Pennies To Pounds Podcast

117. Property Apprentice: Getting Started at 17, How The Industry is Changing & Beginner Tips ft Mary Felicia

• Pennies To Pounds

Share episode

Send us a text

This episode features Mary Felicia, a degree apprentice who has been scaling within the property industry since the age of 17. Mary chose a degree apprenticeship over the traditional university route, and she shares her experience. Mary’s story is not just inspirational but also packed with practical advice—whether it’s about mastering the build-to-rent sector or using social media for lead generation. 

FOLLOW MARY FELICIA:


Support the show

FOLLOW PENNIES TO POUNDS 💸
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/penniestopoundspod/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/penniestopound
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@penniestopounds?_t=8ZGvHcCqLIs&_r=1
LinkedIn - https://uk.linkedin.com/company/pennies-to-pounds
Website - www.penniestopounds.co.uk

Contact - info@penniestopounds.co.uk

Speaker 1:

Hey guys and welcome back to the Penny to Pounds podcast with your host, kia, and this is a podcast. We aim to dispel your myths, simplify difficult financial jargon and rectify your own personal problems. Happy Monday, everyone. I hope you've had an amazing weekend and I'm really excited to bring you another incredible episode.

Speaker 1:

But one exciting thing I need to put in there is that my book, which is here how to Handle Money is officially publishing in the UK on the 10th of October, that is, next week. I cannot believe it. I've got my copy here and I just think it's absolutely insane. And the more I go through it I know I wrote it. I go through it and I'm like, wow, this is such an amazing book, if I do say so myself. So if you want to grab your copy, it's still available for pre-order.

Speaker 1:

The link will be down below or in the episode description, and we're also having a party. So if you want to come and celebrate with us, I'm also going to talk about the book writing process, what that looks like if you're interested to write a book. Everything in between, we're going to have a celebratory party on the 11th of October. The link is also in the episode description so you can grab your ticket and come along. It'll be in East London. But enough of my ramble, let's go ahead to this amazing episode. So I'm going to bring you to my incredible guest Guest. Who are you?

Speaker 2:

My name is Mary Felicia. I am 20 years old, working in real estate. I've been in the industry for about three years now, so it started when I was 17. And in London I've taken the degree apprenticeship route within real estate, which is so niche and it's not really like heard of. So I'm excited to delve into a bit of that.

Speaker 1:

I'm excited to delve into it with you too, because, like you said, it is very niche when it comes to the real estate side of things. So talk us through. I like to hear people's journey when they're younger, because I think it really defines and you can understand people much better. So what was your upbringing like? How were you in school? What did that look like for you?

Speaker 2:

I actually grew up in northwest London, so, like Camden, I actually grew up there until I was about like 13 and then like living in London was like so good I think. I think I had a really nice like primary school experience. Um, it was very diverse with like the school I went to like infant school, primary school, then I did year seven in London for a bit but then my family bought a property outside of London in the East Midlands so we moved there. So that was about like nine years ago now. Brand new environment there. It's like I was like one of the few black people not even just black girls, like black people in a predominantly white school, so it's like that was a big culture shock for me yeah, and imagine I'm like 13, so it's like I'm so used to being in a diverse like school, whereas now it's so different.

Speaker 2:

But to be honest, I adapted to it absolutely fine. It was also really inspiring because my family bought their first property. It's a really nice like four-bedroom house, garden both parents have been very supportive and everything of the journey and that transition. We're in sixth form, having to decide what to do, like going into university or anything, and I've always had that passion for property within me. When I was younger I wanted to be a triple threat, like a dancer, singer, actor, but obviously that's just complete.

Speaker 1:

So you wanted to be in the theatre, be a performer.

Speaker 2:

Kind of yeah, I did so. It's completely different to what I'm doing now with my life.

Speaker 1:

I actually applied for Disney Channel this is like you applied for Disney. We're just uncovering the gems. Now you applied for Disney Channel. How did that go?

Speaker 2:

so I got invited to London. It was a hotel in London, like in Mayfair I can't remember the name, but if I walk past it I'll remember. But I literally got invited to there and there was a bunch of other kids, different age ranges, and they had the guy that like got Sky Jacksonson and payton list the role. So he was the one that basically did audition with us and we were given like a script that we had to like memorize and this was like the first time in my life I really put myself out there. So it was proper like I have to come out my shell now and I did gymnastics so I tried to like pull a little trick to try and impress them. So we had a script from a Disney Channel show and we had to play the character and it was like a key important thing is eye contact. Like I want eye contact. Guys like I'll be able to tell if you're the one via eye contact.

