HMO Article 4 areas often get a bad reputation among investors — but the truth is, they’re not designed to ban HMOs altogether. Most councils use Article 4 Directions to manage saturation, not prevent development. In this post, we break down what Article 4 actually means, why it exists, and how smart investors can still succeed in these areas with the right strategy.

The most successful property investors don’t just know how to spot a deal — they know how to run their portfolio like a business. In this post, we’re revealing 8 common (and avoidable) drains on your property profits — and what to do about them. Because growing your portfolio is great — but keeping more of what you earn? That’s where the real success lies.

Over the last 7+ years, I’ve worked on HMO projects across the UK—and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: most of the biggest issues start long before a pen is picked up, a sledgehammer swings, or a planning application is submitted. In this article, I share why early architectural input is critical—and introduce HMO Gold, a free 6-day email series designed to help investors avoid costly pitfalls and buy smarter from day one.

Building a property portfolio doesn’t have to mean waiting for savings to build up, salary increases or bonuses. With some strategic thinking, you can use what you already have—your home—to raise capital. In this post, we share five creative ways to leverage your own home to start or grow your portfolio! Ready to get started? Read on to discover how.

In today’s competitive rental market, the quality of design can make all the difference in maximising property profitability and tenant satisfaction. In this post, we explore how investing in high-quality design for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) attracts quality tenants, allows for premium rents, and reduces void periods. Discover how thoughtful design can lead to more profit, happier tenants, and less hassle in managing your property portfolio.

Discover the story behind Emma's first development project and take a peek inside! Purchased in 2018, this property was transformed into a high-quality Scandinavian-style, 5-bedroom co-living house share for professionals in Caversham, Reading. This is just one of the projects we’ll be sharing in a series showcasing some of our own developments projects over the years.

How did a residential architect end up specialising in HMOs? What started as a passion for creating functional, beautiful homes evolved into a thriving niche — helping design-led property investors maximise their projects through smart, space-efficient layouts. This blog shares the unexpected journey from architect to investor, and how one personal project kickstarted a whole new direction for Portfolio Architects.

It’s such a great feeling when you successfully source a deal that stacks and your offer gets accepted. But then what? Instead of individually answering all of the questions we get, we decided to create an ultimate step by step HMO conversion roadmap to clarify the whole process for you from start to finish. Free instant download