Gearing Up for 2024: With Charlotte Edwards - The Accidental Female Developer

Welcome back to the very first episode of 2024! 

In today's episode, your host Athena is joined by the remarkable Charlotte Edwards, also known as the accidental female developer. Charlotte kicks things off with discussing the benefits of building new houses compared to refurbishments, as well as sharing tips for getting started in new build development. Charlotte also expresses her preference for property development over service accommodation and shares her plans for expanding her buy-to-let portfolio. Athena and Charlotte also share their personal goals for 2024 and discuss the importance of positive energy and good vibes.

Charlotte's mission is to inspire women to join her in the property and construction industry, and celebrates the fact that she has just delivered the most profitable year since the business began 30 years ago! 

The podcast also achieves its own a historic milestone today by warmly welcoming Charlotte as our very first returning guest! 

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Transcript

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Hello everyone, good morning and happy new year. Woo, welcome back. Today I am joined by the incredible Charlotte Edwards. Hi Charlotte. Hi, Athena. Thank you for having me. Happy New Year to you. okay. Happy New Year to you. Absolutely. How exciting. 8th of January, we are back. So we have a very busy, well, very busy year ahead, 2024. We said goodbye to 2023, as it were. So really exciting. So let's start off with our celebrations. Now this one's a little bit tricky because obviously it's the beginning of January, literally. So what are you going to be celebrating for 2024? Well, actually, Athena, I'm turning 40 in 2024. So on a personal note, I'm actually turning 40. I know it's so hard to believe. I've got a heavy filter on right now. That's amazing! I swear to you, I honestly would never have said that. I just think 40 is the new 30 though, like I can't wait. I feel like the 40s, I'm just gonna enjoy what I've built up in my 30s, so I can't wait, bring it on. what are you doing to celebrate? Well, I've got a party lined up in Marbella, so I'm excited about that in February, but also I'm actually, sorry, little plug here, but I'm launching a property development mentoring and coaching course, which I'm also launching this month. So yeah, but we can touch on that later. Yeah, absolutely. And you know what, what a way to celebrate it. Turn 40, launch another course. Yeah, sounds great. Fabulous, I love that. And what am I doing to celebrate? So we're now in January, and at the beginning of January, I always said I was doing a whole rebrand of myself. You know, I've been over a year now in the... Well, I've been over five years in the property game, but as a property investor, full time, leaving my full time job a full year now. So I thought, you know what, we need a new refresh. We need a new rebrand. I love doing that. I love sort of recreating yourself because as you grow through life and you grow through the industry, you learn who you are, you learn about what you want to represent as well. And so you're constantly evolving as a person and therefore why not do a rebrand? So very excited about it. And beginning of January, round about this time, I've got a new logo coming out. I've got a new kind of vibe going out and hopefully at the end, a new course as well. So it seems to be just like the core centuries of the year 2024, but why not? Like, let's go for it. Share the knowledge, absolutely. And also do it with integrity and do it well as well. So show them how it's done and female empowerment all the way. Love it. So Charlotte, can you, I know you've been on the podcast before, but you were on the podcast many, many moons ago, right at the beginning when we launched the podcast. I think I was one of the first, actually. I think I was one of the first. I think you were. Well, Lexi was the first, but I think you were a close second. And I think if our listeners go back, they'll be able to find you right at the beginning. So if you wanna listen to Charlotte's original episode, then feel free to. However, so much has happened to you since then, like so much. And so what I thought would be amazing was to get you back on. Obviously, Sophie was the one who interviewed you originally, so I've never interviewed you. So I'm very excited to do that and kind of hear more about what you're doing and all the journey and experiences that you can share. So for those who haven't heard your podcast before or weren't at the retreat listening to you speak, can you please reintroduce yourself, let people know who you are, what your expertise is, what you've been doing and what you've got planned for 2024. Okay, so for those of you who don't know me, my name is Charlotte Edwards. I am accidental female developer on Instagram, which is kind of the main place to find me. Um, I am a active property developer. So I've got 54 house pipeline right now with new build properties that I build to rent and sell. Um, I have a company which also holds like a buy to let portfolio. So I do various strategies there. alerts, although strictly no essays. I'm sure we'll touch on that later. And I have a property education side of the company. I think it's really important to share that knowledge, especially if you're a practicing property professional who wants to share knowledge. love that. What a summary. I think that's fabulous. And obviously Pete, I've seen on your stories recently, you're currently in the process, you were literally on a building site weren't you a few days ago. So talk us through the building site and what's happening with the developments. Yeah, sure. So I am just getting ready to market a site called the Farmyard and it was literally a farm yard. So demolish the old buildings, bought that, there's three building plots on it, although we are in planning to