Most people, after entering their commercial renovation project into a prestigious awards ceremony, would be more than satisfied if they became a finalist, let alone picked up three awards. However, Mariam Radi, at One Network Properties, is clearly a very determined and ambitious individual who was not satisfied with her achievement from a year ago.
I start by asking Mariam how her journey started. She responds: “I became involved in property investment after realising the potential for long-term financial growth and stability. My interest sparked from reading about successful investors and recognising property as a tangible asset with significant appreciation potential. I chose property because it offers both steady income through rentals and substantial value growth over time. Therefore, the opportunity to create lasting wealth and the sense of control over a physical asset made property investment a compelling choice for me.”
Mariam adds: “As both a female and an ethnic minority, there are only a handful of us engaged in property development. I have hopefully managed to inspire and motivate young middle eastern girls to enter an industry that they would traditionally steer clear from.”
Regarding previous property deals, Mariam says she bought and sold three terraced houses in Liverpool. She adds: “I wouldn’t even call them renovations. It was buying something, making it look a little bit pretty and then selling it again. I also had some land back in the Middle East, so I sold that and then reinvested my funds into a block of eight flats in Manchester that were lucrative but I didn’t borrow for them.
“I did that strategically because I knew that nobody was going to give me a mortgage because I was 23, and I knew that on buy-to-let mortgage applications, they don’t just ask about what collateral you have but also how much experience you have as a landlord. So, I thought I could buy a debt-free buy-to-let, which would give me experience as a landlord. I went to university there and my brother lives in Manchester also. The flats are in good condition so they are low maintenance and I manage them myself.
“However, the project which won me the three awards recently, at the 2024 Property Investors Awards, was purchased for £96,000, and it is now worth £425,000. The property in question, at 99 Blackheath Road, is a leasehold property. I originally purchased the neighbouring property (an HMO) and negotiated for the freehold to the leasehold title. I acquired this at no cost.
