A Leeds mum-of-three who has worked hard to save money now owns 22 houses across the city.
Jessica Reehal, 42, has worked her way from a Pizza Hut waitress to a successful mortgage broker and owner of 22 properties in Leeds, which she rents to families on benefits.
The 42-year-old has recently starred in a podcast and is aiming to help people become more savvy with their money in order to buy homes. She says she started from very little and saved her way into owning over 20 properties - with more to come.
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Jessica grew up from an Asian background in Leeds. Her dad owned lots of businesses including off-licenses and houses across the city. She started her journey working in Pizza Hut, and says she was a bit 'dopey', recalling one story where she once took her bum bag of cash home rather than cashing the tables off in the restaurant.
After leaving Leeds to go to university in Liverpool Jessica learned how to fend for herself, becoming quite self sufficient. She graduated from university and found a job working in recruitment in 2007. She went from strength to strength, but that took a huge hit in 2010 when her dad sadly died.
Jessica said: "My father sadly passed away and I found it really tough. I finally left the bank in 2012 as it wasn't for me anymore, my dad left some businesses and houses when he died which we divided between the family. They had gone into disrepair and we were left with his vacant properties in a bad state.
"Me and my sister decided to do them up, so I think that's where my skills came from for learning how to do stuff. We went round gutting houses, burning waste, wearing hard hats, clearing stuff, wearing joggers and sweats, bashing walls in and really really doing them up.
"One of his houses in Headingley was worth £200,000 when we inherited it, we spent around £100,000 doing it up and in the end it was worth £800,000 - we did this across the board of all 40 of my dad's houses and put tenants in them. Once we finished we divvied everything up and I ended up with five houses and a shop.
"I worked in the shop for 8 years and all from the rent from the houses went on doing the other houses up, we had to earn the money to do the work."
20 out of 22 of Jessica's houses have tenants on housing benefits and she says she is doing it to give something back to the community. She aims to provide a nice, safe environment for people to raise their families.
Jessica, who is a mum of three, said: "It fills my heart with joy when I go to visit one my houses and the tenants are enjoying it, looking after it, and their kids are growing up, I love being able to give them a safe environment. All's I ever ask is that they don't party in my houses and pay your rent in time."
The 42-year-old believes it is important for people to save money in order to buy their homes as its an asset to them - she's encouraging people to become savvy with their money in order to save. Although she was left five houses by her dad she has always worked and saved. She added: "We didn't live a flash life, you just have to save and you will get there.
"I believe we need to go back to what our grandparents did, we cant just flash the cash. Its nice people can do that but us 'normal' people need to think a bit more about money, especially in this current climate. Yes I have 22 houses but I took my coffee with me this morning and when I wanted a sandwich at lunchtime when I was out, I came home to make it - its these little things.
"Just save, you don't need to spend £200 in Aldi, just be careful and don't spend loads so can save to buy houses. Its the same with clothes shopping, why not start selling stuff on Vinted, its all about being savvy, things are going to be tough for a while.
"I'm not saying don't shop local or donate to charity shops, they need our support and I shop local myself but we need to work smarter, think about what can we sell, what can we get rid of, even if its only £20-£30 - its a tough time at the moment."
As the cost of living crisis continues to surge lots of people have struggled with bills, income and other utilities, leaving many of us (including myself) wondering 'how do I get savings?' Jessica said: "We don't need to be spending endless money going out, just because social media says to go, we don't need to. Do something for free, go for a family walk, it doesn't cost anything.
"This Easter holidays were eating at home and staying in the garden, why go and spend money."
She added: "Bad times reveal strong people and we all need to do something, we are stuck in this life and we need to try and get ourselves out of it. Its good going out but we have things we can do for free. Everyone should be able to own their own house if they have the motivation to want too."
By profession Jessica is a Mortgage broker, she wants people to think of her as someone who is approachable as a landlord and wants to give people nice places to live and to find them lovely homes.
You can watch Jessica's podcast here.
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