try and gain an extra two. We're in appeal for that one because it got rejected the first time. So yeah, three kind of very luxury houses. Estimated GDV of that would be probably about 2 million, if not just over. Yeah, so I've never built anything so high end before, so this is a new one for me. There are also three story, which is a new one as well, so always learning. Yeah, but I think that's absolutely incredible. And I sometimes actually get a lot of people come to me personally and say, I'm looking to get into property. And what's fascinating is ever so often someone will say, I want to get into property, I want to start building houses. And do you know what I always say to them? I honestly say this to them. I swear to you, I say, okay, I'm not the girl for you. Go and speak to Charlotte Edwards. That's honestly what I say to them. I'd like go and speak to Charlotte, but it's incredible. it easier to build a new house than do a refurb. Like, I would rather build a new house than do a refurb. Any day. Yeah. and a half. And why would you think that is? Let's say that somebody was looking to start out, or not even to start out, let's say that they've done a couple of vitalettes and now they're looking to expand and grow. Why do you think it's better to build rather than refurb? Um, you know, I think there's less surprises, definitely less surprises. Cause once you're out of the ground, everything's very straight forward and a house goes together like a jigsaw puzzle. I think when you're doing the refurb and you're pulling back the walls, like you never really know what you're going to find and you're trying to correct something that's been built a long time ago. and is not up to modern standards and probably has damp and probably has all these issues. I just like the newness, the squareness, straight walls, and I find that I can get better trades to work for me as well with the new build. I find the trades that work with me on new build, for example, won't do refurbs. So it's just a different... Yeah, just a different kind of set of people to work with. And I just think it's easier. It is more expensive, I would say, obviously, to do a new build with the new building regulations that are in, the kind of installation that you have to do, the heat pumps and all that kind of stuff. But I think it's a lot more satisfying as well. Yeah, just shining in you. I love it. Love you. choose to live in a new house now as well. Having done refurbs and having done new builds, I would always choose to live in a new build, although actually I live in a refurb right now, but if I had the choice, I would choose new builds. New builds, of course, just like efficiency, straight walls. Yeah, definitely. Fantastic. And let's say that for people therefore who want to get started and to get into new builds, with your expertise and your experience, let's go for three. What would be the best three tips you could give to a listener who wants to start developing new builds or thinking about getting into it? Do you have a top three? Yeah, I would say first of all, don't start with developing new builds. Go like maybe get some, so you need to earn some credibility. If you're going to, especially if you're going to be looking for funding or investors, so start, it's going to be easier for you to get funding for refurbish, even though I find them more difficult to do technically. Um, it's going to be easier for you to get funding and easier for you to access a project to do a refurb. So get some of those under your belt. If you're not in a financial position to invest in property yourself, go work for a developer, go work for a house builder. go work for an estate agent, just get some experience and learn as much as you can. I started doing it before I'd actually learned about it, so I now, four years later, can kind of look back and go, okay, like these are all the things I did wrong, but had I had that chance to have that education first, then that's what I should have done. Well, obviously your circumstances were incredibly different and you were thrown into it out of necessity. Like you had to just do what you had to do. You know, for those for those who don't know the reasons, you just want to explain like how you got into it, why you got into it, just so that they kind of understand the context of, well, Charlotte did it. It's like, yeah, but Charlotte had to do it. Yeah, sure. So I was a marketing consultant and had been for the last kind of 15 years. And then 2019, my dad and my brother both passed away very suddenly with cancer, just totally random, both different kinds of cancer. And just passed away and they work together building houses. And what they've done is taken out a seven figure bank loan to buy a to buy and develop a field for 25 plots. Now some of that money or a lot of that money had been spent on cancer treatment abroad. which obviously didn't work. And so I was left with this field and this seven figure debt. And the choice was, do I, I'd never even stepped foot on a construction site before. So I had nothing, like there were no, because my dad and my brother did everything, it was all in the head. There was no paperwork, there was no computers, there was no paper trail of anything. So I literally just had to start again, starting with a conversation with the bank manager of like, I need funding to do this. And just talk, I'm so self-taught. as well, there was all the lockdowns, the restrictions, so I couldn't maybe like go out and educate myself or network with other people, so it was a strange time. Yeah, really strange. And do you know what, just I'm going to, well, I'm sort of staying on topic, but also a little bit off topic as well, which by the way, I'm probably going to do this the whole way through the podcast because there's so much I want to talk to you about. But with that, you know how like I, so something for 2024 that I've, I've done, and I've, I've already done this actually is I've