At just 27, Ally Wilkes was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer—an experience that completely changed how she viewed time, security and the life she wanted to build.

After years working in the NHS, Ally took the leap into property. She completed a flip that made just under £30,000, used the BRR strategy to build her own portfolio and eventually left her job to run ACG Property, managing renovation projects for investors.

In this honest conversation with Nick and Steven, Ally shares the numbers behind her deals, the reality of becoming self-employed, the nightmare first tenant who trashed her property and what investors should realistically expect to spend on a refurbishment today.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• How a cancer diagnosis at 27 changed Ally’s outlook on work, security and life

• Why she had wanted to become a property developer from a young age

• The numbers behind her first flip: bought for £81,000, spent around £17,000 and sold for £135,750

• How that first project produced a profit of just under £30,000

• Her first BRR: bought for £66,000, refurbished for around £30,000 and revalued at £130,000

• What happened when her first buy-to-let tenant trashed the property after only eight weeks

• Leaving the NHS and adjusting to the lack of routine that comes with self-employment• How networking and sharing her journey online helped Ally secure her first clients

• Why Ally charges 15% of the refurbishment cost for project management

• Why Ally budgets roughly £15,000–£20,000 for a good two-bedroom refurbishment with kitchen and bathroom upgrades, excluding electrics, windows and boiler or heating work

• The hidden problems investors cannot always spot before work begins, including thermal bridging

• Why Ally prioritises good-quality assets instead of growing a portfolio for appearances

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Meet Ally Wilkes

01:47 - Wanting to work in property from a young age

06:38 - The cancer diagnosis that changed everything

15:37 - Why property became Ally’s next chapter

18:27 - The numbers behind her first flip

21:49 - Moving from flipping to BRR and buy-to-let

22:16 - A £66,000 purchase revalued at £130,000

22:53 - The nightmare first tenant

27:23 - Leaving the NHS for property full-time

33:26 - How networking brought Ally her first clients

35:42 - Building a personal brand by being authentic

38:19 - Why investors use a project manager

39:27 - Project-management fees and realistic budgets

43:17 - What a two-bedroom refurbishment costs today

45:09 - Thermal bridging and other hidden problems

48:12 - Kitchens, bathrooms and timeless design

51:53 - Managing a refurbishment for a remote investor

53:23 - Ally’s plans for ACG Property and her portfolio

- 55:29 Where to connect with Ally

CONNECT WITH ALLY

Ally Wilkes — ACG Property

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allywilkesproperty_inhaus/

NETWORKING EVENTS

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