What I Own: I’m a millionaire with eight properties – my home cost just £396,000

Welcome back to What I Own – Metro’s property series where we speak to homeowners about getting on the ladder.

This week, we’re down in Crawley in West Sussex chatting to self-made millionaire James Soper, who moved into his £396,000 home in 2021.

Growing up in a council house, James never expected to get on the property ladder. But after he made his first investment in a buy-to-let home when he was 22, he was slowly able to grow his portfolio.

Fast forward 10 years, and he owns seven rental investments, as well as his three-bedroom home, which he shares with his wife and son.

Here’s what James had to say about their property journey…

Tell us about yourself!

I’m James Soper, originally from Croydon and now living in Crawley in West Sussex with my wife Lisa and son Aston. I grew up in council and emergency housing, which gave me the drive to set up my own company at 23 and invest in property.

I own a double-glazing company in Smallfield (close to Gatwick) and a property development company. I buy, sell, and rent out the properties I currently own.

I’m trying to build a large portfolio. My first ever BTL investment was when I was 22. Since then, I have purchased, sold, and rented out around 10 properties, and I currently own seven rental investments plus my house.

I’m currently looking at investing up north now, as I’ve always invested in Croydon, South London.

I was a self-made millionaire before the age of 30, which is something I am very proud of considering my background. I always try and encourage others to do the same. You can achieve anything.

Whereabouts is your property? What do you think of the area?

Crawley in West Sussex, and I love the area. I moved from Croydon four years ago and didn’t look back. When my wife and I looked at the property, we instantly fell in love with it.

Our home is down a private road with no other houses opposite us, and we also have a field and a park a three-minute walk away.

When did you move in?

April 2021.

How much does your property cost?

£396,000. It was a good investment as the property is currently worth around £500,000.

How much was your deposit?

£70,000.

What is the monthly cost of living here now, both mortgage and bills?

My current mortgage is £1,508 per calendar month. The water bill costs £48, gas and electric £201, private road maintenance £31.33, and council tax £210.

How did you save up for your deposit?

Through my double-glazing company and previous property investments.

What was the process of getting a mortgage like for you? Did you find any parts challenging?

Not really, as before buying my own place to live in, I had already bought and rented a few properties, so I knew the process well.

Can you share details on your mortgage (rate/term)?

Two years fixed at 4.74%.

Where did you live before this – were you renting or living with family?

I was living with my mum and brother in South Croydon.

What made you want to buy rather than rent?

I wanted a place where I could do what I wanted to it! And a place which is mine.

How did you find this property? What made you choose it?

We found it on Rightmove. We liked the location as my wife (girlfriend at the time) lived in the area, and I wanted to move out of Croydon. The price was good, and the property was in good condition.

We also liked that we had no houses opposite us. I was used to looking for properties which I could make money on, but this one was different, as this was for me.

How have you made the property feel like home? What’s the inspiration for your interior decor style?

This property was a new build with only one previous owner before us, so everything we did was for us, which was fun. We both like modern styles, so we went with whites, creams, and some greys.

Over the last few years, I’ve converted my garage, replaced my ensuite, added new flooring and extra furniture such as a TV bed and hot tap in the kitchen. I’ve also fully landscaped the garden with artificial grass and built a raised patio area with a hot tub and external TV.

What’s your favourite room and why?

Probably my garage, as it has my car in it, which I can see from the hot tub in the garden! I’ve also converted it especially. It’s fully plastered, decorated, and has aluminium bi-folding doors on the side.

Do you feel like you have enough space?

Yes, but it would be nice to have a bit more, as you can’t get enough space! I would love a double garage as I would like another supercar to put in there.

Do you have plans to change the property?

We did investigate doing a loft conversion briefly but decided against that idea as it would impact our landing too much, so currently, no.

Are there any problems with the property that you have to deal with?

No.

What do you want people to know about buying a home?

If you’re a first-time buyer, try and save for a 10% deposit as you will get better rates and this will open up borrowing to more lenders.

If you live at home with your parents, then keep doing that and save as much money as possible! There isn’t anything wrong with living with parents – if anything, it’s sensible.

If you don’t have the luxury of living with parents, I would suggest living below your means, even if this means renting a room on the cheap or living with friends and then saving for a couple of years for a deposit.

What are your plans for the future, in terms of housing? Do you plan to stay here long-term?

I would say we plan on staying here for a long time. The house is exactly how we want it, and it’s cheap to run. We could afford something larger/more expensive, but I’m only 32 and plan on investing every penny I make for the next few decades.

Shall we take a look around?

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.