written myself a letter, which I always said I was going to do. So I wrote myself a letter at the end of last 2023 just gone for me at the end of 2024. and I'm gonna open that letter to myself in a year's time. And yeah, I've written the letter, I've written it. And if you had to like go back and like give yourself when you first was in that position and starting out, like what would you have actually have said to yourself? What advice would you give? Or like knowing who you are now as a person, like what would you say to her? Um Ooh, that's a deep question, and a good question. I know, I know. the reason I'm asking this question is I think you are so inspirational I think you've done such like you've done so much and you're so amazing in terms of like a lot of people look up to you and so I think what's really important is also acknowledging how far you have come and kind of like what you would say to yourself or what advice would you give if you don't go too deep like what really great bit of advice would you have given. yourself then. I just think, you know what, to have faith in yourself, like to really back yourself, because I didn't back, like nobody else backed me, and so that meant I didn't back myself, but you really have to like block out the noise, and if you want to do something or you're going to do something. So I think again, that, that. echoes to who you surround yourself with as well. So that's when I actually got on Instagram and I was like, okay, well, let's follow some other women who were doing development and property and stuff and let me surround myself with these people. It's COVID, I can't go meet them, but I can connect with them online. So I think doing what you need to do for your own kind of mindset really. I had a year of therapy as well, and that really boosted my mindset of like, what do I actually want to achieve? What are the blocks that are in my way and how can I overcome these? And actually like the only block that was really in my way was my own mindset. That was it because I was already financially in debt. The project was in front of me, like it's the project was there to do so I hadn't got to go out and find that the actual the only block was my own thoughts. And so that was the biggest one to get over really and once and once you're over that once you're over that my god you can do anything like what should I do next. I know, I know. Do you know what really makes me laugh? As I saw on your Instagram, was when it made me chuckle the other day because it happened to me, was you put up a post that was like, what do you put your success down to? And you were like, delusion, pure delusion. Do you remember that? And so I was speaking to somebody the other day and they kind of know what I'm doing, but sometimes in your friendship circles, they know what you're doing but they don't really understand it. And I was like, And I was like, so I'm holding a retreat for 70 women and this is happening and I'm developing a course and this is happening. And then like, you're like just deluded and things. And I'm like, yeah, I know, isn't it great? Like, and the success comes from pure delusion. And it made me think of you because I thought, do you know what, if you don't back yourself, no one is gonna back you. Like you have to just believe in yourself because that's the only person you can always count on at the end of the day. So. I think some people are lucky they've got supportive partners and family members and things like that But especially like if you're a you know, single person and you're looking to achieve something then you are relying on you So you really do have to back yourself Yeah, I love it. Perfect. And then one other question that I've got for you, just because you touched on the fact of your dislike for service accommodation earlier. So as you know, I'm in the service accommodation world. So just slightly like, we will go back on topic of development. Well, my question to you is, because I enjoy service accommodation, which... Which aspect of it do you think, oh, do you know what, I would rather just build them, rent them out or sell them, flip them? Like what do you see as the real benefit of development over service accommodation or something like that? The real, what I hate about service accommodation is people. It's guests. It's guests. Honestly, if I can reduce my contact with just idiots, then that's what I'm going to do. Again, to preserve my mindset. I don't want to be dealing with people who don't know how to turn on the central heating. I don't want to be dealing with people who can't open a lockbox. Okay? I don't want to be dealing with people who've changed their mind about how many days they want to stay and they want to change things. Okay? No. I just want one monthly rental income every month, same thing, nice and steady, and I'll accept less per year for that. Like that's worth more to me to not have any hassle. Do you know what? I do hear you. I really do. Because I have to deal with, I don't know how to turn the central heating on, and I don't know how to work the lock box, and I do have to deal with that. So I do hear you loud, loud and clear, absolutely. And also... I was on holiday, Athena, last week with my friend Stephanie Baker. This is Stephanie Baker property on Instagram. And we were sat having a lovely dinner in this restaurant about nine, 10 o'clock at night. And guess what? Her phone's pinging, her service accommodation guests can't open the lock box. And so it took them an hour of her texting them to finally get to open the lock box. Then when they get inside, they don't know, they can't work out how to turn on the heating. So she spent like the two hour dinner on the, like just texting her service to accommodation guests. Meanwhile, I was sat there having a lovely dinner and enjoying my glass of wine. And that is why I don't do service to accommodation. I hear you, I definitely hear you. And do you know what, credit to