About
My journey started with me making a simple but life-changing decision to rent out the flat I was living in, in order to move into a larger property. I quickly saw the benefits of using the rental income to help me to afford somewhere bigger and better, and soon repeated the process – moving yet again and renting out my previous home. I continued to do this, and my passion for property and for the property market soon became an addiction. I think it must be in my blood, as although no-one else in my family is interested in property investment; there are elements of corner shop syndrome in my desire to continually improve my property portfolio.
In 2005, I decided to look abroad for better yields, and my search lead me to New York, USA, where I soon built up a portfolio of properties, before turning my attention to the UK market again, using BMV strategies to develop a portfolio over here as well.
I have always believed in quality rather than quantity, and my focus has always been maximising cash flow rather than the number of properties I own. Too many people get hung up on “how many” properties instead “how much” cash flow it generates. My realistic approach has paid off, giving me the financial freedom and lifestyle that I always dreamed of. Thanks to these key decisions, I now live and enjoy my £1million plus five-bedroom home in a beautiful village, with a lovely swimming pool which is almost debt free!
I have a modest £16.3 million portfolio across the UK and USA, achieved without releasing equity from any of my properties. I tell you this not to impress you but impress upon you that you don’t have to chase a deal a week to achieve financial freedom. Concentrate on quality and the rest will take care of itself! My portfolio is not extensive, but due to my pragmatic approach to investment and cash flow, and my ability to spot a “Golden egg” I have not only lived to tell the tale, but find myself in a position where I can take a vacation to the other side of the world, as often as I want, and work when I want to, not because I have to.
In 2005, my Property Manager introduced me to lease options whilst I was in the USA, and I have been building up my “Options” portfolio ever since in the USA.
Lease options empowered me to solve people’s property problems by providing creative and flexible solutions to give the seller the outcome they desired. Once I started to do that, it opened many doors and I got what I wanted by default – a cash rich investment portfolio which was developed ethically creating win-win scenarios.
In 2007, when Rick Otton first came in the UK, I decided to join his mentorship programme and have been developing my lease options portfolio ever since in the UK. During the credit crunch, lending became more and more difficult, and this is when I really began to see the value of this approach, which does away with the need for mortgages in my own name. This became my main strategy and ensured my survival during the credit crunch, along with the Tenant Buyer strategy which gave me increased cash flow, reliable tenants and clear exit strategy. This is the only strategy that I am aware of minimises your exposure to risk and economical conditions.
For me it is a no brainer. I invest in people with property problems and find them a win-win solution. I realised that every situation is different and you just need to find out about the individual and their needs to create a happy medium!