Guest Post By Stephanie Murphy…
As someone who always believed in the potential of the property market, I knew that following the traditional route of owning assets alone wasn’t the only way to succeed. With just £5,000 in savings and a £10,000 bank loan, I embarked on a journey to build a multi-million-pound property empire without actually owning any properties. Today, as a founder of SOJO STAY, the Global Property and Wealth Network (GPWN) and Murphy & Co Real Estate, I have a portfolio of over 400 properties and teach others how to do the same. I’m in a position where I can buy properties regularly out of the high cashflow businesses I’ve built.
How did I achieve this? By leveraging creative financing strategies and focusing on cash flow. Here’s a closer look at the steps I took:
- Understand your market: I spent time researching and understanding the local property markets, identifying areas with high demand, good rental yields, and growth potential. This knowledge allowed me to target the right properties and apply creative financing strategies more effectively.
- Utilize property management companies: Rather than managing properties myself, I leveraged property management companies to take care of guest management or tenant sourcing, rent collection, and maintenance. This enabled me to focus on growing my portfolio and reduced the time and effort required to manage individual properties.
- Maximize property income potential: Focus on return on investment as your driving metric.I looked for opportunities to add value to the properties I control and own by considering factors such as potential for short-term rentals, co-living arrangements, or converting spaces to generate additional income. This approach increased the return on investment, cash flow and made my business model more attractive to investors.
- Diversify your strategies: I didn’t rely on just one creative financing strategy; instead, I diversified my approach, using rental arbitrage, lease purchase options, commercial to residential conversion and other methods to suit different properties and situations. This diversification reduced my risk and increased my success rate.
- Optimize your property marketing: To attract the right tenants and secure optimal rental incomes, I invested in professional property marketing. I ensured high-quality photographs, engaging descriptions, and targeted marketing campaigns, which increased tenant interest and helped to keep my properties occupied.
- Network with local professionals: Building relationships with local professionals such as solicitors, accountants, and surveyors was crucial for my success. These professionals not only provided invaluable advice but also helped me to identify potential deals and opportunities.
- Continuous learning and adaptation: The property market is constantly evolving, and so are financing strategies. I committed to staying up-to-date with market trends and adapting my strategies as needed, which allowed me to stay ahead of the competition and capitalize on new opportunities.
Building a profitable property empire without owning assets is possible by understanding your market, utilizing property management companies, maximizing property income potential, diversifying your strategies, optimizing your property marketing, networking with local professionals, and continuously learning and adapting. My journey is proof that with the right mindset and determination, anyone can achieve success in the property industry.