Stephanie, because somebody else might have just ignored their guest or not responded. Well, I'm trying to think if they would, I'm sure there are, there are all sorts of people out there, and they just said, oh, I'll respond to them after this dinner. The fact that Stephanie took the time to actually respond to them is amazing. And to be fair, I have personally been in that position before I was having dinner in Winchester, I actually had to leave my dinner early. to go and sort an issue out at the accommodation in Bournemouth. So yes, yes. at the girls, I remember at the property retreat that I was with you at the earlier, oh last year and you were dealing with issues then. Like you were on your phone trying to get guests into accommodation. I think, you know, and I was, and I was enjoying a lovely glass of wine watching you and that is why I don't do services to accommodation. I was having to sort out a whole retreat for over 50 women whilst dealing with the catering and everything that was going on. Whilst I had a guest calling me saying I need you to sort this, I was like if this is not multitasking, I literally don't know what is. I get that service accommodation like really, like I get if you're doing rent to rent or you really need to maximize, like whatever area you invest in, maybe you need to maximize to get that deal to work. Like I know you live down South, right? And I live in the Midlands. So our strategies are gonna be slightly different and probably I'd make more money if I was in your area doing service accommodation, it might be worth it. But for where I invest, which is North Wales and West Midlands, yeah, it's still not worth it for me. That's fair enough. And you know what? You've actually just raised a really great point, which is, so a lot of people will, and I'm sure you get exactly the same, will always ask, you know, what strategy do you think would be best to do to get into property or to develop this? And it's like, well, where are you based? Because you're right. You just said, you know, you're in the Midlands and I'm in the South. Like the strategies are completely different. The returns are completely different. And so you have to almost think about your investment area and where you want to invest because it will therefore determine. I had... I had heard a smile on two podcasts ago, who's incredible blonde property, absolutely sensational girl. And she's also in the Midlands. She's Midlands as well. And she was saying to me that the way that she sees it as is that flips work really well in the South. And for example, in Midlands kind of everything works well. And in the North, you've got really high yields with HMOs and vital X and things. And so, I mean, that's not set in stone. It's just a structure of an idea, but it shows you the different strategies for the different areas. So. always good to broaden it and to think about, you know, where you're based as well. No, absolutely. And especially for me, like, I think as I've mentioned, I do like an easy life. So for me, I'm going to invest, I only invest within like a half an hour radius of where I live, and in the one I'm in the UK. So yeah, that for me, it's yeah, I'm going to choose the strategies that work in the area that I live in. Absolutely, I think you go to Spain like once a month, is it now, is it about once a month? do. Yeah, yeah. So I was really fortunate to be able to refinance a few of my new build to rent and use that money to then invest in a holiday home in Marbella in Spain back in 2021, right at the end of COVID when things were really slow in Spain as well. So I got like a really good deal. I'm so happy I did that. I accidentally made more money doing that than I've made on any property, just. Yeah, there's no strategy involved whatsoever. do I literally get women and men say to me oh I accidentally made a lot of money I accidentally did this it's like me I accidentally got into property by not being able to sell my house and then rented it out and suddenly realized the property was for me it's so fascinating how the world just almost um just brings you what you need at certain times and works in mysterious ways it's um it's fascinating but I don't think like when you're at school in university they ever teach a course on like, or encourage you to be a landlord, do they? It's just not one of those, it's not one of those jobs that anyone like, plans to go into. So. you know, have you ever thought about, or do you? I don't even know you might already do this. You ever thought about going and speaking in schools about sort of public development? I do. Well, it tends to be, um, like construction colleges and things like that, but I have been invited by a few schools actually, yeah, to go in and, to go in and speak. So yeah, I do get a, I do, I have done it a few times. Yeah. Yeah, I would love to do that. I might add that to my goal list for 2024, which is incredibly long, but I might just add it as number 55. Yeah, I mean encouraging women into kind of construction and property is something I'm really passionate about because there's not many of us. So I think we've got to bring the young ones through. Definitely. And do you know what, I'm sure it'd be so nice, like let's say that they are doing a construction college or course, and there's one girl in the class, let's just say all those boys, it'd be amazing if a woman actually walked in to teach it, as opposed to a man. I think that would just be inspirational. the last time I went into a construction college, I think there was two girls in the class. So, good on those girls, but it is a tough sell to get girls to go into construction. Mmm, it is. sell, but it can be done and it leads to what we do, which is property development and property investment. So I think you've got to sell it on that basis, not you're going to get your hands dirty or you're going to be on a wet, muddy building site in the winter. It's like, no, that leads to this. And I