Speaker 2:

I'm quite nervous eye contact at that young age, but it was like such an amazing experience.

Speaker 1:

I didn't get through to the other round, unfortunately, but it was a really but it's a good lesson and it's a good experience that most people haven't had, that you can take away, and I think everyone who is confident like doing what you do, requires confidence. Now. Everyone who's in that position, I think has done something that's helped them come out of their shell. So that's why I love us, my people and the upbringing A bit more present day. You mentioned you went to sixth form and I went to sixth form too, and in sixth form I said before that I didn't know what I wanted to do and I think it is massive to us 17, 18 year olds to decide the rest of their lives basically at that moment. But I had no idea. I just went to university because everyone was talking about university and I was like, cool, I'll just do French and business and that's what I studied at university. How did you find out about your apprenticeship? Did you have?

Speaker 2:

to search for it. Did your sixth form bring that to you? What did that process look like? The whole process of me like even discovering apprenticeships. My sixth form specifically was so like adamant everyone should go to university. They'd always do talks on UCAS how to make your personal statement perfect and I was really put off of the route, of the traditional route of going to university, just because online there's so many like negative experiences that have been shared, like the fact you're going into debt and also the really slim chances of being able to secure a role from the industry that you would be in when you graduate. So that really put me off.

Speaker 2:

I worked as well. Actually, I did a role at JD when I was like 16. And then I worked in a hospital as catering assistant. So I was so used to like working and getting an income, like making money saving. I was starting those habits from early. So university then having to throw those habits kind of out of the window, almost being on survival mode, really put me off. So then I was thinking what's an alternative way to go about this? So I did speak to my early career advisor and I was telling her like I'm really interested in HR. Initially I was not even that like knowledgeable of what HR is like. I know it had negative connotations, but I also told her I also really want to get into real estate. Like how could I mix the two together? And she was telling me different university degrees to go to go for, sorry. But then I was just like I really want to work, though, and she was like there's apprenticeship opportunities, but she didn't know if there were any in real estate.

Speaker 2:

So I worked in a local estate agents on the weekends whilst I was in sixth form and through that experience it was just so amazing, like it was my first step into the industry and I was really getting into working. I was drawing floor plans, I was working with my colleagues in sales and lettings, the small basics as well, learning in phone etiquette, going on inspections as well, actually inspecting tenanted properties and feeding back to the landlord to let them know oh, this is the condition that the tenants left it in writing up like memorandum of sales. Like it was a really foundational experience and it made me think, wow, this is what I like. But then what I thought of was the fact there's not much career progression if I stay in an estate agent. So I met surveyors who'd always come into the office and that I never knew what a surveyor was before.

Speaker 2:

So I did my research on that and this whole surveying world, which was so new to me no one's ever spoken about. What a chartered surveyor is? It interested me and I was like, okay, how can I even get into this? So I saw the route was going to do a degree, but I wanted to work. So then I knew there was an apprenticeship so I was like, okay, is there a real estate apprenticeship? So my vision was literally me working as an apprentice in a real estate firm, but I did not know it even existed.

Speaker 2:

So I went on to like LinkedIn, searching the keywords like real estate apprentice. It came up with people who were actually real estate apprentices and it was just so perfect. I started messaging messaging them saying oh, how was your experience? Like, I'm really keen to get into this type of pathway now, knowing it exists. I searched up top firms in the UK. It came up with companies like CBRE, savills, knight Frank, jll, and then I'd check their career pages and see if they've got vacancies. And I saw they do offer degree apprenticeships and vacancies were coming out soon. Some already had them. Everything was in perfect timing.

Speaker 1:

It was aligning, it was aligning.

Speaker 2:

It was really aligning. And like I'm a very faithful person, like I've got a personal relationship with God, so I was always praying about this as well. I was like I know that you have a higher purpose for me, like I know I'm blessed and I'm highly favoured.

Speaker 1:

I love that. That's incredible, and I love the fact that you went out and you found that for yourself, because, like I said I've said it many times it's hard to know at that age and there isn't always that much guidance if you aren't just trying to go down the university route. So it's great to hear that you have carved that path and you took that initiative yourself. Let's talk about current day now. What does a typical day look like for a degree apprentice like you who works in real estate?

