A business management student purchased his first property at the age of 21 and subsequently became a landlord... all before graduating university.
Harry Chew, now 22, snapped up a two-bed terraced home in Nottingham last year after saving since he was just 15.
The student put down a £21,000 deposit for the buy-to-let home costing £82,500, and he will have the mortgage for over 21 years.
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Harry now plans to expand his property portfolio after setting up his own company, ‘Harry Buys Houses’, in the hopes of becoming financially independent by the age of 30.
Harry said: “It is possible to buy property at a young age if you are prepared to put in the hard work, sacrifices and effort.
“I bought clothes and have been out and had experiences with friends, but I knew I needed to save hard for something bigger.
And when it came to saving up for the deposit, Harry said he wasn’t given a lump sum towards it – instead, he would save the pocket money his gran gave him and put away his earnings.
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He continues: ‘My gran had a little savings account for me but I decided not to waste it on things I wanted immediately. Instead I saved it towards my house deposit and she is very proud I have done something serious with it.
"Since being old enough to get part-time jobs, I have always worked. In the summer I took on four jobs.
"I had morning shifts at a warehouse, I worked at a racecourse in the evenings and on weekends I had shifts at a sports hall – and worked in a restaurant.”
Clearly an expert in his own right, Harry continued: “The house is in the right location. I know the area well and it has a strong rental demand.
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“It is local to the M1, close to local amenities and I purchased this house because it is in a strategic location.”
The savvy student landlord got to work right away by refreshing the interior and had it ready to rent out in just eight weeks.
While the 22-year-old plans to buy more properties in the future, he’s currently revising for his exams and hopes to travel straight after university.
He said: “My plans for the business are to build partners and expand as I’d like to go travelling straight after university.
“The rental value is five times the monthly mortgage – so I know it’s a good investment and the house will be making me money while I am travelling.
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“My dream is to be able to be in control of my own future and finances, when and how I work. I have a lot of ambition to reach financial independence – the sooner the better.
“In my future I want to be able to travel when I like, enjoy life’s pleasures and work on projects I love instead of working for a pay check.”
For anyone feeling inspired by Harry’s story, the 22-year-old suggests working and saving hard.
He advised: “You will need to be strict and know how much you need to save, go and see a mortgage broker and set your goals.
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“I’d recommend telling people your plans too, that encouragement will help you stay on track.
“The end goal is worth the sacrifices.”
Abbi Murray