think that's really important. I love that. And you spoke about something earlier, which I must come back to as well, which is you said when people are starting out, sometimes they say that they want to get straight into raising finance. I get that quite a lot. So a question that I would get asked, for example, somebody would just DM me saying, how do you raise finance? Tell me how you raise finance. Which first of all, is a very interesting and long question that's very difficult to answer in an Instagram message. But at the same time, my first question is always, well, are you actually in property? Do you have property? Can you show buy-to-let? Can you show service accommodation? Can you show experience in property? And if they can't show that experience, I always say to them, well, how are you thinking to raise finance if you can't show your expertise? It's always one of those chicken and egg questions. there's too many property educators out there advertising the no money down methods and I just I won't even take on anybody that's got no money because in my humble opinion you cannot invest in property with no money. Okay somebody's got to have some there's got to be some money changing hands somewhere so I just don't yeah in my I don't think that should be I think it gives people the wrong idea. And so my response is always, well, you know, I've got no money, but I want to invest in property. Okay, well, go out and find a way to make money and then get back to me. Basically, I'm not gonna teach you how to invest in property with no money. That's not, in my opinion, possible. Yeah, absolutely. And it's always one of those isn't it? Because there are ways that people can of course join venture together. You know, let's say for example that they've gone out and got all of the knowledge and someone else has got the money but not got the time. You could work together to therefore go and build something and do a 50-50 equity split or something like that. I talk about doing ventures. Yeah. Someone has to put the money in. do the money. Yeah. Even if it's the bank, right? Even if it's the bank and you want to say, hey, bank fund me, which is what I did, you know, for my first developments. But again, you've got to be, you've got to appear credible, right? You've got to do the background. You've got to have shown that you've got experience of managing construction projects or developments or investing in property, or you're working with somebody who does have that and you're kind of the middleman or the CEO, if you like, but you need to get experience and finance from somewhere to proceed. So Mm-hmm. Yeah, or a joint venture partner. dream venture partner, work together on it to go and build through there. But somebody has to front the money effectively, even if you're the one who holds the knowledge, that's the way to answer the question. Would you add anything to that? Correct. And also I think you need, there's a lot of people who want to just quit their job and become a property developer. Well, a property developer takes years to actually pay back. So how are you going to live in the meantime? Like you need to still be earning money. And again, this is for me, then this is why you should start with the buy to let side of it. So you're building up a portfolio, you're building a property experience, you've got a monthly income. Then move into property development. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And the reality is that's how I actually started in property was I got one bitalette where I turned my house into a bitalette. I then realized that income was really nice. So I went and got another bitalette and then doubled up on my income. And then when I got another bitalette, tripled my income and I went, this is really nice. I quite, quite enjoy this. And then COVID hit. So I was on a really good trajectory and then I went, oh dear, COVID. So. they single lets or did you have those as essays at that point? Okay, okay. but you know what? I had problem tenants as well. Like my very first ever set of tenants that I ever had were the worst tenants I've ever had. But I learned how to get better tenants going forward. So I was chucked straight in the deep end. They, even their first rent, they didn't pay me. Like as in the first month, they were like, sorry, we can't pay you. I was like, oh my God, what have I done? They then pretended that they, I obviously said no dogs in my house. They then pretended that they didn't have dogs, but then they ended up having three Rottweilers living in the house. And I found out because my neighbor called me to say about the smell coming from my house from three Rottweilers. So that was my first ever experience of tenants, but I didn't let it put me off. I said, no, there are good people out there who need good homes. but I had such due diligence on the next set of tenants. Like the poor people went through the mill with me. I even went and met them. I was like, look, I've had a bad experience before. I need to meet you. And they were lovely. They were just gold, absolute gold. So yeah. Yeah, I would say out of how many sets, I've probably had 15 tenancies in the last few years with the houses that I've got and I'd say only one of those has been bad and not paid the rent. So yeah, I'm happy with those odds and I think in any business, like a lot of people say to me, oh, I won't buy to let people won't pay that people will wreck the house and they won't pay the rent. Well, I used to be a marketing consultant before I had clients go out of business and not pay. mean what they owe me. Like it's the same risk, but actually it's a better risk because you can really do more due diligence on your clients who are your tenants and credit check them, which you don't do taking on clients in any other kind of business. So yeah, I did. Yes. And also people need good homes. There are good people out there who need good homes. So, you know, then don't... lot of repeat