What’s your style at home?
I’m a bit of a traditionalist; I like old furniture and antique rugs, big comfy sofas, arm chairs, throws and cushions. One of my favourite possessions is a 19th century mirror I was given, the glass is tarnished and pitted but beautiful at the same time.

Are you a hoarder or a minimalist?
Definitely a hoarder! I couldn’t live in a minimalist house, where would I put all my tat?

What can’t you live without at home?
A bath, I hate showers. 

Do you have green fingers?
I didn’t used to be but now I am a keen windowsill gardener – I have cyclamen, daffs, and hyacinths on my ledge. I think I need some advice from Charlie Dimmock though as I can’t seem to keep orchids alive for more than a month! 

Would you ever build a home from scratch?
Absolutely, sometimes it is simpler and more cost effective to knock a house down and start from scratch. If I bought a sixties bungalow on a great plot of land I would get the wrecking ball out and build something more to my liking.

If you could live anywhere in Britain regardless of work commitments, where would it be?
At the moment where I live now, Edinburgh, is perfect. It is fantastically beautiful with everything you could want from a city, yet is small enough to walk around and easy to get out of when you want to head to the country.

Are there any UK property hotspots that you think are good places to invest?
That is a very hard one to call, hotspots change quickly, factors like employment, education, crime figures all play a part. I think a good way to tell if somewhere is a good place to live and invest in, is to see what the residents think. Edinburgh was voted best place to live in the UK 2007, I am biased, but I think it is deserving of the top spot. 

Would you buy abroad?
At present I don’t have any desire to buy abroad, I love travelling and I don’t want to be tied down to any one particular country when there is a whole world to explore. But who knows, when I’m old and arthritic I quite fancy the idea of spending my twilight years in Rome.

What did working in an estate agent teach you?
Diplomacy.

Why do you think estate agents have a bad reputation?
I think one of the main reasons for this is that people forget an estate agent works for the vendor not the purchaser, and in many cases it is the behaviour of the seller not the agent that is to blame. 
A perfect example is gazumping. If a vendor has accepted an offer and then the agent receives an offer from another party prior to exchange of contract, the agent is legally obliged to pass the offer on to the vendor.  If the vendor then chooses to reengage on the first offer the estate agent will usually get the blame…although it is the vendor’s responsibility. 

What factors do you think are most important to research when choosing a home? In terms of area and building?
In terms of research into choosing an area, you have to sit down and really decide what matters to you, what you need in the surrounding area to make your life feasible and easier. Make a list from 1-10 of the services you most need, i.e. good local schools, access to shops or transport links, proximity to family members or just distance to the golf club. Then the legwork, the best way to research an area is to walk or drive around, preferably at different times of the day, so you get a proper feel for the area and hopefully you won’t get any nasty surprises come rush hour. The same goes for properties - make a list.  Do you want to do work, and if so how much? Are you happy to knock down walls or is a cosmetic paint jobs more your thing? Do you like open plan, modern loft-style living or a country cottage? These are all very personal choices and everyone is after different things but if you know beforehand what you want it will make the process of choosing quicker and easier. 

What advice would you give to property hunters?
You can change a house, extend it, redecorate, change the layout and look of the place, and in many cases you can knock it down and start again.  But you can’t change the surroundings so make sure it’s the right spot for you – the old adage location, location, location is fundamental when buying property.

What would you say are fail-safe ways to increase the value of your house?
One fail-safe way is to maximise the space in your home - more space usually translates into more cash.  Extend upwards into your loft, create an impressive master bedroom suite, or just add two more kid’s rooms and these cannot fail to add value. Or you could even extend downwards – basement conversions can be more costly than loft conversions but it could pay off if you can create a family kitchen/dining room with wow factor. It also pays to keep a mind on re-sale when decorating your home, if you want to maximise the value. Corner baths and psychedelic 70s carpets might be your thing, but they could put off potential purchasers and affect the sale price.