Speaker 2:

So day in their life is so different. My day can always change. How things work is I actually work four days a week and I study on one day, which is a Friday. So I have an online university that I would log into and do my degree studies, but in my working day it's always like I manage my own diary. You know how you have like right move supla on the market. I actually post listings on there for our like clients, which is basically the developer of the different schemes. I'm in the build to rent team right now so we work with clients who are building like build to rent, build to rent development. I feel like I'm making a bit of a tongue twister.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, the build to rent, that's hard yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I'm in build to rent right now.

Speaker 2:

So my typical day would be in the morning I would catch up with my team, give them feedback on how the previous week went with viewings and then I'd refresh my listings on Right Move Street Plot on the market so I can actually get inquiries. And then inquiries directly come to my inbox and I like on email and I'd give them a call, I'd qualify them, ask them questions like, because it's for rentals, I'll ask them questions like oh, how long are you looking to rent, for how many bedrooms, how many people? What's your budget, what's your, are you working full-time or self-employed? And what is the annual income? Because I'd want to save their time and my time and make sure they are qualified before I actually book them in for a viewing. And if they're qualified, I'll book them in and I pretty much manage my own diary from there, like I'd put them in.

Speaker 2:

I'm actually on like three different developments right now, um, personally, so pretty much manage all three of them. So I'd make sure my day works well with being at one site and another site. Convert them into offers when they come for viewing, send the offer to the client and then agree moving dates, get their contracts over from the team and, like always, li general is so sociable so we always have events. I used to do sales last year with them, so within that day in the life it would be a little bit similar but it's more slower paced because someone's buying a property. I used to work with shared ownership development where we'd have people coming in, conduct viewings with them there and then, like their first time buyers, they just want to get onto the ladder. And then I later revolved into being able to work on a prime development in central London. They're like starting prices like 1.1 million wow, so imagine selling sunset stuff it was giving selling sunset, I was like it's actually giving center.

Speaker 2:

So it felt like a bit of my visions were coming to reality. I couldn't believe it because I was at the time I worked there. I would have like just turned 19, so it's like I'm still so young and being able to do that was just like wow.

Speaker 1:

I think it's great, though, because you've been exposed to so much, and even at your young age, you're able to see different levels that you can attain yourself yeah because I think you hear this phrase all the time that you know you have to see it to believe it. So when you see things and you're in these spaces and you're around wealthy clients, you're like you know what one day, this 1.1 million building this, this property, could be mine you know it really expands your horizon.

Speaker 1:

So it's great to hear. I love a good, dynamic, diverse day where things can change every day, so that sounds like a really fun day. When we talk about property, we don't know. Markets were changing and trends are always changing too. So how do you manage to stay on top of that? Yeah, alongside balancing your studies and your degree, apprenticeship, because I know that is A lot.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

It's a lot for someone who's working full-time property anyway, yeah, to keep up with the trends. So how do you do that? Whilst also studying?

Speaker 2:

So of course, like being young and coming into the industry, I want to make sure I'm as informed as possible because I don't want to have to advise a client and me being young like kind of feeding into the stereotype of a young person not knowing anything, kind of let my age defy it. So a lot of the time people cannot even tell how old I am sometimes with clients. But a way that I do keep myself informed is I think it's really really crucial for me to implement this into my like daily routine. It keeps me informed and one thing I do do is keeping up to date with key publications. I'm signed up to a few. For example, every single morning at like 6am in my email I'll get something from a publication site called Prime Resi and they pretty much like send information out on what's going on in the prime property market. Also, just like having really close networks within my colleagues I work with, speaking with them like how has things been going in your team's market, whether that's like land commercial, because I'm very residentially focused. So speaking with other teams just to kind of get scope into what's going on in their market, even watching YouTube videos, podcasts that helps. I just think it's so, so important to stay informed, because every single like the property market is can be unpredictable sometimes. So you want to know what's going on, what is a good season for what.

Speaker 2:

At this point in time, and like even now, I'm working in build to rent. This is an upcoming sector. Within property. There's so many different developments. As you walk around wherever you are in London, there's new developments being built.

