In the last 15 years we have experienced the financial crash, Brexit and most recently the pandemic, all of which have caused various degrees of discomfort and pain to the UK economy and to many property investors, landlords and developers. For landlords, to add to the above, we have also seen an increased burden of additional bureaucracy and new regulations regularly being applied by successive governments and now we have to deal with whatever is finally agreed as the Renters Reform Bill moves through the lengthy process of Parliamentary approval.

All of the above will no doubt have caused some landlords to consider whether the exit doors are beckoning and this is of course what some have been doing. And yet there are always those who see opportunity in adversity and there can be little doubt that there are real buying opportunities out there for those who can see beyond the current period of uncertainty.

My interviewee this month in Alvarine Coulton would definitely seem to fall within the ‘positive outlook’ category as she told me that with her sister they have already acquired two further properties this year, which have added to their existing rental portfolios.

I first met Alvarine some five years ago at the Female Property Alliance monthly event in Victoria, London, and have kept in touch with her progress, so it was fascinating to learn more about her background and how she first got into property investing.

“From quite an early age I was interested in property investing,” she replied, “as my grandfather has been a great role model for me and at an age of 91, he still helps, advises and sometimes even attends meetings with me in London. My grandfather had done some buy-to-let investing himself over the years. They had originally come over to the UK from Jamaica many years ago and in order to make ends meet, had rented out rooms in their house.