Meet the entrepreneur turned property investor achieving market-beating returns without lifting a finger.
a successful entrepreneur with a portfolio of high-risk investments, Neil Dickins was looking for a way to balance his risk profile. Neil turned to the world of property investment to see if this could offer the security he was after while still providing an attractive return on investment.
As the founder of a multinational deep-tech recruitment consultancy, Neil wasn’t averse to taking gambles.
Moving from Canada to the UK for University and subsequently setting up his company, Intellectual Capital Resources, 20 years ago, Neil has grown it from humble beginnings to offices across the UK, China, Munich and the US.
Living in West London while building his business and a portfolio of high-risk investments, Neil picked up his fair share of war wounds. With age and wisdom on his side, he turned to the property to see if bricks and mortar could provide the security and balance he was after.
“I make very high-risk, seed-stage investments in tech companies, and wanted an investment to balance my portfolio. Like all assets, property values fluctuate but the likely downside compared to stocks (or early-stage companies!) is lower” Neil explains.
Despite having a penchant for taking risks, Neil carried out thorough research and due diligence before reaching out to Smarter Rent.
“For me, the most critical word in seeking success is ‘niche’. I loved the niche, under-represented ‘mid-term let’ idea which Smarter Rent specialises in”.
These ‘mid-term lets’ Neil refers to are people looking for 1-12-month rentals, typically because they are between transactions, refurbishing their own home or working in a new area.
This niche offers investors up to double the rental income compared to long lets while attracting reliable and respectful tenants.
And that’s not the only USP Smarter Rent offers. They’re also leading the charge and putting renters first and reaping the rewards for homeowners by doing so.
“Most landlords will give their property a lick of paint and replace the carpets” Smarter Rent Co-founder, Alex Sullivan, explains.
“We go beyond that. We assess every house to determine who would pay to stay there. We then spec it accordingly and kit it out with over 120 items from beds to bottle openers. Providing quality accommodation means renters get home from day one while our homeowners take home 30% more money each month.”
Even better, unlike traditional agents, Smarter Rent takes care of everything. From sourcing and refurbishing the perfect property, to marketing and providing a 24-7-365 concierge service. Homeowners can enjoy the upside of a rental property with none of the hassle.
Pennie Withers
Confident that Smarter Rent was the answer Neil was looking for, the team set about sourcing his first investment property.
“We use decades of data and experience to find the perfect investment”. Adrian Sutherland, fellow Smarter Rent Co-founder comments.
“Most investors buy around the corner. We appreciate they want something that feels familiar, but we take the emotion out of the decision and look at the potential of a property’s value to increase over time and bring in a fabulous annual return in the meantime.”
The Smarter Rent team settled on a one-bed house in the leafy village of Lightwater, Surrey. With excellent commuter links to surrounding towns and London, and close to local shops and amenities, the Smarter Rent team believed that with a bit of upfront investment from Neil, it could provide the ideal base for somebody temporarily locating for work.
The team set about getting the property rent-ready. Work ranged from pointing and making good brickwork, to plumbing, furnishings, and wifi.
The process was so hands-off for Neil, the first time he saw his new investment was when it was fully furnished and ready for its first guests.
And the outcome? Neil’s property was rented to a tenant on a 6-month contract before it was even listed.
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 (alongside capital growth), all without Neil lifting a finger. It has been such a success, Neil is now buying his second investment property with Smarter Rent.
“The great thing about the space that Smarter Rent has carved out for itself is that it 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.”
Smarter Rent is a property specialist operating in Surrey, Berkshire and South West London.
They source, refurbish and fully manage homes, getting their clients on average 30% more cash in their pockets. Are you interested in property investment?
Let’s talk
- adrian@smarterrent.co
- 0207 5509396 www.smarterrent.co
Neil Dickins, A Smarter Rent investor
Adrian and Alex, Smarter Rent Co-founders
