Husband and wife team Tobi and Toyin explain how the need to change their lives has helped them create and build a successful property business.
From a 7 year old selling snacks to her classmates, Toyin had a successful career as a Consultant in the City but, when their first child came along and the commute began to tell, she realised her work/life balance needed to change.
Keen viewers of Homes under the Hammer the pair had already moved up the property ladder and retained some property for buy-to-let; flipping others. Whilst educating herself in property, Toyin had a chance encounter with Paul Smith on a train, which led to further education and eventually also moving into Serviced Accommodation.
Tobi worked as a well-paid IT consultant in banking but was eventually convinced to leave his job too, so they could both spend more time with their children and on their growing business which, again through further training slowly moved into Commercial conversions, and eventually take on staff to enable them to make life changing deals.
Their joint property education through Touchstone has enabled them to identify and profit from commercial property that is ideal for residential conversion – whether to sell, to let or to run as serviced accommodation – they do all three.
They teach what tax breaks are available for this strategy, how to benefit from capital appreciation, how to run the numbers, what planning permission is needed, what financing you should use and how huge savings on vat are possible.
Tobi: ‘If we can do it, you can do it’ ‘You lose 100% of the shots you don’t take!’ ‘
Toyin: “Being able to give time to your family is the best gift you can ever give. This quality time is immeasurable which is why Property is the answer for us”.