Get business tips from a property guru and find out if buying or renting could become your new career
The chance to learn some top tips for success from a millionaire businessman doesn’t come along very often but in London this month there are two opportunities to do just that – and all for the price of only £1.
Property guru Samuel Leeds is bringing one of his popular crash courses to the capital in an event designed to teach people how to profit from the property industry.
According to Samuel, who made his first £1m at the age of 25, it’s possible to become financially free by using his tried and tested methods.
His focus in London will be on the rent-to-rent strategy. The basic concept involves renting accommodation from a landlord and letting it at a higher rate, often on a short-term basis to house tenants ranging from temporary workers to holidaymakers.
Learn more about property industry
Whether or not you’re familiar with the property market doesn’t matter as the day-long events are aimed at anyone keen to learn more about what the industry might have to offer. Better still, says Samuel, you don’t even need money to invest at the start.
That was certainly the case for one couple who attended a crash course after running up loan and credit card debts and struggling to manage their day to day budget. In fact, not so long ago, Lyam Hitchens and Lauren Jago couldn’t even get finance to buy a microwave because their credit ratings were so poor.
At the time Lauren was working so many hours as a waitress that she rarely saw her children or partner and Liam was earning only small sums by running a business on eBay.
Training programme
The couple knew that things had to change and, because Lyam has long been intrigued by property dealing, they agreed to find out more.
After attending a £1 course, they tried to learn the ropes from YouTube videos but soon realised they had to bite the bullet and find a way to pay for structured training. They managed to get a loan for tuition fees, then took the plunge and enrolled for a 12-month course at the Samuel Leeds Property Investors Academy.
Lyam and Lauren say their decision was based on wanting to provide money and security for their family and that goal spurred them on even when they hit difficult obstacles or faced rejections in the first few months after training.
Support and mentoring
They make no bones that they had a rocky start following their initial plan to sell deals to investors but, because the academy offers ongoing support and mentoring, they were advised to change tack and switched to a rent-to-rent strategy instead.
That approach, they say, paid off a few months later when they managed to negotiate an agreement on a large property in Plymouth. The agent involved was familiar with the rent-to-rent concept and liked the idea.
The couple say the deal was only possible because they didn’t have to invest their own money. Since then, they’ve found other ways to finance their business including a joint venture with a fellow academy member.
Holiday lets
They also manage and rent accommodation to holidaymakers in Devon and Cornwall and aim to take longer-term lets in winter. They say that joining the academy marked a turning point and changed their lives for the better.
Lyam and Lauren describe their situation now as surreal compared to their struggles of only a year or so ago.
Lauren, who was initially sceptical about the whole plan, says: “When I saw the money coming in from that first property, I thought is it real? At the same time, I thought OK we can do it.
Serviced accommodation
“But then when we got the keys for Truro for the serviced accommodation flats and saw the income it was going to bring in, I realised this is real now and everything’s going to change.”
But despite their improved income, the couple have generally avoided splashing out on luxuries, preferring instead to stick to Samuel’s motto of: “It’s not about what you spend, it’s about what you make.”
Book tickets online for £1
To find out if the Samuel Leeds approach to property dealing might appeal to you, you can book places on a crash course in South Kensington. The events take place on Friday and Saturday, November 17 and 18 at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel, 4-18 Harrington Gardens, SW7 4LH.
Tickets cost £1 (although late cancellation/no show fees apply) and can be booked online
This article is paid for, sponsored content and does not reflect the views of Sussex World and National World. People should always seek independent advice in matters of finance and investments.