culture & Scaling to a 12-Person Team

-Yatter grew methodically from a one-man band to a 12-person agency without external investment.

-Gavin discusses why he often hired for attitude over experience and trained people internally.

-He challenges the idea that culture is “values on a wall”, explaining that real culture is behaviour, energy, and how people feel walking into the office.

🌐 The “Halo Effect” of Long-Term Marketing

-Some of Yatter’s best clients didn’t convert for months — sometimes over a year — after first seeing ads.

-Gavin describes the “halo effect”, where repeated exposure builds familiarity and trust long before a buying decision is made.

-He explains why attribution is often misleading and why not everything that works can be tracked perfectly.

🤖 AI, Personal Branding & Cutting Through the Noise

-As AI-generated content explodes, Gavin believes personal branding is becoming more important, not less.

-People are increasingly drawn to real voices, real experiences, and genuine opinions.

-He shares how he uses AI as a thinking partner, productivity tool, and decision aid — while warning against relying on it to replace authenticity.

💼 Selling Yatter — A One-Year Exit Process

-Gavin walks through the reality of selling an agency, from hiring M&A advisors to packaging the business for buyers.

-The deal took a full year and was completed one minute before midnight ahead of major tax changes.

-He reflects on the emotional toll of the process and the relief that came with finally closing the deal.

🏡 Property, Wealth & Why Business Came First

-Although Gavin successfully renovated and flipped several properties, he chose not to scale a large portfolio.

-He explains why, for him, capital and energy delivered better returns inside a business than in property.

-Property became a wealth preserver rather than a growth vehicle — a strategic decision based on skillset and time.

🧠 Life After Exit, Identity & What’s Next

-After stepping away completely, Gavin shares the unexpected challenge of redefining identity without a business to run.

-He talks openly about slowing down, spending time with family, and reintroducing sport and balance into daily life.

-The episode closes with a look ahead to his next venture — a tech-led healthcare business built around solving real-world problems.

In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven jump on the mics for a no-guest, no-filter conversation covering what they’re seeing right now in the Scottish property market.

From landlord sentiment and ADS frustrations, to interest rates, buyer behaviour, tenanted sales, and why so many people are quietly exiting the sector, this episode is a candid market update based on real conversations with investors, agents, and landlords across Scotland.

It’s an honest, boots-on-the-ground discussion about what’s actually happening — not what headlines or politicians claim is happening.

🎙️ Episode Highlights:

📊 What’s Really Happening in the Scottish Property Market
-Nick and Steven discuss how the market feels on the ground versus what’s reported in the media.
-While demand is still strong in certain areas, confidence among landlords has clearly shifted.
-Many investors are sitting on their hands, waiting for clarity around legislation, rates, and long-term direction.

🏘️ Why So Many Landlords Are Selling Up
-The guys unpack the growing number of landlords choosing to exit — not because property has “failed”, but because the rules keep changing.
-ADS, tax pressure, compliance fatigue, and uncertainty are pushing small landlords to cash out.
-This is especially true for older landlords who didn’t plan for constant legislative change.

💷 Interest Rates, Stress Tests & Affordability
-Discussion around how higher interest rates have changed deal analysis.
-Stress testing is now non-negotiable — thin-margin deals no longer stack up.
-Nick and Steven explain why yield matters more than ever, and why “hoping rates fall” isn’t a strategy.

⚠️ The Ongoing ADS Problem
-ADS continues to distort the market, especially for portfolio landlords.
-The hosts explain how ADS discourages purchases of tenanted and empty homes — exactly the opposite of what’s needed to improve supply.
-They highlight how simple policy tweaks could unlock thousands of properties without costing the government much at all.

🏠 Selling Tenanted Properties: The Reality
-Nick and Steven talk openly about the challenges landlords face when selling with tenants in situ.
-Poor presentation, lack of documentation, and unrealistic pricing are common mistakes.
-They also explain why specialist agents and realistic expectations are crucial in this part of the market.

🧠 Why Education and Adaptability Matter More Than Ever
-Those still doing well in the market are the ones adapting — not complaining.
-The hosts stress the importance of understanding different strategies, cashflow models, and exit options.
-Standing still in today’s market is effectively moving backwards.

🗣️ Online Noise vs Real Life
-Nick and Steven touch on how social media outrage and comment sections don’t reflect reality.
-Most successful investors are quietly getting on with it, adjusting their models, and making rational decisions.
-The loudest voices online are often the least active in the market.

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