When Random Things Suddenly Seem to Be Not So Random

There must be a reason why seemingly separate things suddenly come together, line up and show you a Dream!

I see the vision.

I see the finished project.

I see us all living in an incredible converted Barn (with a smaller Barn for my Mum to stay in)

But I cannot see me explaining to my family why I think we should risk everything without them wanting to talk me out of it.

Let's face it, this plan needs a lot of belief and total faith. I have it. But I know they will look at me and think...'he needs saving from himself, let's talk him out of it, let's make him see sense, this isn't a project for the likes of him'...

And I suppose they are right. If I think about the herd of elephants in the room, I need to:

- Convince the family to risk everything

- Borrow a large sum of money from someone I probably don't know

- Get planning permission

- Sell some of it, keep some of it and all for a profit (to pay for the renovation of the Barns)

- Repay the person who lent the money

- Live in a fabulous converted Barn

The last one is the Dream. The other bits are the things that have to happen to get there.

I always reckon that if you say something quickly enough and with enough conviction in your voice, then a lot of people will agree.

But this is risking millions (we don't have) on the toss of a coin (courtesy of the planning system) so I doubt I can say it fast enough or convincingly enough to get anyone to agree.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

First of all, I want to share how we found the Dream and how difficult it was right from the start.

In fact I am going to go back a little further...to a dark night, at a networking event where I met a chap who helped people get finance for tricky developments that need the property titles to be split.

If I have lost you at this point I apologise. But let me explain. He gave an example where someone buys a really big house. They decide to create three separate apartments and so need to create three separate titles at the very point of purchase. Why? Well the house on it's own is worth £500,000 because it is too big and no-one wants a house that big in that area. But if the house was three apartments, with separate titles that can be sold to three separate people then there is a big demand for flats in that area and that same house would now be worth 3 x £200,000 or £600,000 in total. That's a very nice increase in value and all you have done is split the title.

Wow! £100,000 profit (oh I should mention that he was a little light on the costs: less some estate agent buying costs, finance costs, solicitor fees and his fee for arranging it all!).

The reason he explained why people don't do this was because they didn't know they could AND because unless you have some lenders and solicitors who understand the process the computer will say 'no' and no deal will be done.

So his role was to explain the plan, organise things and make it all work. And he charges a fee for that. Fair enough I thought, it is quite clever and any bank that is presented with anything slightly odd for a mortgage is met with confused looks [ignore the fact that they happily invest in highly complex split derivatives based on floating basis point return options at the drop of a hat].

I thought, hey I can't wait to tell the family of this clever way to buy a property, split it, and maybe end up with a bit of a house for a price you would never have been able to afford otherwise.

As you can imagine, I never had that conversation with anyone. How could I convey how I exicted I was because I had a feeling that this might be useful one day.

My kids think I am dull anyway so why tell them this and confirm the fact?

Fast forward a few weeks and we are heading to see my Mum and Step Father who were staying at the coast for the day. As we approached the house I noticed a large sign with a property for sale.

Not just any property. This looked like an entire farmyard and fields. The cogs began to turn.

Over lunch we were chatting about things when my Mum said 'I see the farm is up for sale, everyone who wants it wants to build in the field, but they won't sell to anyone wanting to do that'.

The cogs continued to turn.

Several hours and several sandcastles (each smashed flat by the incoming tide) later, we set off to go home. As we approached the For Sale sign, I slowed. I stopped. I looked at my wife. She looked at me. I turned off the engine and got out. 'Oh what is Dad up to now?' came a voice. 'I'm not sure' said Sally rather absently as she stared after me.

I crossed the road and hopped over the gate. The cogs began to spin.

I took a photo of the For Sale board and checked to see I could read the phone number and got back in the car.

Sally asked 'What are you thinking?'

All I could say was 'it is huge'. The cogs were humming. I couldn't explain it but that Title Split talk from a few weeks earlier came flooding back. It was as if something was lining up and all I had to do was act.

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