Research is an investor's best friend Investing is risky business, but is there a way can you avoid making costly mistakes?  Every successful investor knows that doing your due diligence should be non-negotiable.  But there are some investors that think they can get away with doing little to no research, and they may get lucky a couple of times, but that luck will run out.  The reality is if you don’t do your due diligence you’re setting yourself up for failure.  So today on The Property Podcast we’re joined by a due diligence expert – Mary Osmond who will have your research game levelled up in no time.  Now you might remember Mary from a previous episode where we discussed all things HMO, but if not, you can find that episode here.  In the news  Now we won’t be popular for bringing this news story to your attention...  But base rate has now hit 1% as the Bank of England warns of UK recession this year as it lifts interest rates.  A recession could have huge implications for investors so make sure you tune in to hear what the guys have got to say about it.  Hub Extra This week’s tip will make the time you spend on your phone just that little bit more productive.  You might’ve already heard about widgets, but if you’ve not started taking advantage of them take this as your sign!  Widgets are handy little shortcuts for your favourite apps, simply add a widget to your phone screen and at a glance, you’ll have all information you need.  Live by your calendar? Add a widget to your phone screen and get a breakdown of your day to day without having to push a single button.  Maybe you’re always on the go, just add a map widget and get notified how far you are from home no matter where you are.  The options are endless.  Let’s get social We’d love to hear what you think of this week’s Property Podcast over on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. You might even have a topic you’d like us to cover in the future - if so, pop us a message on social and we’ll see what we can do.  Make sure you’ve liked and subscribed to our YouTube channel where we upload new content every week!   If that wasn’t enough, you can also join our friendly property community on the Property Hub forum.  And if you’d like to find out more information about Portfolio you can do that here.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.