I made £630 by spotting empty homes while walking my dog – it was no effort and anyone can do it
A WOMAN has explained how she made £630 by spotting an empty home while walking her dog – and it’s something that anyone can do.
Leanne Currie, 34, was on her way to visit her mother-in-law with her labrador Hamish when she noticed an abandoned property in Rugby, Warwickshire.
The empty home is on the same street where Leanne’s mother-in-law lives.
After spotting the empty mid-terrace house, the teaching assistant reported it to YouSpotProperty.com, a website that awards members of the public for reporting abandoned properties.
It gives £20 Amazon or M&S vouchers when someone correctly spots and reports an empty home.
However, if the company is able to purchase the home, renovate it and get it back into use again, the person who spotted it will receive 1% of the purchase price.
This is exactly what happened to Leanne, who is a mum-of-two.
She was initially given a £20 voucher but after YouSpotProperty bought the house for £61,000, Leanne received an extra £610, making her total reward a cool £630.
Leanne, who before becoming a teaching assistant worked as a carer to the elderly for 14 years, said she was inspired to have a look around for empty properties after reading a similar story in the news.
She explained: “I have the app of a national tabloid on my phone, and a few months ago I read a money story about a woman who was paid for spotting empty property in her neighbourhood.
“I did my own research and it all seemed to check out as legitimate, but when I told friends and family about it, I was met with a lot of pessimism about the incentive, that it came across as too good to be true.”
Leanne said she often walked past the house, which “stood out” as it looked “completely run down”.
The woman said the house was a semi, with shoddy tin cladding, well-worn windows and doors, and like most properties in this state, its garden was unkempt and overgrown.
She added an elderly man, believed to be a hoarder, was previously living in the property.
She said reporting the home to YouSpotProperty was “dead simple” as she only had to enter details and a picture of the house.
Leanne explained: “While on a dog walk to my mother-in-law, my husband suggested ‘why don’t you report just that one and see how you get on’ to YouSpotProperty.com which was dead simple as it only required details and a picture.”
After the home was bought, the dog walker was excited to receive her reward just before Christmas.
She said: “All of this happened in the run-up to Christmas, so it was perfectly timed to help all the additional purchases and was a really welcomed bonus to get for very little effort.
“And to my detractors? I showed them the money in my bank account which could not be argued with!”
Nick Kalms, co-founder of YouSpotProperty.com, said: “Hoarding is more common than not when it comes to our relentless ‘rescues’ of abandoned or long-term empty homes.
“Many empty properties stuck in probate are often hoarded ones.
“And it speaks volumes about the mental health of the last individuals to occupy them – and that’s not something that’s well understood when it comes to dealing with properties that fall into this state.
“We spend a vast amount of our resources on clean-up operations of these houses, both inside and out before we can handle renovation, refurbishment or reintroduction to the housing market.”
What help is out there for first-time buyers?
GETTING on the property ladder can feel like a daunting task but there are schemes out there to help first-time buyers have their own home.
Help to Buy Isa – It’s a tax-free savings account where for every £200 you save, the Government will add an extra £50. But there’s a maximum limit of £3,000 which is paid to your solicitor when you move. These accounts have now closed to new applicants but those who already hold one have until November 2029 to use it.
Help to Buy equity loan – The Government will lend you up to 20% of the home’s value – or 40% in London – after you’ve put down a 5% deposit. The loan is on top of a normal mortgage but it can only be used to buy a new build property.
Lifetime Isa – This is another Government scheme that gives anyone aged 18 to 39 the chance to save tax-free and get a bonus of up to £32,000 towards their first home. You can save up to £4,000 a year and the Government will add 25% on top.
Shared ownership – Co-owning with a housing association means you can buy a part of the property and pay rent on the remaining amount. You can buy anything from 25% to 75% of the property but you’re restricted to specific ones.
Mortgage guarantee scheme – The scheme opens to new 95% mortgages from April 19 2021. Applicants can buy their first home with a 5% deposit, it’s eligible for homes up to £600,000.
In England, there are nearly 700,000 unfurnished and empty homes.
Over 261,000 of these homes are classed as ‘long-term empty’, according to Action on Empty Homes.
According to YouSpotProperty, one of the main reasons properties fall into this state is due to probate – the long legal process of winding up an individual’s estate when they die.
Because of this, many empty or abandoned homes fall into a derelict state.
The condition of these homes also makes it difficult to sell them on the open market, as potential buyers often struggle to gain mortgages when properties need complete renovations.
In similar situations, sellers and estates can dispose of the property, sell it to private buyers such as YouSpotProperty, or sell it by public auction.
Mr Kalms, who founded YouSpotProperty alongside Ben Radstone, said a private sale or auction could be beneficial to reinstate homes that are in bad condition.
The two founders have also launched Probate.Auction, to help families and beneficiaries sell homes at auction or via a private sale, which can be quicker than an estate agent and selling on the open market.
Between 350 and 700 properties are reported to YouSpotProperty every week.
On average, the company gives 150 vouchers worth £20 to consumers around the country for reporting eligible properties.
YouSpotProperty pays out an average of seven, ‘1%’ reward fees each month, for homes they eventually buy, before placing them back into use.
Just weeks ago, a retired police officer revealed he has made almost £3,000 by reporting empty properties.
Roy Foulkes, 65, usually looks out for vacant homes in his area while out on walks.
Recalling the time he spotted a 1940s-era semi-detached house in the village of Chellaston, just outside of Derby, Roy said: “There were so many red flags about its state.
“The garden was heavily overgrown, the paintwork was flaking and it was clear no one was living there.”
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories