Learn how to DOUBLE the DEALS in half the working hours with Jackie Tomes

Learn how to DOUBLE the DEALS in half the working hours with Jackie Tomes

26 Dec 2023

In episode 9 of Deal Finder’s Corner – a weekly talk show brought to you by Property Filter, your favourite Frenchman Guillaume Black, had the pleasure of talking to Jackie Tomes, the inspiring Founder & CEO of Tomes Homes and a remarkable Property Strategist who since 2016 has helped to scale up more than 120 property business.

Starting with 1-bed flat

Jackie’s incredible property journey began with determination and hard work. It took her 18 months of sacrifice, working a second job, and saving diligently to purchase her very first property investment—a 1-bedroom flat in Erith, South-East London. This grotty flat became the stepping stone for an extraordinary transformation. Learning how to do networking and work with property investors proved to be a game changer for Jackie and her husband, Dave. Empowered by this knowledge, they expanded their portfolio rapidly, acquiring an impressive 10 properties in just 12 months.

“Shiny deal syndrome”

In their third year of activity, Jackie and Dave experienced a challenging phase for their business. They found themselves caught up in the “shiny deal syndrome,” where they were tempted by various exciting opportunities that seemed too good to pass up. As a result, they ended up making only one deal despite investing countless hours into exploring different prospects. This experience served as a valuable lesson, teaching them the importance of staying focused and refining their investment model to achieve greater success. They decided to adopt a more strategic approach and learned to say no to distractions that didn’t align with their long-term goals. This shift in mindset ultimately led them to refine and replicate their successful model, paving the way for acquiring multiple properties and expanding their portfolio exponentially.

Strategic approach

According to Jackie, in order to make more deals in less time, you need a scalable business model, a systemized approach, and access to unlimited cash. In 2016, she identified three crucial components that became the foundation of her ready-made strategy for growing a successful property business:

Do Deals:

  • Sourcing Plan: create a sourcing plan with clear criteria to filter out distractions and focus on the most promising opportunities

  • Deal Criteria: nail one model before diversifying to maximise success potential and avoid spreading resources thin

  • Deal Pipeline: establish a replicable deal pipeline (waving at Property Filter members!) that consistently secures deals without constant involvement, ensuring a steady flow of investment opportunities

Raise Finance:

  • Structure & Proposition: transform your deals into a valuable investor proposition, making them attractive and appealing to potential business partners

  • Investor Pipeline (FCA): develop a pre-qualified pipeline of the right investors even before deals are agreed upon, streamlining the finance-raising process

  • Right Investors: identify and create a database of investors, focusing on building strong relationships with those who share your vision. Have a  pre-qualified pipeline of the right investors ready to go BEFORE the deal is agreed

Keep Focused:

  • Right Systems: consider the Cash Conversion Cycle, understanding how long it takes for a deal to start yielding returns (average 12 months). Adopt a systemized approach to implement the right systems that support your business’s growth and efficiency

  • Right Team: be what your business needs during its early stages, making strategic hires once cash flow allows for expansion

  • Routines & Habits: stay motivated, focused, and consistent in pursuing your property investment goals

Success Story

By applying the principles of this strategy Jackie and Dave elevated their ventures to purchasing blocks of flats by the scenic coast of Kent. Their portfolio grew from that humble £108.5k deal to an astonishing £13M, raising over £4.2M in investor finance to make their dreams a reality. They built a powerhouse team that enabled them to run their property business from anywhere in the world. They curated the life they desired—filled with freedom and choice. Now, Jackie is on a mission to help others achieve their dreams too. With “Property Strategy”, she empowers investors to find their focus, clarity, and scale-up their property investing through smart business strategy and systemisation.

“Choose your business model, keep focused, make sure that you don’t diversify too soon. Stay focused long enough to make the business truly work for you and make sure you’re taking a systemised approach to growing your business rather than spending lots of time systemising it.”

If you're eager to close more deals, raise more finance, and turn your property investing aspirations into reality, check out Episode 9 of Deal Finder's Corner featuring Jackie Tomes on our Youtube channel.

Additional Resources

Deal Finder's Corner is your weekly property talk show, proudly brought to you by Property Filter. Our mission is to equip you with the best resources by inviting expert guests to share the most up-to-date and effective strategies, tactics, and insights for finding and securing property deals across the UK.