Speaker 2:

All the time Exactly and like build to rent is like booming right now. It's going to continue to thrive because obviously you've got housing shortages and people need to rent. You've got like so much demand and not enough supply. So keeping myself informed via publications, youtube, podcast, my network is a key way that I keep myself informed on what's going on that's really good, and I love the fact that you take initiative yeah to stay up to date, because it is very, very, very important and things are changing.

Speaker 1:

A drop of a hat, something will change In terms of your experience. What has surprised you the most? When it comes to whether it's Reader's Day or just the different sectors that you've worked in so far, what surprised you the most?

Speaker 2:

one thing that sparked me to get into the industry is definitely like how so people orientated and that, uh, like, everyone's lives will somehow be related to real estate.

Speaker 2:

I'd say, like when I came in, I think with a lot of young people, they might think, oh, real estate is just residential. However, there's so much more to it like we're in a podcast studio right now. This is a form of real estate. It's asset. We've got like commercial spaces, pubs, you've got stadiums, you've got hotels, like everything, office spaces, even like retail units everything is real estate. One thing that's really opened up my eyes the fact that we live and breathe in property, and I think it's so amazing how impactful buildings can be to all of our lives, not just bricks and mortar. It's actually like building the communities for people to thrive in, people to start their businesses, places for people to call home. That's something that definitely like surprised me, like when I joined, so young as we do, without the professionals that like serve us with finding our first home, securing a property to have your business running in, like it's just amazing.

Speaker 1:

I find that so, so cool it is so crucial, but you don't realize how crucial it is until you're in that stage of buying your first property. Or, like you said, you need an office space, you want to start up your first restaurant. Then that's the first time you come into contact with an expert like yourself. But it is so key. Everything revolves around property, otherwise we'd all be on the streets, wouldn't we?

Speaker 2:

literally, then that's the first time you come in contact with an expert like yourself, but it is so key. Everything revolves around property, otherwise we'd all be on the streets, wouldn't we? We would all be on the streets, so we do need it. Can you imagine us just standing outside in a park just trying to?

Speaker 1:

record this Because we wouldn't have a place to do it. So it is so, so, so key. Yeah, with your experience, your knowledge then, that you've built up over the years, how would you say the property industry is adapting to accommodate the changes. So, things like sustainability, housing shortages, what have you seen? It's changing. I mean, you touched on a little bit. You know build to rent is booming, but what else would you say that you've come across?

Speaker 2:

say the industry's definitely adapting and it's always going to be a slow process. Key thing with sustainability is now you're seeing developers not taking it as a trend but more as a priority. Like it's a key requirement that they should make the buildings that they're building very sustainable, whether that's having very green approaches. Especially when you go into some developments Newly built properties they have the highest EPC rating, carbon footprint as well. Like the developers are now realizing that it's essential and even within the industry as a whole it's just not taking it as a trend anymore. It's more of a vital thing that they should incorporate.

Speaker 2:

In my university I actually get to study that as one of my modules. That's cool. So it's all about construction technology. So we've learned things about modern methods of construction, like the type of materials that are used in buildings compared to the previous traditional ways of building, and ways to improve efficiency using technology. Even things with like virtual viewings. Like I actually wrote a whole essay on this where how ai is changing things and like technology is changing things now to make it a lot more sustainable. Like you may have a development which attracts a lot of international clients and to ease them having to actually fly out to come and see the property physically. You've got things where you can actually do virtual viewings, even with like VR headsets. Now they're developing things like that, which is so cool, cool and it's even. It's a more sustainable approach because people don't have to make that long journey. It decreases the carbon footprint where they can just look on their phone. You literally see it on, like Rightmove, all of these applications. You can literally do a virtual viewing, like you can see as if you're walking in it. You click one part, you go through one door, you see the whole size. Like a floor plan has now been made 3d, whereas traditionally you've just got the floor plan and pictures where it's changing.

Speaker 2:

Now and regarding like housing shortages, you've got modular buildings now being made, where pretty much a lot of it is made in the factory and then they'd bring it all to site almost like a complete, like block of how the apartment would be and they stack it almost like lego bricks. So that's saving so much time. It's so much costs of save even the time, like because weather you can have rain that affects the whole construction process. So bring in modular buildings, you just stack it like lego. Save so much time and having mixed use developments as well quite helps with the housing shortages because you've got like more vibrant communities. Developments are not just your old building with just flats. They're offering commercial units where you've got shops, cafes, gyms. Even so, it's just like improving the quality of life for people that want to live in new developments, your expertise and knowledge is incredible.

