Member Spotlight - Jodie & Tom

Q. Roughly When Did You Join PWS?

I joined PWS in January 2023

Q. Why Did You Want To Start Investing In Property?

Since childhood I’ve wanted to be in property in some way, but after university I worked my way up the corporate ladder and found myself in a high paid job that was ‘too difficult’ to leave. Then as cliché as it is, I read Robert Kiyosaki’s book ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ and a week later I quit my job and went into property full time – promising my husband that I would replace my salary within 2 years.

Q. What Do You Do For A Living? If That Has Changed Since Investing In Property How Has It Changed?

Now, working in property full time, my life has completely changed. I’ve started to build a portfolio of residential properties and I’ve just completed a commercial property project – taking a commercial shop on the ground floor, and converting the top two floors into a 6 bed ensuite HMO. I love what I do, now having complete control of my time, being able to work from wherever I want, and building long term wealth for my family. It has changed my life for ever and for the better.

Q. Biggest Learning To Date?

If you align your behaviours to your goals, you can achieve anything. If you take action after action, things happen, you just have to keep moving in the right direction. Even if it’s just small steps they compound into huge results. And if you don’t know how to do something – find someone who does, and copy them!

Q. What Do You Find Challenging About Your Personal Property Investment Journey?

It can be lonely. Having led a team of 20 people in my previous job, I was used to being surrounded by a team. And although you work with different teams and people in property, you are doing it for yourself (which is also the most rewarding part of it), so it can feel a bit lonely sometimes - but then that is the added bonus of being part of the PWS network, as there is always someone you can turn to, and get support from when you need it.

Q. How Has The Education And Network You Have Gained From PWS Helped You So Far?

Without the PWS network and the brilliant mentors, I would not be where I am now. After reading Robert Kiyosaki’s book, the first piece of advice he gives is ‘educate yourself’ and so that is what I did. The same week I finished my old job, I was on the three day intensive – and I have leaned on the mentors and learnt everything from the PWS training program. I’ve been on pretty much every ImpleMENTOR going (some of them twice), and continue to learn and absorb everything from those already succeeding in the industry.

Q. Tell Us About A Deal That You've Been Really Proud Of

To date I'm most proud of our latest project. As the aim was to replace my salary as quickly as possible, after gaining experience buying, refurbing, and refinancing some BTL properties, we needed larger projects which would return a greater cashflow. And so, I did the PWS Commercial ImpleMENTOR, and decided to use my 2 day mentorship with Paul Murray. After the ImpleMENTOR I knew what I was looking for, and set up several viewings of shops with unused floors above. I could then turn the unused space above the shop into residential, and create a double cashflow as well as refinance using a commercial valuation and increase the appreciation, I was able to achieve.

On the 2nd day with Paul, I made several offers, and this one was accepted! The shop unit had a five year lease in place (with three remaining) with Scope (the charity shop) and the two upper floors were unused - which I intended to make into a HMO, using permitted development.

However, on application of permitted development - on the day it was supposed to be approved (three months after submission, and after jumping through many hoops and proposals), the planning officer let me know that you couldn't convert the space above to a HMO using permitted development. If the HMO had separate ASTs (which it would as I was targeting professionals rather than students), it didn't count as one household! A blurred line he called it! We pushed forward and submitted the plans for full planning permission, as all the hard work had been done, I was reassured it would get planning but had to go through another three week objection process… luckily planning permission was granted the day after we completed.

Originally we were going to bridge the deal, but again we were asked to jump through so many hoops and restrictions, that we decided it was easier to raise the money from angels. My husband did an unbelievable job and we raised £180,000 in four weeks. And used the refinance of two of our BTLs to make up the rest!

Since then, we’ve worked with an amazing team to convert into a six bed en-suite, jumped through many other hoops and problems, and we’re extremely proud of the results! It is now being promoted to tenants and will be fully occupied by October and we are currently going through the refinance process. This project will after all costs cash flow just over £2k a month, this is a true BRRRR with us recycling all our cash back out with a cheeky £60k on top!

Q. What's Next?

Next is assisted living. I’m currently reaching out to partners and developing a brief to source properties that fit the needs of vulnerable adults. Down the road, I want this to branch out into nurseries and care homes, and combine this with my other business launch in 2026. I’m fortunate to live very close to an incredible investment area, so I will continue to source properties for those looking to build their BTL portfolio, as well as continue to grow my own.

Follow Jodie on Insta @maskill_investments