custom as well. Like my tenants stay with me a long time and they move into like the next, so like if they have kids or whatever, they wanna move into like from a two bed to a three bed, they'll stay with me and they'll wait until one of my three beds comes available and then I give them first refusal on it. So I have like a lovely group of tenants who I hope I can keep for a long time. love that. I might steal that. I might be like right I need to go and get a three bed and then a four bed and just move them along with their children. That's brilliant. it's great because you're helping them out, they're helping you, you know that they're proven. It's nice and people's life, people's circumstances change so if you can move them from one of your smaller properties to one of your bigger properties and you know they're good tenants, then hey, why not? Yeah, absolutely. I think for next year, one of my goals actually is to get more back into kind of BRRR and buy to lets and kind of to build my asset pots. This whole year has been about cash flow for me because obviously I did leave my full time job. So I've had to generate quick cash, as you say, to pay bills, to live. And that's what 2023 was mainly focused on. Now that I've kind of got that going and flowing, I think now for 2024, I really want to build on lump sums and kind of cash. like lump sums of cash coming in through, you know, buy-to-let's. So that should be really exciting for that and a bit of an easier life. Mm. same. I'm viewing houses this week. I'm really looking to add to my buy to let portfolio. I think now is a good time to buy. I think there's a lot of, I think it's turned from a seller's market to a buyer's market and I'm excited for that. Amazing. So 2024, what are your plans? Talk us through it. Well, for 2023, I had a 12 page spreadsheet with every goal broken down into quarters done. And you know, for 2024, I actually haven't done that yet. But I do have some stuff in the pipeline that I have to do. I have 54 new build houses. I want to continue to build up my buy to let portfolio. I just haven't put any figures to it yet. but I know I wanna keep doing more of the same. I love how you casually say, I've got 54 new builds that I'm building. As if you're just talking about your shopping. That's, that's massive. If I had 54 renovations to do, I'd be horrified. But it's not, it's new builds. It's like just putting a jigsaw puzzle together. It's fine. It's much easier than doing renovations. I'll maybe like do two or three renovations a year, but new builds, no problem. I aim for normally about 10 to 12 a year is my minimum that I want to achieve in terms of new build development. What are you going to smash it then? If the minimum is 10 to 12 and you're building 54, that's... know, but I haven't decided yet. I'm gonna wait and see how the market is because it may be that I spread those over maybe three years. All right, so I'm just gonna, I'm kind of testing the market and I'm building both in England and Wales. So Wales, North Wales is a new market for me to do new build developments. So I guess, you know, it'll be a case of building a few, seeing how quickly they sell, if they're selling great, you know, we'll push foot on the accelerator and we'll build them faster, but. I think no one really knows what's going to happen with the market this year, so just a case of not over committing too much financially and seeing where we are. Brilliant, I love that. And talk to us more about your course then. So what are your plans for the course? Yeah, sure. So I've had a course called freedom through property where I teach women to, and men, but mostly women, this is my audience, to invest in property. So how to build up their own buy to let portfolio to replace their income on B Triple R. I even cover a bit of essay in there, although, you know, reluctantly. While I don't recommend it, this is how you do it. So that kind of thing. But what I've done is I've never. offered coaching and mentoring in development because up until this point, I didn't feel like I was qualified to do so, but I feel like now I've got 30 new builds under my belt. I've got a pipeline of 54. I know how to do deals. I know how to raise the finance. Um, I know how to. you know, start your own construction company so that you're getting those, um, you're able to build houses at a really reasonable rate compared to outsourcing the construction. I know, you know, I know the tricks and I am really keen to share that. So as of this year, I'm going to be teaching school property prodigy. And, um, yeah, there's several different levels for different kinds of price points. Um, but yeah, I'm excited to roll that out and get, um, development side of things. Amazing. And you know when you're gonna be rolling that out? Do you know what, Mum? It's out now. It's out now in January. We launched, yeah, we launched this week so yeah, property prodigy. Right, okay, everyone go and check it out. And what I'll do is I'll also put it in the show notes. So if anybody's interested, they can click on the link and find you as well. Wow. So 2024, it has to be an even better year than 2023. That is the aim. 2024 is just gonna skyrocket as it were. And do you have any personal goals for 2024 as well? Like just for yourself? Obviously you're 1040, as you said. So you're gonna be celebrating, having a party. Personal goals, oh that's a good one. Hmm. I don't, you know what? go on. Um, I don't actually, but I just, do you know, personal goals, I just want more of the same. Like I've had such a wonderful 2023, I just want more of the same. Like surround myself with really positive, um, friends and family and just, yeah, I don't think I'd want to change anything personally. Like I have a wonderful life, so it's really hard to, to set a goal for like something you're already really happy with. More of the same. What a wonderful thing to say. Like, you're so blessed that you're able to say that. That's