New British company offers a ‘win-win’ opportunity for local entrepreneurs
MONACO-BASED entrepreneurs and venture capitalists are about to be wooed by a disruptive new ‘win-win’ approach to UK domestic property investment. After decades of steady growth, UK housing values are stalling due to current Government policy and low consumer confidence, making the sector less attractive to landlords. Yet many aspiring homeowners still can’t quite get on the housing ladder or qualify for a mortgage. Enter investor and property entrepreneur Sheila Smith with her innovative ‘rent-to-own’ solution to please both sides of the market. In an exclusive interview she told Monaco Voice: “I wanted to shift the narrative away from the ‘greedy landlords’ stereotype to ‘mutual opportunity’, by connecting landlords with aspiring homeowners blocked by deposit requirements or mortgage restrictions. “It’s demoralising to be saving for a deposit as house prices accelerate away from you. My approach allows people to move in straight away and know that renting is already helping to buy their home in full. “Meanwhile, landlords can see a clear exit from a property portfolio that is yielding less than before or becoming a liability, then try another investment avenue, or go again in a different area or sector of UK property.” Smith’s new company, BeHomed emerged from her research into property management and ownership and finding an alternative to existing UK Government-backed, or housing association schemes. “I had a lightbulb moment,” said Smith, of East Grinstead, West Sussex. “A nudge from on high – not just a good business idea!” BeHomed secures a property at today’s market value and agrees a fixed future price for the tenant to buy it in five years. “If the property ends up worth more, the extra equity goes to the buyer,” says Smith. “If not, we can sometimes extend the rental term. Either way, the tenant has the right – but no obligation – to buy. The higher rents and ownership objective tend to attract tenants who are more committed and responsible, as they have a vested interest in looking after the home which they are working towards buying.
BeHomed funds the purchase by mixing private investment and traditional mortgages. The tenant pays a fixed monthly rent to cover mortgage costs and some interest to investors. A monthly top-up also helps build a deposit, aiming to make the tenant mortgage-ready by the end of the term. When it’s time to buy, the tenant must cover things like the mortgage broker and legal fees, plus any stamp duty. BeHomed is particularly helpful for those blocked from traditional mortgages due to self-employment, lack of credit history or deposit, or residency status – sometimes even well-paid professionals migrating to the UK cannot secure home loans. Born in the UK but raised in the US from the age of 16, Smith lived in Boston, Washington DC and New York, and after university, worked for top agencies in design and advertising, including global firm Porter Novelli, but her American adventure was ended by 9/11. “My office was just a half-hour walk from the Twin Towers, and I had clients in those buildings. It made me re-evaluate everything,” she says. Returning to Britain in 2003, Smith launched a design studio and developed investment companies, before founding BeHomed with a clear ‘people-first’ mission. “The model is successful in the US,” she explains. “It gives the landlord/property investor a fair way out or wriggle room for making their capital work harder, while offering tenants stability and a clear path to 100% homeownership rather than a shared deal, plus certainty – and dignity.” Her socially conscious approach is no accident. Smith took a year-long sabbatical travelling in some of Asia’s poorest communities, and is an investor in The Hunger Project charity, also donating her design services to its annual report. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, travel, and especially baking: “Our 11-year-old daughter Jasmine and I bake cakes for local elderly people through a community charity. It’s something we love doing together and I want her to feel the joy of giving back early on.”
How BeHomed Works for Investors
1. Properties secured from landlords or developers using investor funds or long leases
2. BeHomed matches each home with carefully vetted tenant-buyers
3. Landlords/owners receive a fixed return while BeHomed manages everything behind the scenes
How Investor Funds are used
BeHomed uses investor funding to secure low-risk, single-let residential properties
Key Features of the BeHomed Model
- 1. Designed to generate consistent income through structured private lending
2. Flexible terms – typically from six months to several years
3. Investment amounts tailored to qualifying investor needs
4. Hands-off returns – without the stress of direct ownership
For information purposes only. This is not a financial promotion. Capital is at risk and returns are not guaranteed. BeHomed works with qualifying investors in accordance with FCA guidance.