Speaker 1:

What you've acquired in this time is incredible and it is great to know what's being done, because me, as a regular consumer I don't work in real estate- I don't know, I just know what I know.

Speaker 1:

But to hear from you the things that are changing, that are happening, I think virtual viewings is probably one of the best things to have come in recent years. I remember during lockdown that I wanted to get an office space. Yeah, and obviously you couldn't go and see things, and I remember someone said, oh, just take a virtual viewing. The, the Latin agent, said, yeah, come and see a virtual viewing here. Here's the link.

Speaker 1:

That's insane, I know right and it was exactly the same when I finally got to see in person. This is exactly what you sent me. It's crazy. This is crazy, and you're right. It really does help sustainability not having to fly across halfway across the world to come and see something.

Speaker 1:

See online, decide if you want it yeah then you can take that trip and it's, you know, less carbon footprints. All of that amazing. It's crazy how all of that can just link all intertwined. I love it. So you have been doing some incredible things and hearing your journey is amazing. So I want to ask you what is your ultimate goal when it comes to real estate and your apprenticeship? Where do you see yourself being, maybe in 10-15 years time?

Speaker 2:

I think this apprenticeship has definitely helped me build the foundations of my career and just general knowledge of the industry, meeting really key clients and my colleagues. So I think I'm definitely wanting to use that to my strength, like building those relationships with people. I obviously make content on social media so I share my journey on like TikTok, predominantly a bit on YouTube as well. So I definitely want to grow that and maybe, like recently, actually I've been making videos of developments, like actually doing walkthroughs, started a new series called Renting in London so I posted a build to rent development that I've worked at and pretty much showcased the amenities it offers, their pricing because they're doing like a 20% discount whilst the station's closed and from that video, because I made it so informative, I actually had inquiry from it. That's good.

Speaker 2:

So someone from America was moving, moving down a lawyer, and they basically said, oh, I'd love for you love to have a viewing of the property. So things like that, like being able to generate leads for myself, not just relying on right mood I think that's something I really want to try and push forward for. That's even in the present. That's not even in the future. I'm trying to do that now, like my my team and my director of our residential team is actually wanting me to do this. So it's really nice that those seniors are wanting me to really tap into my creativity and benefit myself and them. But I do want to like buy a property definitely. That's always been on my bucket list. So I'm really trying to budget and save. Even your tips has helped me so much.

Speaker 1:

Thank you.

Speaker 2:

You might not be tapped into property, but you're helping me know I'm glad I'm still part of your journey. That means a lot so it's like that is one key thing before we round up yeah, what would be your one tip?

Speaker 1:

to leave our listeners with so young people who want to get into real estate? It might not be apprenticeship wise, but just anyone who's thinking I really want to get into real estate. It might not be apprenticeship-wise, but just anyone who's thinking I really want to get into it but I don't know how to. What's your one tip?

Speaker 2:

My one tip is definitely to put yourself out there, get networking. Don't be afraid, get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That's one thing I had to do, because if you're still in your comfort zone, there's only so much opportunities that can be available for for you. Put yourself up there, definitely. Number two would be to use your youthness to your strength, like make that your strength, because you, being young and entering a big space, it's actually a huge strength. Like some people see it as a weakness, some people see it as, oh, unfortunately I'm so young, but it's actually a huge strength. Like being gen z, there's so much value we can bring to the old, traditional ways of how people are in the property space, so that can definitely be beneficial. So I think don't be discouraged by being young and wanting to start young, because if you wait longer, thinking oh yeah, I'll get into it, maybe when I'm in my later 20s, then it's like when you could do it now. When you have the opportunity to do it now, just take it now.

Speaker 1:

Take it.

Speaker 2:

As young as you are are. Just go ahead and start now?

Speaker 1:

yeah, amazing. Thank you so much for joining us. You're welcome. This was so fun. This was incredible. I had a great conversation with you. Thank you for everyone listening and watching. Where can they find you to see more of your journey and what you're building?

Speaker 2:

so you can find me on tiktok I'm called she corporate or you can search mary felicia, youtube. Mary Felicia and Instagram. Mary Felicia and LinkedIn. Mary Felicia amazing.

Speaker 1:

Thank you so much for joining the podcast. Thank you, and to everyone listening and watching, we'll be back again next week with another episode. Bye, guys.