Maria Thomson - Queen Of Deals

21/09/2022

Do you know what these are?

Original Glasgow tiles in our Maritime Street development- aaagh

They are very rare in Edinburgh and they’re in pristine condition, the colours are as vibrant as when a tiler put them on the walls over 120 years ago

People ask my advice on converting listed commercial buildings to residential

We don’t find it difficult at all because we seek to restore, repair and replace original features a) because we love them and b) it’s what gives our developments such high GDV’s

Basically, our developments have history and 10 year new build structural warranties … what’s not to love ? investor -FreeInvestment

25/08/2022

I am so proud of my lovely friend Nicky 101,000 thousand followers

It’s a beautiful account, a fabulous story of Nicky and Grizz building their log cabin in Newtonmore, in the Scottish Highlands.

I am very privileged to have been able to watch it from the beginning

Being a woman who builds I am humbled at what they have achieved together …a true power couple ❤️

22/08/2022

Do you go the extra mile ❓

If you do, is it worth it?🤔

In The Merchants, 89 Constitution Street Leith - we are removing 100 year old paint from the Victorian warehouse iron columns 😮

It’s lead based paint so the heat gun doesn’t work 😫

However, we are stripping it back and using copper paint and tumescent varnish - it looks good even before we paint it. So should we bother ❓🤔

A flat up the road sold for 1 million pounds and it had copper columns - so we are taking this as a sign - a pound sign😂

We are retaining the nine flats in ‘The Merchants ‘ as an Aparthotel 👍

This particular column is in a 3 bed duplex flat that has a barrel vaulted basement room we have turned into a cinema 💥

The tram to Edinburgh airport stops 150 metres outside the front door⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We will be paying back our wonderful investors equity plus a 50% return in September- so it’s been a winner for everyone 👏👏👏👏👏

Thanks to all our investors ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ -FreeInvestment

08/08/2022

Water is being connected at Slateford House 1770
Top Developer Tip number 1 get your utilities sorted at the beginning no ifs nor buts about it … and even then you can come a cropper

04/08/2022

What good things happened to you as a result of covid? ❓

The best thing for me was Keanu came onboard .❤️

The second best result was Keanu and I started a construction arm of our development firm and that gives us endless possibilities

Without Keanu being on building sites everyday my life would be very difficult. Keanu has a very firm, practical grip on our every aspect of our developments

You cannot pay for the property education Keanu has had. Difficult times have put the world at his feet …he has so much experience and he’s only 25

I know lots of parents out there who would love their children to get involved in property - I think Keanu’s advice to them would be “go for it” -FreeInvestment

There are lots of young people doing amazing things in property and it helps when you can identify with them … so highlight them

03/08/2022

Life is super busy in the Thomson Family💥

It’s wonderful to see the kitchens going in to The Merchants, 89 Constitution Street. 🎯

I never thought Keanu and I would be working together- it’s fantastic - we have a very easy relationship. When people watch us cook together they actually comment on the symbiosis 😊

However, it’s also very difficult for him to watch me get stressed over cash flow - and because I find him an easy person to discuss problems with he has to have broad shoulders ⭐️

But if you can’t stand the heat - get out of the kitchen

If you are interested in property and want to make your money work for you DM me we have some exciting new projects coming up -FreeInvestment

01/08/2022

If Joe Rogan says it - it must be true‼️

We are finishing four builds-GDV £12,600,000🎯

Opening 2 Aparthotels and flipping 2 houses 😀

Plus refinancing, furnishings and setting up systems😅

It’s hard, I am grouchy - I am fed up apologising for myself to sensitive souls - when did everyone become so thin skinned😂

But I have chosen my hard. 💪

The real hard would have happened if I had not taken care of my own financial future 💷

To be old, frail and poor - would suck 🤮

When I hear people say “I am risk averse “ - life is a risk. 🤔

Leaving your money and your pension in the bank to be eaten away by inflation isn’t a risk - it’s a certainty you will end up with less🙃

So this next couple of months will be hard but I am sleeping easy knowing I am building a stronger financial future for my investors, family and ME😂

We have a couple of opportunities for investors if you are interested in knowing more DM me -Friendly

31/07/2022

We are coming to the end now of a four year road🤨

We first analysed this deal after we had completed the Progressive Commercial to Residential course🎯

Some learnings

1 To buy an old police station you have to prove you are a fit and proper person- you get caught for months in red tape😅

2 Public Bodies and Charities have “an anti embarrassment clause🤔

3. Not everyone wants to save the High Street -our next battle was to get planning permission because unbeknownst to us a charity shop had done a pre app and they were the preferred buyer🙃

4. Listen to your gut - we thought we were the only bidders but at the last moment we upped our offer to £172,000 - which seemed like a deal breaker at the time😢

5. Planning permission was eventually granted by 1 vote by a councillor who did not live in area🙏

6 . They would not give us planning permission for residential- which caused me to have tears, tantrums and sleepless nights because we only had 1 exit and no foreseeable way to get finance🤔

7 A private investor came onboard - he earned £36,000 and we took the value to £450,000💥

8. The world changed - from October 2022 serviced accommodation will need planning permission - which we already have for 8 apartments 😊

9. Property prices in the Cairngorm National Park- rocketed bringing them to within shooting distance of Edinburgh- we never expected that🎉

10. Collier’s International Surveyors have just valued our little cop shop at £1,600,000😁

My friends this is not a get rich quick scheme, it takes persistence and grit but if you can’t stand the heat - should you be in this game ?

19/05/2022

08/05/2022

A week in the life of a property developer

Keanu has worked a lot this week - onsite at Constitution Street at 7 am.

Supervising Slatefordhouse 1770

A round trip of 240 miles to oversee our two apart hotels

Visiting St James Townhouses on a Saturday- the guys were working to get it over the line

Then meeting fellow property peeps in a pub in Portobello for a bit of networking before going to the Hibs game with them

Driving 120 miles for his Dad’s Sunday lunch/ directors meeting with a bit of management consultancy /business analysis from his brother Brogan and …. A cuddle from Rex