Andy Babbayan is an ex-Royal Engineers Officer who has established a full-time career as a property investor-landlord. During his time in the Forces he served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Oman and Kuwait and his key specialisation was bomb disposal and counter-terrorist searches.

He is the founder of Target Five Property Consultants, a company that Andy recently formed when he moved back to the UK from the UAE, where he had also worked as an advisor to the UAE Armed Forces.

His company specialises in finding secure long term property investments for its clients, many of whom are from the wider Armed Forces community and who want his help to build sensible, balanced portfolios. Target Five are members of the Property Ombudsman.

I ask Andy how has his army training and career experiences helped with his approach towards investing in property.

"There are many skills that I have picked up along the way that I have used in property," he replies. "I have a comprehensive understanding of risk, through my Masters degree, commercial experience and through working as a military bomb disposal officer and counter terrorist search advisor. I have learned to lead and to influence, to negotiate and to read emotions, but the key things that I have learned that will help me the most in the longer term are more in terms of having a code of conduct.

"For me, as property is a largely unregulated industry, this is of paramount importance. At Sandhurst I was first exposed to the Army Values and Standards, the six core values of courage, discipline, respect (for others), integrity, loyalty and selfless commitment. It was not until I was exposed to the 'real' field Army that I truly appreciated the importance of each of those values.