incredible. Obviously you're going to come to the retreat in April as well, so you're going to meet even more amazing people. so good last year. I really enjoyed it. I met incredible people there at all different stages of their property investment journey. So it was so fun. Oh, thank you. Well, this year is gonna be 10 times better because when you do the first one, you also kind of learn a lot. You're like, okay, I would do this differently next time. I would do this differently next time. So I can't wait for April. I'm so excited. It's gonna be like retreat 2.0. I've got even more women coming. I think we were 53 last year. I think we're about, well, there's 70 tickets plus VIPs. So we're gonna be about 80 in total over in Penley Manor. say are the main speakers confirmed? Yes, main speakers are confirmed. Yeah. Can you, are we allowed to talk about it now? Or are you waiting to release those? Yeah, who have you got speaking? Oh, so who have I got speaking? So we've got... I spoke, I spoke at the last one, and Leah, the money coach and Lexi. So that was. yep. So we had Leah from Get Comfy Money was last year, business kind of growth and development. Lexi, who's incredible in London and property finder and developer and builder. And then we had you, your amazingness as well. So this year we have got Rosalia, who is Manuka Media. She's such good energy. She's incredible energy. Like she is just fire in a wonderful way. So she's just gonna like bring it. Do you know, she messaged me the other day, Rosalia, I'm doing a bit of a shout out to you now. She literally messaged me the other day and she's like, I'm just planning my intro music. No. I was like, yes, girl. And I was like, oh my God, do I need to have intro music? And I was thinking to myself, are we doing intro music? And it was just the funniest conversation because she was straight up just like, I'm planning my intro music. And I was like, I'm here for it, girl. This is great. looking forward to this even more now. Oh, this is going to be brilliant. I know, brilliant. I obviously need to get a new outfit, so I need to get a new outfit. I'm of course the main host now. I'm basically hosting the event on my own, which is really exciting. So a lot of pressure, but at the same time, healthy pressure. Really exciting. So then you, so sorry, I got distracted. Rosalia, then you've got Heather Smale, who's blonde property. So yeah, so absolutely brilliant. And again, amazing story. similar to yourself, absolutely incredible where she was had to go on to therefore get into property through necessity and she does all about construction and sourcing and BRRR and just so many so many things she has about like 40 bitelettes in her personal like for her personally like she's like I think I'm doing well, then you just, then you pull Heather out the back and I'm like, I've got so much to achieve. No, funny enough, you and Heather would get on like a house on fire. Like, honestly. need to, I don't think I've ever met her. Like obviously you meet a lot of people at these networking events, but I don't think I've met her. I definitely didn't know her story until I heard it on your podcast. Well, there we go. So you'll be meeting her in April. And then finally, we have the Rent to Rent success girls, Nikki and Steph. So they're incredible. And they're all about Rent to Rent. Nikki and Steph, tell you that. Yeah. all like all bases covered. I love that. Like there's a lot, there's a lot to learn there. I really hoped to do. I wanted to create an array for everyone so that if somebody wanted to do rent to rent, okay, I've got it covered. Somebody wants to do BRRR, okay, I've got it covered. Somebody wants to learn about how can they improve their social media and branding, got it covered. And also, I've got lots of people coming as it were. If somebody wants to learn about service accommodation, they can come and talk to me. Julia's gonna be there, they can talk to Julia. Somebody wants to learn about HMOs, they can talk to me. They can talk to Sophie. Somebody wants to learn about construction. You'll be there, they can talk to you. Literally, I have every single basis covered at this retreat. So, bit of a shout out. If anybody wants to come and just be in a room with fantastic women, one of the only events in the UK exclusively for women, then go and grab your ticket. As of about two weeks ago, There were only 40 tickets left out of 70. I've managed to sell 30 tickets. So I'm really, really proud of that. And I think it's gonna be great. So yeah, exciting. But yeah, I think that's something I'm looking forward to in 2024. And from a personal goal, because I asked you your personal goal, I'm hoping to get a dog, which I've been waiting for my literal whole life for a dog. So when I was younger, oh, you're what? Say that again. I'm allergic. I'm allergic to pet hair, yeah. Oh no, oh okay, well, no. I'm obsessed with dogs, like literally obsessed. And when I was about 10 years old, I used to write letters to Santa always asking for a dog. But because my mom was a single mom, she had to work. We could never have one. And then throughout my whole life, I've never been able to have one because obviously I've always been out working. And now I'm in a time of my life where I'm like, I can actually get a dog, I can do this. The dog can come on viewings, the dog can come networking with me. It's going to be great. So me and Sophia are in a bit of a race together to see who can get the dog first in 2024, so I'll keep you posted. No, everyone keeps asking me this. It has to be small, but not too small. And we definitely want a puppy. We want it to like grow up with us and we want to raise it. I want to take it to puppy school and agility class. And everyone keeps telling me a puppy is so much work and there's so much to it. And I'm like, yeah, but that's life. Like when I started out in property, everyone's like, it's really hard, there's lots to it, you won't make