Bowfin Property Solutions is owned and run by Russell and Jo Bowyer
Bowfin Property Solutions is owned by Russell and Jo who live in Ringwood, Hampshire, which is on the edge of the New Forest and about 15 minutes from the beaches of Bournemouth and Poole in Dorset.
Russell has been investing in property since 2003 and Jo since 2010. The Bowyer’s have decided to work together to help property owners who are perhaps struggling to sell their homes. But also, Russell is keen to help all types of property owner. He’s doing this by writing articles about property in its widest sense, as a resource to help property owners.
Russell Bowyer – A professional businessman and property investor
My background is in business and property. I’m also a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Tax Adviser, having run my own Chartered Accounting Practice which I established in 1993 and sold in 2003.
I believe that integrity above all is the key to running any successful business and for doing business in general. I also love to help people. Having run a number of successful businesses so far, this has stood me in good stead for helping people both in business and with property. From my experience so far, many of the people who have approached me, after reading an article on Bowfin for help, seem to be business owners as well as property owners.
My business experience includes:
- Setting up and running my own Chartered Accounting Practice. I helped a wide range of clients from small business owners to multi-million businesses. A number of my clients were also property developers, which has given additional interesting background for me too.
- Helping two brothers as part owner and managing director of an elderly home care business. This became a million-plus turnover business.
- Buying and running a large multi-million fitted furniture business that designed, manufactured and installed bespoke furniture into peoples homes. I purchased this business when its turnover was £1.6 million and grew it to £2.65 million With 40 staff. I used the strategy of buy a business little to no money down. Which is a strategy also used in property.
- Group finance director of a group of companies in the wedding business, elite equestrian business, retail and service motorcycle business, farms and property business and a hotel in the Pyrenes in Spain.
From business to property renovations
My wealth of knowledge and experience extends beyond that of business and into property. My first property project was a successful one, which involved buying an old restaurant and converting it back into a large 5-bedroom home, with a separate one bedroom annex (see image below).
The restaurant was derelict and unloved when I bought it, which meant it was bought for a low ball offer of just £117,500. You may like to read my article on how to make an offer on a house below asking price. After spending £150,000 on renovations, the property was finally sold for £450,000.
My focus in the past has been on helping business owners, but has now my attention is turned to providing property solutions.
I was unfortunate to have gone through cancer from 2014 and 2015. As a result I decided to have a career change. Fortunately my cancer is now in remission, and thanks’ to The Royal Bournemouth Hospital, I’m fully recovered. It is from this twist of fate that has brought me to writing the articles in this property blog. I’ve also started a property forum too for those looking for online property support too.
As I was going through cancer I wrote a novel, which I self published – Nothing Left But Fear! It is from writing this first novel that I realised my love of writing. Hence the property blog.
Business background
My business knowledge and background has come into its own when helping people with property.
For example, I has recently helped a couple who wanted to part-sell their 30 property portfolio in Liverpool to move to Cornwall. As part of their move, they wanted to turn the cash from their properties into buying a business. I was also able to help this couple with how to approach the property transaction as part of their big move.
I owned a property portfolio myself, which I am added to. But I’ve decided to also focus on helping other property owners and others looking to buy properties too.
To up-skill and learn more about property investing, Russell attended a property course. Legacy Education – This property included a focus on HMO properties, commercial property and lease options.
Jo Daughters – A Caring Professional
My background is in helping people to over-come various anxieties and mental health problems. I have a Diploma in Psychotherapy and Hypnotherapy and enjoy helping people with mental health problems.
Helping people with their property problems, and wanting to find solutions for them, goes hand-in-hand with my caring nature. I am very good at working with people and love to interact with them.
I worked for tens years with Big Little Theatre School in Bournemouth. This involved working with children and their parents too.
I now work with Russell and with people who need property solutions. This is along-side my hypnotherapy and psychotherapy business I run from our home in Ringwood.
I also attended the same Legacy Education Training course with Russell. In fact it was my idea we did the property training together, as I wanted to learn more about property and to understand more about what Russell already knew.
Helping home owners sell their homes across the UK
There are a number of reasons why a home will not sell, no matter what the market conditions are. But we are not just about helping home-owners who have had their house on the market for a while. But also we help people sell homes fast. This includes individual properties, as well as portfolios of properties too.
Keen to help property-owners across the United Kingdom
We are both keen to help people across the UK, no matter what the circumstances. Whilst we cannot promise to be able to help everyone, we will always do what we can. As Both Russell and Jo have professional backgrounds; integrity and confidentiality are of the utmost importance to them both.
Meetings with Russell and Jo about selling your home will be free and in complete confidence
The main reason why houses don’t sell is down to the the price being too high. If it’s the house that you’ve lived in for many years. If it’s your pride and joy it’s not always easy to be told the property is not worth what you thought it should be.
One way to get a better idea of a more realistic price is to take a look at either Rightmove house prices or on Zoopla under theirs house prices section.
Working with Estate Agents in and around the UK
Estate agents are there to help home-owners to sell their homes. But sometimes the time it takes sell a house can get in the way of plans.
This is why Russell and Jo are happy to work with you and your local estate agents across the country.
Helping people onto the Property-Ladder for the first time or back on to the ladder after a spell away from the UK
Additionally, we are keen to help people onto the property ladder too. This maybe your first home purchase. Or it could be you’ve returned to the UK as an expat and you cannot obtain a mortgage.
We are all aware of how expensive homes are, which is more so in certain parts of England and Wales.
Expensive homes makes it difficult to get onto the property ladder. You’ll not only need a bigger deposit, but also a higher income to be accepted for the mortgage. The Government has helped with the ‘Help to Buy Shared Ownership Scheme‘, but this only works with new-build properties.
So we have a scheme which uses ‘Rent-to-Own‘. Which means that instead of simply renting a property from a landlord, you have the chance to own the property at an agreed time in the future.
Finding it difficult to getting a mortgage to buy a house in the UK
In addition to those struggling to get onto the property ladder through a lack of deposit monies, there are others that are unable to obtain a mortgage.
There are many reasons why individuals cannot get a mortgage.
Reason for not getting a mortgage includes:
- Bad credit.
- A returning expat looking for a mortgage.
- Newly arrived immigrants to the UK will struggle to get a mortgage within their first three years of being in the UK.
- Just started a new business or become self employed.
This is why the ‘Rent to Own‘ scheme is ideal for newbie UK residents too.
If you have a bad credit file, and need time for it to be repaired, using the ‘Rent to Own‘ scheme is the perfect solution. Most people can make mistakes in their lives. Which includes messing up their credit history. But so long as you can demonstrate reasons for the bad credit situation, and you can show you can afford to ‘Rent’ to buy a property, then we can definitely help you. Assuming we have a property in your location to offer.
If you are looking for help with selling your property fast. Or if you’ve been struggling to sell for sometime, please feel free to ‘Contact Russell and Jo for a free no obligation chat‘.
Additionally, if you are looking to buy a property, but for whatever reason you’re not able to; e.g. bad credit…new to the UK as an expat or a newbie immigrant, also please ‘Contact Us‘ right away.