YOU could earn thousands by reporting abandoned properties on your street.
YouSpotProperties allows you to earn money by reporting homes that are no longer in occupation and run down.
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The website gifts £20 Amazon or M&S vouchers to members of the public when the reported home meets the criteria.
You can go on to receive 1% of the purchase price if the property goes on to be sold. This is typically capped at £10,000.
Lisandra made £1,777 after reporting an empty home she spotted on a walk to her local bus stop.
The 37 year old from Crawley said it was the overgrown garden that caught her attention.
“Upstairs windows on the first floor were covered with OSB boards, and the bins always appeared to be in exactly the same place. I just knew the house was unoccupied.”
She remembered a news story she read about the website and decided to report it as she had “nothing to lose”.
“It took months to receive my £20 voucher, but I was delighted when it came through as it was essentially free money.
“The surprise was that it took so long as I’d completely forgotten about it.”
She later received a call that the property was sold and she would receive a cut of £1,777.
All in all, the process took up to a year for Lisandra to get her hands on the cash.
And it could not have come at a better time for the Portuguese native.
She recently resigned from her job and was hoping to have a break before stepping in to a new role.
Lisandra added: “The money was like an extra salary and meant I could stay home for a few more weeks – a bit of a miracle.
“I’ve always believed life brings you what you need when you really need it, in my case it came at a fantastic time for me.”
Ben Radstone, co-founder of YouSpotProperty.com, said: “Lisandra’s story is a reminder of the power and potential of involving local communities in the benefits of getting their empty and derelict houses back into use.
He shared the abandoned house was owned by a married couple who were in a dispute over the property following their separation.
HOW TO REPORT EMPTY PROPERTIES
If you spot an empty property, take a picture of it and upload it to youspotproperty.com.
You will also need to share the address of the property.
It can take a few weeks or months to hear back from the team.
But you will receive a £20 gift voucher for M&S or Amazon if the criteria is met.
You can go on to be handed 1% of the purchase price if the team have helped bring the property back into use.
They had stopped paying the mortgage for over a year and the bank had started repossession proceedings.
Ben added: “We mediated between both the husband and wife to come to an agreement on a sale of the property within a three-week period, and helped avoid repossession.”
MORE SUCCESS STORIES
And Lisandra is not the only spotter who has managed to score some cash.
In June, YouSpotProperty.com confirmed it handed out more than £1 million in reward monies and vouchers to members of the public.
Balham resident Rebecca scored £10,000 after hearing about the initiative after seeing a post on social media.
Speaking at the time she said: “The house in question though – on the corner of my road – I thought would be the least likely to get anywhere.”
“It’s a large, 2,000 square foot, late Victorian house with some intricate detailing.”
The Sun also heard from Mikhail Chekhrinov who has made £8,000 by using the feature.
5 Tips to Get on The Property Ladder
Saving for your first property is tough, but it is possible. Here are a few steps for first-time buyers.
1. Cut back on luxuries and start saving
Consistent monthly saving is the best way to accumulate enough money to get on the ladder, for a deposit and purchase fees. To do this, you need to take a look at your monthly outgoings and think about what can be cut out – holidays, new clothes, weekly takeaway.
Using a savings calculator can help you to establish how long you will need to save for a deposit. Based on your income, you can figure out a realistic amount to save each month.
2. Have a realistic property search
Set a budget for the property price you would like to buy, and think realistically about the location and size of your property. While we all may want that house with a view or extra bedroom, can you afford it?
3. Research Help To Buy and Shared Ownership schemes
The government has introduced a few ways to help first-time-buyers get on the property ladder and they’re great for those on lower incomes or to buy a property in more expensive areas like London.
4. Consider buying with another person
Investing with somebody else you know is a sure way to get onto the property ladder. You only need to save half the amount you would otherwise, so you can work towards getting your property sooner.
You can invest with a friend, family or partner. Naturally, it is a big step and a huge commitment so be open and honest about what you expect from living together — if you haven’t already.
5. Talk to a mortgage broker and get your documents in order
A mortgage broker can tell you exactly how much you can borrow for a mortgage, what you will need to pay monthly and in upfront costs.