any money. And now I'm sat here. So I think I can handle a puppy. It will be fine. She says, I know, everyone has said to me, they're like, you have no idea. So I will keep you guys posted. But I've loved having you on the pod. It's just fun. I just think it's fun when you come on. Oh, thank you. I love chatting to you. Like you're such, you're one of those women in property. Just got good energy. Like you're a good person to be around, even virtually. You're just like good, you bring good energy to the space. Well, you have to, don't you? Like you just have to, and that's what it's all about. It's about bringing not just women and men, but everybody together, just to have good vibes. I'm all here for the good vibes, always. But yeah, I'm excited. So 2024, this is our year. I will obviously see you in April for the retreat. Keep doing absolutely amazing things. Go and check out Charlotte's new course, absolutely incredible. And any questions? Where can people, oh, actually, before we do that one, remember we always do property disasters. My goodness, I've forgotten how to do this podcast because I've been off for Christmas. I've had two weeks off, I've forgotten how to do the podcast. So what was your property disaster? Um, well, I had, um, a, uh, I did, um, I did a renovation from a distance, right? So I, when I bought my apartment in Spain, it actually didn't need renovating, but me being me, I thought, oh, just tinker with it a little bit and did a light refurb. But basically I'd managed it from a distance. So I was managing like literally on video calls and like, I'd never actually met the builders or anything. And I was like getting the property manager to let them in with the key. And they stole my Mulberry handbag. Oh my god. What? How? Why? know. I've never experienced in the UK a builder stealing anything from my house. I trust... It was in the wardrobe. It was away. It wasn't left out. But it wasn't locked away. I didn't think that builders would steal handpacks. I mean, I've never had a builder steal anything that I know of. So... Yeah, I'm just I think I'm too trusting like I trust people until they give me a reason not to but now that really Puts me off doing like getting any builders in and managing it remotely for sure my goodness, did they take anything else or just the Mulberry? That, I think they just took the mulberry. To be fair, that was probably the most valuable thing I had. They left. I don't think there was anything in it. I think it was empty, but you know what? It was, they left my jewelry, which is such an insult, and took my mulberry handbag. I love how you're insulted. You're like, you didn't want my jewellery. I know! I know, they obviously knew it was fake as well! But my mulberry was real! You know what, I would be absolutely gutted if that was me, because I don't really get, I don't really have like, I'm not really a girly girl that has loads of shoes and loads of handbags, it's just not really who I am. I'm more about experiences as a girl. So if I was to buy myself a really nice new handbag and someone was to steal it, I would be absolutely livid. Like livid. living because I always think like that's a month's rent. No, that's two months rent and two months profit on a house in one of my in one of my buy-to-lots. That's how I think of everything, you know? How dare they? How dare they? Did you go round and like knock on their door and be like, give me my bag back? It's difficult because there was so many different trades going in and out. Like there's no way of me proving who it was. And they knew that. I bet they knew that as well. and none of them spoke English so it was very difficult to communicate and like I had to the annoying, the worst thing is I had to pay them. Like I had to pay them for the work because I didn't know was it the plumber, was it the plasterer, was it the painter, was it the cleaner, like who was it? I don't know. So I have to pay them all even though one of them stole my...lip in mulberry handbag. Anyway. is out there in this world right now enjoying your Mulberry handbag. It was a rose pink mulberry handbag and some builder is walking around with that or probably his girlfriend. Yeah. They didn't steal any of the cheap handbags. They didn't steal any of the ones from Zara. They stole the mulberry and that's what I'm most annoyed about. Of course they didn't. I have a plan now. I have an idea. If I ever get a really nice handbag, like a really nice one, I'm going to engrave it with my initials so that I will know if they steal my handbag, I'll be like, that's my initials. So, there you go. one of those apple trackers in it. You know, you can get those trackers now. I've got to sew one into the lining. That'll teach them. Ha ha ha. That's your takeaway from this podcast listeners. Amazing, love it. into your into your handbags. Brilliant. And you know what, another goal for 2024, I hope one day I actually manage to do this podcast in the correct format. Usually I forget celebrations or I forget the disasters. I'm like, let's just do one podcast where I try not to forget what I'm supposed to do. That would be really nice. but it keeps it interesting though, doesn't it? It keeps it real, always, all about keeping it real. Fabulous. No, no, it doesn't, that's so true. And so if people wanted to get in touch with you, Charlotte, and sort of have a chat or to join your program, where can everyone find you? Um, if you Google me, so Charlotte Edwards and property, my website will come up, but also I'm on Instagram at Accidental Female Developer. Amazing, thank you. And if you want to find me, I'm Athena Dobson, underscore official. On Instagram, we are girls in property. And if you want to email us, we are girls in property pod at gmail.com. There we go. Woo, sending off 2020 for the first pod. And I will see you in April. Let's do it. Lovely. Thanks, Charlene. Thank you for your time today. I'll speak to you soon. Brilliant. Thanks, Athena. Bye.