Meet property guru Samuel Leeds for his take on rentals, refurbishments and more

It stands to reason that someone who manages to make a £1m in the first few years of business must have several winning strategies to hand.

And the assumption seems even more probable when they happen to achieve millionaire status by the age of only 25.

According to property expert Samuel Leeds, those winning strategies still hold good today, albeit with a few tweaks and changes to help him keep on top of the game.

The busy father-of-three now spends much of his time demonstrating how to earn money from property investments in the hope that other people will learn his methods and succeed in business too.

Financial freedom

A combination of hard work, tenacity and support were just some of the things that helped Samuel to achieve the goal of what he calls financial freedom. It certainly wasn't a silver spoon, academic excellence or pure good luck that propelled him into the cut and thrust of the property world.

In fact life as part of a working-class family in 1990s Walsall was fairly typical for the youngster. He grew up on a council estate where his dad was a gardener and his mum went mobile hairdressing.

The couple separated when he was seven and his father took on work as an entertainer, often selling magic tricks from a market stall where Samuel sometimes joined him. Before long, the enterprising youngster was touting tricks to his classmates for a profit and supplementing his pocket money.

Business brain

While he may have shown early signs of business acumen, there was less indication of promise as a student and he left school with just three GCSEs.

He continued working with his dad but trained as a plasterer to earn better money although neither job seemed like a long-term career option.

Instead he became interested in property partly because his stepfather Tim had started to make small investments in the housing market and was happy to explain the basics.

Investment properties

Meanwhile his plastering work sometimes took him to homes that were being refurbished for sale or rental and the potential for profit seemed clear.

In-depth research, networking and a business course at night school followed before he officially broke into the investment market with the aid of family support. Just before his 18th birthday, the novice businessman bought his first property in Birmingham which Tim agreed could be put in his name.

He later arranged a loan from his grandmother to purchase another, using the approach of buying cheap homes and refinancing them to pull out the money invested.

Houses of multiple occupation

With the financial crash in 2009, panic hit the market as home-owners were fearful of negative equity. But Samuel bought several properties at the time and was able to pay the mortgages by renting out rooms to multiple tenants.

Like all people in business, he's had his share of ups and downs over the years but has stuck to the methods that work for him as well as learning new techniques along the way.

Sharing those methods through his Property Investors Training Academy is a top priority and he delivers a range of courses from taster sessions to intensive learning.

Learn about rentals

According to Samuel, many potential investors start out by attending a one of his crash courses which he offers for a fee of just £1.

The sessions cover a host of factors ranging from finding and selling property deals to identifying the right places to buy and refurbish.

On Saturday November 25, Samuel will be on familiar territory in Birmingham when he presents a day-long course highlighting rental options.

Among other things, attendees can expect to learn about target areas and opportunities, property legislation and smart ways to work with agents and landlords as well as seeing how to find live deals on the day.

Book tickets online

The event will be held at the Macdonald Burlington Hotel, Burlington Arcade, 126 New Street, B2 4JQ beween 9am and 6pm.

Tickets are priced at £1 each (although late cancellation/no show fees apply). Go online to book or for more information.

This article is paid for, sponsored content and does not reflect the views of BirminghamWorld or National World. People should always seek independent advice in matters of finance and investments.