SMART PROFITS

Looking for a successful and hassle-free investment? Meet The silent property investor

West London resident Neil, who moved to the UK from Canada over 20 years ago, became a client of property agency Smarter Rent two years ago. “I’d been thinking about dipping my toe in the UK property market for some time but I didn’t know enough about it. I make very high-risk, seed-stage investments in tech companies, so I wanted something to balance my portfolio. Like all investments, property values fluctuate, but the risk is lower compared to stocks or early-stage companies, so I thought it was worth a shot,” he says.

“Smarter Rent know their stu and they know the value of quality. They are not landlords; they are entrepreneurs with a business mind and I think that’s the main di erence and that’s what impressed me.”

Following an introductory meeting, Smarter Rent found Neil’s first investment property, a one-bed house in the leafy village of Lightwater, Surrey. From purchasing the property to refurbishing it, the process was so hands-o for Neil that the first time he saw it was when it was fullyfurnished and ready for its first guests.

Since then, with Smarter Rent’s property management team taking care of everything, it has achieved an excellent 97% occupancy and an 11% gross yield. It has been such a success, Neil is now buying his second investment property with Smarter Rent - which is currently being refurbished by their design team.

“Smarter Rent understand the market dynamics of each area. What they do needs a particular kind of focus and attention, which I don’t think potential competitors will understand even if they try to emulate Smarter Rent. The other reason, of course, is that the ROI makes sense.”